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Excerpts from Francis C. Waid's Third Souvenir Submitted by David M. Waid |
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PREFACE.
On presenting my THIRD SOUVENIR to my kindred, friends and others, my primal object, to no Goon, remains unchanged, and my desire in that direction I find increased and expanded within me through the generous welcome my many friends have given my previous efforts, and by the gratifying approval evinced in the columns of the Press, both at home and abroad. Adverse criticism seldom comes unexpectedly to public writers, and I am not disappointed that the humble productions of my pen have not been overlooked by those who have the privilege to publicly pronounce the works of any author perfect or defective; although it is a maxim that a true critic ought to dwell rather upon excellencies than upon imperfections, having always in mind that "Errors, like straws, upon the surface flow; He who would search for pearls must dive below." Notwithstanding, however, the detraction to which it has been subjected, I am wonderfully encouraged to pursue my labor of love and gratitude, for the good of mankind, especially the youth of our land, my own kin and my many friends whom I dearly love. Yet I would not have it understood that in this I am inclined to be partial; far from it. I seek only an outlet for the unbounded love that ought to dwell in every true Christian heart---a love that is at once the parent and the offspring of that heaven-born ennobling desire of man--to benefit his fellow being. To me it seems so Christ-like, that I want to bear the greater share of the burden; indeed it seems to me only a duty, which I must cheerfully perform, for I have been all my days abundantly blessed of the Lord. Whatever else may be done, all honor to His name first, and good results will be certain to follow. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. There shall no evil befall thee . . for He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. "Scenes will vary, friends grow strange, But the Changeless can not change; Gladly will I journey on, With His arm to lean upon." Faith and works are essential to our success in whatever we may undertake. I began writing my FIRST SOUVENIR (1886) in good faith, accompanied by hard work and earnest prayers to the Lord for His blessing on my efforts; and I know that I have been wonderfully blest and favored in my endeavors. I believe in both Divine and human aid, and while acknowledging that I owe everything to the Lord, I am not unmindful of the many friends who have lent a helping hand in my work. I desire the readers of this SOUVENIR to consider that it comes from the hand of a true friend, even though we may have never met, and are total strangers. Strangers have often on life's journey helped me; let me in return do more than pray "God bless them;" grant me the privilege of doing some kind act also. The world needs more love and charity from every Christian. We belong to one common Father, in whose vineyard we should all be busy laborers for God and humanity, each doing what is possible for us, impossibilities not being either asked or required of any of us. Of the reasons I have for publishing my SOUVENIR, the chief one, as I have already frequently, endeavored to make known is to DO GOOD. I have received much, and I want to give in due proportion. The Scriptures say God loveth a cheerful giver, which I not only believe but know, for my lifetime experience has fully convinced me of the truth of this passage. A certain Christian writer has said that "a good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love." Then in this world there is a great deal of good and a vast amount of evil, and it is for us to choose between the two; if it is in my power to guide anyone into the path of rectitude, or lead him from the one that tends to destruction, then duty teaches me so to do. There is, also, the incalculable amount of happiness that comes of doing right A little seed produces a large crop; even a small investment may bring good returns. Moreover, I delight in the work of book-making--writing, studying, thinking, collecting ideas and incidents; at home or abroad--in the quiet seclusion of my study in my old home, or in the midst of the "madding crowd" in a noisy railway car--I am ever in search of some knowledge by which others may be helped as well as myself. "Knowledge is power," and in my own humble way I wish to make it a power for good. Multitudes of pleasant thoughts have come to me, and many happy hours have I spent in this way, and the benefits my labors may produce is all the reward I seek. My time and means I freely give, not for profit or from any mercenary motive, but simply to do good, and bless as far as possible all mankind. "If there be nothing so glorious as doing good," wrote the Rev. William Law, "if there is nothing that makes us so like God, then nothing can be so glorious in the use of our money as to use it in works of love and goodness." I may compare my work at book-making to my labor on the farm, which I love; the more I do and the longer I continue in it, the more real satisfaction and pleasure it brings to me. I do not forget that our labor in the vineyard of the Lord will surely bring its reward; and the Bible teaches us that there is reward in this life as well as in that to come. I desire to consecrate my life here below, my means, my all, to every hour and every day teaching the salvation of all men as set forth in the Scriptures, given us through the Son of God, who died to save the world, and bring us back to Him; and if this be not in itself sufficient reason for my writing the SOUVENIRS, thereby endeavoring to prove to the world my love for Christ and humanity, then I fail to know how to' express myself. To God we owe our existence, and subsistence out of His bounteous storehouse, and it behooves us to make an effort to repay Him in some measure, and do His will, that it may be well with us now and forever; and I trust that my efforts in that direction may be acceptable and blessed. As it has not infrequently been inquired of me, for the most part in some indirect manner, as to the cost of publishing my SOUVENIRS, I do not think I need offer any apology for here making it known: The outlay for my work ordered for the History of Crawford County (1885), together with the cost of publishing my FIRST SOUVENIR (six hundred copies printed, three hundred being bound for immediate distribution) was two thousand dollars; the cost of my SECOND SOUVENIR (two thousand copies printed, seven hundred being bound for immediate distribution) was in the neighborhood of two thousand one hundred and fifty dollars, while that of my THIRD SOUVENIR (sixteen hundred copies printed, six hundred being bound now--three hundred copies in my Twin SOUVENIR, and three hundred separately) amounts to about twelve hundred dollars. In order to make my THIRD SOUVENIR of more interest 'to my friends, I have had prepared for insertion in it two family illustrations, the one group containing twelve subjects-my three sons, their families, and myself--the other group representing my five grandchildren and myself. To dear friends and kindred I return sincere thanks for kind and Meadville, encouraging words--both spoken and written; also for valued literary contributions to the SOUVENIR, received from time to time. And I fool under special obligations to Mrs. Inez A. Hall, of for the graceful lines written by her on the subject of the "family groups" as they appear in this volume. This book, as were my previous SOUVENIRS, is dedicated by me to my kindred, friends, the youth of our land and humanity at large, as a token of my love for them and for the Truth, the Gospel, the Word of God, the Bible, and as an earnest of my desire for the bettering of the condition of both reader and author, and the salvation of all mankind, my sincere prayer being that God's blessing and His divine love may rest upon us and abide with us all for evermore. Faithfully in the service of God, F. C. WAID. Blooming Valley, Crawford Co., Penn. |
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