Middletown transcript., 1912-06-08
OLD DRAWERS ANNIVERSARY
Interesting Observance Of the 18Th
Year of This Old Church

The seventeenth annual reunion OF the
Friends Of Old Drawers at the historic
edifice on the ''Apoquinimy'', known as
! Old Drawers Church, last Sunday was an
event OF unusual interest which attracted
an attendance numbering between 700
and 800 The plentiful rain had made a
fine green sward, which was carefully
shorn, while the whole grounds were
faultlesrly neat and clean, and the vener.
able old church itself. nicely painted and
repaired and fairly embowered in climb
ing ivy, it's white shutters contracting
| with the emerald hue, never looked
more neble. Within, it was prettily
dressed in wild fIwers. ferns and plants
Just behind the old fashioned high pull
pit, with its sounding board above, sur
mounted by giIded dove, is a square
window, the embr asure of which was fiI-
ed with flowers, while on either side of
the pulpit, on the window sills, and in
front of it, were large bouquets OF snowy
laurel blooms and daises-all brought
from the adjacent woods and fields.
The exercises of the morning were
under charge of R4v. Edward A. Nc
Laury, pastor of the Drawers Presbyter-
ian Church in Odessa. Rev. Francis H.
Moore, D. D., pastor of Forest Presby tel
ian Church in MiddIetown, read the 1881
Psalm. Rev. J. L. Sparklin, pastor of
St. Paul's NJ. E.Church in Odessa, offered
prayer. An offering for the benefit OF the
society was taken and Mrs. Warden
Humphrey of Wilmington sang a solo
very beautifully.
DIR. Moore then introduced Rev. c. E.
Erdman DID,, of Princeton Theological
Seminary, as the speaker of the morning,
and ne announced as ms text the fourth
chapter of John the Sch verse: "Other
men have labored, and ye are entered
into their Iabors." ave are grateful to
the fathers who builded their characters
into the walls of this building as they also
did into the fabric of society, of the state
and of the government" The speaker
proceeded to show that the fathers had
three great characteristics: First, they
believed in the unseen God as an actual
reality, possessed arove all things with a
sovereignty that entered not only into
the government of the whole natural
world, but also into the details OF the
lives of His creature; second, that the
fathers ere men who believed in law,
but also lived liberty; aud thirdly, that
they believed in the Bible as the Word of
God though claiming the right of free
Interpretation OF its meaning by the light
of reason.
During the noon bour business meet
ing of the Friends of Old Drawers was
held and the following officers were again
chosen: President, Daniel W. Corbit Of
Odessa; vice-president, John V. Craven,
OF West Chester, Pa; treasurer, George
Jauvier, of Middletown; secretary, Miss S.
Cornelia Bowman, of trustees
Thomas ]. Craven of Salem, N. j., Alfred
S. Elliott of Wilmington, in the place of
Herbert H. Boyd of Philadelphia, de-
ceased; Miss Dorothy Vandegrift of Will
mington, Clarence E. Pool, Howard A.
Pool, Janvier Woods and William jan
vier of McDonough, and DR.. Walter V.
Woods of Odessa.
During the noon intermission the vari-
ous parties, some at tables, others in their
autos or on the ground, partook of their
luncheons aud had pleasing social COLI
verse.
At 80 o'clock, the afternoon exercises
opened with singing "My Faith Looks
Up to Thee. Rev. Mr.. Louderbough
read the fifth chapter of Ephesians, and
Mre. Humphrey sang a solo, I'm Pill
GRIM" Daniel W. Corbit, as president
of the society, made the report of its af-
fairs on this the 204th anniversary of
Old Drawers and the 18th of the annual
reunion of the society. He then intro
duced as the orator for the afternoon,
Josiah Marvel of Wilmington, who ad-
dressed the we'll filed house, after Mrs
Humphrey had sung another solo, 81
Know Not Where"
Mr.. Marvel gave his audience the novel
treat of picturing for them the scenes
that marked the opening service in I773,
in the newly built Drawers Church. He
gave lively review of the people, their
dress, modes of travel, afoot, III the rare
gig, or on horseback, single or in pilIion,
that was both entertaining and humor
GUS. The address concluded with brief
commentator of the labors of the society
in preserving Old Drawers. the choir
and congregation sang America. The
total offerings were 1852.
The choir at both services consisted OF
Mrs. Warden, of Viii ington, Mrs. George
Whittock and Miss Helen Watkins of
Odessa, and Miss Lillian Humphrey OF
Wilmington, and Messrs. Clarence E.
Pool, Howard A. Pool, and Frank R. Pool of
McDonougb, while John w. Watkins of
Odessa played the comet and Mrs. Will
liam R. Davis, Of Odessa acted as organist.
A number of improvements in the
grounds were made this year, tree plant
ing, and a new automobile road graded.
With legacy Of 81, 600 as a nucleus, the
trustees have started an endowment fund
which it is hoped TO make large enough
in time to maintain the ediice and the
surrounding grounds.
A Fine Sermon on Ruth