The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-08-02

Farewell services were held in the
Martins Ferry Presbyterian church
yesterday and were very interesting
end largely attended, the attendance
scarcely ever being larger. 1t was
necessary to press many chairs into
service in the morning. The floral dec
orations we're beautiful and the special
music was most interesting feature.
A number Of out of town people were
present.
There was an unusually large attend
ance at Sunday school. at which music
was furnished by a quarette consisting
OF Misses Verne Clark and Mary
Thomas and Messrs. VIM. specht and
Ernest G. Smith. and the latter sang
solo. Miss Bess Boyle presided at the
oruan. Rev. 5. j. Boyle, the pastor,
gave an interesting talk. retrospective
and prospective, and DR.. VIII II. Hall,
the Sunday school superintendent,
spoke. Dr. Hail. who has been con-
nected with the Sunday school many
years. said the first Sunday school in
Che northwest was organized at MARI
eta. o., over one hundred years ago,
and to-day In the United States there
nre 10000 Sunday schools. In these
schools there we're over 10000 teach
ers and officers. Every Lords Day
there are gathered into these schools
about 10000, 900 OF the youth of this
land. The same lesson is taught today
by over 100000 teachers. This Is the
grandest company OF unpaid laborers
ever marshaled. The Sunday school Is
the greatest agency and the cheapest
for the evaBgellZatlon OF the nation and
the world to-day. The Sunday school
is the future OF the church. The church
would die out in n hundred years II 1t
were not for the Sunday school. About
eighty.tive per cent. OF the additions to
the church come through the Sunday
school. Our Sunday school Is about
ffty-hye years old. The building
changes in 1866 and 1884 denoted prog
ress. and the new church to be erected
will mean much for the Sabbath school.
At the morning service in the church
Rev S. ]. Boyle preached grand ser
mon and made many local references.
He read a history of the old church and
letters from former pastors Of the
chruCh.
Rev. Boyle, VINO came to Martins
Ferry with the understanding that
new church was to be erected, said
there Is nothing pleasing or attractive
about the old building, and yet 1t Is
very dear to rs. Many look upon this
service as one OF the mile stones In life.
Mrs W. r. Dixon presided at the or
gan and the octette which sang con-
sisted OF Miss Ida Hoyle. Miss Mary
Thomas, Miss Verne Clark. Mrs. ]. G.
Gray. Mr.. Allan Mckee, Mr.. Albert
Specht. Mr. c. W. Hogle and Mr.. j. c.
Gray leader.
The services Of the Christian Endeav-
or societies in the evening were OF a me-
mortal character and these were fol-
lowed by farewell song service by tho
congregation, all OF which were quite
interesting.
At the evening service. Rev. DIR. Boyle
delivered a very strong and affecting dis
course. He was followed by Captain
Smith. the Oldest surviving elder OF the
congregation, who has been a Presbytcr-
ian Tor over sixty years. He spoke In
tcrrstngly Of the old church building
now about TO pnss away, and said the
trustees believed the new structure
would please all. II had been modelled
after the Presbyterian church In Mari
eta though larger.
The gIoun1 for the old church was
donated by lbencEer Martin, and oX-
tondod from Fourth to Filth streets.
The church was Organized after much
difficulty In lHl, At which time the Mar
TINS Ferry and Bridgeport Prcsbytcrl-
ans attended services at Wheeling, MI
Pleasant or Rock Illll and the objection
was made that n church at Martins
Ferry would hurt the churches at Rock
lllli aud MI. Pleasant. The original
membership N the congregation mum.
bored less than twenty The FIRST
church c1incc Wns a very plain Btruc-
tlIH, without tower or bOlfry, and un-
E.guv compared with the present
structure II was usunl for rain to
work through the roof and run down
ON 10 the floor and the worshlppofg
sometimes used umbrellas 10 prevent
water from fniiing Nh them. I'm thp old
structure the pulpit was IN the north
west corner Oud was Obsiructcd from
view bY several pillars which support
Dl the ceiling. The original building
was not 10 high nR the present one.
improvements were made In 1860 1875
mI 1855, Rev 6 ". cbaliaHt the ras.
tor helping TO build the towor In 1916.
liU wpr carpenter ana not only toni.
much Interest In the tower but worried
uH nurI Ua any other man on u,
ihu work NJ bu.ll ug thn tower In
lsii attracted much attention ana lIu
church was then considered baud.
fumu unluro rha present building
VIII Don be u thing M the past Tho
wu.k VI tearing down the bullduu viii
lu commenced IN Few dlyr undur
the Incorporation Of the church by