The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-11-04
VOTE FOR LEWIS.
OXYGEN MEMORIAL.
Priestly HOnored at Northumber-
land Dedication.

land DeulCatlOn.
Northumberland, Oct. 25.- Due
homage was paid here today to that
distinguished former resident, Dr.
Joseph Priestly, discoverer of oxy-
gen, when the historic Unitarian
church of this place was rededicated
as the Joseph Priestly Memorial.
Unitarian clergymen of prominence
throughout the Middle Atlantic
States participated in the enjoyable
exercises, which began last evening"
when the invocation was offered by
Rev. William NJ. Gilbert, of Vine
land, N. j., and there was a read
ing of Scriptures by Rev. U. G. B.
Pierce, d. D., of All Saints church,
Washington, d. c.
NJ. c. Garvin, of Lancaster, chair
man of the restoration committee,
made the historical address and the
prayer of dedication was offered by
Rev. Charles E. st. John, of the
First Unitarian church, Philadelphia.
The sermon was preached by Rev.
Samuel A. Eliot, president of the
American Unitarian society, and a
brother of DR.. Charles A Eliot, for
mer president of Harvard University.
Rev. H. d. Catlin pronounced the
benediction.
The Joseph Priestly conference
met this morning and the many dis
tinguished visitors were taken to the
grave of the eminent chemist, and
they also were escorted through his
home, well preserved here in all it's
ancient grandeur. NJ. G. Garvin
presided at the conference and brief
reports of the condition of these
churches were made by their pas
tors: Northum berland, the Priestly
Memorial, Rev. II. d. Catlin; Phila-
delphia, First Unitarian church; Rev.
c. E. st. John; Philadelphia, Spring
Garden church; Germantown, Uni
tartan Society, Rev. Oscar b. Hawes;
Lancaster, Church of Our Father,
Rev. John w. Cooper; Vineland, n.
j., First Unitarian Society, Rev. w.
NJ. Gilbert; Wilmington, Del, First
Unitarian church, Rev. A. C. Hen
derson; Baltimore, Md, Independ-
ent Church of Christ, Rev. Alfred
r. Hussay; Washington, d. c., All
Souls Church, Rev. U. G. b. Pierce.
Reports of the International Berlin
Conference were made by Revs. o.
B. HaWes and o. r. st. John and
Mrs Martha Z. st. John.
DR.. Joseph Priestly established the
Unitarian church in this state in
1894, and the historic structure re-
dedicated today was erected in 1884.
Rev. II. d. Catlin was called to the
pastorate in 1873. Death reduced
the membership of the congregation
so much and their finances grew so
low that during the past eighteen
years there was not sufficient money
to pay a salary to a pastor. The
members remained steadfast, how
ever, and held occasional prayer
meetings in the edifice.
The treasury was so depleted sew
eral years ago that the sheriff was
about to levy for delinquent taxes
when the American Unitarian asso-
citation became cognizant of the
strained circumstances and saved the
property by establishing a perpetual
trust fund as the Priestly Memorial
Services were regularly resumed last
July and the Rev. Mr.. Catlin graci-
ously accepted a recall to the pull
pit.
These descendants of DR.. Joseph
Priestly were prominent attendants
at the conference: Mrs. +. b. Ton
lin, Hayerford, great-granddaughter
| Mrs. William Forsyth, Chicago
great-granddaughter; Mrs. II. ID.
Catlin, the Misses Annie A. and Jane
b. Priestly, of Northumberland. The
Misses Priestly reside in the ole
Priestly mansion near the memorial
! church.