Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-03-24
Eighteen Hundred People Crowded
Into Baptist Church TO Say Fare.
we'll to Or. Porter.
MANY TURNED Away At DOORS
Assembling of such Crowd Probably
the Most Eloquent Tribute Ever
| PAID a Man IN Newport News
Beautiful and Touching servlceo-At
the Y. NJ. c, a.

ever gathered In house of Worship
on the Peninsula attended services ut
me Newport News Baptist church
Sunday evening, when the pastor,
Key. j. w. Porter, ID. D.. preached his
farewell sermon. Thcfc were about
i,S0O people packed Into the building.
which has n total seating capacity of
only l,4OO, and hundreds OF people
We're turned away at the doors after
mo service began. Tho main audi-
torium. the Sunday school room. the
balconies of both and even the In
isuies parlors, with windows opening
upon one OF the balconies, were liter
ally packed.
me assembling OF such cungrcgn-
ton was ono of the most eloquent trb.
1ttcs over paid man In Newport
News. In tho crowd were Protestant
and Catholic. Jew and Gentllc-men.
women and children. Almost every
walk or HE was represented; there
were leading members from nearly
oil of the churches of the city. and
there were men who probably had
not been inside Of church before in
years.
DR.. Porter preached strong sermon
1tom the subject. "a Refuge" At
the opening OF the service hn prayed
an eloquent, touching prayer, In which
sne mercy and care of the Lord was
asked Tor the church and tho city.
mo sermon was profaccd by a brief
farewell address.
Snlendia Tributes.
After the sermon Mr.. w. D. West
assumed the office OF moderator of
negmeeting, and called upon Mr. H..
.. cord 10 voice tho profound regret
OF the congregation at the decision OF
IN. Porter To leave. Mr.. Ford sum-
mnrized the great work done In the
city by DR.. Porter. and praised tho
pastor MS minister and MS a citizen
hTc BaNcca Glass. with member
ship of moro than one hundred. Mt
tended the services, and Mr.. II. s.
honinson spoke In behalf of the class,
teliing OF hc grief of the members Mt
losing their leader, and pl csenting the
pastor with pursc of gold Mr.. d.
>, Jones. In u few well chosen words.
( presented Dr. Porter with another
purse of gold the gift OF the congrc-
CATION
Or Potter, evidently greatly touch
ed by the evidences OF devotion and
admiration. feelingly responded. do
caring himself unable to properly ex-
press his appreciation. He said that
II he had known how his departure
would have been received. he would
never have allowed his name to 20
before another church.
Beautiful Music.
n beautiful musical program was
rendered during the service. There
We're selections by the Hampton Roads
Glee Club. present TO sing a farewell
10 Or. Porter, and the male quartet, n
g solo by Mrs. S. p. Marston. and or
gan selections by Miss Ethel Cottrcll.
There were many tear dmmed eyes
In the church throughout the service.
and when the quartet sang "Shall We
Meet Beyond the River?" there were
few dry ones.
At the v. M. C. A.
A large congregation attended the
morning service
In the afternoon an unusually in
teresting meeting was held al the
Young Mems Christian Association.
with DIR. Porter as one of the sneak
CTS. Among the speakers who dcplor-
cd the departure of Er. Porter from
tho city. and wished him well In his
new field. were Rev. e. r. Wexford.
pastor OF the First Presbyterian
church: Rev. W. r. Motley. pastor of
the Thirtieth street Christian church.
REV. II. b. Sanford Rev w. C Sales.
pastor OF the Baptist Tabernacle. cen
eTal Secretary u. S. Duncan. OF the
y. nj. CA: Judge T. J. Barham. OF
tho Corporation Court. Chief OF Police
J. w. Reynolds. and Mr.. John Moss
In the course of his remarks Chief
Jtnynolds scaid he would put DR.. Por-
Ter IN isi, If he thought that would
Keep him here; and Judge Barham
announced that If the chief took such
siaction there would be no writ of ha-
beas corpus.
Address to evterans.
Last night Or. Porter delivered n
Y farrwnll address to Maera,dcr Camp.
confederate Veterans Tho doctor is
= ron of veteran and has hccn cspec-
iallv popular with the members Of
Afaerudsr Camp.
nj. Porter will leave Friday for
I,eaInrion to become nastor of ne
t;iFsi Hariisi cbnrch of that city HIS
family will FOLLOW him y few dave
lnfera His ecrviccs will be very much
q tismand during tbc remainder of
sl;,is asaw. a,'d ho will speak horc for
i,A ipsi fine Thursday evening. a.
{ ne seccnd baptist church.