Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-03-27
THE Old Time Religion =


following letter from another state is
given below. This is Real No. L.
Editor Progressive:
In reply to Brother Wilson's re-
quest for some one to give descrip-
ton of "The Old Time Religion" as
was praeticed and enjoyed few
years ago.
The Brothers request carries me
back to the goth night of Feb. 49,
81, little, more than So years that
being the time when l realized for
the first time in my existence that
! was child of God, and although
more than half century since then
has passed into Eternity, remember
distinctly my surroundings at that
time
The place was at or within a few
yards of where the Concord Church
now stands in an old log school
house known as the "Union School
house. Rev Joseph Teter was hold
ing protracted meeting, assisted by
the good old members of the NJ H.
and U. b. Churches. In honor Of
their memory viii name some Of
those dear old Fathers in Ireal;
Old Brother John Vanscoy, William
Day, Simon Swick, Noah Yoakum,
Oliver Zirkle, solomon Harris, and
quite a number of others who have
long since crossed the Jordan and
have gone on to that land of pure de-
light where Saints immortal reign.
During that series of meetings
there was quite an awakening a.
mong the young people of that vicin-
ty, especially among the young men.
During that revival meeting there
was a number of my schoolmates
and young friends converted; there
was Billy" George who was CONVEX
ted at that meeting and / saw him
leave sometime after for the "City
of the Blest." / have seen quite a
number Of persons die and have
often said if ever saw Christian
die it was him, and / would just say
here that myself and Taylor George
were converted on the same night.
Well, we generally practiced a
somewhat different form in getting
religion as we sometimes say we
generally thought then that a per-
son becoming penitent should go to
the altar and Weep and pray and la
/ Dor and agonize until he found par
don, and | sometimes think a CONVEX
sion sought and obtained in that
manner is more lasting than one OBJ
tanned almost without an effort. ]
believe most of the young men that
came into the church when / did were
still faithful--the last that | heard
from them most Of them are gone on
to Glory. | must mention James
Harris as he was instrumental in my
/ conversion; hope he is still faithful.
am most certainly sorry to say
that formaiity and pride has found
their way into the church and there
are some things that if practiced so
! year ago would have caused the Of
Tending member to have been ex-
PEELED, at the present time seems to
have the approval of persons whom
we regard as the Bishop and Shep-
herd of the Soul. There was a time
when the Church required her mem
brs to walk circumspectly ever set
ting Cody example but | am sorry
to say that have seen official mem
bers of the church engaged in play
ing cards and while protested Christ
ians will engage in such amusements
how can the Blessing of God" at
tend the church in the words Of the
poet, we exclaim:
"The Christian name
They still retain
Absurdly and false-hearted
And while they in the church remain
Her Glory is departed"
Sometimes when a revival is on
occasionally we hear the song:
30 give me the old time religion that
out Fathers received long ago" and
if some dear old mother would chance
to get blessed in the singing and ex-
claim "Glory," good portion of the
congregation would become alarmed
and pronounce her mad, just as Fes-
tus did Paul.
Thank God / do believe there are
a great many good Christian people
in the Church at this time, but the
Christian associations that we used
to have did seem more elevting and
edifying than they are at the pres
ent day. do not doubt that some
who may read this will say, 20, he
is an old fogy, the religion of his
young days would not do today; we
rxyo1r1l ~ l.