xt79057crx0d https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt79057crx0d/data/mets.xml  1915  books b92-61-27078235 English Baker Printing Co., : Newark, N.J. : Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Second Presbyterian Church (Lexington, Ky.) Presbyterian Church in the U.S Kentucky Lexington. Celebration of the centennial of the organization of the Second Presbyterian Church, Lexington, Kentucky  : October tenth to fifteenth, nineteen hundred and fifteen, Anno Domini. text Celebration of the centennial of the organization of the Second Presbyterian Church, Lexington, Kentucky  : October tenth to fifteenth, nineteen hundred and fifteen, Anno Domini. 1915 2002 true xt79057crx0d section xt79057crx0d 

REV. CHARLES LEE REYNOLDS
       CENTENNIAL PASrtOR
I

 

The Celebration of the Centennial of
     the Organization of the
Second Presbyterian Church
      Lexington, Kentucky
      October tenth to fifteenth
      Nineteen hundred and fifteen
           Anno Domini

 

       PRESS OF
BAKER PRINTING COMPANY
     NEWARK, N. J.



 

The Committees
General Committee- The Session-Rev. Charles Lee
    Reynolds, Wm. E. Bush, W. W. Patterson, J. E.
    Bassett, W. L. Threlkeld, A. H. Gilbert, J. R. Wil-
    liamson.
Committee on Hospitality-Gen. Wilbur R. Smith, J. T.
    Tunis, J. E. Bassett, J. Bruce Davis, G. Norton
    Sharpe, Mrs. John W. Scott, Mrs. J. Will Stoll, Miss
    Elizabeth S. Kinkead, Mrs. Wm. E. Bush, Mrs.
    Frank Gilmore.
Committee on Decoration-Miss Elizabeth Threlkeld,
    Miss Anna Bassett, Miss Ruth Beard, Mr. Hugh
    Frazer.
Committee on Music-Mrs. W. A. Hifner, Miss Lillie
    T. Sharpe, I. J. Blackburn.
Committee on Reception-The Pastor's Aid Society.
Committee on Finance-The Board of Trustees.
Committee on Publicity-Rev. Chas. Lee Reynolds, A. H.
    Gilbert.
5



 

SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Pastors of the Second Presbyterian Church
James McChord ................... I815-I820
Robert H. Bishop ................... I82C-I823
John Breckinridge ................... I823-I826
John C. Young ...................... i828-i830
Robert Davidson ................. i83I-I840
John D. Matthews ................... I84I-I845
John H. Brown ................... I85I-I853
Robert G. Brank ................... I854-I867
Edward H. Camp ................... I868-I869
G. W. F. Birch ..   ................. I87C-I873
Robert Christie ................... I873-I879
Geo. P. Wilson ..  ................. I880-I884
Wm. S. Fulton ..     ................. I884-I901
Robert 0. Kirkwood ................. 19OI-I905
Charles Lee Reynolds ................ I o6-
6
Rev.
Rev.
Rev.
Rev.
Rev.
Rev.
Rev.
Rev.
Rev.
Rev.
Rev.
Rev.
Rev.
Rev.
Rev.



 

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
Elders of the Second Presbyterian Church
Ebenezer Sharpe .....     ....... Ordained
Wm. B. Logan .............. Ordained
Wm. Henry ...........
Joseph C. Breckinridge
Hugh Foster ..........
Lawson McCullaugh ....
Stephen P. Norton .....
Z. Williams ...........
C. Alexander ..........
Joseph Fowler .........
Wm. H. Rainey ........
Archibald Logan .......
Wm. Richardson .......
Abram T. Skillman .....
Wm. A. Leavy ........
Wm. B. Holloway ......
David Bell ............
James Wier ............
James C. Todd .........
Richard Pindell ........
........... .Ordained   i8i8
............... Ordained
............... Ordained
............... Ordained
..............O r d a i n e d
............... O rdained
..............O r d a i n e d
..............O r d a i n e d
..............O r d a i n e d
..............O r d a i n e d
..............O r d a i n e d
..............O r d a i n e d
..............O r d a i n e d
..............O r d a i n e d
..............O r d a i n e d
..............O r d a i n e d
..............O r d a i n e d
..............O r d a i n e d
7
i8i8
i8i8
18I8
1820
i821
1824
I824
I824
1829
1829
i829
I829
i829
1834
i840
1840
i842
1842
1842

 

SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Abram VanMeter .................... Ordained I850
Geo. R. Trotter ..    .................. Ordained i850
Geo. B. Kinkead .................. Ordained i850
John R. Allen ..      .................. Ordained i853
I. C. VanMeter .................... Ordained i859
I. W. Scott ..     .................. Ordained I859
S. R. Williams ..     .................. Ordained 1859
Frederick Bush .................. Ordained i869
Wm. Christie ..      .................. Ordained i869
Geo. W. Norton ..   .................. Ordained i869
Squire Bassett ..     .................. Ordainld i869
John W. Scott ..      .................. Ordained i878
Wi. E. Bush .................. Ordained i878
John R. Sharpe ..     .................. Ordained I878
Wm. B. Kinkead ...   ................. Ordained i883
James A. Curry .................. Ordained i883
Lyman Beecher Todd .    ................ Ordained i883
James Howard Curry .    ................ Ordained I903
Wm. Walter Patterson .     ............... Ordained I903
J. E. Bassett ..........     ........ Ordained i909
W. L. Threlkeld ...  ................. Ordained i9o)
J. R. Williamson .................... Ordained I9I2
A. H. Gilbert ..     .................. Ordained I9I2
8

 

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
                     Chapter I
         EXERCISES IN THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
  The anniversary exercises began on Sabbath morning,
October ioth, 1915, with a service appropriate to the
occasion, at the regular Sunday School hour, 9.45 o'clock
in the Lecture Room. A large number of visitors was
present and among those attending were three former
pastors, the Rev. Robert Christie, D.D.; the Rev. George
P. Wilson, D.D.; and the Rev. WV. S. Fulton, D.D.,
each of whom took some part in the exercises. The
superintendent of the Sunday School, Mr. J. E. Bassett,
presided. After a short devotional service, papers were
read on the work in connection with the Sunday School
of Mr. Andrew Gilmore, Mr. J. R. Sharpe, Mrs. H. M.
Skillman and Miss Ella Williams.
  Before the papers on the work of Mr. Sharpe and Miss
Williams could be secured for publication they were
destroyed, and it has been impossible to have them repro-
duced. It is to be regretted that a full account of the
labors of these two splendid workers cannot be given here.
For thirty-six years Mr. Sharpe worked in the school, and
contributed his energies to its upbuilding and welfare.
  No less devoted was Miss Ella Williams, whose un-
timely death removed one upon whom the Church and
the school had learned to depend.
  The sketch of Mr. Gilmore's association with the
school was prepared by Miss Lizzie Lyle, and was
read by the Rev. George P. Wilson.
9

 

SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
  ANDREw GILMORE, SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER AND
                  SUPERINTENDENT.
  The minutes of the Sunday School Teachers' meetings
show that Mr. Gilmore began his work in this school as
teacher on November 5, i86o. For twenty-five years,
his name is but twice missing from the roll of teachers
present at those meetings. He seems from the first to
have taken an active, practical part in the work, as
shown by his motions. He moved that the Constitution
of the Sunday School be read to the teachers; that the
treasurer should make a monthly report; that each
teacher should be given a drawer in which to keep the
Bibles and class-books of her class-all of which tend
to the orderly, business-like management of the school.
  Seven years later, on October IO, i867, Mr. Gilmore
was elected Superintendent of the Sunday School of the
Second Presbyterian Church-an office which he held
until January 3, i869, when he resigned, but was con-
tinued as assistant superintendent with the pastor, Rev.
E. H. Camp. The minutes of the teachers' meeting
record that Dr. Scott and others made some remarks
expressing the feeling of the teachers at the retirement
of Mr. Gilmore, and a unanimous vote of thanks was
tendered to him "for the efficient and faithful manner in
which he had performed his duties." It is further stated
that "Mr. Gilmore was never absent while Superinten-
dent."
  On April 5, i870, Mr. Gilmore was again elected
Superintendent, and continued in office till April I2, i875.
IO

 

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
The school prospered under his wise management,
assisted by the following corps of teachers:
  Mr. George W. Norton, Assistant Superintendent;
  Mr. John R. Sharpe, Treasurer and Secretary;
  Mr. Frank Gilmore, Librarian;
  Prof. G. D. Herron, Bible Class;
  Mr. Squire Bassett;
  Mr. Templeton Brown, Chorister;
  Mr. E. R. Spotswood;
  Mr. W. H. Rainey;
  Gen. S. W. Price;
  Mr. William Lowry;
  Mr. John Young;
  Mr. William R. Phipps;
  Mr. S. S. Thompson;
  Mr. William E. Bush;
  Mr. William E. Christie;
  Mr. A. S. Elliott;
  Mrs. H. M. Skillman, Infant Class;
  Miss Sue Scott;
  Miss Edith Pebworth;
  Miss Mary Scott;
  Miss Ellen Peck;
  Miss Lizzie Skillman, Organist;
  Miss Charlotte Browning;
  Miss Mary Campbell;
  Mrs. Mary E. Montmullin;
  Miss Laura Norton;
  Miss Lue Parker;
  Miss Nannie Corbin;
  Mrs. William Lowry.
I I

 

SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
  In i873 Mr. Gilmore was elected delegate to the State
Sunday School Convention, held at Lancaster, Ky.
  At his retirement in i875, the minutes- record that
"A Committee was appointed to draw up resolutions
recognizing the faithful services of Mr. Gilmore, who has
for many years been our Superintendent." Mr. Norton,
Mrs. John W. Scott and Mr. Curran were named as that
Committee, and it was voted that "their report shall be
included in the minutes of this meeting." Unfortunately,
those resolutions were never entered.
  Mr. Gilmore was deeply interested in his work. He
had an unusual faculty for keeping in touch with children
and young people. He lived in the old First Ward, near
to a large district where churches and mission Sunday
'Schools had not then been established. He went out into
the highways and byways to find the children who did
not go to Sunday School, and by his personal efforts
numbers were brought into our school who would never
otherwise have had any religious teaching. Eternity only
can show how many of these little ones will shine as
stars in his crown.
  Mr. Gilmore had, to an unusual degree, the confidence
and sympathy of his teachers, because they knew well
how his whole heart was in his work. His faithfulness
was an example to all. Even when not well enough to
go, in the face of his wife's urgent objections, he let
nothing keep him away from his much-loved Sunday
School. He obeyed the command "Be thou faithful unto
death," and has won "the promised crown of life."
  Mr. William Curran, for many years a teacher in the
12

 

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
Sunday School, read the following brief sketch of the
life and work of Mrs. Margaret Scott Skillman:
  "In the year of i824, Margaret Scott, the daughter of
Matthew T. and Winny Webb Scott, the subject of this
brief sketch, was born in Lexington, Ky.
  "It was a splendid heritage that she entered upon, as
the families of both father and mother were among the
educated, religious and well-to-do people of that day and
the value of a noble ancestry is amply demonstrated in
the fact that each of their fifteen children, that survived
early youth, was a leader in the religious, social and
business circles, not only of Kentucky, but of other
states to which some of them moved.
  "It is needless to state that the young Margaret had
all the advantages that the best schools of the country
afforded, to acquire a liberal education.
  "As she grew up she developed in mind and person, a
grace and charm that made her a general favorite.
  "Although popular and admired she was not in haste
to enter the state of matrimony but when the right man
came and invited her to walk with him through the
journey of life, she yielded to him her hearty allegiance.
  "And he was worthy of her. Dr. Henry Martyn Skill-
man was one of God Almighty's gentlemen. Kind,
courteous, dignified, loyal to his God and his church, suc-
cessful in his calling, his smile was a benediction, and
when he stood by the bed of the sick, half the gloom of
pain was lifted before he made his diagnosis.
  "Previous to this event, Mrs. Susan Scott, the mother
of our Miss Sue B. Scott, died. This Mrs. Scott had
been the teacher of the primary class for a number of
13

 

SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
years, until her death, when our young Margaret was
chosen to take her place which she filled for fifty years.
  "And so in the early days of young womanhood she laid
her gifts and graces on the altar and promptly took up
the work that Mrs. Scott had laid down and pursued it
with loving zeal and marked success.
  "Three generations of the children of this church came
under her influence in this way. Some of the children
in her first classes as time passed on brought their chil-
dren and these in turn brought theirs until she became
the educational and spiritual mother of a considerable
part of the membership of this church, while many of
them are adorning the doctrine of their God and Saviour,
as members in other churches.
  "The Book of Life, alone, can reveal the number of
young lives that were directed and led to the Lamb of
God who taketh away the sin of the world, and who
said, 'Suffer little children to come unto Me for of such
is the kingdom of heaven.' And it may be said of her
as truly as it was said of the good pastor that 'She
allured to brighter worlds and led the way.' But this
brief sketch would be incomplete without some notice of
the example that she set as her young pupils emerged
from the 'infant class' as she loved to call it, into the
world's broad field of battle.
  "Please read this afternoon the thirty-first chapter of
the book of Proverbs from the tenth to the last verse and
you will find a better description of her than I can give
you. Possessed of sufficient means she was liberal in
their use.
  "In all of the financial affairs of the church, in con-
14

 

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
junction with her noble sister, Miss Lucy, she took care
to see that there were no deficits. Especially was she
fond of the Boards of the Church and the liberal contri-
butions of this Church, especially to the Home and For-
eign Mission causes, provoked the emulation of the
churches of Kentucky. And truly this woman was full
of good works and alms deeds which she did.
  "She supported wholly, or in large part, Mrs. Bennett,
a dear old lady who was suddenly reduced from plenty
to penury.
  "She was for forty years the President or Vice-Presi-
dent of the Board of Directors of the Orphans' Home
and the greater part of these children were members of
her classes. She was a valued member of the choir for
many years and her sweet voice gave an added charm to
the beautiful hymns of our church.
  "Even in her later days, when almost overcome by
infirmity and having to be assisted to the church, she
would join in the song service with her feeble voice.
Children were named for her, one of whom is now a
faithful leader in this school of the work to which Mrs.
Skillman devoted her life. And it was a beautiful thought
that when she resigned the position that she had so long
and so ably filled, that another Margaret Scott was chosen
to fill the place. And it was a noble act of her surviving
son, in honor of his mother, to build, and to present to
the church these beautiful rooms for the perpetuation of
the work in which she delighted.
  "At least three ministers of the Gospel received their
early training under her care. 'That life is long which
answers life's great end.'
I5

 

           SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
  "On September 6th, 19I3, her pure spirit left its earthly
tenement and she ascended to the bosom of her Father
and her God, to join the noble band who have washed
their robes and made them white in the blood of the
Lamb.
  "'And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me,
Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from
henceforth: Yea, saith the spirit, that they may rest from
their labors; and their works do follow them.'"



 

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
                     Chapter II
                  SUNDAY SERVICES.
  At I I a m., Sunday, October tenth, the hour of
worship was devoted to prayer, praise and meditation,
the general subject being the one hundred years of history
of the Second Church.
  The Pastor, the Rev. Charles Lee Reynolds, D.D.,
presided, and preached the Centennial sermon. Dr.
Christie, Dr. Wilson and Dr. Fulton were seated with him
in the pulpit and each took some part in the service. A
very large audience was present, and the church never
looked more beautiful with its bank of flowers surround-
ing the reading desk.
  The sermon of Dr. Reynolds on "Our Debt to the Past
and our Responsibility to the Future," John 4:38, here
follows:
  "Each generation builds upon the one before it. What
we are to-day can be explained by what our fathers were.
The fruit we gather now is a product of the roots that
were planted long ago. There can be no enduring super-
structure without a good foundation. The character of
the beginning determines to a very large extent the
character of all that follows after. Other men's labors
yield us the inheritance that we receive from the past.
If other men had not labored we would be poor indeed.
It is not true that we are ever without a benefit bevond
what we acquire for ourselves. The "self-made man;" has
received more than his own efforts have secured. He
17

 

SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
would have a difficult time to make himself if he were
given nothing from society or inherited nothing from
other days.
  "If there had been no Old Testament, no prophets, no
labor of other teachers, Jesus would never have reached
the Samaritan woman and through her the many in the
village to whom she gave the invitation to come and see
a man, who, she declared must be the Christ. The labor
of those who had foretold the coming of the Messias,
made those of Jesus' generation prepared to receive Him
when He manifested Himself. They had sown and now
He would reap. They had labored and now He and His
disciples would enter into their labors. It's an old
proverb and the Master claims that, even in His work,
it is true. Even He must build upon what other men
did. Even He must gather fruit from the planting of
the past. Even He must enrich Himself with the legacy
of other prophets. Even He must receive the benefit of
the labors of the generations of all by-gone times, when
men sought to reveal the plan and purpose of God.
  "This must be the pre-eminent thought in our minds
this morning as we review the history of other days.
Other men labored and we entered into their labors.
They sowed and now we are reaping. Who and what
these other men were interests us at the very beginning.
To whom do we owe the blessings of our present inheri-
tance
                 THE OTHER MEN.
  "In I785 was born in Baltimore the Rev. James
McChord. At five years of age he was brought by his
                         i8

 

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
family to Lexington. He received a liberal education
and began the study of law with no less a person than
Henry Clay. A little later his life was deepened with a
strong religious conviction and his thoughts turned to
the ministry. He spent four years with Dr. Mason at
the theological seminary in New York, where he stood
first in his class. He was licensed to preach in i809 and
ordained in i8ii. In i814 he published a treatise on the
nature of the church under the title of 'The Body of
Christ.' The Associate Reformed Presbytery of which
he was a member, condemned the book as erroneous and
suspended him the next year. In vain he sought redress
from the synod, and then anticipating expulsion, an
action which was not taken until i8I7, he sought admis-
sion to the West Lexington Presbytery, and was received.
Prior to this time Presbyterianism had been strongly
established in this city. The first church organized in
1784, was called by the name of the Mt. Zion Presby-
terian Church and its log building stood on the southeast
corner of Walnut and Short streets. The Rev. Adam
Rankin, of Virginia, was the first pastor of the Mt. Zion
Church. The Associate Reformed Church grew out of a
schism instigated by him in I792 and it was in this
church James McChord was reared, and from it he was
expelled.
  "When received by the West Lexington Presbytery
steps were immediately taken by his friends to secure for
Mr. McChord a pulpit in the community where his
preaching had already attracted considerable attention.
In May, i8I4, a church building was begun on this very
site and the supporters of the movement were men, many
'9

 

SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
of whom were not professed Christians. In I8i5 the con-
gregation was organized with fifteen members and given
the name of 'The Market Street Church.' Here the bril-
liant McChord preached to an admiring audience Sabbath
after Sabbath, and at last his efforts resulted 'in the
conversion of some of his young and fashionable audi-
tors.' The rest took the alarm and a 'storm of persecu-
tion,' says Davidson in his History of the Presbyterian
Church in Kentucky, 'was raised against him by those
who desired only entertaining preaching. These were
the men who contributed the largest part of Mr.
McChord's support. As a result of this persecution Mr.
McChord withdrew and went to Paris, Ky., where he
established an academy. He died in i820, and his body
was buried beneath the pulpit where he had preached the
unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ. At the same time
the name of the church was changed to 'The McChord
Church,' in honor of him for whom the building was
erected. To mark the burial place a marble tablet was
set in the wall, and we have that tablet to-day placed in
the rear of this building. In speaking of Mr. McChord's
uncomfortable position before his death and the high
honors paid him after it, Davidson in his history remarks:
'It might be trulv said of this brilliant but unfortunate
man, "he asked for bread and they gave him a stone."'
            MCCHORD PROLIFIC WRITER.
  "James McChord was the author of two volumes of
sermons, and a number of smaller editions containing a
single sermon. These writings are 'A Sermon on the
Divine Forgiveness,' published in 1812; a sermon on 'The
20

 

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
Signs of the Times,' i813; 'The Body of Christ,' a series
of essays on Federal Representation, i814; a sermon
preached before the Legislature on National Safety,
I815; A Plea for the hope of Israel, being his Defense
before the Synod, i8I7; A Last Appeal to the Market
Street Church, commonly called McChord's last appeal,
and a volume of post-humous discourses.
  "On the death of Mr. McChord the church was sup-
plied by Dr. Robert H. Bishop, a professor in Transyl-
vania University, and afterwards president of Miami
University, an institution that called later one of our
trustees, Ethelbert Dudley Warfield. The next pastor
was John Breckinridge, a young man who had been chap-
lain of the National House of Representatives, and was
then a licentiate of the West Lexington Presbytery.
There were fifty-eight members of the church at that
time but it had begun to manifest that marvelous activity
that has always made it seem bigger than its actual size.
Dr. Breckinridge resigned in a few years and entered
upon a career that made him one of the most conspicu-
ous men in the Presbyterian Church. He was a pro-
fessor at Princeton Theological Seminary and one of the
Secretaries of the Board of Foreign Missions. His faith-
ful life was brought to an end at the early age of forty-
three.
  "The third regular pastor was John C. Young, who
began his work on December 25, i828, and continued his
labors until he was called to be the president of Centre
College in November of i830, on November 3i, I831,
Robert Davidson became the fourth pastor and remained
in this relation until June 28, i840. He resigned to
21

 

SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
accept the presidency of Transylvania University. John
D. Matthews followed in i84i and was pastor until i844.
In i845 John H. Brown was chosen to the vacant pulpit
and his pastorate extended until December, i853. It was
during his pastorate that this building was erected in
i846, and dedicated on October 3I, i847. The seventh
pastor was Robert G. Brank and he labored in this place
until the division of I867 when Dr. Brank took with him
a large part of the membership, and became the pastor
of the Southern Presbyterian Church. Following Dr.
Brank's pastorate was the short administration of Edward
H. Camp, who was pastor for a little over a year, but in
that time, short though it was, fifty-two persons were
added to the church. The pastors from this time on are
remembered by a great many who are present this morn-
ing. I need simply to mention their names and your
memories will quickly recall their faces and their splendid
ministries. If you need a spur to the memory you can
look upon the countenance of my brethren who are with
me in the pulpit, for three of the former pastors are here
to-day. We thank God for their presence.
  "The Rev. G. W. F. Birch followed Mr. Camp and
from i870 to i873 he did a great work which is remem-
bered to this day. Then came Dr. Robert Christie. He
is here to cheer us this morning, and I hope you will tell
him the same complimentary things that you tell me
about him. From i873 to i879, Dr. Christie ministered
to loving friends here, and then Dr. George P. Wilson
came and continued the same faithful, earnest and fruit-
ful service that has always characterized the ministers
of this church. We have the joy of having Dr. Wilson
22

 

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
present this morning. He was pastor of this church
from I88o to I884. On March 3, I884, began the longest
pastorate the church ever knew. It was then that the
Rev. William S. Fulton assumed the charge, and he con-
tinued the beloved minister of his people until February
i9, i90i. Dr. Fulton has also honored this occasion by
his presence and I speak the feeling of this congregation,
when I say to you, sir, that you are not forgotten here.
Your name is often on the lips of your devoted friends,
your influence still abides in this place. On April 30,
i90i, the Rev. Robert 0. Kirkwood was called and
remained as pastor until June 25, i905. Dr. Kirkwood
led the congregation to a progressive and aggressive
work, and left for himself a monument in the beautiful
auditorium which he labored to make what it now is, one
of the handsomest places of worship in all Kentucky.
Dr. Kirkwood is detained from being present with us
to-day but will join in our celebration later.
  "The present pastorate began on March 4, i906, and
will soon be a term of ten years.
  "These are the men who have labored and ye are
entered into their labors.
  "But though they were the ministers, they were not
the only ones who served God here and worked in this
vineyard. Faithful elders, devoted deacons, and earnest
trustees have given of their time and money, the labor
of their hands, the love of their hearts, the zeal of their
souls, to maintain the worship of God and the saving of
the lost. Most unselfish and most successful among all
the workers who have been used of God as His instru-
ments in this church have been consecrated women.
23

 

SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Loyal mothers in Israel, splendid Christians, doing what
their hands found to do, without official position, other
than that afforded them by their own societies, have
always been a remarkable group and they have marked
this feature upon the history of the church.
  "The names of these lay workers, men and women, I
don't call over this morning, because their work was not
always done in a way that a record could be kept of it.
The ministers were formally installed and their ministry
was a distinct chapter in history. You, however, can
repeat to yourselves the names of those who in the past
promoted the interests of God's Kingdom and be-
queathed to you this rich legacy.
                 YE HAVE ENTERED.
  "'Other men labored and ye are entered into their
labors.' It is important that we appreciate the meaning
of this. If so much has been done for us by the laborers
of other years we must enter into their labors gratefully.
To those ministers living now, and all but one here to-day,
we owe a debt of gratitude. To them we must express a
joyful thanksgiving. It would be wrong for us to fail to
recognize that the strength of our present work, the influ-
ence that we now exert in this community, the place we
occupy among the Christian forces of the city, can be traced
back to those men who were once the leaders of the work-
ers, and I include both ministers and laymen among the
leaders, and women as well as men. To that great invisi-
ble company, of those who have gone before, to James
McChord and his elders, Ebenezer Sharpe, Joseph C.
]Breckinridge, William B. Logan and William Henry,
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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
who laid the foundations of the organization that has so
wonderfully stood as a life-saving and soul-saving agency
in this place, down through one hundred years to this
day, we give thanks, and glorify God's name for His
providence over them. To the great invisible company
of men and women who came after them and are now
passed to their eternal reward, men and women, beloved
of God and men, tireless servants of the Master, we give
thanks and glorify God's name for His providence over
them.
  "But we must do more than enter into the labors of
other men with thanksgiving. We must enter into our
heritage with the same spirit with a prayer that the
mantle of these ascended. Elijahs may fall upon us, and
the success that followed their labors may attend our
efforts. Every gift of property imposes a responsibility.
Every succession in office brings a succession of duties.
If we have received an inheritance we must accept the
legacy and add to our estate. The line of the prophets
must not be broken. 'Cursed' it has been said, 'is he
who breaks the line of hereditary goodness.' The spirit
of other men who labored must live again in us, the
earnest work of your fathers and their ministers must be
continued by you and me, the splendid devotion of those
men and women who sacrificed in other generations for
the good of God's Zion here must characterize the life
we live in the same place. Inheriting the privileges let
us assume also the obligations of the other men who
labored. Assuming the obligations let us try also to
possess their ideals.
  "When Elijah had been taken away from his earthly
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SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
labors in a chariot of fire and his mantle had fallen from
him, Elisha taking up the mantle went back and stood
upon the bank of the Jordan. Here he smote the waters
as his predecessor had done and said: 'Where is the
Lord God of Elijah' and when he had smitten the waters,
they parted hither and thither. Let us stand to-day where
the ascended leaders did their great work, and let us
say: 'Where is the Lord God of the men and women
who went before us Their God shall be our God.
Their life shall be our life. Their zeal shall be our zeal.'
For the God of every Elijah gone into Heaven is the same
God of Elisha remaining on earth to continue his work.
           OTHERS TO ENTER OUR LABORS.
  "But turning from the past let us look to the future.
Some day other generations will be looking back to what
we are doing now. Of us they will say: 'Other men
labored and we are entered into their labors.' What kind
of labor will it be We owe something to posterity, just
as we owe gratitude to ancestry. As other men labored
for us that we might enter into their work so we must
labor for those who come after us that they might enter
into our work. We must give to the coming generations
not only as much but more than has been given to us.
We must think of the next Centennial and what they
will have to thank us for. It is a shame to be living upon
history only. We can cover our nakedness with leaves
from the family-tree, but far better is it to make a tree
of our own, and clothed with righteousness, and having
our loins girded with truth, and our feet shod for the
field, and our hands upon the plow, to enhance our great
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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
heritage and leave it to the future church, a Zion made
twice as strong as it was when we entered into it.
  "I will be sorry if this jubilee shall spend itself simply
in a celebration.  Interesting, indeed, the marking of
time as it passes, but a monument lives longest when it is
built to commemorate events. What shall our monument
be Something permanent would tell future ages that
on this day this church came so far in its history. I
know of nothing better than a building to house the work
of our fast growing educat