anniversary address by rev. john b laird, d.d

8/13/2019 Anniversary Address by Rev. John B Laird, D.D.

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REV. JOHN B. LAIRD D.D.

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MAY 6 1945


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Address by Rev. John B. Laird, D.D., atthe Presbyterian Church of Frankford, Sun-day Morning, May 6th, 1945; on the occasionof the 175th Anniversary of the founding ofthe Church, and the completion of Fifty Yearsof Dr. Laird s pastorate.


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The Services this morning are in recognition oftwo rather interesting incidents in the life of ourchurch. One of these is that this is the 175th Anniversary of the church s founding. May 4th, 1770the corner stone of the first house of worship at thisplace was laid, from that time until the present, worship has been continuously maintained here. This isa long time for any institution to continue at the placeof its founding. There are only a few older churchorganizations in our city, and still fewer that have con-tinued for so many years at the same place. With theexception of the Friends Meeting on Unity Street,there is not a movement, either secular or sacred inFrankford that has continued for so long a time.

The other incident that the day brings to our thoughtis that the present pastorate has now reached the endof its fiftieth year. Few men are privileged to serveso long a time in one church. The length of the presentpastorate becom s all the more impressive when weremember that it followed immediately a pastorate offorty six years. The two ministries have coveredninety-six years. We regard ours as an old church,as the age of churches go, but the last two pastorateshave covered more than half the time of the church swhole life.

It is difficult to decide just how to spend the timealloted this feature of this morning s service. Shall Igive these few minutes to recalling some of the con-ditions through which the church has passed, and afew of the incidents and experiences that have markedher way? Conditions and incidents which will likelybecome more interesting as the years pass? Or, shallI speak chiefly of those things to which I have beenpersonally related? Well, I have concluded to try todo both, and in so concluding, I am quite conscious ofthe fact that I shall likely touch upon the events andexperiences of these years, so superficially as to beneither interesting or instructive.

With your permission, we will clothe the old churchwith personality this morning; give her eyes to see, earsto hear, and a tongue to speak, and we will sit for alittle while at her feet and have her tell something of131


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the story of these years, the conditions through whichshe has passed, that which she has seen and has beenprivileged to do.175 years: And what years they have been Duringthis period probably more progress has been made inthe way of better, happier and more useful living thanin the preceding eighteen hundred years.

The church tells us that in her life she has seen ourcountry expand from a few colonies bordering on theAtlantic Seaboard, to a great Empire stretching all theway from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from theNorthern most point in Alaska to the Southern tip ofPuerto Rico. The country's population has grownfrom less than four millions to one hundred and thirtymillion souls, of every nation, tribe and tongue on thisearth. The city of Philadelphia, she has seen growfrom a population of thirty thousand to over two mil-lion, and Frankford from a straggling little village toa part of the great city, with a population now manytimes as great as that of the whole city in those days.

The people hereabouts at the beginning of thechurch's life came largely from Western Europe,making the voyage across the turbulent Atlantic insailing sloops. It required from six to eight weeksto make that perilous and uncomfortable trip. Todaythe same trip is made in luxuriously furnished, com-fortable steamers in less than six days, and by planein the hours of a single day During this periodtravel on land has progressed from the slow movingox cart and horse drawn Conestoga wagon, and horseand buggy; through the street car, the trolley, the ele-vated, the automobile, and in these last days the air-plane. The church was forty years old when RobertFulton began his experiments with the little steam-boat on the Hudson River. When the church beganher life, communication was by mail which was car-ried usually in saddle bags, on horseback, or by stagecoach. The postage was paid by the person who re-ceived the letter. I remember of hearing my Grand-mother, who was born in 1782, saying that every timeshe received a letter from a friend in New Jersey it costher six pence, which meant twelve cents. This hasgiven place to the fast going train, and after this the

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telegraph and then when the church was 106 years thetelephone and since that the radio has appeared. Theinauguration on January 4th of this year was heardon the other side of the earth two minutes after itsoccurrence whereas when George Washnigton was in-augurated in 1789 in New York when the church wasnineteen years old the account of that inauguration didnot reach his native state of Virginia for more thanthree weeks.

The church tells us that she has seen educationalfacilities grow fast and go far. There was not generaleducation when this church was founded. There werethen a few academies to which only children of thewell to do attended. The only need of education inthose days that was recognized was that there shouldbe sufficient learned people for the Legal Medical andPreaching professions. There was then wide-spreadilliteracy. Those who are familiar with legal docu-ments of 1770 tell us that the signatures thereon arelargely marks: The cross was made because the peoplecould not write their own names. 65 years after thefounding of this church the Free School System wasestablished in Pennsylvania which not only invites allchildren but sees to it that all attend. The year priorto the beginning of the present War higher institutionsof learning in our country had within their walls noless than two million students and educational litera-ture is circulated everywhere.

When this church began its life this was a farmingcommunity. The people who lived here were GermanSwiss and Swedish with a sprinkling of Quakers. Itwas along the Delaware River from Philadelphia toTrenton that William Penn and those who associatedwith him first settled. It was not until the early partof the last century that there came to this neighborhoodmigrations from England Scotland and Ireland withtheir industrial proclivities which almost immediatelytransformed the greater part of this farming districtinto a busy bustling industrial center.Frankford being near the city of Philadelphia in itsearliest days had many of the leading families of thecity coming to it during the summer season. The

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Delaware River then not obstructed by manufacturingplants, and its waters unpolluted, was a swift flowingstream upon which were many boats, and in its waterswere delightful edible fish. Thus along the River sborders were fine residences, the ruins of some ofwhich we remember, such as Chalkley Hall, the JenksResidence, the Baldwin Residence, the Cornelius andWelsh Residences. But industry has long since dis-placed these.

So it was in 1770, the people from these farms cameto this place North of the Frankford Creek, and herelaid the stone on which the church was built. It wasa humble beginning. The first church was only 24 by40 feet, but it was adequate. The building was simplyfurnished, the pulpit was high, the benches were back-less. A few kerosene lamps were hung on the walls.

The people as a rule spoke the German language,consequently the service of the church was in German.Tradition tells us that the little church was used as aprison during the Revolutionary War. At the end ofthirty years, in 1800, the younger people having beentaught the English language, demanded that the serviceshould be in English. This brought about the usualcontroversy, the only controversy that is recorded inthe entire life and history of the church. The youngpeople won out, and the older people in their persistencyand love for their Mother Tongue, withdrew from thechurch and associated themselves with the GermanLutheran Church on Tackawanna Street, where theservice is still conducted in the German language.

In 1810 the Congregation having outgrown the littlechurch, the church building was enlarged to practicallydouble the size of the original building.The same year the church acquired the FrankfordAcademy, and for twelve years conducted a successfulschool, in so doing it did a splendid service for thecommunity.In 1815 the Sunday School, which originated in Lon-don by Robert Raikes who gathered the children fromthe streets on the Lord s Day and taught them to read,

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especially the Bible, found its way to this country, andthat very year some good women asked consent of theSession to have such a school in this church. Traditiontells us that permission was granted on condition thatthe boys be not admitted. It was generally believedthat boys would not be sufficiently well-behaved to bepermitted in a school on the Lord s Day. One of thebarriers to the success of the school was that it waslooked upon as an attempt to teach the indigent, thepoor. The people did not know of a school of anyworth that was free, and therefore, they hesitated tosend their children to the Sunday School because it wasa free school. However, three years later boys wereadmitted, and other difficulties seem to have beenovercome.

In 1826 General Lafayette, who had done conspiciousservice in the Revolutionary War came to America andwas everywhere jubilantly received. The FrankfordArsenal was one of the historical places of the country,hence he visited Frankford, and among other thingswas given a reception in the Worrell House, a fewdoors above us. In the parade which preceeded hisentrance to the village was a company of little girls,composed largely of those from this Sunday School.They were dressed in white. After I came to Frank-ford, I was in the home of a person then almost ninetyyears of age who told me this story. She said thatshe was one of those little girls, and she said, I shookhands with General Lafayette. When she said that,I arose and went over to her chair and asked, is thisthe hand? She said, Yes. I said, I want to shake thehand that shook the hand that shook the hand ofGeorge Washington. It is difficult for me to thinkthat I shook the hand of one that shook the hand ofGeneral Lafayette, who next to George Washingtonprobably rendered the most effective service in thecause of American freedom.

Frankford became a part of the city in 1854, andalmost immediately the church began making ready forre-building. In 1870 the centennial of the church wasrecognized in a most appropriate way. This servicebrought to Frankford a most distinguished companyof church leaders.


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In 1886 John B. Gough, the world famous temper-ance lecturer came to this church to deliver his greatlecture. Shortly after beginning to speak, he told athrilling story of how that wrong doing had in afteryears stood in the way of a man's gaining a high placein life, and then in a dramatic way, uttered the wordskeep your record clean young man and as he utteredthese words, was stricken. He never spoke again:The next day he passed to his reward.

In 1915 the celebration of the centennial of the Sun-day School was observed, and that year the SundaySchool reached its highest peak in enrollment.

In 1920 the 150th anniversary of the founding of thechurch, and the 25th anniversary of the present pas-torate were recognized. At that time a history ofthe church was written by Mr. John M. Somerndike.A history had been written prior to this by Dr. ThomasMurphy in 1870.You have noted that the church in its life has wit-nessed all the great events of our nation.Seven years before the signing of the Declarationof Independence, the church was founded; and thoseEturdy pioneers, George Castor and Rudolf Neff, whenthey had laid safely and strongly foundations of thechurch, went forth to serye in the cause of America's

fieedom. In so doing, they followed the footsteps ofthe famous Muhlenberg, who at that time was a Min-ister of the German Lutheran Church of Philadelphia.Having been commissioned an Army Officer, came intohis church on Sunday morning with his robe on, thepeople not seeing the uniform which he wore. Hepreached a stirring Sermon, and then exclaimed instentorian voice, There is a time to pray and a timeto fight, and this is the time to fight. He threw offhis robe, and led his Congregation into the service ofthe country.

In 1810 the Decatur family became associated withthe church, and Stephen Decatur went to the war of1812, and won great fame as Commodore of the Ameri-can Navy. In 1861, in the tragic struggle between theNorth and the South, many of the men of this Congre-gation went to the service. In 1898 the teacher of a[ ]


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large class of boys in the Sunday School, and a leaderof the boys' work in the church, being a graduate ofAnnapolis, went to the Spanish American War, wherehe served with distinction. In 1918 more than one hun-dred of our boys whose names are inscribed on thatbeautiful tablet in the vestibule of the church, went toWorld War I and today a few less than one hundredand forty of our boys have been enrolled in the coun-try's service, six of whom have paid the supreme sac-rifice. Oh, the tragedy of man's folly Thus we thinkof this war. In 1808 a young man, twenty years of age,was installed as pastor of this church, Rev. John W.Doak. After eight years, his health failed and he re-turned to the Tennessee Mountains, where he soonafterwards died. In 1815 Rev. Thomas Biggs beganhis ministry here, and continued until 1831, when hewent to Cincinnati where he became associated withLane Theological Seminary. In 1835 Rev. WilliamHoward began his ministry in this church, and con-tinued until 1849, when he went to the Second Churchof Pittsburgh, and became Professor in Western The-ological Seminary. In 1849 the remarkable ministryof Rev. Thomas Murphy began here. This young manwas born in Ireland, educated in the College of NewJersey, and the Seminary at Princeton. He was a manof deep piety, studious habits, and scholarly attain-ments. He knew the languages as few men did. Hedevoted much time to writing. Many books came fromhis pen. He was Missionary minded. During the forty-six years of his ministry in this church, he establishedwithin the bounds of the Congregation no less than sixother churches, all of which are now doing a splendidwork. In 1895 he resigned, and was made Pastor-Emeritus; five years later he went to his reward, andfor what he was, and the zeal and industry which hehad for the upbuilding of his Lord's Kingdom, we maywell believe that he was welcomed to the other landwith the gracious words of his Master, "well donegood and faithful servant."

Then began the present pastorate. Probably thiswould be a good place for me to stop, but I am notgoing to do so. In the next few minutes, I will largelybe talking about myself. If you do not wish to hearthis, you may go out. I never had a fiftieth anniver[ ]


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sary before, and I think that I am safe when I saythat I do not expect another. So what you may haveto listen to today, will in all likelihood never be re-peated.

The present pastor first saw the light of day in astone house on a hillside farm in Southern LancasterCounty, Pennsylvania. This is not the part of Lan-caster County which delights the eyes of travelers byits well-kept farms, and highly productive fields, butthe part of the County which borders on the swift-flow-ing Susquehanna River: Hilly, much of it covered bywoods, interesting and beautiful.

His Mother died when he was five years of age; hisFather was then in poor health. The family continuedtogether until he was nine years of age when he wentto live with a step-Uncle, who was many years olderthan his Father. This was on a large farm about amile and a half from the school, and the same distancefrom the little Presbyterian Church, where he spenthis youth. There were no school busses in thosedays. Morning and evening through all sorts ofweather, the mile and a half was covered in going andreturning from school.

There was a small Library in the neighborhoodwhich had been established many years before. Thebooks in the Library were well selected. The Librarywas open one Saturday afternoon a month for onehour. I owe a great deal to that Library. I read al-most every book it contained. Books on the Civil Warwere devoured with interest. The poets of New Eng-land were attractive to me. I read with interest GeorgeElliott, and something of Walter Scott. I wadedthrough George Bancroft s History. With a neighbor-ing boy, I tried to read Shakespeare. Many of thesebooks I fear I should never have read, had they notbeen in that little country library. I still have onmy book shelves some of the books which I neverreturned.

It was expected that I should grow up to be afarmer. Why I didn t is hard to explain. Into oneslife there frequently comes experiences the meaning ofwhich is only disclosed in later years.101


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When I was about fourteen years of age, I was sentone evening to a village about three miles away on anerrand. On the way, I went over a high point on theroad from which I could see the city of Lancaster,fifteen miles away. It was in the early Fall; darknesswas approaching. I caught a glimpse of the lights inthe far-away city, and stopped and tied my horse to afence, and looked, and looked, and thought, there islife, I said and I think that from that moment I neverwas contented in the country. The lights of the cityhad lured me.

So, soon after, I said to my Uncle, I am going toMillersville State Normal School. He simply said, Youare To Millersville I went. After two years mymoney was exhausted, and on noting an announcementthat the County Superintendent was holding an exami-nation for Teachers, I went to the examination withgreat misgivings. The Superintendent spoke kindlyand encouragingly to me. He gave me a certificate forteaching. I was appointed a teacher of a one roomCountry School, with seventy-two scholars, rangingfrom beginners to men with whiskers. I do not knowhow much I taught them, but from them I learnedmuch.

Almost immediately, I made arrangements to go tothe city of Lancaster each Saturday to receive instruc-tions preparatory to entering College. My tutor wasan eccentric person, but had great enthusiasm for whathe taught. If he found a boy or girl that would givetime to study, he went far in directing them. In orderto reach Lancaster, it was necessary, almost every Sat-urday to walk at least fifteen miles. I am not tellingthis story in pity of myself, nor do I want anyone elseto pity me. It was the hard way, but it had its ad-vantages. I still recall those early autumn mornings,when the stars were bright in the skies, and the indus-trious farmers were making their way to the fields forhusking corn. I received three hours tutoring eachSaturday, in Latin, Greek and Mathematics. A boyof a neighboring village had been at Dickinson College.In coming home, he told many stories of college lifeand opportunity. My father, being an Elder in thelittle Presbyterian Church had received a paper known


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as The Presbyterian It contained a notice of LafayetteCollege. The name Lafayette appealed to me strongly,and I immediately made up my mind to go to college,if possible. In company with another person, I startedin the fall of 1888 to Easton. We came to Philadelphia.It was my first visit to this city. We went to Leary sold Book Store, to Childs Restaurant, and then walkedto 9th and Green Streets (as there was no ReadingTerminal then), and took a Reading train to Easton.

I realized that I was imperfectly prepared, and Ithink that it was more by the compassion of the GreekProfessor than by my knowledge, that I was admittedto college, with some conditions. Christmas vacationcame, the three weeks were spent at the college in thedormitory. There was only one other person there, aSouth American. The three weeks were spent in makingup what I had lacked in preparation. Again, let mesay that I am not complaining because of lack of privi-leges. I congratulate the boy whose father has themeans and is disposed to provide for his highest edu-cation. There is no legacy a man can give to his chil-dren comparable to that of an education. But if a boydoes not have such a father, one who can thus providefor him, if he has it in his heart and makes it thePurpose of his life, there will be a way to procure thateducation.

The summer preceding my senior year in college,I was employed as a night clerk at a summer hotel,and was late in returning to college. When I returned,the Professor of Latin sent for me and said that therewas need of a substitute to teach Latin in the EastonHigh School, because of the illness of the Professorthere, and he had recommended me for the place. Hesaid that it would likely be for a month, and he thoughtthat I could do it in addition to my college work. Iaccepted the work, and instead of it being for a month,it continued throughout the whole year. At the endof the year, the Professor having resigned, the SchoolBoard offered me the position. I eagerly accepted it,as it carried with it a salary of twelve hundred dollarsa year, and I greatly needed the money. The day be-fore my graduation, the President of the college heardof this offer, and sent for me. He asked what my at-[ 2]


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titude toward it was going to be. I told him I expectedto accept. He reminded me that sometime before, Ihad indicated my purpose to go to the Theological Sem-inary. He said, if you take this position you will likelycontinue here for your life. I reminded him of myneed of money to meet my many bills. He thereuponoffered to make himself responsible for all these, andrequired that I, in his presence, should write a letter.to the Board declining the offer. It seems as thoughthe college President acted wisely, for the class-matewho took the position continued in it for more thanthirty years, with almost no recognition or promotion.

At the close of the first year in the Seminary, I wassent to the Wesh Mountains in Lancaster and ChesterCounties, Pennsylvania, to do Missionary work. Thiswas then the rendezvous of criminals. Abe Buzzardwas there, a man who spent more than fifty of hisseventy-one years in prison. At that time he was outof prison, and wrote me a letter asking permission topreach in the little chapel. He signed the letter, "yoursin the work," Abe. But before the time for the ser-vice, he had fallen again, and was in prison.

The senior year at the Seminary I was asked topreach in a Reformed Church in Brooklyn. I preachedthere six successive Sundays, morning and evening.They wanted me to continue, but I told them I couldnot preach any longer. They wanted to know why, Idid not tell them. It was simply because I had nomore Sermons. After I gave up this Brooklyn work,a good man in that church to whose home I went everySunday by invitation, and in whose two children I wasgreatly interested, came down to Princeton to see me.On leaving, he said, I am greatly indebted to you. Youhave interested my children in the church, and I amnow ready to deposit in the Bank of Princeton sufficientmoney to pay all your expenses for a two years'course in a European University, to complete your edu-cation. At that time almost every student cherished thehope of some day studying in Europe. I went overand told the Senior Professor. He arose from hischair and said, Very wonderful but you must not ac-cept it. You are a Presbyterian, and this man willnaturally expect you to be a Reformed, when you re-

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turn. So I wrote to the man thanking him for hisgenerosity and explaining that owing to my havingspent time in teaching, I should go immediately into thework of the pastorate. The man wrote back expressinghis disappointment, but saying that doubtless my choicewas a wise one. The very next week a committee fromthis church came to the Seminary in Princeton, andasked that a young man be sent down to Frankford topreach two or three Sundays in order that the Ministerwho was not well might have a rest. The Professor towhom they went was familiar with the church, and hesaid that he would send three young men on successiveSundays, but he would send the one, which he recom-mended, the first Sunday, and if the church liked him,instead of asking the other two, simply ask him to re-turn. The Professor then sent for me and asked meto go to Frankford the next Sunday. I knew noth-ing of the visit of the committee, or of the suggestionabout the three students. At the close of the serviceof the first Sunday, the Minister asked me to come thenext Sunday. I consented: After that he wrote andasked me if I would be his Assistant. I wrote, stating thereasons why I declined this invitation. Time went on, theMinister resigned, the Congregation met and called meto the pastorate, and I have continued here ever since.You will observe that I never consciously candidated forthis pulpit, or any other pulpit. There are few ministerswho have not had the experience of candidating.

I was uncertain as to whether I should come. Myheart was set on a Country Church. When I was inthe midst of indecision, Rev. Alexander Henry, cameup to Princeton to see me. I told him of my hesitancyto accept the pastorate of a church that was then 125years old, and probably had seen its best days. Hesaid, Oh, come down, you and I will be good neighbors,and you will probably not stay more than five years. SoI came. I did not even know how to live in a city. Ihad always lived in the country. But all my needswere happily and generously anticipated by the Session,Board of Trustees and members of the Congregation.

The years have come and gone quickly. I do nothave time today to speak of much of what has trans-pired, but if I were asked to express it in a single word,I would say, change . So far as I know, there is only4


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one person, a teacher in the Sunday School, left in anyposition of leadership in the church, who was herewhen I became the Pastor of the church.I have preached many sermons; I have gone up anddown these streets many times, probably there is not astreet in Frankford along which I have not gone onsome mission. It has been my joy to counsel withmany young people, and to hear Of the places theynow occupy, and the great good service many are rend-ering. I have said to sixteen hundred people standingbefore me, now with the authority vested in me as aMinister of the Gospel, I pronounce you Almostthree thousand times I have joined with those whohave gone the way of laying their beloved dead to rest.With all Community movements and activities, I havebeen identified. During the years, I have been relatedin many ways to the church at large, serving in variousBoards and Directorships of a Missionary, Educational,and Welfare character.

In closing, let me say that as I contrast life todaywith what I recall of it when I began my Ministry, Iwould say that life is richer, people are better clothed,they live in better houses; the children are more uni-versally educated, health is better safe guarded. Thereis more wholesome amusement. The general intellig-ence is higher. Along these lines there is yet much tobe done, but the movement has been forward. Some-times, we fear, that there is reversion, but let us notforget that we are progressing toward better things.

More and more as the years have gone, have I beenimpressed with the thought that it is only as men livein accord with the teachings of the man of Nazareththat there is any assurance that they will later haveanything like contentment or enjoy a satisfyingmemory. There is no other way, my friends, somehave thought that education would solve the problem oflife and conduct, but good as it is, it is not sufficient.Germany had a lot of it; too much of it, it may be;but she lacked moral restraint, she was without vision.She threw away the things worth while in order tosatisfy the lusts for power. The debt is terrible to con-template. There is nothing save the grace of God thatwill save a nation, or a community.

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During these fifty years our own Community is anillustration of the application of the practical teachingof the Gospel to the ways of life. During these yearsthere has come into being the Library, Hospital, Histor-ical Society, Day Nursery, Red Cross Branch, Women'sClub, Boys' Club, Y.W.C.A., and all our Service Clubs;tending to bring the people together.

I plead with you to continue to be a God-fearingpeople; endeavor to do His service. In His name,feed the hungry, clothe the naked, cheer the despairing.This church is 175 years old: Physically it is insplendid condition. During the years, it has stood hereas a witness, and God forbid that this witnessing shouldever cease. In memory, I shall carry it and the workin which it has been engaged during the past fiftyyears with me to my dying day. Necessarily, my ser-vices are coming to a close, but the joys resulting fromthese services are never ending. Surely goodness andmercy have followed me all these days, and may it bethat I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.My Church and my Community have given me morerecognition than I deserve. In the years past you haveabundantly responded to the inquiry of the text uponwhich I preached the first Sunday after I was installedPastor of the Church. The text was, If you will deal

kindly with my Master, tell me. If not, tell me, and Iwill go hence. Continue I pray you, to deal kindlywith the Master, as you have always dealt kindly withme, and great will be your reward.

anniversary address by rev. john b laird, d.d

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