Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-07
AMONG THE CHURCHES.
FEATURES OF THE DEAF MUTES
SERVICES AT ST. PAUL's,
An Interesting and Peculiar Devotional
Meeting--Dr. Chichester at Imman-
uel Church-From Joppa
to Jerusalem.

Widd, deaf mute, has been holding
services every Sunday for deaf mutes.
The gentleman is the founder and was,
for IA years the principal of the Mackay
institution in Montreal for the Protes-
tant deaf mutes. He came to California
for his health nine years ago, and has
been conducting the services at st.
Paups guild rooms, on South Olive
street, for the past three years. The
services are given under the auspices of
the Los Angeles Association of the Deaf,
the objects of which are given on their
card as follows: The holding of religious
services in the sign language, and the
social and intellectual improvement of
deaf mutes, and rendering them other
assistance.
A reporter of the HERALD attended
the services at st. Paul's yesterday
afternoon and found them to be very in.
teresting, although painfully quiet. On
black board in front of the congrega-
tion was written the order of services,
which was as follows:
Prayer and scripture sentences;
Confession aud absolution.
The Lords prayer.
Decalogue.
Psalm l6.
Gospel +, ON Hebrews iv.
Sermon from the fourth chapter of H h. .ews
Hymn, Rest Weary -oul
Payer and benediclion.
There were about IA deaf mutes pres
ent, six women and the rest men.
Mr.. Widd breaches from small pull
pit. He spells out number of words
with his right hand with great rapidity,
then illustrates the idea by means Of
signs. During all of the performance
he accompanied the movements of mis-
hands with sort of wheeling, gut
tural noise. Most of the time
he looked down at his notes,
aud it was impossible to tell anything
from the movements of his lips, as he
wears a beard and mustache. At
times his face is interesting in the ex.
treme to look upon. As he goes through
the various explanations of the parts of
his discourse his features assume an
expression indicating somewhat the sub
ject he is discussing. To a person with
a lively imagination very interesting
hour could be passed by watching Mr..
Widd talk by signs to his audience.
The congregation sit perfectly motion
less. the only response Mr.. Widd re-
ceives being an occasional nod from one
of his spectators. All rise when he goes
through the hymn, and also stand when
he prays. After the services are con-
cluded the congregation is like the rest of
mankind. The ladies stop and converse
on various topics, while yesterday one
of the men was explaining out in the
hall how to vote with the new ticket.
AT IMMANUEL CHURCH.
Rev. w. J. Chichester devoted his
discourse yesterday at Emmanuel
church to review OF the work done
eince his arrival in Los Angeles seven
years ago. 1t was very satisfactory
resume to the congregation, who looked
back. with qualification to the large
number of conversions that had been
that their PASTORS labors had been 80
blessed that they had not only accom-
plished great amount of spiritual good,
but had erected a noble temple to the
Most High.
The sermon abounded in gratitude for
the grace which had come from the Lord
building up new church and a large
were the most depressed this city had
gone through.
JOPPA TO JERUSALEM.
At the First English Lutheran church,
corner Eighth and Flower, Rev. M. H.
Slime delivered last evening the second
of series of sermons descriptive OF the
Holy land-subiect, From Joppa to
Jerusalem. The first place of interest on
this old highway mentioned by him was
Ramleh, the home of Joseph of Ara
mathea, and of Nicodemus, who
came to Christ by night. This
is one of the Oldest roads
in the world, and was made famous in
the time of Solomon, from the fact that
much of the material used in the erec-
tion of the temple was transported along
this way over the mountains of Judea
and the plains of Sharon. He also
mentioned the birth place of John the
Baptist, the brook from which David
took the stones with which he slew
Goliath. and other places in Biblical
history.
The speaker drew number of spirit
ual lessons from the places and the
scenes and threw light on number of
scriptural passages in his interesting de-
scription of the sights to be seen along
this truly instructive ride to the Holy
City.