Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-12-21
DIR. w. Il. GRAHAM IIONORED.
Holy Trinity Baptist Church, phila-
delphia Tenders Reception to
Their Pastor.

S,Sy G,rr; ,5s. 2. s'','s.,'; I'll
Tho many friends OF the Rev.
Wesley r. Graham, pastor Of the
great Holy Trinity Baptist Church,
will rejoice to know that on the
twelfth OF December tho Church cell
ebratcd its twcnty-seventh annivers
airy, along with the seventh ami
versary OF the pastor.
When DIR. Graham took charge Of
this Church seven years ago. sue
c"caing the lancnted, poprlar and
uanunal chara>, =. W. G. l.. p. Tai
iafcrro, there was Il debt or twenty
seven thousand dollars and tho
membership far less than three
hundred. Today the Church stands
clear OF debt and has a membership
OF nearly five thousand. The offer
ings reach, regularly, one thousand
dollars per month.
Because of the great growth and
the remarkable success of tho work
under tho present pastor, they gavo
him q splendid reception on the night
OF the twelfth, at which such eminent
men as Rev. Drs. w. G. Parks, Vice
President at large, National Baptist
Convention; w. e. Jones, President
OF the Baptist Minister'S Conference;
r. ]. Williams, pastor "Mother
Bethel" A. M. e. Church; Alexander
Hannom, pastor OF Wesley A. M. q.
Zion Church; tho learned, gifted, DR..
r. r. Wright, Jr., editor of Tho
Christian Recorder; Archdeacon II.
l.. Phillips, Of tho Protestant Epis-
copal Church; A. r. Robinson, pas
tor of Shiloh Baptist Church and
Chairman National Baptist Foreign
Mission Board; w. T. Hall, Vice
President at large Of the National
Baptist Convention, contemporaries;
G. c. Scott and w. II. Moses, great
Baptist Pastors and members OF tho
Foreign Mission Board; J. G. jack
son, President New England Baptist
Convention; Rector Hendricks, for
mer rector Of the historic st. Thomas
p. r.. Church and Attorneys G.. Ed
ward DicSerson, Charles II. Brooks,
c.. J. Perry, editor of the Phila-
delphia Tribune and G. Grant VIII
liams spoke in the highest praise of
the pastor, his wife and the great
Church.
The Church showed it's love and
appreciation for the pastor and his
wife by presenting them Rainy Day
Purse amounting to 600 (siXteen
hundred dollars) This was the last
report. but it is thought that two
thousand dollars will be rounded
out. They not only presented a
purse, but raised the pastors salary
to four thousand dollars year.
They say that the pastor came to
them when it was dark and dreary
with the Church, when the sheriH's
sign had been nailed on the doors,
when tho members were cast down
and almost ready to give up, and
that the progress made under his
leadership entities him to all the
support and honor that they can
bestow upon him. They declare that
with so large membership, the
higher degree Of spiritual life, the
regular collections amounting to
twelve thousand dollars a year, that
their pastor is entitled to four
thousand dollars year.
The Church is alive to all tho
appeals for Christians education and
foreign missions, and now, DR.. Ora
ham and his officers declare that they
intend, in the future, to do moro for
their Lord and His Kingdom on
earth, than they have done before.
The great reception, at which
about five hundred persons were
banqueted at one dollar a plate was
nightly frightened by the cheering