Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-10-25
GENERAL.
The Hanover Centennial.

OLD MEMORIES.
The exercises commemorative of the centen-
NAL anniversary of Hanover church were eohs
tinued yesterday afternoon and evening. The
congregations were somewhat larger upon both
occasions than in the morning, and the same
interest which was awakned at the morning
session was kept up throughout the day.
The afternoon exercises were opened with
music and prayer, after which Rev. VIM. Taylor,
Of Shippensburg, Pa, made an address. Mr.
Taylor was born and grew up in this communi-
ty, and his theme, very naturally, was "Recol-
lections," in the elaboration of which he re-
counted many pleasing incidents connected
with himself and others which occurred in his
boyhood days He seemed possess wonder
full memory recOlecting with almost the fresh
ness of yesterday the general arrangement and
appearance of the old church and the old IA
miliar faces which used to be always seen there
i'll. He mentioned with reverence the names of
many persons unknown to this generation, hold
ing them up as exemplars of pure and godly
life.
At the conclusion ofIlev. Mr.. Taylor's address,
the choir sang "Guide Me. o. Thou Great Je-
hovah," after which Rev j. II. Rockwell for
merly pastor OF the Church, but now of Staple
ton, Staten Island, N. Y, addressed the Oongre-
CATION on the Events of the Century" Sur
veying the world at the beginning Of the cent u
ry, he said that the field was so great that he
hardly knew where to begin. Missionary work
had not been commenced, superstition reigned
over the Oriental nations, and our own teeming
West was vast wilderness, Tracing along in
regular succession the events as they occurred
our own struggle for liberty, the French Revo-
luton-the invention of the steam engine, the
printing press. the telegraph, and other inven-
lions in the commercial world. he said that no
century had been 30 great with grand accom-
pliahments. He then turned his attention to the
obstacles which had int9rposed themselves to
the spread of the Gospel, and spoke of the sys-
tenn of events connected with the development
Of missions, noting the events which marked the
progress of the eyaugeization of the world and
concluding with brief recount of the history of
the Presbyterian Church The address was a
most mastery one, and betokened the great ia
miliarity of the DR.. with the events OF century,
the one-half of which he has himself witnessed.
Rev. Noah Price. who was reared in Hanover
church, but now of Philadelphia was then intro
duced and briefly addressed the congregation.
The evening exercises began with music and
the reading of the Scriptures, when Rev. c., W.
Adams, of Waterville, N. Y. spoke of " the
Elders OF the Church" He said in opening that
there were doubtless other cities larger and
more important than Wilmington; other streams
more romantic than the Brandywine; other
walks more pleasant than those beside its mar
gin; other rivers more noble than the Delaware /;
other churches more stately and more grand
than those of this city; but these were clustered
with his earliest recollections and were dearer
to him than any others on this earth. He then
spoke of Wilmington az he remembered it in his
bUyhood days, when he rOamed the streets, and
mentioned the location OF many business houses,
showing how they had still been kept in the
same family and at the same place. He spoke
of many pleasant and amusing incidents connec-
ted with himself, politically and otherwise, and
said that it seemed that our city politics had de-
scended into the hands OF persons not native
born. Coming to the more immediate
province of his subject he spoke of the
elders of the church in earlier days,
praising their good deeds and benevolent acts,
and relating many incidents connected with their
history. These elders were Lucas Al:ich, Fhos.
Cook, John Flemming l.. II Livercom5, James
| Smith, Dr. Monro, David HARRISON, Robert Por-
ter, John Patterson, Matthew Kean, Charles
Jones, Thos. @. Alrlchs VIM. Clark, John b.
Porter aud Judge Hall, the last and only con-
Meeting link between the past and present gem
| erations
| When Mr. Adams had concluded, the choir
sang, very sweetly, the following ode, written
for the occasion, by Il. I. Taylor
| Hail hrigh auspicious day
| Ila,l glad memorial h lur;
| We come with heart, and voice to bless
| g DIS guarding guiding poweri
| With grateful, happy hearts
| Our gadsOme song "e raise,
| Children, aud chlldrGns children join
| Our fathers God to praise
We praise Thee, o, or God,
For what Thy hand hath don;
For garnerei fruit within these walls,
| The trophies grace hath won;
| We bless lhee for tn truth
| Proclaimed these hundred years;
For he rich covenant Of Thy love,
through sunshine, and through tears.
Our honored faihers where are they q?
And mothers, who of old
First taught our infant ps to pray,
And led 10 Jesus fold.
Hidden from sight, but safe with God,
We treasure all they taught:
Stri ing 10 tread the path they trOd.
Seeking the God they sought
We saw tn IN droop and fade away,
But mry pic ures them today
| Faces and fOrms, 70 us so dear,
| Claim the sad tribute OF tear.
| Sweeping through the silent ages,
| ROl tines rap d. ceaseess stream
| Human life IN changeful stages,
Passes ike a Mt ul dream,
| But while men and nations perish,
God, from age 10 age the same,
| VIII His church forever cherish
And preserve himself a name
IA discourse was then delivered by Rev. Jas
NJ. Crowell, ID. D., of Philadelphia, based upo
the 14th verse of the 102d Psalm, in which h
pointed out the good results of the church an
urged his heare 3 to become more deeply intel
ested in 1t.
At $50 social reunion was held in the iectur
room, which was participated in by the presen
ard fo-mer members of the church A Ion
table, heavily laden with refreshments, wa
spread in the centre of the room behind whict
on the opposite side from the door, the walls wer
festonned with the stars and stripes II was heI
! that the exercises of the day were concluded an
very appropriately, too.
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