Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-30
OLD SHARON CHURCH.
A Big Crowd of People Attends the
Seventy-Fifth Anniversary.
ONE PASTOR FOR FIFTY YEARS.
Iev. Mr.. Gordon Takes an Advanced View
of Premillennarianism.
A MINISTER DISSENTS IN A PRAYER
ONE PASTOR FOR FIFTY YEARS.
A MINISTER DISSENTS IN A PRAYER

Over 800 people gathered yesterday at
Old Sharon Presbyterian Church, Allie
gheny county, to celebrate its seventy-fifth
anniversary. The people came from Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, and all parts of Pennsyl-
vania; from Pittsburg, Allegheny, Clarion,
Emlerten, Indiana, all the villages and
Gowns of the neighborhood, and from the
rural regions for miles around Men and
women were there who had not visited the
old church for so or 40 wears
The church is 21z miles from Stoop's
Ferry on the Pittsburg and Lake Erie Rail-
road. The drive is up the "narrows,"
pass which rivals in grandeur and beauty
the pass of Glencoe or Glengarif. The day
was one of the loveliest of the year. Not a
cloud feeced the sky, and the foliage had
donned its brightest hues The church, re-
built in 1865 stands at the head of the old
graveyard and fronts grove of chestnut
hickory, oak, walnut and locust trees
The woods were filled with
wagons, carriages and buggies
A large crowd was assembled at a very early
hour, and was entertained with the liveliest
music by Toerge's Orchestra. Such music
had never before been heard within sound
of that graveyard, but there was no rattle
among the bones.
The Meeting House damned.
The exercises of the day, began at II
o'clock, when the meeting house was at once
crowded to excess. Chairs were placed in
the aisles and people stood around the
walls. Back of the pulpit hung fine pict-
tor of the church, and his wife.
The platform was decorated with
plants and flowers. The preacher of
the day was Rev. Mr. Gordon, pastor of an
East End church. He took for his text,
"Fear not little flock for it is your Fathers
good pleasure to give you the kingdom"
He e1pounded the doctrine of the pre-
millennarlans as held by the most ad-
vaneed advocates of their speculations
He held that the flock was very small
crowd, an inner circle, that would be en-
throned on an earthly kingdom with
Jesus Christ and would rule
over the Hebrews and other nations,
As yet but little has been done. OF the
1,6OO, ,OOO, 900 of the earth's population, not
over 200, ,000, 900 can be counted on as truly
belonging to the flock. But they are to
wait in hope as they will be literally kings
and priests, and if they supper with Christ
they will literally reign with him and the
kingdom to be set up on this earth. This
kingdom will not come gradually, but will
be set up quickly and very soon, as we are
living in the last days
One Preacher Dissents.
The sermon Was a bold avowal of fear |
less championship in the most positive |
form OF the teachings of the |
school to which Mr.. Gordon belongs |
The preacher who followed the sermon |
with prayer mildly expressed his dissent |
At noon the immense congregation was |
treated to an abundance of refreshments |
Tables hundreds of feet long were set un-
der the trees, and seats were provided for |
all The people ate without regard to the |
price of chickens, butter and potatoes.
After dinner speaking was resumed. The |
preacher of the church, Rev. j. NJ. Mercer, |
made a rousing, eloquent, carefully pre-
pared speech, optimistic, fine antidote to |
pessimism- He was followed by Dr. Bea- |
com, Revs P. S. Jennings, Shrodes, Neely |
and others, the speeches being interspersed |
with music A score of preachers were
present. including Rev. W. S. p Cochran,
of Coraopolis, Rev. S. c. McClelland, of
Pittsburg, Revs. Moore, of Imperial, Gill
son, of Pittsburg, Graham, OF Allegheny,
Thompson, OF St Paul, and others. Lawyers
and doctors were there by the dozen and
several gentlemen with political aspira-
tionG The people fingered until 5 o'clock
and felt the day was only too short