The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-01-25
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
FOUNDED 300
YEARS
The Anniversary Will be Cele-
brated by Members of the
Church.
ABOUT EARLY HISTORY
Of the Church-Work Done in
Settlements of Three Cen
turtles Ago.

May 18th of this year will be the
Booth anniversary Of the Episcopal
Church in America.
In conenction with the commemora-
ton of the 3OOth anniversary of the
Church in America, Dean Burleson,
one of the general secretaries for the
board of missions, will visit Grand
Forks in the near future for the pur-
pose OF meeting the men of the parish
and interesting them in the Mems
Thank Offering which is to be made
at the tri-annual general convention
to be held in Richmond, Va, in Octo-
Der next This year the Sunday after
Ascension day will be the 18th day of
May. 1t is proposed to hold services
commemorative of the 3O0th anniver-
sary of the Church in st. Paul's church
at that time. At the regular meeting
of the Brotherhood of st. Andrew held
at the rectory Wednesday evening the
matter of the celebration of the an
niversary was discussed, as also were
plans in connection with Dean Burle-
sons visit to this city.
In anticipation OF this event it may
be of interest to many to learn some
thing of the history of the Episcopal
Church in America. The first prayers
made in English on this continent were
read from the Episcopal prayer books.
They preceded the beginnings of col
onization. The chaplains of the Eng
lish ships which first visited this
country conducted the service of the
English church. OF these Francis
Fletcher was the first to read Eng
fish prayers on the Pacific coast. He
was the chaplain of brakes ship, the
Pelican" A great stone cross in
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco,
commentaries this fact. On the coast
of the Atlantic, Thomas Hariot preach
ed to the Indians of Roanoke Island.
In 1887 the sacrament of Baptism
was administered for the first time
on these shores in the English lang
uage to Manteo, the first Indian con-
vert, and to Virginia Dare, the first
child born of English parents in
America. On Sunday. August 9th,
1907, an expedition landed on the
coast of Maine and the chaplain, Rich
ard Seymour, held services of the
Episcopal church. This is the first
religious service on the soil of New
England of which there is definite
record. Capt. John Smith came to
Virginia in 1907. The chaplain of his
ship was Robert Hunt, an Honest,
religious and courageous divine" of
the Episcopal church. This expedi-
ton, as is we'll know, was CONNER
cial one, and the principal object of
the adventures was gold. At the
same time its members felt the need
of religion. The expedition disem-
barked on the 18th day of May at
place on the James river. On the fol-
lowing Sunday was erected the first
church. 1t was prepared by hanging
up an old sail, fastening it to three or
four trees to act as a shelter. Seats
were made of logs. A bar of wood
between two trees served as pull
pit. This was the Sunday after AS
cension Day. The words of the epistle,
"The end of all things is at hand"
may we'll have seemed to them a
proper prophecy, but they prayed, 1--WE
beseech Thee, Lord, leave us not COM
fortress" This" said Capt. John
Smith, twas our church until we built
a homely thing like a barn set upon
posts, covered with grass and earth,
which was not a sufficient protection
against the wind or rain" They had
common prayer morning and evening,
every Sunday two sermons; and every
three months the celebration of the
Holy Communion. The first preacher
soon died, but the community continue
ed the church services after his death.
The first celebration of the Holy Com
munion was on the 21st day of June,
1907, being the third Sunday after
Trinity.
The early history of the Episcopal
Church in America was one of hard
ships, struggle and disaster. Most Of
the early missionaries were either
killed by the Indians. or died from ex-
posure and the hardships of the Wild
ornoSc