Evening journal., 1894-09-19
CHURCH SINKING IN DEBT
Epworth Congregation About
to Give Up the Ship.
NEARLY $4,000 BEHIND, AND

Cannot See Daylight Through the Heavy
Burden-Did Not Look Well before
They Leaped-Buut One of the Hand
soonest Churches In Wilmington.
Epworth NJ e Church, that beautiful
East Side sanctuary, which is the pride
OF the people OF the community IN which
1t stands, is IN a sea of debt aud cannot
see straw to grasp As the blllows, In
the shsps Of minor creditors, dash around
H.. and The prospect for reaching shore
seems TO grow darker and darker.
When Epworth congregation first
thought OF building their present impos
ing house OF worship, In the spring Of
1892, times were good, business was
prosperous, and the outlook for the
success Of the enterprise was very bright
Help had been promised to Rev. Isaac
Jewell, who was then pastor, and he was
encouraged TO 80 ahead with tho building
The present embarrassment has been
caused by the hard times, which began
after the building OF the church had been
commenced. The week previous TO the
dedication, at which time the help promised
to the Epwolth enterprise was expected
20 materialize, came the failure OF r.
Robinson q CO., the effects Of which
reached the business men who would
have assisted Mr. Jewell very substan
TALLY. The consequence WAS that on the
/ Sunday OF the dedtcatory services, prac
/ tlcally no financial aid was forthcoming
com outside OF Epworta itself. The
| burden was too heavy and hence their
| present embarrassment.
RevB. ]. ID. @. Hanna, Thomas Fl
Terry, ]. B. Qaigg, Presiding Elder
Barrett aud the pastor, L. w. Layheld,
have been appointed a committee by the
Preachers Association TO devise some
means to "fcseue the perlshing" East
Side ediice, and their conclusion will be
awaited and watched for patiently by
the Epworthians, who regard this IS the
only ray Of hope.
Old Quarters Unpleasant and Crampsd
II seems that during the spring Of 1885,
the church officials concluded that they
had too much indebtedness on theii
shoulders In the uncongenial little hous,
OF worship at Tenth and Bennett streets
and, with mortgage of 81, coo on thi
property, they decided TO try to sell It
Heald & Co offered Sc. 600 for the entire
lot but would not take part Of II at an,
price Subsequently the bidders werl
Induced to offer 81, 500 End the propert,
was sold and contract signed 10 hav
the Old church removed by September
1892
Bought the Bush Lot.
Meantime, through the untirng energ
Of Pastor Jewell, the admirable lot a
Tenth and Lombard streets was pur
chased from the Bush heirs for just one
half its valuation, &3, 600 A cles
donation. TO begin With. Of 83 600 A
. | 1t took nearly all the old church none
10 pay Of old bills, only 81, $50 was {
, hand Co pay for the new lot, and G. W
! Booker and H. Sergeant had TO Civ
! their note for 81 250
After a tent had been erected on tn
new lot, the members Of Epworth sui
!. scribed s. 600 toward the new building
This SO drained them that every al
. nouncement OF collection to be taken
! since then, has proved repulsive. o
i July 6, after appointing Rev. Isaa
> Jewell supervisor of the fine new builc
p, ing which they were about to ereci
elaborate plans were submitted
I Architect K Rowley and adopted Ml
Closkey Brothers were then awarded th
q contract for building, their bid bein
4 $12,5 SEQ
\ In writing about the progress Of th
work, prominent member OF th
I churchs officiary said: 'ContrRt
: awarded to McCloskey Brothers Angus
90. at a. M Had carts hauling an
men dlgglu after dinner Of that day an
by 2 o'clock work was we'll under wa,
8 Up hill business. this. with not
wealthy man in our congregation; nc
J, one Of our members subscribing ov,
!, $100, and only one outside subscrlptio
over that amount Chat OF Mrs w. B
a Field for $780, John White, Jr., thre
the first spade full OF dirt. Paid $50
for the privilege"
what It Really Cost.
IA When the building committee pr
sented it's report TO the board
trustees on June z 1894, II showed Il
. following grand total.
4 Lot at Tenth and Lombard streets M. $50
- Church and "extras" upon tt...,.........l3d q
r. Parsonage and extras there,.... ....... 2,l
"a Seating auditorium and ihasement. ~
Rolling screens and ornamented windows I
Heating church building.
8. city Electric Company, Fighting lsystem
"a A. Rowley, architect. .....................
Carpet and mating. g................t......
Miscellaneous building expenses. ......... 10
New pipe orRan........ ................... 10
u Total with interest OF s783.ol...... s2s.l
\ s. now, year and half alters
dedication, the handsome new edif
~ which will comfortably seat nearly 0
L people, Is nearly 500, 600 in debt aud I
8 Interest on notes, bonds, insurance al
pa rnortpauas topether with the heavy m