Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1891-06-25
! FOR TWENTY-FIVE YEARS.
THE LONG PASTORATE OF
REV. HEBER III. BEADLE.
Am Unusual Anniversary CeFe-
brated Thursday Night In the
second Presbyterian
Church.

brated Thursday Night In the
second Presbyterian
Church.
From one pulpit. in one church, and
to one people, Rev. H. H. Beadle has
been preaching the Gospel for twenty
five years.
A long pastorate surely, but very
successful, and after all these years,
people and pastor find themselves
more lovingly bound together than
ever before.
Twenty-Five years ago, since Rev. H.
H. Beadle, then beardless young man
of twenty-eight, came from Philadel-
phia to this city, and assumed the
charge of the then little church on
Pearl street, which has grown during
this quarter of a century just passed
to be the strong, influential, rich Sec
ond Presbyterian Church. Thursday
night the people and pastor came TO.
gether and each congratulated the
other. The people, that a merciful
Providence had so kindly permitted
the loving relations to continue for all
these years, and the pastor, that the
hand that moves the universe had so
gathered the people-that he has been
permitted to do successful work in
| the church.
The contrast between the outside
world and the interior of the chapel
room of the Second Presbyterian church
Thursday night, was very marked. Out
side, dark and dreary, the rain falling
relentlessly, and the chill temperature
making it uncomfortable. Inside,
brilliancy, life and happiness depicted
everywhere, but nowhere as upon the
faces ofthe congregation, who gathered
almost jealously about the pastor who
had been with them through so many
scenes of happiness and sorrow.
The gathering was large one, and
from eight o'clock until nearly nine,
the evening was given to an informal
reception to the PASTOR. Then Super.
intendent of the Sunday School, Benz.
F. Harding called the meeting to
order and announced male quartette,
Messrs. R. N. Hustled, Thos. Donaghay,
Robt. Young and Albert Woodruff
sang, and Thos. U. Harris offered q
prayer most appropriate to the oc-
casion.
Mr.. Harding announced that Joel
Fithian would then make a few re-
marks, and that gentleman took the
platform. After expressing his regrets
that the duty of speaking had not
fallen upon some other who might
possibly have done better, he said that
the Second Presbyterian Church was
organized Oct. I'd, 1888, fifty-three
years ago, so that it could be seen that
during nearly half that time, Mr..
Beadle had been pastor of the church.
OF those who signed the application to
the Presbytery for the organization
only one was living, and he was pres
ent last night. The speaker referred
to Judge Alphonso Woodruff. Of
those who were admitted by letter
from other churches onthe day Of ded-
ication, only four were still in the
! church.
Previous to the pastorate of Rev. H.
H. Beadle, six pastors or supplies had
filled the pulpit. The one proceeding
Mr.. Beadle was Rev. Mr.. Hubbard,
who left the church In 1865. The pull
pit was vacant little more than a
year, and the thoughts of the church
were turned to the present pastor by
supply who asked why do you
not cali young Mr.. Beadle?'
The reply was 1--WE did not know
there was such person. Strange
isn't it?" [Laughter.]
The Church called Mr.. Beadle on
May 29th, 1866, and he accepted. He
was ordained ON the Goth of June of
that year.
II have been asked" said the speak.
er, Ito tell how he looked. ! can but
say that while he was younger than
now, he looked wonderfully like Heber
H. Beadle."
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