Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-10-16

hA.ouoh hiusulp,Dut IL mas almost Drougl
the Tears TO my eyes,to read In your record
and to hear You tell me- of their struggle
anu selt-aaerltices. their bnrd lens and dis
appointments, and how surely for their owl
sake anu for the cake OF this ehuGch Goo
mad them perfect through suffering.
An, II y His ay,the chosen way OF Him
Wfo Is ey. Il too wise to err, TOO coed to b.
unklnd, Hts way with individuals, HIS val
WIN Churches, to mako them perfect
through suffering.
Sod never would send you the darkness,
u lip ielt you could hear tho light,
,iut you would not ling to His guiding hand,
i me way were always bright;
| ANA you would not are to walk by faith,
you'd you always walk by sight.
us true He has many m anguish
| for your surrOwiHl heart 10 bear
Ana many a cruel HOMEGROWN
| for your tired head to wear.
| lie knows how lew would reach Heaven at ALI
! II pun ana not guide them there
| 20 lie sends you The binding darkness,
| i mnu me turnace OF seyen-fold heat;
! Z rs the only way, believe mo,
10 keep you c.Ose 10 His feet,
| hor iiA always so easy to wander,
| When our lives are glad ana sweet.
| Then nestle your hand In your Fathers,
ANA sing, II yon can, as you go;
Your song may cheer some one behind you,
WHO'S COURAGE ~ sinking low;
Ard wen, # your lips d quiyer,
God Will love you better SO.
word 10 the constituent members of
this church still living; that is here, for va
40 not really live until we reach the here.
aI,er. You are toiling on, not with all the
vlgor and elasticity and enterprise OF as
yehr5 ago. But You are tollInR on, Thank
God y has been toiltul pilgrimage. Had
you al along this past quarter OF i century
oeSn at ease In Zion, then had your lot
Deen sau and most unfortunate, Have Won
sver wished that your lives had been cast
IN pIsashnter places; that the course OF
your HE, your home life, your business
ne, your church life, had Daen over smooth
stones Instead OF Jagged rocks ? Have you
been udfeconGiled al SO many dark mists
around yon, 80 much OF the thick !ogs OF
peiplexity and trial aud disappointment
y, then think not thus any longer. These
twenty-five years have bssn for you In the
pest poseiole place In the wide, wide
world" fntinlte wisdom and love located
you, and must have made the wlsest and
nosl loving g dice. Aad You'll see It at the
end OF the jou ney. Already your day be.
giIs TO bfiRut,n, does 1t not
Long Is the reach of iife's 10 irney,
nut the way grows strangely air,
Ahd INC nearer you get TO It's ending
ne sWet ter the songs IN the air.
inc heati laugh, out in its gladness
rs the nome is coming In sight,
Ana Tie western skies are All golden
Where the day melts into tho night.
Your Declaration OF Faith" was that
usually adopted by Baptist churches; and
your church eoyenent also. AS by some |
neglect, Tor many years a large proportion |
o. lha members of this church remained |
unacqualnted with this latter summary OF
: heir religious VOWS, 1 will give 1t to you
nero IL To- you Will observe, the one we
nave used for the past six months Ia our
covenant meetings; and | note from your
records that your early custom was for all
II
ahu that eech member at the close re-
sponded "Amenp 1t was also considered
Of such solemn import, that in addition TO
sueh verbal acknowledgment of obliga-
lion, all the members subscribed their
names formally to this, which IL still our
church covenant.
Having been led, as we believe. by the
'plrlt OF sod, to receive the Lord Jesus
Christ as our Saviour, and, on tine profes.
non OF our faith, having been baptized into
ne name I the Father, and OF the Son,
lnu or the Holy Spirit, We do now, in the
presence OF GOO, Angels, and this assembly,
most aolemnly aad joyfully enter into GOV.
,hant WIN enc another, as one body In
We engage, therefore, by the aid of the
ioly Spirit to walk together In Christian
owe; 10 strive for the advancement of this
'nurcn IN knowledge holiness and COM
oft; TO promo Its prosperity and spir-
tuailty to snstain Its worship, ordinances,
discipline and doctrines; to contribute
,heertul!y and regularly to the support OF
he ministry, the expenses OF the church,
he relief of the poor, and the spread u
he gospel throughout all nations"
We $50 engage TO maintain family and .
ecret devotion; 10 relgiously educate our
hildren; to seek the Starvation OF our kin
red and acq1aintances; 10 walk circum- ,
peetiy IN the world; TO be just in our deal !
lRs, faithful In our engagements and ex-
mplAry IN our department; to avoid all
lttling, backbiting and excessive anger to I
tetRln from the sale and use OF intoXl-
stlhH drinks as Il beverage, and to be !,
salous IN our Efforts to advance the King
on OF our Saviour"
I'VE further engage to watch over one
mother in brothsrly love; to remember !,
ach other IN prayer; TO aid each other In I
eknese and distress; TO cultivate christian y
fmpathyin feeling and courtesy In speech; y
pc siGW otake offence, but always ready ~
" reconciliation, and mindful OF the rules !.
our Saviour to secure II without delay"
we moreover engage that when we re- :.
owe from this place VS. will. es on as
ossib.e, unite with some other church, i,
here We can carry out tho spirit OF this ~
'vonant and the principles OF Code word"
Our beginning was thus full Of wisdom, i, y
on and heroiem. Brethren W. H. y
ieRg and j. Bradford were our first dea- &c
ms and T. II, KEGS our first church clerk.
1t is interesting TO recall, that at the SER y
ce OF recognition, the Rev. Howard y,
alcom, ID. D., was moderator, and that ~
eacon Washington Jones' statad that most ~
nicabls relations exist between the Second "
ipfist Church and the new body, and I'VE y.
oil IN parting with thum that we lose some ~
the best members, and We sincerely hope
d trust they may prosper" az
This recognition took place In the lecture
ON OF the Second Baptist Church.
Your Sunday evening services were first
Id In the scientific lecture room of the
lin ngton Institute, and your prayer
,etings In the Pace tx engine house.
-FOUR former pastors have been the Rev.
W. Folwell, now of Parkorscurg, West
rEinfa; The Rev. Isaac NJ. Haldeman, now
New York city, and the Rev. J. W.
othe, d. D., now OF Holyoks Mass. The
7torate CT the Rsv. Mr. Needham was
llvalent to only few weeks supply. /
va never met any OF these honored gem
men OF tins ministry, except the FIRST,
ose name ts my middle name, aud l
rnet TO esteem him very highly for hls
eerlty, amia6ilitY aud trustworthiness.
to all OF your pastors, their records are
ID you, ard above. That they tollsd
orlously Is the testimony of all OF you ,
o served with than. That signal tokens ~.
divine favor came to you from time to E ,'
10 under their ministries Is well and o. o.
Nefully remembered; and all OF This ii,
irch TO day rejoice in the work OF Col i, a. !,
which Its former pastors are engaged, In -, 70
present conspicuous fields to which We,
y have been called. ~
IS | read OF the early contributions to "
building of this be utiful sanctuary, .ae
to the various expenses OF this church Ia
n impressed with the generous and self G IN
riasing examples furnished for US to- ~
!. Think OK Sister Mary Slack, earning eot 20.
her money with her own hands, and en-
roaate Of between 81 onfi sna AIN mn | lo
nix OF the one. still with us, nd to
om have referred, giving, IN addition
building lot, S2,510 to the erection of
strnetnre. mink Of the latter rnnrt-