Evening star., 1924-12-06
RECTOR TO OOBSERVE
22D ANNIVERSARY
Rev. Or. C. Ernest Smith to
Report on Long Service
at st. Thomas.

Tho twenty-second anniversary OF
Rev. DIR. c. Ernest Smith as rector of
II. Thomas Episcopal Church will be
observed tomorrow at the ii o'clock
service, when he will present u re-
sumo of the work that has been done
during that time.
As the distinguishing feature Of the
first rectorship from material point
OF view Vas the erection of a sim
gularly beautiful church, the marked
feature OF the second rectorship from
the same point of view has been the
paying off of the great debt which
had been contracted, $72.500, together
with the interest payments-S30.o0 600
more; with many Improvements with
In and without the building, including
the installing of large three-manual
organ and the building of rectory
at a cost of $4,000. including the
land which today could not he built
for much less than double that sum.
'Fhe debt on the church was paid on
~ ten years, this event being imme-
diately followed by the church's con-
secratlon.
S763,OO5.II Used by Church.
During these twenty-five years
s6S,Q05.11 have been given for vari-
Gus church purposes. OF this sum
there was spent on paying the church
.deht and building the rectory and
lS,rish hall about $4,000. About
$7o,o00 more was invested in church
improvements and necessary repairs,
and the rest, after the payment of the
current expenses OF the church, was
given, to the various charitable and
missionary works in which the church
is Interested.
There have been very many struc-
rural and other improvements since
i9o2: The replacing of wornout
brick pavement around the church
tv granolithic pavement. the COM
1'ietion of the parking around the
'utire building, south porch neces-
stated by the growing congregation
and the laws OF the District; an or
gan costing, with everything COM
plete, e,.sl2, 2,0O0; a litany desk. the East
" indow and 90 other windows in the
nave, two Of them with three lights
'he exquisite quartered oak screen
:'eross the entire west end of the
chureh, the chartered oak chancel
sails, the statue of Christ in the
Uuatrefoil of the lantern tower and
:. new window. in the chancel. A
handsome west window is now being
constructed in London, which will be
hnown. as the Jesse window" The
last improvement to be made has
been the addition of two iron screens
constructed by Bruno Bros. of this
''ty, which entirely I'LL up the arch
ways at the east end of the church
-sadlng into the organ chambers and
10 new chapel In addition to all
these improvements the parish has
built st. Thomas Hall, its handsome
parish hail. and extended the chancel
OF the church eastward by nine feet.
\ Membership More Than Double
As TO spiritual progress, this no
one can properly gauge, but there is
luuch TO encourage us to go forward "
said DR.. Smith. CONSIDERATIONS are
large and there is Il growing spirit
of reverence. This, with the at
tendance at the early Eucharist.
which has been steadily though
slowly growing for years. is always
the best test. Whereas % wears ago
there were less than 200 families with
100 communicates, there are now over
400 families with over 750 communi-
cants. SOL persons have been admit
tad by baptism; 709 persons have been
confirmed; S32 marriages have taken
place, and there have been 42I
burials. 49,.
''St. Thomas parish has suffered a
great loss this week in the death of
John c. Davidson, one of the
charter members of the parish and
for long one of it's vestrymen and
its registrar. Suitable mention will
be. made tomorrow Of Mr.. Davidson's
passing and the Dead March from
Saul will be played, as is customary
when vestryman or a prominent
official Of the church passes away.