New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-26
DIR. CROSBY AT SIXTY-TWO
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS A CITY PASTOR
TO CELEBRATE THE ANNIVERSARY NEXT WEEK

|
| sEXEGENARfAY KNIcKERBocKER
Few clergymcn in this city havo enjoyed So long nm
interrupted and prosperous pasorates has the Rov
DIR. Howard Crosby, who Is Just completing his tween.
y fifth year the pastor Of the Fourth Avenue prcs
bytcran Church, formerly known as the Blecckor
Street Presbyterian Church DR. Crosby wifi celebrate
his sixty-sccond birthday to morrow. On March g.
reception Will be held In tho church building BY pcm.
bers Of tho congregation and by maay friends Of rs
popular and honored pastor. Addresses Will DO de-.
livcred by several ministers OF neighborng churchs
| Tho following members Of tho church compose tho
Committee of Arrangements Warner Van Norden,
chairman Newton Amermsn, George W. Idthgow,
| James A. Pctrlc, Henry ID. Brewster, Charles I.
Adams, Hcmy Fauo. Ccphas BraInerd, Ir., George
Jcrcmah, George Kecler, Edward II. Marehant, Pro-
| lessor Thomas f. Harrison and John T. Way.
| Dr. Crosby born In this city, on February ~,
1926, OF genuine Knickcrbocker descent, and comes
from family distinguished for It's wealth and public
spirit, and connected both sides with Of tho
best known personagcs Of Revolutionary and state
history. william b. Crosby, hts father, inherited
large wealth from uncle, Colonel Henry Rutgers,
and deeply Interested all efforts looking toward
a higher system Of education in this CITY, lie also
gave literally TO many charitable Institutions. II
Ebcnezer Crosby, his grandfather was professor 1t
Columbia College. General william Floyd, Dr. Cr@-
by's great grandfather signed tho Declaration Of Dde
pendcnce and q member OF the first National
Congress. A book Of gencalogy has been published
which traces the Crosby family to Edward l. Of Eng
land
DR.. Crosby's father OF the founders OF Tho
University Of tho CITY OF New York, from which he
was graduated In 1914, returning In 1851 to az
copt the Greek chair for eight years in 1870 he be-
camc Chancellor CT the University and held that POSI-
ton for IL years While professor In the University
he taught a large Bibleclass for young men, and was
among tho organizers OF tho Young Mems Christian
Acgu Aft I'm eli WIN N
this country, one I'm Boston and the other In Provi
dcncc. In tho second annual report of The ASsocia
ton Professor Howard Crosby appears As its pros
dent Tho need OF a building as a permanent homo
for the growing institution was one of the burdens Of
his reports and addresses and the present ASSOCIATE
Building at Fourth-ave and Twenty -ihrdst was the
result of efforts begun by his unring energy and per
severance.
LICENSED TO PREACH IN NEw-BRuNswIcK
A to, close application to his varied occupations
compelled him to leave tho city In 1852 and he ac
certed tho Grcek profcsstIship at Rutgers College,
Amid The rural scenery Of New I'lunswck y. J., no
found agreeable employment and completely fcgained
his health. His degree Of ID. d. was given by il'rV@d
before he was licensed to preach by the Chassis Of New
Brunswick In 1851 he began his ministerial life as
the pastor of the Presbyterian Church at New Bruins
wick In March, 1863, he entered uIon his duties az
pastor OF tho Fourth Avenue Prcsby Church, and
IS the oldest settled pastor In the New YORK Prcsbyery
field, the church numbering now over 1900 members
Dr.. C-o,"y is extensively known for his varied and
profor Yd eal Ming and has taken leading position in
rcarly every movement looking toward the welfare 81
TIT ,ity. HIS vigorous efforts against the liquor lea
CIR nd well known position In regard tn the high
license question, have made him conspicuous figure
n rcformatory measures, and although few clergy men
have been so frequently misrcprescnted aud misnnde
stood as he he enjoys the proud distinction OF having
succeeded through tho Society for the Prevention o.
Crime OF which he is president in closing every rum
hole In this city for nine days In 1871 lie proud OF
being a life long New-Yorkcr and he once alluded to
himself as "a quinquagcnarian knickerbocMr." N
Crosby has two sons and three daughters His older
son, Ernest Howard, is graduate of the University
Of the City Of New-York, and Is well known now -
Assemblyman Crosby Nicholas Eyertson, the younger
son. IS an instructor at Columbia College, where he
was graduated in 1893.
MINDFUL OF HIS YOUTHFUL DAYS.
How well Dr. Crosby preserves his youthfulncss, Il
shown by tho following extract from recent address
before the alumni of the University
We como together yearly get new life ty rcviy,
Ing Ud The = Sa By
treat. The gray hairs the wrlnes, the bent gait 40
%So@ Sr% We d S ne marble al that ccr a
along tho walks Of Washington square; Inc SUS,h
of years Wife, children, grand children, professional
achievements, revolutions OF thoughts nliar nopei
these have added much to tho sophomore OF forty
wears ago but tho eye OF ancient affection pcnctiatos
ALL and belols beneath all tho boy OF eager stop anu
hopeful heart with whom clasped hands on tho
threshold OF life. Our youth IS also IcnewcI IN these
ac ademc paRegyrcs by the sight OF Others starting In
the same career OF life In which VIC started SO long ago.
"Tho graduates of to-day are the very images OK
ourselves as we then. We are ready To throw
up our hats and cry 'Hurrah, for the new ana ln'
dependent Hfo before rs p We think OF patients,
clients as parishloners tho future and tho visions
OF tender face ours, and "A group of children
about our knee gives a rosy color TO The prospect
We sometimes doubt own Identity aud believe that
our history IS really a patchwork OF different hves
But hero the Illusion vanishes (, We arc tho same
Here IS tho solvent that makes all clear In coming
back II is like a child returning to his mother full
of generation for her who taught him how to use
his eyes and ears how TO choose the right and reject
tho wrong and how to meet the manifold requirements
Of human lfe."
Tho church OF which DIR. Crosby Is pastor, or Dr.
Crosby's Church." II has been known for qualfer
of a century was organized In 1925 aud was at first
pastor Is the fourth, his predecessors having been
the Rev. Matthias lrucn, DR. Erskine Mas N ana thc
Rev DR.. Joel Parker. Tho twelve organizers OF tho
church had increased In 1853 to 300, hlteon years
later the number of communicates was 1923 anu az
present II Is over 1900 The church has always
been noted for its generous contributions, which
are not limited 20 missions and charitable institutions
I'm this city, although many such among IT'S benefit
Charles. II IS pre- eminently a missionary church,
and as such It's fame has through this and foreign
lands. In 1864 Hope Mission. in Fast Fourthst
near Avenue c, organized and year later craze
Mission, in East Twenty second St. was started For
ten years tho church supported a mission for the
Chinese In Wmtest, being the pioneer OF that line on
hple