The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-01-14
A QUARTER CENTURY.
The 25lh Anniversary Of Cranston
Street Baptist Church.
Exercises Attending joyful Celcbra-
ton By Church and Sunday School.

tion By Church aud Sunday School.
The 25th anniversary Of the Cranston
Street Baptist Church was held yesterday.
The occasion also makes the 26th BIRTH
day of the Sunday School and the quarter
century post in the pastorate OF Rev. M.
III. Bixby, ID. ID.
At the forenoon service yesterday there
was q large attendance and the pastor
preached an eloquent and effective sermon
taking for his topic, "After Is years,
| What?" This text was from Hebrews xii,
IL: "Afterward 1t yieldeth the peaceable
fruits of rig ghteousness."
Gods hand has been visible through all
the years in the starting and training OF
this church, he thought, and the years
have been full of anxisty, care and toll.
What, after 20 years, has been gained
What ought we TO be and do?
| The general work during the 70 years
was detailed. There have been three
houses OF worship and two Sunday
schools, with nearly 1000 members in
both; an addition OF 1884 members to
the church and by experience and bap-
tism, 700.
During the 25 years fio have died, being
but about ten per cent. of those received
into membership.
| Looking forward, the pastor thought
that after the rs years his followers ought
to have good habits OF worship; they
ought to be better prepared to
sustain and exalt the pulpit in the preach
ing OF the Word of God; there ought to
be an attendance of at least 300 at the
prayer meetings; the whole church, as
rule, ought to attend the Sunday
School; the church ought to he
intensely interesting in character;
they ought to bs characterized by large
and steady Christian beneficence; they
ought to be . powerful evangelizing
agency in the city.
| The church was handsomely decorated
and the music, which was well rendered,
comprised the following:
Organ prelude; march, "Athalia," Men
delssohn; "Te Deum" in +, Belcher; Offer
tory, "Light from Heaven" Gounod, the
solo by Miss Harriet Il. Barrows, the vio-
lin obiigato by Mr.. Henry Faucher.
| The Sunday School Program.
| Beginning at 2:45 o'clock, the Sunday
School celebrated its anniversary by ap-
propriate exercises under the direction Of
Superintendent H. Z. Maine. The secre-
| tary and treasurer rendered satisfactory
reports, and there were songs by the
choir and school.
Mrs. NJ. H. Bixby read memorial paper
and Rev. N. +. Wood, ID. D., OF Boston,
made an address.
Evening Observance.
In the evening exercises OF most i'm
| pressive character were held and the at
tendance was exceedingly large.
Following is the program:
| Prelude, offertoire in A fiat, z. M.
Read, Mr.. Sanford K. Hawkins, organist; ;
"Gloria," Mozart's 18th Mass, choir; re-
sponsive Scripture reading, Isaiah iv., 1-3
and 6-13, "Hol everyone that thirsteth."
Sunday School, led by II. E. Maine, super
intendent; prayer, Rev. DIR. Bixby;
hymn, $40, Saviour, Like aShephard Lead
U.s."
"The Voices of the Years." historical
poem by Miss Abbie M. Harvey, repre-
sented by rs young ladies each giving the
history of year. Observation-Disclosures
Miss e. Z. Gomstock; Years-1st, Miss
Mary A. Arnold; I'd, Miss Idella M.
Palmer; Sd, Miss A. Elita Aver; 4th, Miss
Clara r. Hawkins; 9Th, Miss Mary A..
Harris; 9Th, Miss Bertha e. Salisbury |;
7th, Miss Isabel II. Fish; Sth, Miss
Florence N. Lawton; 9th, Miss Edith b.
Wilcox; 10th, Miss Ethel q. Kenyon;
11th, Miss Edith A. Page; 18th, Miss
Marion l.. Bottomly; 18th, Miss Cora M.
Skiff; 14th, Miss Mary II Stark; 18th,
Miss Alice l.. Rathbone; 10TH, Miss Edith
l.. Barrus; 18th, Miss E. Gertrude Tiff;
18th, Miss Gertrude l.. Simmons; 10Th,
Miss Mary L. Owen; Goth, Miss Grace
II. Parker; 2ist, MISS Carrie b.
Moore; 22d, Mrs. Fannie j. Carter;
23d, Miss Ethel A. Woods; oath Miss
Maud H. Perrin; 25th, Miss Phebe
A. Rathbone; New Year, Miss Nellie
Hall; Stranger, Miss Julia Pepper.
| Anthem, "Thee Will We Worship" Por-
ter, rendered by the quartet; soprano,
Miss Harriet K. Barrows; tenor, Mr.. o..
A. Jillson; alto, Mrs. 0. A. Jilison; bass,
Mr.. Il. Merle Bixby.
The "Voices of the Years" was an ex-
ceedingly pretty living historical review
and was most enjoyable.
President Andrews of Brown University
made an address in which he paid glow
ING tribute to DIR. Bixby and his part in
the growth of the church. He also con-
graduated the members, who had stood
loyalty by their pastor and emphasized
the fact that this unity has made the
church the most remark kable one, with a
record and history hardly to be duplica-
ted in the country.
Other Meetings.
The anniversary exercises will extend
over tonight aud tomorrow. This even
ing at 1880 o'clock the following program
| will be observed: Organ voluntary;
anthem; reading, Scripture; prayer, Rev.
I. Z. Bartlett; hymn, "The Voices of the
the Years." repeated by request; addresses
by Rev. +. c. Moore, Phi. d.. Rev. Floyd
w. Tomkips, Jr.; Rev. @. l.. Gleason Of
Haverhill, Mass; Rev. Henry M. King,
/ II II racanfion given To the naator in