The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-06-16

sion.
Since it was with the congregation OF
the Fret Presby terrain Church that
| Washington communed, the first speaker
was naturally the Rev. DR.. John Mac
naughtan, successor to DIR. Timothy
Johnes, who was the pastor in Washing
toms day, and served this one church
| fifty years. DR. Macnaughtan, after
| speaking of the glorious history of the
church of which he is pastor, spoke Wig
orously on the subject of Christian uni
ty, frequently evoking applause. He
does not believe that unity is possible on
all points. or even on most questions of
theology and church polity but he
pointed out the fact that at the table of
the Lord all ought to able to meet, as
did Washington and those differing from
him IN religious dogmas, on a common
ground He considered the incident en-
blemat1c of the only unity possible to
varying bodies Of Christians.
The spirit of iconoclasm which has de-
prived us of William Tell, and even de-
stroyed Washingtons Ratchet, has gone
so far as to attack some facts in history
that are we'll established. To DR. J. M.
Buckley had been given the task of prov
ing that the event commemorated aetu-
ally occurred, and he showed at once
that the authenticity of the open air
communion of Washington and the Pres
byterians III this place mad been attacked
frequently by men having some weight,
and writing in an ex-cathedra manner.
The latest of these attacks was made by
General Greeley in the Ladies Home
journal, and he went so far as to say
that Washington not only did not COM
mune on this occasion, but was not a
communicate even in the church which
he served as vestryman. But DR.. Buck
ley showed that Washington Irving who
spent twenty-five years preparing to
write his Life Of Washington, and made
elaborate Investigations in the places
where Washington attended church,
states that both Washington and his
wife were !" communicates The ar
ray of testimony which he produced
from our own vicinity was impregnable,
for Mrs Anna Johnes Little is a great
granddaughter of DR.. Johnes and the
story has been handed down in the fam
lily to her; Irene and Maria Mills had
heard the story from their father and
mother; John Whitehead knew the
daughter of an elder of the First Church,
and had the story from her lips, she as
serting that her father had often told
her the story, and stated that he person
ally passed the bread and wine to Cen
eral Washington. Dir. Theodore L. Guy
Ter, great grandson of DIR. Johnes, also
told DR.. Buckley that he had heard the
story from his grandfather. After as
surfing the Daughters that they need
have no hesitation in accepting the event
commemorated as an historical fact, Dr.
Buckley closed with tribute compar-
ing Washington's character to the sun
shining so brightly in the heavens that
day, saying, cit has spots, but the gen.
eral effulgence is SO great that they may
be forgotten"
Rev. DIR. Erdman was next introduced
and spoke on What the Country Owes
to Woman" His manner was charm
ing, his tributes whether to women
as banded together in such organizations
luton, or to woman as an individual,
were exceedingly happy, and gave de-
light to all who heard.
at this point in the exercises the monu-
ment was unveiled by Miss Elizabeth
Little, great, great, granddaughter of
Parson Johnes and Miss Annie Rowland
Ford, a descendent of the owner of the
Ford house, the headquarters of General
Washington. An American flag was
gracefully removed and revealed the
handsome Memorial to the spectators.
Ex-Mayor Taylor accepted the custody
of the Memorial on behalf of the hospital
authorities, and the benediction was
pronounced by the Rev. DR.. Hubbard,
rector of st. Peters Church.
1t Immediately became apparent that
was wrong, for ladies having
the program in charge exhibited signs of
perturbation, and expressions of regret
were heard on all sides. On inquiry it
was found that DR.. Stephen Pierson, who
was on the program to speak for the
Patriots of New Jersey, and was present,
had not been seen by the chairman and
therefore was not called upon. This
was the one spot on the brilliant sun of
this happy occasion. The disappoint-
ment was keen, and the cause for it
much to be deplored But everything
else passed off so smoothly and satisfac-
torily and all the arrangements were so
complete and we'll executed, that the
ladies will have to make the brilliancy
of the general success brighten the gloom
of this one regret.
Mrs. j Nj. Buckley was chairman of
the committee of arrangements for last
weeks meeting. Mrs F. w. Merrell
was chairman of the refreshment COM
mittee, and Miss Annie H. Ford treasur-
er and chairman committee on decora-
lions.
The officers of the Morristown Chap
ter, Daughters of the American Revolu-
ton, are: Mrs. F. G. Burnham, Re-
gent; Mrs. A. w. Cutler. Registrar;
Mrs. H. Ward Ford, Secretary; and
Mrs. Annie Rowland Ford, Treasurer.