The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-17
centennial OF BAPTISTS
Great Gathering to Recall the Early
Days of the Church.
REV. E. JUDSON'S ADDRESS
The Great Theologian on True philan
thropy-Rev. w. p. Hellings, d. d., on
His Former Work in Scranton.
Programme for Today.

stltutlon OF Baptist work in Scranton
and vicinity were continued yesterday
at the Penn Avenue Baptist church. A
prayer and praise meeting was held at
2.4o p. m, after which the pastor, Rev.
Warren G. Partridge, delivered an ad-
dress OF welcome and said:
1T is sincere, heartfelt and two
fold welcome which extend to you to-
day, as 1t is welcome to two anniver-
saries, the thirty-fifth anniversary of
this church and the one hundredth
anniversary Of the blessed work of our
denomination in the city. To the pas
tors who are laboring in the city they
nave noble example before them in
William Bishop and Elder Mott, which
should inspire us to noble service when
we think of the work of the early days.
welcome particularly Brother Archer,
OF Pittston, and Mrs. Cutler, of Proyi-
dence, who are present, and were two
OF the charter members of this church.
u welcome also the older members,
tnose VINO l see among us today with
grey hairs. God bless your last days,
we nave no idea Of the difficulties
under which you worked in the early
days of the church. I welcome the
middle aged who are now in the midst
OF the work, and also the young people
from whom so much is expected in the
atilliation of the young people of our
churches, We welcome all, whether
from the city or from the distance, with
| cordial love and fellowship"
The First Baptist Church.
Mr.. Partridge then gave numerous
statistics Of the increase of Baptist
| work and remarked that the First
Baptlst church in Pennsylvania was
esta blished 2l0 years ago. and was
called the Lower Bethlehem Baptist
church. AT present there are 677
churches In the state with 10000 mem
Ders, and last year alone 5,4OO bap-
tlsms took place. In the Arlington as
soclatlon there ARE twenty-three
churches with over 1890 members, and
IN scranton there are nine churches
In conclusion he renewed a cordial
nearly, sincere and loyal welcome, and
hoped that the meeting would tend tc
inspire them all to grander results in
the future.
Miss Mary Bevan read an excellent
paper upon the pastorate of her father
rev. Dr. Isaac Bevan, who was first
pastor OF the church, serving in that
capaclty from Nov. l, 1859, to Nov. 2
1867. Several incidents in his pastorate
were related in yesterdays Tribune
| Rev. w. p. Hellings, of Omaha. Neb
delivered an entertaining address ON
his "reminiscences while pastor of the
church from Dec. 90 1869, to May %
1871 A notable feature of DR. Helling's
pastorate was the generous liberality
or Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Hallstead
who presented the beautiful parsonage
| to the church. This munificent action
or one of the pillars of the Baptist
community was referred to by thei,
| former pastor. Several incidents OF
deep interest to large number present
were related by the speaker and the
awakening of old associations by his
| eloquent address made a great impres.
sion on his audience.
Mr.. Sisson's Paper.
A. c. sisson, of Factoryville, read O
paper on The Churches and Minister.
\ or the Arlington Association The
Aplngton church was organized in lS0.
and the association established in 1907
with three churches, and now com
prlses twenty-seven churches, with q
membership of 4,359, but eleven churche.
had been dismissed to join the Waynt
county association and nine churche.
to the Delaware River association. The
total contributions of the association,
for the past twenty-five years were
S6-S,77S; baptisms, 1855; total value OF
church property within the association
was $685. Twenty-one churche!
were supplied with pastors, six wer,
without minister and 1850 sitting.
were provided for. Mr.. Session ther
gave an interesting account of the pas
tors of the old Arlington church.
DR.. Hellings, by special request. de
livered few incidents which had oc
Cured during his residence in Scranton
and the relation was deeply interest
ing. Mr.. Miller, Baptist, sc years O.
age, made few interesting remarks.
The evening service was conducted b,
the pastor, Rev. Warren G. Partridge
assisted by the pastors of the daughte
churches, Rev.W. J. Ford, Green Ridge
Rev. w. j. Watkins, Providence, an,
Rev. A. b. O'Neal, Dunmore.
An excellent quintette, Seek Ye tn
Lord" was rendered by Professo
Watkins choir, and other selection
were given during the service whicl
were of a high musical standard.
Rev. DR.. Edward Judson, of the Jud
son Memorial church, New York, wa
introduced by the pastor and took hi
text from Luke X. 29, his theme beinJ
The Great Samaritan, the Model Phil
anthropist' and said:
Remarks of DIR. Judson.
"This simple story which Jesus tell
is familiar to all since childhood, an
are words Of great value in telling u
of true philanthrophy. Jesus intro
duces four figures; first the sufferer
then the priest, who may be called tn
egotist and the sufferer naturally look
upon him as one who will give him re
lief; and as he was priest at leisure o
on vacation and had just been perform
ing acts of worship, ii was reasonabl
to expect this. But the priest passe
by, made an excuse and went on hi
way. Then Christ presents the Levitt
who we may term the sentimentalist; h
went and feasted his eyes on the horri
BILE sight but took 1t all out in feeling
Church work which Is sensational an
works on the feelings, Is undignified an
lgets immediate results, but they ephe
mereal. A man who let's his feelings b
stirred and does nothing Is more apa
thetic than before and II Is remarkabl
to what depths of meanness huma
nature will descend when unobserve(
Christ then presents the philanthropis
in the garb of a Samaritan who dresse
the wounds of the sufferer an
placed him on his beast and sa,
him in safe hands.
There are three questions that ar
answered in the parable. Who is m
neigbor? and 1t is answered incident
ally 'Ye who suffer'-all the fallen me
and women, the heathens, all in suffer
ing, all these are our neighbors.
What Is II to be neighborly? Thi
Is the central thought; true neighborl
ness is the doctrine of the parable
The church should be directly engage
in works Of philanthropy and allevlat
the distress in its immediate neighbol
hood, and If 1t were responsible for tn
poor children, the waits, and the OF
pressed, a church home for the sicl
what a glorious work would be accom-
pllshed. True philanthropy has man
features. We should be observar
Some are so absorbed in the world
laffairs that they do not observe I'll