The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-09-25
lENERATE HOME
 OF JESSE LEE
MsIhOdIsts Make Pilgrimage to First Home of Church In
 New England
fBv Nnaiay Ernmet. }

western heavens yesterday. from a group of tall naples, in Easton, the strains of: S All Hail the power of Jesus name. ~ Let Angels prostrate faLll,'' Reapg with the strength of more than TWO hundred voices. were heard aris- mg. A stray breeze, in whose dainty teaIce was heard the tones of autumn, as it rustIed the dry leaves which had already fallen from the parent stem, carried the strong. sacred words far across the surrounding peaceful coun- try. A COW .graxing in an adjacent field raised her head at the unusual sound but soon lowered it again as the hymn continued.
 On nearer view, the sight of some two hundred and fifty people, of all ages. and sizes. grouped before an old weather beaten house, and raising their voices In worship. was disclosed to the occasional traveller When the hymn had been comp1et- ed, the Twenty-third Psalm was re- peated with full strong voices. and then man stood upon the small stoop which was serving as a speak CTS platform and addressed the as- sembIage. We are here this afternoon to ceIe- brate the one hundred and twenty fifth anniversary of the first Metao- dist society organized in New Eng land. | may be pardoned if give a 5S654S9 3<tCGN0A4A O1 v V Jesse Lee-''s
 Then the secret was out. This was the Jesse Lee celebration and this group. a gathering of loyal Methodists worshfpping at a, cradle of their re- 7Igion The speaker, who was sdeliv-. erirg such an interesting address was George B. Hawley of Bridgeport lAEr Hawleyss address was given in fun in yesterday,s Fsarmer.)
 Rev. George M Brown. of the First ~ s.-Az xr1--@ 4rarw fa q speakers and leading the services and tlae, greater number Of the gathering were from Bridgeport. They had made tf1e Journey in automobile busses and private touring cars.
 When MT. Haw1ey had concluded his address which was the principal one of the day, a man whose voice 4reulbIed with the memory of many years. stood upon the stoop and talk ed
 And used to walk the four or i've miles to church and preach a1ld walk back again in the evening. and preach, and always enjoyed 1t be- oauseI had a splendid circuit and the 1@ople were always so kind in every respect. ! want to thank you the peo- 711e of Eastons and you who are their children. for being so kind
 It WAS a former pastor or tse FAastS,f1 Methodist church, now retired and living in Bridgeport, Rev Albert Booth, Speaking again to his people. The words of the hynans Faith or Our herss most ap propFiate at this satherfngs were next sung and then Bishop Luther Barton Wilson com nnen&ed on the life of J Jessee Lee
 .sxve have come here to honor the memory Of lessee Lee, not pecause ol a.nything present today but because about 125 years ago Jesse Lee was here Does 1t strike you as unusual that a company like this should gather in this way Does lr seem -v4Drth while that man by his hv- ing should 50 project himself into the 4Sext century as cause such gather ing. even when only the memory of him remains
 Faith of Our Fathers the hymn which we have just sung. What IS the faith of our fathers if you and T were challenged as to our belief, v hat is our belief
 w hat we need really is a baptism as to the intensity of our belivin g-- baptism in loyalty in living J esse Lee was a power for r1ghteousness He believed something to which he was true until death
 II pray that it may be ours to be like Jesse Lee. living to honor Christ gnifytng His name. and being deS-d still speaking
 pr. H. Goodsnough offered 2 fervent prayer and then the unfqu' services were concluded by the sing ing of the old, old hymn OnWart Christian Soldiers
 s away the old weather stained house with its huge partly turnbled chimney assumed again the peaceful. uTd1s furbed de1aeanor which it had Worl for 50 many years. The sun was nov preparing to slip beneath, its horlzo1 and the late quiet of the autumn af 4ernoon had fallen upon the place:
 The local Methodists conclude their anniversary day services, wnicl had included a pilgrimage to Eastoi where the first Methodist society i New England was organized by Jess Lee 125 years ago. with an interest ing gathering in the First Methods church last evening. Fanny , Cros by Aunt Fanny, as she IS Ia-.nlhaE " known to Bridgeport was their hon or guest of the evening, and her lat est poem, which she had written fo the day was read by Rev. George Brown.
 pr. A Fl. Goodenough of starnfort superintendent of the New York ,eaS presided over the reception Re1 John P Wagner of summerhe1d M church conducted the devotions of tn evening.
 Bishop Luther Barten Wilson New York. made the address of tn evening At it's conclusion. Rev. M Brown read the following verses con posed for the occasion by Mime. Cros bv. the beloved blind poetess who now nearing her 95th birthday.
 on. temple of the Highest, O Churc
 Of Christ our Kings
 Around thy holy altar our chor'
 voices sing.
 Thy natal day has numbered a hur
 dred years and more,
 We catch their beams resplende1
 that break from yonder shore Oh. blessed, blessed foretaste of thins
 prepared above
 though unseen we love-
 Oh. bond of sacred union. oh Joy tn
 ne CT will end.
 When OCT the silent river we gath
 friend with friend.