The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-07-11
FIRST
CHURHC
BANQUET
COngregatiOnaTists Meet in
Great Good Cheer
Listen to Sermon and Speech
eS BY Prominent People


The Baptist church held one gather.
| ing while the old First Church held a
banquet, that lasted unsil midnight
It was a great occasion in the history
of this society and participated in by
young and old.
The services at the First Baptist
church opened with solo by Mrs.
Virgins, the lullaby song by Kate
Vannah. Her rendition was well re-
ceived, and Rev. Knight led in an i'm
pressive prayer, which all felt in their
hearts
Rev. Freeland, who took up the
work of this church when Rev. Corwln
resigned, was the speaker selected for
the semicentennial occasion. He said
it was his pleasant duty to prepare
them for the banquet. He delivered an
interesting and entertaining sermon.
His theme was the forces that hold
the church together and enabled II
to weather the stormy periods through
which all such organizations must
pass For fifty years this church had
sent out it's streaming radlence of
Christian influences in this commune
ty.
He advanced one novel theory-that
there would be sects in heaven as on
earth. People would not lose their
identity there, nor their Individuality
nor their differences of opinion, he
said Heaven would not be a waste
OF barren sameness. There would be
diversity there, as here.
The guests arose and sang Praise
God" when DR.. Freeland asked a
blessing, and all were seated at the
richly loaded banquet tables. Pastors
of other churches and their ladies had
seats at the heads of the tables Rev.
Parsons, of the Methodist church /;
Rev. Kantner, of the Congregational,
and Rev Eliot of the Unitarian
church, were there.
Miss Shelton, Ruth Leeds, Miss
Bushnell and Halle Watson rendered
piano quartet
Among those present were George
~. Hines, of Portland; Mr.. and Mrs
Clifford Kantner of Lafayette; Judge
r p, Boise, Mr. and Mrs. John Minto
The Toasts.
Supt. Tuthill, of the Sunday School
opened the ball, and there followed a
teast of reason and a flow of spirits,
unusual on such occasions. Rev.
Kantner read a letter from Governor
Geer, full OF historic interest His let
ter was warmly applauded.
John Mimic spoke on the pioneer
days, as he and his wife were in Sa-
lem eight years before this church
was organized.
Mrs. Dodd, a life long worker in the
church, spoke of the heroic pioneer
Christian workers, who laid the foun-
datlons of this church and of this city
Rev. Freeland spoke of The Women
of the Church-Its Greatest Blessing. "
Mrs. w. ID. Palmer, of Portland, a
daughter of the late |. N. Gilbert, one
Of the pillars of the early church at
Salem, spoke on the children in the
Sunday School. She named seven la.
dies who were in her first Sunday
School class-all present but Mrs. Alb
bic Farrar.
In 1868, when this church was dedi.
Gated. Revs, Leslie and Dillon, of the
Methodist church, assisted Rev. Par
sons, of the same church, now spoke
for all the other churches on this ju-
bilee occasion.
A letter was read from Rev. and
Mrs. Coney, of the Episcopal church
that was heartily cheered
Clifford Kantner sang Annie
Laurie"
A telegram was read from c. f.
Clapp, who could not be present. and
a letter from Mr. and Mrs Adalr OF
Oregon City.
Rev r. S. Knight was warmly vel
coined, and spoke on The Founders
and the Past of the First Congrega
tional Church" He recalled interest
ing "reminiscences. His words deeply
touched all present
Rev w. c. Kantner spoke OF the
u.ure of the church, foreshadowing
greater work in the years lying be-
fore them. He expressed no fears OF
the future. He was warmly applauded
With singing "Blest Be the Tie That
Binds" and a benedictiOn. the assem-
blage dispersed at about midnight.