The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-11-28

dence church. Elder Fuller continued in
active and devoted service until Nov. "a,
1881. when God called him home.
who can estimate the value Of his ex-
ample of service and prayers in the
church of his love and the community
where his Cody walk and conversation
were constant living argument In favor
of the religion he professed and the
Saviour he loved. How true of him. He
visited the fatherless and widow in their
afiiictions and kept himself unspottcd
from the world. He held the Office of
clerk Of session from the beginning until
January G. 1879. when by reason OF age
and inflrmity he laid down the Office.
NO EXCEPTION TAKEN.
This is testified TO by the fact that 10
exception was ever taken in the Presbytery
to the minutes of the First church and
thus n precedent was established which
has not been broken and which the present
clerk ana his successor may well heed. The
church has had the following pastors and
supplies: Rev. n. g. Parke. who min
istered to the infant church for the first
six months: Rev. Jacob ID. Mitchell d.
D., installed April II, 1850. resigned Oc-
tober, 1858; Rev. John +. Baker, Installed
May, 1854, resigned January IA, 1855; Rev.
Milo J. HiCkOk, ID. D., installed August
5, 1850 resigned April, 1868; Rev. Samuel
G. Logan, ID. d.. installed September g.
1869, resigned February ., 1852; Rev. James
Mcleod. the present pastor, who was
installed November q. 1898
During the absence of Rev. Dr. 1lickO.S
in Europe, Rev. w. w. Atterbury, of New
York, supplied the pulpit and during
similar vacation of ReN. DIR. Logan,
Rev. Samuel A. Wilson. ID. D., of Louis
VILE Ky, acted as supply to the great
pleasure and edification of the congrega-
tion.
The church has had the service of
twenty-five elders Charles Fuller, 80
years; y. Il. Hutchinson, II years: James
Harrington, II years; Samuel Sherred. 20
years; Charles +. Mates, IS years; Geo.
Fuller, 10 years; f. A. Lawrence, 3 years;
r. NJ. Arnold, years; Alfred Hand. II
years; Robert Blake, 4 years; Edward
Judson, 4 years; w. NJ. Showers, IL years;
Charles II. Doud, "a years; William II.
Platt, y years, Alexander w. Dickson,
q years; Henry a. Knapp, 10 years; Thos.
H. Watts, 10 years; Louis +. Mates, 3
years. Samuel l.. Foote. six months; Will
lin Il. Plumly. li2 years; Frederick X.
Tracy. 1i2 years; Harry G. Mckenzie, liz
years.
Owing to the destruction by fire of the
records of the congregation it is impos-
sihc to get at the names of all those VINO
have served the church in temporal af-
fairs, but among all the efficient servants
of the congregation who have by wise
counsel and carcfdl business methods
kept tho church fair towards the world
and owing no man anything two men may
be mentioned who without invidious COM
parison or fear of criticism stand to-
Emh"r and are memorable as model
trustees, these were the late Charles y.
Mates and William w. Manness, who
by patient labor and diliCent and pains
taking care served their church as they
served their God with a whole heart and
"A willing min1-Nith thpDn a them
the church has been ably served In tho
capacity of trustee by many of the wisCs.
and best men in the church. who with
great unScltiShnCSs have done their part
in keeping the church free from debt
while they have also cheerfully done all
that was required of them in the drec-
tion of true progress and vigorous admin
iStration.
BENENOLENCE OF CHURCH.
A short sketch of the benevolence Of
the church may be of interest. There
have been reported to Prestytery and
credited To the church upon the records
Of the GCncral Assembly the following
contributions:
For home missions ....................sl0I .9G5
Foreign missions NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 1854
Board of education .................. ~, ,'S3
Publication and Sabbath school
work .....................,... o,3i2
Church erection NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. j3.527
Ministerial rei"f ....,................ 32,oOi
Freedmen ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1i,6f7
Synodical suStcntation .............. S,l54
Aid for colleges Observation-Disclosures. z,l30
Bible society ......,. ......,.. ......... I51
Anniversary reserve fund ........ rs
miscellaneous .........................1 $50
For the first twenty-five years s2OS ,337
and for tho past twenty-five years s256,-
l62, or a total of s464, 499.
In the miscellaneous column are placed
such items as are not directly under the
charge of the boards or committees OF
the church, for instance. the tract So
| ciety. the American Sunday School union,
the Young Mems and Young Women s
| Christian associations, hospitals. Home
for the Fricndless and other charitable
| causes which appeal to the members of
our churches.
No record is here made of the large
| amount contributed each year for the
churCh's housekeeping expenses and re-
! ported under the head Of congregations
but 'if he who provides not for his
own household is worse than an infidel,"
| our church is surely not hcrCtiCal
The records show that there were dis
| missed eighty-eight persons to Join IN
| the organization of the Second Presbyto-
| rian church on June 90, 1874 and that the
| sum of $3,l66.S3, a portion of the memo
| rial fund of 1871, was paid over to II. NJ.
| Boies, treasurer of the Second churcn,
| and that on September 80. 1874, the chapel
| fund collected by Elder william II. Platt
about s400, was paid over to the trustees
| Of the Green Ridge Presbyterian church,
| to which church on June Ii, 1875 we dis
missed six members who took part in its
| organization on June "a of the same year.
| There was also dismissed OH February
H. 1891. eight persons to unite in the or
ganization of the First Presbyterian
| church of ElmhurSt.
| MEMORIAL FUND.
The records show that this so-callad
| memorial fund of 1871 was raised TO COM
| memorate the reunion of the old ana new
| school branches of the church and that
! a part of it was used to build the lecture
! room and furnish the church with an or
| gan, the balance uncXpendcd being pc id
! over to the Second church.
| The Sabbath school work of the ChurCn
| has from the beginning claimed and re-
Ceived the hearty support of the pas
tors and members of the church--for the
early history of the home school and the
| mission connected with and supported by
| the church ! cannot do better than to re
! fer YOU to the excellent and comprehen.
| sive paper read by the late Mr.. j. Cur
| It's Platt at the twCnty-ffth anniversary
| where he tells i'm a most interesting way
| of the organization Of the Union Sunday
school-of the Juvenile Missionary assO.
citation Of the Pine Brook school the
| Hickory street school, the Briggs shaft