Waterbury Democrat., 1901-12-30
DIR DAvENPoRTs REVIEW.
Interesting sermon Preached Tester
 day on Events of Past Year. {

J tieth century was one of much prog ress. He said in part:
 Tt seems scarcely possible that an- other year is about to close. So short time ago we were ushing in the new year and the new century with unusu- al demonstration! We had lived to see the dawn of that which we had long foretold! And life seemed to ac- quire for Us a new attractiveness. And the ongoing of the world possessed for Us new interest. And we strained our eyes to catch some glimpse of that which the twentieth century should bringt
 As we glance back over the past months our eye is at once arrested by an event so startling and important that it cannot be overlooked, viz, the death of our beloved and honored Pres ident Mckinley! On the 9th of Sep tember he stood before thousands gath cred at the beautiful Pan-American ex- positiOn and uttered words that were dispassionate, and broad and wise! He was at the maturity of his powers, the height of his fame! So far as known he had not an enemy in the land. But the respect and affection of thousands and millions were freely accorded him. His sky was bright, without a cloud. On the 9th of September, in company with chosen circle of friends, he vis- ited and gazed upon that stupendous spectacle, so suggestive of the infinite heights and depths, of the grandeur and the overarching mercy of the divine administration, Niagara Falls. And that same day, while in the very act of receiving the people whom he loved so well, he was stricken down by the as sassin. We remember his calmness, his unselfish thought for others, hi utterance of the prayer taught him by lips divine! We remember the week of terrible strain, when hope seemed to triumph over fear, and when at length earthly hope went sadly out i'll utter darkness! But the deathbed at Buffalo was resplendent with Chris tian faith, and the departure of th president was like the setting of th sun in full-orbed glory! We could al- most see the beckoning angels, of which he whispered, and felt that the prayer, Nearer, My God, To Thee, was magnificently answered, as the head of this great nation was lifted into the light unapproachable! America has never had so conspicuous a deathbed that was enwrapped i'll so much of heavenly beauty and spiritual impressiveness!
 And then came the man who should succeed to the supreme author ity, man singularly gifted and singul- arly trained, straightforward, fear less, of high ideals, of Christian char acter, man who carried forward af- fairs as MT Mckinley had planned them, and yet with possibly q broader outlook and q steadier hand! It was feared by some that the extreme ener- gy of MT Roosevelt might lead him to inconsiderate acts, but it would seem that the tremendous responsibilities connected with his august position have calmed his impetuous spirit and led him to give his great strength to the wisest furtherance of our national interests. We feel that there was reason for truest gratitude, if MT Me Kinley must fall, that there was one so well fitted to take his place as Theo- dore Roosevelt, our present trusted and honored chief magistrate.
 During the year 1901 We have re- ceived into the church twenty-seven on profession, and twenty-four by let
 
 the year with 1,063 members, this would have made us 1,114. But mean while fifteen have died, thirteen have been dismissed and one has been dropped at his own request, making twenty-nine who have gone from us, leaving a gain of only twenty-two, so that our present membership is 1,0S5. have baptized fifteen adults and for ty-two children, a total of fifty-seven. MT Holden also baptized three chil- dren. This is the largest number of children's baptisms reported for sin gle year. During the year I have of ficiated at forty marriages and forty five funerals. The marriages are twelve more and the funerals eleven less than in 1900. However, Mir Hol- den has attended fifteen funerals, mak- ing the entire number sixty, as com- pared with sixty-nine last year.
 'As I stated, fifteen members of the church have passed on to the higher service. Let us recall their names and faces, while we recognize the fact that we are still in fellowship with them and with the whole family in heaven and on earth Their names are as follows: Robert Davidson, aged seventy seven years; Mrs Mar garet J. McNeil, aged seventy-fiye years; Albert Noether, aged seventy five years. ten months; octave Dex- traze, aged thirty-six years; Mrs Mary w. Robinson, aged eighty-five years; Mrs Elizabeth A. Peck. aged seventy four years; Mrs Emma l.. Kingman, aged fifty-six years, ten months; Rob- ert Mackie, aged seventy years; Charles N. Sawn, aged fifty-one years; Mrs Anna NJ. Everett, aged eighty years Mrs Permelia A. Allen, aged sixty-four years; Mrs Arvesta H. Woodward, aged seventy-two years; Mrs Sarah F. Upson, aged seventy-one years; Edward M. Burrall, aged fifty three years; Dudley H. Abbott, aged sixty-four years.
 Continuing, Dr Davenport paid q glowing tribute to the 'motherland." we of this 1and," he said, 'bound by peculiar ties to the home of our. fath- CTS, shout with his own subjects, Long live the kingr May his mothers God be his guide, even unto death!"