The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-03-28
Subject of Illustration.) OUR PIONEER M. B. CHURCH.
Sunday, March p. it's Ninety-sixth


 Sunday, March 9. it's Ninety Sixth Anniversary Will be Observed.
 Schenectady, March 13.-A week from Sunday the ninety-sixth anniversary of the State Street Methodist church will be observed with appropriate ex- ercises. This Methodist society is not only the oldest, but it is also the largest in the county, having membership of more than eleven hundred. Although the formal organization of the society dates from 1907, yet the seed from which it grew was sown forty years earlier, when Captain Thomas Webb, an English army officer, and Wesley an local preacher, came to Schenectady from Albany and preached the first Methodist sermon here to small gath- ering of sturdy Christian people in an old bolting mill which stood on the east side of Church street, near Union. Three years later the celebrated George Whitfield, a co-worker of John Wesley, stopped here and preached to the little congregation.
 When the congregation was formally organized in 1907 and again in 1909, a very primitive structure was built on the northwest corner of Liberty and Canal streets, and used as church. When the canal was constructed this was removed to Union street and later. upon the tdvent of the railroad anoth- CT removal was necessary. In 1886 the building on Liberty street, now forming part of St. Johns church property and used as convent, was built. This was the place of worship for the con gregation until 1872, when services were first held in the chapel of the present imposing edifice on State street. The new church was completed and dedicated in 1874. The man who had entire charge of it's construction and who managed it's finances was J. B. Graham, our esteemed fellow citi- zen, who is still vigorous and genial, despite his weight of years. Another man who stood shoulder to shoulder with him in carrying on and financier ing the enterprise was Giles s. Bar hydt, who is fully ten years his senior, but is bright and active as a man ten years younger.
 The present church without any fur nislings cost fifty-two thousand dol lars, and through the skillful manage ment of MT. Graham the land upon which the property stands cost only forty-seven hundred dollars. This same piece of property would no doubt now bring fifteen times this amount were tplaced on the market. MT. Graham also sold the property on Lib erty street for ten thousand dollars and reserved the bell, which now rings from the spire of the present edif1ce and is one of the finest toned in the city, Many other prominent citizens were interested in the building of the church, among whom were Professor William Wells, who was superintendent of the Sunday school for twenty five years, and L. B. Edwards. In fact, the State street congregation has always been fortunate in having some of the sturdiest and most prominent citizens of Schenectady among it's members.
 This church has also been fortunate in having zealous, eloquent and brainy pastors, and the present clergyman, Rev. Fred Winslow Adams, is no ex- ception to the rule. He is considered one of the best pulpit orators in the Methodist church to-day. The phe- nomenal attendance at all the services proves that his work and preaching are producing excellent results There are never less than one thousand people at a service, and often in the. evening from twelve to fifteen hundred are present. Thus, when Sunday, March 22. comes round, the pastor and the people of the State street Methodist church may review the past with pride, look upon the present with satisfaction and contemplate the future with the most buoyant hope.