The daily gazette., 1879-11-12
FIFTH ], EDITION.
HaV a ( century.

BISHOP LEES HISTORICAL SERMON
THIS MORNING ON THE OCCASION OF
THE sEMI-cENTESNrAL ANNIvER-
sARY OF ST. ANDREWS CHURCH.
Reverend Bishop Lee, at the opening
semi-centennial anniversary Of st. An
drews church, this morning, preached
sermon upon the history Of that sane
tuary. Previous to The sermon, the pro-
gramme given In yesterday paper was
gone through with.
The text was LevIticus XIV chapter,
llth verse "a jubilee shall that fiitieth
year be unto you ye shall not SOW,
neither reap that wi ich groweth of itself
IN It, nor gather the grapes in 1t OF the
vine nndressed."
In commencing, the bishop said that
the text had left All impression on the
httieth year Of Importance to more than
the children of Israel. lie spoke at some
length upon the year of jubilee, and al
luded to the great event In honor of
which II was held. he dawn OF this
was shown by the coming of the Son OF
Man, tie elimination, by his coming in
| glory. Since the church In which these
services were being held had been found
ed so much time toward the coming of
the Lord had elapsed, and the world was
hf years nearer to the end. The night
was far spent and the day was near at
hand.
The speaker then looked back over the
past history Of st. Andrews Church. The
first move tending 10 establish 1t was
caused by desire upon the part OF the
Episcopalians of Wilmington to have a
church more conveniently located than
Old Sweies Church. The space between
the part of town In which IL was situated
and the section in which St. Andrews is
now built was covered with open fields.
This led to meeting in 1914, when the
episcopal Association Of the Borough
Of Wilmington" WAS formed with John
Lynch as Chairman, aud James Groom,
| Secretary.
This association purchased lot at
sixth and King stredts, (then Sixth and
Hanover), but in lSl the plan was re
iuctintly abandoned and the lot sold to
pay expenes incurred. In 1928 rene W.
ed effort was mace and a new assoc alton
was formed. 1t was now successful, and
"A church was opened at Market and
Twelfth streets, with Rev. j. Rowland
Coyt as rector. Before the end of the
year the congregation felt warranted IN
taking steps necessary to the erection OF
"A church.
a lot was accordingly purchased on tn,
). w. corner of Eighth and ShipleS
streets, and 1t was decided to build tn,
editice of stone. Tie building was com
menced In May 1922, and was tinshot
in October of the same year. 1t wa.
dedicated on Oct ]. At that time th,
| oh haH t,tn -
number wat soon increased to ~
Among the early members was the ven
erable Dell Noblitt, and he lived longe
than any other charter member. In th'
records of the Diocese of Delaware 70
1880 report is found, which shows tn,
congregation lad increased to fifty lami
lies by that time.
Records show thai the church prosper
ed IN membership ami In Influence II
1882 the pastor, WIN Coyt resigned ol
account of the salary bsing inadequat
10 support himself and family; IN 1866 n
died. The reverend speaker then dwel
at great length upon the succeedin
rectors and paid tho Ose who had died iii
| ung tributes.
e In 1889 spire was erected aud til
| church handsomely finished, and ioyfu
Christmas day ceremo onies were held i
Jan D, 1910, the church was burned I
the ground.
!, The congregation had great vitalit
ana on Oct 10th 1S4l having settO wor
spiritually, a new editice had been cree
ed on its site and dedicated. 1t was As
80 feet IN size, had 1b pews and cost Sil
900. The late Bishop Whit,ingham col
- seciated it.
The Bisnop now slld that in regard I
70 the history of the church from that tim
he could speak from personal experience
Tie took charge In 1883 temporarily an
became permanent rector in 1S40. 1t ha
20 or 80 COMMITMENTS and 20 families
that time.
/. From the time of the building of TIL
}. new church until 1873 it had heavy al
-, emb .rrassing debt, but II was paid q
II then, ami in his report was able to al
y uounce that only debt owed by the col
gregation was the debt of love-
= The church was enlarged in 1854.
1857 a mission chapel was esiab ist ed
Front and Justison streets; out OF tn
grew Calvary Church, which wht
built, in 1889 cost So .000. Since the churt
had existed 1896 had been baptized, &
admitted TO communication; GOA ma
riages, and Cos deaths had taken plac
Out of the Sunday School scholars IL ha
been ordained to preach.
The an nj yarsary Aar1 ieaa will IA coi