Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-07-22
A. M. E. Church Thirty-Four Years
Old Yesterday.
EVENT FITTINGLY CELEBRATED
Services Opened With Sunrise Prayer
Meeting-oId Fashioned Love Feast
in the Afternoon-Rev. M. |. Gordon
Delivers Eloquent Sermon.
From Mondays Daily.

From Mondays Daily.
Yesterday was notable day in the
A. M. E. church in this city, it being
the thirty-fourth anniversary of its or
ganization and members of the con-
gregation celebrated this event in the
most fitting manner. The services at
the church commenced at an early
hour and ended with the evening ser
vice at 7:45 o'clock At 6 o'cock a.
M sunrise prayer meeting was held,
led by B. F. Berry. This was follow
ed by Sabbath school at 9:30 o'clock
The sermon was delivered at $3.50
O'Clock, at the close of which the sac
rament of the Lords Supper was adj
ministered to large number of wor.
shippers. In the afternoon love
feast was held, this meeting being led
by Henry King. The day was success
fully closed with the evening service.
the sermon being delivered by the
pastor, Rev. Mr.. Gordon. An enter.
tainment in the church tonight will
close the celebration of the annivers.
airy.
The Morning Sermon.
The sermon delivered at the morn.
ing service by Rev. Gordon was most
eloquent, and won the closest atten-
ton of the many members of the con
gregation and their friends who were
in attendance.
The text of the sermon was from
Second Kings. 6:16, Fear not, for
they that be with us are more than
they that be with them" The theme
was encouragement to Steadfast
ness" Rev. Gordon said in part:
the text were spoken was at the time
when Elisha was completely surround
ed by his enemies. His servant who
was attending him became alarmed
when he saw the multitude and was
greatly frightened at the thought that
harm would befall them Elisha see
ing this treasured him in the words
of the above text Your 'thirty-foul
years of strife with the adversities Of
life have no doubt caused you at times
to almost despair, but you should have
faith and remember the promise thai
has come rumbling through the ages
'Io, am with with you, even unto
the end of the world" You should
remember that the possibilities q
man when on the right side are great
and with faith almost impossible
things can be accomplished. Nothing
eXcels faith and courage As an ex
ample of the quality of faith it re
following story is told: In the stat,
house at Boston, Massachusetts,
among other war trophies there is
flag that was carried at the head o
the Fifty fourth Massachusetts regi
ment during the civil war. In an en-
gagement where the regiment wal
swept by shot and shell, the flag wa
shot from the staff, but the color bear
er, though wounded, held the shat
firmly and shouting repeatedly at tn,
/ top of his voice, she never touched
the ground, she never touched tn,
ground with the most wonderful eS
hibition Of courage carried the shat
Through the charge. You have eXhit
tied this example in successfully sun
mounting the many difficulties and ad
lversities which have lined your path
and are entitled to the greatest meas
ure of praise for the faith you hav
shown, and the courage you have dis
played III nSHlluS against ana over
coming the trials and difficulties tina
have been strewn in your paths
Those who have fallen should not dc
spair, but should remember the grea
mercy of God and his willingness t
forgive all sins If repentance is shown
The survivors who have passe
through the perils and temptations i
the past should take heart atSthe SUI
cess of their endeavors and be encoul
aged to continue until the end, bein
lassured that their efforts will NEE