The morning call., 1892-03-21
ITS DEBT rs RAISED.
Praise Services at st. Johns
Presbyterian Church.
How Its Twenty-second Anniversary Was Gel
brated-Dr. Einton's Pleasant An
nouncement.

Special anniversary services were held at
st, Johns Presbyterian Church. corner of
California and Octavia streets. yesterday
morning and evening. There was quite
large congregation at the morning service,
and the music was of an unusually elaborate
and attractive character. 1t included an
organ voluntary by Tilton; anthem, % am
Alpha and Omega" (Stainerl; anthem, ''Phe
Salvation Of the Righteous Vincent; an
them, Teach Ne. o Lord" atwood, and
the hymns, "Great Is the Lord Our God,
Laborers of Christ, Arise" and - Love
Thy Kingdom, Lord" The choir consisted
of the Misses Laura Rountree, Louise
ROuEtree, Carrie McLane, Amy Beals,
Lizzie Weir and Mrs. L. +. Tilton, sopranos;
Miss Allie Coleman, Miss Mary Bell, Miss
Charlotte Weir, Mrs. Rodolph and Mrs. E.
A. Geissler. contraltos; w. B. Easton,
Arthur Wallace, William Beals and b. +.
Burton, teDors; f. A. Geissler, Frank
Avery, William Bell and George Ii. TraSk,
bassos. h. Fletcher Tilton was organist
and director. and in the orchestra were
Fred A. Maynard, cornet; DIR. Arthur
Regensburger. yioloncello, and DR.. f. II.
Fisher violin.
The rostrum was decorated with Gala
lilies and sprays OF pepper tree aud silver
hr by the ladies of the congregation.
DIR. MINToN's SERMON.
The morning sermon was preached by the
pastor, Rev. Ii. {. Minton, ID, from the
text, Revelations, ii y, II know thy works
In his opening remarks the preacher said:
The most notable thing in the text is the
use OF the second person singular. Every
church has personal character Of its own
A nation Is more than gathering OF It's In
divldual citizens. A church, like nation.
Is chemical com bination-nOt mechanical
mixture. Among the numerous societies Of
the time stand out the state, tie church and
the home. I.e majesty OF the State follows
from the majesty Of her work.
In sketch OF the history of 81. Johns
Church, DIR. Minton said: To-day marks
our twenty second birthday. Two and
twenty years ago this child of faith. this
sacred personality was born. It's history, |
believe, can never be written, for its deep
est elements can never be told. That his
tory Is inseparably linked with the name Of
one whose memory Is to Its Old members as
precious ointment poured forth.
Every movement among men has its
leader. and that leader is under God, the
tashioner and designer of the movement.
The Rev. DR.. Scott, founder of Calvary
Church and of st. Johns, was man born
TO lead.
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
"The old site of ST. Johns Presbyterian
Church was on Post street, where the Olym-
pic Club building is being erected now, and
at the time it was purcha sed, in March, 1870,
Ii was an Episcopal church. When the
transfer was made the Presbyterian Organi-
cation, which took possession of il, was
already a fuIl-Orbed ecclesiastical Minerva.
Such men as Newhall, Breese, Rountree,
kittle. Mcdonald and Others came forward
and gave the young church a substantial
character at once.
- 1t is supeItiuous to dwell on such work
as that performed by DR.. Scott. Already in
1883 he had been Moderator Of the General
Assembly of New Orleans. But age tells
fisfip 81 Cd of
Calvary and ST. Johns and Of the seminary
began 10 show the decline of advancing
years. In June, 1855. the good old man,
like high shock OF corn, passed to his re-
ward.
This Coast is too young to have many
ministers die III old age. Ii kills most min
listers young. The high pressure strain and
the consequent draft Upon the vital energies
IN the midst Of peculiar climatic and moral
conditions of San Francisco have driven
some men mad and others worse. But that
such men as DR.. Scott and the late lamented
DIR. Stone pass away in the bosom OF ten
derry loving family, after fully rounding
their three score years and ten, is an IN
paraleled honor to tie few that survive so
long where so many others fall
FREE FROM DEBT
ITO relieve DR.. Scott the Rev. a. Is. Mel
drum. who is with US on this occasion By a
| happy coincidence, WAS retained AZ assistant
pastor, and not until death had deprived the
church of it, founder did Mr. Medium be-
come his successor. During Dr. Meldrum's
absence for three years in the East his place
was taken by Dr.. Smith of Canada"
Tue preacher concluded by eongratulating
| the congregation that in the past year over
$4,000 had been received in cash and pledges
and a debt OF SlS,OO0-"a birthmark of the
| church"-had been paid. The year 1870
| marked the birth Of St Johns; the year
| 1892 brings II q new birth, without, debt, and
with new conditions and prospects.