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From: "David M. Waid" <>
Subject: [PACRAWFO-L] THIRD SOUVENIR, F. C. Waid part 11
Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 23:49:02 -0500


Sunday, January 5.--This is the birthday of my eldest son, Franklin, who is
now thirty-five years old. At church I enjoyed listening to an excellent
sermon by Presiding Elder J. A. Kummer, from the text Isaiah lii: 1: Awake,
awake: put on thy strength, 0 Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, 0
Jerusalem, the holy city. I contributed toward the dues for the presiding
elder, not forgetting that money is useful, and that to it the Lord has a
prior claim, in our recognition of which He blesses us. On Tuesday I
proceeded to Meadville on business, and while there attended the Teachers'
Institute meetings being held there during the week in the courthouse, and
also the lectures delivered in the Academy of Music, all of which I found of
much interest and profit. On Saturday I was present at the quarterly meeting
held at the M. E. Church, and heard another interesting sermon from the lips
of Elder J. A. Kummer. For some days after this I was not in very good
health, but through God's blessing recovered.
Thursday, January 15.--Mr. G. W. Cutshall was here with his daughter, Mrs.
Sadie Russell, and her children Leon and Lynn [They were on their way to
Cleveland, Ohio, to their new home, where Mr. Russell was waiting their
arrival, and I have since visited them there, at the time of the dedication
of the Garfield Monument, May 30, 1890],
they having stayed at our house over night; and thinking it might improve my
health, I accompanied him to his home, where I remained till Saturday, when
I returned to my own home.
January 21 to April 8, 1890.--[Here comes my fourth trip to Kansas and the
West, an account of which commences at page 9.]
During my absence in the West, certain resolutions of thanks to me were
adopted by Advent Church, of which I here give a copy:
WHEREAS, We do fully appreciate the benevolence of our kind friend, Mr. F.
C. Waid, who has so generously aided us, therefore,
Resolved, That we, as a church, do extend to him our hearty thanks for his
generosity in contributing fifty dollars to aid in erecting sheds for the
benefit of the public attending our church.
Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be sent to Mr. Waid, also
furnished the Pennsylvania Farmer for publication.
Respectfully submitted,
(Signed) W. G. ONGLEY, Secretary
On my arrival home from the West, on the evening of April 8, I was informed
at Meadville, by my cousin, S. Phillips, of the death of Aunt Mary Ann
Simmons, her funeral having taken place on the day before my arrival. This
is the first news I receive after setting my foot once again "on my native
heath"--tidings of death; and but for the grace of God, instead of my aunt
in her tottering years of fourscore and eight, it might have been Francis C.
Waid in the prime of life! I feel that I cannot too often proclaim my
thankfulness to the Lord, even in my disappointments and discouragements. I
think it is well for us to remember Him and praise His name for what we
have, and for our hope in Heaven. He who is thankful for a little is in a
fair way to get more; he who in adversity remembers the Lord, will in
prosperity praise him--thus we should always be faithful. I am thankful this
morning, as I sit by the window in one of the rooms of my old home, the home
of my birth, writing on the same desk I bought, when a young man, of David
Finney; I say I am thankful for the Lord's unbounded goodness to me. I
believe He heareth our I prayers and I know He does bless as when we call on
Him. I am glad my mind and heart rest in His promises, and I delight to
trust in Him, and, as far as possible do His will. How can I refrain from
being sympathetic in feelings and reflective in my thoughts in this, to me,
precious home, by this chamber window, through which I can see, in one
direction, the same old pear trees in the door yard that stood there when I
was a child; and, in another direction, fields wherein I had played in
infancy, and worked in boyhood, youth and manhood!

"How dear to this heart are the scenes of my childhood,
When fond recollection presents them to view;
The orchard, the meadow, the deep-tangled wild wood,
And ev'ry loved spot which my infancy knew."

Amid these old-time associations I cannot but think of my parents; of their
family; of my dead wife and our children; of my children's children and
last, not least, of my dear wife Anna, absent from me, in Kansas, because of
her poor health, myself being also far from well; but
"What fates impose, that man must needs abide
It boots not to resist both wind and tide."
I know I should not burden my remembrance with a heaviness that's gone, but
rather bear in mind that sufficient for the day is the evil thereof, and
consider the many thousands who in this transitory life are in sorrow, need,
sickness and other adversity, and rest thankful that fate has not been more
unfriendly toward me.
In writing the record of my fourth trip to Kansas, which will be found in
the earlier part of this work, I endeavored to portray in my own way the
different phases of life--particularly its joys and sorrows. The real test
of these comes through the experience of them, and I will here confess that
in my latter writings I have not spoken as much of the sorrowful or dark
side as I have of the brighter or more hopeful. It is better for each
individual to bear his own burden than to ask his brother to bear it for
him. Do thoughts live? Yes. Are our prayers heard? Yes, when offered in
faith--but it may be a long time before they are answered. Parents have
prayed for their children, and not till long after their death have their
sons and daughters given their hearts to the Lord.
I desire here to place on record some of the sincere wants of my soul, my
earnest prayer, and I humbly trust it may be in keeping with the will of my
Heavenly Father who hears when we pray. I wish to be a living witness for
Christ as long as I live; and, while I desire the salvation of all men, I
devoutly pray more especially for my own family, and every one endeared to
me by the ties of nature, that they may be all brought into the fold of
Christ under the divine Shepherd's care. And in order that this greatest
desire of my life may be accomplished, I know that I must consecrate all to
the Lord--life, friends, property, and everything I have from this day forth
and for ever. It is good for us if we can keep all these on the altar. An
every-day consecration is better than only one in a life time. We are liable
to forget our obligations, and either remove something from off the altar of
the Lord, or neglect to place thereon something we may have obtained since
the consecretion. That the reader may understand more clearly what I mean, I
add: let every dollar, as well as everything else we may possess, honor the
Lord in doing good--if it is worth anything at all it should speak something
for the Lord. Each individual has his own conscience in that respect, and
happy is the man who seeketh no witness from without, for it shows that be
has wholly committed himself unto God. But I must now continue my diary.
April 11.--To-day I visited Lewis M. Slocum, and at his house met Mrs.
David Roberts and Mrs. Armitage Roberts, so I was enabled to hand the former
the portrait of her grandson, Wilber A. Hobbs, which had been entrusted to
me by Emery F. Hobbs at Lawrence, Kas., when I was there. On the following
day I rode to Meadville with my brother-in-law, Moses Masiker, and was
pleasantly surprised to meet there Mr. Manrice McMullen, secretary of the Y.
M. C. A. at Ottawa, Kas., who had been called to his old home through the
serious illness of his mother. I also had the pleasure of handing to Dr. E.
C. Hall, of the First M. E. Church of Meadville, the "photo" of the youngest
child of Mr. and Mrs. Pillsbury, of Grand Island, Neb., with which
commission I had been entrusted by Mrs. Pillsbury while I was visiting them.
April 12.--Again at Saegertown, where I called on Mr. and Mrs. George
Floyd, but regret to say found Mrs. Floyd quite unwell, as she was when I
and my wife visited her last summer. On the following day, Sunday, Mr. Floyd
and I attended the M. E. Church, where we heard an excellent sermon preached
by their pastor, Rev. A. J. Parsons, from the text Matthew xvi: 19: And I
will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou
shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shall
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. For the missionary cause in
distant lands the sum of nearly one hundred dollars was collected, and I
increased the pleasure I enjoyed in listening to the discourse by adding my
mite of five dollars toward the spread of the Gospel among the heathen. In
the afternoon I rode to Blooming Valley, from Saegertown in company with
their pastor, and in the evening again heard him proclaim the good news of
salvation, his text being Matthew xxviii: 6: He is not here: for he is
risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. It seems to me
that none but a true Christian can fully appreciate all the blessed benefits
the resurrection our Lord assures. O how good it is for us to trust in the
Saviour of mankind, and to know that He has robbed death of its sting and
the grave of its victory! What great consolation it brings to our hearts to
have a true knowledge and just conception of and faith in Jesus Christ! What
comfort it brings to the soul of man!
After the services I paid a visit to my cousin, Ralph Roudebush, and
together we walked over to the cemetery where in peaceful rest my departed
wife, Eliza, awaits the resurrection; and as I stood by her grave I thought
of Jesus, the Light of the world who gives to us the hope of a reunion
beyond. I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord; he that
believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever
believeth in me shall never die.
"Calm on the bosom of thy God,
Fair spirit rest thee now!
E'en while ours thy footsteps trod,
His seal was on thy brow.

Dust to its narrow house beneath,
Soul to its place on high!
They who saw thy look in death
No more may fear to die."

Wednesday, April 16.--My nephew, Grant Waid, and I left quite early in the
morning in order to pay a visit to his brother-in-law, Walter Josling, who
lives in Richmond Township, some five miles distant, and on our way I called
on a sick neighbor, George Dewey, who has been ill a long time, owing to a
stroke of paralysis he received several years ago. Eliza and I visited him
at that time, and I have called on him frequently since, as opportunity
presented. We were glad to meet, and he appeared to be much better than when
I last saw him. Mr. Josling we did not find at home, as he had gone to my
nephew's (Nick P. Waid), but Mrs. Josling and family we saw, and found in
good health. On our return my nephew and I called on my uncle, Horace Waid,
where we heard from my aunt news of my uncle, Gilbert Waid. I have before me
an old letter written in 1847 to his friends in Crawford County, Penn., by
Gilbert Waid, after his arrival in Washtenaw County, Mich. It is in
substance as follows: WEBSTER, WASHTENAW CO., MICH., May 10, 1847. Mr.
George Roudebush and Friends: We are all well, and hope you are the same. We
took the boat Saturday morning at 2 o'clock at Erie; stopped at Cleveland,
Sandusky and Detroit, and arrived all safe, none of us seasick. Traveled
from Detroit across the country to Webster; sold the wooden bowels; traded
horse and wagon for 25 acres of land. It is good land. I like it very well,
and I have got three acres to put in with corn, and a piece for potatoes. I
have a job to do for eighteen dollars, and am going to do it as soon as I
get my corn and potatoes planted. Tell my brother, Samuel, I like the
country very well, what little I have seen; there are good crops of wheat,
and it looks well. Tell father we are all well and hearty. I am satisfied
this is a good country, and we are not discouraged. ANDREW G. WAID], in
Michigan. She had also heard by letter from my three cousins--daughters of
Samuel Waid.

David

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