BRO. FORNEY: I still love THE CHURCH ADVOCATE. It rejoices my heart to read about the glorious revivals in different parts of the country. It always does my soul good to hear of the prosperity of the church. May God bless those dear brethren in the ministry who have sacrificed for Jesus' sake. It is a wonder to me that so many do not take THE ADVOCATE. Some say that they have not got the money to spare. But they can spend money for almost everything else.

      The next excuse is, that 20 cents for postage. They didn't think of the 20 cents when they had to pay it at their own post office. That is a very frivolous excuse. Some say there are too many advertisements in it, as though it was wrong to have such things in the paper. That is "Straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel." There is plenty in THE ADVOCATE to read without reading them, if you do not wish to read them. Friend, just take THE ADVOCATE and count the columns; then measure them and find out how many inches long each one is. Then multiply that by 48, and you will find out how many feet of reading you have every week about three inches wide. Then multiply that by 52, and you will find out the number of feet of reading you have a year. And all this for the small sum of two dollars and twenty cents a year. May God bless THE CHURCH ADVOCATE and its editor for all time to come. As for myself, if I should ever get killed at any time from home among strangers, I want the blessed Bible and THE CHURCH ADVOCATE and church hymn book with me, so that those about me might know what I believed.

      The meeting at the above named place closed on the evening of Dec. 21st, 1875. There were 18 fellowshiped. Others will united soon, I think. At this meeting Brother Rockwell and Brother Skates rendered good assistance. Brother Rockwell preached his first sermon here. He preached one, Brother Skates preached twice, Bro. Smith once; also W. H. Mann filled my appointments over one Lord's day to good acceptance to the congregation. Each of these brethren is just commencing to preach. The Lord keep them faithful, and make them useful. During this meeting Sister Rachel Shambaugh raised money enough to get carpet for the aisles. Thanks to all for their kindness.

[The Church Advocate 40 (January 19, 1876): 2.]

      Jacob Van Updike's "The Church Advocate, and the Meeting at Kirby, Ohio" was first published in The Church Advocate, Vol. 40, No. 38 (January 19, 1876), p. 2. The electronic version has been transcribed from a copy of the article printed from a microfilmed edition of the newspaper held by the State Library of Pennsylvania. Thanks to Adams Memorial Library for arranging for the interlibrary loan, and to St. Vincent College Library for the use of its microfilm reader/printer.

      Inconsistencies in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and typography have been retained.

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA

Created 24 May 1999.
Updated 15 July 2003.