Married at the residence of the bride's father, A. S. Avant, Deep Step, Ga., by Rev. J. M. Hall, Miss Ella Avant to Mr Lee. S. Andrews.

Rev. James M. Hall died at his residence in Macon last Saturday afternoon. He was a Baptist minister, and had removed from this, his native county, to that city to get the benefit of a course of studies at Mercer University. His remains were brought to this city last Sunday morning and buried at Black Springs. He leaves a wife and three children.

When we heard the news of his death, it was hard for us to realize the sad truth that the meek man of God had been taken from us and we could see his face no more on earth. We are made to wonder why such men should be taken from us in the very midst of his usefulness.

But, thus it is, God willed it and we can only say it is best for us all. Bro. Hall joined the church at Black Springs in 1866, was baptized by Elder N. B. Binion, was called as pastor at Smyrna Church in 1873, and at his request was ordained to the ministry and served us with much zeal and energy for two years. In 1880 he was again called to the care of the church and served us until his death.

Your committee feels today that Bro. Hall is gone, a better man never lived, that he was a model of meekness, and a man indeed whose precepts and example we should stirve to imitate, and who's earnest advice and instruction so often had so forcibly delivered to us, should ever rest with due weight upon our hearts and memories.

We could not in this report call to your attention all of his noble, christian virtues, nor would we make any impression that his christian character would not fully justify.

We feel that Bro. Hall in truth possessed all of the virtue, truth and integrity that it takes to make up a noble, christian gentleman.

We mourn not as those who have no hope, for we know that our loss is his eternal gain. We know that he was dear to us as a church and as a people, but now he is gone, and we meekly submit to God's dealings, and we feel that the wounds made by his death are wounds that are hard to heal, and the vacancy thus made, one that will be hard to fill.

Desiring therefore to place upon our record some testimony of our love and esteem for him, be it therefore resolved, 1st. That we bow in humble submission to this said dispensation of God's providence, feeling that in the death of Bro. Hall, Smyrna church has lost one of her best and truest friends, the country one of its best citizens, Mercer University one of her rising students, and his family a devoted husband, and tender father.

2nd. That our church set apart the 4th Sabbath in December as a day in memory of our departed Bro. Hall, and that our Pastor, Elder M. P. Cain be requested to preach a sermon on that day in his memory.

That this Resolution be placed upon our church book and be sent to the family of Bro. Hall, and that the Sandersville Herald be requested to publish the same.

Respectfully submitted,
Avant, Gladden, Greiner, Veal, Gladden
Read and adopted by the church at Smyrna December 25, 1886
ELDER M. P. CAIN, Moderator
A. S. Avant, Clerk