Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-10-12


Meetinas-Bishop Carter breaches
Dedicatory Sermon, conscerates
-. Church and Announces Ministerial
S. Appointments For Year.
The 18th session of the Virginia
annual Conference of the United
Brethren Church, which convened
last Tuesday evening in the new First
y. B. church, came to an end Sunday
night, an ordination service being the
closing feature. The last business
session Of the conference however,
was held Saturday night Sunday be-
ing given over to the meetings OF a
more public character The session
was one of the most successful and
altogether enjoyable in the history
of the conference, and it will be mem
orable from the fact that the delegates
witnessed the dedication of the church
edifice in which it was held and par
ticipated in the interesting services
incident thereto.
The meetings OF the conference
were presided over by Bishop T. G..
Carter, ID. D., of Chattanooga, Tenn
That the one hundred delegates, min
.isterial and lay, together with numer-
Gus visitors, enjoyed their stay in
Martinsburg was voiced at the notable
services held Sunday morning and af
ternoon, while the people on their
part found an equal pleasure in hav-
ing the members of the conference
and their friends with them.
The delegates left for home today
carrying with them, one and all, the
most pleasant memories of the confer
ence in Martinsburg, and all indulg-
ing the hope that they may meet again
year hence at Roanoke.
Church Dedication.
The meetings Sunday were charac-
~'terized by a great outpouring of the
people and the profound interest mani
s-fested by all present Even the wea-
Their favored the notable events on
Sunday for the day was bright and
beautiful, with almost a summer tenn
perature prevailing.
The meeting that naturally attract
ed the largest crowd was the dedica-
tory service at 1890 o'clock, though
as a matter of fact the church was not
consecrated until in the afternoon.
Long before the appointed hour
streams of people from every direction
were seen vending their way to the
handsome First United Brethren
church on North Queen street near
Pennsylvania avenue, so that by IL
O'Clock more than a thousand people
had assembled, filling the auditorium
and adjoining Sunday school room
and the three spacious galleries, The
arrangements were perfect and every
thing passed off without hitch or
Confusion.
The exercises of the hour began
with a song service, the pastor, Dr.
Gruver, in charge. and led by a large
choir, with Miss Harley Pine as piano
aceompanist. Features of the song
sseryice were a vocal solo by Mr.. Yer
mon Brown and a male quartette by
Dr. Gruver. J, H. Wilmington, Vernon
Brown and A. Ii. Stanley. Rev. DR..
&C. LIB. Brane, of Dayton, O., read the
scripture lesson, the 18th Psalm, fol-
lowed by prayer offered by Dr. A. p.
Funkhouser, of HaTisonburg, Va.
Two new members were then ad-
United TO membership in the church,
DR.. Gruver officiating One was by
certificate and the other by profes-
sfon of faith.
The sermon was preached by Bishop
Garter. basing his discourse on the
text, Thy word is truth St John
47417. He remarked az the outstart
mat he had chosen his text from the
new pulpit Bible presented to the
church by Rev. and Mrs C. W. Huts-
Ter. of Williamsport. Nd, and the
book was first used at this service.
Bishop Carter spoke for an hour and
his sermon was a scholarly and most
impressive effort holdns as he did
the closest attention Of the large con
gregation throughout. AS a defence
of the Bible as the inspired word OF
God IL was one of the ahlest and most
eloquent ever heard in Marrinsburg.
After prayer by Dr.. Braue Rev. DR..
Grnver read a brief financial state
ment Of the church preliminary TO
asking the congregation Tor subscrip-
tfons toward paying the Indebtedness
on the new church He stated that
the entire cost OF the church, includ-
ing ground, was s29.29S.19 and the in
debtedness. including $4,000 Of Dor
rowed money, was S13076.S7 He
then asked that this sum. or as much
OF ii as possible be raised a, this meet
ing Dr. Gruver, Presiding Elder
Hammack and a corps of assistants
then went to work ana in half an hour
or more raised in cash and fve-year
Subscriptions little over $4,000, in
Guiding a large plate collection This
effort is almost unprecedented in the
history of Martinsburg churches, and
must have been exceedingly crafty