The Washington herald., 1909-06-14
CHURCH REVIEWS
ITS EARLY DAYS
Mount Vernon Place NJ. E.
RecOuntS Progress.
PLANS A SPLENDID EDIFICE
Present Building Is Now Forty Years
OId-Many Former Pastors Attend
Anniversary Celebration Held Yes
terday-A Union Service VIII Take
Place on Thursday Night.

: Forty years Of progress In the present
| building were celebrated at the morning
and evening services yesterday in the
Mount Vernon Place Methodist Episcopal
! Church South. II was the anniversary OF
the second Sunday in June, 1863 when
the congregation. much smaller then,
moved into its new home and gave thanks
for the sturdy growth OF the years before.
Since that June Sunday in 1863 the
present congregation has given to the
city fvs healthy offspring. four of them
already self-suppOrting and one still IN
the short clothes stage The members
Of the five churches now number 1000.
as against 500 in the fold In 1859. The
congregation Of the parent church has
increased in proportion. A site near the
present building. bought two years ago.
will IN a few years see a. splendid new
structure, the central home OF the de-
nomination All these things were told
in the services yesterday.
Sermon by Rev. J. n. Duffy.
The sermon last night was by Rev. Dr.
J. w. Duffy. a former pastor. With HIM
on the platform were Rev. DR.. J. Howard
Wells. the present pastor; Rev. DR.. ". n.
Tudor, the first pastor. who led the con-
gregation TO the present home. and Rev.
II. d. Gordon. The pulpit was concealed
by palms. ferns. and flowers. and SbOve
it was suspended a crescent bearing the
name Of the church and the figures '1S69-
1903" Miss Marjorie Follin and Miss Eva
Whrtford sang 'Hark! Hark! Ny Soul"
and Earl Carbough sang Lead, Kindly
Light" The opening prayer was by Rev
Mr. Gordon.
Dr.. Duffy IN his sermon said the con-
gregation did well TO cherish the associa-
tons OF the last forty years, the strug-
giles II had had and the victories II had
won. He spoke ia the highest terms OF
DR.. TUDOR. Of his work as a clergyman.
and Of his influence as a man. He de-
scribed Christ as a personal Saviour,
cleaving TO His children with a faith ap-
preached only by that OF a mother for
her child.
W. W. MILAN. superintendent OF the
Sunday school. read greetings from for
mer pastors Of the church, Rev. DR.. F.
J. Prettyman. who officiated from 1901
20 1905; Rev. I. W. Canter, 1898 10 1897;
Rev. DR.. John T. Wightman. 1890 TO 1893;
Dr. S. X. Cox. 1852 to 1856; Bishop E. z.
Hoss, supply in 1870; and Rev. John Han
non. junior preacher IN 1872. Photographs
OF former pastors and superintendents Of
the sunday school were hung about the
church at either side OF the pulpit.
Function of Church.
At the exercises IN the morning the
sermon was by Rev. DR.. W. V. Tudor.
His subject was, Not evolution, but ell
ovation" He described the function Of
the church as being not the evolution OF
the race. but the uplifting Of It. the guild
ing and directing OF its onward course
The prelude was by Edward Robinson
and Mark Lansburg. and the postlude
b. Mr. Robinson. a duet. Forever with
the Lord. was sung by Miss Eva Whit
ford and Earl CarbOugh Mr. Lansburg
gave violin selection and Miss Whit
ford sang 20 Divine Redeemer," with
violin obligato by Mr.. Lansburg.
Mr.. MILAN gave a brief history Of the
growth Of the church and its offspring
in the last forty years. He showed that
while the population OF Washington IS
two and one-half times as great as II was
IN 1859. the membership in the denomi-
nation is eight times as great, and the
enrolment In the Sunday schools five
times as great.
union or homecoming service OF the
churches Of the denomination will be
held Thursday night IN the lecture room
Of the Mount Vernon Place Church In
celebration Of the fOrtieth anniversary.
Addresses will be made by representa-
tives Of the different churches and by for
mer pastors.