The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-06-19
FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY
CELEBRATED BY FIRST 1T ETIODIS
 EPISCOPAL CHURCH


 Impressive and Interesting Services
 Throughout the Day-Addresses by
 cal alProgramme-Manv Former Mem
 bers Present.
 Yesterday was the fiftieth anniver-
 sarv of the dedication of the First Meth
 odist Episcopal church. and from all
 over Connecticut members of the old congregation assembled to join in It's celebration with members of the pres ent. Old men and old women who have watched the growth of the church for the last fifty years were present in as tonishing numbers, and these, as the different speakers of the morning and afternoon services would speak of some old familiar friend or long remembered happening in the church's history
 would involuntariy cry amen or feel tears spring to their eyes. The morning, afternoon and evening services were largely attended and the services were most interesting.
 The church itself was prettily deco rated at the altar especially. Here on piece of cloth hung across the front of the pulpit were the numbers 1S49-lS99, and around on all sides were flowers and potted palms in abundance. full choir was in attendance at all the ser vices and rendered a pleasing musical programme.
 At the morning services the sermon was preached by Rev. B. M. Adams, D. D., former pastor of the church, Dr. Adams preached from the text, Acts and 8, But ye shall receive power, af- ter that the Holy Ghost has come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto Me" and spoke mainly upon the spiritual power This the speaker stated was the handspring of everything in life. With out it life was 2 nothingness, accom- plishing nothing; worth nothing. The lack of it, he continued, is the cause of the condition of so many churches to-day. Pastors preaching to small con- gregations; congregations without any life; churches struggling with debt; all
 
 power. It was not so fifty years ago. Then everybody seemed to feel the pow er of Almighty God Everybody attend ed church because they felt that they got all their power for accomplishing things from the church, and no preach CT complained of thin congregation. That it is not so to-day is not because spiritual power is not preached; but foo of 10 gregation feel themselves imbued with it
 The speaker congratulated the church on it's splendid success during the last fifty years.
 Ike afternoon services opened at 3 o'clock. After the singing the Rev. R. T. McNichol read pealm No 1O3 of the Scriptures. Short addresses then follow ed opening with words of welcome by the pastor, Rev. Gardner s. Eldridge. | Rev. MT Eldridge welcomed all pres ent most heartily especially the old | fornoer members of the church To | these he addressed himself particular ly and thanked them for coming back to answer to the roll call Tt would be l strange" he said, eff some people didn't | think the altar of the First church the | most sacred spot on earth Here they | saw their parents pray half century ago and here they will continue to pray for years to come"
 Pastors of former years was the | subject of short address then given by H. H. Benedict, the leader of the Twen- tieth Century Wesleyan league move ment among the Methodist churches of New Haven. MT. Benedict spoke most upon the different pastors he had known and of those proceeding.
 To the older members present the next sneakers words were full of in terest.
 Members Who Have Passed Away was taken up by Sylvester Smith. Him. self one of the earliest members of the church in New Haven, having come to the church from across the sea, his his tory of the church, his recollections of history of the church. is recolections of former members were most interesting. Of the old church on the green and it's members he spoke chiefly Tn those times" he said, there were no small Every service saw the church crowded to the roof with a con- gregation that echoed the words of their minister in heartfelt responses.
 Among the members or the cnufCn III those days of whom the speaker spoke were the following, of which he had list: Elias Gilbert, Ran some Burrell, John J. filling, Jeremiah Bond, Amos Baker, Joseph Dutton Nor timer Hubbell, Sydney Hubbell, Luther Gilbert, James Punderford, Marcus Plumb Levi Gilbert and Horace P. Dibbell. c. A. Baldwin delivered the last ad- 1ress of the afternoon on the subject, { Duties and Privileges of Present Mem oers."
 In the evening the speaker was the Rev. Charles H. Buck, D. D., of Bristol ] , former pastor of the First church and { who about twenty years or more ago I vas pastor of the old St. John street M. 6 D. church. Many of his former parish 1 oners were glad of the opportunity to t lear again this pleasing and fluent speaker and genial pastor and friend. a sARsFrFrs MEMORIAL DAY. : s ro x-ae nf Deceased Mem bers DecOrat-