Tribute to the Memory of Eld. Green.
By C. O. Taylor
DiED at Houndsfield, Jeff. Co., N. Y., June 12, 1866, Elder Wm. Green, in the 76th year of his age. Our esteemed brother is worthy of more than a passing notice of his death, as he falls asleep in Jesus. He was born Aug. 13th, 1790. He gave his heart to God in 1806, and united his religious interests with the Seventh-day Baptists. During his early experience in religion he had serious impressions with regard to the ministry. He married in 1809. In 1810 he settled in Lewis Co. Moved to Jeff. Co. in 1814, and settled in the town of Adams. Was in the war of 1812. Drew a land warrant of one hundred and sixty acres. Was a Justice of the peace four years while at Adams. Religion at this time was low. The Sabbath, of which he was always an observer, was not well kept. With a few others he commenced a prayer and conference meeting. Seven families soon commenced keeping the Sabbath. They chose him as leader in their meetings. After employing ministers of other denominations for two years, he by the earnest request of the society, commenced labor as an exhorter, or minister. His first text was, "The Master has come and calleth for thee." In June 1822, the first Seventh-day Baptist church was organized, and he ordained a minister, by the urgent and unanimous voice of the society. He remained and labored with this church till 1840. Commenced with nine members, and when he resigned his charge as minister, they numbered two hundred and thirty, all in good union, love and fellowship. During this time he commenced labor in Houndsfield, a church was organized, and when he gave up this charge they numbered seventy. He was a firm advocate of the Sabbath of the Bible, never yielding to its enemies, never compromising it for a moment, never selling himself, or sacrificing the truth for love of money, but steadily and firmly pressing forward, and keeping this great truth, the holy law of God, in the front. During the many years of his ministry, he received no stipulated sum or salary. The most ever pledged one year was eighty dollars, and that was not all paid. He did not receive in all over five hundred dollars. Had a large family to support, which he did by agriculture. When he left the ministry he was worth more than any other minister in America of the same denomination. For the past thirty years his mind has dwelt much on the nature of man, or immortality of the soul. He attended the tent meeting at Adams' Center in 1862, when his mind was called anew to the subject. After hearing, and for two months, reading and searching the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, he became satisfied that man has no natural immortality, but must seek for, and obtain it through our Lord Jesus Christ. He embraced heartily, at the advanced age of 72, all the truths of the third angel's message. He was firm and decided, for-seeing, good at reasoning from cause to effect, stern and decided with enemies, kind and obliging with friends, warm and affectionate toward his brethren in the Lord. He had by nature a strong constitution, and had he known and obeyed the laws of health, he might have lived for years to come. His disease was slow and lingering, which gave him time to finish up his work on earth, which he did, giving to his friends the utmost satisfaction that his peace was made with God, and that he will rise at the last trump. One of his great themes was, "The goodness, mercy and love of God in giving his Son to die for our race," and his last strength was put forth in endeavoring to utter words recommending the same to his family. A funeral discourse was preached by Eld. J. N. Andrews, from Hosea xiii, 14. It was by request, of about an hour before, and while he spoke at length on the state of the dead, the interest of the large congregation was intense, the position taken being new to a large number present; and while all did not believe, we think we are safe in saying that many were very favorably impressed with the truth spoken. We laid our brother in his narrow house of clay to sleep for a short time, and then to awake to immortality and eternal life.