USA > West Virginia > Memorial of the centenary celebration of the French Creek Presbyterian Church : August twenty-third & twenty-fourth nineteen hundred and nineteen > Part 4
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Group of Visitors listening to one of the Speakers
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miles on horseback to the nearest mill. Soon his land would become more productive; and at length, if thrifty and industrious, he would build a good house and abondon the cabin. Other movers would settle near, then a town would be founded, and another, and another, and eventually a railroad would be built through the new settlement. The community is transformed in 25 years; the markets are near, the comforts of life have multiplied, the farm of the first settler is now worth thousands of dollars, and he has added other hundreds of acres to it. His children settled on the farm or enter the business or the professional world, and the old settler spends his declining years amid peace and plenty ; and he gathers his grandchildren about him and tells of the days of long ago, of the long journey in the moving wagon, and of the time when the forest frowned on every side and the wolves howled about his lonely cabin in the wilderness." Many new colonies were established in the early part of the last century in northern New York, in Ohio, in West Virginia and in other parts of the south and west. The same spirit that has caused the star of empire to move westward caused the brave men of New England to come to the forests of Vir- ginia and to establish new homes here.
IV .- THE RELIGIOUS IMPULSE.
In a little town that lies a few miles west of Charlemont, Massa- chusetts-not many miles away-is to be found a curious looking marble monument. It is in the form of a hay-stack and is placed at this particular point in Williamstown to commemorate the far-famed Hay- stack Prayer Meeting that marked the beginning of a great new era in foreign missions in America and throughout the world. At the place where this hay-stack of marble now stands there once stood a real hay- stack and by its side, a little more than 100 years ago, a small group of young men who were students in Williams College met and began to pray for the conversion of the world. Among these young men was Samuel J. Mills who planned to go as a foreign missionary, but was hindered from doing so. However, he began to work for the publish- ing of the Gospel in America and started on a long journey to the south-west. On one of his first trips, almost 100 years ago, he came to Marietta, Ohio, and established a religious association. Later he organized a number of Presbyterian churches in various parts of the
west. In reading, very recently, copies of THE PANOPLIST pub- lished in 1811 and 1812, I have noted the deep religious zeal of the Church at this time. The same spirit that sent Samuel Mills to the West, Judson to India and Eliott to the Indians sent Asa Brooks to the new colony here at French Creek, and impelled Robert Young to distribute more than 300 Bibles to families in Lewis County that were without the Scriptures. It is exceedingly interesting to note that, though many of the families and the ministers as well were members of the Congregational Church at the time of their departure from New Eng- land they almost invariably organized Presbyterian Churches in their
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new homes. So it was at French Creek and so it was in many other similar colonies farther to the north and west.
V .- COMMERCIAL INFLUENCE.
As many of the records show there were certain men such as Pat- rick Peebles and Dr. Stebbins who took up large tracts of land at the very beginning of the last century here in this part of Virginia. No doubt they sought to dispose of their valuable land-holdings and used many arguments to induce emigration in the direction of their tracts of land. Many were persuaded to buy lands here and, of course, came later to enter upon their new possessions. The commercial influence was a large factor in the new settlements in the French Creek region a century ago.
VI .- THE GEOGRAPHICAL INFLUENCE.
At the time of which I speak the Indian menace had almost ceased and the roads and trails over which the red men had traveled for cen- turies uncounted were taken by the men of pale face and used by them as great thoroughfares. Indians' trails led to the north, the west and the south and it was possible for white men to travel far over these for- est roads formerly used by the wild men and wild animals. Among these trails one of the most noted is the Mohawk trail leading from a certain point in Massachusetts westward along the northern border of that State, through the entire length of New York to Niagara Falls. This being open to white men in the last years of the eighteenth century and the early part of the nineteenth century many men sought to follow it into the wilds. The colonies of Yankees that settled in northern New York and in northern Ohio followed the Mohawk Trail. Along this trail went Samuel J. Mills on horseback as he began his notable mis- sionary career and hundreds of others, singly or in large or small groups followed in the same way. We have evidences that some turned south- ward and followed along the Ohio River at a very early day, while others took a trail leading up towards the head-waters of our own Monongahela. Though we do not know certainly, it seems probable that our fathers traveled along the above route for at least part of the way.
There may have been other influences that led our fathers to leave the old home even as Abram left Ur of the Chaldees and journeyed into the promised land. We do not know. Yet it must be true that the influences which I have mentioned were very powerful in inducing our old New England ancestors to forsake the old home, to ride through a perilous wilderness and to endure the privations of a pioneer life. Men, women and children of all ages came on this journey. Their courage in making such a venture must have been very great. Their character may be well described in the words of Mrs. Hemans:
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"There was woman's fearless eye Lit by her deep love's truth ; There was manhood's brow serenely high, And the fiery heart of youth."
MORGAN, BROOKS, WINGROVE.
And so they came, young men and old; women of dauntless daring and of unsullied souls; little children who later became the fathers and mothers of those who are now with us, adding the glory of their pure lives to this occasion.
The old home among the granite rocks, the birch-covered hills and blue lakes of New England was very beautiful. But our fathers for- sook that home to seek, in the spirit of true Christian crusaders, a new home farther away. Here among our own West Virginia hills they chose to end their pilgrimage and to build for themselves and their children churches, schools and homes. They laid well the foundations of their new home. They built a Church which is as a city set upon a hill whose light can not be hid. They built character which is as strong as the rocks of the old northern home. Here our fathers came, lived, did their work. The ashes of their earthly tabernacles lie near the place where we stand today while their spirits have gone on to the eternal dwelling place.
One of the most touching incidents in the life of Jesus took place near the close of his life. He was down in Judea, away from the home of his childhood in the hills of Galilee. In talking with his friends one day he said, "But after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee." His thoughts turned to his old home and to the associations of his boyhood days. Immediately after his resurrection he went before them into Galilee. The great battle of the world had been fought; the powers of sin were vanquished on the Cross. Then the Saviour returned for a little while to his old home, the place that he loved so well.
So our minds turn again to some old home-New England. French Creek-somewhere. But so trans.ent are the years, so shifting are the sands upon which we build our homes that we often turn to the future and think of the city which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God. "For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come."
But I would leave in your minds at the close of these wonderful days not one sordid thought, not one sad reflection. The old home in New England had its severities, its discipline, its beauty; the future home to which we all journey has its indescribable glories. But, Oh, Thank God for French Creek, the present home of so many of us, its traditions, its influence, its future! Be glad in the joy of living today and of having at least a little share in the work of this our old Home Church.
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PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
D
DR. WARREN H. WILSON
REV. ROY F. MILLER
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A SOLDIER'S GOD Bu REV. ROY F. MILLER
INTRODUCTION
M Y subject is "A Soldier's God." The text begins with the words "In the beginning" and ends with the words, "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with the saints." Or speaking plainly the entire Bible is the basis of my remarks.
I have called the God of whom I speak a Soldier's God because he first appeared in the way I shall describe, to a soldier. However, the God of the soldier was not much different than the God of any other Christian. Soldiers didn't have any more religion than the pals they left at home. Here and there, of course, there were short bursts of religious zeal, but on the whole the boy who went away with good tendencies found his level and the boy who went away with bad tendencies found his. The same faces appeared in the Bible classes; the same were seen in the gang. And when they came home you had just about what you sent, only more decided one way or anot .. er.
1 .- THE CHRISTIAN SOLDIER FORCED TO DECIDE.
Certainly the Christian boy came home more decided. Before, his religion had been taken care of by some one else, just the same as his meals had been prepared or his clothes washed. Sunday morning came and mother would call upstairs, "Tom, get up! It's time for Sunday School." Tom would grunt, "All right," and roll over on the other side. After a couple more calls he would get up and go to Sunday School. There he would listen to some predigested religious thought that some teacher had laboriously sweated over. Tom agreed to everything that was said and at the end of the hour went home feeling that his Christian duty was done. Oh, perhaps he went to another service or so during the day and listened to somebody else think for him, but poor Tom never once thought for himself. So long as he kept in the shadow of the church and enjoyed people's respect, every- thing was all right. His mind was filled with a jumble of religious ideas that he didn't care to unravel. He couldn't tell you why he was a Christian; he couldn't tell you what Christ was; he couldn't tell you the meaning of salvation; he couldn't tell you what the cross stood for.
But there came a time when the church no longer towered over Tom and rang its bell. There came a time when there was no voice to call him. There probably wasn't even a church or Bible class to go to. Tom was left standing on his own feet. For the first time in his life he had to decide whether religion was worth sticking to, whether the parson at home was right, whether Christ could mean anything to a soldier and a multitude of other questions.
And these had to be decided under new circumstances. There
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were no books, no home helps-only his companions around him and God's blue sky above. Oh, how he revelled in that starlit sky when his work was done and he could walk and let his mind rise above the petty things of the day and wander to the very limits of the universe itself. It was there under the spell of this greatness that le resolved to hold to the old religion.
II .- THE SOLDIER FINDS THAT A MAN'S IDEALS ARE HIS RELIGION.
But his companions-there was the puzzle. Why did they give so little heed to religion? Not many of them cared for it or wanted to be classed as religious. Yet there wasn't a one in the crowd that didn't have some good about him-no matter how bad he might be in other ways. There, for instance, was Jim: Jim, who had served two hitches in the cavalry and still cursed like a trooper. But Jim had a heart as big as himself and had actually cried wl:en the parson back home had sent him a letter. To be sure they all had their high ideals in one way or another.
Yet when Tom invited Bob to church, Bob said he didn't care to go. He didn't believe a man had to go in order to be good. He never went and still he always acted square with everyone. He always gave a man a fair deal. He prided himself on being square and in that Tom suddenly discovered lay Bob's religion. To Bob it was the big thing in life. He lived by it. He liked men who lived by it. He even based his claim to eternity upon it: "Fair play" was the creed of his religion and his God's chief characteristic was squareness with men.
Nor was Bob. different than the others. Tom suddenly found that all his companions had religion of one kind or another. This one prided himself because he had quit drinking. Self-control was the big thing in life to him. His God was a God of self-control. He had no need of church because some church members were not as strong as he. This one prided his kindness. No one ever asked him for anything he had and didn't get it. He had the reputation of giving his last cent and was always broke because other people borrowed. Bigness of heart was the important thing in life for him. His God was a God of kindness and he had no need of church because some church mem- bers were miserly. And so it went. They each had some high ideal they clung to. They each had a religion.
III .- THE SOURCE AND NATURE OF THESE IDEALS.
But the regret of it was, Christ was left out. It wouldn't have been so bad if Bob had thought squareness was the big thing in life and had taken Christ as the best example of a square man. Instead he had merely a respect for Christ and the captain was the man he idolized. Hadn't he treated them as man to man and put them on their own honor? Hadn't he been alike to all of them and played no
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favorites? Who would you want squarer than he? Bob had other idols, too. He often spoke of this or that man and admired him because he was square, but the crooked councilman and politicians he couldn't bear. And so it was with the other men of the company. Each had his religion, and the center of it was Christ or somebody else.
Among such a variety of religion Tom naturally found a difference of opinion as to what was right or wrong. There was Bill, who believed it was all right to steal if he could get away with it. There was Harry, who thought it was all right to swear if it wasn't overdone. There was George, who thought that every boy should have his fling. So the big question arose, "Who is right?" Someone must be right and someone must be wrong. All could not be right.
IV .- CHRIST AS AN IDEAL.
Then Tom remembered these words, "Having been made perfect He became unto all them that obey Him the author of eternal salva- tion"; and it dawned upon him that Christ was the perfect ideal, the Man who was always right. God knowing that nothing was perfect among men, had gathered into one all the best there is in love, in truth, in kindness, and in every virtue, and then sent that one Jesus Christ into the world to live His life before men. Imagine that you are painting a picture and that you search the ends of the world and procure absolutely perfect colors and then you apply them in an abso- lutely perfect way. The result is a picture of perfect beauty. That is what we have in Christ. Go to the Bible and search out his virtues. This entire world has no greater example of love, of courage, of sincerity, of all virtues. Christ embodies all that's good in the world within his own life-he is the perfect ideal.
Here the death on the cross flashed into Tom's mind. If Christ was perfect why such a death? In meditating upon it Tom found that Christ had set him a good example when it came his turn to suffer on the battlefield. But still more, Christ showed that he was willing to back up his words and deeds with His life. Search history from begin- ning to end and you will never find a single person who laid down their life so voluntarily as Christ. He had the privilege of leaving the country the night before the crucifixion. He had the chance to deny Himself when Pilate asked, "Art Thou the Christ?" He had many ways of escape, but He would stand by His words. The most eloquent thing Jesus Christ ever did was to die on the cross. Christ was a perfect ideal and the cross gave proof of His perfection.
V .- CHRIST MORE THAN AN IDEAL.
Not only is Christ a perfect model, but He is more than that. Tom found that everyone fell short of the'r ideals. Jim, for instance, tried to be big hearted, but when they were on the march two nights before he had helped to ra'd a chicken coop and then laughed at the farmer who made complaint. Jim failed in his bigheartedness. Tom turned
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away at the thought of it to see in his mind those words, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." Christ would help him attain the ideals he had set. Christ was more than an ideal, He was a helper.
Sometime ago a man wandered into one of our city missions. The man in charge had been an old pal of his. Together they had robbed many safes and then separated; one converted and working in the mission, the other going the old path. Now the latter, after a number of years, had come back and wandered into the mission drunken and without hope. Under the influence of the meeting he sobered and made a resolution to try to be better. They secured him a job carrying messages. Within two years he was one of the trusted employees of a bank handling thousands of dollars every day. Where will you find any but the power of God that will raise a man to his best like that?
Then Christ is more than an ideal in another respect. Tom experi- enced something more. There were times when Tom didn't do right in spite of himself. God's help was present, but Tom simply wouldn't be helped. Then Tom repented of the wrong he did and remembered the words, "He that cometh to Me I will in nowise cast out" and sought God's pardon. And always there came to Tom the feeling within him that he had been forgiven. Where will such a consciousness of pardon be found except through Christ ?
CONCLUSION.
So Tom found an old God in a new way, at least new to himself. Men in their sins were groping for the true light, the true ideal, and God sent Jesus Christ to give men a perfect ideal. Nor was that all. He gave to Christ the power to help men attain that ideal and when they fell and repented to lift them up.
Who wouldn't follow a leader like that?
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ADDRESS OF DR. WARREN H. WILSON In charge of Church and Country Life Work of the Presbyterian Church in the U. S. A.
HIS is the most perfect expression of the life of a com- munity I have ever witnessed. The address this morning by Dr. S. Hall Young, using the phrasing and the feeling of religious fellowship and tracing the history of a cluster of families, was surely a rare event. Our ears will seldom hear the like. The audience which sat silent to hear and to see the most eloquent among the distinguished sons of this community moved me strangely. All that we almost feel and see throughout the years of a community's routine life was then in evidence. We are still as- sembled on the stage of this beautiful grove, dramatizing this com- munity. It is a unique community. Yet it is representative of the best and most frequent type of rural community throughout the United States.
All the world has been here and to all the world you have sent forth the rays of your thought and the lightning message of your prayers-and your sons and daughters have gone forth along the lines of your literary, scientific, missionary and business interests. You are able to call home "your sons and daughters from far." : The whole world has been richer for French Creek. There are cities which have not contributed so much as you have to the wealth of mankind.
The whole day has been filled with the past. And I have been deeply impressed with the fact that the center of the audience has been filled with the grave and beautiful faces of the older men and women, whose happiness is in the story of the past. But what of the future of French Creek? Will it continue to give forth such sons and daughters? Are your schools inspiring such scientists and training such business men, or must they go away from home while they are still unformed in mind, to be formed upon the model of the towns and to forget French Creek. Is this old church, built by the grandfathers and unchanged by the touch of the hands or the ideas of two gener- ations, sending out missionaries now? Is the home among these beauti- ful hills as attractive to the young woman of the present day as was the pioneer cabin to the adventurous bride of one hundred years ago? Is it adequate to her tastes and needs as the house in town is.
The past twenty-five years in American country life have seen an awakening to the heavy cost the town lays upon the country community. Many little towns that boasted at first of their brilliant sons sent forth into high places, have learned to mourn that none of them stayed at home. Is this church that has given Hall Young to a world ministry assured of a Hall Young in her own pulpit, training the young in the missionary spirit?
For the past ten years we who love the country church and com- munity have been observing and recording what things make for the
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immortality of the country community. For surely the community ought to live on, if the soul lives on. If we preach that personality enters into endless life through the gospel, we are prone to expect the church -- to which the minister devotes his personality- to live on in an im- mortality on earth. The immortal church is a truer token that our dear ones gone before are living in heaven than any other witness. The white stone on the graveyard speaks to us of the dear body sleep- ing there. But the church keeps alive our faith in immortality.
The power of the life of the church is in the community. French Creek has always had a keen sense of this, appearing in the frequent references in the address of Dr. Hall Young today and of his Father fifty years ago. With the seeing eye they have discerned that the church lives or dies with the life or death of the community. What then makes a community to live? What are the sources of immortality for the church? The first of them is good roads. In France they know this; for those towns which have been so obliterated that they cannot be found, in whose crumbled brick-dust heaps lives not even a house-dog, or a slinking cat or rat, they are rebuilding these towns by rebuilding first the roads. Not first the personalities, as we Amer- icans would have done, who sacrifice all to the worship of personality and career, but first the roads. When these towns are rebuilt, the churches will be rebuilt too, more beautiful then ever, and they will have the power of an endless life in them, as well as the story, the gospel, of heavenly immortality.
Second, the American country community needs organization to preserve the estates of its people. You remember how in the history of early days on French Creek settlers had to leave, or did leave, whose titles to land came into question. The American farmer of the present time faces the same compulsion. Half the farmers in Ohio had moved in five years, according to a recent inquiry-just as half the farmers on French Creek moved in 1839, because their estates were taken from them. We need therefore in the interest of the community, co-operative and business organization among farmers, owners and tenants; for credit, for manufacture, for purchase and sale-in order that enough of the profit remain in the community to make the farmers and their sons content. It would be perfectly justifiable if this church open its sacred doors to the meeting for farm organization, because its own future de- pends upon the satisfaction and success of the farmer.
Third, the country community and the church with it will be made immortal by better health service. In the recent influenza epidemic. cities, crowded as they are, suffered less; and country people, who enjoy fresh air and may have pure water, suffered most. The average American farmhouse is still a miner's cabin, or a hunter's lodge, so far as sanitary appliances are. The women feel this and the younger women especially. They go to live in town by preference because there they have running water always and sanitary appliances as a matter of course. You must satisfy young women if the church is to live on, for the woman is the brooding mother of the community just
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as she is the mother of the child. Where she elects to be married and bring forth her children and rear them, there the church will find its immortality.
It would do much to perpetuate this church if a society were formed for public health service, which should study the conditions read the bulletins of the state and national departments and employ a visiting nurse throughout this region. In time I believe that the state will do this, but in the present period it must be done as an emergency measure neces- sary to the continuance of the population as a community of farmers resident upon the land. If even a few of them go, another church will be brought in and then all the evils of religious competition are introduced. For remember that the people who desire better roads and better health and better schools and a better income are drawn from the best families you have, they are the material out of which the pillars of the church must be made.
Fourth, the community has immortality in these days through the modernization of the schools. Such a church as you have in French Creek is incomplete without a school adequate to the training of the youthful minds in modern science as it has to be practiced on the farm, in the m ne, or in business. The boy of this time seeks the beginnings of engineering, of biology of chemistry, or he requires to know abou! business organization and principles in Economics, or to have the in- troduction to farming in applied Botany. The happiness of this day has been in your pride of heart over your favored sons. But are you organizing your schools in such a way as to train your younger sons and daughters to be equally brilliant? If you do not they will not stay, and their children will never return. Many American communities have made that mistake, especially in New England from which your ancestors came. They permitted the towns to have all the advantages in schools and the result is that their sons and daughters have gone into manufactures, business and mining, doing well or ill as the case might be; while the old farms have passed into the hands of foreigners, who are making fortunes out of a soil a second time made fertile. The old churches of the Puritans are closed up and an intoning bell and a chant- ing priest have their new edifice in the valleys where your ancestors lived. All honor to the man who reorganizes the French Creek public schools. Presbyterianism is built upon education as much as upon preaching.
I am glad the old church has a resident pastor again. I am glad too that he represents the Synod as well as this congregation. The continuance of this church is of national concern. The sacrifices that any man can make, and the service he can render in giving to the French Creek Church and community, a continuance will do more for the king- dom of God than the same effort invested elsewhere, because this is good human and religious stock. This place may still produce mission- aties, bankers, scientists and writers of living books, if its people will only build as well for the future as they have striven to remember and to honor the past.
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Above: Choir composed persons who were present at the Semi- Centenary Celebration of the church, singing. "How Firm a Foundation Ye Saints of the Lord."
Below: Group of descendents of Robert Young seated on the fallen chimney of his pioneer home.
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A MEMORIAL TRIBUTE To COL. THOMAS E. HODGES Bu THE PEOPLE OF FRENCH CREEK, WEST VIRGINIA
URING many years gone by, whenever .the people of the French Creek Presbyterian Church assembled to do honor to any occasion or to join together in any social or religious anniversary, they have had the joy of the presence of many of the sons and daughters of this favored community. Among those who so frequently returned to the old home was usually seen one of the greatest and best of all our French Creek boys, a very prince among men, an outstanding personality, a scholar, a Christian gentle- man, Col. Thomas E. Hodges. He was a modern representative of Bunyan's lovable character, "Great Heart." In physical proportions he was large; in mind he was built on the same large plan; in heart he was like his Master, for he was broadly sympathetic and abounded in those graces that are in Jesus Christ.
Col. Hodges was honored as a school man, a military man, a man of great worth in the business, scientific and social world; he stood high in the courts of his own church; he was also a man of influence in the political world. In many ways his fellowmen loved to do him honor, and he was worthy of all the honors that he bore. His degrees and titles were many, and hosts of friends in our State and in other parts of our nation have called him "Col. Hodges" or "Dr. Hodges," but to the people of French Creek alone belongs the right of bringing this tribute of filial love to him who for so many years dwelt in our midst, and to bestow upon him the best of all his names, "Tommy Hodges." Bearing that name he came to our Sabbath School and learned from good men and women to love and serve the Lord Jesus Christ. During all his life he followed in the same pathway of Christian service into which he was directed by the men and women, who, early in his life, had so great influence over him. With the devotion of a loyal son he always spoke of French Creek, and with a most reverential tone he ever uttered the names of those who first touched his life with the very touch of Christ, and all his friends here have always delighted to keep up that close relationship by calling him "Tommy." We may forget some of his earthly honors, but for generations to come the people of French Creek will cherish the name and love the memory of "Tommy" Hodges.
The people of French Creek have met today in celebration of the One Hundredth Anniversary of the organization of the French Creek Presbyterian Church. Recently there has come to us a message saying that " "Tommy' Hodges is dead.' " He is not dead; he sleeps. His
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works do follow him. Our memory of his good life will live until another hundred years have flown. We miss him today, for no longer do we have his genial presence with us nor do we hear his earnest words, but we rejoice while we see another victor take up his crown of life, as the armies of our Lord press forward to the conquest of the world. Another Christian soldier has fought the good fight, has kept the faith, has finished his course.
With uplifted hands we, the people of French Creek, assembled on this Centennary Day, do adopt this simple statement of our love and respect for "Tommy" Hodges, and do pledge our loyal allegiance to the same God and Father whom he served.
Respectfully submitted, T. K. WINGROVE, EARLE A. BROOKS, Committee.
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MESSAGES OF GREETING
Welfort, Fla.
"The one place I should like to be is the Anniversary at French Creek. Since it may not be possible for me to- go, permit me as a token of heart and happy hand to send a check for $20 to your committee who will know how to use it to best advantage for the Home Coming."
CAPT. J. LOOMIS GOULD.
Morgantown, W. Va.
"I received the invitation to be present at the One Hundredth Anniversary celebration of the French Creek Church and would like very much to attend, but, as I will be in Michigan at that time, it will be quite out of the question. I trust the occasion will be all that you have planned for it, and more, and that it will be a stimulus for yet greater work on the part of the church."
REV. EDWARD A. KRAPP, D. D., Pastor First Presbyterian Church of Morgantown.
New Rochelle, N. Y.
"French Creek stands out in my memory as one of the beautiful experiences of.my life. I often think of the delightful days spent there. Your whole history is replete with interest. The settlement in the wilderness, the years of faithful preaching by Dr. Loyal Young and the remarkable experience of Elder Franklin Phillips and his rescue from a Southern prison by his sister. It is with the deepest regret that I announce to you that I am compelled to forego the pleasure of being with you. I extend personal greetings to all, and be assured of my prayerful interest in the future welfare of your church which during the past century has done such noble work for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ."
REV. L. A. LINDEMUTH.
Fairmont, W. Va.
"You ought all to be very proud of the glorious history of your noble church which has been a light, an inspiration and a benediction to this and other states.
"I am very sorry indeed that I cannot be with you, as I leave for
Winona Lake tomorrow. I wish you all God's richest blessing."
REV. H. G. STOETZER, D. D., Pastor First Presbyterian Church of Fairmont.
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Adams, N. Y.
"We rejoice with you in celebrating the centennial of the church that has produced so many noble men and women, some of whose names have never appeared before the world, and yet they have been a blessing to humanity. I am proud to have been your pastor for even a short time. We will be glad to hear of the success of the celebration. With the very kindest regards to all and constant prayers for your continued success, I am,
"Very cordially yours, REV. C. L. LUTHER."
Washington, Pa.
"I want to tell you how much disappointed I am not to be able to attend your Centennial Anniversary. I know of no community any- where higher in its morals and wholesome influence. In my judgment there is no community equal to yours in the State of West Virginia, or in any other State for that matter. Eternity alone will reveal what the church at French Creek has done for the State and the world. I congratulate you and the church and the entire community on a hundred years of fine service."
REV. GEORGE W. POLLOCK, Pastor Presbyterian Church.
Pittsburgh, Pa.
"I regret my inability to accept your kind invitation, for it would have been a genuine pleasure to have rejoiced with you all and to have had fellowship with my sincere friends up there. My earliest knowl- edge of the glories of French Creek was imparted to me by Dr. Hodges, who had a thorough appreciation of what that church and community did for him and a host of others."
REV. A. M. BUCHANAN, D. D.
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HECKMAN BINDERY INC.
JUL 89 N. MANCHESTER, INDIANA 46962
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