Morning journal and courier., 1886-02-22
AN INTERPRETING DIscOURsE.
Historical Facts In connection wit

OWt-The Present Membsrship-A
 Wonderful Growth.
 A very large audience was in attendance ct Trinity M. E. church yesterday morning on the occasion of the third annivsrsary of the dedication of the church. The pastor, Rev. Dr. Peck, delivered as appropriate tsxts for his discourse, Numbers, twenty-third chap ter, twenty third verse: "What hath God wroughtp and Matthew, eighteenth chapter twenty eighth verse: "Pay me that thou ow- est" After . brief introduction, Dr. Peck proceeded to give an interesting historical sketch of this church, in substance as follows: Eight years age there were two chapels, Wes- ley chapel on Davenport avenue and Ward street and West Chapel street chapel on Chapel and Day streets, in which the found CTS of this church worshipped. They had been places of sacred association for a few years. They were the religious homes of two bands of Christian pilgrims who had there taken sweet counsel together There they had enjoyed the ministry of some most OK cellent men of God, whO are remembered with tender affection and under whose ministration they had often been thrilled and wept for very joy. There they had met in prayer and class meetings with many choice spirits who have ascended to the house not made with hands. There they had seen their dearest friends converted and had rejoiced in gracious vival seasons over which angels bent with sympathetic joy. What ties had been formed in these chapelsl What blessed friendships cementsd in the love of Christ! With that chapel life are linked some of the precious memories of your earthly pilgrim age.
 But chapel is and can only be the child hood of the church. It must pass on to the maturity of full orbsd church if it fulflls it's mission. With the erection of elegant churches by other denominations in this city there was perceptible to the far seeing draw ing away of the young people and thus ne- cessity for the chapels to put on full church life. Some by reason of attachment to the dear old chapels, ,and some by fears or timidi ty of the success of the undertaking, and perhaps some for other reasons, hesitated to favor the plan of united new church. But to the majority the step seemed necessity. Each chapel had pass ed it's climax of prosperity and decline had set in. There must now be forward move ment or the chapels would retrograde more and more. This necessity not the fault of pastors or people, but in obedience to the inexerable law of growth or decay The chapels were got growing. Accordingly, with the approval of a majority of the gov erning minds of each chapel, the two were united under one pastorate in April, 1878, under the ministry of Rev. A. c. Eggleston, with the intention of forming a new church. This was one of Gods kind orderings in the interest of the new enter prise. Never was man better adapted to his work. A good preacher, Christian gentleman, a pacific and wise administrator 8 sagacious, self-sacrifcing worker, safe and skilled fnancier, he proved the right man in the right place at the right time. He was the real father of Trinity church. With out him the way would not have beer pre- pared, the old debts paid, the union consum- mated in effect and the groundwork solidly established for the noble work done by his successor. Here is recorded the wisdom of itineracy. MT. Eggleston effected a work that neither of his successors could have done as well, and moved on. Dr. Goodsell accomplished his delicate and diff cult work with skill and taste that neither his predecessor nor successor could have done as well, and moved on, his mission done.
 With view to future union of the chapels, and to prepare the way therefor, a movement was instituted to pay, the existing in to $11,OO0. This was all raised and paid before the new church organization was formed. The chapels were then sold for $11, ,o0O-the precise sum that had been raised to Gquidate the indebtedness-leaving the proceeds of the sale to be applied on the new church when it should be built. The next period effected the actual union of the two societies and the erection of the new edi fee. Over this period Dr. Goodsell was happily secured to preside. This was also favoring providence. A thoughtful preach CT, courtly gentleman, cultured scholar, yet his pre- eminence in fitness for the special work was felt, in his tact in managing men, in his fnanciering, in his arranging and eel ebrating the banns of matrimony between the two chapels, so that the twain have been one flesh, and in his excellent taste and knowledge in church architecture.
 Gods providence guided in the selection of this site on which the church stands: a location which commands the admiration of all, and which wealthy gentleman of New Jersey once said to me was one of the most delightful sites for church he had ever seen. The price of the site was $15, 1000, on which the owner donated S2, 800. Then came the erection of this beautiful edifce and the best arranged Sunday school depart ment in the State. Some good brethren feared that it was too large church; that it would never be filled and that it was too expensive, so that they would be hindered with debt. But large faith built according ly. The total cost of the lot, church, organ and furnishing was $71 ,2O2.O4. Indebted Imonn after raised dediGs5i0n dnd maid sso0q0 the small but heroic band of organized members, $51 ,202. For current expenses and benevolence during the eight years since the chapels came under one pas torate, $51 $50 have been raised, making a total of $102,S S52 which has been laid upon the altar of God In the past five years S81,- 900 has been paid for all purposes, and that, too, by people which have few wealthy men among them, but many liberal souls that love for the church has made gener- ous. <
 If this church that is celebrating to-day only the third anniversary has not yet been able to largely respond to the many benevo- lent and charitable interests in the city, in comparison to some churches that have ex- isted from fifty to two hundred and fifty years, it is because she has been converting and solidifying church which in a few years, when she is out of debt, will not be a whit behind the foremost in liberality ac- cording to her means
 In the last two years she has seen more conversions, as the result of her spiritual ac- tivity, than some churches have in thirty years. The largest revival known in any single church in this city, in this generation, was enjoyed in the winter of 1885. And we have freshly in mind the gracious work this winter.
 The membership two years ago, after re vising the record, was 370 actual members Now the full number of members and recent prObations reach total of 825. There has been addition in twenty-two months of 509, or net gain of 455. ''What hath God wrought?' The faith that built largely has been justified. Every pew in the church has been rented this year, and the income from pew renOS AHO pIAIe cOllectlOnS mas been sufficient to meet the current expenses and the interest the debt without additional subscriptions
 Our Sabbath school department has been too small for year past.
 During the past two years the society has erected and furnished the finest parsonage in the conference at all expense of about $12,0OO.
 Grandly as you have done, receiving such rich rewards for your Hberality, God is call ing you to test and trust him still more For, though you have paid for your church bene- fits and given in benevolence $1O2, ,652 in eight years, the society is stronger aud richer than eight years ago, and probably each in- dividual is richer, with here and there an ex- ception.
 Dr. Peck then turned his attention to the second text, "Pay that thou owest." Under this head the doctor proceeded to show the difference between giving and paying" He took the ground that "when a man pays his pew rent it is no more giving to the church than when he pays his grocer's bill it is giving to the grocer. It is