Daily Republican., 1888-11-17
TWENTIETH YEAR.
WEST SUNDAY SCHOOL ANNI.
vERsARY.
a RetrOs2eot of the PaSt-GFeAt Sue.
osss-HRndsoms Floral Deoors-
tions and Beautiful
Singing.

The twentieth anniversary OF the
West Presby teriAn Sunday school tool
place last evening In the main audience
room of the church, which was crowded
to its utmost capacity. The decorations
were grand and tuRgestlve Ferns,
palms and other green foliage plants
turaed the pulpit and suFrOundinRs into
q Lawn scenery. The Above back ol
tie pulpit afforded suitable place fol
william j. Morrow to display his won
dsrful skill Rs q decorator. The Rloovt
was beautifully looped and festooned IL
tgTleton and hlWers. A suggestive
work Of art wAs the rustic mound u
rocks constructed upon the pulpit, or
the top OF which stood q miniature
church, and upon the side OF the rocky
mound WAS the inscription: "UpOn thlI
rock will l build my chuToh, the Au-
nOinted one"
Aitsr some preliminary remarks o.
welcome by Superintendent OhArlel
BAird, the school sang "Onoe More, ;
which was followed by prayer by the
Rev. A. n. KsiZwin, pastor OF thi
church.
"Joyfully Onward" was sung bv Nh,
school, and then Superintendent BAJfd
read q review OF the progress Of tbe
school for twenty years. Mr.. BaIrd
sAid 1t was not twenty yeare of the
future that he was looking forward to-
but twenty years Of the past ct which
be was looking. Organizations like In.
dividuals make history. Tho West
Presbyterian Sunday School held itH
| first session on Sabbath morning, No
Yember LIST, 1853. The church was set
apart October 10th, 1868, or about two
weeks previous. The services were
held IN the Wilmington Institute build.
ing until the spring Of 1869, when it was
removed to the Monroe street chapel
Eighth and Monroe streets.
IN December, 1871, the school moved
into It's present pace of meeting. 1t was
organized with 16 teachers and "a sohol
aTs. The teachers were:
Misses sAllie L Springer, Ellen Wal.
ker, Eliza B. Jones, Etsie 9lmpkins,
Jennie o. OApelle, EStelle Rice, Sarah
A. Simmons, Lizzie G. Allen, James
A. Robinson, John @. Craven, Isaac 9
John Taylor, James Morrow and ChAs.
Baird.
soholArS-EllA NJ. Smith, Mary Men,
denhAll, Annie V. Mendenhall, Ella b.
Houssmsn, RebscoA j. Mari, Alice B,
MoLeRr, Helen A. Day, Mary j. Sim.
mons, Lena HoussmAn, o. W. Gouert,
William H. Morrow, Robert D. Morrow,
James o. Morrow, Walter Day, Charles
". Baird, John b. Rltohie, Adm Oolli
son, Charles W. BAFeford, Edward A,
Taylor, e. Newton CLARK, j. EdFidFe
Pierce, Lewis B. Morrow and Norris o.
Pass.
The organization was completed By
the eleot'on Of John P. MoLear, super.
intendent; James A. Robinson, score.
tlryi Charles Baird, treasurer; and ],
Rldridge Pierce and n. Lummis, libra.
riAns.
The record Of the year Just closed ia
Ofiaers 8, te8ohefs 40, scholars e47
Average attendance $40. Present every
Sabbath during the year: TeacheTs. 7:
7 "ilsouj scholars, John Ruth, Frank
W. Johns Raa Sadie Cosson. The col.
leotlons during the year wero ST55 %
"Goi In his great mercy has not Der
mitsed death to invade our ranks dur.
Ing this year, This is very unusunI.
In most Of the years past wo have had
to announce the death Of some Of our
number"
The report then gave an Aoooun, Of
the inoiDient steps taken to oFRauizs
the church. The flTat committee Was
appointed May 8, 1858, on September Ia
following Ii was agreed to apply TO the
WiluinGton PEesbytery to bs set apart
IS church
The application was made September
"a h and granted on October 18th, 1865.
The new church was oraAnizsd Win 67
members from the Central Church, and
3S from Hanover. Joseph W. Day and
John P. MoLeAR were elec,ed She frst
elders. The arst public service was
held In the Wilmington IustItute.
October 26th, 1868, Rev. George & Mis-
we'll officiating.
On the 1lth Of November, the follow
ing trustees were eleotsd: John Taylor,
IL. o. MoLeRr, W. j, Morrow, Isaac 8.
Baird, James A. Robinson, O. z, 6her-
burne, William MendenhAil, George N.
HouSemRn ard A. r. Woolston, A call
was made May 10, 1869, TO George 81,
5mythe Of Washington, to become the
hrst pastor, and commenced his lAbors
june lsi, and Was installed September
3Osh.
October 19th, 1870, the erection Of the
church edia0e was commenced, and on
December 2SSh, same year, IL WAS ded!-
osted. The total cost was between
900 200 and $1,000. June 25th, 1873
Rev. j. NJ. P. OTIS became pastor, and on
November 10. 1878, Rsv. A. III KeiS-
win was instGlled a. pastor. Tho
balance Of Mr.. BAIrd's address we're
appropriate remarks upon the changes
and the steady progress and usefulness
Of the church.
Following Mr.. Baird's address came
very interesting exercises by the infant |
chool, and these were followed nv a
very happy and appropriate address By |
Rsv. A. N. KelRwin.
Ar. KeiRwin said that the great suc. |
cess OF West Sunday school was that |
there was no STRIFE or troubles to mar |
Its pleasures. When any thing didn't |
exactly 90 right 10 was taken to God,
and happy settlement was always the |
result. he considered the school the |
West Point Of West Church. He thank
e1 GOD for the choir and the good sing
leg. Wegt Church was 9 singing
church. He thanked God for ali the
members OF the church and Sunday
sonooi fTom the time the church was
organized, twenty years ago.
He thought good way 10 double tho
membership of the Sunday school was
for every schclar to bring in q new
one. He hoped the blessing Of God
would be upon the school In the future
% It had been in the past.
Work Away" WAS then sung by the
school, which was followed By o class
exercise OF soven girls and tlve boys.
Miss Virginia jones g5Se q recitation
snJ the school sang "My Light aud
Song" Miss Jopss treated the audi
mss to some select readings, after which
ho school gsas "Ws crest you ALL"
md RsY. mr. Keigwin dismissed the
congregation with the benediotlon.
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