USA > New Jersey > Camden County > The history of Camden county, New Jersey > Part 78
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In 1844 the church had seventy-two communi- cants, and the contributions amounted to three hundred and eighty dollars. In 1847 the number was ninety, and the contributions eight hundred and thirty eight dollars. Rev. Lybrand had served as rector nearly twelve years ; during a large portion of that time he was an invalid, but his zeal and interest in his work did not abate. He died on February 14, 1855. Bishop Doane said : "I have known him long and well. I never knew a better man. He was modest, gentle and quiet, yet firm, fearless and indomitable. He said bnt little, but always what was wise and good and true. His character was beautiful and his services exemplary."
The vacancy was filled on July 8, 1855, when it was " Resolved that Rev. Dr. Joseph F. Garrison be invited to become the rector of this parish." He entered upon his duties in September of that year, having been ordained deacon on June 3, 1855. The church then numbered seventy-five communicants, a number having joined the St. John's Mission. There were one hundred and fifty children in the Sunday-school, and the number of families in the parish was abont one hundred. In 1856 the church building, which was then sixty-five by forty-three feet, was enlarged by adding a crucial transverse, seventy by twenty-five feet, with a recess of ten feet hehind for the chancel. On January 29, 1859, the church was re-opened, Bishop Doane officiat- ing, and the Rev. Dr. Joseph F. Garrison was in- stituted into the rectorship. The cost of the en- largement and repairs was ten thousand five hun- dred dollars; all, excepting five hundred dollars, was contributed by the congregation. One of the causes which called for the election of a rector at Chews Landing Mission was the necessity of Dr. Garrison giving some time to the Cooper Street Mission. A Sunday-school had been taught there by lay members of the parish. In 1877 ground was bought and a neat Gothic building of brown stone was erected for this mission. In the new building this mission has been increasing under the lay reading of the superintendent, Charles Eldred, and later of Joseph Trimble, Jr., Rev.
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THE CITY OF CAMDEN.
Henry B. Bryand and a committee of lay readers from St. Paul's Guild.
The history of St. Paul's Parish as a whole, is the record of a quiet growth, marked by no start- ling changes nor checkered by thrilling incidents. Almost the only thing remarkable about it is the general character of uniformity which has per- vaded its modes of work from the beginning. The ministerial changes in St. Paul's Parish have been few. It has had but five ministers in fifty years, and thirty-seven of these years are covered by the rectorship of Revs. Joseph M. Lybrand and Joseph F. Garrison.
The following summary from the parish register shows the most important changes from 1830 to 1880 :
Church Wardeos, Isaac Welsh and Josiah Harrison (1830), Thomas Chapman (1841), Richard W. Howell (1843), Edward W. Mumford (1845), Dr. O. H. Taylor (1847), Thomas P. Carpenter (1860), Philip J. Grey (1870), Alden C. Scovel (1875), Abraham Browning (1876), Marmaduke B. Taylor (1882).
Baptisms : From 1830 to 1855, 265 ; from 1855 to 1880, 562,-total, 825. Confirmations : From 1830 to 1855, 158 ; from 1855 to 1880, 372,-total, 530. Marriages : From 1830 to 1855, 82 ; from 1855 to 1882, 202,-total, 284. Funerals: From 1830 to 1855, 139 ; from 1855 to 1880, 294,-total, 431. Communicants admitted : From 1830 to 1855, 321 ; from 1,855 to 1880, 720, -- total, 1041. Present number of communicants on the register, 375. Total number of scholars iu Sunday-school, 450. Total number of officers and teachers in same, 45.
The rectorship of Rev. Dr. Garrison continued until the end of. August, 1884. He was elected in June of that year to the "Morehead Pro- fessorship of Liturgics, Canon Law, and Eccle- siastical Polity in the Divinity School in Phila- delphia," and having accepted the position, resign- ed the parish to enter on its duties in the Septem- ber following.
In December of this same year Rev. Thomas A. Tidball, D.D., of Lexington, Ky., was elected as his successor, and on January 11, 1885, entered on his duties as the sixth rector of the parish.
On the accession of Dr. Tidball to the rector- ship, a vigorous move was made to improve or increase the church property, which move resulted in the vestry authorizing (on July 22, 1885) the erection of parish buildings in the rear of the church, costing about ten thousand dollars, and the rebuilding of the church, at a cost of five thousand dollars, fitted with memorial furni- ture costing one thousand dollars. Since then the church building has been re-roofed and improved at an expense of above six or eight thousand dollars. This parish notonly keeps up its missionary charge of the chapel at Twefth and Cooper Streets, but is carrying on a vigorous mission at Cramer's Hill, in the neighborhood of the city.
The officers of the parish for 1886, are : Rector, Rev. Thomas A. Tidball, D.D .; Wardens, Abra- ham Browning, Esq., Marmaduke B. Taylor; Ves- trymen, Maurice Browning, William E. Lafferty, Samuel H. Grey, Edward R. Shubrick, Joseph Fearon, William J. Sewell, Dr. H. Genet Taylor, James H. Carpenter, Henry C. Alexander, Robert F. S. Heath, Wilson H. Jenkins, Nathan F. Cowan, Harry Humphreys, Edward H. King; Treasurer, William E. Lafferty; Secretary, James H. Car- penter.
ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH .- St. John's Parish was incorporated January 7, 1852, having been in its inception a mission of St. Paul's Parish, under the Rev. Lybrand. He makes this first men- tion of it in May, 1847 : "Three young men of the congregation have devoted themselves and their means to the service of the church, and expect soon to become candidates for Holy Orders. With their valuable co-operation and with means supplied by a few friends in Philadelphia, I have been able to rent, in the lower part of the city, three-fourths of a mile from the church, a school- house, which will be used as a chapel for the benefit of a much-neglected, yet interesting and respectable, portion of our community. A flour- ishing Sunday-school is already in operation, and as soon as the arrangements are completed, I shall, after the two usual services at the church, hold there a third service at night. So rapidly is our population increasing, and so cheering are the prospects of the church, that I trust this little chapel will prove the beginning of what, after a few years of fostering care will become a second parish."
The work was carried on regularly for two years, after which the absence of the candidates for Holy Orders and the feeble health of the rector compelled an interruption. In the fall of 1851, Mr. Elvin K. Smith having taken Deacon's Or- ders, returned to the work, and organized the parish, remaining with it until August, 1858. Beginning in November, 1851, services and Sun- day-school were held in a hall at Fourth Street and Spruce. In January, 1853, ground was purchased at Broadway and Roydon Street, and in March the "Floating Chapel of the Redeemer, for seamen of the port of Philadelphia," was bought, removed from its base (two canal-boats braced together), and drawn across the open lots to this site. The removed church, newly named St. John's, was re-occupied on the sixteenth Sun- day after Trinity, September 11, 1853. The zeal of the parish soon began to reach beyond its own borders. In October, 1854, the pastor established
58
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
a weekly cottage lecture in the village of Stockton, one mile south of the church, and this soon devel- oped into a Sunday afternoon service, with Sun- day-school. Here was the first breaking of ground for the Church of Our Saviour.
ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The following is a list of the successive rectors and clergy of St. John's Parish :
Elvin K. Smith, January 6, 1852, to August 3, 1858.
Thomas J. Taylor, forum lenens.
William Passmore, July 1, 1859, to May 16, 1860.
Dr. Colhoun, locmm tonews.
Charles H. Albert, August 7, 1860, fo April 29, 1861.
Theophilus M. Reilly, May 25, 1861, to May 3, 1870.
William M. Reilly, associate rector December 11, 1866; rector, May 3, 1870, to August 1, 1870.
John A. Goodfellow, deacon in charge.
Alexander Fullerton, locum fenews, October 11, 1871.
William S. Boardman, March 31, 1874, to August 1, 1874.
Joseph P. Taylor, January 14, 1875, to July 26, 1880.
Alfred Louderbach, locum tenens.
John Dows Hills, deacon in charge, December 12, 1880.
The present rector, Rev. John Hardenbrook Townsend, entered upon his duties October 18, 1881.
Just cleared of debt and renovated, the dearly- loved building, thrice consecrated by formal act, by a quarter-century of holy rites, by the toils and tears for its redemption, the holy house acci- dentally took fire on the morning of Christmas day, 1870, and in a short hour was a heap of smoking ruins. Did it seem a whole burnt-offering
unto the Lord, devoting anew the hearts of His people to fresh efforts for their Zion ? So we may read the prompt resolution of the rector, wardens and vestry to replace the old frame building by a beautiful stone Gothic structure. The corner-stone was laid on April 21st, and the build- ing opened for worship December 3, 1871. During the winter of 1884-85 the parish building was built, and the interior decorated. On ยท St. George's day, April 23, 1885, the church was consecrated and the par- ish building formally opened by the bishop of the diocese. The erection and enlargement of the parish build- ing has been naturally accompanied by the formation of the parish guild, with its various auxiliary societies, and by the organization of St. John's Workingmen's Club and Institute. Branch Sunday-schools have been established at several points within the parish limits for the accommo- dation of the increasing member- ship.
THE CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR. -In October, 1854, the Rev. Elvin K. Smith, rector of St. John's Church began a weekly cottage lecture at the village of Stockton, now known as the Eighth Ward of Camden, where there were a few families desirous of worshipping God after the manner of their fathers. This service was maintained with varying degrees of regularity and success for sey- eral years.
In September, 1857, Mr. Thomas Lyle, a candidate for Holy Orders, became Sunday lecturer, holding service every Sunday afternoon in an upper room, specially set apart and furnished for that purpose, in the house of John Otten, the rector of St. John's preaching once a month, and celebrating the communion once in two months. In Septem- ber, 1859, steps were taken to organize a parish, to he known as the Church of Our Saviour, Stockton, and at a meeting held for this purpose the follow- ing were elected as wardens and vestrymen : Senior Warden, John Hare Otten; Junior Warden, Henry Davis ; Vestrymen, Charles Drake, O. J. Search, Henry B. Wilson, Gabriel Johnson, Richard Bunting and James Green. This organi- zation, however, was dissolved in 1864. On the 19th of July, 1867, the parish was reorganized ; and, after various struggles, in the latter part of 1873, at the instance of the Rev. Dr. Garrison, dean of
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THE CITY OF CAMDEN.
the convocation of Burlington, steps were again taken to reorganize it. In 1867, largely through the efforts of Mr. Patroni, a brick building situ- ated on Van Hook Street, near the West Jersey Railroad, which had formerly been used as a Baptist meeting-house, was purchased, and services were held in it until a lot of ground. situated at the southeast corner of Broadway and Viola Street, was deeded by the Manufacturers' Land Improvement Company to the rector, wardens and vestry, and a new building erected thereon. It was constructed of stone donated by John Powell, of Camden; the other materials being supplied by members of the parish and others interested in its welfare. The corner-stone was placed in, November, 1880. In November, 1882, just about two years after the laying of the corner-stone, the building. free from debt, was consecrated by the Right Rev. John Scarborough, D.D., Bishop of New Jersey. From the last reorganization, in 1873, until 1879 services were held chiefly by the Rev. Rees C. Evans, of Gloucester, and students from the West Philadel- phia Divinity School, among whom were Messrs. Winskill, Waller, Powell, Heffern, Bagnall and Post. In November, 1879, the Rev. P. C. Creve- ling, then a teacher in Mr. Reilly's school, in Burlington, began, by appointment of the bishop, to hold services. He continued a year and three months. Shortly after his withdrawal, Rev. J. L. McKim, of St. Mary's Hall, Burlington, assumed charge of the parish and held regular Sunday and occasional week-day services until Advent, 1882.
On the first Sunday in Advent of that year the Rev. Wm. B. Thorn entered upon his duties as rector of the parish. The officers at the present time (August, 1886) are,-Rector, Rev. Wm. B. Thorn ; Senior Warden, A. A. Shull; Junior Warden, Jas. F. Sharp; Vestrymen, Lewis K. Kinsell (secretary), John Cottrell, Richard Bunt- ing, Thos. McKenna, John Warnock, Jr., Benj. Thomas and John W. Brooks.
THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 1 -- The Presbytery of West Jersey organized a church in Camden, September 27, 1840, which consisted of twelve members. The Rev. Alexander Heberton, of Salem, N. J., was called to the pastoral charge. Upon his declination of the call, the Rev. William L. McCalla was invited to become the stated sup- ply of the new church for a service of six months. This invitation was accepted by him. An effort was made to erect a house of worship, a lot of ground having been given by Mrs. Alexander Henry, of Philadelphia, and some eight hundred
dollars having been subscribed, as the beginning of a building fund. It was found impossible to ac- complish the desired object. The enterprise was abandoned, and, after a struggling existence of one year and two months, the church was disbanded, on December 1, 1841.
On the 25th of June, 1846, the present organiza- tion came into being, by act of the Presbytery of West Jersey. On the 6th of October, of the same year, the congregation presented a call to the Rev. Giles F. Manwaring, of the Presbytery of New York, and on the 13th of April, of the following year, he was installed pastor. William Howell was the first elder. He was installed on the day of the organization of the church, June 25, 1846. The beginnings of the church were small. Two Pres- byterian families were all of this persuasion known when Mr. Manwaring commenced his work. In a school-house in Third Street, between Market and Plum (now Arch), the congregation, varying in size from eight persons to twenty-one, including children, worshipped for a few weeks. In April of 1846 the City Hall, then on Federal Street, above Fifth, was secured for a place of worship, and this continued to be the sanctuary until the rapidly-growing congregation made application to the Presbytery for an organization, which was granted in June of 1846, as stated above. Imme- diately after this it was resolved to erect.a church building. The lot of ground before donated by Mrs. Alexander Henry, and situated on Fifth Street, between Market and Cooper, was again secured through her gift. The corner-stone of the building was laid October 28, 1846. The building was completed eighteen months after- ward. Its cost was five thousand dollars. The Presbyterian Churches of Bridgeton, Pittsgrove, Cedarville, Salem, Woodbury, Trenton, Paterson and Burlington assisted in the forming of a build- ing fund. Mr. Manwaring resigned his charge in 1848, leaving a church of fifty-three communi- cant members. He died a few years after. A board of trustees was organized in 1848. Joseph Pogue was made president and Anley McCalla, secretary and treasurer.
Rev. Robinson P. Dunn, D.D., the second pas- tor, was installed on November 1, 1848. He was a scholarly preacher, and a cultivated Christian gen- tleman. During his ministry of two years and ten months forty persons were added to the member- ship of the church. His resignation was offered and accepted April 24, 1851, when he became professor of belles-lettres in Brown University, Providence, R. I. He has since passed from earth. The Rev. Levi H. Christian was called to
1 By Rev. Marcus A. Brownson.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
the pastoral office in the same year, 1851; he remained with the church for two years and five months. During his ministry forty-five persons united with the church.
Rev. Daniel Stewart, D.D., began his labors as pastor of the church on April 1, 1854. Until this
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
time, since the organization of the church, the Board of Home Missions had regularly, each year, supplied financial aid. Now the church became self- sustaining. The church building was enlarged in 1856, at a cost of two thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars. Two years later, the Sabbath-school rooms were re-furnished, the money necessary for the improvement having been secured through the
efforts of the officers and teachers of the Sabbath- school.
The Second Presbyterian Church was organized by the Presbytery of Burlington on March 1, 1860. The city of Camden and vicinity, by action of the Synod of New Jersey, a short time before had been transferred from the Pres- bytery of West Jersey to that of Burlington. Isaac Van Horn, an elder of the First Church, was then dismissed, at his own re- quest, with fourteen other members, to form the new organization. The enter- prise had the hearty co- operation of the parent church, and for some years substantial aid was given to assure its success. Dr. Stewartresigned his charge in 1861. He is now living in the city of Minneapolis. He was a most faithful pas- tor and a forcible preacher.
Rev. Villeroy D. Reed, D. D., became the pastor of the church in 1861, and for twenty-three years con- tinued his labors. His earnest preaching was fol- lowed by most blessed spiritual results through his ministry here. There were constant additions to the membership of the church. Upon one occa- sion thirty-two persons confessed their faith inthe Christ; upon another forty- eight persons entered the church by this method of admission. Through the course of Dr. Reed's min- istry three hundred and twenty-eight were received "on profession of faith." The whole number which have been added in this manner and by letters of dismission from other churches, is seven hundred and forty-seven. The Christian character of Dr. Reed and his faithful work will long be cherished. During his ministry the house of worship now occupied by the con- gregation was erected. Its corner-stone was laid on the 22d of June, 1871. The building was com-
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THE CITY OF CAMDEN.
pleted and dedicated to the praise of the Triune God on the 1st day of June, 1873. Its entire cost, including the lot of ground on which it stands, the building itself, the furniture of church and chapel, the organ and heating apparatus, was ninety-five thousand dollars. Mr. S. D. Button was the arch- itect. The main building is sixty-five feet wide by one hundred and eight feet deep, and the tower is twenty feet square at the base, and, including the spire, is one hundred and ninety-six feet high. The church is built of three shades of stone, viz. : Connecticut brownstone, West Chester greenstone and Ohio bluestone, presenting an attractive ap- pearance. The chapel, connected with the main building, and built of the same material, is two stories high and forty-one feet front by eighty-one feet deep. The style of architecture is Roman and Gothic. The seating capacity of the church is twelve hundred.
The following-named gentlemen composed the building committee : Albert W. Markley (chair- man), John F. Starr, Peter L. Voorhees, Charles Stockham, J. L. R. Campbell, John Morgan, Charles A, Sparks.
The committee on subscriptions was made up of the following-named gentlemen : Joseph D. Rein- both (chairman), Wm. Fewsmith (secretary), Gerard R. Vogels, Wm. Curtiss, J. L. R. Camp- bell, James H. Stevens, Thomas Fitzgerald, Chris- topher A. Bergen, Randal E. Morgan and Isaac Hackett.
The panic in the money market of 1873 was felt in the financial operations of the congregation. The result was a debt of forty five thousand five hundred dollars. The interest on this indebted- ness was promptly paid each year when due, and year after year the obligation was reduced in amount. But it was not until the beginning of the year 1886 that the mortgage upon the building was canceled. On January 20, 1885, the indebtedness was found to be nineteen thousand dollars. It was determined by the congregation to remove this during that year; and on Sabbath morning, December 27, 1885, the debt fund was completed. The gentlemen and ladies who composed the com- mittee, by whose efforts the money was secured, were: Edward F. Nivin (chairman), Randal E. Morgan (trustee), Frederick A. Rex (secretary), Wm. Fewsmith, Gerard R. Vogels, L. T. Derousse, L. H. Kellam, Charles Danenhower, S. T. Ringel, Thomas S. Collings, Frank H. Burdsall, Wm. M. Davison, C. M. Williams, R. P. Stewart, H. O. Hildebrand, G. H. Higbee, Mrs. F. C. Woolman, Miss Annie M. Robeson, Mrs. John F. Starr, Jr., Miss Belle Fitzgerald, Mrs. Frank Williams, Miss
Laura Vogels, Mrs. John W. Yeatts, Miss Hettie Porter, Mrs. G. Buckwalter, Mrs. H. C. Felton and Mrs. M. Hoffman.
The Rev. Marcus A. Brownson was installed pastor of the church November 13, 1884, and con- tinues in the pastoral office. The other officers are (1886) as follows : Elders, John S. Chambers (clerk of session), Wm. Fewsmith, Carltou M. Williams, William B. Robertson, H. O. Hilde- brand, Charles Danenhower, Gerard R. Vogels and Andrew Abels.
The following gentlemen have held the office of elder in this church, namely, William Howell, George H. Van Gelder, Isaac Van Horn, James H. Stevens, William Hart, Joseph D. Reinboth, John Aikman, George W. N. Custis, Jacob H. Yocum, John F. Starr, James A. Armstrong, M.D., Asa L. Curtis, Wm. Howard Curtiss and Robert P. Stewart.
Deacons, A. T. Dobson, M.D. (treasurer), Wm. J. Searle, Wm. G. Garland, George W. Cole, and Wm. H. Hunterson, Jr.
Trustees, John F. Starr (president), Wm. Few- smith (treasurer), Edward F. Nivin (secretary), Randal E. Morgan, D. T. Gage and L. T. De- rousse.
The diaconate has been held also by J. V. Schenck, M.D., B. F. Davis, Thomas Fitzgerald and James A. Armstrong, M.D.
The following have been members of the board of trustees, namely : Joseph Pogue, George W. Helmbold, George W. Carpenter, Joseph Cas- ner, William Howell, A. McCalla, Jehu Osler, S. L. Stinson, Thomas McKeen, J. V. Schenck, M.D., L, C. Cake, James Caldwell, John Morgan, Chas. P. Stratton, Peter L. Voorhees, Leander N. Ott, Charles J. Hollis, Isaac Van Horn, E. R. Johnson, James H. Stevens, C. P. Vanderveer, A. W. Markley, H. Vanuxem, G. W. N. Custis, S. L. Davis, Wm. Curtiss, John S. Chambers, Ch. A. Bergen, D. Caldwell, Jno. Stockham, Ch. Stock- ham, M. McDonald, J. L. R. Campbell, A. J. String and S. T. Ringel.
The communicant membership of the church is five hundred ; the congregation numbers eight hun- dred and fifty. The church and congregation are enjoying great prosperity.
The Sabbath-school had its beginning in the year 1846. The basement of the building on Fifth Street from the time of its completion was devoted to this purpose. The first organization was very informal. S. D. Wyeth was the superin- tendent for several years. In January, 1855, while S. D. Wyeth was superintendent, the school was organized with a constitution, since which time
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
full records have been kept. J. D. Higgins was elected superintendent, with William Fewsmith as assistant, and Peter L. Voorhees, secretary and treasurer, at the first election under the constitu- tion, May 1855. Forty-six persons became mem- bers of theSabbath-school Association. Of these, Wm. Fewsmith, Peter L. Voorhees, Henry Van- uxem, B. F. Jaggers and Miss Cornelia Ackley are still active in the Sabbath-school work.
From 1855 till the present time the following- named persons have filled the office of superin- tendent,-J. D. Higgins, 1855; James H. Stevens, 1861; Peter L. Voorhees, 1863; J. D. Reinboth, 1868; James H. Stevens, 1871; Peter L. Voorhees, 1872 ; J. H. Yocum, 1873; Christopher A. Bergen, 1875; Asa L. Curtis, 1880; C. M. Williams, 1883.
Large additions to the membership of the church have been made from the Sabbath-school: In 1860, thirty; in 1883, sixteen; in 1884, twenty- three ; in 1885, thirty-three; in 1886, forty-three; and in other years smaller additions.
Abont two hundred and fifty scholars have united with the church since 1870, according to the record kept by the present secretary, Gerard R. Vogels. One hundred and eighteen of the scholars now in the school are members of the church. The contributions of money, for the work of the schools and for benevolent purposes, have averaged more than four hundred dollars each year. In 1885 the school contributed one thousand and thirty-two dollars, the most of which was applied toward the liquidation of a debt upon the church. The school has two main divisions,-the Primary and Intermediate Department, and the Adult De- partment and Bible Classes. In the former, one hun- dred and fifty-five scholars are enrolled, in the latter there are thirty-one classes and two hundred and eighty-five scholars. The officers are as follows : General Superintendent, Carlton M. Williams ; Assistant, Robert P. Stewart; Superintendent of Primary and Intermediate, H. O. Hildebrand ; As- sistant, John W. Yeatts ; Secretary and Treasurer, Gerard R. Vogels ; Assistant, Miss Edith J. Sleep- er ; Librarian, Benjamin F. Jaggers; Assistants, J. F. Sleeper, F. H. Reeder and Albert E. Clark ; Associate Librarian, W. H. Hunterson, Jr .; As- sistant, A. H. Allen ; Organists, Fred. T. Baker and Mrs. H. O. Hildebrand.
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