CORNERSTONE CEREMONY FOR NEW PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, July 26, 1889.

The New Presbyterian Church.

Services at the Laying of the Corner Stone—An Eloquent Address by Dr. Nichols.

   The corner stone of the new edifice, now being erected by the First Presbyterian Church of this place, was laid on Wednesday the 24th, at 3 P. M., with very interesting and impressive services. A brief, but very complete and appropriate programme had been prepared and was pleasantly carried out to the end. The weather proved to be nearly perfect for such an occasion, being neither too warm nor too cool, too bright nor too dark and cloudy, though there were indications during the forepart of the day which made some fear that the services might be interrupted by rain.

   By the time the services were begun a large audience had assembled, but a good and substantial floor having been laid over the entire ground plane of the building, all were accommodated with comfortable positions for seeing and hearing.

   The hymns were finely and impressively rendered by a quartette, Messrs. Beebe, Murphy, Daehler and Ingalls.

   The pastor, Rev. J. L. Robertson, read an especially appropriate portion of Scripture taken from the psalms of David.

   The Rev. G. P. Avery, pastor of the Methodist Church of this place, offered an earnest and touching prayer in words well suited to the occasion, and that reached the hearts of all present.

   The address by the Rev. Dr. Nichols, of the First Presbyterian Church of Binghamton, touched and moved the hearts of all who heard him, by its eloquence, earnestness and elevation of thought. Every word of it breathed the spirit of genuine love for the cause of Christian truth and goodness in behalf of which the building is to be reared, and was calculated to move the hearts of others with the same feeling. He reminded the people of the congregation, the corner stone of whose new church was now to be laid, that the best and the happiest days of a church or congregation are always the days of advancement. They might be days of effort and labor and self denial, but like all days of trial and struggle for something higher and better, they are always sweetest to remember. They were there in the presence of a sublime truth—the truth that God would commune with them in His temple, and in obedience to His voice which has come down to us from heaven through all the ages, saying "Build me a sanctuary." They were to build not for themselves only, but for others now living, and for generations to come, for the further spread of gospel truth, and the wider extension of the gospel net.

   After the address the pastor, the Rev. J. L. Robertson performed the formal ceremony of laying the corner stone. After giving the list of articles placed in the box which was to be deposited beneath that stone, he made a few well-timed remarks in which he reminded those present that in all probability long before any one should open that box, they would all have passed away from earth to their eternal home. The following is a list of the articles placed in the stone:

   Complete list of members, 1853.

   List of Pastors, Elders and Deacons.

   List of Trustees.

   Manual of 1885.

   Historical Sermon by Dr. Street, 1875.

   History of Presbytery of Binghamton.

   Constitution and By-Laws of Sunday School.

   List of Members, Teachers and Officers of Sunday School.

   Catalogue of Sunday School Library.

   Sunday School Hymn Book.

   Opening Exercises of Sunday school.

   Westminster Teacher.

   Westminster Quarterly.

   Westminster Lesson Leaf.

   Constitution of Woman's Foreign Missionary

   Society with name of Officers.

   Constitution and By-Laws of the Home Mission and Church Aid Society.

   Officers of the Young Ladles Missionary Society, with Constitution for 1888 and 1889.

   Officers of the Young Mens' Band, with Constitution for 1888 and 1889.

   Blue Prints of Old Building taken and donated by M. Stanley Bierce.

   Photographs of Revs. Peter Lockwood, O. H. Seymour, I. H. Beman, S. H. Howe, Thos. Street, D. D., Alfred J. Hutton and J. L. Robertson.

   Records of Young Peoples' Christian Union.

   Key the Old Church.

   Program of To-day's Services.

   New Village Charter.

   Original Article of Faith and Covenant of Cortland Presbyterian Church.

   City Directory for 1889.

   New York Evangelist, July 18, 1889.

   Cortland Standard, July 4, 1889.

   Cortland Democrat, July 19, 1889.

   Cortland Daily Message, July 23, 1889.

   Cortland Monitor, July 18, 1889.

   In the Assembly, 1887.

   The Church at Home and Abroad.

   Topic, Y. P. C. Union.

   Officers of the Busy Workers Band, with Constitution for 1888 and 1889.

   Officers of the Sunbeam Mission Band, with Constitution for 1888 and 1889.

   Officers of the W. C. T. U.

   Officers of Willard Y. C. T. U.

   Officers of Kings Daughters.

   Officers of State Christian Aid society.

   Constitution and By-Laws of the Y. M. C. A.

   Program of Anniversary Y. M. C. A., 1889.

   Published Report of Anniversary of 1889.

   List of Weekly offerings for 1888 and 1889.

   List of Prayer Meeting Topics, 1889.

   Program of Installation of Rev. S. H. Howe, D. D., 1870.

   Program of Installation of Rev. Thos. Street, D. D., 1873.

   Program of Installation of Rev. A.J. Hutton, 1879.

   Program of Installation of Rev. J. L. Robertson, 1883.

   Photographs of Old Church Building taken and donated by M. Stanley Bierce.

   Upon his asking how many were now present who attended the dedication of the old church sixty years ago, it proved that there were three such, Mr. Alfred L. Chamberlain, Mr. C. E. Corwin and Mrs. Frederick Hyde.

   The church when completed will undoubtedly be the finest and most imposing church edifice in Cortland county. It will be an ornament and an honor to the town. In style of architecture it will be widely different from the old church, and in point of architectural beauty it will be the full blown flower of which the other was the bud. But the bud must precede, and the spirit of life must do its work in that bud before the flower can come forth in its beauty.

General Term Decisions.

   The following decisions, in cases of local interest, were handed down at an adjourned general term of the Supreme Court at Utica on Saturday last:

   Margaret Dexter, respondent, vs. Randolph Beard, appellant. Plaintiff and respondent is the owner of the Dexter House in this village, on the south side of which is a driveway. Four or five years ago, Mr. Beard purchased the lot south of the driveway and erected the fine building known as the Beard block thereon. Mrs. Dexter claimed that he encroached upon the driveway several inches, and she brought this action and asked the court to cause the removal of that part of the building which she claimed encroached upon her property. The court held that Mr. Beard encroached several inches and gave judgment in plaintiff‘s favor, and ordered that part of the building to be removed. Defendant appealed to the general term, which court affirms the judgment of the court below. Eggleston & Crombie for plaintiff and respondent; Duell & Benedict for defendant and appellant.

   Charles H. Hudson, respondent, vs. James K. Spaulding and others, appellants. Defendants were the organizers of the Norwich ball club in 1885. Several members of the club boarded with Samuel Hodge, of this place, who at that time was proprietor of the Spaulding House in Norwich. Failing to collect pay for their board, Mr. Hodge sold the account to the plaintiff, who brought an action In the Supreme Court to recover the amount. The case was referred to D. W. Cameron, of Cazenovia. before whom it was tried in the spring of 1888. The referee reported in favor of the plaintiff, and judgment was entered for over $300 damages and costs against the defendants. The defendants appealed to the general term, which court reverses the judgment and orders a new trial before another referee. Costs to abide the event. Mr. Hodge has been proprietor of the Arnold House in this place for the past three years, and was succeeded last spring by Mr. Julius Whiting.

His Head Cut Off.

   Last Tuesday morning Darius Green, of the town of Scott, was instantly killed while working in a saw mill at Fair Haven, opposite Glen Haven. He was standing on a plank at the side of the large circular saw, greasing the same while it was running at full speed. The plank tipped up and flung him headlong in front of the saw, which cut the top of his head completely off spilling the brains on the floor. His left hand was also severed and fell into the lake and had not been recovered at our latest advices. He leaves a wife and nine children in poor circumstances.   

   Monday John Cady, who was drawing logs to the mill, had his leg broken by a log rolling upon it, and Mr. Greeley Cady, who owns the property, has been confined to his bed for some weeks caused by injuries received while drawing logs to the mill. Superstitious people believe that it is an unlucky piece of property.

BLODGETT'S MILLS.

   Blackberries are beginning to ripen.

   At present there are four preachers with their families located on Main street. Still there's room.

   Miss Ida Simpson is quite sick with pneumonia. Dr. Smith of McGrawville attends her.

   Mr. Isaiah Simpson is gradually failing.

   Some of the finest honey we have seen in many a day was shown us recently by Mr. J. Kendall, who informed us that he would soon have nearly a ton of this extra fine honey ready for market.

   Mr. Fred. Kinney of McGrawville was in the place last Saturday and sold nearly fifty swarms of bees to J. Kendall.

   Mr. and Mrs. Web Kenyon of McGrawville were in town last Saturday and brought a substantial token of friendship consisting of nearly $30 from the employees of the corset factory to Miss Ida Simpson. Miss Ida was formerly employed there until called home by the illness of her father. "A friend in need is a friend indeed."

   Nathaniel Stafford's span of colts ran away attached to a rake last week. Mrs. Stafford who was driving at the time, narrowly escaped serious injury.

   Mrs. John Eades of Cortland and niece, Miss Bertha Dickinson of Marathon, visited at Daniel Burts' last week.

   Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hall, of Virgil, visited friends here last Sunday.

NEIGHBORING COUNTIES.

   MADISON.—Chittenango's water works prove a failure.

   Madison county now has 66 insane persons under public charge.

   The late Green Smith of Peterboro, left a collection of 3,000 birds. 2,000 are North American birds and the balance are from every clime.

   Prof. Gleason, the great horse trainer of Syracuse, has completely subdued "Major," the running horse that injured two men at the DeRuyter races.

   The report that the contract had been let for constructing the Oneonta & Earlville railroad seems to have been premature. The matter is being agitated and towns south of us are quite confident that the road will be built.

   TOMPKINS.— The E. C. & N. are still hard at work improving their track and train service. One hundred tons of steel rail have been received to replace an equal amount, which has become worn by heavy traffic.

   An interesting party of Japanese are occupying a cottage on Cayuga lake, among them is a Tokio banker and his wife. Cuba is represented at another cottage, and yet another flies the flag of Brazil.

   Henry Frantz stood on the dock at the "Wind and Wave" at Ithaca last Wednesday, watching some swimmers disporting in the lake. The boys playfully threw some water on the genial cigar maker who in trying to avoid his tormentors made a misstep and fell into the lake. The air was full of broken English when Henry reached terra firma.