Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-07-25
ALTON NJ. p. CHURCH.
Laying of the Cornerstone July
9Th, 1902.


Program Corner-Stone Laying Alton 81.
L. church April 9th, 1902:
MoRNrNG--1f O'CLOCK.
Hymn. Walking in the Light"
Prayer by DR.. Little.
Scripture Reading.
Hymn, Labor On"
Sermon by Rev. +. T. Little, ID. D..
President of Maryland Annual Confer
ence.
Appeal for Contribution by DR.. Little.
Doxology aud Benediction.
Dinner.
AFTERNOONS O'CLOCK.
Several Selections of Music by the
Choir
Hymn, "How Firm Foundation"
Scripture Reading.
Hymn, idle Stand Not All the Dav -
Scripture Reading
Invocation.
Address and Appeal for Contributions
by DR.. Little.
Laying of the Corner Stone.
Doxology and Benediction.
The program of the services held
at Alton is dated April 9Th, but as
the cornerstone was laid only few
days ago the month is evidently given
ey mistake. BE that as il may, it
was hot day anyhow. There was
nice breeze early in the morning.
but it died away toward noon and
the rest of the day was sultry. By
dlnt of much skirmishing around on
Saturday the members of the church
managed to get some lumber and
boat-sails and built lot of seats
under an awning made of the latter.
All this had been arranged for pre-
viously, but was neglected by the
men appointed to see after it. When
the pastor in charge arrived with
the Rev. DR.. Little, who was to con.
duct the services, he was surprised
and pleased to find such accommo-
dations had been provided. as he
had been told two days before that
no lumber could be obtained.
Mrs. @. NJ. McGuiggan presided at
the organ aSi skilfully rendered the
musical selections. The choir was
in charge of Ernest Litsipger, and
was well handled.
After the preliminaries were over
DR.. Little entered upon his sermon
and was so interested and interesting
that he talked on for an hour and
twenty minutes. Everybody appears
to have been pleased and are still
talking about it.
At length the great attraction of
the day-the dinner hour-was an
nounced. While there was a good
crowd present, yet provision had
been made for about twice as many,
aud not enough people could be
found to eat what there was in
sight The reported lack of accom-
modations probably kept many awav
aud the effect of the weather and
the expected appeal for the needful
possibly kept others from coming.
The dinner was free to all, and the
only things lacking were plenty of
ice and good water. There is a
newly dug well there, but the water
as yet is far from palatahle.
At the reassembling in the after
noon DIR. little made an effective
address, holding the close attention
of not only those under the awning.
but of those also sitting around un-
der the trees all over the church
grounds. His appeal for contribu-
tions met with very favorable re-
sPonses and good sum was real
lied in cash and handsome list of
subscriptions.
When the time arrived for the
laying of the cornerstone everybody
made rush for the best places.
People climbed all over the founda
tion, walls and upon every avail
able thing. Several children nearly
climbed on DIR. Little himself, who
stood on the wall just over the
cornerstone.
After the ceremony was over the
people were dismissed and left for
home, tired and warm, thirsty and
dusty, but happy over the prospect
of neat edifice to take the place of
the present structure which was
built before the war. s..