Daily Republican., 1879-11-08
AUoNGREG1rIoN REJolc,Ss.


Effort Removes over S67, 200 Debt
In Fifteen Days-Ths COngre ega.
tiOn Hold q Than ksgiving Ser.
vice In which Bish0p Simpson
and Others take Part.
| Last evening large congregation
assembled in the Sabbath School room
Of Grace NJ. Il. church. 1t had been in
tended to hold mere congratulatory
service at which addresses and sing
ing were to be the only exercises.
The ladies however improved the pro-
gramme by adding thereto light sup
per. II was conceived only few hours
before the servics and consequently
when the friends began to gather many
were agreeably surprised.
After prayer by Bishop Simpson, the
ladies became active and soon the large
gathering Of visitors were served and
seated.
After supper order was called and on
motion OF Mr.. Henry +. Pickels, Mr..
George W. Sparks was appointed chair.
man and Henry Conrad, Esq, Secre-
tary.
Rev. Or. Stevenson, pastor of the
church, after few predatory remarks
said that the members of the church
together had raised by responsible sub
scriptions S67,9l2.OS. This announce
ment was received with applause.
'This was enough, he continued, to
remove every particle of funded and
floating debt. This movement began Is
months ago in the reorganization Of
the Ladies' Liquidation Society by
which 81 900, then $4,000, were paid.
But the movement began to sweep in
majesty only fifteen days ago when God
said "Let the whole debt be swept
away forever" This list you will find
is fair transcript OF the registry Of the
friends of the church and members OF
the congregation. All have given and
given cheerfully. 1t represents faith
full giving. When the words "Let the
church bs cleared" came to US we got
down on our knees and prayed. There
was no coming together of the financial
men. There was no agreement, no
resolution. 1t was simply said: "Speak
to the people that they go forward"
and spontaneous outpouring was the
result.
"This will 60 out among the people,
and it must not be said that Grace
church was in financial strait, and
that in order to save itself, was
forced to this. This is not SO. You
have heard it said, Bishop, that We
were laboring under financial disabili-
ties. If that meant the Sheriff was
upon US and that our creditors were
pushing US then your informants were
mistaken. Let it not 90 out that Grace
church was forced. Do not let the
honor be taken from God and the MEM
bers of this congregation-these men
and women and youths, and glory from
God. We were tired of floating debts,
we felt that our debt stood in the way
of increasing prosperity, temporal and
spiritual, and therefore We have done
what we have done for the sake of
Jesus. We were forced to it only as St.
Paul was forced to his work when the
love of Christi constrained him."
After Mr.. Stevenson had concluded
the names of the contributors and the
respective amounts we're read. The to-
tails were: Young people, $8,7lj.08;
old people $5S, ,572; other subscriptions
$725, making a grand total of $685.
0l2.0S. This also included 800 which
we're raised while DR.. Stevenson was
speaking.
Overburdened feeling found vent in
capping of hands and spontaneous
singing of the doxology:
"Praise God from whom all blessings flow. j"
Bishop Simpson was then introduced.
He said he came to rejoice with the
members oi Grace Congregation and to
crafty strong desire to see the
familiar faces. In allrding to the
sweeping away of the church debt he
said: II it had been done entirely by
the church membership. If the means
were only those Of elder persons it
would not have been as gratifying to
me as it is at present. Ia that list are
the name of those in your Sabbath
school. am gratihed to hear that the
young people took hold of it with so
much vigor, and hope that the boys
and girls of the Sunday school will be
led to greater works and greater useful
ness. |t
"When this church was built it was ,
one that was needed. The location de-
manded it. 1t was built under extra I
ordinary pressure and for time laid
under heavy burden of debt. You
now have that debt extinguished, and d
what you have done will be initiated |
oy others and laid to healthy desire b
o build better and more commodious n
,hurches. II
'Ip one of TIE heaviest depressions | c.
ver saw in church, this congrega-
ion has gone on in its spiritual work.
While in debt of 100000 YOU have
,ult two chapels, you have helped to u
upport two other pastors, and with all A
{ this some Of your people have aided b
ther charitable institutions. There has r,
een no seltishness. Your hearts and o.
ands have been open and God has Il
hus rewarded you. Il
Fifteen years ago little company te
together in quiet way, in b
he month of January 1865. l remember ST
very well. 1t was in the lecture room m
St. Paul's church. 1t was rainy
light and things exterior looked very Z
iscouraging. These few members got
,gether and they determined to build ii
church. They went forward in the bl
ath. NJ
They at first talked about church W
'orth $4,000. As their faith increase W
10 Lord opened new ways, and as al
ssult the foundations of this large ed ii
Ice were laid. Many Of you remem- fu
or tho nccasion Of the frat sarvice w