The Topeka state journal., 1905-11-20
Fifty Years the Standard
DIR
Y.G 2!!.l 3
CREAM
BAKING
POWDER
a Cream of Tartar Powder
ade From Grapes
no Alum
DR.. BLAKESLEY SPEAKS.
Veteran Pastor Returns and Talks of
Old Times.

Two of the most notable church
meetings which ever took place IN To-
peka occurred on Sunday at the First
CONGREGATIONAL church. The congre-
cation has been celebrating its hfueth
anniversary and closed yesterday with
special service by Rev. Linus Blakes-
ley, a former pastor of the church, and
one of the men closely identified with
TOpeka's history.
At the morning service Rev. Blakes-
ley told "reminiscences of the former
days Of the church, going back to its
foundation by the pioneers Of Topeka.
For Q years he served as the pastor of
the atiOnalists of this city,
leaving in 1899 to be succeeded by DR..
d. NJ. Fisk. Dr. FISK also spoke Ihe
church was crowded to its doors.
Relative to the Topeka church, DR..
Blakesley said the following in his
morning sermon:
Only a little time ago I came here a
young man. I was regarded as a ten
derfOot from the east. Today I find
myself here a veteran5 and the pion-
eers are mostly departed. The Bod
wells, McVicars, Tefts BOwkers,
Blakes, Jewels, Butterhelds Smiths,
Bates Evarts, FarnsWOrthS, who were
active when I came, none of them are
here. Scores of church leaders since
have come and gone. But the church
is here in evidence, enjoying a vigOr-
GUS life and doing her consecrated
work.
And what else could be expected of
her2 She was blest with good lineage
dating back to the Pilgrim fathers;
and heredity tells. An honorable his
tory follows as a matter of course.
She had her birth in stormy days.
Settlements were sparse. The resources
of this great territory were yet unde-
veloped and undiscovered. 1t was a
pivotal time in our national history.
The POLITICAL leaders then in power
began to see that prO-slavery ascend
ancy in the republic was threatened.
More slave territory was absolutely
needed. Shall Kansas be free or slave
was a vital question. The bona fide
settlers were overwhelmingly for free
dom. But on election days armed
ruffians from Missouri by thousands
invaded the state and took possession
of the polls by violence. The results
of these political Outrages were uni
formly accepted at Washington. Those
times of anarchy. when the ballot box
was dtshonOred, free speech sup
pressed, free men imprisoned and
United States troops were used in the
attempt to force slavery upon an un-
willing people, constitute a page of our
national history at which every patriot
may well blush.
In the midst Of those troublous
times this church had its birth and
early history. She was tried by pov-
erty, tested by hardship, yet her found
ers were men of courage and faith.
and gave character to the infant or
ganization.
In the evening DR.. BlakesIev spoke
more particularly about the little Incl
dents of his early pastorate in Topeka.
The principal theme upon which he
dtlated was the fact that 35 years ago
last night, on the very same corner
where the First Congregational church
now stands, the first song service in
Topeka was held. Some people now
prominent in Kansas affairs were
mere. Or. f. s. Crane, George w.
crane, John Marshall J. W. Stage.
Prof. Slie, Prof. Henry WorraH and
William Griffith were some of the
members of the orchestra. The elder
crane played cello, his son played
the double bass, John Marshall plaved
a cornet. William Griffith played the
violin. Prof. SEe and Prof. WorraII
took care of the organ. There were
others, but Dr.. Blakesley could not re-
call them.
TT was the first song service ever
held in Topeka" he said. ''It was
greatly attended. Some of the DeopIe
in the city may have thought of it
something as did the old Scotchn1an
when he attended the Episcopal
church and saw the choir robed in
surplices.
How did you like it, was asked Of
She Highlander.
IT is all right" was his reply. 'but
hardly fit for Sunday"
Though DR.. BlakesIev smoke only a
short while in the evening his address
was full of pathos, humor and bistorv
Many Of his old friends were in the
audience Standing room was at a
premium. The seats were entirely in
adequate, even the Sunday school
room being crowded to its very walls
People were sitting on the window
ledges and on the organ rostrunn. II
Gas great tribute to the speaker, and
AHcluentally a very personal one.
A song service was given lasf nisbt
ll Whlcn about twenty-five voices took
part The singing was very fne. the
tCnolr having been trained for some
PACK In 1870 that the first one was
nelo' ana some of the same songs thar
were sung at that time were repeated
cpr~rav rr--~--