Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-05-21

School Last Evenfng-Hfst0ry of
the Church Given by the Pastor.
Ceremonies Will Continue Until
Next Thursday Evening.
lions German Evangelistical Lu-
theran church was a half century old
served by the members Of the congre-
cation with most interesting and i'm
pressive ceremonies. German services
were conducted in the morning and
English services in the afternoon by
the pastor, Rev. Phillip ]. Hob, and
other ministers of prominence from va
rious places and appropriate festivi-
ties were held in the evening by the
Sunday school. Each service was In
terspersed with rare and pleasing mu-
steal selections by the choir and was
attended by a very large congregation.
In the morning the pastor was assist
ed in the services by Rev. J.. s.. Rein
artz, of East Liverpool, Ohio, and
Rev. F. P. Mayser, of Lancaster, Pa.
Rev. P. J. Hob rededicated the church
building which has lately been so
handsomely improved and also gave a
brief and comprehensive historical
sketch Of the church, showing how it
had grown under varying circum-
stances during the first half century of
Its existence.
The opening sermon in German was
delivered by the Rev. Mr.. Reinartz,
who selected for his subject Holiness
of the Home of God" His remarks
were of a doctrinal and historical ma
ture and elected the closest attention
from the assemblage. During the ser
vice the scriptures were read by the
Rev. Mr.. Mayser and prayers were Of
fered at frequent intervals.
At the English service in the after
noon the pastor was assisted by Rev.
E. O. Graham, Of the Bridgeport Lu-
theran church, and Rev. F. P. Mayser,
of Lancaster, Pa, a former pas
tor. The latter minister preach
ed an excellent sermon upon the
subject Of a few things which God has
wrought in the church during the last
half century. His text was according
to Acts 1920: $50 nightly grew the
word of God and prevailed In the
course of his remarks Rev. Mr.. Mayser
pointed out to his hearers the evidences
that a spiritual regeneration and trans
formation and also a wonderful ac-
tivity that had been wrought among
the young and old in the church in the
past. He also spoke in complimentary
terms of the numerical increase in the
church since the time that it was or
gained, referring to the fact that
the congregation started with a small
nucleus of thirteen members and has
steadily increased until it now has q
membership of six hundred and forty
communicates, with a Sunday school
of two hundred and eighty-six scholars
and teachers. In conclusion the rever-
end gentleman called attention to the
seasons of great joy and gladness
which the word of God prevailing had
served to bring about in the past and
thought that the present occasion was
one upon which there were special rea-
sons for rejoicing among those connect
ed with the church.
Evening Exercises.
Last evening festivities were held
under the auspices of the Sunday school
in the presence of a congregation
which completely filled the seating ca
pacity of the ediice. A programme of
musical and literary selections was Civ
en- by various members of the school
and an address was made by Rev. G..
G. Berkmeier, of Mt. Vernon, N. Y.
The songs rendered were Thanks
giving Where is My House?" Tor
ward in the Name of the Lord" and
"Onward, Christian Soldiers" "The
Beloved Church" was recited by Her
man Nolte; Golden Jubilee" by Meta
Beneke: "Our Congregation" by Clara
Stroebel and 1.-THE Little Ones Offer
ing by Herman Beneke.
In his address, Rev. Mr.. Berkmeier,
who is a former pastor of the church,
entertainingly %recounted a number of
"reminiscences of early days in Wheel
ing in connection with the church and
in which he was concerned. He Incl
dentally gave a graphic description Of
how the former church building was
destroyed by a cyclone, which visited
Wheeling on May 21st, 1852. The Ylin-
lister also spoke Of the orphans home
at Mt. Vernon, N. Y, of which he is
in charge and where a great many
children are being cared for. He clos
ed his remarks by pointing out the
inadvisability of two frequent changes
in the church, claiming that it in
variably resulted in nothing and Incl
dentally cited the case of Luckless
Jack, who exchanged a lump of gold
for a horse, the horse for a COW, the
COW for a wheelbarrow, the wheelbar-
row for a milestone and finally threw
Hbo mi11cfpna into tho river