The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-08-22
A PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
200 YEARS OLD
Cape May Point. n. J.. Aug 20.

in the South and Pennsylvania and
New Jersey in the North, and while
the trip has been a memorable one
| for several reasons, yet the special
event which we shall always mark
with a white stone" will be our
attendance last Sunday at the Cold
/ Springs Presbyterian church, locat-
ed in Cape May county, about three
miles from here, at the celebration
Of their 200th anniversary. This
church-always spoken OF as the
'old brick church''-was organized
and built on the same spot of ground
| it still occupies, in the month of
August 1714, and has been in active
operation ever since.
The exercises on the anniversary
occasion were largely given up to
the history of the church, touching
the stirring times thru which that
| history runs, together with reminis-
cences of old members and former
| pastors, one of the latter whose
memory is held in loving remem-
| brance, holding that sacred Office for
over 40 years. The church is locat-
ed in a rich farming district, and
| many of these farms are still held by
| the descendants of the original own
ers, and the names of the church Of
! fcers today are mainly those of the
ones holding the same Offices 200
/ CT I'D
that his great grand parents, his
grandfather and grandmother, also
/ his own father and mother had all
! been married in the "old brick
church., . while he himself had been
baptised at her altar-truly Won
derful record.
The original church was built of
| logs. In course of time this gave
place to a frame edifice but in the
year 1882, the present brick build
ing was put up, and tho subject to
fearful gales of sea and land, it is
apparently as sound and perfect as
when the cornerstone was laid 50
years ago. 1t is a large church when
y
church and was built so many years
ago. 1t has a gallery around three
sides and will accommodate at least
600 worshipers, and there is
legend among the members that
when it was built that it was siren
uously opposed by some on the
ground that it was too big.
The auditorium is beautifully
frescoed, and at night is brilliantly
lighted by two large chandeliers,
but these chandeliers are neither
equipped with electric light bulbs or
gas mantles, but simply old-fashion-
ed coal oil lamps. The painted
pews have close-fitting doors with a
turn button on the inside to fasten,
and a number plate on the top of
each. There is no stained glass win
dows, they are perfectly plain and
square.
The choir occupies part of the gall
! lery, and the tenor singer, with one
Of the sweetest voices I ever heard,
has been a member of the choir for
80 years.
OF course, the church on this oc-
casion was abundantly decorated
! with flowers and American flags, of
the latter one was what the old sail
ors used to call the home coming
pennant-a very long narrow pen
nant. carried at the masthead of a
ship on its return from a long voy-
age, indicating to other vessels that
she was on her homeward way, and
was always cheered accordingly.
This flag or pennant reached the
whole length of the church and was
very appropriate to the occasion.
Among the relics of the old days
was cello, which was a part of the
orchestra at the dedication 200
years previous.
! One of the speakers brought out
the fact that when the governor of
Massachusetts, was asked by George
III. (the mad king of England) if
there were any Presbyterians in the
colonies, replied there were none. or
at least. a very few. and yet at that
time this old church had been in eX-
istence over so years. 1t was an
active church so years before the
state of New Jersey had a governor
of its own. Up to that time it had to
divide than honor with the state of
New York. and the church had pass
ed its 50th birthday when the first
book was printed in the United
States, and the first hospital was
built, and it was what today would
be called an old church when Frank
lin protested against the stamp tax
and all taxes without representation.
IT was so years after the banner OF
-, hnI hnnrn e 1cnd IN This