The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-06-07
GOLDEN
Wedding Anniversary Of Mr..
And Mrs. Phifer
Most Appropriately CeIebrat-
ed On Friday
Gifts And Best Wishes For
The Couple
(By L. G. H.)

~ S'thho ilht iiNg gtolD 10 q lOhb
time in the history of one married
couple, yet when one is called to wit.
ness the lovely scenes and joys of
golden wedding such as was celebrat.
ed by Mr.. and Mrs. John ]. Phifer OF
this city on Friday, June 3, it brings
to mind that such things do occur
and that marriage is not failure.
At the noon hour the immediate
relatives and friends, the Rev. and
Mrs. G. A. Reeder and Mr.. and Mrs.
Judson of Mansfield sat down to a
five-course dinner, prepared by Mrs.
Charles Smith, that was equal to the
wedding dinner of fifty years ago IL
not more elaborate and a number of
guests present had the pleasure Of
partaking of that one also.
After the dinner was over the
guests assembled in the dining room
and a ceremony, seldom if ever wit
messed at a golden wedding, took
place-it being the baptism of Rich.
ard Leroy Phifer, son of Harvey NJ.
and Minnie. Phifer of Pittsburg, Pa,
the eldest son and his wife and the
youngest grandchild of Mr.. and Mrs.
Phifer. The baptismal ceremony was
performed by the Rev. G. A. Reeder,
pastor of the Gay Street NJ. f. church.
At three o'clock the friends began
to arrive, bringing with them some
beautiful gifts and tokens of love, and
extending to the happy couple their
congratulations and best wishes.
From until 10 o'clock in the evening
seemed to be Methodist hours and the
little home fairly groaned beneath its
load of these good people and it look
ed at one time as if the sides would
have to be taken out of the building
to give space for the guests to cele-
brate.
AT eight o'clock the Rev. and Mrs.
| D. A. Morris of the NJ Z. church
called Mr.. and Mrs. Phifer to stand
up for a ceremony. They had no
knowledge that it was the sealing of
the token of love and esteem of the
official board of the Gay Street NJ. E.
church of which Mr.. Phifer is a mem
ber. Rev. Mr.. Morris spoke in elo-
quent words of the clouds and sun
shine that come to one down life's
journey, paying a lovely tribute to
these two Christian people and their
usefulness in the church. At the con-
clusion of his remarks he presented
them S25 in gold. Mr.. Phifer said in
reply that all the gold that could be
brought to them would not compen-
safe the worth, the depth and the
breadth of the love and fellowship
of the grand true Christian souls that
were his brothers and sisters in the
church and the friends of today.
A quartette, consisting of w. F.
Babb, VIM. F. Rimer, E. f. Ewing and
| j. c. Stephens came in during the ey.
ening to pay their respects and sang
very sweetly, Behold, Stranger at
the Door, He Gently Knocks, Has
Knocked Before" and this brought
the writer and the other guests, who
were present fifty years ago a remem.
brance that this same song was sung
by lot of young people, who had
come on the wedding night to give the
newly-wedded couple a noiseless Sun
day evening belling, as they were
called in those days-the sacredness
of the day not allowing the use OF
the old-time horse-fddle.
AT 10 o'clock the guests departed
all feeling that they had added their
share towards making the closing
days of these two people enjoyable
and pleasant.
Mr. Carlo Simmons nf CaveIIo ie