Claude was the son of Dr. T. G. Welch, and Sarah Isabella Rife Welch. He was the twin brother of Maude May Welch.
Claude was elected Sunday School Superintendent at the Methodist Church at 18 or 19 years of age. He was recommended by the Altus Methodist Church to be licensed to preach in the Methodist church. The recommendation was carried to the District Conference meeting in Danville, AR, in the lower country on the Petit John River. The District Conference voted to license Claude, and start him on his way as a local preacher, which was the custom then.
Evidently Claude went to the conference in Danville in early summer, for he found work in a sawmill there and worked a month or so, until he began to have chills. Finally, around the middle of July he returned home quite ill. Maude said about two weeks after he came home he suffered what was then called a "congestive chill". Dr. Welch called in his doctor partner, but nothing they knew to do changed anything, and within a few hours Claude died. It was August 1, 1902.
Claude must have been a youth of fine character and ability. That is what his sister, Maude, always said.
From Arkansas Methodist, September 3, 1902:
Rev. Claud Clay Welch was born in Randolph County, AR, July 5, 1881, and died at Altus, AR, August 1, 1902. He was a son of Dr. T. G. Welch, who has been for many years a loyal local preacher in our church.
He joined the church at the age of twelve years. It is difficult to tell when he was converted, being reared in a Christian home and having been taught the Scripture from his youth, he was a good boy and some time in the early morning of his life the Spirit came like the gentle zephyrs so quietly that it was scarcely perceptible, but the change came and his Christian experience was a very definite one as he grew older. In speaking of this to his mother just before his death, he said: "Mother, I have been trained in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."
When death came he had no fear because he had loved and feared God and knew that he would not deliver in into the bitter pains of eternal death. It was not all of life for him to live.
When 19 years of age he was elected Sunday-school superintendent for Altus, which position he filled with great acceptability until the day of his death. He had the Sunday-school work on his heart and was constantly studying that he might be more efficient in this work.
April 18, 1902, at the district conference, which was held at Danville, he was licensed to preach fully expecting to give his entire time to the ministry. His plan was to finish his education and then offer himself to the board of missions for work in Cuba.
It is a mystery why God should take from us one whose prospects were so bright, whose aspirations were so noble and whose purposes were so amiable in life, but we cannot see as God sees. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." But the mysteries of his providence we leave for the clearer light of his presence to reveal and accept his will as an expression of his goodness, although it leaves us to walk in the shadows.
Since becoming his pastor, Brother Claud and I have spent many happy hours together. He stood nobly by my side, was ready to assist me in every way possible. I feel that I have lost one of my most loyal members and best friends.
One by one Brother and sister Welch's children are being called from them, but their ties in heaven are growing stronger. Of a family of eight children only three remain here; the others are gone to the sunlit clime; but their faith in God still lives. May we all bow, not in the sunlight only, but also in the shadows and say, Thy will be done.
Jeff Sherman
Claude was elected Sunday School Superintendent at the Methodist Church at 18 or 19 years of age. He was recommended by the Altus Methodist Church to be licensed to preach in the Methodist church. The recommendation was carried to the District Conference meeting in Danville, AR, in the lower country on the Petit John River. The District Conference voted to license Claude, and start him on his way as a local preacher, which was the custom then.
Evidently Claude went to the conference in Danville in early summer, for he found work in a sawmill there and worked a month or so, until he began to have chills. Finally, around the middle of July he returned home quite ill. Maude said about two weeks after he came home he suffered what was then called a "congestive chill". Dr. Welch called in his doctor partner, but nothing they knew to do changed anything, and within a few hours Claude died. It was August 1, 1902.
Claude must have been a youth of fine character and ability. That is what his sister, Maude, always said.
From Arkansas Methodist, September 3, 1902:
Rev. Claud Clay Welch was born in Randolph County, AR, July 5, 1881, and died at Altus, AR, August 1, 1902. He was a son of Dr. T. G. Welch, who has been for many years a loyal local preacher in our church.
He joined the church at the age of twelve years. It is difficult to tell when he was converted, being reared in a Christian home and having been taught the Scripture from his youth, he was a good boy and some time in the early morning of his life the Spirit came like the gentle zephyrs so quietly that it was scarcely perceptible, but the change came and his Christian experience was a very definite one as he grew older. In speaking of this to his mother just before his death, he said: "Mother, I have been trained in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."
When death came he had no fear because he had loved and feared God and knew that he would not deliver in into the bitter pains of eternal death. It was not all of life for him to live.
When 19 years of age he was elected Sunday-school superintendent for Altus, which position he filled with great acceptability until the day of his death. He had the Sunday-school work on his heart and was constantly studying that he might be more efficient in this work.
April 18, 1902, at the district conference, which was held at Danville, he was licensed to preach fully expecting to give his entire time to the ministry. His plan was to finish his education and then offer himself to the board of missions for work in Cuba.
It is a mystery why God should take from us one whose prospects were so bright, whose aspirations were so noble and whose purposes were so amiable in life, but we cannot see as God sees. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." But the mysteries of his providence we leave for the clearer light of his presence to reveal and accept his will as an expression of his goodness, although it leaves us to walk in the shadows.
Since becoming his pastor, Brother Claud and I have spent many happy hours together. He stood nobly by my side, was ready to assist me in every way possible. I feel that I have lost one of my most loyal members and best friends.
One by one Brother and sister Welch's children are being called from them, but their ties in heaven are growing stronger. Of a family of eight children only three remain here; the others are gone to the sunlit clime; but their faith in God still lives. May we all bow, not in the sunlight only, but also in the shadows and say, Thy will be done.
Jeff Sherman
Claude was the son of Dr. T. G. Welch, and Sarah Isabella Rife Welch. He was the twin brother of Maude May Welch.
Claude was elected Sunday School Superintendent at the Methodist Church at 18 or 19 years of age. He was recommended by the Altus Methodist Church to be licensed to preach in the Methodist church. The recommendation was carried to the District Conference meeting in Danville, AR, in the lower country on the Petit John River. The District Conference voted to license Claude, and start him on his way as a local preacher, which was the custom then.
Evidently Claude went to the conference in Danville in early summer, for he found work in a sawmill there and worked a month or so, until he began to have chills. Finally, around the middle of July he returned home quite ill. Maude said about two weeks after he came home he suffered what was then called a "congestive chill". Dr. Welch called in his doctor partner, but nothing they knew to do changed anything, and within a few hours Claude died. It was August 1, 1902.
Claude must have been a youth of fine character and ability. That is what his sister, Maude, always said.
From Arkansas Methodist, September 3, 1902:
Rev. Claud Clay Welch was born in Randolph County, AR, July 5, 1881, and died at Altus, AR, August 1, 1902. He was a son of Dr. T. G. Welch, who has been for many years a loyal local preacher in our church.
He joined the church at the age of twelve years. It is difficult to tell when he was converted, being reared in a Christian home and having been taught the Scripture from his youth, he was a good boy and some time in the early morning of his life the Spirit came like the gentle zephyrs so quietly that it was scarcely perceptible, but the change came and his Christian experience was a very definite one as he grew older. In speaking of this to his mother just before his death, he said: "Mother, I have been trained in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."
When death came he had no fear because he had loved and feared God and knew that he would not deliver in into the bitter pains of eternal death. It was not all of life for him to live.
When 19 years of age he was elected Sunday-school superintendent for Altus, which position he filled with great acceptability until the day of his death. He had the Sunday-school work on his heart and was constantly studying that he might be more efficient in this work.
April 18, 1902, at the district conference, which was held at Danville, he was licensed to preach fully expecting to give his entire time to the ministry. His plan was to finish his education and then offer himself to the board of missions for work in Cuba.
It is a mystery why God should take from us one whose prospects were so bright, whose aspirations were so noble and whose purposes were so amiable in life, but we cannot see as God sees. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." But the mysteries of his providence we leave for the clearer light of his presence to reveal and accept his will as an expression of his goodness, although it leaves us to walk in the shadows.
Since becoming his pastor, Brother Claud and I have spent many happy hours together. He stood nobly by my side, was ready to assist me in every way possible. I feel that I have lost one of my most loyal members and best friends.
One by one Brother and sister Welch's children are being called from them, but their ties in heaven are growing stronger. Of a family of eight children only three remain here; the others are gone to the sunlit clime; but their faith in God still lives. May we all bow, not in the sunlight only, but also in the shadows and say, Thy will be done.
Jeff Sherman
Claude was elected Sunday School Superintendent at the Methodist Church at 18 or 19 years of age. He was recommended by the Altus Methodist Church to be licensed to preach in the Methodist church. The recommendation was carried to the District Conference meeting in Danville, AR, in the lower country on the Petit John River. The District Conference voted to license Claude, and start him on his way as a local preacher, which was the custom then.
Evidently Claude went to the conference in Danville in early summer, for he found work in a sawmill there and worked a month or so, until he began to have chills. Finally, around the middle of July he returned home quite ill. Maude said about two weeks after he came home he suffered what was then called a "congestive chill". Dr. Welch called in his doctor partner, but nothing they knew to do changed anything, and within a few hours Claude died. It was August 1, 1902.
Claude must have been a youth of fine character and ability. That is what his sister, Maude, always said.
From Arkansas Methodist, September 3, 1902:
Rev. Claud Clay Welch was born in Randolph County, AR, July 5, 1881, and died at Altus, AR, August 1, 1902. He was a son of Dr. T. G. Welch, who has been for many years a loyal local preacher in our church.
He joined the church at the age of twelve years. It is difficult to tell when he was converted, being reared in a Christian home and having been taught the Scripture from his youth, he was a good boy and some time in the early morning of his life the Spirit came like the gentle zephyrs so quietly that it was scarcely perceptible, but the change came and his Christian experience was a very definite one as he grew older. In speaking of this to his mother just before his death, he said: "Mother, I have been trained in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."
When death came he had no fear because he had loved and feared God and knew that he would not deliver in into the bitter pains of eternal death. It was not all of life for him to live.
When 19 years of age he was elected Sunday-school superintendent for Altus, which position he filled with great acceptability until the day of his death. He had the Sunday-school work on his heart and was constantly studying that he might be more efficient in this work.
April 18, 1902, at the district conference, which was held at Danville, he was licensed to preach fully expecting to give his entire time to the ministry. His plan was to finish his education and then offer himself to the board of missions for work in Cuba.
It is a mystery why God should take from us one whose prospects were so bright, whose aspirations were so noble and whose purposes were so amiable in life, but we cannot see as God sees. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." But the mysteries of his providence we leave for the clearer light of his presence to reveal and accept his will as an expression of his goodness, although it leaves us to walk in the shadows.
Since becoming his pastor, Brother Claud and I have spent many happy hours together. He stood nobly by my side, was ready to assist me in every way possible. I feel that I have lost one of my most loyal members and best friends.
One by one Brother and sister Welch's children are being called from them, but their ties in heaven are growing stronger. Of a family of eight children only three remain here; the others are gone to the sunlit clime; but their faith in God still lives. May we all bow, not in the sunlight only, but also in the shadows and say, Thy will be done.
Jeff Sherman
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