New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-27
NEARING IT'S CENTENARY.

The Forsyth Street Methodist FpisconoI
Church celebrated yesterday the ninety -aocoud ami
vorsary Of its corporate existence This church stand
Ing today on its Old site, Is Of historic iperest
Whom it was first built It in the OMEN eol,..
Ncw-YOrk then clustered around the BATTERY
| Trinity and, 81. Pants ond the Old Du,cb
Church the prominent and fa.h.onabl, ccncre-
cations Of the little provincial town Besides the Forsyth
street Methodist Episcopal Church. there was orly
ono other Methodist church TINS locality and A. that
was "lthn tho city limits II was Obliged b. local law
u nave IN conspicuous place open fireplace 20
give IL the appearance Of private house rather than
church such was the prejudice Of ONT forefathers
against what then the ne-fangel faith ~ Motto
dism The history Of tine FORSYTH Street Church rrc,s
that II was opened with love Of tho genuine Meth
odst character Washington Irving. then boy OF seven
years pc'rod into the crowded meeting Of tbi,
suburban chapel on that day with eve and wonder do
picted on BIS face and he afterwards sad that ito
memory Of that strange would never leave him
Niney-two years ago, Washington was living in Ne,g-
York, and while this first love feast going on Wa
sitting in his bighbacked pew in old ST. Paus listening
to the coury periods Of an Anglican The church.
which then standing I'm The open country, l. now in
the midst OF tall tenement block in For- tl-st with
nothing TO distinguish It from the surrounding tone
ments but q modern Gothic arch the entrance
Like all other downtown churches has rcd
severely from the shifting Of the population
upward Most Of It's old pillars. spiritually AID
financially have left IL; ana in LATE years with poor
and struggling congre CATION Il has difted into GoOt
until about three years ago. s Indebtedness neatly
10000 The sale OF the property, watch is ya'uabr
was thought 10 be inevitable when The Rev \ Moore
house became pastor. During the short period o. MS
pastorae he has paid OF nearly - 600 and axpcc;s
soon 10 have the remainder -ssenc1 that IA income ~
the church from rents will meet the annual interest aid
pay of part - the pri ncipsl eacl year
For this aud other reasons tie exercises yesterday
General Clinton +. FISK presided, and nt
which many II tie old members. inv and clerical, elSs
their experience Some OF the brethren who hal macy
years ago received their shouting lcens,," yesterday
could better illustrate genuine oli-style M.thofss
meeting, with lis enthusiasm in pray er and praise tna!
this love feast. Amen aud Praise the Lord all
| Bless the witness :" and Glory Yes. yea" came
| from all parts OF the audience.
At halfpas the regular morning service began.
aisles were flied with persons who stood ill through
service. The Rev. Or Ireneus :. Prime offered no
| prayer, and bisnop Matthew simp'on preached 4Ao
shaver face. lie has the penthouse brOws % scholar
and thinker, and delivers his with great debera-
on diStincness, force ana sim LEFTY lie vac t"iet
to with eager attention from beginning 10 end aud ea'
were in many eyes r as be reerred to Che ea.
the close 30 Of o the service the pastor n1de
raised $1,000 which hal been borrowed would D.,
| given by the lenders. The greater portion Of th'
amount at raised, and il expected thai The
rest would be subscribed before ni-hi.
In the afternoon there we're very pleasant reuEions FOR
spoke. At hafpast there was prayer-mce'ius ied
tie Rev. John Johns preached; There was A .ood
attendance at all these services Many Of the Old Nom.
Try to be present Among these we're hr itey Dr. T. :
Prime Chaplain McCnbe, the Rev. Dr. J +. Newman. no
Rev. Dr. Tower, Bishop simpson. Chauncey saalcr,
General Clinton Il. Fisk fhIrlow Weed orse Slncy,
stephen Barker, j; Il. Cornell and Edwin >,afc
bishop SIM sons ruon WIS taken from The ext
Psalm Xvii II and Il VIII remember The N0ik- "
viii mediate also OF ali IAy work, and ak al Thy
dones." lie said in substance:
u. to rcc sot5 e a memory pTo6 pr errht. s ,ar
ate connecte! with the history OF Coils church Aed
Lis psalm to David others TO Tie time o. the clrtyiy
consollton for IA the sane Cpd shows His loving
kindness to rs people even in TIE midst Of sorrow ana
when We vii be tempted to rcecho the words oi his
psalm "W.u the Lord cat off forever ana wni
gone foregeri Doth HIS promise fail Tor tyel-
more Hath Goi forgotten TO be gracionst iia'a
lie in anger shat up His tender inefciesp ln-rs
To- every heart W., feel alone and orsaten earth nas
bright spots for The heavens brass orr
Your heart the answer of the Is mi-t and sad.
This ia my nfrmity, my sin my weakness; bat in no
midst of all aud ont Of 1t all viii ren.mber the Sc 70
then consists in realizing the times IN he past whc1 ret
good 20 you. When you look away from ? saub
troubles to ose holF memories Weighed WIN '' 'iit
the stars b. gin shine Wthuew sre, a en-
| breaks upon you with new spehdJr, ana me p.loa
that pa,seth ali uhseiSt"i"ln eher5 !ou "eail~ low
MANY Of u need this reremb arcef NH'u We LOOK at
tn ltle contracted circle louhd our t' thns' gro"
| dark; but when We look cut see how cod works.
And If this IS true of the Ind yida j. ais" iIi' u
the NatlOn l-racil'cs Wcrs iona considering 40
days Of old in their captivity; even uy ne water 81
Babylon they sang the old long ofLon Ana mailman
that makes Nation strong thus 40 preserve IN mem
DRY OF Its tai me,cicN rejoice ,iil ~ Nt.''l W
preserve the past ia our anniversaries ana oar National
| is al. the present power II God. ald
that lie always manitrsts Himself 10 ~ according %
our necessities God manifested His power 90 tho
Israeies ly wonderful mira e., because IN that way
only could their faith m Him be strengthened Ills rude,
blIbarOus Save needed les; but In the laer
days of the Psalm st. the necessity for ths particular
exhibition Of Divine power ha; ceased a"d lie l1Ds"t
via fn1
tyity aud disaster that there IL no Got side lin.
Again, considering the past, brings to our minds IL
| yiclou tlat there an ulse' WOuI pressing M on
the Though this is scientific ~ sc!enc Itself
If carried to its logical concln,ior viii lead 20 God
have 20 quarrel with science 4cientilo men. ioay
wish that nereycs might be opened, aud ga they GiAt
see the gories 81 the word around Them IEcto
glOlirs may he invisible just Us the electricity lh no
air s Invisible IN The dark streets, bdt ohy L,cn' NO
grace OF God 10 hIdle 10 into GIT brighter taai NY
elect lie Ii ht we have ever seen Another Lesson oi tho
past is gratitude for mel cies received aud -t announcer
Is The that BOD always maxi use p'eseht nh -
isting agencies lie DID create aai thing ne" ID 3
miraculous works Of OIL And The lesson FOR us j. MAJ
a. - eNucct any new revelation o. po%G' O"t -
lie La acted in the past 10 His people 20 "u IL ac 20
rs these great lessons ors enP1at,ae1 "I 10
rise. ia struggles and It's nnal triumph IA
the midst Of weakness and In The face Of IN, mos daAy
Hostility of man. And this because O. d power 5
with A. and sustained it, until II grew strong anu Pc
vailed When nations pa ron ze4 u gre" "e!a lg -
ii always wiz be- Al ina! me ehulch "-A' "i l"e u'
OF the world Is protection in The common rights Of men
! But her true strength j. IN God atone. ,..,
Again. Gods guiding haat Ia The history oi orr I"a
denomination. Think Oi only one bundled yea a-pi
how weak. how helpless Jht hclhoHl-i tH1!tH Wa A
now The little handful has grown INTO thousands, le-
caus, people In the past remembered thdi 1od Wis
their only help. do not undeTre tlO luenc nor cui
nor education, but say tat without the ttrc" "Ui
the midst OF these things VIII DC wore man 'fe-
less I would have more reliance o. TIE un.t' power
OF God AMI humility in our hearts Clrsta'iy
il lot "a failure. It gives ma KIND . Ano"iedg5 *
future an acquaintance with God hai can uhDcD'l
do for the masses Can give them sdfori Can ~
bring comfort the poor widow or OrhaIf Poor ana
unworthy rs are, Christianity T. growing among Us ana
making us better, and the world to-day IA IT. darkness
and SORROWS Is asking for the only true Light OF 10
| II il 3attfn al
large cities. AL have to say to tLa, Is that depends
on whether God is among us or not Ana rejoice 30 y
that lie is; that sinners are converted and that us
name made glorious. And have NOT you ot mis- cfc
experienced the goodness and the power OF Coo II os
OF