The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-12-11
ALL WERE PASTORS.
Reunion Services In the New Ma'hewson
Street Church.

4 SuSSt NuuISus
A unique and very pleasant ana graft
WING feature OF the continues celebra'
tion exercises In tho new Mathewson
Street Mothodisr Church last evening
consisted Of reunion of the former pas
tors OF the church. Those present were
Rev. M. }. Talbot, ID. D., pastor 10000.
now OF Providence; Rev. Edgar II. Clark,
pastor 1s70-73. now OF Taunton, Msss.
Kew. Jesse Wagner, pastor 1S5l-S2, now
OF AlIston, Mass. Rev: Nichols 4. Viii
tsker, ID. D., pastor 15s4-s7. now Of Fitch
burg, Mass, and Rev. Henry Tuckley,
ID. d., pastor 1sS7.s9, now OF Spring
| field, Mass. Letters were received from
number of others who we're unable to
be at the meeting.
Rev. Dr. Talbot presided and Presiding
Elder Rev. T.. &. Bass offered prayer.
Rev. Mr. Talbot gave a short historical
sketch OF the church ministery, saying
| tkat only six members now remein in
the church who were mem bers when he
was pistor, in 1854. In the history of the
church there have been % pastors, IN
cluding several who served less tnsn q
year. OF these six are now dead.
beginning with 1854 all, with two ex-
ceptions, are now slive, numbering IL.
or these seven are no longer in the min
i,terisl service, five being teachers. Nine
OF the number have been presiding elders
and II have been delegates To the General
Conference.
letter was read by J. L.Webster from
Mrs. Patton, widow of Rev. David Pat
ton, first pastor of the church.
Mar. Webster stated that but four OF the
original mem bers Of the church remained,
his wife and himself oeing two of he sur.
vivors. "rhe successor of DR.. Patton and
the first TO hold services in the church
was Rev. Robert NJ. Hatfield, now dead.
He was followed by Rev.W. 4. Howe, who
is also dead, and Rev. Henry 5. White,
pastor in 1S55-5G."
letter was then read from Rev. Mr..
White, now located ct Romeo, Mich.
The next pastor still living is Rev. Sid
neyDean, OF Brookline, NJ ass, from whom a
letter was read. He was followed by Rev.
James II. Mccarthy. now Of Washington,
who also sent letter.
Rev. Edgar +. Clark, pastor 1S70-73,
was the first OF the sformer pastors to
speak. After referring to those now
passed beyond the barrier, he said: "One
OF the nryt things characteristic OF this
church has been its large salaries, with
their frequent Increases The church lie
declared to be the best in the Conference
for that, by its influence and action fore
ing other churches to ais raise the sala-
ries OF their pastors. 'For rene violence,
1t stands without peer. / remember
raised In 10 minutes for sister church
then being built in South Providence
"There was always an air of sociabil-
ity about the church that / have never
seen equalled in all the 80 years of my
ministerial experience" He spoke of
the revival lasting two years that took
place during mis- pastorste, referring to
the spirit OF joyfulness that characterized
it,a spirit OF joyful religion, destined to
revolutionize the church, opening a new
era, an era OF joyful repentance.
The next pastor was Rev. William X.
Worth, and a letter from him, dated at
Lynn, Mass, was read.
Rev. Jesse Wagner, pastor in lssi-S2,
saId he deemed it q great honor to be in
troduced as former pastor of this
church. He came here on the first Sap-
bath in November, 1881, and spent here |
what he declared to be five of the hsp-
pisst months in his life. Rev. MIR. wag-
ner endorsed he.remsrks OF the preced-
ing speaker OF the generosity shown by |
the church, speaking of his own case,
when full salary was allowed him for the |
time he led the church. He closed by |
asking the divine blessing for the church |
and it's members.
Rev. Mr.. Whitaker rejoiced ia the
growth Of the church, and referred to
the sociabiiity and financial liberality
pointed out previously. 81 came here"
he said "snd found a whole-souIed,
generous hearted people. gathered here
lessons that have since neen very fruitful
Much Of the success of the mininstry In
the last ten years in this conference ha,
been due to the whole hearted work OF
this church."
Rov. Mr.. Whitaker spoke of Methodist
belief in q movable salvation as allied
10 that other principle of the common
brotherhood OF man, and as the founds-
ion of the Methodist faith and the work
,f tho church. He congratulated tho
Street Church on its in
creased opportunities and grander means
or the Advancement of the cause here.
Rev. Henry Tuckley, who came to the
,astorate of the church from the West.
eferred pleasantly to the New England
'ustoms of beans and clam dinners, ana
aid that he had learned here great and
impressive lesson in regard to the financial
,onor Of the people in this part of the
ountrv referring to his surprise during
lis psstorate to find at tho spring coll
ection that every dollar subscribed
hould have been accounted for and al
ollected. ~ feel" be said, "that al
hough you have raised q large sum.
nuch of which is still unpaid, IL will be