The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-08
FIVE YEARS THEIR PASTOR.
REV. DIR. sCHAEFFER's ANNIVER-
SARY SERMON.

The History of the Church Reviewed.
Impressive Scene at the Closing of
the SerYice-The Sunday Schools
Annual RaIIy-Dr. schaeffer's Adj
dress to the Children.
The fifth anniversary of the pastorate of
Rev. W. c. Schaeffer of the Lutheran
Church Of the Ascension was celebrated at
the church yesterday by appropriate and
impressive ceremonies.
In his discourse the history of the church
was reviewed by Rev. Schaeffer in a gen.
eral way and many things called to mind
which had transpired between the mem
bers of the church and the pastor. AL
lusions were made to the manner in which
God had guided the church in the five
years OF service and to the aid that had
been given the pastor by the hearty CO.
operation Of the members. What is in
store for the church in the future was
pointed out in a way that gave much en-
enlargement. Hand in hand and heart
in heart" said DR.. Schaeffer. ''let us gather
about the cross of Christ and in this new
day of our anniversary as pastor and peo-
pie, let US renew our conservation to the
Lord Jesus and move forward"
The service was concluded by hearty
Misunderstanding, into which the members en-
tered with much love and enthusiasm.
The very high regard in which Rev.
Schaeffer is held by his congregation was
thoroughly demonstrated by this conclu-
sion of the service, the principal feature of
which was the many expressions of good
will extended and the promises of renewed
energy in the great work that is to be
done by the church.
The evening service at this church was
a grand rally of the Sunday schooLN By
singular coincidence, the anniversary of
the pastorate of Rev. Schaeffer and the
rally day Of the Sunday school have been
thrown together The scene at the church
at night, when the school filed from the
Sunday school rooms below to the church
above, was very impressive and empha-
sized the magnitude of the school. The
column of boys and girls marched up the
center aisle to the alter, where they divid-
ed and proceeded to the side aisles and to
the pews. Banners were carried by the
pupils, and they sang in concert while
entering the church.
Supt. w. B. Spann first read his report.
IT consisted of a review of the work of
the Sunday school for the past year. He
especially requested that the parents see
TO it that the boys came to Sunday school,
and stated that their absence was notice
able The grim reaper had not called any
of the officers or members of the school.
While the membership of the school dur
ing the year did not increase as much as
1t might, yet il is altogether satisfactory
The report of Mr.. c. E. Stanton, the sec
rotary and treasurer, was read. 1t was
exceedingly gratifying to the members of
the school, and showed a record which
must be a credit to any church. The re-
port showed that the attendance for the
year, including the number of visitors,
was 1893, the average for each mon tn
being over a thousand. The report fur
Their showed the number of new pupils re-
ceived during the year to be &c. the num-
Der who left As; officers on the roll II :
teachers on roll Al; total number of schol-
ars in Sunday school $40 Mrs. W. H.
Powells class had contributed s7299. the
largest amount of any class during the
year. and, therefore, received the banner
for the ensuing term. The girls infant de-
partment contributed $500, and received
the honors of that department. The re-
port revealed the total collections for the
year to be $74L95 the average of which
was over S6U per month.
Under this head," continued the report,
ton be made of Miss Gussie Bieber's class,
whose contribution, though not sufficient
to win the prize was yet very creditable.
Also to the handsome picture, 1.-The Life of
Christ" which was presented to the
school by Mrs. H. Z. Dreeson during the
year. l am happy to state that we have
had no deaths in the school for the year.
The exercises were continued with songs
and rectations by the pupils, after which
| the rally was concluded with an address
by DR.. Schaeffer. In his talk he said:
This is my anniversary. l want to say
that l am very fond of the boys and girls
who constitute this school. When l first
became the pastor of this church and met
you then as / do now. But as our rela-
ant, they have ripened into genuine love,
the tenderness and sincerity of which
will not attempt 10 express.
Il share the joy which your superintend-
ent tells in the good report which he has
made. a gentleman sitting by my side
remarked that he had never heard such a
report before. Parents have co-operated
with the officers of the school and that is
the cause of our success" Continuing,
Rev. Schaeffer referred TO the number of
boys who were roaming on the streets of
Savannah and not attending any Sunday
school at all. He said there were 1900
boys in Savannah, and that only 1000 of
the number attended the Sunday schools.
He concluded his remarks with an earnest
plea that parents influence their children
to attend the church and embrace every
advantage which was offered to train the
young TO move through the world in the
right channel.