USA > Maryland > Frederick County > Graceham > The history of Graceham, Frederick County, Maryland > Part 14
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May 27 (Whit-Monday). Result of annual election : Elders, re-elected ; Trustees, re-elected, with Wm. D. Morrison in place of B. Colliflower; Sextons, Jago Colliflower, C. E. Laymon, Jacob Shown, Alonzo Buhrman ; Grave-digger, Jago Colliflower. A very important matter was the adoption of the Articles of In- corporation of the Board of Trustees, so that the congregation is now at length in a position to meet any legal or business emerg- ency that may arise, being a body corporate. The drawing-up and putting into correct form of these Articles was done by the Hon. Charles C. Waters, of Frederick, without charge.
December 4. After prayer-meeting the annual business meet- ing of the Sunday School was held. Officers were elected and matters pertaining to the supplies discussed and arranged. Christmas preparations were also taken in hand.
December 31. Total membership, Graceham, 198; Thurmont, 40.
1902 .- January 10. The Rev. Robert Clewell, pastor at Hope- dale, Pa., being here on a visit, took part in the Week of Prayer service and preached on Sunday, the 12th, at Graceham and Thurmont. He is a son of the Rev. Lewis P. Clewell, pastor here at Graceham, 1873-1880, and delivered a message of kind remembrance and good wishes from his father.
February 2. The pastor announced that he had been called to the pastorate at Riverside, N. J.
February 16. Bro. Oerter preached his farewell sermon to large audiences at Graceham and Thurmont. In the service
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at Thurmont the ministers of the Lutheran and Reformed churches took part, having come to our church with their mem- bers.
February 21. Bro. Oerter and family left Graceham for their new field of labor.
March 2. The Rev. John F. Kaiser, from Nazareth, Pa., hav- ing accepted a call to Graceham and Thurmont, preached his first sermon at Graceham, and on March 9 at Thurmont, being introduced at both places by Bro. A. L. Oerter, to whom the Provincial Elders' Conference had sent a letter to be read for them.
March II. The congregation at Graceham gave the new pas- tor a liberal donation-party.
May 19 (Whit-Monday). Result of annual election : Elders, F. C. Fisher, Phares Buhrman, Jago Colliflower, Henry A. Wel- ler, Rev. A. L. Oerter ; Trustees, John T. Colliflower, Chas. E. Laymon, Geo. J. Hesser, Wm. D. Morrison; Sextons, C. E. Laymon, Jago Colliflower, Jacob Shown, Alonzo Buhrman; Grave-digger, Jago Colliflower; Organists, Mrs. Adam Zentz and Mrs. Samuel Boller.
May 26. The Mite Society adjourned for the summer, to meet at the call of the President, and agreed to hold a festival at such time as the Work Committee might arrange.
June 14. The Ladies' Aid Society held an ice-cream festival on the church-lawn.
August II. A new wire fence was put up on the north and west sides of the parsonage garden.
August 12. At a meeting of the Elders and Trustees a Re- ception Committee and an Entertainment Committee were ap- pointed, to make the necessary arrangements for the reception and entertainment of the delegates to the District Synod to meet at Graceham, October 7.
September 14. Congregation Council elected Bro. J. T. Col- liflower as delegate to the District Synod, and Phares Buhrman as alternate delegate. As it had been decided to put new win- dow-frames and sashes in the church, the announcement was made that there would be no service in the church until October 5.
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October 5. The Rev. Paul Meinert, of Palmyra, N. J., who ar- rived on the 4th, being taken sick, and unable to present his cause, the building of a new church at Palmyra, to the congre- gation, Bro. M. F. Oerter, who, with his wife and little daugh- ter, was visiting his parents here, supplied his place in the morn- ing ; Bro. Meinert speaking in the C. E. meeting in the evening, and preaching on Monday evening.
October 7. The delegates to the District Synod arrived at 6:40 P.M. After a supper furnished by the Ladies' Aid Society, the welcome service was held at 7:30 P.M. The sessions of the Synod were held on Wednesday and Thursday, Bishop C. L. Moench being the President, and the Rev. M. F. Oerter, of Riv- erside, the Secretary. On Thursday evening, at the close of the public service, the Synod adjourned sine die. Its meeting here was a source of great pleasure and benefit to the congregation, many of whom attended the sessions and the public services on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings.
October 17. On this and the next day a new wire fence, with iron posts and top rail, was put up around the west and south sides of the church-lawn, in place of the old paling fence, at a cost of about $94, $30 being contributed by the Mite Society.
October 30 and 31. The pastor represented the Graceham C. E. Society at the annual Maryland C. E. Convention in Bal- timore.
November 3. At the regular bi-monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees a motion was adopted to ask the Ladies' Aid and Mite Societies to assist in defraying the cost of the new window- frames, etc., about $144. Bro. Frank Colliflower made the new frames for the windows, the glass in which is heavy opaque pressed glass, white in the two lower sections and colored in the semi-circular top section.
November 10. The bi-weekly meetings of the Mite Society were resumed, with small attendance.
November 20. At 7:30 P.M. a well-attended lovefeast, under the auspices of the Ladies' Aid Society, and an entertainment under the direction of Miss Mary Oerter, were held in the church.
December 8. At the close of the bi-weekly meeting of the Mite Society a pleasant social evening was spent in the par-
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sonage, where the pastor's family had arranged for games and refreshments.
December 20. The Ladies' Aid Society gave the pastor and his family a fine turkey for a Christmas gift. Other gifts, also, were received.
December 31. Total membership, Graceham, 201 ; Thurmont, 38.
1903 .- January 13. At the bi-monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees, the brethren J. T. Colliflower and C. E. Laymon were appointed a committee to go to Frederick as soon as possi- ble and obtain the best legal counsel in the matter of taking out an injunction against the sale of the farm which Bro. John Ogle willed to the congregation, with the proviso that it, or the proceeds from it, be used for his wife's support during her life- time.
January 15. The pastor, in Bro. Laymon's place, and Bro. J. T. Colliflower consulted Milton Urner, Attorney-at-Law, of Frederick, about the best plan to pursue with reference to the sale of the Ogle estate at this time, and reported his advice to the Trustees.
January 28. Several ladies helped Mrs. Kaiser to bind the carpet the Ladies' Aid Society had purchased for the parsonage hall in the second story, for $8.30.
January 30. The late Bro. John Ogle's estate, 118 acres of farm land and 12 5/8 acres of a mountain wood-lot, having been advertised for sale, as by the executrix, his widow, Mrs. Mar- garet Ogle, at I P.M., the sale of same was recalled by her, as but $33 per acre for the farm, and $3 per acre for the mountain- lot, was bid, and was too low a price.
February 14. The Ladies' Aid Society held an oyster-supper in Graceham.
March 28. The Ladies' Aid Society gave a musicale, fol- lowed by a social and ice-cream festival in the lecture-room.
May 17. The Elders and Trustees decided to give the pastor his vacation a month earlier this year, until July 5, after the Pro- vincial Synod.
May 18. The Mite Society decided to adjourn until fall, as usual. Also, to hold a festival, for which the Work Committee would arrange.
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May 24. As the Provincial Synod was to meet in Bethlehem, Whit-Sunday services were held in Graceham.
June I (Whit-Monday). Result of annual election : Elders, re-elected; Trustees, re-elected, with F. A. Colliflower in place of Geo. J. Hesser ; Sextons, re-elected ; Grave-digger, re-elected ; Ushers, Jacob Martin and Melvin Hesser ; Organist, Miss Mary E. Oerter ; Mrs. Laura Zentz and Mrs. Anna Boller, Assistants. It was resolved not to sell the lot opposite the church for a school-building, nor to any one except for the purpose of build- ing a dwelling thereon.
July 7. Bro. Paul Beck, of Lititz, having arrived last evening, began the work of cleaning, repairing and tuning the pipe-organ.
October 8. The Ladies' Aid Society held their annual supper in the lecture-room. Bishop E. A. Oerter, having come to Graceham on his way from York, Pa., to Canal Dover, O., at- tended the supper.
October II. The congregation-festival was celebrated. Bishop Oerter preached the sermon, spoke in the lovefeast, presided at the Holy Communion and made an address in the evening when the congregation and C. E. Society held a union service in ob- servance of Maryland C. E. Day.
October 27. The new roof on the Thurmont Moravian church was completed, costing about $60.
November 23. The bi-weekly meetings of the Mite Society were resumed, with 19 in attendance.
December 31. The Ladies' Aid Society gave a lovefeast in the church after the 9 P.M. service, during which the pastor read the Daily Texts in 1904 for the days designated by a num- ber present as their birthdays, and Mrs. Bishop H. T. Bachman, who was visiting her sister, Mrs. Emma Colliflower, Bro. Ber- nard Colliflower's widow, gave an interesting talk on the man- ners and customs of the Eskimos in Alaska, among whom she had spent some time at our mission stations. Total member- ship, Graceham, 192; Thurmont, 36.
1904 .- February 8. The Mite Society, founded 1881, cele- brated its twenty-third anniversary by a meeting in the evening at which a specially prepared program of singing and literary exercises was used.
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May 23 (Whit-Monday). Result of annual election : Elders, re-elected ; Trustees, re-elected ; Sextons, C. E. Laymon, Alonzo Buhrman, Samuel Boller, Clarence Colliflower ; Ushers, Melvin Hesser, F. A. Colliflower; Organist, Miss M. E. Oerter ; Mrs. Anna Boller, Assistant; Grave-digger, Jago Colliflower. Henry A. Weller was appointed to correspond with certain parties about the pay for lots on the cemetery and care of them.
May 30. The Mite Society adjourned to meet at the call of the President or Pastor.
June II. The Ladies' Aid Society held a strawberry and ice- cream festival on the church-lawn.
June 12. At a called meeting of Congregation Council Bro. F. C. Fisher was elected as a Sexton in place of Bro. Clarence Colliflower, who could not serve.
June 23. Under the direction of Miss M. E. Oerter a Chil- dren's Day Exercise entitled "The Summer's Message" was rendered by the Choral Class and a few others, at 8 P.M. in the church, and a lily drill was given which was much admired. The pastor made an address, and afterwards ice-cream and bananas were served on the church-lawn.
July 10-August 14. The pastor was given the usual annual vacation.
August 6. The Ladies' Aid Society and Miss Mary Oerter's Choral Class donated $5 each for new steps at the church door.
October 9. The congregation festival. In the lovefeast the pastor read an historical account of the beginning and progress of the church work here, written by the Rev. Prof. J. T. Hamil- ton, and published in The Moravian some years before.
October 23. A Junior C. E. Society was organized with Mrs. Nora Colliflower as Superintendent, Mrs. Agnes Colliflower and Miss Ella Weller, Assistant Superintendents.
November 14. The bi-weekly meetings of the Mite Society were resumed with an attendance of II.
December 7. The annual meeting of the Sunday School As- sociation was held, electing officers for the ensuing year, etc.
December 18. Bro. Jacob Shown was elected Sexton in place of Bro. Samuel Boller, who had resigned.
December 31. The Trustees decided to borrow from the Treasurer of the Ladies' Aid Society the balance due on the
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pastor's salary from Graceham, until they could collect delin- quencies and secure new subscriptions to be paid monthly in en- velopes. Total membership, Graceham, 190; Thurmont, 36.
1905 .- January 19. The Ladies' Aid Society held an oyster- supper.
February 6. More than 50 attended the meeting of the Mite Society at 7:15 P.M., in the church, when a special program was carried out in observance of the twenty-fourth anniversary of the Society.
February 28. An entertainment, "The Trial of February," under the direction of Miss M. E. Oerter and Miss Bessie Mar- tin, was given in the church at 8 P.M., with good attendance.
March 26 (Sunday). The 7:15 P.M. service was a union ser- vice of the congregation and C. E. Societies for the observance of Frederick County C. E. Day, a printed program being used.
May II. A new four-foot wire fence was put up along the south-east side of the three-acre field just west of the warehouse, and the fence along the north-east side was repaired.
May 22 and 23. The quarterly meeting of the Lancaster Circle of Moravian ministers and their wives was held at Grace- ham. The Rev. and Mrs. Thomas Shields and the Rev. Leon Luckenbach, of York, Pa., the Rev. and Mrs. E. S. Hagen, and the Rev. and Mrs. Charles D. Kreider, of Lititz, were present, and all took part in a public service at 8 P.M. on the 22d, at which a collection ($5) was taken for Bro. Luckenbach's new parsonage.
June 12 (Whit-Monday). Result of annual election : Elders, re-elected, with Clarence Colliflower in place of Jago Colli- flower; Trustees, re-elected; Sextons, Samuel Boller, Jacob Shown, F. C. Fisher, A. H. Buhrman; Ushers, re-elected ; Grave-digger, Clarence Colliflower; Organists, Miss M. E. Oerter and Mrs. L. Zentz. A committee of three was appointed, J. T. Colliflower, C. E. Laymon and H. A. Weller, to take into consideration the putting of a new wire fence around the north- west and south-west sides of the cemetery. The Mite Society decided to hold a festival in charge of its Work Committee and to adjourn until next fall.
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July 2. At a called meeting of Congregation Council Bro. Wm. D. Morrison was elected as Sexton, in place of Bro. Sam- uel Boller, resigned.
July 12. The Rev. M. F. Oerter gave a lecture in the church, exhibiting with a magic lantern views of local or general in- terest, in connection with a festival held by the Ladies' Aid So- ciety.
October 8. Bro. M. F. Oerter preached the sermon in the morning and took part in the other services of the congregation festival.
October 14. The Ladies' Aid Society gave a chicken-supper in the lecture-room.
December 31. Total membership, Graceham, 194; Thurmont, 36.
1906 .- February 10. An oyster-supper and handkerchief ba- zar was held by the Ladies' Aid Society in the lecture-room.
February II. The twenty-fifth anniversary of the founding of the Y. P. S. C. E. by the Rev. Dr. Francis E. Clark was cele- brated.
Easter Sunday. A union service of the Senior and Junior C. E. Societies and the congregation was held in the evening, in observance of Frederick County C. E. Day.
May -. The Ladies' Aid Society furnishing the paper, the pastor and his wife papered two rooms in the parsonage.
June 4 (Whit-Monday). Result of annual election : Elders, Rev. A. L. Oerter, F. C. Fisher, Phares Buhrman, Clarence Col- liflower, Alonzo Buhrman; Trustees, C. E. Laymon, F. A. Col- liflower, Wm. D. Morrison, J. C. Pyle; Sextons, C. E. Laymon, A. H. Buhrman, Wm. D. Morrison, H. Morningstar; Grave- digger, A. H. Buhrman ; Ushers, Elmer Buhrman, Melvin Hes- ser ; Organists, Miss M. E. Oerter, Mrs. L. Zentz.
July 5 and 7. The Mite Society held a festival.
July 28. Miss M. E. Oerter's Choral Class rendered the can- tata, "The Crowning of the Moon Queen."
September 30. Bro. Howard E. Colliflower was elected as the delegate, and Bro. W. D. Morrison as the alternate dele- gate to the District Synod at Palmyra, N. J., October 16-18.
October 28 and Nov. II. While visiting his father and sister, with his family, Bro. M. F. Oerter preached, and assisted in other services.
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December 31. Total membership, Graceham, 172; Thurmont, 28.
1907 .- January 24. In connection with the oyster-supper given by the Ladies Aid Society there was an entertainment un- der the direction of Miss M. E. Oerter.
May 4. The warehouse of Bro. J. C. Pyle, close to the rail- road tracks, was burned to the ground with all of its contents, soon after 12 A.M. The flames spread so rapidly that nothing, not even the account books, could be saved. There was a strong wind which, however, providentially blew the flames away from the town, carrying sparks and burning shingles, etc., as far as Mr. Daniel Siess' premises on the west of town. The hay-barn, not far from the warehouse, was saved with difficulty, but the creamery or separator building, nearer to the warehouse, owned by a company, was also burned down. A freight-engine, pull- ing a heavy train, had passed about an hour before. The Ladies' Aid Society decided to get a new carpet for the church.
May 13. The Mite Society held its literary exercises.
May 18. An epidemic of measles prevailed during this month among the children and young people of Graceham and the vi- cinity.
May 20. Result of annual election : Elders, re-elected, with Bro. John T. Colliflower in place of Clarence Colliflower ; Trus- tees, J. C. Pyle, Jacob Shown, F. A. Colliflower, W. D. Morri- son ; Sextons, C. E. Laymon, A. H. Buhrman, Jago Colliflower, F. A. Colliflower ; Grave-digger, A. H. Buhrman; Organists, Miss M. E. Oerter and Mrs. L. Zentz.
June 9. At a called meeting of Congregation Council, Wm. H. Weller was elected a Trustee, in place of Jacob Shown, and Clarence Colliflower was elected a Sexton in place of F. A. Col- liflower.
June 10. At the bi-weekly meeting of the Mite Society it was decided to suspend meetings until after the busy summer season.
June 16. The Rev. M. F. Oerter, visiting his father and sis- ter, preached the morning sermon.
June 20. The Ladies' Aid Society held an ice-cream festival in the evening. An impromptu orchestra furnished music for the occasion.
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August II-September I. The pastor's annual vacation.
October 6. Maryland C. E. Day was observed by the Senior C. E. Society and the congregation with a printed program at 7 P.M.
October 13. The Junior C. E. Society observed Maryland C. E. Day at 2 P.M. with a printed program.
October 17. The pastor and Bro. F. A. Colliflower painted the floor of the church-steeple.
October 26. Owing to the illness of the pastor's daughter, the Ladies' Aid Society held their supper at Miss Ella Weller's.
November 18. At a meeting of the Elders and Trustees F. A. Colliflower was chosen to act as Secretary and Treasurer, in place of W. D. Morrison, who expects to leave Graceham.
November 24. Bro. Kaiser having accepted a call to Grace- hill, Iowa, preached his farewell sermons at Graceham and Thur- mont. At a called meeting of the Congregation Council at Graceham, in compliance with the request of the Provincial El- ders' Conference, to see what could be done towards raising the salary of the pastor from the $310 reported at the close of 1906 to $500, the amount which the third brother to whom a call had been given as Bro. Kaiser's successor, was willing to accept, it was decided that the Trustees and others whom they might ask to help, should get up a new subscription list, with a view to increase the salary as much as possible, and report the result to the Provincial Elders' Conference.
November 27. Bro. Kaiser and family left Graceham on the 10:45 A.M. train for Gracehill, Iowa.
December 28. The Rev. Robert Huebener, of Gracehill, Iowa, who had accepted a call to Graceham and Thurmont, ar- rived on the 6 P.M. train.
December 29. Bro. Huebener was introduced to the congre- gation by the Rev. A. L. Oerter, who read a letter of greeting from the Provincial Elders' Conference, after which Bro. Huebe- ner preached his introductory sermon.
December 31. Total membership, Graceham, 178; Thurmont, 28.
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THE SESQUI-CENTENNIAL YEAR.
1908 .- January 22. In the evening three stables in the rear of our church at Thurmont were burned down. The paint on the rear end of the church was blistered, and there seemed to be no hope of saving the church. But the wind providentially changed, and the church was saved.
February 15. The Junior C. E. Society, under the direction of Miss M. E. Oerter, gave a musicale at her home, for the cause of missions.
February 22. The Ladies' Aid Society held an oyster-supper in the lecture-room.
April 20 (Easter Monday). The Sunday School gave its Eas- ter entertainment, entitled "The Morn of Triumph."
May -. During this month the outside woodwork of the church and parsonage was painted, and the open steeple was furnished with slatted shutters, to prevent the rain and snow from entering and doing damage by soaking through the ceil- ing of the church. That portion of the ceiling over the gallery and directly under the steeple, which had been damaged, was re-papered. This arrangement has proved very satisfactory in every way. Previous to these improvements, a section of woven wire fence was erected along the south and east sides of the lot just east of the church. The expense of these repairs was largely borne by the Ladies' Aid Society, whose donation of $100 was augmented by voluntary contributions. In addition to these re- pairs, the iron fence enclosing the church-lawn was given a fresh coat of paint by Bro. Henry A. Weller, the paint being furnished by a brother.
June 8 (Whit-Monday). Result of annual election : Elders, Rev. A. L. Oerter, J. T. Colliflower, Phares Buhrman, F. C. Fisher, Jago Colliflower ; Trustees, J. C. Pyle, Wm. H. Weller, Samuel Boller, H. A. Weller ; Sextons, Alonzo Buhrman, W. D. Morrison, Jago Colliflower, C. E. Laymon; Ushers, C. E. Colli- flower, W. D. Morrison; Grave-digger, A. H. Buhrman; Or- ganists, Miss M. E. Oerter and Mrs. L. Zentz.
June 13. The Ladies' Aid Society held an ice-cream festival on the church-lawn.
June 28. The pastor was given a vacation during the month of July.
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THE SESQUI-CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
August 3. The Boards of Elders and Trustees met for the purpose of devising plans for a fitting celebration of the con- gregation's Sesqui-centennial, which would occur on the eighth of October. It was decided to have a five-days' celebration, be- ginning on the evening of Wednesday, October 7, and continu- ing until Sunday evening, October II. Bro. Phares Buhrman was appointed to organize a trombone choir for the occasion; the pastor and Bro. A. L. Oerter were appointed a committee on program, and committees on entertainment and decoration were also appointed. It was further decided to invite Bishop C. L. Moench to represent the Provincial Elders' Conference and to preach the anniversary sermon, and also to invite the following ministers : Rev. Dr. H. A. Gerdsen, of Lancaster, Pa., Rev. E. S. Hagen, of Lititz, Pa., Rev. J. J. Ricksecker, of Bethlehem, Pa., Rev. Thomas Shields, of York, Pa., and Rev. M. F. Oerter, of Riverside, N. J., as speakers, while invitations to attendance were to be sent to all present and former pastors of other de- nominations in the vicinity.
August 30. Bishop E. A. Oerter, having arrived on his way to the Provincial Synod at Lititz, preached the sermon and in the evening, with the pastor, attended a lovefeast in the church at Thurmont and made an address.
September 2. The Provincial Synod met at Lititz and the pas- tor attended its sessions which continued over two weeks.
September 30. Word was received that owing to the organi- zation of the Provincial Elders' Conference elected by the Sy- nod, and the enormous amount of work on hand for them at the present time, it would be impossible for either Bishop Moench or either of the other brethren of the Board to be pres- ent at our Sesqui-centennial celebration. The brethren J. J. Ricksecker, T. W. Shields, E. S. Hagen and M. F. Oerter, how- ever, wrote that, if nothing prevented, they would be here to participate. All were busy with preparations for the celebra- tion, endeavoring to promote its success.
Wednesday, October 7. All preparations were completed. The pulpit and platform were decorated with autumn leaves and ferns, while on the wall behind the pulpit appeared the text, "His leaf shall not wither" (Ps. 1:3) with the dates 1758 and
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1908 on either side, all neatly framed with autumn leaves. These were the work of Bro. Henry A. Weller. Leaflets giving the Order of Exercises for each of the five days, and a specially pre- pared Ode, or Psalm, for the lovefeast, had been printed and were handed to those attending the services.
The brethren mentioned above having arrived, a praise and thanksgiving service, closing the sesqui-centennial period, was held at 7:30 P.M. by the two former pastors who were pres- ent, the Rev. J. J. Ricksecker and the Rev. M. F. Oerter, both of whom made appropriate addresses.
Thursday, October 8. At 10 A.M. the first service of the festal day was held. It was introduced by the trombone choir and an organ prelude, followed by the usual introductory devotional exercises, after which the Rev. Thomas W. Shields delivered a very encouraging and edifying sermon on the text, "And when Paul saw the brethren, he thanked God and took courage." (Acts 28:15.) The auditorium was completely filled with the large attendance of members of our own and other churches, and friends, all of whom took a great interest in the celebration.
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