Sacred to the Memory of Brother John Courtney, Contributed by Lisa Rasmussen

Whereas our venerable Brother & Father in Israel John Courtney senior Deacon
of this church, departed this life on the 15th of September 1867 & has gone to his reward
above.  And whereas, we feel it befiting that we offer some testimonial to
his worth & virtue & to the high esteem in which he was held by us.

Therefore, Resolved, That in the life of deacon Courtney, we have an
illustrious witness to the reality & power of the religion of Jesus Christ
our Lord & a high incentive to holiness of heart & purity of life.  Baptised
as just entering the estate of manhood, for near seventy years he maintained
a constant, firm, consistent course of christian faith, patience & love, a
walk exceedingly uniform in meekness & humility & a never ceasing, ever
growing zeal in the cause & service of the divine Redeemer.  For a long
series of years the senior Deacon of this church, as Aaron & Hurr held up the
hands of Moses, so it was his delight to hold up the hands of his pastor;
uniform & consistant in attendance upon divine worship, his seat was always
filled, while his heart was always warm, and thus in large degree conduced to
quicken the faith, enlarge the zeal, and perfect the love his brethren &
sisters in the lord.  In contributions to the church, to the cause & to the
needy, he dispensed with liberal hands as God had given him ability.  Heeding
the admonition he felt it ever his duty & his privilege to warn, exhort,
rebuke, in love & kindness & with long suffering & doctrine.  Looking forth
upon the great Harvest, he was ever ready to encourage & urge forward those
he deemed possessed of peculiar gifts, to the great work of the Gospel
ministry.  Thus he used indeed the office of a Deacon well, purchased to
himself a good degree & great boldness in the that is in Christ Jesus; &
thus, "being dead, yet speaketh".

Resolved, "That in the death of Brother Courtney we recognize a death of
peace succeeding a life of peace, & entrance upon unalloyed & never ending
peace & hoyes which are full & immortal".
Mark the perfect man & behold the upright for the end of that man is peace"

Resolved 
	That we cherish the memory of our departed Brother is sacred & dear to our
hearts, and that a separate leaf in our church Record be set apart to the
insertion of this humble tribute to his memory, and that a copy be presented
to his family.
	Done in church conference, Saturday before the 4th Lords day in March 1868

								John M. Timmons
									Mod.
S. J. Cannon
	Clerk
                                        (R. R. Brooks (writer)