Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1903-05-16
The new BAPTIST
CHURCH RECOGNIZED
INTERESTING CEREMONIES At PRESBY-
TERRAIN CHURCH.
The College Avenue Baptist Congregation
Extended The Hand Of FeI-
lOWShip = The
Charge.

OF the new organization. but by members
OF other churches throughout the city.
The choir OF the Presbyterian Church led
the congregational singing, which was
spirited and an important feature OF the
worship. the hymns being carefully Sc
lected 10 bear upon the occasion. and the
choir also sang an anthem to the words.
"Come Thou Fount OF Every Blessing. -
The moderator Of the service was the
Rev. Edward b. Hatcher, pastor OF
Huntington-Avenue Baptist Church, Bal
tlmore. He said, in opening the service,
that IT marked the close OF a struggle OF
a number OF years. and the hopes of a
faithful little band OF Baptisis were about
70 be realized. He stated that on Nav 4.
at service in this city. thirty nine men,
bers of the Annapolis Baptists organized.
The action was made known to the Bal
tlmore Baptist organization, who sat in
Council on Monday last, at which time
1t was decided to give the new church
public recognition, and representatives
were sent from Baltimore city churches
to extend the hand of greeting.
The service opened with scriptural
reading, the seventh chapter of Judges.
by the Rev. George s. Bell, pastor OF the
Presbyterian Church, this city after which
the Kew. Thomas ]. Cross, pastor of The
Fourth Baptist Church, Baltimore, led in
prayer. Mr.. Cross read the minutes OF
the Baltimore meeting which held council
regarding the new church here. A letter
was read from the Rev. DIR. |. w. Mil
lard, pastor of the Eutaw-Place Baptist
church, Baltimore, expressing his SYM
paihy with the new church and regretting
his unavoidable absence. DIR. Miilard
was to have extended the hand OF fellow
ship TO the new organization.
The Rev. II. A. Griesemer, ID. D..
pastor OF the Franklin Square Baptist
Church, Baltimore, preached the Recog- :
milton Sermon, which was a forceiul dis
course, containing many Bible truths and
| practical applications. He took his text
| from the seventh v. rse OF the seventh
chapter of Judges, which was the even
ing scriptural lesson, and read "And
the Lord said unto Gideon. by the three
hundred men that Tapped will save you
and deliver the Midiani,es into thine
hand, and let all the people go, every
man into his place.
The preacher spoke of Gideon's army
and the lessons to be learned from IFS
manner OF warfare that brought success
and vicioiy. He said men of today live
more In one year than their forefathers
lived in ten, and that he lives longest
who lives best. He referred to the little
army that. had organized the College
Avenue Baptist Church, and said that A
great cause had been brought TO an issue
by the determined lew. He referred TO
certain big church with congregation
and membership of 5000. yet a prayer
meeting OF but 900. He said the PRAYER
meeting is the thermometer of the church,
and II this is true, sometimes the church
mercury falls very low.
The preacher admonished the new
church TO be among the three hundred
not the four hundred. He said BaIti-
more's 400 last night were all at the
Horse Show, but the 600 were doing
Gods work. Nearly everybody, he said.
wants to be among the 400, but only
400 can ring in. DIR. Griesemer admon-
ished the new church membership to be
strong in character and faithful and
dauniless like Gideon's three hundred.
that were saved. The recognition sermon
was full OF practical thoughts.
Alter the sermon the Hand of Fellow
ship was given the deacon.elect, Louis
n. Rehn, OF this city, by the Rev. w. w.
Wood, OF Baltimore, who spoke of the
articles of faith of the Baptisls, of whom
he said there are 1 s. 600 in the State of
Maryland. DIR. Wood outlined the church
doctrines and extended greeting 10 the
new church through Deacon Rehn. The
ceremony was very impressive.
The fr the Chux%h l-f...
cred by the Rev. Madison c. Peters,
DID,. pastor OF Immanual Baptist Church,
Baltimore. DR.. Peters charged the church
to be distinctly Christian church, and
o study the Bible from cover to cover.
! He charged them TO hold on to the old
faith, but to adopt new methods. He
advised them mot to serve Christianity
on ice, and said most Christians catch
the chills In our churches, in which, if
you 90 with smile or expect a hand
shake, you will be looked as an Egyptian
SPHINX. He charged them to have hu-
maniiy with divinity; 10 come down from
their "Christian Stills
DIR. Peters said many people go to
church with countenance grave enough
10 break the heart of an undertaken. He
charged the new church to sing the old
| tunes, and said there were "many crack
ed voices in Israel that cannot get up to
the new tunes" He told them to do the
best they can and the angels will not
laugh. DIR. Peters said he hardly thought
it necessary to charge them to be a
giving church, since thirty people
had pledged themselves to give 81 ,oeo a
year for the support of a minister. He
said some Christians had frost in their
pockets, and when they put their hand
in they iroze there.
DR.. Peters charged them to be pro-
| gressiye, and said on a race track a horse
had a clear road, but man with a
wheelbarrow was in everybody's way.
One ounce OF good living. he said. was
worth whole ton of tall talk. DIR. Peters
charge contained much practical advice,
tersely and forcefully expressed. He
| demonstrated that while be believes and
teaches the old truth. his methods are
new ones. The services were very inter-
esting and viii long be remembered by
L II Al