New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-03
AFTER TWENTY YEARS.
THE REV. DR. BRETT, OF JERSEY CITY,
BREACHES HIS ANNIVERSARY
SERMON.
REVIEW OF THE WORK OF FIFTH OF A
CENTuRY-BERGEN REFORMED CHURCH AND

cENruRY-BERGEN REFORMED CHURCH AND
HOW 1T HAS PRosPERED IN THAT TIME.
The Rev DR.. Cornelius Brett, pastor OF the
Bergen Reformed Church. Jersey City, which
was formed over two centuries ago. preached his
twentieth anniversary ,ermon yesterday before
a large congregation His text was Genesis
XXI IS: This twenty years / have been with
thee" In part he said:
The service Of Jacob in Padan Aram stands out
in contrast, rather than resemblance before the
twenty years which we, beloved In the LORD,
have spent together. His presence in the home
of Laban enforced. My residence in the
luxurious home which your kindness has pro-
vided has been altogether voluntary. His lie
was spent In bondage mine has been blessed by
sweetest liberty. The father-n-law and the
exled were perpetually at cross purposes;
our intercourse through all the vicissitudes OF
church life mas been marked by mistaken con-
iidence born Of mutual love. we may not al
ways have been unanimous In our views OF
church policy, but We had no serious differences,
not the shadow Of a quarrel Twenty years
marked the limit OF the Datriarchs sojourn In
Mesopotamia. Our text forms part Of the fare
we'll Interview just as Jacob is setting out for
home.
To your pastor the spot where he has tarried
SO long is nothing less than home. Mortals
may never do more than pitch their tents on
earth, but the stakes firmly planted mere
that the thought Of folding our curtains, save
to pass into the eternal temple. would break
our hearts. And yet there is a resemblance, as
we'll as contrast. Jacobs service was not
without its gentler side For love OF Rachel ne
consented 10 Laban's outrages, and willingly
put on the yoke because she was his Fellow
Heavens blessing fell on him also IN Padan
Aram. The Jacob about 70 leave the scenes OF
youthful labor remembered how the Coz o!
Abraham and Isaac had fulfilled the promise or
Bethel Clasping hands together In the re.
newal of our covenant our hearts are uphlted
in haIleujahs for that blessed love that mas
made the time of service seem short indeed
as we'll for the continual blessing that mas
fallen upon US. Verify can say after twenty
years Of service In this ancient zion Il am not
worthy of the least Of all the mercies and Of all
the trust which thou hast showed unto thy
servant"
Long pastorates have been a peculiar feature
of the Bergen Church In calling your pastors
after the prescribed form you expect the con-
tract TO be as binding as the marriage VOW I'M
til death do us part Your history is written
in the several tablets which adorn your sane
tuary But one u your five pastors has volun-
tarily severed his connection with this church
and ne said farewell that he might go 70 tne
mission field and train goodly company OF
ministers for the church Of Christ In Japan.
have spent among you the best years or my IRE
In Jersey City | have found my lie Work
These have been happy years. The temporary
contract" as our church books call II, you nave
discharged 10 well to free me from much OF
the worldly which is the lot Of 50 many MN
listers. a mans life consistent not IN aDunu-
ance but the freedom from grind In life helps
to make it worth living. Health the creates,
of Gods gifts. has been enjoyed by hihls1II anu
all this time I have had no serious illness, ana
the slight indispositions to which all are subject
have kept me from my work not more Ina"
three or four Sabbaths in all.
II would be miracle OF service II your pas.ol
had not made mistakes To err is human. NO
servant Of God claims exemption from the IN
frmities Of the flesh, and no spirit Is SO iuiy
consecrated as to be free from SIN pear un-
hesitating tribute 10 the forbearance with Wnlch
you passed over my faults. Your rebukes nave
been too few perhaps. for my own good cen,
seriousness and fault-fnding you have been kind
enough 70 omit You have permitted me 10
form my own plans and TO carry them OUT WIN
out interference. When needed you nave eiNei,
your earnest cooperation and etfclent ara anu
the cause has prospered under the smiles or
Heaven. , ooo
In 1879 our church report acknowledged 800 900
families and 2SJ members. We have to-day o.
families and j91 members, an increase OF -
families and BOG members During these years
l have received confession of faith ana ny
letter sol members. l have baptized 81 emil
dren and adults and have offcisted at about
eight hundred funerals and about SIX thousand
public services. -,
The parish hall which has been erected by
your liberality. has been OF immense service , Il,
promoting the spiritual. intellectual and soclai
life Of the church and community; II "ouIu
be interesting 10 recount the Narieu eA -
of that lecture -room-from salvation Army
rleeting 70 the tug-of-war. from evaneeHsuc
services to chdrens romps. we nave turheu
without fear Of repellng by our spiritual lerNo'
or losing our spirituality by laughter ana merry
making. l., 1893 ord
The Sunday-schoo was organized IN lsZs ana
SO far as | can remember We nave To-Day only
one superintendent, one secre'aly en-" ,r,o M
teacher who were workers in the school WENT
veare ago and yet the Sunday school work mas
kept pace with the increase OF our comniuh,1yy
In 1916 we counted in our two schools 90. W.
reported last April in three schools - an IN
crease of 32S These schools are churcn schOol'
mission and children's home. The Only otner
church organization then was the Woman
Missionary Society still in existence. which mas
oddad tho Domestic Branch. Now. IN auultlon'
tbev have the Ladies' Aid Society. CHRISTIAN
Endeavor Society. Young Peopie SUIT 49,
Kings Daughters and Boys Brlgauss-- o,a ,n
church EXPENSES have increased from S1V-' IN
1915 IN 50 o6I In 1896 In 1876 the churcn gave
s907 for foreign missions which has never since
been reached. and almost equaiied tne Ml,1
amount given last year Tor all ue"o"'i'i"
objects . o,,,.-,
or the three fathers who visited my county
home with the call from the church anu 'ie 30.
elders who signed the call, all nave peen od' ~.
h, the Master TO the throne except one VI
no 5o1 members in full communion only Hi!-
eight were enrolled prior T. 1916 o,,o..
We often proudly say that this is the oldes.
church in the State OF New-Jersey ana acCep.
ali rho distinction which that fact affords. but
Gil The impulse OF the past will not carry US
over the sandy roads and UP the steep NUS o.
difficulty unless We put power uP"" III P
and energy into our ambition. ,, .,.
Tho future bids fair to ne trouplous UNI
CO MANY problems Of religious thought are " "
solved 20 many questions IN soSI.H ,,.a n,ust he
yovarnuent are 10 be answered that We mus U.s.,
T,,'.,,alv guided or we will fail. our church
stands close 10 the throbbing centre OF our
tional life as part OF the , srear ~ the social
iisa ~ a great city and great state. we nus ,s
he ready 10 bear share OF IN" lapoL ,, ~. ~,
life 70 purify and ennoole the oouy Py.i'o ,hav
80, all he reav for the details OF WORK As .iie.
,sa Re sure Of your own redemption; let IL
maan conservation. 1ndlViGually "lean' - /
,han ever Church work means the care OF INC
,ndiy,dnal work OF each separate ORGANIZATIONS