The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-24
ClTY 1NTBLLIGEN q e.
CFNTFNNIAL CELEBRATION.

0,ENTENNAAL OELEnAAlAVNN
rss ore A. T. e Ss ES%T
iHesnegcisss ien TSis Morning"
To-day St Georges NJ. e, Church. on Fourth
s,vepsary This Is an even, interesting to all classes
Of MethOdsts on account OF the relation which this
church holds 70 nearly al the other churches IN the
city, It being in reality the mother churehof them
the church he's been gaily decorated in honor of
the occasion. Flewers and inscriptions in great pro-
fuson help TO give festival air to the building The
pulpit is adorned with evergreens and rare ho.house
nowers The irscription "Weloome Home" sur
mount the archs, and Joins the two marble tables
bearing the names OF former pastors.
At ten O'Clock this morning q large audience as
sembled 70 witness the exercises. The chance was
filled with Methodist ministers from the city and
elsewhere. including all the former incumbents who
The exercises commenced with the singing of a
hymn written for the centennial celebration by
A prayer was then offered by Rev. Bartholomew
Weed, followed by the Lords Prayer by the congrc-
Another original hymn by Miss Fanny Crosby, en-
Titled ''rhou Sovereign Lord OF Earth and Sea-, was
then sung. The congregation united in the singing
with the greatest energy.
Bishop Simpson then spoke a few words OF greet
ing TO the members Of ST. Georges. lie spoke OF it
being the first centennial anniversary OF any Metho-
dist church In the country. He noticed the appro-
pratenesH of the decorations by which he was sur
rounded. Ger tuIy plant standing in front of the
pulpit renindeC him OF the festival which can bloom
only once in hundred years. The evergreens spoke
OF the present living condition of the Church. An
other hundred years should see tentOld increase
over that OF the last century, great rs IlJ mas uecu
The present pastor gave an outline OF the churchs
history the facts OF which mostly given in the
history Published in THE EVENING TELEGRAPH OF
Bishop Simpson introduced the venerable Father
Henry Boehm who, though not former pastor Of the
church. was IN other ways connected with it. He
was the travelling companion OF Bishop AsOury, the
man on whom the bishop leaned for support and
who was his confidential adviser Father Boehm is
a whte-haired patriatch Of some ninety-1ve years.
He s yet quite strong ana hearty jar t1hOggn me ne was
of O chair during the whole time of his address.
The first time that Father Boehm ever entered st.
Georges was in 1901 lie was then on circuit in
pennsylvania with the Bishop, preaching in both
&erman and English. The Schuykill district fell to
his charge which included all the territory which is
now in the Philadelphia district, with that of VIII
mington added.
was due to the blessing of God and Christian smpli-
city on the part Of the ministry. In 1923 Father
Boebm after many unsuccessful efforts succeeded
in founding small congregation Of six members in
the city of Reading. The speaker repeatedly eX-
pressed his hankfuness that he had lived to see this
day, and that he in the enjoyment of health and
ali his faculties His age, he said, was greater by
year than that of the United States. He was born
IN 1875. During the whole of that time he has been
supported through many difficulties by the influence
of religion, the profession OF which he had embraced
IN his early youth.
Another original hymn by james Nicholson was
then sung.
Addresses were then made by the different former
pastors who are now living in the order of the date
OF their service.
these, was read regretting his inability to be pre-
sent on the occasion
Bishop Scott was the next IN Order, out was una
BILE be present at the morning session. account
Of church engagements elsewhere.
Rev. T. J. Thompson, the third, took charge of the
church in 1928. He had then just entered the minis
try. He spoke of the doings of the congregation
during his term of service. The memory OF the pro-
minent members OF his time was recalled one by one.
There were then four ministers to this cOngrega-
tion, as there were some four or five preaching
places connected with the charge. The death of the
preacher in charge took place during the term OF Mr.
Thompson, one of the most painful Incidents which
has ever occurred in its history.
Rev, Barth OlOmew Weed took charge in the
1929 and 1880, in connection with Rev. Levi Scott
CONGREGATIONS. Mr.. Weed spoke Of his having
shaken hands with Father Fillmore, the first regu-
T F M %ee ne OF s 3 Sa as OF MY
Weed, after having become converted, left the
church and joined @ the BaPsts& & put the work @ was all
satisfied. There are as many good souls who go to
heaven from the Baptists as from the Methodists;
and If he saw fit to go to the Baptists the preacher
thought 1t was all right.
Rev. Anthony Atwood spoke of the great Calvin
bringing converts to the altar entirely different
from all generally received customs. He
for any attacks which his theological opponents
might be ready to give him. The congregation of
St Georges he thought, IS at present aboring under
some difficulties on account of the great western
emigration from that district of the city. Mr. At
wood recalled many humorous incidents relating to
Rev F. Hodgson recalled the opposition to the
church on account OF its shouting qualities There
were popular superstitions abounding account of
the removal of the cornerstone. In his time there
was no Vestibule to the building. The entrance was
direct from the street to the body of the church and
the gallery stairs went up on either side from the
doorway. Mr.. Hodgson was the colleague OF Cook
man.
DIR. William Cooper was the next pastor He was
stationed there in 1881 and 1882 In 1892 was the
first introduction OF protracted meetings. meet
ing was commenced at EbeneZer, one OF the charges
connected with st. Georges, on a Friday night,
which was continued the whole OF the next week.
1t was considered wonderfully long meeting The
shouting was then at its height, and the speaker
IN hpar q
shout now such as used to be heard within these
walls One old lady used to shout down one aisle,
mp another, and would then finish her shout in front
OF the pulpit The singing was great thing in those
days Crowds used to stand in the vestibule and in
the street which attracted only by the sound OF
the singing. He hoped he would never see congre-
gational singing done away with.
Much OF the scientific singing OF the present day
is 80 very scientific that no tell where the
beginning or end is. He thought much OF this kind
OF singing sounded like that OF cats at midnight.
A letter was read from Rev. w. Roberts, regret
ting his absence, and giving history of his present
charge in Portland, Oregon
Also, letter from Rev. Edwin L. james, the bro
ther OF Bishop james, who was pastor in 1884,
The members OF the church then numbered one
Thousand. preachers class OF some seventy odd
ladies was formed during this time.
There are nine more living pastors who are eX-
pected to speak at the meeting this evening.
The exercises Of the morning closed with the sing
ing OF the hymn "God Is With U.s." by Rev. +.
BottOme
At the end of the morning session fine bouuuet
OF the church.
The session this afternoon will begin at 3 o'clock,
and III tne evening at O'Clock, the closing eXer-
cise6 Will take place.
ODDS AND ENDs.-The Lyle Monument Association
meets tonight.
The New Synagogue at the s. z. corner OF Broad
and Mt Vernon Streets for the German Hebrew
congregation 'Ttodef Sholem " Is progressing RAPIDLY
The ingram carpet weavers are again on strike,
and an Indignation meeting is to be held at Norris
S0u0re this afternoon,