The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-09

Bishop NJ. n. Gilbert delivered his
eighteenth anniversary address before
a large audience yesterday morning at
Christ church. He reviewed the prog
ress both in spirituality and material
things made during the period by
Christ church, which he characterized
as tie parent church of EpiscopaliSm
in Minnesota. In opening Bishop Gil
bert said it had been his custom for
eighteen years to deliver a sermon in
Christ church the second Sunday after
Christmas, and he had only missed the
occasion once. and that was a year ago,
caused by circumstances which We're
beyond his control The speaker said
1t was always an anniversary day to
him, as it was the day when he first
assumed charge of the Christ church
parish. Conditions in st. Paul, both
commercially and spiritually, had
changed greatly since that time.
He came to St Paul as young man,
a Stranger among the people of the city,
and it was with great pleasure that he
looked back over the work, as he cher
ished many pleasant memories of the
past. Naturally, and Of necessity, his
mind took a retrospective turn, as the
churchmen had ever remained loyal and
true, and had supported and lent to the
work in a way which could be none
claimed many of Christ church parish
since those days, the circumstances of
city life had removed others, so that
there We're but few faces to be seen in
the congregation that participated in
the services and were members of the
church eighteen years ago. Some of
the congregation We're but little babies
then and he had baptized them before
the altar of God. They had grown to
manhood and womanhood, and many
had homes of their own. 1t seemed
bat a short time since then, yet when
1eckOned in the affairs of a mans life
1t Nas a long time. Eighteen years
more would bring many of the present
congregation to the other side. while
others of the younger people would be
the substantial men of the community
The spirit. eff loyalty and devotion of
the earlier members of the church had
been conserved by those who at pres
ent constituted the membership of the
church. Eighteen years ago St Paul
mad a population of $4,000 people; today
Its numbers are 1885, 600. The church
had grown with the community. and its
activities had been ever conducted with
great fervOr by pastor and people alike.
AS one of the early members of
Christ Church, Judge Gillian, who
had gone to his reward was loved and
respected by every member of the
church. He was a churchman because
ne was Christian, and had lived
Loyalty and truly all his days. AS
senior warden of the church. Bishop
Gilbert remembered him as q sensi-
bic. emotional and practical Christian
In every act of his life. Mrs Irwin. as
another early member of the church,
had always seemed to the bishop as
the mother saint of the parish. She
was member of the first confirma-
ton class of the church in 1851, and was
an earnest and sincere Christian.
1t was such parishioners as these
that gave stability to- the church
and carried the parish through the
trying times when workers We're few
and times hard.
Bishor Gilbert then spoke of the
present briefly. There were those
who. he said, could be called back
sliders, bat he thought the faith of
their childhood would bring them
nearer the cross of Jesus as they pro-
crossed on the journey of life. Times
had been hard, and he thought spirit
ually St Paul, as a city. was not as
well off as it was before the hard
times came on, when overtaken by
misfortune. Men looked to themselves
for help, rather than to God. The year
1900 would mark the fiftieth anniver-
sary of Christ church, and it was the
cherished hope of Dr. Andrews that
at that time, the church debt could be
lifted and leave the churh officers foot
loose for better work. Times during
the past year had improved Bishop
Gilbert said he had been told that the
wholesale merchants of the city had
made more money during 1898 than
ever before in their business expert
ence. OF necessity, this would rebound
TO the benefit of the churches in the