The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-02-04

1t became necessary to fall back to
1 more advantageous position before en-
| gaging in general battle. Washington
! becoming concerned about his safety il
the presence of larger and better disci
plined force, and not being acquainted
with the roads leading to Chadd's Ford
held council of war at midnight. Col
Duff, an officer on Washington's staff
said to him, There is but one man in this
whole country who can extricate us from
our present difficulty, DR.. Thomas Read. u
Mount and bring him without a mo.
ment's delay" was the command of
Washington, and Immediately the Colonel
was on his way to execute it, After ridin G
five miles in haste, he reached the house
Of DR.. Read at 12 o'clock at night and i n
ten minutes he was at the door and in the
saddle and both under whip and spur for
tho camp
In half an hour they had covered the
whole distance over bad road and DIR.
Read was introduced to Washington in
his tent. He soon mapped out the whole
adjacent country with all the roads and
by-roads accurately marked out and by
means of this assistance Washington was
enabled to effect safe retreat to Chadds
Ford, where the general engagement was
afterwards fought. This incident is re-
lated on the authority of DR.. Read him.
self n"Spragues Annals of the American
Pulpit"
Dr. Read was a truly loyal and patriotic
citizen. He was always ready by word and
deed to lend helping hand to the cause
of his country. At the opening of the War
of Independence with forty or fifty of his
neighbors he armed himself and marched
to Philadelphia. The fortunate issues Of
the battles of Trenton and Princeton, rem
dered it unnecessary that they should be
enrolled.
DR. Read exercised sort OF Patriarchal
influence over the churches in this com
munity as long as he lived, and was be.
loved by all because Of his wise and help
full sympathy. He departed this life
serenely, June 14tb, 1923, in the seventy
seventh year Of his age. 1t was during
the pastorate Of DR.. Read that most
connection with the old stone church.
This was in 1914. The immediate results
were great and the lasting influence is felt
even to this day. This revival began
about the close of June, when DR.. Patter-
son and DR.. Blackburn, noted evangelists
from the West, attending the sessions of
the General Assembly in Philadelphia
came down and commenced preaching in
the Church. Their labors were blest from
the very start so much so that The whole
community was affected by their efforts.
The people seemed unwilling to leave the
church after the services were over Many
fingered about the pulpit to pray and to
inauire what they must do to be saved.
The sword of the Spirit, welded by these
eminent men of God, wonN great and i'm.
mediate victory. The movement was too
large and Intense to be confined to one
church. Presbyterians, Methodists, Bap-
lists and Episcopalians, all began to take
part in it and their ministers were found
working together in perfect accord. Con-
verts were multiplied in all these churches
and moral uplift was given to the whole
community. Places Of business were fre'
uuently closed that their occupants might
have time to wait upon the Lord. Never
was the idea of Christian unity more fully
exemplilied. The Fourth of July 1914
was observed in most peculiar manner.
The religious interest was so great that 1T
was resolved in a public meeting to spend
the day, not in the usual festive and noisy
manner, but in the solemn and grateful
worship of God.
All denominations united in the move.
ment The day was spent by holding a
Dublic service in the Presbyterian Church
in the morning repeating it in the Bap-
tist Church in the afternoon, and conclud-
ing at night in the Methodist Church.
- Never before nor since has the anniver-
ary of our National Independence been
this circumstance as indicating the deep,
religious sentiment pervading the whole
community. Many persons prominent in
the affairs of our city, date their change
of heart to the influence of that great re-
yiyal. Out of 1t grew efforts and organi-
cations which became potent factors in
the future history of our commonwealth.
The first sabbath school of which we
have any knowledge in this region was or.
l,, III
church in October 1874, of which the pres.
ent Sabbath school of Hanover Church is
the legitimate successor.
1t was in that same year that devoted
WOmon began to gather the ignorant and
neglected children of the community Into
day schools, which paved the way for our
present system of popular education 1t
was then also that tine famous Harmony
Society was organized, soClotV Whlch
has been continued down to the present
day, and which has done IL work of which
time would fail me to speak. The minute
book of that society tells story that Is
we'll worth reading. The members gave
themselves to self denial and hard work.
They cultivated vnCant lots, raisou grain,
fruits and vegetables and sold them in
order to raise money for missions and for
the education of young men for the Min.
istry. A more devoted and useful band
OF women has HeNeI DtSh hhoNh III 'hiS
community.
Rev, f, ". Gilbert, D. D., was called
to the pastorate of the Second Church iii
1918, May Goth, and continued until 1891
when he resigned to take charge OF Della
ware College, where he remained until
1886, when he was recalled to the church.
remaining until 1871, when he was invited
a second time to take charge OF Delaware
College. His whole connection with the
church in both pastorates was about 20
Years He was a man OF remarkable
power, an accomplished theQlogian, Keen
iogician and ready dobater. Ho loved
controversy merely for the sake Of truth,
and always maintained the respect of
those with whom he had occasion to meas.
uro swords in argument.
He was small in stature. and always
spoke in shrill penetrating voice. He
was perhaps the best equipped and most
influential of the early pastors OF the
church. A member of tho society Of
Friends one day meeting n prominent
member of Dr. Gilbert's church accOstcd
him as follows: "My friend havo weigh
ed thy preacher in the balances and | have
found him wanting" There was sur
prised and somewhat painful expression
on tho face of the latter, when the former
added, 81 find that he only weighs 80 odd
pounds .,
Inc tDuFCu grew uuNCl H. VIZ
berts ministry. Many of the leading
people in this city owned his power and
were attracted to his church. There were
large ingatherings from time to time, espc-
cialy during revivals which occurred in
1921, 1928 and 1872 These rCvivals led to
the enlargement of the hGu,e Of worship
in 1922 and finally to tho building Of the
present Hanover Street Church in lS99,
into which most of the people worshtpping
in the old stone church followed Dr. Gil. |
bert in that year. The question Of en-.
larrihg the old church had been agitated
for years, but nothing was done until ls9!,
when galleries were built on three sides,
and tho pulpit changed to suit the new
order of things. An addition of Is feet was
also made to the length of the building |
Square box pcws were arranged up stairs
and OIL the lower floor, which caused |
many of the people to sit with their bNckS
and sides to the pulpit, an arrangement
that would not he without some advantage |
both to the speaker and the hearer
After DR. Gilbert and most of ths con |,
had withdrawn from the Old
Stone church to enter the now Building at !
the corner Of Sixth and King streets, then |
known ms Hanover st. Church those WlJ |
remained in the old building, extended n !
call to Rev. Robert Adair, who was in
stalled as pastor in November 1929, Mr.. ,
Adair continued pastor OF The church |
until 1898 He was succeeded by Rev, |.
d. Pickunds who was settled in 1855 AMI |
dismissed in 1896, At that time, the con.
grogatlon found it best for financial ana