The Washington times., 1895-05-06
Anniversary Celebrated by Con-
gregatiOns and Their Pastors.
THE BIBLE soCIETY's WORK
Rev. Joseph t. Kelly Reviews His Con-
nection With Fourth Presbyterian
Rev. w. e. Parson Enjoys Retro
spect, and Elder Power, of Garfield
Memorial, Counts Four Years With
His People

Sicey dlSo loOheu bdch upon more INan three
score years of work
The services at the Fourth Presbyte-
rian Church, corner Grant place and Ninth
street. were of more than usual interest
yesterday morning. The occasion was
the twenty-first anniversary of the ordi-
nation of the pastor, Rev. Joseph T.
Kelly, and the eleventh year of his
pastorate of the church The church was
handsomely decorated and the services
Were largely attended
Rev. Mr.. Kelly took his text from Acts
xxvi:22, Having therefore obtained
heip of God, / continue unto this day
witnessing both small and great, saying
none other things than those which the
prophets and Moses did say should come"
The text was made applicable to the
discourse. which was a brief review of
Mr.. Kelly's ministry in the work of God
and the progress of the Fourth Church
during his connection with ii since 1874.
Rev. Mr. Kelly first referred to the
deep interest taken in the shaping and
directing OF the early course of his life
by the former pastor of the church, Rev.
John Z. Smith, TO whose influence and
ADVICE his success is greatly due While
still student at the theological seminary
he was persuaded by Rev Mr., Smith
to connect himself with the Fourth Church,
and the Kindness and encouragement with
which he was met by the people of the
congregation will always be one of his
dearest and sweetest recollectious.
NOT ALL EASE AND PROMISE.
"All these years, however," he said,
''have not been years of ease aud bright
promise; they have been filled with trial
and hardships and perplex exities aud feel
if it had not been forthe loving remembrance
and influence and advice OF my early
preceptor and friend, DR.. Smith, / would
have given up the task in encouragement
During the first ten years OF my work
had the advice and devotion OF Mr. Smith,
but unfortunately an accident to him at the
end OF that time devolved the whole work
or the charge upon me. The regard and
consideration with which / was treated
by the Older members of the congregation
whom i visited then is still clear to me
and memory is busy four score. During
all these years the church has been held
faithfully to the principles and the faith
that marked its earlier history. The
chief feature OF the church life being Bible
study"
In his capacity as pastor Dr. Kelley has
delivered 1900 sermons or addresses
and spoken at over 1000 prayer meetings,
solemnized 214 marriages, condu cted
ESQ funeral services and baptised 3I6
persons, 50 of whom were adults
The music during the service was rem
dered by a chorus of fifty voices under
the direction of Mr. A. B. Kelly, organist
OPPOSED TO SENsATIoNALIsM
CP+
of the Reformation, on Pennsy lvania
avenue, near Second street southeast,
is opposed to the sensational methods
which he described as having been adopted
by some ministers for increasing attend
ance, and FILLING a church TO the door,
He does not indorse the advertisement
of sensational topics for Sabbath evening
discourses, nor in winning the populace
as hearers by attacking those not of his
faith.
The sixteenth anniversary OF DR. Par
sons church organization and of his pas
torate occurred yesterday and he preached
a special sermon in commemoration of the
event. His theme was: The idea
church member" and his sermon was
based upon the text: This also wish,
even your perfection" found in ii Corin-
thians:xiii, 8.
He said III part that st. Paul did not
expect those to whom he addressed his
letter to stand up and declare themselves
as being SO holy as to be beyond the pos
sibility of evil There is q difference.
he said, between perfection and ''perfec-
tionism." The ideal church member is
one who acknowledges and exemplifies
in his life the duty of the Christian To the
church.
The pastor congratulate his church
upon its long period of harmony, and him
self upon having charge of a church which
is not given to strife. The ideal church
member does not know how TO fight, he
said. and would as soon think of engaging
in household warfare as congregational
chickering's and contention. He Will throw
his whole soul into the membership, and
be loyal to his church without bigotry.
The Pharisee was a bigot, and yet it is
sometime proper that we should be thank
ful we are not as other people.
STICK TO YOUR OWN CHURCH.
Don't leave your own church for sem
sational services advertised for Sunday
night" he counseled. Love your own
church and give preference and best efforts,
but do not attack Others"
Referring to the proposed potato patch
plan" of disbuTsing charity, he said: II
suspect it will make every bushel of
potatoes cost 81 when they should sell
for 60 cents and then probably the philan-
throphists at the head OF the scheme will
have to plOw the ground, put in the seed,
and Keep the bugs off the vines, and some
people viii even refu Sc to accept the
potatoes unless they are salted before
they are delivered.
'.Do not attend the special attractions
advertised in sensational way for Sunday
observance. Do not attend so-called sa-
cred concerts The working man who cries
at1t for c,vah for rfas mn OF
recreation will eventually find his week
day labor more arduous and harder to per-
form from the very fact that the Sabbath
is no longer a day of rest. :"
The church choir, composed of Mrs W.
E. Parson, soprano; Mrs. Emma Brock, alto;
Mr. Skerritt, tenor; Mr.. Myers, bass, and
Mrs. Hamilton Bayley, organist. rendered
some choir music appropriate to the oc-
casion, and as further special feature the
pulpit was elaborately decorated with
flowers.
The church organization was formed
twenty three years ago by the present
pastor. Later Mr.. Parson went to Japan,
where he remained five years as a MEM
Der of college faculty. Upon his return
the congregation built the present church
edifice, and engaged the pastoral sery-
ices of Mr.. Parson, who has ever since Of
ficiated. The church has membership of
three hundred
NINTH STREET CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
Yesterday marked the completion of
the fourth year of the Ninth Street Chris
tan Church, and pastor and people joined
in thanksgiving for the great good which
they have been able to accomplish.
The organization of this congregation
was due to desire on the part OF Elder
F. d. Power, of Garfield Memorial Church,
to further the influence and interests of
the Christian denomination in the north
eastern section of the city. He laid the