The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-06-24
HALF A CENTURY OF welded LIFE.
Golden Anniversary Of Their Mar
riaee Pleasantly ConmemoratedI
BY the Friends of tho Rev. Vim. q.
hayden and HIS wife.
Forty-one Years AGO Mr.. Hayden Be-
came Portland Pastor.

/ 0osoiuaS Completed nalI century OF IN
married life Of Rev. and Mrs. VIM. b. Hay
den, Al years OF which have been spent II
| Portland.
The event was celebrated last evening q
the pretty little New Church on High stree
In manner worthy the occasion. Tn,
church was beautifully decorated with fern:
and flowers, white and gold predomInatIng
An arch OF evergreen spanned the alsl,
down which the bridal party passed. II Dor,
the dates In golden figures; 1S4l-lS9l.
About the platform swung wedding bel
OF marguerites with hearts Of gold. The re
served seats were designated by daisies tIet
up In knots Of 10, symbolic number typlfy
ing completion.
Music was furnished by a chorus made III
Of all the past and present members Of thu
| choir. led by Mr.. Carl Weber. Mr.. EdRa
Paine presided at the organ.
| The wedding party included representa-
i lives OF the families who were members O
the society when DIR. Hayden first came her
and the childreEis children unto the thirt
generation that have been baptized by him
The party was escorted by eight ushers and
20 beautiful bridesmaids. Mr.. WV Rob.
erts presided.
When the grand wedding march ceased
the choir sang Jerusalem the Golden"
Rev. Percy Billings read the 122d Psalm
and Rev. b. N. Stone Of Fryeburg offered
prayer
Miss Ernestine Leavitt read a charming
original poem, "Buttercups," presenting a
bouquet Of buttercups, fifty cups Of burn.
ished gold" TO Mrs. Hayden.
A beautiful and graceful address wltten BY
Mrs. DR.. Burr Of Boston, formerly OF Port
land. was read by Miss Bedlow.
We are only able to give the closing
sentences:
,oAIa, AIne, so dear friends, we have come together
you both; we rejoice with you in your joy and
WOULD IAN believe that there Is Joy Ia heaven also
among the many members OF this little body of
the church universal who nays already entered
upon me blessed privileges Of that life eternal
MAY May tne nc years IN which you are permitted o.
iull OF peace and the wonderful glory which a.
TENDS the closing OF a perfect earthly dav and
may may ane ., dhawning bs as bright as your own
And to the young pastor and his wife who ceIe.
DIate thelr nuptlals In this golden wedding year
and pray that for them also, the harvest Of tbs
years may be rich In all that pertains to pure
svlng, higa thinking earnest conservation TO the
service OF the Master, the love OF their
partshioners and the honor and esteem OF me
community In which they live.
Mr.. Hayden responded feellngly as fol-
lows:
Mr.. Chairman and Kind Friends.
=. ~ Is with feelings OF the prof0undest nature
tnat stand before you tonight. The occasion Il
one which naturally stirs the deepest emotions of
the heart, and calls forth some OF It's most sacred
reconectlons And these "reminiscences are close
~ associated with this church and congregation.
and the community by which we are sufi Onnded
AS Tor myself and wife, we are both very sin.
cerelY grateful for the kind words that have been
spoken mere this evening; for these manifesto.
uOns OF aneetlon and esteem from so many loved
ana valued friends; and we wish 10 express our
most heartfelt thanks to all who have been pro-
moters OF this pleasant demonstration, who have
Iaksn LAKE any part In t, aud who are now fayoring us
=. AS ls well known, the teachings OF the New
Chureh treat with peculiar emphasis the princi-
pies and duties OF the marriage relation. The
male and female minds are two halves Of one
rounded and complete whole. The most truly
progressive and most permanently useful things
are lhe Joint production OF the two minds acting
new age now beginning, the problem Of union Il
10 De worked out, ana woman Is to come forward
and take her true place as an equal, by
ted for union. and the graSd law of Its
attainment Is obedience TO the divine command.
ments Ito the holy precepts Of life in the gospel
Of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The G1rd
Dy his spirit. Is the gtver OF purity and Of an Che
happiness enjoyed in this relation. The process
gold. or, truth into goOd-duty into love. And
the way becomes all the time more and more goI.
s 1en as tne Lord Is acknowledged-as His holy
precepts Of life are regarded, and truly mutual
love Is practiced. We are never 10 forget Ihar
the earthly marriage is the perpetual scripture
Symooi OF the heavenly marriage.
And here l would say emphatlcaIly that IN
Whatever degree may have been successful In
my work, Or worthy Of appreciation, there you
may be sure has been the presence OF the female
partner OF the family, contributing her peculiar
qualities OF perception and Judgment.
fOrty-one OF the 90 years OF our married life
have been passed in a connection more or less
close, with this church and community. And an
corsni; s s; on our part the ties o. friendship and
people.
Twenty-Five years ago tonight we celebrated
church and congregation, and a few other friends
In what was then called "the Senate Chamber
me, the year 1866 was memorable one for Portland
t vur elvli waE indeed, had closed but there came
ton The hail In which 1t was held was nearly ce-
stroyed, and large part Of our fair city laid In
ashes; Our own church building was consumed,
and all but six OF the families In our cOngreg alton
were burned out, many OF them at both their
places Of business and their dwellings. But the
society was well united, and worked braveIy on.
They were not long In erecting the house in which
we are now assembled, which was the first Pro-
testant house OF worship rebuilt here after the
a long struggle with heavy debt, but our people
nave never lost heart. Our young people have
Deen ihueiatlsaDle WORKERS, wnlle the female pOr
tlon OF the congregation 0hrough the organlza-
tion known as the "Lades Association has ever
been an earnest and active power In our church
operations.
The circumstances tonight yiyldly recall the
memories of those past times-reminding us.
among other things, OF the changes that have
taken place. Many OF the company who took
part on the former occasion are no longer with
US. Most OF those who were children then have
grown 70 manhood or womanhood. A large part
oil our country or In foreign lands, while larger
number still, perhaps have passed ON to the I'M
These changes have been so gradual that. as
they occur from year to year. they make but
little impression upon u.s. But on looking back
honored forms with whom we were familiar, and
VINO not long ago were moving vlsibly amongst
ls active ana earnest In cooperating with us In
We love to think Of them; 10 recall their
ministries of help and affection while
here. and we delight to think OF them as living
and acting still, with yet greater love and wisdom
than before, in that better community above. We
love to think and 10 feel that they still sympatize
good aud true, and as working for US and with us
"a every noble and worthy endeayOr. And 10 the
ignt OF Holy scripture may we not fondly be
we are doing here tonight? and, so far as
hey are diylnely permitted, may be shedding
Town some hidden innlences OF helptulness and
AS married pair, we are conscious OF In
1umerab.e blessings bestowed by Heavenly
nereifnl Providence that we have been allowed
. remain together IN this happy connection for
ne long period OF 90 years, and that we are
permitted to celebrate this anniversary also
lmOng this people, with whom we have so long
lved and loved and acted. We desire 10
laye enjoyed. and TO express our sncerest grail
ude 70 the company OF Kind friends VINO, on this
OCCASION have surrounded us with so many
ouching tokens Of their love, remembrance aud
esteem.
Mr.. Roberts read poem written for the
occasion by Mr.. Ropes Of Salem, Mass.
DIR. Chauncsy Rea Burr Of Boston. con
.ributed an able poem which was read by
Miss HarrIette Randall.
AT the conclusion Of the ceremonies In the
church a reception was held In the vestry
which had been transformed into drawing
DOM for the occasion.
ConHatulatory letters and telegrams were
cad from Rev. DIR. Hill, Rev. DIR. Dalton,
Ion. w. l.. Putnam, Rev. Julian K. Smyth,
rev. Leonard Jordan and Mr.. George Nj.
Thomas.
Mrs. Zenas Thompson contributed witty
hymed story Of the life OF DIR. and Mrs.
Hayden which was read by her pretty young
aughter, Miss May Thompson.
Solos by Miss Tarbox and Mrs. Nichols
dded greatly to the pleasure OF the evening.
Refreshments were served by the ladies'.
nd after many good wishes the company
lspersed at late hour.
The Pension List.