The daily gazette. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1874-1883, 1881-05-03

| WlCn my own morse ana carriage, and
J with only such assistance as the
churches voluntarily contributed. It
mas not been my ambition to baptize
a great humber, merely to acquire
notoriety ID that way. l stand as far
as the ordinance is concerned, on holy
| ground. Of those that l have served
III the ordinance, none have apostized.
The number is near one hundred. /
should have been glad to have fouud
more material for the building, but 1
may not build with brass or wood for
lack of gold.
| With self-sacrihcing and untiriug ug
devotion TO the cause of truth and the
se'rviceof otherwise destitute churches
for quarter eff century, l have to-
day conscience void of offense toward
God and toward men. l have called
attention to these things solely be-
cause of the Misrepresentation and
calumnies with which said history
abounds. While prosperous churches
like Bryn Zion and Cow Marsh are
passed over with scarcely notice, NO
account of them being given later
than 1889, nearly century ago quite
a particular history is given of several
names that we are told are no more.
these are eravelly Branch, Head of the
Sound, Bethel in New Castle County,
and Bethel in Sussex, Mispilllon and
Mlllsboro. These ali were outposts Of
other strong churches or preaching
stands, at which there would be occa-
si4nal preaching. II they ever had b
preacher settled with them, it was one
ordained In the Deighborhood. They
never had but little more than a nom.
inAl existence Of churches, although they
were organized as such. There was but
little sound material at any of these
places to make a church of, but such as
there was Is there yet. In nearly all
those places there are members living.
They do not meet, nor do they care I'd
keep up meetings, or transact church
business: and the associations have drop
ped their names. Such of the members
as priced church privilege united with the
churches where order Is maintained.
Those of the above located in Sussex
County, erected cheap, Indifferent houses
to hold meetings in, some of which were
never finished and all of which has ceas-
ed to be places of worship. To these the
reader is directed by our historian as
as examples OF the Del. Baptist Associa
tioI,
"Their light has gone out, their can
dleStick has been removed and their
empty meeting houses stand like desert.
ed 'Windmills sc. Among these fMlorn
and despicable cases, Welsh Tract Is
named as having "the most indication OF
life, but "rhe things that remain are
ready TO die"
In contradistInction to all this, will
stale that since my removal here, all
the churches of our association have Ell
ther erected new houses of worship or
so thoroughly repaired or remodeled the
| old ones, that the expense was about
equal to first cost. In this statement i
include Bethel of New Castle county.
which did not dissolve as stated, but re-
united with Welsh Tract. / SHOULD ex-
cept Wilmington from this date of re-
pairs. That house was remodeIled be-
fore.
Now, Mr.. Historian, suppose some
small churches bearing the Baptist names
have dwlndled, is the Delaware Associa-
ton, or are the churches composing the
same responsible for it ? Why charge
blame ON me or other OF our preachers I?
How is it that you have neglected all
along such golden opportunity Those
mum erous preachers that you name over
who have done so much and made so
many converts, cultivating Delaware,
how is 1t to be accounted for that these
inviting fields have been entirely over
lookedS Those preachers who can make
so many converts in such a short time,
should proceed at once and change
these desert places into fruitful fields.
will not follow these miscolored and
gabIed statements further at this time.
Ii what have written amounts to
charge of bearing false witness, 1t is the
record and not that has made 1t. The
churches and all have to answer for
themselves. One declaration which Is
before me as l write, is "Fhis was
doubtless a society for ministerial educa-
tion to which they (we) are now oppos-
ed" am utterly at loss for any mo-
tive, l tail TO comprehend the spirit that
would prompt the publication of such
declarations to the world.
Some of our ministers are we'll educa-
ted, and some who are able and success
full laborers have had but limited op-
portunities in that way. We OF course
all regret 1t when that Is the case. My
own reputation is something to me, and
am entirely willing that the fruits of
my labor shall be my witness. For the
cause of truth and behalf OF the church
es have felt called upon TO publish to
the world this testimony in their vindi
cation. e. RITTENHoUsE.
Ifyour liver Is torpid, If your appetite
is poor, II you want your stomach Inor-