The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-03-29
QUARTER OF A CENTURY.
st. James Church's Twenty.Fifth An
niversary Tonight.
Bishop Clark VIII Preside and Rev.
DIR. Huntington OF Grace Church
New York, VIII Preach.

This is the 2bth anniversary of the or
ganixation OF st. James Church. and the
important event is to be appropriately
celebrated by the members OF the parish
The first service will bo held this evening,
and will be . special Te Deum service.
Right Rev. Thomas M. Clark, ID. D., will
preside, and the sermon will be preached
by Rev. William X. Huntington, ID. D.,
rector of Grace Church, New York City.
The exercises will be continued on Sun
day. Rev. Floyd w. Tomkins will preach
Hon 5osn IsSss stnSs: M 'hs spssa oG
"Church Life in Rhode Island Twenty
five Years Ago.; Rathbone Gardiner on
Church Life as 1t IL Today; and Robert
II. Gardiner Of Boston, Mass, "The
Parish as the Centre of Church Life"
musical portion Of which is under the
direction OF Mr.. J. e. Bolan, will be as
follows:
professional, "Hail to the Lords
Anointed," Webb; collects and responses;
TIE Deum, No. 4, Buck; Greed and collects;
Hpoys EY.s o.rtsrs srs THE sirsn
Uprsise," Stanley; closing collects; recess
sional, ."The Churches Our Foundation"
Wesley.
The choir will be composed OF 10 boys
and IL men, and the solos OF the Te Deum
will be taken by Master Frank Sisson,
soprano; Master Allen Sutclifie, alto; Mr..
ruthers, bass.
At the conclusion OF the service q re-
ception will be held at the parish rooms,
49 Bright street.
st. James Church owes its existence to
to the desire OF number OF prominent
the Woonasquatucket valley. For
many years the churchmen of
Providence had recognized the
Importance OF this field and
when the Richmond Manufacturing Com
pany placed its reading room at their dis
posal they decided to take advantage
OF the ofier and the first service was held
just rs years ago today. The mission was
opened with Sunday school, but 1t was
not long before regular services were held.
As soon a. the success Of the new mis-
sion was assured Mr.. Frank Richmond
for the use OF the worshipers. This offer
was gladly accepted and the old Gesler
Street Church was built.
Rev. w. u. N. 6hearman was the firys
rector of the mission, and he remained
until 1880. Rev. w. r. p. Jackson sue
ceeded him, remaining until 1887, when
the present rector, Rev. J. w. Atwood,
began his work.
In the meantime the condition of things
In this section of the city had changed.
What was once q wide stretch of open
fields had become settled and the little
church was crowded out Of the way.
In 1883, therefore, the first steps in the
work of soliciting funds for the new
church We're taken, and the efforts were
so successful that the corner stone was
laid on June 2, 1891. Less than year later
on Feb. 8, 1892, the new edifice, which had
cost no less than 1900, and which was
entirely free from debt, was consecrated,
Rt. Rev. Phillips Brooks preaching the
sermon.
The old church was moved down to
Harris avenue and II now used IS place
of worship by the members Of the Third
Presbyterian Church.
The growth of the congregation during
the past quarter OF . century has been
steady, and at the present time there are
800 communicates with fully as many
members of the Sunday School. There are
IL societies in the church, all Of which are
doing good work In charitable and educa-
tional lines and Rev. Mr.. Atwood Is as
sisted in his parish labor by regular
missionary, Miss Martha j. Rawson.
The present officers OF the church are as
follows:
Senior warden, Amos Bowen; junior
warden, Ebenezer Nichols; yestrymen,
John HI. Tanning, Frank Il. Richmond,
Col. Christopher Banding, John p.
Farnesworth, William H. Ballou, J. Halsey
de Wolf, w. N. Watts, j. X. Tillinghast,
| A. ID. Smith and Gardiner G. Anthony.