The Redwood gazette., 1902-01-08
BIG Day FOR METnODISM
The Reception On New Years Day At
tended by a Large Crowd
Of People.
Dinner and Supper Served to Over 700
Program of Literary and
Musical Selections.

The first annual New Years Day
dinner and conference of sthe M. E.
church of this city was d splendid
success.
All the details previously ar
ranged we're carried out to the let
ter and there was mot a hitch or
break in the entire program. In
fact, everything went SO smoothly
that one would have 7thought that
such things were of daily occurrence.
W. II. Gold, chairman of the com
mittee to furnish provisions, had
the commissary department running
over with everything from a stick
of celery to a 2O-pound turkey. A.
d. King, as chief caterer, did his
work with such skill and dispatch
that the hungry crowds found no
room for complaint, but expressed
the most complete satisfaction. DR..
Palmer, in his usual courteous way,
saw that his committee prOperl y re-
ceived all who came and at once
made them feel decidedly at home.
John Schumacher took great pains to
see that the church was,'properly
decorated. Easy chairs, settees,
couches, pictures and draperies
made the parlors of the church very
homelike.
Dinner was served at 1870 and
by 2:30 400 people had dined
The programme for the afternoon
was commenced about 3 by the sing
ing of hymn by Chas. Wesley 80
for Thousand Tongues to sing
after which the pastor offered
prayer. John Schumacher was in
troduced by the chairman, S. G.
Peterson, and delivered the ad-
dress. Mr. Schumacher completely
surprised his audience, it being his
maiden effort. The address was
thoughtful and couched in good
language and did ample justice to
his theme which was ''On the
Threshold Mr.. Schumacher said
in part:
''This day marks the beginning Of
a New Year. TO many this means
only a change of date, to others it is a
day of larger significance. With some
resolutions will be made only to be
broken before the end of the week. But
better broken than not to be made at
all. In the language of Shakespeare,
'The greatest honor is not in falling,
but in rising every time you fall" To
the reflective mind the question comes,
what has the coming year in store Cor
us? During the past year we have
been prosperous as a community, as a
State, as a Nation. We have there
fore good reason to believe that the
present year is full of promise. Speak
ing of a year, it is not much as to time
but when we look back 100 years we
are able to measure to some extent the
progress we nave maden
Here Mr.. Schumacher gave a
review OF the marvellous progress
made in science, invention. educa
tlon and religion during the past
century. He predicted that in this
century such advancement would
be made along intellectual moral
and spiritual lines that material in
terests would be overshadowed.
People will be healthier, for they
will live simpler as a result OF a
better knowledge of natures laws.
Education will be along natural
lines. Universal peace will not
have been attained, but the Con
eress at the Hague indicates that
there are those who think it not
impossible. There will be a great
religious improvements, for the bar
riers between the churches will be
more nearly obliterated and larger
spirit Of fraternalism will obtain.
He commended the present gather
ing because of the spirit of good
fellowship it would inspire and
closed with a beautiful poem s'On
the Threshold >
Following this address Miss Win
ME File gave recitation, Miss
Ethel King sang solo very sweet
ly, Arthur Tasker of South Dakota
recited 'Aunty Doleful and brought
down the house. He was encored