The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-01-02
RIDDEN do)SPEED..
Bergen Baptist's Farewell
Reception to Dr..
Ellison.
CORNELIUS B~RETTSADDREsS
The Retiring Clergyman Asks the
Church to Consider Him Its
Pastor Emeritus -Touching
Leave Taking.

Leave Taking.
The Rev. D.. J. Ellison, who leaves the,
| Bergen Baptist Church to assume charge
OF the First Baptist Church of Indian
apolis, was given a farewell reception
on Monday night by the Ladies' Society
of the church. There were about 700 peo-
pie present. The church only has a
membership of $40. but Mr.. Ellison has
made many friends in the ten years he
has spent among the people Of Bergen
and many of these attended to bid him
goodbye and godspeed.(
After the speech-maktng wa$ over, Mr..
and Mrs. Ellison shook hands avith each
one present.
The choir. under che AdirectioE of Mr,I
Arthur Preston, who Isl soon tip follow
Mr.. Ellison to I~ndianapolik, and the Brad
ford Trio. who playea Asr.raf month";
at the revival sessNes rich l -
Record, the oldest member of the con-
gregation, presided. 1t was all he could
do to stand the ordeal, and many times,
as he made the announcements, hisi voice
choked and his eyes filed with teairs-
II w I'LL OE lIlG Ai<A "
DEAvoR.
After the choir had sung a selection,
Mrs. C.. M. Prior, President off the
Ladies' Society, welcomed those present
in a few well-chosen words. Miss Aiilie
Corwin addressed the Pastor on beyhalf
Of the Christian Endeavor Societyf or
which she is President. Eight years
ago tonight" she said, 'just as the {old
year was going out and the new year
entering, four young men held the Rrst
conservation meeting of the Young Peo-
pies Society of the Bergen Baptist
Church. You were one of the young
men, and the meeting was held at your
home. The seed planted that evening
has brought forth an abundant harvest
During those eight years we have had
213 members, 100 of whom have been
buried In baptism by you. As you think
of us as a society may the memory Of
what has been accomplished ever be an
encouragement and incentive to you in
your new harvest field. Take with you
our love and affection and our appre-
citation of the loyal support you have
always given us. AS the Master has
called you elsewhere, we would not bid
you stay, but would pray that you may
ever have the consciousness of His pres
ence, that He will prepare the soil for
the seed, and that it may bring forth
an hundredfold."
Miss Cecilia Bradford played a selec-
ton upon the violin. The Rev. DR.. Brett
then made a brief address.
81 am here" he said, "to represent
the Church of Jesus Christ of Jersey
City and the pastors of that church,
| who in the past ten years nave learned
| to love Mr.. Ellison. I remember, as 1t
| were, but yesterday, when ] received an
invitation to come and welcome him in
Jersey City. Turning to Mr.. Ellison.)
| Let me say, my brother, that I entirely
| sympathize with you on this trying &C.
| casion-I don't know whether to call it a
| festival or a funeral. I am here tonight
to bid you farewell. "reminiscences of
| the many Christian platforms on which
we have met steal upon me and especial
ly of those occasions when Brother Mills
talked of the people of Bergen from
this pulpit, and when We didn't ask what
denomination our %neighbor belonged to,
but met together and benefited alike by
| his teachings. And now, my brother,
| (clasping Mr.. Ellison by the hand), you
| must go. GU seem 10 LGNG Hdu lHS
ghost of Horace Greeley whispering to
you, Go West, young man, But, all
pleasantries aside, the best of friends
must part, and so in the name of the
brethren of the ministry of Jersey City,
l bid you godspeed. May God bless you
with success. not only in getting large
congregations, but in winning
souls.'
MR.. ELLISON'S REPLY.
Mr.. Ellison;-"Some of my brightest
memories are of my relations with DR..
Brett. May God bless and keep him,
and in hat grander church, where we
shall know only Christ, I expect he and
I shall go in, but go cut no more"
Thu Bradford Trio played "AuId Lang
Syne' and caused the tears to swell into
many eyes, including those of the Pas
tor.
DR.. Melville Smith spoke in glowing
terms of Mr.. Ellison, and said that he
counted him one of his I'M friends.
"He has been to me-" the speaker con-
tinued, "a David, and l trust l have
been to hin a Jonathan. 1t has been
my good fortune to know Mr.. Ellison in
timately in his home, in the meetings of
the official boards and in church work.
1 have met him beside the sick bed and
at the house of mourning, and I want
to say that the Lord has bestowed upon
him peculiar gifts that give him great
power over the hearts and ives of those
to whom he ministers. Mr.. Ellison came
to this church ten years ago. BY his
frank, hearty good nature and sympathy,
his genial manner in the home, and his
ability as a preacher, he at once won the
respect of the community, won the love
of the church. and to a marked degree
the hearty cooperation Of the members.
He has always championed the right and
stood boldly for the truth as he under
Estood it, and at all times has he preach
ed with boldness. declaring the whole
counsel of the Lord. No minister of any
church in this city has ever gone out
to another field who has had more sin