Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1905-07-01
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marked by untiring zeal to which the
parish register bears eloquent witness,
He was succeeded by the Rev. John w.
Brown. Under date OF October third,
1866, we find significant entry on the
minutes OF the vestry. 1t records the
appointment of committee to devise
means for the erection of church in
Middletown. This place, one mile north
of the old church, had been growing i'm
size and Importance and its claims could
not much longer be neglected. The
church thus suggested was not built until
1872, when the Rev. John C. McCabe,
| d. d., was rector, but during the inter
val a room on Broad street opposite the
academy was hired and furnished, Sun
day School was established and evening
services held there. On April 4th, 1872,
the new church was consecrated.
Time forbids me to dwell ON the well
remembered labors, faithful and effective
of my more recent predect ssors. The
Rev. VIM. c. Butler became rector in
1873, the Rev. w. G. w. Lewis in 1877,
the Rev. S. II. S. Gallaudet in 1884, and
the Rev. Joseph Beers in 1885. In the
rectorship of Mr.. Lewis the church in
town was de>tro, ed by fire but was speed
lily rebuilt through the Jealous co-opera-
ton of rector and people.
One other forward step remains to be
recorded. In 1898 the present rector
began holding services in Townsend,
growing place in Appoqninimink Hun
dred, on the northern border of which
this venerable structure stands. This led
ere long to the building of St. Mary's
Chapel. of which the corner stone was
laid on September 18th. 1900. On the
following Ascension Day the building was
first used for divine worship and on June
Goth, 1901, it was duly consecrated to the
service of Almighty God.
Itrust that have not undnly wearied
you with this story of our parish. ] have
had to content myself with little more
than bare recital of events. Memory
and Imagination must be called into play
il this outline is to bring before on liv-
ing picture of the past. The story has
been checkered one. When more than
century old this parish, as we have
seen, seemed almost ready to die. But a
faithful few were always found to respond
to the call of duty. They prayed, they
toiled, they stood fast. So God upheld
this parish in its years of weakness, and
gave it new lease of yigor and useful
ness. As we look around us to-day,
we see much to be thankful for. We
have on our parish roll more communi.
cants than ever in the past. We have
among them goodly number OF earnest
and efficient workers; there are many
signs of healthy vitality. Not in boast
fulness but with humble recognition Of
our many shortcomings we may still say,
"The Lord hath done great things for ms
already, whereof we rejoice"
On this happy occasion we must re-
member that the close of a second GEN.
tury is the beginning of third. Ere
that third century closes all who are here
to-day will be sleeping in yonder church
yard, or elsewhere in Gods keeping.
The immediate future, however, is rich in
Whatever the Lord ap-
points for us to do, let us do it with our
might. With zeal and united labor we
may hand on our trust enlarged and
strengthened to those who shall come
after. BY loyal adhesion to the zone
faith" and living devotion TO the lone
Lord" we may make our parish very
stronghold of truth and righteousness in
this world of error and sin. So may it
stand and serve even till the Lord come.
God bless St. Anne's parish