The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1879-05-14
FORTY YEARS TO THE LORD.
DIR. Burchard's Anniversary Ser
mon.


NY. Herald, Mays
There was commemorated In
the Thirteenth Street Presbyterian
Church Yesterday the fortieth anni>
yersary of the continuous pastorate
in one congregation of DIR. S. d.
Burchard. The church was throng-
ed both at morning and evening SER
vices, and on the platform were many
beautiful floral memorials, presented
by members OF the congregation.
One of these composed of exotics
and over six feet square, was inscrlb-
ed, in letters and figures large enough
to be read over the church. "Our
Pastor. 1839-1879." Another was
marked. IS. D. B., 1839-1879."
Wreaths and baskets Of flowers,
along with numerous large waving
green plants were distributed over
the front and sides of the platform.
At the evening service there was
quite a gathering of clergymen,
among them being DR.. Prime, DR..
Paxton, DIR. Hitchcock. of the Union
Theological College. and DR.. Rogers,
of the Fifth Avenue Reformed
Church. DR.. Burcbard, who is tall,
full man. with gray hair and side
whiskets, appeared in vigorous
health and preached with his usual
streug III and clearness. He took for
his text :-"For the Lord thy God
hath blessed thee in all the works of
thy hand; these forty years the Lord
thy God hath been with thee. thou
hast lacked nothing" deuteronomy
ii. z.
"The text" he said, "would seem
to be personal and significant, as
though penned for the present &C
casion. 1t was spoken originally by
Moses to the Israelites, when on the
borders of the promised land. 1t
was a part of his fortieth auniversa-
~ address, in which. with much de-
tail of circumstances, he reviews the
past and gives earnest and fatherly
counsel in reference to the future.
He was now becoming old and he
felt that his work Was well nigh done,
and he must compit The responsible
ties Of his Office as leader of the
hosts Of Israel to his successor. For
ty years is no inconsiderable portion
of time in national or individual his
tory. 1t is more than half the allot-
ted space of man upon the earth. 1t
is space sufficient for the achieve.
ment of mighty results, for vast
changes in the worlds history, in its
religions, governments, arts, science
and civilization.
TINES CHANGES.
Let US briefly notice some Ofthese
changes in the outer circle-the
world. Forty years ago missionaries
were comparatively few; China.
japan and Hindostan raised their
frowning walls against them; now
they are welcomed by all peoples and
laboring successfully in every part
of the habitable globe. Then "Old
and New School, were terms en-
ployed TO designate the two great
branches of the Presbyterian Church;
now those offensive epithets are OBJ
solete and we know no Shibboleth or
party but Christ, and our only aim
is to exalt and glorify Him. Gov
ernments, too, in their spirit and
tone, have changed within the past
forty years. and have become more
liberal and Christian. Within this
period Queen Victoria has succeeded
to the throne of England, and under
her benefcent rule the government
has become more aggressive, efec-
tive and liberal than under the reign
of her predecessor. The French
government has passed out Of the
hands of the Bourbons and under
Napoleonic dynasty, through coups
d'etat and many changes, until now
it is in the hands of the people and
a Republic similar 10 our own is
their chosen form of Government.
and Protestant Christianity is TAX
ing deep root in that newly prepared
and prolific soil. The Pope has lost
his temporal power and the Gospel
is freely introduced into Italy. and
Protestant chapels and schools flour.
ish beneath the very shadows Of the
Vatican. The petty and conflicting
German Principalities have all been
consolidated under the reign of
Protestant and Christian Sovereign.
Forty years have produced mighty
change in the spirit and policy of
Russian rule, and in the year 1868
tie Gear. in imitation of our immor-
cal Lincoln emancipated his twenty
three million serfs and his example
is followed by Dom Pedro. the EN-
peror of Brazil. The arts, the sci
ences and a higher and mere enligh.
tened civilization have been intro.
annnd Ia Ianan and the islands of