Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-10-25
ON THE rRnos OF a onvrURY.


Debt.
Never since the days of Bishop Asbury
probably has Asbury M. z. Church re-.
joioed more than IL did Sunday. The
occasion was the celebration Of its ninety
ninth anniversary and the particular
reason for rejoicing was its successful
effort to free itself Of debt. To the
pastor, the Rev. j. e. Bryan, much credit
Ia due for the present prosperity OF the
church. When he entered upon the pas
torate II was with desire TO remove the
debt resting upon the mother Of Viii
mington Methodism. He soon set to
work to accomplish this and Sunday
brought with it realization of his desire.
Three services were held during the
day and at each collections were taken.
The debt, a mortgage of $4,000, with
interest, is due February 10th. Prior to
Sunday this amount less 81, 900 had been
raised. The subscription collections taken
Sunday amounted to 81 $50 and the con-
tents of the basket collections covered
the balance Of the indebtedness The
morning exercises began at 1890 O'Clock.
An audience that thronged the church
attended, and Secretary Bayard, accom-
panied by two daughters, was present by
invitation. Mr.. Bsyard gave q check for
800. Previous to her death Mrs. Mary
Ann Bennett expressed wish to give
500 to the church and her daughter,
Mrs. Elisha Cole, authorized the executor
to carry out the wish. The money was
contributed Sunday. The other con-
tributiona were in amounts ranging from
81 TO $25. H. O. Robinson, John @.
BskerRnd William a. Curry gave literally.
The afternoon and night services were
also largely attended, particularly the
latter. In the evening more people
visited the church than could get into the
auditorium, aud 1t Is estimated that 500
persons were turned away from its doors.
The front Of the auditorium was prettily
decorated with palms end flowers. Special
music WAS sung at each service. Secretary
Bsyard was accorded cordial welcome
and shook hands with many people.
At the morning service the Rev.
Charles Moore made the opening prayer.
The sermon was by the Rev. Enoch
Stubbs of Philadelphia, former pastor
of the church. His discourse was highly
interesting, and his eloquence reminded
many of his auditors of former days. His
text was II Chronicles xI, 1 "And Solo
mon determined TO build house for the
. name of the Lord, and house for his
kingdom" He said In part. The text is
expressed in peculiar terms. Il looks
like two houses were meant, but only one
house WAS meant. A house for God is an
advantage to q kingdom Bs well az in
religious point of view. Solomon wrote
many wise decisions, but he could not
build up his own kingdom without build
ing up the Kingdom Of Christ. This is a
universal principle. Bishop Asbury and
his people acted on IT, II mightfhaye
seemed small matter 100 years ago to
lay the foundations Of this house, but the
work was for the nation as well as for God,
patriotic as we'll az religions, for there is
an intimate relation between religious
establishment, the church for instance,
and the prosperity of the community in
which 1t stands. The building OF this
temple meant the building of Jerusalem,
the advancement Of the nation and bless
tngs on this world. So with our fathers.
Bishop Asbury and his coad tutors built
their little churches in Baltimore, New
York, Wilmington and elsewhere. They
were helping to build the capital at Wash
sngton ard 70 establish TIE 1ztior sastba,
they knew 1t or not. IF the French had
built houses for trut- .-ss.. : - z-.s2as.
teries for monks they would have escaped
infidelity as the result of Romanism and
avoided reign Of terror. Churches are
fortres5es of moral power. When their
guns cover the territory and are manned
by men of the Pauline type, Commu-
nism and Anarchy are impossible. Our
fathers built churches and saved the
necessity Of building bastiles. They
built wiser than they knew, for they little
Thought when building churches on the
Hudson, Potomac and Brandywine' that
they were rearing prosperous states be-
yond the Mississippi. Metho1ism was
introduced at critical juneture. Young
America was just leaving his cradle. His
foes were numerous, His safety de.
pended on his nurses and his educators.
hethcdism came ns Christianity in earn.
est, teaching him 10 pray, 10 take his
moral Repos5 in the manger OF Bethlehem
instead Of on cold slab of unhelief
taught him the alphabet of Paul rather
than Paine, and thus his futune was SO
cured largely by Methodist teaching
There were religious denominations, bal
mostly too much entumbered by reg
mental Journalism OF too slow
to overtake the young Republican in hi.
outward race. The Methodist itineranl
came on his feet pony unem barrsssed By
wealth, with one thing to do, to preach
the gospel, to save the people and thus
prove boon to the nation. This church
had the honor to be dedicated by the
first active bishop, though the second in
appointment OF this itinerant race. We
can better judge at this period OF the
colossal stature of Bishop Asbury than
they who lived In his time. The history
OF the country could no more be written
without his name than could that OF Eng.
land without the name Of John Wesley.
Though suspected, fnsd for preaching,
compelled to seciusipn ne was friend u
the young republic. When the political
storm broke out he quietly waited till the
thunder had ceased, then stepped ont il
the sunshine with the rainbow of ia.
nations hopes on the brow of the re-
ceding cloud and begau where he left CT
singing Return to the Lord and sees
salvation" We gladly think of Washing
ton as the father OF his country, but Ill
mother is the gospel as preached b,
Asbury and his eoadjltor5.
Hlr. Stubs pronounced the beneiic
ton.
A reunion OF present and former mem
hsrs az the church was held in the after
noon. Mr.. Stubbs announced the hymu
anu tna NV L. III huHORrQ, IN. IL
made the opaning prayer. The Rev. L
G. Barrett delivered an interesting ed
dress, speaking of Gods miudfulness c
man. Mr.. Hubbard also made I'm nd
dress and earnestly pleaded for oontribu
tions for liquidating the church debt
The Rev. Vaughn y. Collins pronounce
the benedietion.
MF. Stub5s also preached IN the oven
In ali . q IaIy
after more than an hour had been eeea