Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-07-29
REMODELED EPWORTH.
RE-DEDtcATIoN OF EPWORTH
M. E. CHURCH.
Tho Little Church Clothed in New
Beauty-The Exercises of the Day
Large Crowds Present From
Morning Until Night.

The re-modelipg, re-habilitating ant
re-dedicating of Epworth NJ. Il. Churcl
yesterday marked another epoch In th,
history of Msthodism In Wilmington
where that denomination has obtained I
deep foothold. An extended notice o
the Improvements made has already
been published IN the REPUBLICAN.
The day opened with frequent shower
of dashipg ran which prevented many
from att nding the services, but not
withstanding this drawback the churct
was crowded from o'clock In the morn
Ing pn.il the te;vices were closed at II
O'Clock at night.
Epworth Church had its beginning
twenty-seven years ago, when Job Ii.
Jackson organized and with what hel,
he could secure carried on a Sunday
school In the second story of framt
building on Seventh street below Button.
wood. This little Sunday school grew
too large for its restricted quarters, and
in short time Epworth Mission Church
was built and carried on under the
auspices of Grace M. E. Church. The
mission prospered and the Sunday school
grew large, and some six or seven years
ago Epworth became able to stand alone
and was self supporting. Last year,
under the active and faithful pastorate
Of Rev. ID. II. Corkran great revival OF
religion broke out, which lasted all
winter and resulted In the conversion OF
over 800 persons, nearly all of whom
united with the church.
The necessity for enlarging tha church
then pressed itself upon the congregation.
The society Itself, numbering about 400,
IN nj tA a1 -
others. Then commenced the enlarge
ment and remodeling of the church as
already noted, and yesterdays re-dsdlca-
t!on once more brought the society to-
gether under their own vine and fig tree
with singing and rejo!cings.
The exercises commenced In the morn
ing at 9 O'Clock with o love feast, which
crowded the church, and for an hour and
half praise and song filled the house.
During tho meeting all who were con-
verted at the late great revival meeting
were asked to stand up, when apparently
about half the congregation arose to
their feet. The love feast will long he
remembered as high time in Epworth.
BAt 10. so o'clock Rev. J. u. G. Hanna,
OF Asbury NJ. E. Church, preached O
powerful sermon from Galatians, 9th
chapter and 14th verse: "God forbid that
should glory save in the cross OF our
Lord Jesus Christ"
Mr.. Hanna was listened to with the
greatest interest, and his impassioned
eloquence entranced the congregation.
MIR. Hama remained with the Epworth
people all day, lsboring for them, and he
has naturally become a great favorite
with them. kn appeal to the congresa-
lion for aid resulted IN raising $500 to-
wards liquidating the debt of $500
against the church. In the afternoon, at
9 O'Clock, Pre-idina Elder, w. L. 8.
Murray, preached to crowded audience
from Matthew, 5th chapter, 10th verse:
"Let your light SO shine before men, that
they may see your good works. .andglorify
your father which Is in heaven" Mr..
Murray commenced his sermon by paying
a high Il gkin to the aggregation for
y cnterprise He then passed to q defni-
lion of the word light" and showed
the difference between spiritual and nat
ural light. As the sun imparts light to
all the other planets, and makes fruitful
and beautiful the earth on which we
live, SO the light which Christ caused to
burst forth upon the earth, shines forth,
and beautiiies every Christian home.
He exhorted his Christian hearers to
establish altars In their homes and to set
their wives, children aud servants good
example. He also exhorted them to set
good example to those who visited
them, and to SGT them n Christian ex-
ample, which they would remember alter
they had gone to their own homes.
Above all ho exhorted his hearers to let
their light shine before men. The sun,
he said, had spots upon 1t, but its light
shines forth go bri ht that the spots oAn-
not he seen. So let men shine forth so
bright that their Lesser imperiectlons may
be forgotten In ths good they do.
Another appeal was made for contri.
buttons, which resulted in raising the
q, 800 subscribed In the forenoon up to
81 800.
Last evening the sermon was preached
by Rev. L. Z. Barrett of St Paui's NJ, E.
Church, Mr.. Barrett's sermon was no
less eloquent and Instructive than those
Of Mr.. Barrett's predecessors of the day.
He was former pastor of the church.
s2c0 more was subscribed during the
evening, making the total mount of
the days contributions about g., $50. The
balance OF 81 500 is provided for by par
ties Dos present, SO that Epworth NJ. E.
Church may be practically said to be out
Of debt.
LUIS large COlleCLlOn WAS Wltl Jle Cx-
ceptlon Of less than $500 raised by the
Epworth congregation, and only one or
two of the subscriptions exceeded $50.
The large number OF the subscriptions
were of the S5, $40 and 81 class, and the
basket collection was very large. The
Epworth people arc very hfppy this
morning over their success.
At the last hour on Saturday
tho trustees were informed that the set
tees would not be forthcoming as prom
ised. Fortunately, provision had been
made 70. chaA,s, and 500 of them were
hastily put In the church.
The membership of Epworth is divided
iDt) four classes, led as follows: Mr..
Budd on Monday night, John Reed on
Tuesday night, John White on Thursday
night and George W. Booker on Fiday
night. Wednesday night is devoted to
prayer meeting. The Sunday school
about 800 scholars.
The pastor, Rev. D. II. Corkran, had
tull direction of the exercises during the
day, and was extremely happy over the
rpRult.