The Grant Cottage at Long Branch.. The Garfield Train and Franklin Cottage. President William McKinley Addressing the Congregation in the Auditorium. President Roosevelt Addressing the Convention. A Troop of Ocean Grove's Rough Riders.. William Howard Taft.. Woodrow Wilson Bishop William Taylor. "College Day" Playing Soldier in the Sand. A Winter Morning Scene.. Elim Cottage 196 198 200 203 205 209 212 214 216 218 221 222 225 228 231 234 241 243 New Jersey State Federation of Women's Clubs in Session. FOREWORD It should be remembered that, in telling "The Story of Ocean Grove," there is afforded no opportunity to present anything original. It is necessarily limited to a recital of past events, and the retelling of what has already been told. Some of what is here presented already has appeared in the Ocean Grove Monthly, and liberal quotations—as such and otherwise—have been made from documents which during the past fifty years have become historical. But it is hoped that the narration of "The Story of Ocean Grove" in the year of its Golden Jubilee will be an inspiration to all to fulfill the injunctions of the founders as set forth in the Charter, that Ocean Grove may continue "A perpetual oblation upon Christ's Altar" and "consecrated to sacred uses." A rugged, stalwart man of splendid physique-"preeminently a child. and lover of nature"—with hair and beard to rival David's; whose voice could easily be heard from the Auditorium to the ocean, and whose great ambition was to provide "somewhere along the sea, a convenient place where a few families of like mind can pitch their tents, and for a little while in summer enjoy the sea air, bathing, fishing, etc., having such social and religious exercises intermingled as convenience and inclination might suggest." To Ocean Grove I have given the best judgment of my ripest years -the toil of brain, and bone, and blood and heart. The joy of her success is like the joy of one's nuptial days; but when she departs from her original principles, my grief will be like that with which I followed my dead to the silent grave—and as I have mourned for them, so should I mourn if Ocean Grove failed to fulfill her high and holy mission. But she shall not fail; God is with her, and so long as we are true to him, he will be true to us. If I speak to you no more on this subject, this is my last request for Ocean Grove: Still let this place be held for God, By him be blest, to him be given, His, morning, noon and dewy ev'en; His all the while, HIS EVERMORE. ELLWOOD H. STOKES. |