Gloucester County Democrat., 1911-10-19
building was held on Tuesday evening,

portant has since been done in the
way of repair or improvement In the
structure itself except the much ap-
preciated work Of the former mems
club in making habitable and useful
the basement of the building, which
is now worthy to be called a parish
room.
After that first service on June 21st,
1904, a parishioner (who is with us
to-day was by the unanimous vote
OF the people elected Treasurer, and
served faithfully in that office, as the
only resident official of the Mission,
until the incorporation of the parish,
and the election of the first Vestry.
The first visit of the Bishop of the
Diocese in this building, after one
visit at the hall, was on July 9th,
1904, just two years to the day from
the time of the first Service. It is
great pity that through tardiness in
securing a Parish Register, the rec
ords of the Bishops earlier confirma-
tons in the parish, if made at all,
are to be found only in the Parish
Registerr of Gloucester The earliest
record of Combinations here is dated
1908.
In 1907 the parish was duly incor-
porated, with the consent of the Dio-
'cese, ,yand under the laws of the State
OF New Jersey; the Bylaws were
adopted; and the first Vestry was
elected, comprising Theodore Glover,
Senior Warden; William McJaniiess,
Junior Warden; Daniel M. Fox, Ban
jamin F. Lloyd and Frederick II.
Stigale, Vestrymen
st. Luke's is rich in memorials and
glfts. In enumerating which | must
omit, both by request and on prin-
clple, the names of the gives.
The Altar is in memory of Abigail
Branson Glover, and the same parish
ioners who made this supremeiy i'm
portant gift gave also as memorials
the vases and the Eucharistic candle
sticks in memory of Jacob Glover
The Seven branch candlesticks were
purchased with money given by a
Gloucester Churchman, other parish
toner's gave the Altar Cross in memory
OF Benjamin and Katharine Marston.
The Altar Desk, the Sanctuary rail,
the professional Cross and the ricn
and beautiful vestments of the Altar.
The Font was given by parishioner
in memory of Howard Leslie Baker.
The Lectern, the Bible and the Pulpit
were gifts from Trinity and St. Pet
ers Churches, Philadelphia. The
organ was purchased by popular sub
scription. The Sacred Vessels to-
gether with other vessels of the Altar,
and the Aims Basink were given by
the Sunday school. The Altar window
is in memory of Christian Elizabeth
Richter; and nearly all the other win
doWs bear memorial names which I
cannot now take time to recite. If
this enumeration be cause of justi-
ficatifiable pride, it is still more the
cause of thankfulnes to God Who, by
moving the hearts and guiding the
hands of His people, has so fully pro-
vided for the reverent rendering of
the holy offices of His Church. To
some here the less than ten years of
our history must seem like the forty
years of Israels wanderings, if the
time from SO feeble a beginning be
measured by the strain of acquiring
all that is ours now to have and to
ho.d. glance at the early subscrip-
tion lists shows but very few persons
who could or would give largely. The
weary way of the solicitors found only
here little and there a little; most
commonly a dollar at time Yet the
building and it's furnishings, and the
past and present maintenance of its
work and worship represent many,
many dollars, only small portion of
which is in sense borrowed money.
The history of our parish organiza-
tlons emphasizes the folly of being
discouraged by the experiences of an
hour or day or year. We need to rev.
erence Gods long-drawn plan, in or
der to appreciate the many little ways
in which He slowly and surely ac-
complishes it. In knowing the aggre-
gate, we are saved from despising
the here little and there a little,'
by which it has been achieved.
For the Vestry be it said it is not
Vestry's province, as a Vestry, to
devise and execute ways and means
of supporting the parish, but rather to
be the stewards of Church property,
and almoners of moneys raised es-
pecially by the direct offerings of the
people. So if Vestrymeh are accused
that they say and, do not" it is be-
cause they do not go beyond their
province of administering that which
from other sources is put into their
hands
The Sunday school lacks in scholars
because it is short of teachers and
workers or at least of those who will
take the place of regular teachers
when the latter are unable to fulfil
their duties. But as an institution of
the parish the school has accomplish
ed much in the way of Church in
struction, and for the training of chill
dren in the worship of the Church
Financially also it has been self-sup-
porting and more than that. The Sun
day school offerings since 1902 have
aggregated $591.51, or an average of
nearly $500 a year. Out of these
funds the school has paid for all the
books and lesson papers it has used;
has had it's part in the Lent offering