Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 September 1912 — The Gillum Home Coming. [ARTICLE]

The Gillum Home Coming.

One of the notable events ini the history of the Independence Methodist Episcopal church in Gillam tp.. is the Home Coming, which began Sunday morning, Sept. 8, and closed Sunday evening, Sept. 15. No change had to be made in the program as published, except on the first Sunday morning, when on account of the illness of the Rev. John Sebring, former Grllamite, Dr. T. M. Guild, also a former Gillaniite, " took his place. Dr. Guild preached in the evening also, as arranged. The preachers for he nights following were as follows: Monday, the Rev. D. A. Rogers, former Gillamlte; Tuesday, the Rev. Will B. Warriner, former pastor; Wednesday, the Rev. A. W. Wood, former pastor ( 187 71879;; Thursday, Dr. A. T. Biggs, district superintendent; Friday anu Saturday, the Rev. D. H. Guild, former Gillamite. The latter also preached both morning and evening on the last Sunday.

The sermons were along the lines of the greatness, opportunity and responsibility of the church the needs of the Christian life, and appeals to unsaved. An evangelistic note was a prominent feature of the preaching.

One interesting incident of the meetings was the surprise of the older people present on Wednesday night, when the Rev. A. W. Wood displayed a watch which w r as the gift of the parishioners of the Medaryville circuit when he was pa%tor. He carried the watch for about twenty years, laid it aside’for a new one. then about eighteen months ago he wound up the old one and has been carrying it ever since.

Reminiscence Day, Thursday, was an occasion not sbon to be forgotten. The devotions, reading by Mrs. Laura Fisher, addresses by Elmer Rathfon of Chicago and Judge Charles Hanley of Rensselaer, the talks by former Gillamites, the basket dinner, and the sernxon in the evening by Dr, Briggs filled the day with goq4 things suited to all. The atteiSjiance was large, people coming fpnt surrounding towns and country. In the afternoon an organization to be known as “The Gillam Home Coming Association” was formed. Officers were elected as follows: President, James R. Guild; Vice-president, Austin Ratbfon; Sec-retary-Treasurer, Lizzie B. Faris. The collections taken in during the Home Coming was sufficient to pay for the recent improvements of painting, papering, varnishiing and concrete porch, and to provide for some improvements yet to be made, also to defray the expenses of he Home Coming. ( „ Former residents of Gillam township were present at some time from Francesville, Rensselaer, La fayette, Craw'fordsville, Indianapolis, Chicago and elsewhere. The west and Ear-Northwest also had their representatives there.