The herald., 1894-09-16

had been collected in penall o. 40
church, and for which they felt respon-
sible, should be paid by the Episcopa-
lians, and that divine service should
never be suspended in the building for
more than three months. After Mr..
Birdsall had served the church for Is
months he resigned the rectorship and
went to the city of Stockton. Immedi-
stely after his departure, there being q
likelihood of the lapse under the three
months condition, Bishop Kipp sent
the Rev. Mr.. Messenger to take charge
OF the parish. Succeeding the Rev.
Mr.. Messenger, in rapid succession,
came the Rev. Messrs. Talbort, Loop,
Burton aud Rev. NJ. Hill, whose psstorate
is well remembered by many of our citi.
zens. Mr.. Hill was succeeded the sec.
ond time by the Rev. Elias Birdsall,
under whose labors the then new ST.
PauPs church was built. Mr.. Brdsall's
long rectorship. his sef-sacrifcing labor
and his unfagging loyalty to the cause
of the church are we'll known thrAlgh-
out the entire city. He departed this
life in the midst of the work OF the par
ieh, which he practically planted in its
infancy, and which he served again in
the development OF its strong and ad-
vancing progress, honored by all. and
lamented especially by the faithful OF
his own flock. He was succeeded by the
Rev. George Franklin BugDee, who died
little more than q year since after a
most faithful and devoted pastorste,
universally beloved by all his parish
ioners.
The Rev. Elias .Birdsall, after the type
OF his own conscientious and never fall
ing loyalty to the standard OF the Epis-
copalian church, gave to the infant
parish the name OF st. Athanasus,
which was changed to St. Paul's in
1868. IL is an incident of some little
general interest to know that the means
by which the first little church building
was redeemed from the sherifps posses
sion was by strawberry festival from
the only ranch where they were then in
cultivation in this vicinity, and that per-
sons of every faith and citizens gener-
ally. contributed toward the undertake
ing. On May is, 1883, the corner stone
of the new church was laid by the late
Bishop Kip, first bishop OF California
The fret service in the new church
was held on Christmas day, 1883. and
the church itself consecrated on the
Goth day of April, 1884, by Bishop Kip.
Ont of old st. Paul's have eprung all
the Episcopalian churches in the city,
Epiphany, st. Johns, Ascension and
Christ. St. Paul's has al ways reokoned
among its members very many OF the
leading and influential citizens in the
city, and has lay constituency today of
which any parish might we'll be proud.
The present rector of the parish, the
Rev. John Gray. has been in charge
scarcely year, but the effects of his
vigorous administration are apparent ON
every hand. The church building has
been enlarged and rebuilt with dou BILE
its former seating capacity, 80 that now
st. Paul's is one OF the largest Episco-
pslian churches in the state, not except.
ing the largest churches in San Fran
cisco. The nave of the church ia now
140 feet ia length and has truly a verit-
bic cathedral appearance as one cutters
the sacred edifce. The building is now
q credit to the city as we'll as to its own
people. 1t will at once be seen, therefore.
that todayis services have large degree
of public interest attached to them.
Bishop Nichols makes q special trip
from San Francisco to reopen the build
ing and the clergy and vestries of all
the Episoopalian parishes in the city
have been invited to participate in the
exercises.
The musical portion Of the service
will be rendered by chorus of 55 voices
and quartette of solo voices, with or
gan, piano and orchestra. Mr. John
G. Dunster, organist and musical di-
rectar