New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-14
4 NEW BROOKLYN PASTOR.
RETURNING TO THE CITY BEYOND THE BIG
BRIDGE AFTER DOZEN YEARS

BRIDGE AFTER A DOZEN YEARS
OF ABSENCE
Since the death Of Mr.. Beecher moro changes have
occurred in the pulpts of the churches In the region
of Brooklyn known the Heights than had be-
fore taken plsce in ten years. Besides the vacancy
created in Plymouth Church. the Reformed Church
on the Heights Grace Protestant Episcopal Church,
the First Baptist Church and the Unitarian Church
of tho Saviour have lost their pastors by death or
resignation in quick succession. The places OF all
save one of these pastors have been filled In the
past few months. and two Of the new incumbcnts
are about to begin their work I'm their new fields OF
labor DR.. Lyman Abbott has become already we'll
established in Mr. Beecher's old place Dr. Chauncey
B. Brewster has taken up the work laid down by
DR. snively In Grace Church. The Rev. II. Price
Collier has accepted a call to tho Church OF the
Saviour to succeed the Rev. A. f. Goodnough. whose
early death deeply dcplored last year.
In the Reformed Church in Perrcpont
ST., DR.. Wesley Reid Davis, of Albany, will begin
his ministry to-day, and will be formally installed
on Thursday evening. DR.. Davis Is expected to be
the most notable addition recently made to the ranks
Of the ministry In Brooklyn He among the
named in connection with the succession to the
pulpit OF Plymouth Church In both this city and
Brooklyn his reputation is already established Dy
previous pastOratos, and he comes from Albany with
a record of success in of the most important
pulpts In that city. He is Just In the PRIME OF lie,
training in the Methodist Episcopal Church South
and he entered the ministry in that denomination
in Baltimore. After preaching for several years In
that city he decided to North. and was trans
fered to the New-York East Conference. and became
pastor of the Simpson Methodist Episcopal Church
in Brooklyn He remained with 1t the full limit
of time allowed by the rules Of the denomination
three years, and then came to the Church of St.
James in Harlem.
the NJ a encce sf,I farm fhere ARRANGEMENTS
were made for his succession to the pulpit OF st
PauPs Church. in Fourth-ave But JUST
at that time Dr. George H. Hep"or"
resigned from the Congregational Church OF the Dis
ciples which he had founded after leaving the UNI
tartan denomination DR.. Davis was invited TO Sue
coed him. and under attering promises regarding the
reduction of the enormous debt Of S1s0'00O on the
church he accepted the CALL For several years he
preached to large congre cations but the work OF
clearing of the debt not successful even after
the pastor promised to raise $50 900 IL the congre-
gasion would provide the remainder DR.. Davis
then resigned and DR.. Newman was secured to make
the final unsuccessful effort to get rid of the crush
ing burden of debt Dr. Davis accepted call to the
Madison Avenue Reformed Church in Albany, where
he has remained nearly eight years. He is preach
Of much originality and brilliancy backed up by
logical arguments He has received the honorary de-
grees Of Master Of Arts from Wesleyan University
and Doctor of Divinity from Rutgers College. He
preached the baccalaureate at Union College
last summer
The church in Brooklyn TO which DR.. Davis goes is
nseparably connected with the memory of Dr. George
Bethune, Of the most eloquent preachers In the
Reformed denomination. The society is not the old
est of the name in Brooklyn. where the old First
Dutch Church the only ecclesiastical organization
for upwards Of $50 years, but 1t holds the second
place in point of age In the older part of the CITY,
When DR.. Bethune became fits pastor in 1850 the
present edifice built for him, and for ten years
he instructed and delighted large audiences within its
walls which unlike those of any other church in
the city, The building stands in the middle Of
block and has windows only In its roof the Side
walls being blank In order TO make the interior
light possible the walls and woodwork
pure white The only gallery Is over the entrance
AID is occupied by the choir and organ. The pull
pit is in with heavy curtains either side. Dr.
house in Which he lived adjoining, so that his wife
who was invalid, could hear his from her
the shadow of cross, which is formed by the brown
butresses when the gas is lighted In the street.
People go out of their way to pass the church and
placed in front OF the church. the effect of which
was to destroy the shadow But It was practically
IL out to the shadow, and finally the post was
capped:
porous society, and he remained with it until COM
PEELED 20 TO Italy for his health and he died there
Several successors have occupied the pulpit, but no
latest of these DR.. A. J. Hutton. who resigned
last year TO go to Rochester. DR.. Davis Will find
of the First Reformed Church from its former sua-
ton near the City Hall TO the neghborhood of Pros
h RSSS Of Mr. Boechers eoqHencc in BrooRyns
church circles gone but he will enter into direct
on one side and DR.. Hall in Holy Trinity Church
the other brilliant future Is proPhesled led, for him
t6e same salary $4,000 in Brooklyn that he did in
Albany.