A Birthday Gift

Michigan CbrUtlftn AilvocHto, Jnly B. Itev. U'. II. Sliler, I'. E., of Adriau district, reMlVed on hia forty-iiiiilli liirtlulav the ptreseht of a gold wátch.nn .ui iele he has alwajt Uu-kol, frota A.drian frienda. The solicitatioii was managed lv Hcv. W. II. Pearce, and the presentntioD mude by Dr. Rynd. We jdve, from the Expositor, the greetlngs excbaoged uu thé occa8ion,'as foliows : Peau Brothkr- I have been rWlMtwl to present you witli tliis beaulliul gold walah. It in the glit of brother Pearoe and sovoral otner friemis - the naines wlll I-' hamled (o JOU, It 18 an ev ii Ion oo of personal regard for y on i se II ; l II iet i-e ui tllen lu your ('hrislian e'haraeter; of tlieir frienilsliip for you and yoan during u IHICceSsrul piiniKiMif of twn years, mul all emlnently Micoeufol luim tuist rallón it thollairs ¦ il I lus .listriet durltig a time now ooinlDg lo a ei.iv. ¦. Jt waM Ilniut;lit proper to present, you witli thls mark of ten, Ier aflectlon on tlie annivi-rsary of your blrth. Aeoept It In tlie spirit of truo friond.shlp in whirh it is gtvau, Ainl whlle (io.1 spar. 'S your lito- as you Work 111 otlier field Dl labor an.l of usciulness, niay tlils vaten, as It registers the Urne, eJI uu tiio pruHPut tnenrorlea of Adrián, and Hek oul (bi you a happy lite and ¦ paoefnl ilepariure. We presem i in a spirit of love- tlial loves wlileli siii.xithes the niiiKli places lu tbs piilliway Ol every ono, riMii.'iiiherliii; llial tho " (ioixl Lord ho lovetll us, He inii.le and lovth all." .lu acceptiiijr the ltiII. Mi. replied as lol : On.-eiviain I must aelmowle.le myself surpriseil. Kor several ilavs (rienda liave mei me wllli kiml woril umi wishes. tOUChtng Ihe noiir approaeli ol my l'.itli liirtli.hiv, pleiusaul Iv roferrlbg to the surprise party of wtilcli e were HiippoNml to be oftieially IgDoraot. I hinking laat was enough, we coueluded 11 nousl lie all; hut you have geoeronBly a.l.lel a eoilly surprise. bal shall f say fi response? 1 can think of nothlug l.etler thau tor a le'v nioiiients to recall the ]aMt. Tweiity years agD, In the prlBg of ISlIl, I oanie to Michigan penulles.s an.l way-worn. wlth a slk w ile. döeidg Mom Texas, lielore the flrst tiercé blast of the rubelllou. In Vpsilanti I lo uii.l a trien. I in the pastor of the M. E. ohureh. Thls man elieerëd and eiie.niia.;. ,1 me. aini dikt pnipose.l Lbal we shoul.l drive over to Adrián, tav Ing, "Home ol the best people In the world live th.re " We illd 80, au.l on the way heshowed me my iluty so jilalnly tlml I promlsed toglve my llfé to the mlnlatry of the goapal . .I JeMis Clirl.st. Twenty year years ago llils heautirul mouth of June [ enterad tuis city, was entertnlueü at the house ol a Methodist, all.l made the ae. nam I anee Of the man you havo seleete.l to present t hls l.eaill I lul pieseut. Two Iriendships were then lorniod whieli have proveil more valualile to me (hun eau he expressed lu words. Dr. Cocker has directed my stu.Iii:s. has si relict heneil me by lus fjiltli. has heen a iriend neareraii.l dearerthan a broihor. Dr. Kynd luis, by hls medioal skill, Witll the Messlllii of Uoa, s:ive,i IIIVOUII lile, Ullll ol Iny oldosl bov.aml I helievo of lilv ilem wlle. Kon rt oen years passed, wtaon in theproviienoe of God umi the order of our ohureh, I was appolnted to be your pastor, and to learu by personal experionee ot the iruth of Dr. ( "oeker's wonls, that " many of the hest people In the world live In Adrián." Kor two yearx we lai, me, l tocatber, and by the bleatlng ol (Jo.l were jiermitted to wilness sol i ie resn lts. 1 Iried to proaeh aplaln.praetlealeospcl. holdinK b. u-k nolhinii that 1 [houht ought lo he tang hl r ileclaro.l. Thls romn Ik very haored tome. many were awakene.l. oonftMOd Cbrlat, and iouiiil falth in bellevlng, Tho rolo "i . , piiiK penltenoo was often heard iuíhkIiuk wlth the cry of rejolclug froiu newly couverted ¦ooU. Wlien two years had passed, I was appolnted niosl.llng older of Adnan district, lnrgely hrout;h the eilorts and Intluence of the mem - bers of thls uuurch. Durlnu the lour years of my eldershlp I have trled to discharge the du.les of my office so Umt tlie oaiue ol Cbrlsl nlght headvantred, tlie church I represeui !,¦ -ate.l lor, and that It miglit tippear that your onll. lonco had nol hoen nilspluoed. In all my iihors I have hoon oonOdenl tllal you have nol foixolten me, hut that I suielp heen re iienihore.l in yoitr pra era. Bilt, dear Iriends, nol alono as preaoher and tastor liave I livod for these six years m youi eautlfnl city. Thls place Ims hoen home U ne and mine as uo othor pla-o ever has been )r eau be. My older chlldren have grown up, injoyliiK the privilege of schools, teoood Eb loue in our stal,-, ol social culture and rellgous Intiueiice. You havo hecome very near to is. nor can I teil how liard It is to even tliink of hreaklng these tios. Hut I nm a Mediodlat preaoher. an. 1 If it lu' lard t leave you I must i oliieiuliel that It was be ltlneraney that brouiiht me here nuil travo n.' Ui.' hlesslli-s of your society an,l tollow hip.