Ref: Town and Country Newspaper Pennsburg, Montgomery County, PA Saturday - March 25, 1905 PASTOR'S SUCCESSFUL AND LONG CAREER ENDS Illness and old age constrained Rev. Wm. B. FOX, of Sumneytown, to resign the pastorate of the Lutheran charge composed of Sumneytown and Keelor's churches after serving for thirty-seven years. In 1862 Rev. FOX entered the ministry. His first charge was at Berwick, Columbia county, Pa. He served the Berwick charge six years and then assumed the pastorate of the Sumneytown charge. The charge, as then composed, consisted of Sumneytown, Pennsburg, Sassamansville and Keelor's congregations. Two years ago Rev. FOX relinquished the Pennsburg and Sassamansville congregations and retained the other two with the hope that he might serve them for some years to come. But being advanced in years and suffering from illnes, he tendered his resignation, as he thought it would be to the advantage of his parishoners. During the long pastorate of forty-three years Rev. FOX officiated at 1607 funerals, baptised 2733, performed the marriage ceremony 905 times and confirmed 896 catechumens. While stationed at Sumneytown two new churches were built in his charge, one at Sassamansville and the other at Pennsburg. Both of these congregations had formerly worshipped in union churches. ENDLESS CHAIN SCHEME FOR BUILDING CHURCH Many of the residents of Vera Cruz, Spinnerstown and vicinity, have of late been receiving letters from strangers to them from the State of Indiana, asking them to send 25 cents to Rev. Elmer D.S. BOYER, of Lafayette, Indiana, and write three similar letters to a many friends. The money is to be devoted to the building of a new church in the Indiana town. It will be remembered that Rev. BOYER was a former resident of the section in which the endless chain letters are now circulating. The letter states that when number 50 in the chain is reached the collecting of quarters will be discontinued. A number who have received such letters have taken the time to figure out how much money would be received should every one respond with twenty-five cents and they find it would amount to $269,157,930,686,940,713,413,790. This in all probability would be enough to build a church and a parsonage for our worthy friend. NEW STORE WILL OPEN ON APRIL FIRST H. WEISS the Quakertown merchant who recently leased the storeroom of Tobias FREED, on Main Street Pennsburg, will open for business on April first. Mr. WEISS wishes to inform the general public that he will in future issues of Town and Country, advertise some bargain sales. PURCHASED A PENNSBURG PROPERTY The frame dwelling house of Hiram C. WICKERT, of Pennsburg, situate on 4th street, that borough was yesterday sold to Dr. Chas. Q. HILLEGASS, of Pennsburg. The property adjoins the Town and Country printing office. Possession will be given on July first. YOUNG MEN KILL SPOTTED SNAKE Richard FOX and Harry ZERN, of Hillegass, on Sunday killed a spotted snake between Reuben BAUERs place and the iron bridge across the Perkiomen Creek. The reptile measured three feet and ten inches and showed fight. AGED MINISTER DROPS DEAD Rev. David HARBISON, a retired Presbyterian clergyman, of Easton dropped dead on Wednesday while he was engaged in cutting ice from the gutter in front of his house. He would have been eighty-one years old in May. MANY FUNERALS IN TWO WEEKS During the past two weeks there were six interments made on the Franconia Mennonite Burial Grounds. This has been a rare occurrence. KICKED BY A HORSE Rein G. GODSHALL, of Morwood, was kicked by a horse on Sunday morning, while getting him ready to hitch to a wagon. The injury proves quite painful. METHODIST CONFERENCE HAD A ROUSING MEETING The city, of Allentown, was crowded in the early part of the week with Methodists who attended the Methodist Conference held there. The subject of camp meetings was brought up on Monday morning and those which keep open gates on Sunday were especially mentioned. This caused a warm debate. A discussion was caused by the reading of the report of the Committee on Sabbath Observances by Rev. T.T. MUTCHLER, corresponding secretary of the Philadelphia Sabbath Association. Dr. MUTCHLER prefaced his report by saying: "Camp meetings which keep their gates open on Sunday do more harm than good. It is true that large crowds attend the meetings coming by trains from the cities and that the collections are thus greatly increased, but it is inconsistant, and, in my opinion, not Christian." A dozen ministers were on their feet in a moment to protest against the remarks. Presiding Elder KYNETT said that this was a case for the use of a little common sense. Dr. J. SAYERS, of Trinity Church, Chester, said that as president of the Simpson Grove Camp Meeting, he was anxious to see men and women converted whether they came on Sunday trains or walked. The offending clause that all such camp meetings should receive no recognition from the conference was stricken out of the report by a rising vote. The remainder of the report was adopted, condemning the sale of candy on Sunday claiming that many children spent their money for candy instead of putting it in the Sunday school collections. Sunday papers were also condemned as not having enough religious news. The sale of tobacco and cigars on Sunday was also condemned. MET WITH AN ACCIDENT WHILE SEEKING WORK John SMITH, of Stemton, Lehigh County, met with a serious mishap while on his way to Vera Cruz to look for a position. He came to Allentown by trolley and from there intended to take the train for Vera Cruz, while descending the steps at the terminal at Allentown he made a misstep and fell landing heavily on the railing. He came near fracturing several ribs. Mr. SMITH is an expert blacksmith but is out of work and he was going to Vera Cruz to try and secure work at the Lehigh Granite Quarries for whom he worked several years ago. Mr. SMITH is at present staying at the public house of B.H. STOUDT, until he fully recovers from his injuries. LIVES UNDER SNOW FOR SIX WEEKS Lawrence A. SKINNER, a farmer living near Easton, Md., who is in the habit of counting his geese, and putting them in his stable over night, says that when he fastened them up on the night of the blizzard one goose was missing, and was not found until a few days ago, when he was shoveling a lot of snow out in the rear of the barnyard. He came across the goose, still alive, but somewhat poorer than it was before, owing to the fact that it had been covered up in the snow for the last six weeks, without anything to eat or drink. DRUNKEN MAN WENT TO SLEEP ON PAVEMENT Thinking that perhaps he had secured a nights' lodging at "Hobos Retreat" James WATSON, a tramp, on Saturday night proceeded to take a nap on Mill street, Norristown. WATSON was intoxicated and this probably caused him to make a mistake. When he arrived at the above spot he wore four coats and as many vests. He removed all of these and hung them upon a fence. Next he proceeded to enjoy rest in the arms of Morpheus. An officer however, disturbed his dreams and when WATSON awoke he was taking a ride in the patrol. FORTY-THREE KILLED BY EXPLOSION OF A BOILER The explosion of a 150 horse power boiler in R.B. GROVER & Co's. large four story shoe factory in Brockton, Massachusetts, on Monday, killed 43 employees, injured half a hundred others and destroyed property valued at $250,000.