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Well you have successfully caused me to "waste" work time. Great bit of history this morning.

I got to the section "A Life Well Lived" and after reading it, thought to myself, 'was it?' What is a life well lived without Christ and thought I would see what I could find. In short form writing there is not time or room for everything so decided to read a little more and see what I could find. You may be well aware but I found the below. By all accounts, I would say it was a life well lived.

Mr. Swift united with the Methodist church of his native place in his youth, and religion was as we have seen one of the three great interests of his life. The husband and wife were one in their devotion to the church. On February 18, 1877, less than two years after they settled in Chicago, the Winter Street, now Union Avenue, Methodist Church was organized with a membership of nine persons. Among these were Mr. and Mrs. Swift. Mr. Swift was made a trustee and also a steward. His home on Emerald Avenue was within three blocks of the church, and the meetings of the official boards of the church were frequently held there. He gave the church the same wise thought and faithful service he gave to his business. He was not only most faithful in his attendance at church services but manifested a living interest in the attendance of his employes. Rev. J. F. Clancy, of the Union Avenue Church, says: It was no unusual thing for him, in case of absence from church services of his employes who were members or attendants of the church, to call them into his office and in a fatherly way impress on them the value of the church and its services; and through his strong and far-reaching influence many persons were brought into a Christian experience and into useful membership in the church Mr. Swift was never too busy for the work of the church He was much interested in the problems and work of city missions and he gave valuable aid in establishing and strengthening churches in needy places

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Actually I didn’t know that about Swift but I am not surprised to see it. Good entry!

Maybe that means there is hope for the rest of us!

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