The Portland daily press., 1882-07-10
A Splendid Gathering and Immense En-
thuGia6m.

| payment OF an onerous church debt.
In the vestry long tables were laid beauti-
fully embellished with flowers and bearing a
superb collation., embracing the delicacies Of
the season; such a collation. as the ladies of the
society know SO well how to prepare. Rev
Joseph Cobb offered the blessing, after the
great audience was seated, and the for quite a
time the attention Of everybody was directed
to doing justice to the good things.
At o'clock the literary entertainment be-
gan in the audience room above, and there
was large number present, Hon. j. A. Locke
presiding.
The exercises began with "Sing Alleluhia
FORTH by State Street choir, followed with
prayer by Rev. G. W. Morse of Brunswick,
pastor in 1878.
Rev. DIR. McKeown, present pastor of the
church, then gave an address of welcome. He
spoke as follows:
WELCOME ADDRESS.
| Christian FrieRdS-It is with very great
| pleasure that in compliance with the arrange
ment of the committee, extend to our in
| vited guests, and especially TO the former
pastors and their wives. the most cordial
greetings of Chestnut st. Church. 1t seemed
to the committee, who represent in this 1
know, the feelings of the society-that it would
be entirely proper and becoming to invite
back to share our joy over the payment of our
church debt the brethren and sisters in the
ministry who had labored here, especially
since the occupancy of this house.
Many of you tugged bravely at the heavy
burden of the debt, and through various and
strenuous efforts saw it lessened from time to
time, so that not less to you than to those who
came after you are we indebted for the grand
contamination which we celebrate this even
ing. We knew that with feelings of sincerest
pleasure you would share our joy, and we bid
you welcome-thrice welcome, to the festivi-
ties of the occasion. Your memories are
cherished, your names are household words in
the families of the parish and it can but af-
ford you cause for gratitude to the Heavenly
Father that, in addition to the love and es-
TEEN IN which you are held by a grateful
people, you are permitted to see your work
crowned at last with complete success. The
church of your tolls, prayers and sometimes
anxieties, stands to-day in a magnifcence of
strength in numbers, in social position, in
financial ability, in spiritual power, with a
perfection Of fellowship and harmony in its
parts which can come only from the presence,
largely possessed, of the spirit of the Master,
and with great promise for the years to come
of wide and perpetual usefulness.
We bid you welcome, one and all, with all
our heart, and wish you the peasantest
memories of the occasion.
Mr.. Will Stockbridge then sung "H with all
your hearts, from Mendesson. It was splen-
didly rendered.
The first sentiment was az follows.
Orr Former Pastors-A long line of eminent di-
vines distinguished alike for their eloqnence, their
pastoral labors and exemplary lives. They have
not only pointed to heaven, but led the way.
This was responded to by Rev. W. F. Far
rington of Providence, r. l., who was pastor
of the church in 1923. He congratulated the
members upon this grand occasion. and lefer-
red especially to the feeble beginning of Meth
odism in this city, when nearly 100 years ago
Bishop Aubrey collected in a small room an
audience of only twenty persons. He formed
a class of six members, which in ten years had
onl, incraosod IN aIevan
heV. l. huce u A9"iS'oh' PsSs sa.i "a
then read letters from Rev' o. asnry COX
pastor in 1869, HeS' w ". oiafh' pastor IN
Io0A,0, lso'' = -. s' ~ 800 '.n1
Mr. Wliilam De0fias Vi onioaso' iornier
member OF the church' ana VINO mas lnani'est-
ed in various WAYS the lovehe still cheriShes for
"a D. II p;oroo ad;+or Of Zion,s Herald
~ ,soV. - 49,, 49, contra o,nrob Iii
anu pasvJa ~ o1,.rob ,,To,, tis occasion
oons A'v1."e ~. ;,,ot;,;t, e. Io
a-,s. -
pio1V. r;,;oo,, ma, ro1,, randerod bv
oou'ioo- ''-' --''-''
us o,i'Do ~. tr.o,s,ar 90 tho o,,,rcb
~ 49, n Lo,.o,, ~ raoainao
'n0n ioao mo -0 toev AT III, ~ H.,
iepoi' li"uo - 80 ~ g.. s,,,,a-
ao"0'.io.' II ANT NJ Noyas
tiohs w 'aAo op 0no '-A'-o soco 80. -
who has been treasurer since 1000, then gave
on ;n+arestino sceount of the constant efforts
,L - Sc eaonoiol hnr5en
10 reiie'e .eno on0,on =. 49, $500
SINCE 'ia' ''ni0' "A'o" '''' NV '''0'eO
1nl. op.o;.o
Inc auuioA0e d, Ioino. - 1s
~ ~, - -S.-...-.o.,4 -.
n1s lrr.~h M n hos st,c1, n Nc like
friend Int we cultivate its acquaintance no longer
Good Nv
D. n IT Allan ,ybo ,uas nastor in 1S48
NOV. " Allo .o., VIZ "s-o ps'.sY :. 49,,
anu ~ 'eA ""-o' -
pioaeah' in"nno.
no no1.' foro,,,+ l., o,,ar, ,obla
LIE ~ Chr;stisn enternriseMthe light of our
homes and The glory of our church.
Rev n T Clark nastor in 1880, respond
81 e. .b;s sant;nant He Maid a high compl-
ment to the women OF Chestnut street cnurch,
for their earnest and successful efforts toward
the extinguishment of this debt sand paid a
6.t;ro +r;huta IN the memory of the late Mrs
Patterson, whose heart was in this work.
Mr.. B. Coyle, Jr., then sang "The Last
Man. in splendid manner. In response to
calls he followed with "Free as Bird"
The next sentiment was
Our Sunday Sclool-The largest and best IN r the
state w TN hannegs NAV Its shadow never grow
less.
Rev. S. T. Jones, pastor in 1875, respond
ed to this toast in very feeling manner, re-
ferring to the Sunday school as the source to
which we must look for future accessions TO
the church.
The next sentiment was:
The Good old Songs Of oar Fathers a'sd d0 Me-
GER upon our ears.
The choir responded to this by singing the
- fo,,,I;o, .,,no Of aMaiestv."
oia ~ i"'lii'aA W.. 4+:'.. 80.
The next ana iasC sehVihionV was
| Our Church.
Worthy men for her have striven,
Men endued with power from on high;
| .rtonsordo from her fold have risen.
U"oa ,ona,,nn. 4l,.o,,,, +be slpv
shouVihs nos@iihAS III '10
Angels now in heaven are singing