Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 5.djvu/43

 THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, CONCORD, N. H. 31

attractive in the State. Upon their completion, the church was re-dedicated on the afternoon of December 28, 1875, J^'^t fifty years having elapsed since its first dedication. The order of exercises consisted of an organ voluntary ; invocation ; reading of scriptures, by Rev. T. H. Goodwin ; prayer by Rev. F. D. Ayer ; hymn (sung at the laying of the corner stone in 1S24),

'' If God succeed not. ill! the cost And pains to build the house are lost; If God the city will not keej). The watchful guards as well may sleep;"

report of building committee ; historical address, by Rev. E. E. Cummings ; sermon by Rev. W. V. Garner (text 2 Chron. 6 :4i) ; dedicatory prayer, by Rev. D. W. Faunce ; doxology and benediction. The installation of Mr. Garner as pastor took place in the evening. The services were as follows : invocation ; reading of scriptures, by Rev. J. E. Burr, of Fisherville ; [)rayer, by Rev. K. S. Hall, of Lake Village ; sermon, by Rev. D. W. Faunce ; installa- tion prayer, by Rev. A. Sherwin, of Manchester ; charge to the pastor, by Rev. E. E. Cummings, d. d. ; address of welcome, by Rev. S. L. Blake, pastor of the South Congregational Church ; hand of fellowship, by Dea. J. B. Flan- ders ; address to the church and people, by Rev. A. C. Graves, of Manches- ter ; doxology and benediction.

The Sunday School in connection with this church was formed in the summer of 1826. Sunday, June 25th, 1876, was therefore appropriately observed as its fiftieth anniversary. In the morning the pastor preached an instructive anni- versary sermon. In the evening the anniversary exercises were as follows : chant, by the choir and school ; scripture reading ; prayer ; report of the secre- tary ; singing of the anniversary hymn (written for the occasion by Rev. W. V. Cooke) and sung by a double quartette ; historical address, by Howard M. Cooke ; followed by other appropriate exercises.

This was one of the most interesting occasions ever held in the church, and in the Daily Monitor of the following Monday, a full report is given of the exercises. It says : " The floral decorations were extensive and pretty. On the front of the organ loft, in letters of brilliant flowers, was the inscription ' Our Jubilee Year, ' surmounted by a large cross, and suspended over that was a crown. On the west corner of the loft were the figures 1826, and on the east 1876, in silver letters. The pulpit platform was profusely covered with- flowers and plants, and hanging baskets of flowers were suspended from each chandelier. A banner on the front of the organ bore the inscrip- tion, ' First Baptist Sabbath School, Concord, N. H. ' The exercises were in charge of the superintendent, George H. Emery, and passed off in a success- ful manner."

The six years service as pastor of Rev. Mr. Garner has only served to confirm the high opinion entertained of him when he came to Concord as a preacher. No congregation in the State can be more highly favored in having for a pastor one who can state the truth of the gospel as he believes it, in a clear, concise, and logical manner, and can give added force to his words with the graces of oratory. I)uring his pastorate one hundred and forty members have been added to the church, and the total membership, as given in the minutes of the New Hampshire Baptist State Convention for 1880, is three hundred and forty-four.

The following persons have filled the ofifice of Deacon since the church was organized in 181 8 : James Willey, William Gault, Charles P. Crockett, Benja- min Damon, John A. Gault, Abraham Prescott, David Winkley, Isaac Elwell, John B. Flanders, James S. Norris, Slillman Humphrey, and .'\braham J. Prescott.

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