Bridgeton pioneer., 1885-06-18
CHILDREN'S DAY.

CHILDREN'S DAY.
The second Sunday in June. known
as ''Children's Day" in the Methodist
Churches in the country, is growing in
popularity every year. Last Sunday
the day was more largely and success
fully celebrated in the churches of this
city than upon any previous occasion:
At the Trinity Church the celebra-
ton of the days exercises was made
the special order for the evening ser
vice. The handsome audience room
of the church was decorated with
plants and flowers, and looked verv
beautiful. The musical part of the
programme wasmagnificently rendered
by the scholars of the three schools
attached to this church, and there are
no finer Sunday Schools in Cumber
land County. A large audience was
present.
The decoration at Central M. E.
Church consisted of hanging garden
nine feet long and five and one-half
feet wide, in which were growing all
manner of blooming plants From
the centre of the garden rose a foun-
tain, three feet high, from which water
jetted, falling upon two miniature
children, who stood with umbrellas
over their heads, at the top of the
fountain. The whole was suspended
from the ceiling and was designed and
built by Geo W. MCGOWAN, who was
assisted by a number of the ladies of
the Church in the arrangement of the
plants. The exercises of the day were
very interesting, number of the
scholars of the school participating.
A feature of the occasion was a recita-
tion by Maude Cox, of the following
original poem, written by Miss Rovilla
Babcock, teacher in the school:
Dear friends, and kind papas and mammas,
As this is Chdren's Day,
think it would be very proper,
For us to have something to say.
I'll speak of the beautiful flowers
That bloom in this garden so fair.
| wish l could pick some white lilies,
And rosebuds to put in my hair.
Iwonder what made flowers grow here?
can't hardly tell you just why,
Unless God dropped some of his thinkings
Down through a knot hole in the sky.
God didn't make this little garden.
He whispered to somebody else;
ana sald Il will give you the flowers
And you may arrange them yourself
guess all the world is Gods garden.
And we little ones are the flowers;
His sunshine and light are the rich soil.
His fountains of love are the showers
Some day I expect he'll be wanting
To gather lovely boquet;
And then he will send his bright angel
To carry the blossoms away
And if we've been bright blooming flowers
He'll only transplant us in love.
From out of His great earthly garden
10 bloom in His garden above
At Commerce Street M. E. church.
the decorations beautifully represented
the Christians path in life. In front
of the platform, inside the altar.
rested an open Bible--the guide through
life; from it, there proceeded a path
way of flowers, on which rested a
cross. AT the end of ''the way" arose
ladder, composed of roses and daisies,
and having eight rounds, representing
Faith, Virtue, knowledge, Temperance,
Patience, Goodness, Brotherly Kind
ness and Charity. Above the ladder
was suspended crown of fine white
flowers. At the side Of the design was
pile of rock, against which was ly-
ing an anchor; the remainder of the
platform was filled with ferns, palms.
and other beautiful blooming and Or
namental plants. In the morning the
pastor preached to the children on
1.-The Tongue" In the evening was
held the regular Children's Day Ser
vice, consisting of speaking, concert
recltatlons, an appropriate address by
Rev. Willis Reeves, and singing. The
school was ably led in the musical por-
ton OF the programme by the church
choir, two cornets and a tenor horn,
and at any time during the services
could be heard the sweet tones of little
canaries
Children's Day was observed by the
Sunday School of Mt. Zion A. NJ. Z.
Church, West Bridgeton. The church
was decorated, interesting exercises
were held, and effective speeches de-
llvered by the pastor and others.
Some time ago, the Grand Army
POSTS of tho State took ctn,>, - ,n Too =,