The daily gazette., 1879-11-08
Free From Debt.
GRACE CHURCH PEOPLE CELEBRATING
THE sETTLEMKNT OF THEIR CHURCH



THE SETTLEMENT OF THEIR CHURCH
DEBT.
A jubilee and .jo llification meeting OF
the mel hers aud friends OF Grace M. Il.
Church was held last evening, for tue
purpose OF celebrating most joyous
event-thc entire clearance of the edifice
Of the debt that has existed upon 1t for
sever al years.
The exercises commenced in the
Sunday School room, with tea drinking
and oyster supper, Under the auspices OF
the ladies of the church, which was very
successfully conducted.
After all were fully satisfied at the
tables "a meeting was held In the church,
and WAS called 10 order by Mr.. Henry X.
Pickels, chairman OF the Board OF Trns-
tees, who called upon Geo. W. Sparks
to preside, Mr.. Sparks being the Oldest
member OF the Board. b. q. Conrad
was made Secretary. DR.. l.. Z. NJ attack,
Presiding Elder of the Wilmington Dis
tIict, offered fervent prayer,a Rev.W.
j. Stevenson, pastor of Grace Church,
folio wed In a brief address. He said the
raising uf enough money to pay the debt
| of the church was the work OF God, as
there existed among the. people uni
versal spirit to contribute as servi - to
God, and they did 10 willingly.
| The SecI etary then read his report,
contain ming list of those who had made
contri buttons, and the respective
amounts. The list was divided into two
| classes-the adulls' and minors. The
| minors list contained l8l names, and
1900, and the adults list, containing 81
names and s5S,0O0, making total Of
| S67 900 an amount more than e ethclent to
liquidate the entire indu ubteduess of the
church. The largest contribution was
$4,000. and the smallest one dollar.
There were nineteen contributions OF
| 81 900 each
Bishop Simpson was then introduced,
and made an address of congratu lation
ii said he was present at the meeting
held fifteen years ago in the basement ol
st. PauPs Church, TO consult In regard
10 the need OF new church, and men
toned as a striking fact that all the
members of the building committee ol
the church were still living. He had
followed the career of Grace Church
ever siLce. and the announcement Thai
the debt had been provided for was q
pleasant surprise to HIM He cautioned
the members to be particularly carefu
i'll the future not to allow their EXPENSE
TO exceed their income.
The Bishop also stated that the cen
tennial anniversary of the general estab
lishment of Methodism IN this countr,
would occur in 1885, and he ther. fore
threw out the suggestion-as he ha,
done at all the conferences he had re
Gently visitel-that provision be mad
in all churches laboring under debt Il
exiingu sh it entirely during the inter
: venlng five years, so that Methodism II
this country would start upon its secon'
centennial with its churches entirely FREE
tiom debt.
! The Bishop closed by predicting al
increased spiritual success for tn
church. now that the barriers to this enc
had all been removed.
Rev. Jacob Todd, of Philadelphia,
former pastor, aiso made a brief address
and in response TO a request for som
5 remarks from the laymen, brief con
A gtatulatory speeches were made by L
4 +. Pickles, Washington Hastings. .
I Taylor Cause and H. q. Conrad, Esq.
A congratularory telegram Il ON ke'
Joseph " Smith, of WIlkesbarre, Pa,
former pastor, was read, and the meet
ing closed with the doxology.