The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-11-11
A METHODIST
ANNIVERSARY
First Methodist Church Is Now
Thirteen Years of
Age.

The Methodist Episcopal church il
Honolulu celebrated its thirteenth
birthday yesterday. A special service
of address and song took the place OF
the regular morning sermon in the
European branch of this denomination
the mother church as some one hap
PLY styled it,
The choir was assisted by Miss Ma
rion Bell and Miss Gertrude Hall who
rendered several beautiful numbers.
After a fitting introduction by the
pastor, the Rev. David w. Crane, he
read the chapter containing the text
used by Rev. H. w. Peck in the first
sermon, preached before the congrega-
ton, and they We're all filed with
| the Holy Ghost and began to speak
with tongues, as the Spirit gave them
utterance.'' This text he found as ap-
propriate today as then. The service
was then put into the hands of three
prominent workers, Mrs. Chaplin, Mr.
| Day and Mr.. Trent. 1t had been the
| intention to have the charter members
| sit on the platform; but the modesty
of some made that impossible. Of the
eleven original charter members, four
remain in this church: Mrs. w. e.
Needham, Mrs. Lila Ripley Robinson,
Mrs. John Bryant and Mrs. Chaplin.
The latter spoke of the founding of
the present church, and gave a brief
review of it's history under different
pastors.
While secretary of the Y. NJ. c. A,
Harcourt w. Peck who had taken a
course in theology before coming to
these islands, was ordained by Bishop
Mallilieu en- route to or from the ORR
ent. A church was organized in 1874,
and under his leadership established it
self in it's present comfortable quar-
tiers. Besides the European branch, a
Japanese branch was also started in
Mr.. Peck's time-''twin churches" For
the church property, including the
parsonage, the young organization as
sumed a debt of $S000 two thousand
being paid at the time of purchase:
and four thousand dollars additional
raised for the erection of the building
The members grew under this first
pastorate from eleven to sixty-five.
At this point the Rev. G.. L. Pearson
took UP the work. Under his genial
leader ship there was great growth is,
both japanese and the newly-estab-
lished Korean branches of the NJ E.
church. In the great fire of China
town the Japanese lost their church
building. Mr. Pearson perfected ar
engagements for it's rebuilding, besides
clearing the mother church of it's en-
Ind I,
nolulu.
month after month, until they stretch
ed into years, the heavy burden of the
three branches of the work, rapidly
growing into proportions beyond the
strength of any one man. Always he
waited and looked for the someone"
promised to help him. The Korean
Home and the Susannah Wesley Home
grew out of the needs of these
branches. Finally the someone else"
came--in the person of the present pas
tor.
Following Mrs. Chaplin, Mr. c. J. |
Day. who was the first class leader of
the NJ. f. church in it's early life here, |
spoke concerning what the church ha y
done to justify it's existence. He re- |
ferred to the many who had come and |
gone. carrying with them influences
for good to be bestowed elsewhere; and |
also of the helpful influences being
disseminated in the community.
The third and final address was made |
by Richard H. Trent, who spoke on
the obligations resting upon this
mother church" and its members
These he cIassed under three heads:
First. to think kindly of the church |
and its members-so would it have |
courage and be helpful. GAS a man
thinketh in his heart so is he'' In its
reactionary effect, the place of the
church in the hearts of the people
would be assured. Second, to speak
kindly of the church, it's pastor and
officers. Already he had heard their
new pastor criticized. why, he was
going to preach religion at them all
the time He hoped Mr.. Crane would
continue to do so. Third. to act kind
ly toward the church; even to coming
to church promptly and regularly, and
taking part in the active affairs of the
church-the Ladies' Aid Society: the
Missionary Society; the nursery of the
church, the Sunday school: the Ep-
worth League, etc. The speaker con-
trasted the active and passive CHRIS
tian-not that one had more religion
than the other, but that one is more
unselfish than the other. do not
leave all the work of the church 10 a
few"
During the meeting. DR.. Wadman had
entered unnoticed by the congregation
Although suffering from compound
sprain of an ankle, he could not stay
away from this anniversary meeting
He gave the church hearty words of
cheer, and reported that the youngest
child of this mother church, a Ftti;5ro
church of thirty-ffve members, has just
been organized on Hawaii
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