Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1882-06-17
NJ. E. S. s. "REMINISCENCES.

NJ. z. S. S. "REMINISCENCES.
The following is the substance of the
"reminiscences given by Messrs. James
and VIM. Mathews, at the recent semi
centennial S. S. Celebration =
After making an apology Of not feeling
well, Mr.. VIM. Mathews said time does
not appear so long in looking back rs 1t
does 10 look forward Fifty years ago,
in March last, the Baltimore Annual Con-
ference of the Methodist Episcopal Church
appointed TO Berkeley Circuit Rev. Robert
Gladden., preacher in charge. Said Circuit
embraced all of Berkeley County, alargc
part of Morgan, several appointments in
Frederick County and perhaps an appoint
ment in Jefferson. Although their work
was so widespread, these dear men found
time to attend TO their whole work. Mar
tinsburg being the largest appointment
on the circuit. required more attention.
This GOOD man, gladden., not having the
advantage of a liberal education, was n
man of strong common sense and being
/ greatly inadvance of his colleagueslnl look
I ing to the future of the church, he soon
/ saw that attention to the rising genera
! ton was his duty, and finding the church
\ in MartinsbuGg far behind IN attention 10
I the young, he some time IN the month OF
/ Nav. 1889, organized this Sabbath School,
/ the speaker being present and was HIM
4 self elected secretary to the said school,
since which time it had never lost its or
ganization. although several times In
great straits AT first it was held in tAe
/ Old Stone Meeting House, as 1t was then
/ called, situate on the corner of John and
1 Spring Streets In 1912, the house was
then sold and possession given before
I the King Street Church was built. We
were then out of a place to meet. good
lady. not Methodist, Baptist, Mrs.
/ John Little, offered us her school room
where we met for some time, and then
were out in the cold again. The Speak
er's halter shop was next substituted,
and not very good accommodation, was
TIL. best we could do, Our number WAS
| small then. When the church was fin
ished we had better quarters for awhile.
Before the war, we found the building
| unsuited for all the work of the church,
\ especially for the Sabbath School. We
had but poor accommodations for the in
/ creasing numbers coming to us, and dur
4 ing the war we found ourselves often
\ thrown out of the church, but we tried to
keen together and meet i'll the church
4 whenever we could, and do the best we
could when it was occupied by the troops.
MIR. Ezra Herring. who then occupied his
large house on his farm just east of the
town. kindly allowed us to occupy his
upper porch, where we met and sang our
Sundav-School songs and, by the way,
we did not think it n very great sin to sing
t the good old Star Spangled Banner =
the times suggesting it. When the beau
tiful church was built, we were ready
Il mean our people-to give this great
church interest all facilities that we could
at that time, and even now we lind our
! selves straitened. In conclusion, the
speaker said that if there is one who
: should live until May, 1889, Just give
/ them my compliments. and we will COM
! plete the centenary.
! James Mathews thought u scarcely worth
while 10 add much to what brother Leech hail
/, said. My brother has gone over the ground l
> personal recollcctons of the school ater en-
! tered il at its organization. shall never ior-
! get the day / entered the school fifty yoars age,
! down in the Old stone Church on the corner of
= John Street and Jail Alley. The interior VI
. the house fine gallery fine pulpit and benches
= aud not bruShful of paint on the entire build
= ing / was placed in brother John Snyder =
e Heaven. 4 vonilo man named Wesley Bear.
n / q younger brother OF John Bear, late OF the
e Baltimore Annual Conference was elected
n superintendent Nearly all the men teaching
. in the school at that time We're unleafned IN
y worldly knowledge. TO show this will
relate an incident that occurred in the school
4 class Of small boys were spelling and came
, to the word Carlisle and spelled and pronounce
ed it Carlisle. The teacher told him he was
q wrong, that il was Car-lis-lc but the boy was
" not satisfied, and the teacher called the super
r intendcnt mot Mr.. Bear who agreed with hlin
and told the boy he was wrong. The little lei
r. low sasd he was right and emphasized 1t with
q belonged If II amt Carlisle" me men
Il tiiousii Wele iitt "a .soo. anu is
determination deep and wide for good. Our
G preachers at that time did not pay much AT
tentien to sunday-schools; they had too much
, prospered wonderfully Neither did they pay
4 much attention 70 raising Missionary money,
G day some little fellow would carry the box 10
:. every one in the school and they would dror
) the pennies in hole in the box, and ut the
. / end of the year the box was opened and the
y contents taken out, amounting to twenty Oh
g / twenty-five dollars, and sent 10 the Conferences
. From this beginning we have gone up, and Al
:. thc last conference we reported about SS1l
: Missionary money. nearly $500 of which was
raised IN the Sunday-sehool. was just think
: ing while sitting here, what would the fathers
q say could they Today see this beautiful church
those beautiful flowers, aud hear the singing Of
: the birds that are all over his room. and con
trast this all with the Old stone Church Of fifty
t years ago? Surely, God has done great thingi
= for US, whereof we are glad The Old STONE
q Church got too small for the congregation and
we built the church in the square. Soon after
q this we We're set OFF as a Station and then oui
9 school. Brother @. w. Cooper did much for this
? school God prospered us and gave re.
Il neWai OF feilgiOn, ana many OF the scholar
were converted and united with the church
and now To-day rs / look over the school
wonder in my mind If am in the same school
n or not; but when see my brother over there
= and feel the same JOY | felt In my heart &c
I many wears ago when OF one OF the pine
r benches IN the Old Stone Church / first my
saviour saw and felt my sins forgiven, know
! am in the same school, although my brother
and are all that remain OF the original school
We prospered in the church in the square until
= it became too small and we built the present
? house; Now that have brought you up 70 tbs
a time that we entered this housc, many OF you
remember what God has done for It's. l will
I leave you IN the hands Of the good Lord who
: has done 50 much for us, hoping and prayina
+ that the same God who led and prospered us IN
the past, may lead us in the future until we ~
meet III the land Of the good E.