The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-12-25
Golden Wedding.

Married, in the village of o wosso, Dec
%, 1S4l, by the Rev. Mr.. Nation, A.
Il. Chapman to Mary Ann Pratt.
When the many friends of Mr.. and
Mrs. A. b. Chapman found that owing to
the fulness of years, and infrmities of
age, they did not feel that they could
do Justice to suitable celebration of
their 50th wedding anniversary, and
had decided to let the day pass by un-
wept, unhonored and unsung" they
rose up in unison Of spirit and declared
1T shall not be So" The fact that this
couple were married in Owosso fifty
years ago, made home here. raised q
family, and had never lived in any 9TH
er place since, was considered so remark
able that the OCCASION demanded some
sort Of public recognition, consequently
",e old settlers" of the city put their
heads gether and planned a surprise
rarity.
Mr.. aud Mrs Chapman were notified
tina few of their friends would call on
Dec. 22d to offer their congratulations,
amt would come bttween sand 8 to chat
little while. Acc I'd ngly they began
to arrive soon after q p. IN. as became
elderly people until the house was well
filed Many younger branches If the
old families were present. There was q
general exchanging of hearty greetings
and "reminiscences ofearlier days, when
their heads were still untouched by the
frosts of age. Rev. Mr.. Reitzel, pastor of
the Congregational church, in his own
peculiarly pleasant way, performed q
unique mar ia9e ceremony. Dr. Parkill
and Mrs. q aham acting us bet man and
maid, just as they did fifty years ago.
True to their notions Of h spitality Mr..
and MIS- Chapman had prepared a bum
tiful repast and babe their friends well
come with unstiuted cordiality.
After supper Dr. Parkill read the fol
lowing paper: .t,.
THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, OF Owosso,
TO Mr.. AND Mrs A. Il. CIIrMAN.
Grccting:-
1t is with profound gratitude to God. that
we commemorate an event so rare us that
which calls us together tonight;
For fifty years our friends have enjoyed
each others society, have shared each others
love, brovely met the responsibilities of life
have seen the wilderness blossom as the rose,
and n little obscure hamlet develop into u
busy city, with large growth and larger cX
They have. in the MONDAY of their maturity.
lived in, and been part of, and contributed
something continually to the making OF this
the most remarkable half century since the
dawn of creation.
Whatever may be in store for humanity, in
the future, il will always stand an mques-
toned fact that into the fifty years now draw
ing to close, the practical results OF the Is
of Christian thought and endeavOr
are crystalized; and our friends watched this
miracle of the 10th century, and helped 1t
along. 1t is worth something to have lived III
an age, when Edison has called the lightnings
down from the heavens and compelled them
to stand, willing and Obedient servants, at
our doors; when the brain of Erickson,
into the fiber of our great steamships,
makes 1t possible for them to accomplish, in a
week, what Onr fathers would have been
proud to do in n month To have helped strike
than God led out of Egypt. And above ana
beyond all else, to know that the Church OF
their early choice, to which during all these |
years, they have given faithful, consistent
support, freed from the incubus of dogma |
and Journalism, placed In closer sympathy than
prepared for q career of usefulness such as IL |
has never known In its history.
And all this and vastly more equally won |
ierful, our good friends. sitting here. yet in |
possession OF q fair share OF the strength God |
has given to them, have seen, and very much |
Df which they have helped to accomplish 1t |
Is marvellous, little short Of a miracle
And now, in the name OF the Church of your !
choice, and of friends of honest endeavOr, |
among all those who know you, we cOngratu- |
ate you on the occasion of this anniversary, |
owing to so few of us, and we are thankful for !,
If God, and in loving sympathy with hut !,
nanty.
Mrs. T.. SALISBURY,
MRS. EMILY AMENT.
MRS NJ J.. STEWART
JAMES CHAPLIN,
p PNRKIII