Evening journal., 1890-01-28
INCEPTION AND HISTORY.
SECOND DAY OF TIE GRACE
CHURCH ANNIVERSARY.

interesting IApers-Iho FIRST PASTOR OF
the Church Makes AN Eloquent Ad-
dress.
The celebration of the twenty-ffth
anniversary Of Grace M. K. Church was
continued last evening. The spacious
church was well filed and the interest
and attention. and beautiful music and
decorations, all attested to the festivity
OF. the occasion and the spirit Of thanks
giving of people whose church had
reached its twenty-hfth yearly mile
stone.
Last nights meeting was of histori-
cal character aud @. f. Rudolph one Of
the trustees Of the church, presided.
Rev. w. ]. Stevenson, the first pastor Of
the church, Rev. Jacob Todd, w. H. Bill
lany, Rev. w. G. johnson and ]. Taylor
Cause occupied seats on the platform.
The services opened with the singing Of
"Hark, Hank My Soul. by Shelley, by
the chorus. The selection was well sung
and the solos by Miss Mary X. Thielman
and Miss Lillian jackson were particu-
larry good. Hymn No. 770 followed the
chorus, beginning 81 Love Thy Kingdom
Lord. Prayer was offered by Rev. W.
]. Stevenson and Rev Wesley c. John
son read the eighty fourth psalm. The
ofertory was MozRrts Gloria.
| Mr.. Rudolph made brief speech. He
congratulated the church on being en-
tirely free of debt, and related an Incl
dent OF the financial straights the church
was in at times during it's erection. But
three of the original trustees were liv.
ing: j. Taylor Cause, Job II. Jackson
and himself. ]. Taylor Cause, president
of the Harlan and Hollingsworth Com.
pany, was introduced and read a paper on
THE Inception of Grace M. 4. Church. =
The incipient thought said the
speaker originated in the Sunday school
idea. The Sunday school at St. Paul's
became too small and notwithstanding
that it was enlarged, the missionary
spirit had gone out and Epworth Sunday
school was established in 1868. Finally
another Sunday school was established
in 1854 on the northwest corner Of
Seventh and Market streets, which
finally became Grace Sunday school To
Rev. w. ] Stevenson, who came to st.
Paul's Church in 1863 we owe the germ
thought and final contamination.
Mr.. Cause alluded to the troublesom,
times at which the work began. those o.
the war of the Rebellion, and the feeling
of triumph and despair which swept ovei
the land as the results Of terrible battles
were made known. Bishop Simpson at
tended .tbe first meeting held in st
Paul's Church in January, 1865, and t,
him much of the spirit with which tn,
work was carried on Is due.
} The first meeting was held on Novem-
I Der II, 1854. There were present Rev
| w. J. Stephenson, George w. Sparks
T Delaplain Mcdaniel. Henry f. Pickles
} Job H. jackson, @. F. Rudolph, Samue
M. Harrington. Esq, William II. Billany
J. Taylor Cause, DR.. g. Peppe
J Norris and Colonel Edwin Wilmer. OF
! January 6, 1860, another meeting wal
held at which Bishop Simpson was pres
emit. A third meeting was held on Jan
uary ~ 1865, at which the first board O
trustees was elected as follows DAME
, | M Bates, Delaplain Mcdaniel. Johl
' Merrick, DR. G. Pepper Norris, Georg
W. Sparks. Jared McGaw, Job II. Jack
son, 9. F. Rudolph and J Taylor Cause
George w. Sparks was chosen chairma
! Of the board and W. H. Billany secretary
AT this meeting the name Of HGrace" ia
the church wss decided upon. The frs
' ground was broken on April 81, 1865.
+ There were some dark days, but none
enough was always raised to pay til
= w0rkmen and make other payments a
\ they came due. The entires cost BY til
original estimate was $50. 600, but tn
plans were enlarged to embrace both
church and chanel with proportional
increase Of cost. The credit for adoptin
the beautiful Serpentine stone belongs {
. Dr.. q Pepper Norris. II was built b,
days work, in order to get the best ms
terials and workmanship.
Mr.. Cause spoke of the effect on thos
e engaged in the work and its influence o
the young men. Those of that day wer
the generous givers of to-day. A poten
4 factor in the building of the church wa
q the intense interest taken in it b
Bishops Simpson and Ames. Bisho
Ames dedicated the chapel and Bisho
Q Simpson the church. In closing MI
4 Cause paid a glowing tribute to the lat
q George w. Sparks, to whose refine
taste was largely due the beauty Of tn
I church.
j. Miss Lillian Jackson, sang with goo
; expression, Come unto Me" from Har
del's Messiah.
w. H. Billany read paper on ''Hii
tory of Grace Church It was of gres
length and very exhaustive in detail
Mr.. Billany did not read it all, but owe
an hour was occupied in reading til
t greater-part of it.
He gave a sketch of the organization
/ the various meetings held and I'll
: methods Of obtaining subscriptions I'll
first meeting of the board of trustees WIS
q held on March "a, 1865 III
b price paid for the lot was $40. O0
:. George W. Sparks threw the first spad
) of earth at the breaking of ground TIL
n corner stone was laid on October II
1865. The first service was held in Jun
. 1866. The chapel was dedicated on Jun
I II. 1866 and the church on January q
: 1868. The members taken from st. Paul
4 numbered 1875, with SO probationers. TIL
Ladies' Aid Society did effeetual work
i raising money The organ cost 81, OOl
= and the total cost of the church wa
$201, 9163S.
n To ]. Taylor Cause largely the churc
v owes its existence.
). Mr.. BillanY reviewed each pastor
e term briefly, and told how the heavy del
!. was paid of. In closing he paid tribut,
/ to the memory Of George w. Sparks an
Samuel M. Harrington, and brought I'll
4 history down to date. The present men
II bership of the church is over 500, wit
v twenty three probationers.
# Rev. w. j. Stevenson, the first paste
!. of the church. then made few.renlark
v He expressed his feelings and said tn,
little things went to make up, for Il
most part, his personal recollections
y Grace Church. Then he spokeeloquentl
u Of the possibilities Of the future.
y Hymn No. 100. "When All Thy Me