Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-10-12
FIRST U. B. CHURCH IS
DEDICATED FREE Of DEBT

miner the people TedsSemDleu IN lne
! sanctuary at 2.30 O'clock for the plat
4 form meeting Again the church was
/ filled and the liveIiest interest mani.
I tested. Dr. Gruyer was in charge.
/ Seated on the rostrum were Bishop
Carter and several members of the
1 conference, together with Representa-
/ tives of the Martinsburg Ministerial
Association, namely Rev. Or. r. NJ.
Woods, of the Presbyterian church;
Rev. DR. G. s. Trump. of the Lutheran
church; Rev. w. A. Roush, of the
Christian church; Rev. B. V. Switzer,
of the Southern Methodist church;
Rev. w. r. Brooke, of the Second Bap-
list church; Rev H. r. Brantner, To-
cal preacher of the First Methodist
church; Rev Mr/Trager, of the Pen.
tacostal church, and Rev Mr.. Hedges,
retired minister, this city.
The meeting opened with an inspir-
ing song service, effectively led by
Mr.. A. ID. Darby and the augmented
choir. The choir was assisted by a
cornet, violin and clarinet, as WAS the
case at the morning service, with Mrs.
Harley Pine as piano accompanist.
After prayer offered by DR.. Trump,
DR.. Gruver expressed the pleasure
that he and the First u. b. eongrega.
! ton felt in having SO many of his
brother ministers of Martinsburg
present on this suspicious occasion.
He said that by thus stepping over
I Il 81. ka
ing they could all meet on a common
level in Christian fellowship. He
spoke of the friendly relations that
existed between all of the Protestant
churches OF town, which was then
strikingly illustrated by the represen-
tative audience present, and that af-
ter all they we're all one in all of the
essentials of religion. As an evidence
of the kindly feeling the whole peo-
pie of Martinsburg entertained for his
new church enterprise DR.. Gruver re-
marked that substantial aid had been
given by people of nearly all of the
churches of town, a condition that
was most gratifying to him and his
congregation, while numerous contri-
i buttons had come from people who
have no direct church affiliations at
all.
/ Dr. Gruver then introduced DR..
/ Woods, president of the Ministerial
/ Association and the Oldest minister
I in Martinsburg in continuous service
+ in one congregation. DR.. Woods was
/ listened TO with profound attention
during his address of half an hour.
He began by quoting the familiar
/ lines of the 133rd Psalm, where the
4 psalmist speaks of how pleasant it is
/ for brethren to dwell together in
unity and then the learned divine
/ proceeded TO elaborate this thought
I in his Enthusiastically impressive
and scholarly manner
A vocal duet followed, entitled,
Sometime, Somewhere" which was
very beautifully sung by Misses Nota
and Mabel Crawford.
Mr.. John j. Hetzel was then intro
duced, who spoke on THE Relations
of the Business Man to the Church"
He spoke for a quarter of an hour
and in the course of his remarks he
poured some hot shot into those bust
ness men and others who support the
! liquor interests while at the same
time being processing Christians. Mr..
Hetzers speech was heartily applaud
/ ed. and it was evident that he struck
popular chord,
[ Rev. C. II. Crowell, of Berkeley
Springs, spoke feelingly for the Vir-
sinia Conference.
/ All of the speakers congratulated
the First U. b. congregation on the
/ completion of their splendid new
church, a credit alike to the builders
and the town, they said, and an adorn-
ment of North Marrnburg.
Then the clerical and lay solicitors
went to work among the audience
and in a short time raised over $1,000,
covering the Indebtedness on the
church.
! II may be stated that the total
amount of money raised at the three
4 services OF the day, in cash and sub
scriptions, was nearly fourteen thou
sand dollars. or to be exact, $l3,92S.2S.
! The church then being free of debt
it was ready for conservation. This
/ impressive service was conducted by
1 Bishop Carter, the pastor, Rev Dr.
Gruver standing at his right and the
presiding elder or conference superin'
tendent. Rev. Dr. Hammack, standing
at his left In front OF the chancel
rail stood the six trustees of the
7 church, Fred II. Baker, e. f. Millard,
John e. Oliver, Sr., ]. S Cage, A. j.
! Smaltz and A. II. Stanley.
Rev W. A. Roush pronounced the
benediction.
! Ordination Service.
The closing service of the day and
! OF the conference also, was the ordi-
nation of three young ministers by
4 Bishop Carter, assisted by DR.. Gruyer
and Dr. Hammack They were John
Ford, of Churchville, Va. A. L. Mai
Z and q I