The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-12-01
FREE FROM DEBT.
The Happy Event Celebrated In st.
Andrews Church Last Evening.

A good sized congregation was present
In St. Andrews Episcopal Church last
evening to give thanks for the liquidation
Of the church debt OF $4,000. Among the
clergy present. were;
Bishop Coleman, tho Rev. Charles e.
Murray, d. D., the Rev. Lyman p. Powell
OF Amber. Pa, the Rev. W. b. Bodine,
Christ Church, Christiana hundred; the
Rev. A. X. Walker, the Rev. George G.
Hall, the Rev. NJ. B. Dunlap. aud Lay
Reader Frederick w, Wright.
Rev. DR.. Charles f. Murray gave
history of the church.
''rhs first movement looking towards
tho foundation Of this church, he said,
was the desire of many of the inhabitants
OF Wilmington who wore attached to the
more conveniently situated than the Old
Swedes Church. The need thus felt led TO
tho formation Of the Episcopal Associa.
tion In the borough of Wilmington"
"On April 20 1916, committee was ap-
pointed to buy the Second Baptist Church
and the lot belonging thereto ut the north
east corner of Sixth and King streets.
In 1877, however, owing to circumstances
that had arisen, the lots that had been
Cured.
In June, 1928 divine service was held
In the Presbyterian church at Tenth and
Market streets (now the Historical Society
building1 with the Rev. I. Rowland Colt
as rector. In May 1879, the erection Of
church at the southwest corner Of Shipley
and Kent (now Eighth) Streets was com.
menced. The building was Of stone forty
five feet on Shipley street by tlfty-flve on
1899, by Bishop White of Pennsylvania ,as.
sisted by IL number of the clergy Of Penn
sylvania and Delaware. In 1899 spire
was placed on the @ burch und other i'm
provements were made. In January, 1910
the whole structure was destroyed by fire,
'"The Rev. w. H. Trapnefl, rector of tho
church, Issued an appeal for assistance,
80 feet and costing about $l1 900 had bcen
finished on the same site 1t was conse-
Grated by Bishop II. U. Onderdonk on Oc-
tober IT, 1870. Bishop Alfred Lee took |
temporary charge of The parish in June,
1S42, and accepted the rectorship July 80, |
1913, with about eighty communicates,
In 1853 The debt was liquidated and in 1864 !
tho church was enlarged at an expense of |
$4,000. In 1880 other improvements were |
$l3, ,0C0 was contributed, and the services !
resumed on St. Andrews Day 1880. BY |
means of systematic offerings tho debt |
was liquidated In seven years and to-day |
in the language of tho first bishop of the
diocese Rector Murray was able to say:
"Wo owe no other debt than that Of Chris.
tinn love-
Archdeacon Hall referred to the feast
of ST. Andrew.
Rev. W. b. Bodine, of Philadelphia, was
present and congratulated the congrega-
tlon. Bishop Coleman said that every
person present rejoiced at the change that
had taken place
He remarked that some people contend
church debts are good things to have in
parishes, but he dismissed this by taking
up the apostolic injunction: owe no man
anything" Some believe it is good for
one man to owe another, but he said, it
Is rank dishonesty for any man wilfully to
involve himself in any obligation about
he discharge of which he has any doubts.
Concluding ho said the people should
undertake the endowment and parish
'unds, and ho spoke Of the needs Of a par
sh building He also urged those present
10 remember St. Andrews Church in their
wills and test aments. Hs said that was a
natter OF the greatest concern and should
% considered carefully.