The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1909-04-14
DEDICATION OF THE M. E. CHURCH
TiOnesta's New and Beautiful Ediilce
C~Onsecrated TO the Service of God
With Impressive Ceremonies.

No event in the history of Tionesta has
been looked forward to with more pleas
urable anticipation by her citizens and
those of Forest county in general, than that
which reached its elimination on Easter
Sunday morning, April 18th, when the
beautiful new Methodist Episcopal church,
the gift of three of Forest county's repre-
sentative and p~hilanthropic citizens, Tru-
man d. Collins, of Nebraska, George f.
Watson, of Tionesta, and Hon. Frank X.
Kreitler, of Nebraska, was formally and
officially dedicated to the worship of AL
mighty God, by Bishop Joseph f. Berry, of
Buffalo, n. Y.
Services preliminary to the formal dedi-
cation were held in the new church on
Thursday evening, when a very able ser
mon was delivered by Rev. w. p. Murray,
district superintendent of the Erie district,
and a former pastor, who took for his text
st. John 17:11 and IS: "And now l am no
more in the world, but these are in the
world Gas thou hast sent me into the
world, even so have l also sent them into
the world" This was followed on Friday
evening by an excellent sermon by Rev. J.
r. Rankin, district superintendent of the
jamestown district, and also a former pas
tor, whose text was selected from 9 Kings
2:15; ''The spirit of Elijah doth rest on
Elisha" Both of these sermons were lis
tened to with appreciation by large au-
diences of former members and friends.
On Saturday evening, Rev. Charles N. Bos-
well, D. D., of Philadelphia, Pa, CORE
spending secretary of the Board of Home
Missions and Church Extension, and known
nationally as the "Cyclone of Methodism,"
delivered a characteristic sermon, which
was enthusiastically received by a large
congregation. His text was chosen from
Ezra 81: "They gave money also unto the
masons, and to the carpenters"
Sunday dawned bright and clear and it
was an Easter of the ideal sort, reawak-
ing in the minds and hearts of all persons
thoughts of the new risen Lord, to whose
glory and service the beautiful new temple
was about to be dedicated. The services of
the day were begun with the administra-
ton of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper
at 700 O'Clock a. M, Rev. d. A. Plat, dis
trict superintendent, having the meeting
in charge and being assisted by Revs. W. o.
Calhoun, F. NJ. Small, A. o. Stone, NJ. b,
Riley and r. A. Buzza.
The dedicatory services proper were
held at 1890 a. m, and were interesting, cd
flying and unusually impressive. Long
before the hour set a large audience made
up of all denominations of the town ant
coming from many surrounding towns haC
gathered at the church. The services werC
opened by the rendering of a fine anthem
"The King of Glory" by the choir, hymn
No. l by the congregation, followed by
prayer by Rev. r. a. Buzza, a former pas
tor. Miss Kittie Mcknight, of Oil City
then sang a beautiful solo, "Open the Gate
ofthe Temple which was followed by tn,
reading of the S4th Psalm by Rev. II, A
Bailey, and the singing o hymn No, 600 by
the congregation. Bishop Berry then de
livered the sermon of the day, which wa.
an able effort and an intellectual treat. FoI
an hour he held the vast audience spell
bound by his eloquence, basing his re
marks on the text as found in Job 1913
ooh that l knew where | might find him!'
Rev. w. o. Calhoun, the pastor, gave
3 statement of the finances, showing tina
the sum of 81 10000 was needed to pay fo
the furnishings of the church, and unde
the inspiring leadership of DIR. Boswell thi
amount was raised in a short time by vol
untary subscriptions. The trustees wer
then called to the altar rail and the build
ing was formally dedicated by Bishop Der
~, according to the ritual of the church
, the building being presented for dedication
by Hon. +. X. Kreitler, on behalf of tn
A donors and trustees. The benediction b,
T Rev. ID. A. Plat closed the exercises.
A platform meeting was held at $3.50 p
i, M, at which short addresses were made b!
, Revs. W. o. Calhoun, IL. A. Bailey, D. A
Plat, A. o. Stone, r. A. Buzza, f. NJ
Small, i. II. Shindledecker and Charles n
Boswell.
5 The Sunday evening service was the be
ginning of the revival meetings which ar
1 being continued throughout this week
!; Two anthems by the choir, "Seals ar
s Shattered, and praise the Lord" and
solo, "Face to Face by Miss Mcknight
? introduced the service. A powerful AN,
touching sermon was delivered by Rev, Dr
Boswell from the text as found in 3 King
D 10. 'If we tarry till the morning light
. some mischief will come upon u.s."
$ number came to the altar. Rev. Mr.. Ston
y occupied the pulpit on Monday evenin
and Rev. Mr.. Small ON Tuesday evening.
$ This article would be incomplete withou
+ a full need of praise being given to tn
two choirs which furnished such exceller
b music, and also to those who trained then
i The ministers present from out Of tow
Q were: Bishop Joseph f. Berry of BpilalC
n. Y; Rev. c.. N. Boswell, of Philadelphia
Pa; Rev. w. p. Murray, of Erie, Pa; Rev
J. r. Rankin, of Jamestown, N. Y; Rev
y D. "A. Plat, of Franklin, Pa; Rev. A. {
d Stone, of Harrisburg, Pa; Rev. r. a. Blu.
h "a, of Meadyille, Pa; Rev. +. NJ. Small,
Ferdinand, Pa; Rev. w. L. Davis, of We