Smyrna times., 1895-04-24
FIFTY YEARS A STATION.
A DAY FULL OF "REMINISCENCES
AT THE n. E. CHURCH AND
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
ABLE SERMON OF DIR. ROCHE.

ABLE SERMON OF DIR. ROCHE.
e sunday was a red-letter dav for tn
q methodist Episcopal Church: a do,
tnat VIII be long remembered. It wa
tne oeml-Centenary of the organization
l. OF this charge into a station, and every
e thing was done by the pastor. Rev
: Auam Stengle, to make it an interest
ing occasion. COZ
The decorations were very becom.
r. ing. The chancel received most of tbt
stientlon IN this line, and was beauti
/, Iul reminder of springtime. The table
was bank of pOtted flowers of all va.
rletles and colors arranged in beautifnl
artistic styles. Above the nulnit
r stretching across the recess were the
} TWO Important dates that mark the 5Otb
annIversary-lS45-1S95. Thew were
made of evergreen in large. prominent
letters that could be distinguished from
any part of the auditorium,
The exercises opened with n grand
organ voluntary by Mrs. Marion Cover
dale followed by an appropriate anthem
from the choir.
In the pulpit sat Rev. DR.. John A
Roche, who was one of the first nastors
of this charge, serving here from 1910
10 1891; Rev. T. SnOwden Thomas
VINO Claims some relation to Smyrna as
| the place where he started into the
ministry, admitted during the Confer.
ehce OF 'ol; Rev I. H. Haynes, who
was ~ tne pastor of the charge from 1878
10 1880 AMI was, during his pastorate
J." cHarRe or the Centennial services
which marked the introduction of
methodism in this locality; and Rev.
AQam Steng!e, the present pastor.
IL was the intention of the pastor to
nave the members of the old choir TO
occupy the place of the present one
ana take charge of the service. but
owing to the mOdesiy of some this feat-
ure could not be carried out II i
remarkable that in the fifty years time |
mat so many of the original members
OF the hrst choir of the station are stilI |
liVlhg. Of the original choir Of 1845 |
the following are living: Mrs. M I
beWley, Mrs. Angelica Colt. Mrs lydia
meDowell, Mrs. Harriet CarroW GeOroe
~ collins, John H. H0flecker and W |
H. baggs, who came in the following
year. The deceased members arc
James Mcdowell Qeader) Mrs. Frances
blddie,- Mrs. Mary E. Pratt. Miss
martha Walker. Charles Eisenbrav
VINO was also a member of the choir is
sun living, in Philadelphia.
After the singing of the first bvmn
prayer was offered by Rev. T. Snowden
homas followed by reading of Psalms
during the offerory, L. NJ. Price Sane
a sweet tenor solo entitled "Tbe Nv
Jerusalem" 4'0"
y, Inc second hymn II Love Thv
church Oh God" was then imnreS.
Slve'y sung after which Rev. DR.. Roche
gave one of his strong sermons. :
REV. DIR. RoCHE's SERMON. t
j., Or; Roche took his text from Nehemiah I
'th chapter 10th verse: "Then he said nntn s
! iheih' go your way, eat%he fat, and drink S
ne i sweet ana send portions to them for |
'IoHl hothlng IS prepared: for this dav is s
ioly unto our Lord: neither be vo sorrv. :
or the Joy OF the Lord is your strength - >
Ills subject was, The Jov of tho ord = y
our W strength" treated under the follow A
, l. l. NJ Inc 10Y of the Lord is the strength of
2. The joy of the Lord is tho s,rou.., .
Il our labors. 'ioisth OF d
.. Ihe JOY. of the Lord is the STRENGTH in Sc
inning souls to Christ -" III "
we can IN this connection only pive in
rlet reference to the sermon wbio6 80 ot
laracterlzed with the well-knOwn vioow ~ m
le speaker as he was remembered in his m
- 'stGIate 81 Iorty years ago and more. and U
~ bon ,,Ne ian an octogenarlan in his SIND year y
heh most men instead of PREACHING - E'ii B
gor OF action and voice for an b6nr III w., tn
d minutes, would feel unqualified for sncb Sa
! , OCCASION 1t was an exhibition Of - Ia
ana physical strength so rare ne 70 Iii 20
+ sur surprise that the speaker could apnear p,
lresh at his close as when he started T.
y !: strong IN its conception, masterful in
notions awakened. "'S anu "a
ne SAID It was proper for nations and ro
urcnes ana families to observe the enocbs TT
tn9ir history like the one they were en- "
yea IN 1t outlined history. and In -
Saseu II rs an event 1t was such an oc- -
'ioh that mad called the Jews together IN nc
'Ir return from the Babylonish cantivitv Lao
ey naq met IN grand plaza and Ezra fin
2crlOe, was called to read the lou, - Nh
Lord before the whole peonIe and ~ ~ To-,
; ~, an oceoslon Of joy when thew eat tbo coyy
u ana drank the "sweets1 and go iOr
. oor!lohs TO those outside who had not Oe
t in the jubilee. "Au not Nc
n n celebrating the history of Metbodisr, ent
Dii rha' tnere was no one who had one
dd.eI occasion TO jubilate than bimseIf T
stoned by it TO nreeo veec a. us altar COM tioI
|
pastor TOT a term, and bound to il in tho "a'
y years OF his ministry by the strongest
most indissoluble ties isest
ne Oenetts he had received bv tho osso- T
ion OF his youth with the remaTksbIo tire
hInI anu women who composed this society rem
~ Lei ai, al "a eieVatlon, strength and ioy the
yeen the sober and -caooJ ogiil ParlsOn serv
ltlng and joyful Christian and sa;d 'he h as &
cnOseh the latter as his ideal os III utes
ier conception of the spirit of Christ nam
10 sermon was full of historical al trih,
;Gai incident to illustrate his position ~ tbas
the special heads above named IL.
.as 9Iso apt illustrations in poetry ss iist
Il :, ,yi,h ope oee apostrophe to death. be- onS
ovit Vital spark Of heavenly flame Phil
Vulb quit this mortal framep we +
u was acclaimed with marked dramatic "A
JqoIlng Hobbs, the infdel who could ma
y ueabn only that it is a lean in tbo | M
a, nc sald ne pitied the sinner who bsS claI'
tthhiiougn thiS e NE without preparation to nrst
myan n9J III MS Pilgrims Progress" had immt
: Nv b."I person of different tempera- new
NO moods d. n5'; gGne on the journey with fran,
lth. As tbev ',I ,on lucy came to the river deca,
D an anu Ine waves were gathering abont 40
Chrisuan began to quake and donbt 1T
wonder If indeed be would NOT he said /
i hh%;ay, out Hopeful said be courag. be ap
feel the solid rock nnder to d,
et, and just then hand was reached them
ana lltted them to the plains of glorv 81
they were ever after free from III .l SliuIo
ana dangers. The joy of the Lord raise
ieiT strength, and their victory in tho the
'nhict. - '"0 Joshu
Psaklng OF the help and inspiration fersou
received from the members Of 7fJ tbis steve
? IN MS younger days he said his noin,,
reverted instinctively to DR.. John ID PV.IS, .s1rt
lsy ,Ephraham Jefferson and Piner IN
leld, all of whom were local preacbers hereu
u character and acceptable 10 All the assist
i Judge Isaac Davis, a man of great severa
IN IN and out of the church: Jsmes and n,
well, lald how he remarked love the az
moryG Miss Jane Severson Mrs tho tho az az
daughter Of Judge Davis: Mrs .u .ne sc
Cummins, mother of the late Risbon Ine pu
ms Mary Mansfield, Mrs. Beckey The
OF the Landing; Mary Morris Den. amour
evenson, Charles Stevenson. Tbomas
:, Joseph Hofecker, joseph GsroS PSnjIan PPSSIjainl
on kogers, the colored sexton wo1i Denney
IN prayer ana testimony; and man, Ephrain
II he kept on would, he said oman Robert {
vide for him to present on this oc- Ben BBenl, re
oh tho bour mo-. -. Beniami