The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-05-06

W MI
REV. WARREN C. PARTRIDGE,
Celebrated His Fifth Anniversary as Pas
tor of Penn Avenue Baptist Church.
church, Cooperstown. n. V, in 1882, and
after very successful four years work
received pressing invitation from the
Norwich. n. Y. church. where he la
bored from 1886 until 1890. in which year
he became pastor of the Penn Avenue
Baptist church. Since that time his
ministerial career has been brighter
each successive year. as the church sta
tistics attest.
During the past five years 500 new
members have been received into the
church, and of this number Mr. Part
ridge has baptized 331. This will show
an annual accession to the church
membership of over 100.
Two New Churches Organized.
1t IS of interest to note, however that
out of this large increase of member
ship, the Penn Avenue church has not
adopted selfish policy in maintaining
a large congregation. but has been busi-
ly occupied in mission work by organ
izing two daughter churches, one at
Dunmore, of which Rev. A. b. O'Neal is
pastor, and the Green Ridge Baptist
church, of which Rev. w. J. Ford is
pastor. To assist in the work of these
two churches $50 letters of dismsson
were granted to members who were
transferred. and 141 letters have been
cd tn fuyh
join other churches during the past five
years. Thirty-eight deaths have also
occurred during the same period in the
roll of membership. Notwithstanding
these considerable deductions the men,
bership today stands at s96
During the pastorate of Mr.. Partridge
over $50, 900 have been raised for all pur-
poses, and during the past two years the
last Indebtedness on the church build
ing, in the shape of mortgage for
IS. 900, has been discharged. The in
ly remodeled and refurnished at cost
of $4,000, and the large organ improved
at cost of $1,000.
Condition Of Sunday School.
The membership of the Sunday school
is at present the largest and most
fiourishng in the history of the church.
and last year raised the sum Of $1,000
for benevolent and mission work.
The church was beautifully decorated
yesterday with palms and other flowers
sent by Florist McClintock and men,
bers of the congregation. Mr.. Part
ridge preached an appropriate sermon
on the theme, Love Your Church.
Excellent music was rendered by the
large chorus choir under the director
ship of Charles F. Whittemore. At the
close of the service holy communion was
celebrated, when the following deacons
oficiated: Nathaniel Hallstead, Charles
Hall, David Atkinson, b. F. Fillmore,
DR.. l.. M. Gates, DR.. d. A. Capwell,
Charles Henwood, John Highfield,
Henry Browning. d. w. Schoonover
and j. Lawrence Stelle.
Sermon in the Evening.
At the evening sermon Mr.. Partridge
preached a thoughtful sermon to
large congregation. taking for his text
Psamls, cxxxvii: 5-6: ''If / forget thee,
o jerusalem let my right hand forget
her cunning. If / do not remember
thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof
of my mouth; If / perfer not Jerusalem
above my chief joy" During his dis
course he said:
Patriotism and religion were closely
blended in the life of godly Hebrew.
This psalm was probably written by
an exile in Babylon. 1t may have been
4 -, .tah 70
who had often participated in the sweet
music of the temple at Jerusalem
Under King NebuchadneZzar of the
Chaldeans. Palestine was conquered
about 600 b. c., and the Jews were
carried captives of war to Babylon
Jerusalem was razed to the ground
and the beautiful temple was destroyed
In a strange land the chosen people
of God lived In servitude.
Their captivity and sorrow was a
punishment for sin. In prosperity they
had forgotten Jehovah, and relapsed
into idolatry They were Influenced by
their heather neighbors, and wor-
shipped Baal and Ashboreth. AS a
punishment, God permitted their enc
mics to conquer them, and carry them
into captivity. They languished In
exile for 70 years. In chastisemeni
they repented and turned unto God for
help. In true penitence the Psalmist
expresses their sorrow for sin as they
long to return to their native country
"By the rivers of Babylon there we sal
down, yea we wept, when we remem-
bered Zion. We hanged our harps upon
the willows In the midst thereof"
Where They Sought Solitude.
On the banks of the Euphrates, the
Tigus and the Chabaras, and along the
banks of the artificial canals intersect-
ing Chaldea, the Hebrew captives
sought solitude to commune with the
God of their fathers. AS they thought
Of their homes destroyed, their vines
and fig trees cut down, their wives and
children sold into slavery, and their
temple destroyed, their cup of grief was
filled to overfiowing. The captives may
have been compelled to dig many OF
these canals and to repair their water
works. But beside the rivers Of Baby