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

: unwearied diligence and liberal con-
y tributions of several gentlemen in
I the place, particularly Mr.. Richard
= Ho,lywell. Mr.. Jasper Yeates and Mr.,
r James Coutes men OF good note. 1t
D Is a fair and stately building, and one
OF the largest in this government,
}. and what contributes very much to
{ its beauty, It is adorned with her
; majesty"s bounty as well as other
; churches in these parts, fair pulpit
4 cloth and communion table cloth"
, while the church was at this
1 time completed, yet testimony Is mot
; lacking that the building consumed
$ considerable time. In 1f0S, Rev.
! George Ross removed 10 Chester and
. n general petition of the wardens
; and vestrymen of this church re-
/. quested Rev. Thomas Jenkins TO take
) spiritual charge of the parish, or as
they express 1t take care OF thelI
church which they had by such great
, charge been so long a finish'n ing.
1T would but tire the patience TO
, trace the changes and Improvements
in this structure from its building
until It underwent it's greatest change
} in form just prior TO Its conservation.
The changes took place every fow
years and each has its own value II
one was solely interested IN tracing
the history of the structure Itself
The recital of these changes would
seem tiresome TO us. no withstand
ing the fact that a proper perspec-
tive will result In the understand
ing that they wers brought about not
as we make improvements today. but
only by suffering, self-denial and
religious enthusiasm as fervid as I
was remarkable, considering the
smailness of the numbers and the
obstacles TO be overcome. Il Is a
mistaken view that assumes that be-
cause the colony was English that
! the inhabitants were supported 20
the English Established Church. A /
contemporary In this very town at !
the time of which I speak says that !
the adherents 10 the church or Eng 1
land constituted but o1c-seven5h Of !
the population. As the total popula-
ton was extremely small the adhe~-
ents were but few. This was largely
brought about by the fact thar many
of the first settlers were Quekers and
subsequently a great many Of ,he
immigrants came from the North OF
Ireland. few of whom belonged to
the English Church.
Equally unfounded are the
dreams OF colonial wealth or great
estates or wealthy proprietors here
as they had in Virginia. parts of
New York and some other colonies.
IL, rrst.. I
same contemporary whom I have
quoted in speaking OF the people
says, they were generally low in
their condition. but not INDECENT, |
having wherewlthal to support |
themselves but little to spare. few |
or none OF them had estates TO sup
port them without being obliged |
to their trade, labour and industry"
'Mr. Ross says in 1885 my hear
ers are generally poor. and OF a mean
appearance. Many OF them are new
corners. from the North of Ireland,
who set now in pews formerly pos
sessed by those who were reputed
gentlemen. SO great a change have
lived to see in my congregation.
With much ado, I collected as much
money as bought me a surplice. but
some grand william has not suffered
us to enjoy II long. We are now
where we were and like TO continue ,
so unless you lose your interest TO
relieve our misfortune. II would ,
appear from this that honesty and
poverty were, not inseparable in I
those days.
in 1715 the vestry resolved to I
have two porches built from the )
support of the walls. the resolution d
reading, Which seem absolutely y
for maintaining and up {
holding the very fabric of the $
church. Notwithstanding this very {
evident necessity, nothing was done t
until 1928. when the porches and S
a gallery were built, SO much out D
Of repairs had the church become S
that the clergy who met in Phila- v
aelphia sent word 10 the society for d
the gospel in London
on October "a, 1928. that the house s
IF God in New Castle through the e
or carelessness Of the v
irst builder was nigh coming to the n
ground, but is now in the way of
being thoroughly repaired by the
vigilance OF the incumbent and will .
prove fairer and more commod.ous y
han heretofore 1t hath been"
Repairs and improvements. some n
II considerable magnitude. were q
made to the church from time to r.
ime, and in 1920 the congregation ii
aced the necessity of additional re- a
pairs. Plans were approved and work n
started in the fall OF 1920. The work e.
slowly for want of funds n
md was not completed until Octs- a
per 1922. These repairs consisted s
terror arrangement. The chancel was Il
the old square pews taken Il
out, the tower erected and part of t'
the present transcripts built. In the q
midst of these changes the funds o
gave out. the ardour cooled. and e
the end OF Emmanuel parish was al h
most in sight In this connection u
the records OF the church contain y
in one entry the most pathetic, the g
most encouraging, the most dis :
tressing and the most glorious rec y
ord Of the achievements of our fore ?
fathers in the history Of Emmanuel
Church. The entry reads: 'On the >
seventh day of March. in the year II
Of our Lord one thousand eight hun '
dred and twenty-five. at seven !
o'clock in the evening, a meeting :
Of the vestry and wardens of I'M !
manuel Church in the town Of New h
Castle was held pursuant IN nublin