Smyrna times., 1932-06-08
MANY MOTOR UP
TO OLD DRAWERS
221st Annual Ceremony at
Historic Presbyterian Edifice
on Boulevard Near Odessa
ELECT BOARD TRUSTEES

A number of Smyrna Presbyter-
ians and members of other denom-
nations motored up to Old Draw
yers Church near Odessa Sunday,
to attend the services commemor-
ating the 221st anniversary of the
historic old edifice. The day was
a typical summer day and the
church and church yard never
looked prettier. Some went for
all day and took a picnic lunch to
eat under the trees. Rev. Andrew
w. Blackwood, professor of home
letics, Princeton University, deliv-
cred the sermon and plead for a
revival of religion in the church
and in the home. There were two
services, morning and afternoon.
DIR. Blackwood spoke in the morn
ing. Following the service many
ate their lunches in the beautiful
grounds. In the afternoon DR.
George H. Ryden, professor of his
tory, University of Delaware, and
State archivist, spoke, eulogizing
the Presbyterian pioneers who fig
ured SO prominently in Delaware
history. Following the morning
services a meeting Of the Board of
Trustees of Old Drawers Church
was held in the main auditorium.
John Price Hyatt, of Wilmington,
was elected president to succeed
the late President Janvier who died
last August. Other officers elected
were Clarence E. Pool, vice-presi-
dent; Miss S. Cornelia Bowman,
secretary, and George Janvier,
treasurer. Trustees elected for the
ensuing year were Mrs. Edgar H.
Arnold, David c. Aspril, D. Stew
art Craven, Frank Davis, Miss Hell
en- S. Garrett, ]. Willard Humph-
rey, F. deli. Janvier, Mrs. c. G.
Lee. .Jr., Mrs. Bessie A. Mills Moore,
John P. Nields, Howard A. Pool,
Joseph P. Pugh, William F. Sellers,
James T. Shallcross, S. D. Town
send and Christopher Vandegrift.
A resolution was adopted increas-
ing the number of trustees to 16.
Those elected to fill the quota were
David c. Aspril and S. D. Town
send. of Wilmington, and Frank
Davis of Odessa. A resolution was
also adopted expressing sorrow on
the part of the trustees over the |
loss of their late president, Mr.. |
Janvier. A memoriam was read |
and copy was ordered TO be sent
to his widow.
DIR. Ryden Lauds Presbyterians
At the afternoon meeting the
Rev. E. w. Derrickson, a retired
M. E. minister of Odessa, introduc-
ed Professor Ryden. DR.. Ryden
spoke on Early Presbyterianism
In Delaware and its Relation to
Higher Learning" He said in part:
There is no church in America
that has such a long history of or
ganized activity as the Presbyter-
ian, unless 1t be. the Congregation
al in New England, and the
Friends of Old Drawers" an or
ganization dating back to 1895,
which has done a noble service in
preserving to postertiy this historic
building as a place where Presby-
terianism was Graded in this part
of Delaware, as place where fam
Gus ministers of the Gospel have
preached, and as place where the
beneficent influences of those con-
secrated servants of God have ex-
tended down through the decades
and centuries.
Some Old Churches in the State
"The oldest Presbyterian congre-
cation in the State of Delaware is
that at New Castle. Organized in
1857 as a Dutch Reformed Church,
it continued in that denomination
until 1854. In 1898 a Presbyter-
ian minister named John Wilson
became its pastor. Other early
Presbyterian Churches in Delaware
in the order Of their founding (us-
ing the Rev. Turner's article as my
authority were: Lewes, Sussex
county. 1892; Head of Christiana,
New Castle county, ,1708; Drawers
171o; Pencader, at Glasgow, New
Castle county. 1710; Cedar Creek,
Sussex county. 1714; Dover, 1714;
Double Run. or Mutherkill, Church,
Kent county, 1714; Lower Brandy
wine. New Castle county, 1920;
White Clay Creek, New Castle ,