Middletown transcript., 1881-06-17
Children's Day at the NJ. E. Church.

/ l1dcb Wlbl 4lo AOAAS -
music, flowers, and song, its fitting dis
courses and its collected throngs of bright
eyed, happy-faced youths and little ones,
marked red-letter day for our Methodist
friends who yearly set apart the second
Sabbath in June as a season of pleasure
and offerings for the youth Of their church
and call it "Children's Day.
In 1866, during the celebration of the
centenary Of # AEetheaiss.a, essaeng ether no
table features, was introduced that of es-
tablishing permanent fund for the aid
and encouragement Of young persons of
promise wishing to avail themselves of
the advantages of institutions of learning.
For this purpose 100000 were contributed
as the "Children's Centennial Offering
for Education" This fund by 1872 had
increased to SI02, 700, but as the proceeds
of that sum were not sufficient for the de-
sign contemplated, it was resolved to in
crease them by annual collections in all
the Sunday Schools of the church. These
collections are taken upon Children's Day
and make the chief, practical feature Of
the occasion, though variety of interest
ing exercises were instituted for obser-
vance to please and attract the young and
impress upon them lofty aims in life.
The sight that greeted the beholder upon
entering the church, was one of singular
beauty. Pulpit and chancel were filled
with the choicest plants and flowers taste
fully displayed so as to give fine per-
spective effect. A shapely arch of green
box curved above handsome floral
cross that surmounted the fern-draped
rockery at its base, while just behind rs
rich background appeared the gilded or
gan pipes, set in the deep recess, that adj
ded yet another aspect of beauty by its
corresponding shape. The appointments
of altar, choir and chancel, peculiarly fit
them for securing the finest effects Of floral
arrangements. Large vases filled with
flowers, ornamented the chancel rail,
while two large rustic baskets also loaded
with vernal trophies stood floral sentinels
to guard and adorn the scene Of fiery
cacti, rosy geraniums and many graceful
plant-forms lavishly spread around. The
small silk flags crossed above the chande-
liers and the chirping birds swinging in
their pretty cages, completed picture of
varied beauty not soon to be forgotten.
Mr.. A. G. Cox, assisted by Miss Lou
Cox, Miss Emma Merritt, Mrs. w. J.
Griffith, Mr.. r. II. Eliason and w. P.
Biggs deserve the largest share OF praise
for the construction of this elegant design,
while Mrs. NJ. L. Cox and Miss Ida Grubb,
the honor Of fashioning the cross of bou-
quets.
The audience room, even in its aisles,
was filled with people, among whom la
dies and children abounded and appeared
to the spectator from behind like vast
sea Of Leghorn and Tuscan, tinged with
MANY hues of ribbons and feathers. The
choir sang fine anthem; the school fol-
lowed with Crest for the Soul"-Next
came a prayer by the pastor and the Re-
sponsive Service by the school. After the
singing Of 'Over the River" the Rev. w.
L. S. Murray preached a very able sermon
from John iii.-14. Gas Moses lifted up
the serpent in the wilderness, even so
must the Son of man be lifted up" The
central thought Of the Rev. gentleman's
sermon was Through the Eye to the
Heart" He remarked upon opening his
address, Behind me, little boys and
girls, you can see many beautiful flowers;
your eyes seeing them may draw your
hearts to think of the good Creator who
made them" Lacking space forbids our
reproduction Of the excellent effort that
very happily achieved the difficult feat of
talking intelligibly to small children.
The simple worded discourse of the pas
tor, garnished as it was by many happily
taken illustrations, which served like OBJ
ject lessons to make deep thought clear to
little heads. gave the wee folk, who proved
their appreciation by their silence, matter
suited to their understandings, and might
well serve a model for such trying Occsi-
sions.
The afternoon services were fully as in
teresting as the morning services, and the
congregation, i'll numbers, was beyond
the seating capacity Of the church. After
an anthem by the choir and a hymn by
the school, Rev. DR.. Kennedy offered Il
prayer, which was followed by the respon-
sive exercises, fOur Mission,'' 1.-THE
Fold" " Breakers" and "Sewing and
Reaping.'' Rev. w. G. w. Lewis, Rector
of st. Anne's P. E. Church, held the in
terest of the congregation for ten minutes
with an appropriate and instructive adj
dress in which he dwelt strongly upon
the value of the Bible as a guide and in
structor of the young. The closing address
was made by Rev. w. C. Alexander,
Pastor of Forest Church, whose remarks
were listened to with much interest. He
referred briefly to the annual gathering Of
the Sunday School children in the city of
Brooklyn, comparing the joyous occasion
to the annual march of the migratory
birds. There were two recitations, Your
Mission by Miss Stella Jones, and
Mourn For the Thousands Slain," by
Lottie Jones, both given in a manner that
elected much praise. After music by the
choir and school the services closed with
the benediction by Rev. DR.. Kennedy.
The evening services brought out another
big congregation that filed all the seats
and much of the alsles, in which chairs
were placed in order to seat as many of
the throng as possible. A beautiful an
them by the choir opened the services,
after which the school sang "To be
There and Gathering Home" A re
sponsive service, Goods Majesty" fol-
lowed. An instructive and interesting
blackboard exercise, entitled "Chalk
Talk, was given by Superintendent \.
6. Cox, at the conclusion OF which there
was more music, followed by responsive
exercise, Goods Wisdom" Miss S. L.
Downs read beautiful. selection, "The
Teachers Diadem." After music by the
choir and school the congregation were
dismissed by Rev. Mr.. Murray.
The music throughout the day and
evening was worthy of the warmest
praise. Those who came expecting much
in the way Of good music must have more
than realized their expectations. The in
strumental accompaniments embraced or