Poems and Other Writings

About the Book

Most of the poems in this book were written starting in the later years of this paper up through the time he retired from the Ministry in Battle Creek, Michigan. In the 1930's he was appointed minister of the Seventh-Day church in Battle Creek Michigan. The Seventh-Day Baptist sect still observes the seventh-day Sabbath, as defi ned in the Bible from sun-down Friday evening to sun-down Saturday. This is sometimes referred to as the Jewish Sabbath. When the Christian church changed the day of worship in the Third Century A.D., some sects did not follow the edicts of the Catholic Church but retained the Sabbath worship as required by the Ten Commandments of the Bible. During his time as the leader of the church in Battle Creek, Edward instituted a summer camp experience for both boys and girls at a camp at Fair lake called Faircrest cottage. This property was known to Edward through his relatives. He promoted the idea to study the Flora and Fauna in the wooded lands surrounding the campsite. After Edward retired the SDB church purchased the property presently known as Camp Holston, south of Battle Creek, and still continues the summer camp tradition.

About the Author

Edward M. Holston, pictured below with his grandson (Robert E. Fetherston), died in 1947 at the age of 76 years. He was born in Covert, Michigan in June of 1871. His father, William F.H Holston, was a Civil War veteran, and was one of the fortunate few to have gone through the entire war without serious injury. He enlisted in the Michigan Second Infantry, company E, April 17, 1861, at Niles Michigan. He attained the rank of Captain, and was mustered out in July 28, 1965, at Delaney House, D.C. Edward was the editor of a weekly newspaper in a small town is Southern Wisconsin called Milton Junction (at that time, since re-named Milton West). The weekly paper at that time was called the Journal- Telephone, now called the Milton Junction Courier. In the 1930’s he became the Minister of the Battle Creek, Michigan, Seventh-Day Baptist church. He served in this position for a period of Nine (9) years. I believe most of these poems were written from the era of his operation of the weekly paper up through the years as minister of the Baptist Church. The Seventh –Day Baptist religious sect still observes the seventh-day Sabbath, as defined in the Bible from sun-down Friday evening to sundown Saturday. When most Christians changed their day of worship from the Sabbath to Sunday in the Third century A.D some did not follow the edicts of the Catholic Church, but retained the sabbath worship specified as the day of rest in the Bible. Seventh day worshippers have a constant battle to readjust their schedules to fit the population majority who worship on Sunday. I believe this tends to strengthen their resolve.