Morning journal and courier., 1888-12-31
r,rsr oEURou. FArR HAvRN.

Rev. pr. Burdett Hart Announces Ills
 Decision So Retire From she Pastorate
 of the Church at the Close of Ezis
 Thirty Years Service.
 At the First Congregational church, Fair Haven, yesterday Rev. Bnrdette Hart an-
 nounced to the assembled congregation his
 decision to terminate his relations with the
 church as its pastor, at the end of his thirty the spring. Dr. Hart's reasons for thus re- tiring are explained in the following state- ment which he made to the congregation at the morning service:
 To the congregational has been in my thoughts for some time past that my present relations as minister of this church and society should be terminated at the expira- ton of thirty years of service here, which will be at the end of next June.
 ! The disability from throat troubles, caused last spring by unusual exposures, which pre- ! vented my speaking in this pulpit for five weeks, warned me of the increasing risk in- ! oident to the duties of my profession. After so long ministry iE seems only proper, as an act of justice to you, that an- ! nouncement of my purpose should be made g ! considerable time before it should mature When, nearly sixteen years ago, returned | to this church to take up anew the work had respectfully laid down, it was not with l the expectation that should continue it very long.
 As the years passed on it seemed possible that my later ministry might equal in length the earlier one. It has, in fact, gone quite beyond it.
 After so long time, with gratitude to God for the mercies which have been so bounte- ously granted to us, and grateful also to you for the love and confidence which have been so unfailingly continued to this day, and furthermore with hope for your enlarged prosperity in years to come, l shall once more surrender my extended and pleasant pastorate.
 In carrying this purpose into effect I shall, at convenient time, ask your co operation as Q church and society.
 Rev. Dr. Hart has endeared himself to his
 congregation and to large circle of friends,
 and his retirement from the pastorate will
 cause deep regret in many hearts. He has won high rank for scholarship, and his ser-
 mons and addresses on special occasions are
 marked for their beauty of thought and lan- Ruage. His career as pastor covers 6 most
 important and memorable period of Fair Ha-
 ven's history. Pastor Hart has witnessed the growth of Fair Haven from the little village and suburb of this city that it was when 8 young and talented preacher he first came there and won renown, to the populous position of the big city itself that it now is. There is twenty, perhaps fifty times the wealth in Fair Haven now that there was thirty years ago, and its growth in population in that period has been very notable. He has been identified with it's pastorates, it's bereavements, it's 1o- cal interests, it's material az we'll as it's spir- itual prosperity and his retirement is nota- ble event not alone in this prosperous geo. tion of New Haven, but in Connecticut. With ample peeuniary means he retires from the ministry at an age when, with reasona- ble degree of health, he may witness for many years to come the growth of Fair Ha- ven, and it is thought that unless the state of his health dictates change of abode he will continue resident of the place in his beau tiful Ferry street home.