The New York herald., 1878-10-07
CHURCH OF THE TRANSFIGURA-
TON.

THIRTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OPENING
sLRMoN BY THE REV. DH. hoUoHIoN.
The tnreth ofiLe opening service Of the
Church OF tho Transnguration, better known 'Tne
Little Cnurcn Around the Corner," rwenty-ninth
street, near Filth ue, was celebrated yesterday
Although no special order OF service mad been ar
ranged and but nttle pubicy mad been gwen 10 the
event the church unusually well nlied the
services, Dut especially at haii-past ten A. NJ The
rector, Rev. g. Ii. Houghton, preached, his subject
beng .swhat Has God wrought? the text being laken
from Numbers, xxln, % Mr. Houghtou preach I'D at
some length. commencing by saying:-rhirty years
ago to-day devout stranger, VINO happened be IN
tho city on his way 10 distant part
OF the world, where he long 10 take
up his residence, happened, we Will suppose.
10 be passing IN the rain through st lwentylourth
street, between Lexington ana Fourth avenues.
Being q churchman he WAS attracted by seeing
numuer OF porsons-not many-prayer BOOK IN maud,
entering tnroagn door ia ienee into vacant lot
making tGeIr way into room IN tue rear part OF
l1e Father nusuai sisbt SO iDtcrcs,ed hsia
that he followed th Ill ana presently fouGd hin.SsIl
one OF perhaps party Vi iorv or hiiy VINO were
there gatnersd Ior divue worebp. fne room, winch
would seal m"re sDaa u theD conialpea was iur-
nsDed with low Oencncs aLd ieeturp, naae OF pine
wood. sua small paror orzaa bearing marks Of
having IA IT'S Jay uone eaGsllcat and pro,racLed
seryice Tho stranger sscer.ancd lhe very gfvauy
enhancing oi hls interest," THAT u was the hrsl
occasion OF divine worsGIp ia that place, ana
tnaI the object In view the iormaiioa
OF new parish snd the building, ~ que
time, Of church The Doctor went on
10 describe nov inexperienced young
conducted the services on taat Day, aud how
declared or acconp nment of his purposes
had nei.ner collar nor tne promise O one, only
BIBLE ana prayer OO0K, The burpCe he wore, the
pine lecturn at which ns stoOu anu the three oBths
promised Tree OF Tie room, ana
stranger sIterwnrd learned that more
than vi the present ofty or nifty
minded cast IN their lot WIN tho young
msn'sn not almost chl mericai vet very, very bold
difcuit 10 he realized He went his from the
place anu the CITY and the country, admIrins inc
young mans Iargeness Of purpose and his cvident
gueiessn sness OF the knowledge OF the years OF toll
ana the abundant means required anu the obstacles
Ia the way ol oDtai1ing lhoss means THAT were ia.
vowed IN the accom- plishnent OF tnat purpose.
THIRTY YEARS LATER
Thirty years elspsc, our stranger returns again Tor
the time during tue past week TO city. lie Is
good Gu urcbmap, Interested IN all that concerns ib
progress ana welfare Of the CnurcD. TINS and
samsncss OF the season reminded MIN OF his expert
ence on that RAINY sunday VITA Tue young man Ia
Twenty-fourt rth street. He tninks, we Will suppose,
that will ascertain, poss biz, what has become OF
tnat innocent young man aud ms small meaUs srd
magnificent plans aud purposes lie has been directed
thitnt rward, and he has come thIs morning, wn
suppose, TO anu 10 near into wDat that and
Its prom lsea congregation OF ak persons mas
srown aud what como OF that very small
upprcmising but trustiut beginning. He enters not
through AN opening IN icnco aua vacant lot and