Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1888-04-02
FoRTY YEARS SINCE.

The Rev. Dr. BeardsleY's Anniversary
Sermon at ST. Thomas Church-The
Progress of Four Deeades-A Genera
ton BurIed-GhangestnO Our City Pull
piLs-The Increase of Churches-The
Absent Faces.
A large congregation attended the morning
service at st. Thomas church yesterday ON
the occs sion of the fortieth anniversary of
the Rev. DR.. Beardsley's service rector of
the parish. Bouquets of callas and lilies
adorned the altar and wreath of roses was
suspended from the Iectern. The regular
quartette choir under the direction of Prof
Wehner rendered the choice programme of
special Easter music aceeptably. For the
text of his anniversary sermon DR.. Beardsley
took the fifteenth verse of the one hundred
and eighteenth Psalm: 1.-THE voice of reieic-
ing and salvation is in the tabernaclss of the
righteous" After some Introductory re-
marks in explanation of the text the doctor
addressed himself to the main theme of his
discourse and reviewed simply but carefully
his forty years of work. He said in part
Reckoning from Easter to Easter this day
completes cycle of forty years since as
sumed the rectorship of this parish 1t was
offered to me when it was anything but in
viting and l came with timid heart. They
were feeble folk. From the hired room to
the chapel, from the chapel to the present
church editce we have moved with the
sacrifices and prayers. We have been loyal
to our ecclesiastical organizations and have
made no debts for those who come after US to
discharge. I feel that l can say as did St.
Paul to the PHILIPPIANS, 81 thank my God
upon every remembrance of you" No church
that leans on men alone can meet with sue
cess, and this parish has had large number of
Christian women who have by their diligence
and industry greatly aided it. There are
many orders of work in this world, and if
they are done in accordance with Gods will
they will be followed by rejoicing in the tab
ernacle. There have been many changes in
church and state during forty years, and
many of these who were once
in the Sunday school have become
heads of families and pew hold.
ers. Several years ago gentleman died
in New York and his body was brought to
this city for burial. He had formerly be-
longed to Trinity parish, but the family,
while for personal reasons wanting the min
lister of this parish to oficiate at the burial
service, desired that the entry be made on
the register of Trinity parish. This incident
from their church yet become impressed with
its services and remain loyal to
it. No parish in New Haven has
suffered so much from removals as
ours. The number of families who have
gone would make a large parish. Forty
years see many business changes and fail
ures. A rector who has presided over the
same parish for forty years has buried q gem
Grafton of his flock. OF those who helped to
originate the parish not vestryman is left.
Fitch, Foote, Griswold, Jewett, Cover, Mans
field, Barnes, Wood and the others who had
taken part in the foundation of the parish
have all passed away and await as beyond the
river. What changes have taken place in the
Christian aspect Six places of worship
have since been erected within a stones
throw of us. Not pastor is here now that
was here when came, and the changes in
some cases have been SO rapid that one has
hardly been able to get acquainted with the
pastors. The wooden building burned in
1S4S, which formerly stood on Davenport
avenue, accommodated all the Roman Catho-
lies of the city at that time. Two substan-
tiAl edifces embraced in the mother parish
and the little wooden building of st. Luke's
comprised our houses of worship forty years
ago. We have added seven Episcopal
churches to the number that found here,
and from 1900 communicates in the State
we now have %, 600. The speaker now al
luded to the missions of the denomination in
the world and their success, and to the great
national events in the past forty years, and
closed with an appeal for higher spiritual en-
deavor and self-consecratien.