Middletown transcript., 1882-03-03
Forest Anniversary.


was handsomely decorated. The two col
umns Of the classic portico "a graceful
specimen of the Ionic order, which one
might wish to see retained in the new
temple), were trimmed with evergreen,
while upon the architrave above was dis
played in large letters of green this motto I;
"a SWARM OF BE's." A tasty arch
spanned the front of the alcove, and served
to set in pleasant perspective the elegant
flower mound that appeared within, ana
formed a pretty picture of scarlet gerani-
ums and white lilies on aground OF green
Midway in front of the arch gilt beehive
rested upon base bestuck with cleverly
counterfeit figures of the little insect
dwellers that seemed almost real enough
to crawl off. The school entered in
body, singing in chorus, whereupon the
Rev. DR.. Kennedy began the exercises
with prayer. Four little youngsters now
ranged themselves upon the stage, and
prattled prettily about that solemn thing
men call Life. After a song by the school,
Miss NJ. Anderson read in a very credit
able manner a difficult selection, more
fitted to please in the closet than from the
rostrum-Pope's noble " Messiah" Miss
Jennie S. Wright sang the ballad OF the
night, a beautiful melody in the Scotch
dialect styled "The Palace o. the King"
The singers voice disclosed just quaver
enough to make the music more effective.
Miss Wright has a rich voice capable OF
much expression, and if the comments
that the writer heard be any token, the
public are sufficiently appreciative to wish
to hear it ottener. After a variety of in
teresting exercises had been given by the
younger members of the school, came the
most marked performance of the evening,
the opening Of the hive. Two lines of lads
and lassies facing, filed upon the stage,
and, as the Superintendent, Mr.. d. IL.
Dunning, held aloft a gilt placard inscribed
with some fit scripture quotation, each
line alternately sent member forward to
recite the reading of the placard, which
was thereupon hung upon the arch until
it was hid with the shining notices. Rev.
Mr.. Alexander now introduced Mr.. Will
liams, the Superintendent of the Presby-
terian Sunday School in Dover, and the
bearer of friendly greetings from his
school to that of Middletown. The address
was fine one in more ways than one.
We, for our part, have listened to few that
were freer from the faults that seem insep-
erable from the hard task of talking intel
ligibly to children, and which were more
replete with matter of liveliest interest,
attractive at once to young heads and old
ones too. The gentleman is a marvellous
narrator Of pithy and iudicious stories and
illustrations. The stream of his excellent
anecdote flowed on like a full river, and
bore the big ships and tiny boats onward
an agreeable voyage. And, best of all,
the talk wasn't a bit "goody goody, =
after the orthodox pattern of cramming
little ones with vapid, tho well meant,
pious truisms, or worse, of tickling" them
merely, with silly namby-pamby stories,
as though because their heads were small
they were empty too! The speakers lib
erality and entire freedom from bigoted
sectarianism, charmed the writer. With
a frankness that did equal credit to his
head and heart, he declared that Christi
anity was a broader, nobler word than
Presbyterianism Would the world might
hear more frequently from the sacred
desk, what for nigh three centuries it
has too often been taught to doubt, the
utter subordination of the petty "Ism'
to the grander scheme called Christianity
Mr.. Alexander and the Superintendent,
D. L. Dunning, have treated the commu-
nifty to good thing, and its hearty recep-
| ton should encourage them to do it again.
| Give us more of the spectacular. 1t has
! a peculiar power of its own, and some
times serves a useful purpose, as nothing
else can. On these novel, scenic, occa-
sions, when eye, ear and brain are all
aroused, and alive with pleasant emotions,
the whole human citadel carried by the
magnetism of the hour, old and trite les
sons, seem new as never before, and thus
enforced, impress themselves deeply, viv-
idlv, upon the plastic heart and memory
Of youth, and even stir the lethargy OF
riper wears. In fact, there is an osmazome
about this sort of mental food which the
drv fare of incomprehensible distractions
too often fed to the young, does not possess
That early teacher, in the fields of Pales-
tine. persuaded men with allegories, sto-
ries, pictures and flowers. He taught the
subIimest moral truths by object lessons,
and made constant appeals to the physical
senses; eulogising the beauty Of the lily
moralizing the short-lived grass beneath
the hearers feet; noting the wild plants
blooming around; the casual, passing fox
or the flying birds overheard; all these
entered into His sermons. Luckily, the
awakening good sense of the 10Th century
eyinces decided inclination to return tc
the methods of the Great Teacher.
The pretty songs of the little folks were
rendered in excellent time, and the organ
cornet and bass viol accompaniment o
Miss Howell, and Messrs. Hitler, J. T
Pennington and Samuel Price was
highly pleasing feature Of the anniversary
Nothing delights the children more thar
GOOD instrumental music, and the mar
who first suggested the bringing of it int
the Sunday school deserves a premium
for good common sense. The concluding
musical selection with which the audienc
were entertained was well-renderet
) quartet bv Miss Jennie S. Wright, Mis-
Emma Kemball, and Drs. Gilpin and Ken
nedv. During the evening Superintendent
} Dunning made a report, showing tn
school to be in a fourishing and growing
condition. The membership is about l5C
) with an average attendance of 70. Ate
the benediction by the pastor, the mem
hers of the school were re-conducted t
the lecture-room, where the concludin
and bv no means most uninteresting e2
> ercise of the evening was engaged in b
' the scholars. Cake, confectionery, trult
l and ice cream were served by the teacher
and assistants until all were provided fo
to their satisfaction.
Burglary.
a The grocery store of S. S. Holten, o