Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-06-18


the members of the Epworth League,
in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of
the church, was quite a notable affair
in every particular. There were pres
ent several hundred guests, among
whom were the many friends of the
members and some of the former pas
L. Clark, D. D., of Tarentum, Pa, and
Dew. A. Dillon, D. D., of Coreapolis,
Pa. During the early part of the even
ing a fine programme consisting OF
musical and literary selections and adj
dresses was rendered in the auditor
ium.
The interior of the church never look
ed more beautiful, having been lavish
ly embellished for the occasion in
streamers of red and white, the colors
of the League, American flags, sugar
maple foliage and ported plants of vari-
GUS species.
The exercises were opened at eight
O'Clock with the rendition of a hymn,
entitled, "Blest Be the Tie by the
congregation and choir together. An
appropriate and fervent prayer was
then made by Rev. j. l.. Clark, D. D.,
of Tarentum, Pa, who has the honor
of being the oldest former pastor of the
church. Another hymn entitled, Come
Thou Fount of Every Blessing" was
rendered by the congregation and
choir in concert, after which Rev. A.
Moore, D. D., the presiding elder, made
a very interesting address of welcome
for the Wheeling district. Among the
things the Rev. Mr.. Moore said:
Our gates are open to the East, to
the West, to the North and to the
South. We have made considerable
progress in the past fifty years and 1
believe that there.is within us a spirit
to progress. In behalf of this district,
the churches within it, the members of
the various officiary corps and the
twenty-five ministers of the district,
bid you welcome on this most import
ant occasion. | welcome gladly the
former pastors of the church May
God bless these that have come to us,
and may He put into their scXfs the
spirit of willingness ito continue their
good work in the church."
Rev. J. L. Sooy, d. D., pastor of the
Fourth street M. e. church, then gave
an address of welcome for Wheeling
churches. His remarks were delivered
in a forceful way and in substance were
as follows:
In the year 1S49 two very important
events to you occurred. In July of
I of 4 oh, y,
was organized, and in March one of
your pastors was born. Methodist
churches cannot live with settled
ministry. When we get away from a
religion that has no emotion we make
a mistake. That is what divided the
Presbyterian religion. What does the
world want to-day? In wants this
same kind of religion, this same kind
OF Gospel. What this world wants to-
day is love, Gods sunshine. We want
to make the poor feel wealthy and the
afflicted feel happy"
DR.. Sooy concluded by bidding a
most hearty welcome to the people in
behalf of the Wheeling churches.
baritone sol. abide In Me-" was
next rendered by Mr.. Harry Sweeney
to piano and violin accompaniment.
Mr. Sweeney pleasingly acquitted him
self and was heard to advantage.
Rev. w. j. Hardness was the next
speaker, and in addressing the congre-
cation for the Chapline street M. E.
church, said: did you ever notice a
traveller as he passes onward along a
road, going step by step until he comes
to the foot of a mountain and that, after
scaled hoi onl1t \
pause to look back over the land he has
traversed. He then thinks of the many
different things that have occurred in
his travel. So it is with US We now
look back upon the church in the years
through which it has passed. We can
read of its trials, its heart aches. its
rejoicings. Memory is a wonderful
thing, as we can grasp to mind things
which have occurred so long ago. We
turn to nation and we have days in
which to recall memorable events. We
can look back upon the clergymen, who
have passed through the church, but
we can only individualize a few. We.
however, must look at it as a whole to
understand it. The Bible must be read
thoroughly before it can be under
stood.
Take the world, but give us Jesus.
This has been the keynote that has
been ringing down for the past fifty
years. There must be salvation of
the soul. When we stand here to-
night and think of the grand history
of the church, it is hard for us to I'M
derstand it. 1t was more than fifty
years ago that it was separated from
the mother church. We can see its or
ganizatiOn and then the glorious work
that was carried on by Rev Clark. All
through these years the influence of the
various former pastors has served to
make the church what it is to-day.
There is but one thought to nerve each
one, that is to trust in God Let us
all be faithful and let us ask God
that We may have strength to help
make the church as prosperous in the
future as it has been in the past
A response to Rev. Hardness re-
marks was made by Rev. A. illon. D..
D., of Coreapolis, Pa.
A beautiful soprano solo was then
charmingly rendered by Miss Lydia
McNash, with piano and violin ac-
compartment, and was followed by the
announcements of the anniversary
ceremonies for to-day by Rev. Hark-
ness.
By special request Miss Nellie
Hangue. a member Of the Chapline NJ
E. Sunday school, repeated the temper
ance poem which she had recited at a
union literary contest at the Fourth