Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-05
ACHURCHCENTENNIAL
The Reformed Church of the United
. States Celebrates.
AN HISTORIC MON
Delivered by the Rev. George Richards Re-
viewing the Developments OF This Sect in
This Country = Handsome Decorations of
the Chapel Fifteenth street.

shout wonderful progress in the Reformed
Church Of the United s.stAs and this fact was
tie occasion o: the Jubilee celebration yester-
day BY the members o. .his faith, for it
Just 100 years ago that the church of America
declared itself fully able TO carry its own re-
probabilities without assistance from the
mother country. The anniversary of the indie
pendence brought to the Grace Reformed
Chapel. on 18th street between Rhode Island
avenue and P streets. q large congregation yes
terday morning. The services were conducted
by the pastor. DR.. A. 7. G.. Apple, assisted by
Rev. George W. Richards. The decorations
were very pretty and emblematic of the day.
One Of the most conspicuous of the floral
pieces was an arch, which was erected over the
pulpit. On the keystone was the emblem OF
the church, lily growing among thorns-wltn
the motto, Emerge"
The music was especially chosen for the oc-
casion- The choir is a volunteer one ana mas
done some earnest work in music. It's aim Is
to develop congregational singing to the great
est extent The choir Is composed OF:
sopranos Misses Belle Rouzer, Annie NAN.
Carrie Newcomer, Daisy Taylor, Alice Whitman;
altos, Misses Bertha and Ida lost; tenors'
Messrs Cark B. Apple and ]. r. Calvin Main;
bassos. Messrs. E. Cornman. IT,, L. f. Burner,
Hugh l. Apple; organist, Mrs A. T. e. Apple.
This evening a reception will be held by the
ladies of the congregation in the recently COM
pleted parsonage, 1405 18th street.
REV. MR.. RICHARDS SERMON.
The sermon was delivered by Rev. George W.
Richards Of Allentown, Pa, and was an able
statement Of the history and progress OF the
church. He chose as his text the first. second
and third verses OF the ALlNtn PsaIm he
spoke in effect a. follows:
The history Of the chosen people is an epit-
ONE a prophetic type of the history of the
coming ages The wars of Israel fought upon
bloody fields were caused by the same evil
principles which have turned the church Of
Jesus Christ into m armory and Christian lands
into battlefelds The great theological strug-
giles which have shaken the hills of Zion to the
center the fierce hatred working division and
schism. have their counterpart in the Old les
lament life. As the Lords Prayer contains the
elements of all prayer, or the song of Moses the
principles according to which all prophecy is
fashioned, we may ay.the Old Testament his
tory is q model containing the forces and the
factors which work out the problem for men
for all time.
Standing as we do on the summit of the nine
teenth century both as a church and a ma
ton we are challenged to look backward and
review In spirit the great changes and advance
ments which betoken a favoring Providence.
We might spend hours in the contemplation of
national growth. We might be still more in
teressed Christians in reviewing the rapid
strides Of Christendom. But we are most
touched, as it were, with filial affection and
filial pride when ponder the rise and
growth Of our own internal branch of the
Church catholic-the Reformed Church in the
United States. The burning bush never con-
sumed. the bitter persecution never destroy
ing az her emblems, showing Gods presence
in her fold and leading her footsteps. The
hand of God Is seen in the establishment Of the
church in America Switzerland seemed the
special choice Of God for the rearing Of the
hero of the reformation and the father of the
Reformed Church. From that land the spirit OF
has gone abroad. and TO it in a
great part owe tho emblem of American
liberties God chose the weak things Of the
world that He might put to shame the things
that are strong.
LANDING IN NEW YORK.
"In 1909 band Of German Reformed people
landed in New York. The greatest wealth they
had was in their hearts. They settled in east
ern New York until driven out. They pushed
their way through the wilderness until they
reached the Susquehanna, near which they
settled The forces were afterward increased
BY pioneers. II il reported that as early as 1740
there were upward of $1,000 German Reformed
people in America That does not by any
means express the true constituency Of the
church; even IL there were so many they were
scattered throughout Pennsylvania. Virginia
and New York. They had no homes, no
churches no schools. Impostors entered the
ministry-men who cared nothing for the
church they served There were no communi-
cations between the churches and consequently
no denomina tional spirit.
1.-The year OF 1873 il a landmark OF the
century. Hitherto our relations with the
church Of Holland we're similar to the relations
which existed between our mission in Leubia
Holeh to the church in the United States. We
were dependent upon IL for our ministers as
well as financial support. But they felt that the
time had come, after the nation had declared
itself independent Of Europe. that they could
also support themselves. and with thanks for
past aid they declared their ability to act indie
pendently. The separation involved no strife,
but came naturally and peacefully. Their first
great need was the establishment of u theo-
logical seminary. Hitherto our native ministry
had been trained in the private homes Of the
PASTORS They finally succeeded in opening a
department in the Presbyterian College at Car
Isle in 1925 The school could not find con-
genial homo until it transferred
to Mercersburg. whcrs il became a
school Of prophets AMI BY its new de-
partures in theological teachings soon attracted
the attention Of the world. We can well term
the Mercersburg period the classic age of the
church as regards scholarship and literary pro-
duction. A seminary required a corresponding
preparatory school, which resulted in the estab
lishment of Marshall College. In 1851 it was
removed to Lancaster and united with Franklin
tOLege, now Known as anu
College. From these mother institutions of the
church many sons and daughters have been
reared until we now count in all fifteen colleges
and seminaries, which have graduated :, 2S7
students. The number of students en-
rolled is ,439, and the valuation of property
and endowments 81 49,, 269.
MISSION WORK OF THE CENTURY.
''Our church being itself a mission for many
years was not able to enter into missionary
work, vet during the century have formed
not only homo mission, but also a foreign
mission board. The contributions of the church
for home missions during 1885 we're S97. In
1890 they were 81. 429. We are too apt to
compare ourselves with sister denominations
and are Inundated BY the result in figures In
spite OF the apparent deficiency we have pre-
cious heritage of native members of the Re-
formed Church. Our history extends to the
very beginning of the reformation. 1t is not
BY accident that you a reformed people
today. God has led you into this church
Thousands have leen placed in other folds.
We would not for n moment despise a single
fold of God. vet as long folds do exist and as
long as the banner OF the reformed fold waves
i'm the air il is there that the Lord wants me.
and He wants me for purpose.
In conclusion We cannot pause without a
glance at the flashes along the horizon of our
church as to what our future shall be. COM
arative study of the statistics finds that we have
doubled in number during the last twenty-five
Years. Within the past SIX years We have re-
ceivsd by subscription and endowment 800. 900