Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1922-10-30

shall communicate this resolution
to the Rev. Mr.. Decker the Pres
byterian minister.
THE churchyard itself is Il place
of interest and 1t is certain that
many loved and loving hearts sleep
in unrecorded graves. Many of
those upon whom fell the burden of
sustaining Emmanuel Church during
the many dark years of her history.
have no memorial and their last
resting place cannot now be seen by
finite eyes. No stones mark the
graves of Rev. George Ross, for
forty-three years the first rector, or
of his son, Rev. Aeneas Ross, rector
for twenty-four years, or of Richard
Hallewell, the prime patron of I'M
manuel Church, who over two hun
dred years ago devised his farm as
a glebe for Emmanuel Church.
I'm fact a casual reading of the
names of those who in early years
of the church's history so ably car
ried on their labor of love would at
once indicate that but a small pro-
portion have now any visible sign of
where they sleep. The yard itself
was only permanently enclosed by
the wall in 1871. In 1885 a move
ment was started looking toward this
enclosure and a subscription list for
that purpose was then signed. I
hold it now in my hand, written on
parchment and it bears the signature
of such men as Benjamin Franklin,
Robert Morris and host OF others
to whom the cause appealed. Who
were they who were buried in the
yard? Without doubt
Some village Hampden that with
dauntless breast
The little tyrant OF his fields with
stood,
Some mute inglorious Milton here
may rest;
Some Cromwell, gulltless of his
country's blood
And now 1 feel that my task Is
over. my duty now is done and If 1
have made more clear and half for
gotten incident in the history of this
old church my work has not been in |
vain. I believe that structures like |
this church which have been a part |
of the community for centuries and |
about which is woven much of local |
history. belong not so much to the |
particular denomination which has !
IL in charge as they do to the com |
munity at large. The history of I'M /
manuel Church is in a large mea-
sure the early history NJ this town /
and State. The fact that Philadelphia |
owns Independence Hall makes that
historic spot not less sacred to those
who live in Delaware.
May be pardoned II in closing I
adopt the language Of one who dear
ly loved this church, who served 1t
and who understandingly wrote her
history. l cannot improve upon the
words OF the late Thomas Holcomb.
who in closing his history said: LAS
I lay down my pen at the conclusion
of this labor of love, after the
journey through the past in gather
ing up the material for this history,
the associations connected with the
old church crowd upon my mind. For
one hundred years the beautiful
spire had held aloft in the view of
the world the symbol of our faith;
and for over two hundred years this
uuAAuAAl6 mas DEtn utkQLtu 10 the
of almighty God. I think
Of the long line of holy men who
have here preached the Gospel of
Peace; of the many weary and heavy
aden who have here in prayer and
Meditation laid their burdens at the
eet OF Christ; of those now sleeping
n the church yard, whose sweet
'oices in anthem and hymn have
echoed from these walls of the {
owing fathers and mothers who. in :
Ill these years have brought their
title ones and placed them in the '
rms Of the good priest to be signed !
With the sign of the cross. Many !
lines too, these walls have heard the a
lad sounds of wedding music. when. a
t the chancel rail the strong man {
nd tender maiden, have pllghted c
heir troth and walked out into the :
World filed with i
A thousand restless hopes and s
fears, Z
'ourth reaching to the coming
years" "a
nd then. OF the many, many aching J
nd bleeding hearts who have given \
D their dead Where are the actors b
1 those scenes? The peaceful Il
rounds in the quiet church yard n
nswer
How sweet II were, so near the S
sacred house Il
7here they had heard Of Christ and a
taken his yoke,
nd Sabbath after Sabbath gathered L
strength Il
o do his will thus to lie down and p
rest II
lose meath the shadow OF It's peace n
full walls" Nv