Evening journal., 1889-10-14
ONE HUNDRED YEARS.
CROWDS ATTEND AS6URY'S CEN
TENNlAL CELEBRATION.

The centennial exercises concentrating |
the dedication of Asbury Methodist Epis-
copal Church at Third and Walnut |
streets, and the founding of Methodism
in Wilmington 1, began in Asbury Church |
yesterday morning The celebration will |
continue for one week, and will include |
sermons by former pastors of the church, |
and the reading of historical papers. |
Revival services will be held each even |
ing after the sermon.
The History of Delaware has the fol-
lowing interesting paragraph: "The As
bury Methodist Episcopal Church OF
Wilmington traces it's origin back TO
1856 In that year Captain Webb, a
British army officer, preached in VIII
mington under some shady trees near
the corner of King and Kent, now
Eighth, streets. John Thelweh, who kept
public house near the lower market, Of
ticiated as clerk and led the singing Sub
seqpently Mr.. Thelwen offered his
school house a5a place Of worship, and
there Asbury Society was organized. The
little band of members gave expression
70 the sentiment. Thus fa- have we
come after twenty years.
The committee ia charge of the weeks
exercises is as follows: Rev. John D. O.
Hanna, pastor, chairman; w. B. Gem,
secretary; George 5 Hagany, NJ. A.
Taggart, John Gray, SEllie Moore, John
Wise, NJ. H. Lincoln, lfewis M Maxwell,
sallie r. Shaw, James E Mckay, Charles
+. Bordner G. n. Leitch, c. +. Welch,
Benjamin +. Downing, @. 9. Reilley.
Singing will be furnished by a special
choir as follows Directors, William T.
Groves and w. B. Gem; sopranos Miss
Chalfsnt and Misses Mary Wells, jose
phine b. Carver, Mary Edith Worth,
Alinda johnson, Edith Robinson, Mary
Powick and Clara Porter; altos, Mrs. AL
bert Willing and Misses Gertie Cooper
Mamie Morrow and CRllie Barnhill
tenors, F. A. Adams, c. M. Leitch. VIII
liam Saxton and Messrs. Carver and
Raigin; bassOs, Joseph Grubb, A. Field
ing, Harry Guthrie, Elmer Perry, George
PoWick and Messrs Lowrie and Harman
Organ accompaniment will be furnished
| by Mrs Emma Saxton.
The history of Asbury Church will be
read on Wednesday afternoon by Rev.
John D. G. Hanna, pastor
A larger band than that which organ
lied Asbury Society was in Asbury NJ. E.
Church yesterday. The church was
larger than when the society built it in
1879. The auditorium was packed from
altar to wall, and the galleries were over
flowing with spectators. The Sunday
school room to the right of the pulpit
was crowded with eager listeners Th,
church was gailY decorated in designs
made by Mrs j. H. FLOYD and Isaa,
+ / O'NeM In front Of the pulpit is a tablet
of ivy leaf, with border Of immortelle
On tie tablet in white chenille is the fol
lowing:
1889
FIRST THE BLADE
THEN THE EAR
THEN THE FULL CORN
IN THE EAR.
1889
The tablet is surrounded by palms an
ferns.
The arch over the pulpit has been COZ
cred by keystone arch made for th
occasion. ''Asbury is the keystone, ang
to the right its children in the followin
order: st. Paul, Scott Brandywine
Epworth, Silverbrook, Swedish Mission
Then are the words: Hitherto Hatl
the Lord Helped Us-17S9" To the lef
Of the keystone are the following
branches of old Asbury: EEion, Union
Mt Salem, Grace, Madeley, Kingswood
| Wesley. Thus far have we come
1889. represents the completion of tn
century. On the front of the ehurc
, near the altar two American flags ar
hung, and the gallery front is covere
with bunting.
The exercises began at 9 o'clock yestei
day morning when Rev. John A. Roche
: D. d. Of Brooklyn, n. Y. conducted
;. love feast. Dr. Roche was pastor of Al
bury Church in 1851 SO and he was not q
gray haired then as he is now. He wear
+ | glasses in reading. His voice is stron
' and of great fiexibility. There are nc
4 many living members Of the church VIII
we're there when he was its pastor.
The preaching service began at TO- 3
+ o'clock Bishop John f. Hurst, D. D.,
L. D., had promised to be present and I
preach. but he was absent and his posi
tion was very ably filed by Rev. DR.
+. Roche During the sermon deep relig
q Gus feeling filled the hearts Of the listen
ers and there we're many ordinations {
n JOY and gladness. DR. Roche took for hi
text the last clause of the tenth vers,
eighth chapter of Nehemiah, which
"For the Joy of the Lord is YOU
strength He preached for one hour an
?. six minutes.
The Christian Endeavor Society was /
r charge of the services at $50 p. n
q o'clock. Rev. DR.. Swindells-of Philade
4 phia addressed the congregation. "
N Harry Geary sang q solo.
; A larger crowd than had attended
d the morning was present at night to hes
4 DR.. Rocheis second sermon. The servic
J was set for 2. 30 o'clock, but all svailsbl
~ space in the church was taken before
o'clock and the service was begun te
minutes afterwards. Hundreds of pei
sons were turned away and an overfo'
h meeting was held in the Sunday scho,
n room in charge Of Exhorter Dolbow.
n In the church proper, Rev. J. A. Roche
T. d. d., preached for one hour on the tex
le zachariah, wi; 9, 7--''Not BY might n,
y by power but by Ny Spirit saith the Loi
D Of Hosts. Who art thou, 0 great moui
d tAinf before.Zerubbabel thou shalt becon
le plain; and he shall bring forth Il
ve headstone thereof with shouting, eryir
t. Grace, grace into it" The adYancemei
N Of Gods cause is to be by the unite
efforts of the human and the divin
The Lord win build up His temple, NJ
by might, that is human; not by powe
If that is material; but by Ny Spirit sal
nj the Lord of Hosts. The text clear
y teaches how success in Gods eau
N is secured. Benevolent societi,
y although able in their conceptiC
4 can never bring men from darkness
or life. Legislative enactment can not do /
4. Human prOwess cannot win soul
r neither by the might or power of eceles
- astical institutions; nor by human aux
. 1;arsaa for God will have ths ,.;sd,...