Bridgeton pioneer., 1889-11-21
SFMI-CENTENNIAL.
ANNEVERSARY OF THE PRES
BXTEHY OF WEST JERSEY,
interesting Exercises Thursday
Afternoon and Evening
in the First Presby-
geriAm Church.


and friends had enioyed a most sub
stantial dinner, furnished by the ladies,
in the chapel on North Pearl street.
Rev. Vileroy D. Reed, d. D. of Phila-
delphia, presided. After devotional
exercises Elder Augustus S. Barker,
editor of the Woodbury. Constitution,
gave most interesting sketch of agri-
cultural and mat erial progress in West
Jersey, from 1889 to 1889. The history
as related by this experienced man
proved to be highly instructive and
pleasing, as he showed how wonder
fully the resources of West Jersey had
been opened up, and made to prosper
Rev. E. P. Shields. of Bristol, Pa, de-
ivered a touching memorial of Rev.
George w. Janvier, and was followed
by Rev. F. R. Brace, County Superin-
tendent of Public Instruction, of
Blackwood, delivered a memorial of
Rev. SamuelD. Bly,; the brief addresses
followed, by Morris H. Stratton, ESQ.,,
of Salem; Elder John S. Jessup, Rev.
Geo. w. Tomson, of Clayton and Rev.
David H. King, of Vineland. Mr..
Stratton's remarks were particularly
interesting. He spoke of Presbyter-
ianism as it was a generation or two
ago, and referred to a drift towards
independence of thought in theology
at present, as not favorable to the
church or christian life.
In the evening the church was
crowded. A special choir furnished
beautiful music Rev. w. G. CattelI,
D. D., Secretary of the Presbyterian
Board of Ministerial Relief, presided.
MEMORIAL OF DIR. JONES.
Rev. Allen H. Brown last night read
Beach Jones, who, for quarter of g
century, was the pastor of the First
Presbyterian Church, in which the
semi-centennial services have just
closed.
Rev. F. R. Brace preceded the me-
mortal by reading paper On the pro-
gress of Educational work during the
half century,"
He presented a hopeless picture of
the state of public instruction in
Southern New Jersey fifty years ago,
some of his statements of the condi-
ton of educational facilities at that
period making some of the older mem
bers of the audience rather squirm.
They would not have thought the
condition was nearly so bad, and the
school houses, where themselves or
their fathers had spent happy moments
in sight of the waving birch, half so
delapidated.
Dr. Brown read his memorial quite
rapidly; it paid glowing tribute to
the distinguished ability, learning and
eloquence of the divine, as we'll as to
his earnest Christian life, and his
devotion to the cause of the First
Church and the West Jersey Academy
in this city.
DR.. Jones was born in the city OF
Charleston, South Carolina, in 1911,
where, he said, his early years were
passed. For better educational facili
ties for her children, his mother, after
the death of her husband, removed tc
this State, taking up her residence in
Morristown.
Samuel Beach Jones was graduated
from Princeton College in 1880; he was
ordained in 1888; in 1S36-37, he was as.
sistant secretary of the Board of Home
Missions. In 1888, he married a Miss
| Chester.
He was installed pastor of the First
Church in Bridgeton, in 1889, and was
one OF the chief founders of the West
Jersey Academy, during the establish
controversy through the coluinns of the
PIONEER. He was one of the most &C
tive and influential members of the
Presbytery of West Jersey, and in the
years 1S46-1852 and 1866, he was com
missioned to the General Assembly
He declined call to the church at
Newark, preferring to remain here
He took no stipulated vacation, but
found pleasure in visiting feeble church
es, and preaching to their congrega
tions.
He resigned from the First Church
soon after the outbreak of the war O.
the rebellion, and this period was
lightly touched on by DR.. Brown, say
ing that he subsequently applied fol
admission to the East Hanover Pres
bytery, but that Presbytery would not
admit him. He maintained his resi-
dence in this city, till the time of hi
death, March 10, 1888. His wife an(
five children surviving him. One o
his sons, a brave soldier, died from th'
effects of wounds received in front o
fredericksburg under General Grant
A large audience listened to the ad
dress.
The closing address was made b,
Rev. H. s. VanDyke, d. D., of Brook
lyn, formerly pastor of the Secont
Presbyterian Church.