Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-11-02
An ELABORATE PROGRAMME.
A Semi Centennial Celebration to Be
Held This Evening

A Semi Centennial Celebration to Be
Held This Evening
AT THE THIRD PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH ~ THE FEATURES OF
THE OCCASION WILL INCLUDE
MUSIC, GREETINGS AND AD-
DRESSES NUMBER OF PROM
INENT MINISTER'S WILL TAKE
PART IN THE AFFAIR.
The fiftieth anniversary of the Third
Presbyterian Church will be observed
with interesting and impressive cere-
monies by the members CT the congre-
cation this evening. Quite a number
of invitations have been issued for the
affair and there will, no doubt, be a
very large congregation in attendance.
Those in charge have made elaborate
arrangements to receive the visitors
and the interior of the edifice will be
attractively decorated for the occa-
sion.
The programme will consist of choice
musical selections, including anthems
and hymns, under the direction of the
choir; invocation by Rev. Samuel
SchWarm, d. D., pastor of the First
English Lutheran Church; Scripture
reading by Rev. J. H. Littell, pastor Of
the United Presbyterian Church; pray
er by Rev. NJ w. Buck, paste of the
Baptist Church; benediction by Rev. c.
M. Oliphant, pastor of the First Chris
tian Church; addresses by Rev. D. A.
Cunningham, D. D.. pastor of the First
Presbyterian Church, and Rev. Joseph
Speers, pastor of the Second Presby-
terrain Church, and greetings from Rev.
w. H. Lester, D. D., representing the
Presbytery of Washington, Rev Jacob
Birmingham, representing the Wheel
ing Ministerial Union, Rev. ]. L. Soog,
d. D., representing the NJ E. Ministerial
Association, and Rev. S. J. Boyle, rep
resenting the Ohio Presbyterians.
There will be special anniversary ex-
erciSes at the church next Sunday. The
pastor, Rev. R. R. Bigger, will preach
an appropriate sermon in the morning,
and special music will be rendered by
the choir. In the afternoon the Sunday
school will be addressed by Judge G. l..
Cranmer, Frank Bowers and John Nc
Lain, and in the evening a musical and
literary programme will be carried ont
by the congregation, Joseph Dudley,
representing the eldership; Charles
Jones, representing the trustees; Miss
Louisa thinner, representing the Chris
tian Endeavor Society, and Isadore
Fulton, representing the Sunday school,
Will make remarks. Mrs. William Hall
VIII read paper on the women of the
congregation, and Rev. R. r. Bigger
will give an early sketch of the church.
special feature of the evening ser
vice will be a chorus of fifty children.
each representing year of the history
of the church.
About one hundred personal invita-
lions have been issued for the celebra-
ton this evening, and it is expected
that there will be present representa-
tlves of the various local CONGREGATIONS
throughout the city. The affair prom
ises to be notable in every particular.
Fifty years ago to-day this church was
organized at Boggs Run school house For
a long time the struggle to maintain the
organization was great, but those days are
past and the church now ranks among the
prosperous institutions of this city Re
Gently the growth of the church has been
remarkable. The membership is now 800.
and the Sabbath school numbers 524 while
the Sunday school library contains more
than 700 volumes.
Within the last year more than $4,000
worth of Improvements have been made on
the church edifice, making 1t one of the
most commodious and beautiful churches
in Wheeling. The members are in a state
of perfect harmony and the spirit of en-
thusiasm prevails among them.
Thorough preparation has been made for
to-night's Celebration. The decorating COM
mittee has been especially active, and
beautiful decorations may be expected.
The choir has prepared special music The
programme consists of a number of emil
nent speakers, each one being limited to
10 minutes time, thus presenting pro-
gramme of great variety and of agreeable
duration. All of the congregations of the
city and vicinity have been invited to be
present.
One thousand copies of the fifty years
history of the Third church will be on sale
at the entrance of the church
These histories were printed at the office
of the West Virginia Printing Co. They
contain pictures of all of the buildings
and all of the pastors of the Third church.,
and are pronounced by all to be very neat
and complete.