, 1862-06-03
HISTORY OF THE PR1 T.
RYTERTAN CHURCH.


l
last Sunday, upon the occa5ion Of the twen-
t;eth anniversary OF that society. The text
forming the basis Of the discourse was from
Psalms, ch. is Y. 4; t'There is river, the
streams whereof shall make glad the city Of
God, the holy place Of thetabernacles Of the
Most High"
The following is the extract alluded to and
will be found to possess Unusual interest as q
condensed history Of this society, SO intimate
II connected With the early history of our city;
This church WAS organized on the fret day Of June,
IL the rear Of onr Lord lSas, being small colony
rsn Church u this city, which had then become
tay ard Influential body The city At
an Rs n.s heoss
colony sent of from any church Of any denomina-
tion In the city. 1t therefore seemed like an ad
nueens snail and tie ater csed Gn t.
tic pastorate, being then young man, entered
upon hia frat labor Of the kind in The presence 81
at least Wel-defned aim, which was Indicated by
the text q the frat discouree-'I I determined t.
noap a 1fsa ft gaslss and
coutagemcnt-stA Ae the mountains arc rouud abnnt
Jerusalem 80 TIE Lord is round about His people
Our principles and policy In that day Of spaal1
things, were the same by which we have been gov
erned th1oughtut the score Of yeara that has since
eee 10 hs Il eass to
ton with the historic carrch ofthe Apostles and
Rsfornere. We hoped fos euccess only yas church
chewing 10 the faith once de1iyere1 to the saints
and making. little Of moral e3pedients or enter
prizes tbat Do not ep5ng directly from the heart Of
a9trlctly & &scrilptnIal p ~, Christianity: n1sy:
steady progress for seyeral years. until the growth
Of our city became more rapid. and our community
which it had displayed from the year 1917 aptothe
/ pres sent time. Our first house Of worship WAS
small e6iflce Of woed, located On Randolph street
| together with tho lo5, cost the Society
alert sa,oso.., In this; simple eaactuary,
u:any seasons Of prayer and blessed privilege were
and dedicated On the 24th day Of January 1851:
The charges fhat haxe takeR place asoana rs
n from R9Pulasion ao ct sooe TO- to people q
from sIx or eight to eighty. Twenty years
Tesby1srian chureh, While there ' was s0ns' no
mediate vicinity Now the Congregational church
es number six and the Presbyterian churches
twelve, To Elk Of the latter We nave contributed
regarded as colonies from this church ~ '-,"' ~
this church, al other churches In tie city Of every
| denomination, have parted with their pastors
at least twice. and most Of them maay times;
and only one other pastor Of our ecclesiastical
t. se N sope sss 5as ths
been nafaGed ~ many dispeasatioas of eod's al
Of an eldershIp Of extraordinary wisdom arG
faithfnlness, the movement Of the church
| has been STEADY and selEconsistent. Wt
i Of lrcoatiderate impulse; lev attempts Il
t fs ou9 pfeaens s
have borne testimony to the conscientious fidelity
Il Of large proportion Of our membership. ou1
pace and unity have not been seriously inter
present help in time Of trouble. Thtea:
but hcs baSe given place to the % raoog VT of hop
and promise. Periods Of declenston have mads
our hearts extremely cad, but theyadave been sue
Of the Lord Our growth BY enlargement from
: hopeful conversions has for the most par
been quietly continued from year to year. Ba
grace from on high; once In the year 1847: aga11
In 1850; then in 1852 in 1855, and most Of all il
the great revival Of 1883.
We have received on letter from other churches
including those who united in the original organ
izatioD, $50 members; and on profession Of faith
twenty By letter and ,iftesgn .,
, | profession. Ofthose hopefully converted amou!
ne, about onc.third hsvc been persons unds
dren of The Covenant Our accea5lons by o1fossiol
Of Christ have been relatively more than twice a
numerous within the last ten years as during th,
/
T ! communicate or suspend from church privileges
twelve perEone, eight Of whom have come to US b.
, letter from other churches: We hive dismtsse
il the city and its vicinity OF to churches ab.oad
. s9s members.
t God has been gracious to us in preserving til
lives Of this Gearpeople. Almost two thirds Of th
4 + since this church was fonnded Within this Pc
their rest and reward; and about seventy In d
'' have died IN our communion; less tha
Sssenh mda ,osa Of the whole H. namses wh
onr fellowship ffsecn If our original menber=!li
i and a51 Of the whole number who have been az
sed na dbten bte hs sa1sh e us Of hsSs pe s eli
are bzaying the pelile of war il the cause of OF
Very me1cifn1y has God dealt with this congr'
The whole number Of adults in the church an
eternity. cannot now be definitely given; hut
eanDot much exceed one hundred, II it is as lar:
ss.that; ; aI lwo years haze hay, paseed-one the Ia
> by death. Yet from pestileuce AID the ordinal
= sweep Of mortality, many Ct our families ha'
- Of sosrow together, and have learned by expei
ence how to app ecats, II mt how to Impart, thos
Il christian ssn,pathies which the spirit Of Jes'
aEakens IN the hearts OF his followers.
The rc1tgiuus acsitity. ard bcnevolencc Of Il
Church and consre g?tion ha7e been and are asser
teonal and general enterprise OF the ci
and The country Besides sustaining the Saba
Ehool Immediately connected with tue church, o
working membership have established and lo1
. kept in operation TWO or three Of the most io1
It. iEhfng and useful Mission Schools Of the city
of which has hecn in successful progress more th
=. seventeen years.
And in addition to the expenses incurred in t
erection Of church edilces By way Of the ordina
annual outlSys,. amounting to about &!2 ,0l0
h1vc contributed to the cauac OF general bent
olenc nearly $4,000.
~ The sermon closes with g touching allusi
e. to the relations existing between the
cietg ard its present pastor for which VIC
he gret We have not space.
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