Evening journal., 1915-12-20
OLD swEDEs AND ITS ENDOwMENT.

associates hope raise endowment fund of $5O00O
for Old swedes He is sending out many letters appeal
ing for contributions to provide permanent fund for
the perpetuaon Of religious services and the large
neghborhood work pertaining thereto
Mr. Krkus points ont with telling force that the old
church admittedly the interesting monument in
the State of Delaware, it forms connecting link
between its earliest colonization and its religious life
and activity today He makes il clear that he is hope
ful Of a very wide participation in the enterprise Of
raising the endowment the result may embody the
and sympathy Of the entire parish and that OF
many other friends Of the old church. Accompanying
each letter of appeal out is a small pamphlet,
piled by him. setting forth facts about Old swedes
In addition being highly interesting it possesses
historic value which should make it doubly acceptable
to the recipients.
That pamphlet shows that Holy Trinity (od swedes)
Church, began its history in 1888 when the first Swed
sh Coonss erected their first crude place Of worship
the banks Of the Christana river.
In $685. under the pastorate of Eric Bork, swed
sh missionary the present church building erec
ted William Penn contributed fifty pounds G25O) to-
wards this building.
Until 1880 Holy Trinity Church under the juris-
dicon Of the Swedish Lutheran Church AT that time
it was transferred by the Swedish Missionary Society
the Protestant Episcopal Church. under whose iuris-
dicton il has since remained
About 1890 the first branch Of the old parish es
tablished by the secession OF some Of its members
to form ST. Andrews parish, Wilmington whose church
building eonsecrated by Bishop White on october
1, 1929.
The present building was the parish church Of Holy
Trinity congregation until 1880. when a new place Of
worship was erected Fifth and King streets to which
the people moved and the Old Church was closed and
abandoned.
For twelve years the building disused and fell
into a serious state dilapdaton In 1892 it re-
opened put good repair and used for occasional ser
vices until 1854 when the vestry Of Trinity parish APP
pointed regular assistant minister and weekly SER
vices were resumed there
In 1857 ST. Johns parish formed out Of Trinity
parish which gave to that important enterprise among
other interested Qymen. Mr. Alexis J. DUPONT. the SEN
or warden and treasurer Of the parish. and his son
Francis G. DUPONT The former died before the beaut-
ful edihce completed, and the latter was his
worthy successor in good works and became one Of
the useful and valued aymen he church in Della
ware has possessed.
From 1853 TO 1868 the regular services at the Old
Church were discontinued, owing 10 lack OF support
due chiefly to the sustained by the formation OF
ST Johns parish and after 1865, until 1888 there
were many yesitudes in the history of the Old Church
and It's local congregation.
In 1883 the Rev. T. b. Martin was rector OF Trinity
parish and again the congregation changed its place
Of worship this time to IT'S present site ON the corner
OF Delaware avenue and Adams street
Under Dr. Martins recorshp. regular assistant
shin in the parish again established and has been
continued 20 the present time; thus assuring regular
services minstratons in connection with the Old
Churcr without interruption, during the past thirty
years
While the constituents Of Trinity parish removed in
1890 from their original place worship they never
reinquished the ownership Of the Old Church and its
cemetery ncr the responsibility for their and
maintenance The congregation worshipping at the Old
Church became part OF Trinity parish and the work
Al
recton Of It's rector and vestry in cooperation with
committee appointed annually by the local congrega-
ton.
Though always remaining integral part of Trim
ity parish the Old Swodes Church has been re-
duced the status of ordinary chapel Since 1888
il has been formally recognized as responsible sec
tion of the parish. having equal rights with the up
town congregation in the election Of wardens and ves-
trymon for the whole parish, and entitled 10 three
representatives the vestry from the membership Of
Old Swedes' Church. The congregation Of the Old
Church also entitled to representation in Diocesan
Convention equal that OF any independent parish in
the Diocese.
But although Trinity Church has thus maintained
the organization Of the old parish and responsibility
for the Old Church. it has claim to monopoly Of
interest the exclusion Of those other congregations
which have equally strong ancestral ties with the
Mother Church though discovered from the ancient cor
poraton.
Old swedes' Church was the cradle of the whole re.
gious life OF this community; for the only
place Of Worship in its bounds, and until A. ID. 1920,
the only Episcopal Church in Wilmington Naturally.
therefore it has retained its friends and active
supporters many outside its parochal bounds,
whose help has been invaluable in maintaining and
furthering its work.
The services of the Old Church have been hitherto
supported by O) the offerings Of the local congrega-
ton; (2) contributions from Trinity Church: and
CD gifts received from selected list Of people inside
and outside Trinity parish who have annually been ap-
pealed TO for financial assistance.
All three OF these sources OF supply are fuctuating
and precarious, and the importance OF placing the
finances OF the Old Church on a more stable and per-
! manent basis has long been apparent
The present EFFORT therefore is TO secure endow-
ment fund of least fifty thousand dollars the income
from which shall be used to perpeuate religious ser
vices in the Old Swedes Church An approximate in
come OF s250O be derived herefrom, will be enough
10 secure the basic expenses OF the church. but no