Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 128, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 May 1913 — Letter From an Old-Time Subscriber. [ARTICLE]

Letter From an Old-Time Subscriber.

Dixon, S. Dak., May 24, 1913. Editor Republican, Dear Friend: As an old-timer of Jasper county, my mind and heart seems inclined to pen a few lines for the paper that has come to my home ever since I have had a home of my own, which is now 47 years. I presume most of the people in Rensselaer at this time are strangers to me, but the old paths are still familiar tp-me. It is about 65 years since my father, Henry Sayler, loaded his family and what few earthly possessions that belonged to him into a wagon at Marion, Ohio, and started for Indiana, and settled upon a homestead three miles west of Rensselaer. There he built for himself a home, rearing a large family, and remained on the old place Until God called him from labor to reward. Upon the dear old place we boys and girls grew to manhood and womanhood, honorable, of course. No boy or girl could do otherwise raised to reverence God, and respect father and mother, where the subject of this sketch was reared to young manhood, and at the age of 18 enlisted as a soldier in the 48th Indiana Infantry, and served three years and two months in the war of the Rebellion. At the close of the war returned home, and soon thereafter was married to Miss Cornelia Frazee, daughter of John and Marah Frazee, and for the first part of our married life lived on a farm, and continued in that pursuit until Mareh 14, 1886, when God called, and I said, “Here am I, Lord, send me.” Since that time I have been a soldier for Christ, and have been battling sin. I have been pastor of twenty churches and am at present pastor of the Baptist church at Dixon, S. Dak. Since coming to Dakota I have organized six new Baptist churches and was instrumental In erecting three new church buildings. But I begin to feel like the Apostle Paul, I have fought a good fight, first for my country, and second to save men from sin. I am now 69 years old, active and full of energy for my work. Just a word of our beautiful sunny South Dakota. We have a fine, rich country here. Everything looks very promising, and grain is fine this spring.. I iiaveva great desire to visit Rensselaer once more lad think now that my wife and I will be there this fall.

W. H. SAYLER.