Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-21
GATHER AT
SEASHORE
OUTING
OLDER MEMBERS TELL GOOD
STORIES
"reminiscences of Days When Los An
geles Was Pueblo Prove of
Deep Interest at Playa
del Rey


king, proved happy meeting place for
the first observance of the forteth an
niversary of the First CONGREGATIONAL
church yesterday.
1t was more of churchly family re-
union than a picnic. The members of
the church and former members gath
cred on the sands and discussed the days
that have passed.
Yeterday was primarily day of the
past. "reminiscences of Los Angeles from
the little Spanish pueblo TO the present
cosmopolitan city were in order.
The older members of the church had
their day yesterday and told of the many
amusing incidents of early Protestant
church life in Los Angeles.
From the six people who gathered
just two years after the close of the
Civil war to organize the First Con-
gregational church, almost as many hun
dred attended the reunion yesterday.
The original number has increased to
the present membership of 100.
At 8 and $3.50 o'clock yesterday morn
ing special cars took the happy pic
nickers to the beach, where various
sports were enjoyed until noon.
The luncheon call brought all to the
pavilion, where long tables were spread.
Cut Birthday Cake
The main event of the luncheon hour
was the cutting of the birthday cake
which had been presented by Mr.. Meek
a member of the church and head of the
Meek baking company.
This cake represented the church tower
and was twelve inches square and
eighteen inches high, weighing about
fifty pounds.
The cake was a creation Of the bakers
art and was surrounded by forty lighted
candles.
J,J =
ting of the cake and the distribution of
the pieces.
At 1870 o'clock the people gathered In
the pavilion for the exercises.
Rev. William Horace Day, pastor of
the church, presided and again evinced
his genial good nature in witty remarks
interspersing the various announcements
The service was opened by the singing
of the hymn Onward Christian Soldier"
Rev. F. A. Field offered the invocation.
Mrs. Mary Porter Haines was the first
speaker and told in a graphic manner
the trials of attending church In the early
days. She said in part:
Tells Historical Story
'Thirty-five years ago we came to Los
Angeles on a steamer from San Fran
cisco, being lightered from Wilmington.
We took the little freight and passer-
ger train then running from that port
to Los Angeles, the only communication
the city then had with the outside world.
Los Angeles was then only little Mex
lean village clustered around the Plaza.
There were no houses on the hills. The
little old church was on New High street,
the northern portion of the present site
: ~ the proposed postoffice,
E('At that time we lived at what is the
corner of Slauson and Compton avenues,
way out in the country.
aIp Ia,-
full about the dates of our entertain
ments and were sure not to have them
on the prayer meeting nights or on the
same night as any other church enter
tainment, for we went round in those
days to other peoples things. There
wasn't very much going on then.
II was asked to tell especially of our
trip to church on an Apri, day.
1--WE started out In the spring wagon,
which was used for various purposes
during the week ard the seats were
usually not fastened in for the regular
Sunday trip to church We went along
what is now Central avenue, and near
Jefferson street we met an old Mexican
who had worked for US. Thereby hangs
the tale. 1t is said that a little knowl-
edge is dangerous and it was then ex-
emplified.
1--WE spoke a little Spanish and he a
little English and we understood him to
say that we ought to cross the zanja
where he had, and not where we usually
did, whereas he said to cross where we
usually did and not where he did.
However, we went on and 1t looked
rather deep but in we went, for he had
said to go in there, as we thought. 1t
was near the head of the zanja and the
water had burrowed out deep hole. The
horses went in almost up to their backs.
They were in and had to be gotten out,
so we went on. Ae we went up the other
bank it was a steep incline. AS [ said
before, the seats were not fastened, and
they went over the back of the wagon
and my mother and I with them, while
my father was high and dry on the front
seat. I was held down under the seat
some time and thought 1 was drowning
until I remembered that 1 had on my
'Sunday-go- -meetin' clothes, and de-
cided that 1 would get out
Several men had seen us and helped
us out and we got through without even
catching cold.
In Pioneer Days
81 remember in those days / did not
like living in the country and wanted to
live in town. 1 had friend who lived
near the Angels Flight, but 1 told her
that 1 didn't want to live as far in the
country as she was.
In those days there were few trees
and fewer houses. The eucalyptus trees
were just being introduced. With a field
glass we could tell the time of day from
our house from the clock in the old
court house. which was located where
the Bullard block now stands"
Henry s. Williams, member of the
old choir of the church and called "Our
Harry" rendered several vocal selec-
tions.
Rev. William Davies, pastor of the Ver-
non Congregational church, a daughter
of the First church, made a short ad-
dress. He said:
1.-THE forty years you are celebrating
are full of love and labor.
1.-THE church of which I am pastor
is your daughter, therefore 1 am your
son-in-law.
"Now our relations have been the most
cordial and we repudate the proverbial
mother-in-law jokes. I am not like the
man whose mother-in-law died suddenly
and being telegraphed as to the remains
wired back 'Embalm, cremate and bury.
Take no chances
1--WE are all proud of our mother We
hope she will be as proud of us as we
are of her. Her pastors have been a
mountain of strength to us. God bless
them