The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-09-24
the FULTON STREET SHRINE.

Twelfth Anniversary Of the Noon Prayer
Meetings In the Old North Dmfcii Church
Large Attendance and Interesting Exercises.
One OF the established features Of metropolitan
life, as much so as the theatre the opera or the
drives IN the Park, have been the daily noon prayer
meetings ct the OLD North Dutch church. corner OF
Fulton and william streets. Steadily a. the noon
day sun reached its meridian, through winters cold
and summers heat, through storm ana sunshine,
through war and peace, through panics and tides OF
prosperity and through all the varying vicissitudes
OF the busy metropolitan life have been held here
during the past twelve years the daily prayer meet
Ing. Az IL well known all denominations attended
these meetings. There was common platform,
common zeal and q common pcrsistency in keeping
the meetings up.
Yesterday being the twelfth anniversary Of the
establishment OF these meetings the church was
completely crowded and the exercises TOOK Q
broader range than usual, various addresses being
sandwiched between the praying and singing and
continuing the meeting considerably beyond the
ordinary time. Over the pulpit, wrought In flowers,
was that epgrammatical scriptural quotation, "Pray-
ing aways' directly above this also fabricated from
the same material, the date 1902 the year In
which the church built; to the left OF the latter
the date 1887" referring to the ntiatory period OF
the daly prayer meetings. and to The right the date
1889" indicating the precise period or the nine.
teenfh century to winch we have arrived As might
scented, the most occupying seats in front OF the
pulpit
The exercises opened with the singing of the hymn
beginning with the verse
Ny soul, repeat His praise,
Whose mercics great,
Whose anger 10 SO slow to rise,
SO ready to abate.
After which Rev. Mr.. McNatr, junior pastor OF the
church read the 10th Psalm and then made Few
Introductory remarks. He referred 70 the dates
appearing on the wall alluded TO above. and the
various epochs they represented. Next to the ami.
versary OF the building or the church he considered
that or their daily prayer meetings the most Import
ant and glorious IN their history
Rev. Mr.. Gallagher, OF the Williamsburg Episcopal
church, followed IN prayer, and succeeding him Rev.
Dr. De Witt senior pastor OF the church, made On
address. A glance at the origin and early history OF
meetings, comprised the burden OF his remarks. He
had been connected with the church fortytwo years.
One generation had passed away IN this time, and
another was rapidly following its heels. When
he began preaching here most or the chnrchgolng
people OF the city lived below the Mid
die church, the present Post Office The
inroads OF commerce crowded people up
town. At FIRST the tide was gentle, but it grew
stronger carrying everything before It, Their church
editice. however, had resisted the tide and stald
where 1t was though most Of the congregation had
gone up town and now lived miles away from its
shadow. The prayer meetings had produced Denea-
cial results which could not be estimated. He
hoped they would be Kept up so long as there were
sinners in the world ana praying men to pray for
them.
Another hymn was sung, when Rev. DR.. Anderson,
OF the Baptist church OF this CITY address the
ing glory TO their late centennial celebration, and
hoped that similar daily prayer meetings might be
established In other churches.
Prayer by Rev. Mr.. Sorler, and singing next fol-
lowed, which was succeeded by o brief speech by
Rev. Mr. Sanford, OF the Greene street Methodist
Church. He said these meetings were got uMby one
man, and urged II upon others as their duty to go
and do likewise.
Rev. DR.. S. IrenGus Prime made quite lengthy
address The news OF these meetings had been scat
tered far anu WIDE and other meetings like them
were being formed In the leading cities OF Europe.
brother called
gateway OF he'll" they had daily prayer meeting
He told of one wh0 VITA knife in hand, on his
way to commit murder and stopped IN ut one or
their meetings and was converted.
Kew. Or, Schcnck, Of st. Ann's Episcopal church,
Brooklyn spoke next He drew q contrast betwee
the daily noon mee.ings at the Stock Exchange and
here. He dwelt upon the increasing wIcKedness In
our City and corruption IN our courts Tie only
thing, he insisted, that could save from becoming
second Babylon and from its fate were these prayer
meetings.
Recital Of the Lords Prayer, by the congregation
prayer, by George ii. Stuart, OF Philadelphia; few
additional remarks by Rev. DR.. De Witt: singing the
DOxOlogy and benediotlon terminated The exercises,