Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-11
THE SAVANNAH PORT SOCIETY.

Diversarv Last Night-The Sermon by
Rev. Thomas Boone-Reports of the
Oficers-VVhat is Being Done Among
the Seamen.
The forty-first anniversary OF the "a
vanuah Port Society was commentaries
with appropriate and interesting eAer-
cises at Christ Church last night. In &C
cordance with the announcement mace IN
the MORNING NEWS yesterday and from
the pulpits. nearly all the Protestant
| churches omitted the evening service,
and the congregations united at Christ
| Church. recognizing the Port Society as
| one of the most efficient and worthy
| branches of religious work in the city.
! The church was filled from the chancel
! TO the door, and there were many III the
| galleries. The rector of the church, Rev:
/ Thomas Boone, off1ciated, and the chancel
was occupied by Rev. Charles ii. strong
/ of St. Johns Church, and Rev CnaTles
/ Wright Freeland, of st. Matthew's
| Chapel.
! THE ANNIVERSARY SERMON.
The exercises were opened shortly after
| half past O'Clock with the usual churc4
| service. after which the rector dellNeTeu
! the anniversary sermon. taxing loI MS
! tnxt the First Epistle of Paul to Timothy,
/ second chapter. first to sixth verses:
nxhort. therefore, that, first OF all suppl
cations. PRAYERS, intercessions, and CIV
! inc Of thanks be made for all men; LOT
! Kings. and for all that are in authority;
/ that we may lead quiet ana peaceaole
/ life IN all Goodness and honesty, eIc'
Tho sneaker referred to the work of the
| Port Society, and drew lesson from the
/ tevt 10 illustrate the duties of the Chris
/ tian i'm the church and among MS lellOW
\ men. He said the sailor had become ac-
/ custOmed to hardships and to cola ana
/ tempests. and in the discharge OF MS gu
! ties upOn the wide waste OF waters had
| also seemed to have lost all sense OF the
/ dancers TO which he was constantly eX-
Dosed. that he was a man, naturally, OF
| generous impulses, and with warm at
| tachments tor home. but that ms gaining
necessarily made the ship his only nome,
| and that when he arrived at strange
ports and among people, to Whom ne
was unknown. the influences OF nome
were in a measure forgotten, ana ne
was subject to temptation and liable to
form evil associations. No one knew
him but as Jack" and when he was on
shore the sailor clearinghouse was one
of his places of refuge, but that was not
sufficiently attractive TO restrain MN from
seeking amusements that are OF question
able advantage as well as mhical 10
his we'll being. The Saviour taught on
ship. hence some of the foundations of the
church NAV be said to rest on truths which
He there preached and which we read IN
the Testament. Then how appropriate Is
il that the church should remember His
sons on the seas. May it not be
asked us when we come
to give an account OF
our stewardship what we did to AID the
tempest-tOssed mariners to reach the
blessed haven. Shall we say that we tor
got to lend our hand to rescue his soul!
Mr. Boone concluded by eXhorting his
hearers to be mindful of the needs of the
men who 90 down to the sea IN ships.
At the close of the address liberal con-
tribution was made by the congregation
to the society, after which the reports of
the various officers were read. President
II. b. Reppard submitted his annual re-
port as follows:
PRESIDENTS REPORT.
Another year is numbered with the past,
and as we review the work done, we regret TO
say not so much has been done as should nave
been and we should add might have Inc at
tendance at the Bethel has not been as large
as could be desired; the reasons are many, but
the principal one We think IS owing 10 the
location Of our church in situation mat Is
somewhat hard to find, except TO those very
familiar with the locality, 1t has been sug-
gested that we move back on the bay 10 our
old church. 1t is for sale, and 1t may be de-
sirablc that we should make change, II IL
can be done without mourning any debt. We
are now negotiating for the sale OF our present
church and the purchase OF the OLD Bethei on
the Bay. We are glad to report our society
on a sound financial basis, literally no deDt
and about LOCO on hand invested 50 that II IS
bearing interest and can be turned into money
AT any time.
We respectfully refer you to the report OF
our faithful Treasurer for full information
and standing of the society. We cannot close
this report without expressing our thanks 10
him for the manner in which he has ds-
charged his duties. We would refer you to
the report Of our pastor. Brother Webb, which
viii show to the society his constant faithful
ness and unwearying labOrs, the fruits OF
which only the future can reveal.
Death has claimed another from our ranks
an earnest laborer almost to the last IN the IN
terests of the society, and one Of the best
friends we ever had. one who aided US l1er-
ally in times of our greatest adversely, when
our society was well nigh shpWreckeu. In
Gen. J. F. Gilmer the society loses one Of its
best friends.
TREASURES REPORT.
The Treasurer, Mr.. J. W. Burroughs,
read his report as follows:
DR..
Dec. 81, 1888.
To balance on hand from last
report ......-...-. ...... S5i =
To annual dues received for
the year 1882 .......... .... 500 W
To annual dues received for
the year 1888 -..-...-.-.-.. l55 90 26O 90
To Sailors Home fund, re-
celved from sale of lot No.
81. Franklin ward, Savan-
nah. Ga, on West Broad,
between Congress and st.
Julian streets .--... ....-.. 1850 % 5000 UO
To donations received from
Bethel collections. ....-.-. 81 %
annual nn:. meeting 49, NV 49,. e 10 IS
To donations received from
Reading Room ......- 90
To donations received from
Miss +. Cunningham -. 90 1866 IS
To bills observation-disclosures
ed of r. 3. Reppard $500. 1850 90 1850 90
To Sailors Home fund ..... l25 IS l25 IS
S7,9O3 65
Dec. 81. 1888.
By expense account as per
cash book .--....--.-----.- $500 IS
BY Chaplain's salary, as per
cash book OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. Cos 3j
BY Sailors Home fund, as
per cash book 800. .....-.. $3.50 90
BY bills receivable, as per
cash book .--..-.-.-.. 5000 90
By balance on hand. ........ lS7 4l-s7,9O3 65
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
The report of Mrs. Webb, Superinten-
dent of the Sunday School, was read by
the Chaplain as follows:
The Mission Sunday school in the Bethel
has been carried on during the past year by
Mrs Webb with the assistance of four ladies.
The late fire in Yamacraw somewhat de-
creased the number of scholars, by the re-
moval of several families to the southern part
of the city, but they are again increasing, anu
now number forty.
The school has been carried on, as before,
without any expense to the Port Society. The
children had their annual picnic in May, and
festival at Christmas. through the kind re-
spOnses to the appeal for aid made by the la
dies carrying on the work, who now desire me
to reader their thanks for the ready help
given. Also Mrs. Webb wishes to express to
the kind anonymous donor of s., sent shortly /
after the last anniversary. How much |
that silent expression of sympathy cheered !
her.
one little scholar has been removed during
the past year by the Good Shepherd who !
gathers the Lambs in His arms and she
loved so well to sing His praises earth
that we doubt not that she is singing now with
the redeemed above.
The duty and privilege Of giving has been
enioined on the children, and their offerings
on the first Sunday in each month laid aside
for missionary work. about which they are in
formed. and these. with the results of a Mis- |
sionarv Concert Exercise they gave, amounted |
in the year to nearly 81; not much, but an ev
idence that the very least can do something.
CHAPLAIN's REPORT.
The Chaplain, Rev. Richard Webb,
read the following report of his efforts:
To the President, Board Of Managers and
Members Of the SGrdRHGh Port Society:
1t affords me pleasure to present to you my |
fifteenth annual report for the year ending |
December 81, 1888.
| have visited nearly all the vessels which |
have arrived in this port the past year-many |
Of them several times Over-the sum total |
much useful, religious and interesting reading |
matter, as follows: 81, 40 pages of tracts in |
u different languages; also 10 copies of the /
SIflOr'S Nd0dsiHe and las numbers OF the |
Sea1adn'S Friend and Life Boat, furnished us |
gratuitOusly by the American Seaman's /
Er;ord Soeiatv Have riven them 1854 reliOi- I