Milford chronicle., 1930-10-03
$500 CELEBRATE
ANNIVERSARY OF
OLD BARRATT'S
CCOnfinued from First Page1

Following the opening prayer,
made by the Rev. George A. Cooke,
of Wilmington, and a few remarks
by the Rev. E. w. Collins, or Har-
rington, Mr.. Harris began his ad-
dress by referring to the coming of
General Lafayette to the aid of
Washington in the time of need, and
of Bishop Asbury's coming when the
pages of Christianity were dark
ones.
81 can almost hear the voice of
that pioneer, Bishop Asbury, as he
stood on this hallowed ground" said
Mr.. Harris, land how he pleaded for
a salvation that would never die"
To-day we should forget this his
tory of the past and go forth to make
history so that the message brought
by Asbury and Coke will not perish.
Says Message Unchanged
"It is true that the messengers of
faith have changed during these $50
years, but the message that these
two early pioneers brought to the
people of this Peninsula has not
changed.
Repeating a present day phrase
with relation to peace; Mr.. Harris
said that peace can only come to
the world through Christianity" and
that peace pacts mean nothing un-
til the time arrives when the world
will be united in the great cause of
religion.
Russia and China need religion
today more than any time since
their being" said the speaker, eff
the uprisings are to stop and peace
is to reign"
The speaker took occasion to re-
fer to selfishness and prejudices
which he said can only be cast
asunder through the medium of
Christianity. He said religion is not
a process to be remembered, but to
be repeated every day, and in clos
ing his address, offered a prayer in
which he made a plea that those
present pledge themselves to renew
al of their faith and spread the same
religious spirit that was held by AS
bury and Coke.
The benediction was pronounced
by the Rev. E. W. Matthews, of
Smyrna, blind chaplain of the House
of Representatives
Combined ChOirs Sing
Preceding the services, the COM
bined chOirs of the Magnolia Cir
cult sang several hymns. There was |
also congregational singing.
Among the ministers who Oc-
cupied the pulpit in addition to those |
mentioned were the Rev. w. E. Hab-
bart, of Dover, who introduced the
speaker and the Rev. Harry Taylor,
Dover.
Those who made the pilgrimage
to the chapel began arriving as ear
ly as 10 o'clock Sunday morning.
Picnic lunches were brought along
and eaten either in the automobiles
or on the stands. The services did
not start until o'clock, but between
the hours of gathering and the SER
vices, there was afforded time to in
spect the building and walk thru
the cemetery, where lay buried
many of these pilgrims kin, and al
so some nOtables who held State
Offices.
Those attending the ceremony
wrote their names in the church
ledger which is kept from year to
year. The chapel is used every Sun '
day afternoon when services are {
by the Rev. Mr.. Campbell.
The old building has not under
gone many changes. Save for the I
of old timbers, it is prac-
-ically the same as the day it was
1uilt.
Within the structure, the brass
star and the old bench are possibly {
he greatest relics. The star bears
he year and date of the meeting
If Asbury and Coke, which was a
Sunday in the latter part of 1884,
Ind the bench is the one on which !,
hey sat to discuss the future of the :
church in America,
The preservation of this old bench
vas suggested at a meeting of the q
Wilmington M. E. Conference some ~
ears ago. The idea was broached by u
bishop W. F. Mcdowell, the presid-
ng officer.
The cemetery is well kept. Many T
loral pieces were placed on the Il
raves during the day by friends S
nd relatives of those buried there,
included among some of the prom r.
1ent persons inferred in the GEM a
terry are former Governor John w. Ill
Iall, former Secretary of State Will IL
lam T. Smithers, who served under Il
he late Governor Simeon Penniwell 3
nd members of the Barratt family,
or whom the chapel was named. b
he building was named for Philip W
arratt, a wealthy land holder in o.
ent County who contributed the
md and much of the money to