Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-11-18
PAYING OFF A DEBT.
AN ENTHUSIASTIC MINISTER
AND CONGREGATION.
Service.

When last week closed West Presby
terian Church was more than $4,000 in
ueDt, but when the present Monday
commenced 1t was but little over 5000
In debt. The Intervening Sunday on
which the sun rose bright and beautiful
was great day for the church, The
genial lumlDary Of the Sabbath sent iis
beams into the hearts pi the members
OF the church, and the scriptural Quota
tion, The Lord loveth cheerful giver,o
feeined to permeate the congregation,
The large audience room of the church
was at an early hour filled with an
enthusiastic and highly expectant people
business men canvasseJ the debt cues
tion 10 their minds and thought abont
how much they could spare from their
Incomes that they might feel the burthen
an still not cripple their business.
Thoughtful mechanics aud working
men counted up their wages, thought
over the matter seriously, and concluded
that by little lees personal indu lgepce
they could lend tho more to the Lord.
Housewives thought about the market
basket and the children's clothing aud
figured out here and there little that
they might have an Offering left for Q
sacred cause. Children looked forward
TO Christmas and saw where they could
spare little from their plea sures, for the
sake OF giving something to lift the finan-
cial burtben from their church. All
do somethiDg. Pastor Keigwin g coun-
tenance frightened up, Is he sea nned the
enthusiastic and expectent congregation
before him. The scene ins pired the pastor
and he TOOK courage In Oh big undertake
ing before him. $4,000 looked like q
large amount TO raise but the faith of the
pastor and congregation was strong and
With this feeling pastor Kegwin resolved
to preach no regular sermon, but to de-
liver Q stirring address.
After some inspiring music, q feeling
prayer and psssage qt scripture read,
the pastor made an enthusiastio address
In which here cited the uyis and downs, the
troubles and trials, the successes and tri-
umphs OF the church, and now the rails
ing OF $4,000 would bring them to the
desired goal. Alter the address the
elders commenced the collection, and
Rosert Baird, Frank Sheppard and
Frank N. Smith were appointed clerks.
The canvass of tie congregation was
aided by cards. Each person wanting to
subscribe took O card, wrote their name
upon IL and the amount of their contri-
buttons and then returned II to one OF
the elders, who reported TO the clerks.
The canvassiug continued until nearly
l O'Clock. The clerks then read their re-
ports. The total amount raised in the
morning amounted to 81, 2O7, more than
one half OF the entire debt OF the church.
This was more than tie congregation
expected for the forenoon effort, leaving
only about 5000 to DO rAised at the
evening service. Though faith and hope
ran high such contamination was
hardly expected.
The church in the evening was again
crowded. This time Pastor Kc:gwIn
took for his text: "Hitherto the Lord
hath helped thee" The sermon was i'm
pressive and eloquent.
At the conclusion of the address
another canvass was begnn. The large
audience was in formed that William X.
Crosby, OF the Central Presbyterian
Church, had started the collection by q
donation OF $400. The announcement
seemed to give new life to the congrega-
ton. The canvsssers completed their
tiresome task about 0 o'clock. Their re-
port showed that at the two services
10000 had been collected. One OF the
church members in the congregation
said: "Let US sing, The Strife Is 0'er.'"
Mr.. Keigwin then made iervent prayer,
and the congregation was dismissed with
the benediction.
The total collection amounted to
$1,000. A special meeting OF the trus-
tees will be held in the church parlors on
Tuesday evening, to agree upon some
plan of using the money to the best ad-
vantage to liquidate the debt.