The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-02-04
THE ul9 STONE CHURCH
At fifth AN. WALNUT
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE
REV. LAFAYETTE MARKS, D. D.

Inc UtlulUlCnul use OF UneSe words Is TO
make them teach a lesson of economy.
We do not reach tle best results, perhaps,
by giving them such a meaning This
was wonderful provision upon which the
multitude had been fed. The fragments
that remained were to be gathered up not
so much for future use as for memorials
and reminders of the great work which
the Master had wrought The disciples
had mover seen it in this fashion, and
never were they to forget that he had thus
manifested forth his glory.
This present discourse will be recognized
as an e1ort to gather up some of the most
Important and interesting fragments re-
lating to one of our historical churches
The old stone church. has become q
thing of the past The old landmark
which our fathers erected has been re-
moved 10 make way for larger and
more commodious structure. 1t is our
hearts desire and prayer that the glory Of
the latter house may be greater than that
OF the former, and yet we must not forget
the glory of the former. Were they pos
sessed of tongue, what story might
those demolished walls tell of the struggles
and triumphs of the past Time would
fail me to tell of the changes through
which our city, our commonwealth and
our country have passed since those vener-
able walls were erected
The history of the old stone church
covers the entire period of our nations
origin and growth. The foundations of
this old structure were laid before tho
American Republic had taken her place
among the family Of nations, and during
its existence, Wilmington has grown to
be one of the most active and important
industrial cities in our country.
The history of every church enterprise
is identified largely with the history Of its
pastors. The record of Presbyterianism
in Wilmington is largely connected with
the origin and growth of the congregation
which occupied the church at Fifth and
Walnut streets.
The Rev. Joseph Smith was invited to
take charge of the church known as the
''Christiana Church." or more commonly
as "the Second Presbyterian church of
Wilmington, in Ire. He had previously
minstered to the church of Lower Brandy
wine, but owing to some division among
the people Of that charge, he was invited
to become the pastor of u new enterprise
in the borough of Wilmington, his hear.
ers being made up of some of his folmer
parishioners, and of others resident in
Wilmington.
Tho old First Church at Tenth and Mar.
ket, which is justly entitled to bo called
lhO VI / lI0l'N III OuE
city, dates its origin back to l740. There
is some probability in the suggestion of
Elizabeth Montgomery in her "Remnis-
cences Of Wilmington" that the First
Church was largely made up of the con.
verts Of George Whitfield We are in
formed that this celebrated preacher land.
ed at Now Castle after ten days passage
from Georgia, in 1879. He Immediately
began his labors in this region, preaching
in Chester, New Castle, Wilmington, Not
tingham, Fagg's Manor and White Clay
Greek, where 1t is said, he had an audience
of 5000 people, 5000 of whom were said to
be on horse back. Wonderful results at
tended the career Of the great pulpit ora
tor. All the churches in the community
felt the impulse Of his work. 1t was a
time when u great tidal wave Of religious
interest swept over our entire country.
Old churches were revived, and new ones
date their origin from that period.
But we must return to the history of
the second or Christiana church, founded
in l772, which rapidly increased under the
ministry of Rev. Joseph Smith, its first
pastor. He is represented by those who
knew him best, as a man of much piety.
learning and pulpit power We have no
time to quote from the numerous testi-
monies to his moral worth and extensive
influence in the community. He severed
his connection with the church in April
ITS. As we learn from the record, the
disturbed condition of the country" was
one of the reasons assigned for his with
drawal This was in the midst of the
great war of the Revolution, when many
churches were scattered and broken up,
and this will account for the fact that
the records of many of those early Ameri-
can churches are SO fragmentary and inn
perfect. This will explain why we are not
able to determine the exact period of the
erection of tho old stone church.
After leaving the Second Church, Mr.
Smith settled for short time in Adams
county, Pa and thence removed to Wash
ington county, Pa, where he spent the
remainder of his life in "labOrs abundant"
for the church of his choice. He died in
1702. He was one Of the first ministers to
carry the gospel west of the Allegheny
Mountains. He was an ardent patriot
and both he and his wife warmly espoused
the cause of American Independence The
following incident is we'll worth relating
During the progress OF the battle of
Brandywine the sound of tho firing of
cannon could be distinctly heard in Will
mington.
The wife of Rev. Jos Smith was confined
to her bed by illness, and shewas SO alarm
ed and distressed by the noise of the con-
flict at Chadds Ford that she gave birth
premuturCly to child. For many days
tho life of both mother and child were
dispairod of, but fortunately both reCov-
cred. That child-a little girl-bOrn with
in sound of the British artillery at Chadds
Ford, afterwards became the wife of one
eminent minister and the mother of
another
1t is probable though not certain, that
4 b,, oil a,tn pb,,pnh oh Il,r
after the settlement of Rev. Joseph Smith
in l772 or l1I3. At first it was u small,
but substantial structure of stone, without
galleries, or amy ornamentation whatever.
The circumstances of the congregation ad-
mittcd of no considerable outlay rs regards
the church building, 1t seems that for
several years they carried debt for build
ing material furnished by one John Ferris
who it Is said wrote "a bold and legible
hand" At length the above name was
signed to receipt in full in q bold and
legiblc hand" on which the trustees must
have looked with feelings of intense salts.
faction.
Rev. Joseph Smith was succeeded in the
pastorate of the church in 1779, by Rev.
VIM. Richmond Smith. The Congrcga-
tions of Lower Brandywine and the Sec
ond Church in Wilmington were still
united and conjointly made the call. Rev.
VIM. Smith was liccntiate of tho New
Castle Presbytcry, studied at Princeton
College and Seminary under the direction
of the celebrated Dr. John Witherspoon.
He was Of delicate constitution, md find
ing his laborS in Wilmington too great u
strain upon his physical health, was re.
leased In l705. Hu found the church In II
crippled and ddiscouragingoo condition, owing
ro the results Of the fierce struggle for in
but. during his pastoratG OF
10 years, the church was greatly built up
and inspired with hope for the future Tho
next name we meet on the list of pastors
Is that Of Rev. DIR. Thomas Read.
After the retirement Of Mr.. smith the
church was without a pastor for SycarS,
when u call was extended to Rcv. Thos.
Read then pastor of Il Presby ytcrian the
church of Drawers, near Odessa, where
he had done u great work for the Master
during period of thirty years. Hc was
installed in Wilmington April Bird, l7JS,
where no remained until tho inilrmtics
of age compelled his resignation in 1917.
During tho paStorate OF DR., Read tho
church became the strongest in the New
Castle presbytcry and The largest in this
region of the country. lIo came to Wi.
at time of great political ex-
citcment, and yet his firm and intelligent
grasp of public affairs seems always to
have preserved him from making any
mistakes. He too was great patriot and
always took The side Of his country.
He Is represented as tall and digniiiAd.
in his department grave, deliberate and
forcible in his speech. DR.. Read became
a prominent factor in the early history OF
our country and is deserving of far moro
attention than we shall be ab!o to give to
him. Not long after his settlement in
Wilmington mob assembled At the door
of the church with drum and fife and such