The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-11-15
Mr.. ELLISON RESIGNS.
Aequalnts His Congregation
With His Purpose in a
Letter-Regret Of His
ParishionerS.

The Rev. D. ]. Ellison last night ten
dered his resignation as Pastor of the
Bergen Baptist Church. A special meet
ing of the congregation was called for
the purpose after the regular Wednesday
night prayer meeting. Arthur Farr1er,
Clerk of the church, was secretary of the
meeting, and Deacon Thomas Miller was
chosen Chairman. The resignation was
read and on a motion by Deacon Woolsey
the matter was laid over for one week.
The congregation will answer the resig-
nation next Wednesday night at an adj
journed meeting. A copy of the resig-
nation follows:-
LETTER OF RESIGNATION.
To the officers and Members of the Ber-
gen Baptist Church of Jersey City,
Dear Brothers and Sisters:-Nearly ten
years and half ago, in obedience to
your call which seemed to me to be the
voice of duty, 1 came to you from the
Rochester Theological Seminary to ac-
cept the responsibilities and honors of the
pastorate of this church.
Looking back today over all the way
we have come together it is evident that
this union of pastor and people has been
approved of God by a fulness of bless
ing and largeness of success that has
been an encoura cement and an inspira-
ton from the first day until the present
hour.
l am very thankful for all the SYM
pathy and cooperation which 1 have re-
ceived from members of this church,
and the uniform kindness and apprecia-
ton which has come to me from the com
munity in which our church stands, but
above all, 1 am deeply grateful for the
manifold blessings which have attended
this pastorate, to our Heavenly Father,
who is the source of every good and
perfect thing. This is my first pastorate.
In this place | was ordained to the work
of the Christian ministry, and, there
fore, it is not surprising that l should
have loved this church with strong and
peculiar affection, that has led me time
and again to refuse to go to other
churches. | promised to remain with you
ten Q0) years and l have done 50, and
now the Great Head of the Church has
manifestly opened for me a door into
another field of labor, and because, after
. am convinced it is my duty to enter this
new field, with sincerest feelings of affec-
tfon for my many friends in Jersey City,
I now hand back to you the great trust
you committed to my care, that of the
pastorate of this church.
1t is my desire that this resignation
be accepted without dissenting vote,
for did not offer it until 1 was convinced
as to my duty in the matter, and, if it
be agreeable to the church, l should like
to have it take effect January 1, 1895.
prosperity, and commencing you to God
and to the Word of His grace l remain,
Fraternally yours,
D. j. ELLISON
Jersey City, N. j.. Nov. A. 1894.
NEW FIELD IN DOUBT
Mr. Ellison has had two calls one from
the Central BAPTIST Church of New York
and the other from the First Baptist
Church, Indianapolis, Indiana. He is un-
decided yet which one he will accept
He has been pastor of Bergen Baptist
Church for over ten years, and IT will
be with regret that the people accept his
resignation. He has had seven calls
in the past five years, but has refused
them all to remain with the Bergen
Baptist people. The church under his
care has grown both in influence and in
the numerical strength of its members,
until it stands now as one of the largest
and most influential churches in the State.
1t is not known as yet who will succeed
Mr. Ellison. 1t will be hard work to
get man who will adequately fill his
place.