Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-09-10
4 GREAT COLONIZATION.
Second baptist Church FIFTY Years
Old Mon iay-ri o conference.-the
Exercises.

second baptist Church Fftty henfn
Old Mon iay-'rle Ssmi-CcDtennial
Exercises.
The iiftieth anniversary of the organi-
zation of the Second Baptist Church was
celebrated Sunday, The church was
beautifully decorated with flowers and
the congregation in state of Joy in
keeping with the occasion. The celebra-
ton WIS opened Sunday forenoon with
a preliminary service of prayer, which
was conducted blythe pastor, the Rev. DIR.
Richard b. Cook Al 1890 sermon was
preached by the Rev. DR.. William Cath-
cart of Philadelphia, the text being from
Romans. VIII. 80, 80. At the close Of the
sermon the sacrament Of the Lords
supper was administered. The conere.
CATION was very large one and included
members from all the Baptist churches
in the city The music ut this service,
which had been specially rehearsed,
was under the leadership of j. ID.
Kurtz, and the choir acquitted
itself with an effect that it has never sur
passed. A communication was read from
the congregation of Delaware Avenue
Church congratulating their brethren
upon the happy occasion, and expressing
ITO lttpklittlOh Vi tib law hhhp ~ ~ az bh-
spring Of the Second Church. The COM
nunication also announced that the Della
ware Avenue Church would abandon its
evening service, and that the pastor and
people would Join in the seini-centenlial
at 1880, which was done.
In the afternoon at $40 there was
reunion of the Sunday schools connected
with the church. The morning school is
,al.a &c H. A ToAI
and Alfred Gawthrop is the superin-
tendent of the afternoon school. The
singing at these exercises was in charge
of II. W. Zimmerman. Addresses were
delivered by Messrs. Washington Jones
and William H. Gregg and by DIR. II. L.
Wayland, editor of the National Baptist,
of Philadelphia. The Rev. DIR. g. II.
Blackall of Philadelphia, one of the
leading Sunday school workers of the
country, gave very entertaining black.
board exercise, and the pastor made few
remarks. DIR, ]. w, II. Boothe, pastor of
Delaware Avenue Church, led in prayer
and DIR. Cathcart pronounced the bene-
| dietion.
In the evening DIR. Cathcart preached
| again and DIR. Boothe participated in the
service. At 2.30p. IN. Monday reunion
| of present and former members of the
| church and their friends began, during
which addresses were delivered by Hon.
| Horatio Gates Jones of Philadelphia, the
Rev. G. L. Williams of Upland, Pa,
| Washington Jones, the Rev. DR.. Lafayette
Marks of the Presbyterian church md
| the Rev. w. Il. S. Murray of the Metho-
| dist church.
| Second Baptist Church dates its birth
from August 18th, 1885, when IL persons
| Withdrew by letter from the First Church,
| opposite the court house, because the old
church had become nnti-nission. These
10 founders organized on the 18th of
August, were recognized by Council as n
church on September 3D., and met to
complete the organization on September
It'll, 1885, SO years ago last Monday.
In the semi. centennial celebration of
the Second Baptist Church, Monday
Il programme was carried through MS
arranged. The social and tea drinking at
the close of the afternoon was n signal
success. Tables were spread in the
lecture room and provisions furnished
sufficient TO supply 700 people. The
decorations were numerous and tasteful
and the spread very inviting. The
supper was commenced promptly at
O'Clock, when the Rev. N. M. Browne,
pastor of Scott M. Il. Church, asked n
blessing. The banquet continued until Z
O'Clock, during which time 800 people sat
| down to the tables. The occasion was
simply social one, the delicacies and
salids were furnished by the members OF
the congregation, and were free to the
ri 1nds of the congregation.
At 7.30 the exercises in the main audi.
torium were commenced opening with q
TIE Deum by the old Trinity choir, Misses
Eva Crouch and Mary Thiellnan and
Messrs. Braltnstein, Benson and Rhoads.
This wis followed by prayer.
by DIR. Lafayette Marks of Hanover
Presbyterian Church, and the singing Of
the Lords prayer by the choir. The
pastor, the Rev. DR.. II. b. Cook, thel
delivered historical address of great
interest. He stated that the first Baptist
church in America was founded in l70l
by parties who came from England ant
Wales, and who after some moving
about from place to place SETTLED
and located their first meeting
house on what was called thu
Welsh tract, Mt Iron Hill, in this county
Old Swedes Church had been bull
but five years when the first Baptist meet
ing house was located in Delaware ant
America. The first church of this de
nomination in Wilmington was built il
1885, and is 100 years old now. Refer
ring to this church and congregation, TIN
meeting house on King street OPPOSITE
the court house, Mr.. Cook said; 9Th
house still stands, and the church stand
STILL
, The founding of Second Baptist Churcl
/ | was the result of the anti mission move
3 ment in the old church, which frs
| cropped out in 1880, and which when
/ was finally successful blasted the churc
and set it back many years. The onl
l | successful effort to overcome the effect c
S this movement was that which create
!, the Second Church. In 1885, IL member
l of the First Church, who were in favo
: of missions, Withdrew and organize
: the Second Church, which organ
z ization was completed on Sci
I TENDER It'll of that year. The suuda
+ school was established in 1886, and VIC
n first held at place on Hanover stree
d now Sixth, and afterward in the buildin
}. now occupied by the Historical Societ,
q until the new congregation grew stron
}. enough to build a church of its owl
Ii which it did at Fifth and Walnut street
Is the building now occupied by the &c
y man Baptist congregation. In this built
ing the church grew nightly. III
church entered the Philadelphia Bnpti
Association, and in 1912 reporte
it 200 members. About 1913 the cho
ID was given permission to use
& bass VOL, if any could be purchase
it In 1852 the Baptist Church Mt Dover W
,e founded it sprang from this the moth
l. church. The debt upon the old buildiI
y was Cancelled in 1S49 by the payment
n 81 600, and one of the first things dol
so thereafter was the purchase of II lot f
Mt the building of new church. The 0
he house was not offered for sale until 1856
- but the present Second Baptist Chur
IL building was dedicated May 8
1865, and then the membersh
was 300. The debt incurred W
ut $11 500. On July 9th, 1865,
IS members were released to form the De
MS ware Avenue Baptist Church. When I
ca war of the rebellion broke out the Re
hss Mr.. Dickinson sought to stimulate t
he patriotism of his congregation by appe'
Id ing in the pulpit draped in the Americ
as flag. Lincoln afterwards said that lit
he Baptist preacher was what saved De
ny ware to the Union. John Adams at
DIT earlier day said it was the Baptists who
the time of the revolution saved Delaw;
to the Federal Union. The music for
services up to this time was provided b
it'll Harmonic, which is heard of for the Ii
a time in 1866. This was quite n fame