Stone of Baltimore, Md., who presided, introduced as the first speaker Mr. Edward D. Blodgett, as one who was a child of the church, whose grandmother united with the church within a few months of its founding, whose grandfather was for forty years an elder in the church, exceeding in period of service any other member of the session, whose father had been for forty-three years the leader of the church choir, and for ten years past a member of the session.

Mr. Blodgett's address showed the circumstances which led up to the founding of this church; described Cortland at that time; and covered the leading events of the history down to the present time. Following the historical address came a violin solo by Mr.

Robert I. Carpenter, and then Rev. John T.

Stone, who presided at the meeting, introduced Rev. S. H.

Howe, D. D., of Norwich, Conn., who was pastor of the church from October, 1869 to September, 1872. Dr.

Howe spoke earnestly and feelingly of the church as it existed thirty years ago; of the people connected with it and of some of the circumstances attendant upon his coming to Cortland. He doubted his ability to interest the people of to-day in the affairs and conditions that then existed, but the wrapt attention with which the large congregation listened to his words proved that they were not only deeply interested in what he had to say, but also in the manner in which it was said.

Dr. Howe spoke in part as follows: We climb upon high elevations which others have built and then kick the ladder away. This is human nature.

It is church nature. I fear that I cannot interest you in these new conditions. If I had the old conditions, the old surroundings, the old people, I could interest them.