Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1885-09-07
Semi-CentenniaI.

THE kECOND Baptist CHURCH
yIFTY yEAVs OLD-THE CELE.
BRAfIOH.
INTERESTING EXERCISES.
Fifty years ago thirteen persons.
line OF whom wer6f women and four
men, feeling that tkere was mighty
work for them to perform withdrew
rom the First Baptist Church, to form
! separate and new congregation They
he Coupcil a. the Second Baptist
Church, and ut first worshiped in all
IN Hanover, now Sixth street.
Their numbers increased. and ere
ong they secured the building now
by the German Baptists at
she c1rner of Fifth and Walnut streets,
where they remained until able to
purchase the lot a. Fourth and French
streets, and construct the handsome 9
building that now stands rpon it. This
was thirty years ago, and since then
the church, although 1t has hal its
seasons OF depression, has prosper I'd,
d ntil at present it ranks among the first
in this city. OF the founders, Mrs.
Stroud, a sister OF Mr.. Washington
j ones, alone survives, all the rest
having passed from labor to reward.
The first pastor was the Rev. j. j.
Calium, who for three months faith
fully performed the duties ofa supply,
until the experiment of forming T. new
church was an assured success. He
was succeeded in turn by the Revs. G..
w. DenDison, j. Carlton, Sandford,
Leach and Morgan j. tees, when be
was re turned as q regular pastor After
serving for time he withdrew, and
was followed by the Revs. Frederick
Charlton, G. M. Coudrsn, James L.
w. II. II. Marsh, James
Walters, Alexander Macarthur, and the
present very Efficient and able pastor
Rev. Richard B. Cook, ID. ID. 1t will
thus be seen that during the hall
century OF its existence the church ha.
had twelve pastors, inc .uding the pres
ent incumbent
AS the fiftieth anniversary of the or
gauiz sti on Of the church drew nigh, thu
members determined to celebrate IL II
an appropriate manner, and the follow
ing committee Of arrangement was ap
pointed:
Rev II. B. Cook, D. D., and Mes ,rs
Washington Jones, Alfred Gawthrop
s. A Hoogman, Chas. r. Wollaston
NJ. Heath, Geo A. LeMaistre. A. p
Stevenson, G. T. Morgan, and b. f
Cooling.
That they have attended to the dutie
assigned them was plainly evidenced
by the opening services of the semi cen
tennial, which took place yesterday
and will be con tinued this week ant
next Sunday.
Very little attep ton was given {,
decorations, and the only ones uset
were some potted plants, part of whicl
we're in bloom, and some ferns, whicl
occupied places on each side of the pull
pit.
The exercises in the morning com
men ced at $50 O'Clock, with prelimi
nary service OF prayer conducted by tn
pastor. This was followed by music b
the choir, under the leadership of Nj
] ID. Kurtz. At 10. 80 .. m. an apprC
pirate sermon WAS preached by the Re,
William CAthcart, d. D., Of Penna
that was followed by the sacrament
the Lords Supper, which closed th
morning services about l O'Clock.
About ten months after th
church WAS orRanized, the Sabbat
school was formed, and part of yeI
terday's programme included a re-unio
OF the morning and afternoon school
with former superintendents, teacher
and friends. The schools met In the
accustomed places, and at 2 30 o'cloc
proceeded to the body Of the churcl
with the Bible class in advance, An
the Infant school bringing up u
rear.
Mr.. Alfred 0awthrop presided, An
the exercises were opened with singin
by the school Marching On" follow
ed with prayer by the Rev. j. w.
Boothe, ID. D., pastor of Delawal
Avenue Baptist church. After " Jeh
| yah Still Reigneth had been sung b
the school, Mr.. Washington Jones,
former superintendent, delivered an a,
dress, In which he said that he ba
been a mem Der OF the church for 45 yea
and of the'congregation three year,, Co
seauently he had been cor nected wit
It almost from the time of its organic
ton. He had always felt the create
Interest In the Sabbath school, where
had served both as teacher and supe
Iintendent.
In his opinion there was no 9th
branch OF the church that was doing
much for Christianity and the count
rs the Sabbath schools. They are Il
hope of this country and the churc
for the impressions received in the
are never totally etfaced. He spoke
the great respor sibility resting on 3
teachers, and exhorted them to use the
hest efforts to secure the conversion
their scholars, and not TO rest until tn
see them safe within the church.
Il He had stood by the deathbeds
both tt achers aud scholars, and viii
he had heard the first say that the
only regret was that they had not be-
more faithful and diligeut, he had SO
scholars rejoice that they had ever be-
brought into the Sabbath school. T.
teachers may have many difficulties
contend with, but their reward ia grei
and will not be fully realized until tn
meet those in Heaven whom they ha
been instrumental in leading to Chri
. In conclusion, he endeavored to fl
. press upon the children the necessity
, their attending school regularly, al
mot wounding the feelings of tn,
!, teachers by being absent unnecessary
i or by not attending to the lessons VIII
, present.
Mr.. W. II. Gregg, another ex-sup
,lintendent, now Of Philadelphia, "
: tIintroduced by Mr.. Gawthrop, and 90
that he had been teacher in the scht
while Mr.. Jones was superintendent
b" And you were good teacher" ss
IMr. Jones. After serving as super
/. tendept he had charge of the Bible ella
, which position be held until he remc
i. ed to Philadelphia some twenty yes
o ago. He spoke of how the school a