New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-29
A PASTOR DIES IN A CHURCH
THE REV DIR. FRANK NJ ELLIS. OF
BROOKLYN EXPIRES SUDDENLY.
HE lad JUST DELIVERED THE CHARGE AT AN
ORDINATION SERVICE WHEN ATTACKED

HE lad JUST DELIVERED THE CHARGE AT AN
ORDINATION SERVICE WHEN ATTACKED
by APopLExy.
The Rev. Dr. Frank NJ Ellis pastor OF the
Washington Avenue Baptist Church. at WASH
ington and Greene sves.. Brooklyn. died from
apoplexy In the Tabernacle Baptist Church.
at Clinton-st. and Third Place. Brooklyn. about
1870 o'clock last night, after delivering the
charge at an ordination service. The occasion
was the ordination Of James Bristow. a grad
uate OF Crozier Theological Seminary. at Up
land Penn Mr. Bristow had returned TO the
church. OF which he formerly member. to
be ordained. previous to his installation In the
Rosedale Baptist Church at Camden. y. j. The
auditorium Of the church was niied with the
friends Of the young man. Afic prayer by the
Rev. Erwin bennett pastor % the church, the
Rev. DR.. John Humpstone, pastor Of Emmanuel
Baptist Church. preached the ordination sermon.
Then Dr. Ellis delivered fervld charge. urging
the young clergyman to make his work inspra-
tional. DIR. Ellis then sat down at the left sids
Of the platform, and Harry Perrine sang a solo.
While he was singing DR. Ellis, looking some-
what flushed In the face turned to his neighbor
and said:
Il must get some air"
To Dr. bennett he said: II must CO." and. pick
ing up his hat ard gloves. he quietly made his
way down the side aisle to the door, through
which he disappeared. II was nearly half an
hour later that young man entered and said
that the clergyman who had delivered the charge
was Ill In front Of the church. George b. For.
rester a prominent member OF the church. hur.
ried out, and saw Mr.. Ellis leaning against the
gatepost and muttering painfully to a crowd OF
children and others who had gathered
"Oh don't don't. Go away"
Mr. Forester told some one to bring water.
and taking DR.. Ellis by the arm asked him
what was the matter. Dr. Ellis feebly replied
something about Indigestion. BY this'time sew
eral members Of the church had come to the a.
sistance OF Mr.. Forester. and the latter asked
them to keep away from the fence. as Mr.. Ellis
was Ill.
The suffering clergyman was half-led. half
carried into the Bible room at the rear Of the
auditorium where he placed upon broad
table. The only time that he showed conscious
ness after that was when he again said: I
want air." and attempted to unbutton his cloth
ing. He died about fifty minutes after leaving
the platform.
Drs Welter Sumner and McEwitt. Of the
neighborhood had been called in, but were un-
able to check the course of the trouble. which
they said was apoplexy. DR.. Elliott. the family
physician who came later. agreed with them.
Meantime Mr. Forester DR.. Humpstone and
S. c. Hoag went in a carriage TO get Mrs Ellis
and her only daughter, Miss Ellis. at their hame,
No 456 Washngton-ave. They did not tell the
wife and daughter of their loss until they
reached the church Then Mrs. Ellis burst into
weeping. and Miss Ellis, though deeply affected
herself devoted herself bravely 10 comforting
her. Just before midnight the body was taken
home
DR.. Ellis DR.. W. C. p Rhoades and the Revs.
George F. Warren and Mr. Barrows took tea
before the ordination service at the home or
Mr. Forester. There llr. Ellis In par
ticulary merry mood.
In questioning the candidate in the afternoon
Or. Ellis, who is opposed to the school OF the
higher criticism. asked Mr.. Bristow II he con-
sidered the Scriptures inspired Mr.. Bristow
replied that he believed that God divnely
guided the men who wrote the word.
do you believe" continued Mr.. Ellis "in the
theory advanced by certain teachers to-day that
certain parts of the Bible are inspired, and
others not?"
The reply was satisfactory TO him. This series
Of questions was quoted by Or. bennett as
showing that Dr. Ellis somewhat forgetful
at the time as the candidate had previously ex-
last night paid a glowing tribute to Dr. Ellis.
and said in closing: This church feels honorcd
that Dr. Ellis made his ascent to Heaven from
IT.
Frank NJ Ellis was born at Higginsport. Ohio.
on July 81. 1898 His father was Campbellits
and a Whig and his mother BaJ Jtist and a
Democrat His father died IN 1850, and the
young man had a hard time in getting his edu-
cation and supporting his mother at the same
time He worked on the farm In summer and
went to school In winter. on Saturdays and
evenings he worked in a blacksmith shop for his
board He was converted at about this time.
He contributed to the support of his mother and
kept on studying. and In 1888 entered Shurtlen
College at Alton. H.. with the Idea or entering
the ministry During his college course he
worked on farms and helped TO support his
mother He preached his first sermon in March.
1856 In 1861 he became pastor OF the Baptist
church at Brighton. Ill. In the ten or a dozen
wears which followed he was pastor OF churches
in Chicago, Cincinnati. Minneapolis and Dem
YER He became pastor OF the fremont Temple
in Boston In 1876. and while there the Temple
burned down. He helped to rebuild IT, but the
labor nearly broke down his health. on Octo-
Der J. 1854, he received call from the Eutaw
Street Church In Baltimore, and accepted IL:
He remained there ten years, and then accepted
a call to the Washington Avenue Baptist Church
in Brooklyn. where he has since been. -,
While in Baltimore DR. Ellis was for several
years vice president OF the Southern Baptist AS
ISOLATION and was effective as missionary
worker. He thoroughly spiritual nan
evangellstic In his tendencies, and wniie IN bai-
timore frequently preached in the theatres. be-
sides preaching in his own church He was
thor ,ughly orthodox I'm his views. ana took httie
stock in higher criticism. He was In the haoit
of declaring that he took the Bible without In
terrogatlon points
His pastorate in Brooklyn was successful. ana
the Washington Avenue Baptist Church Is one
Of the stronges. I'm the city
In personal appearance DR.. Ellis resemoied
Henry Ward Beecher. being or about the same
height. and having the same horid compiexioh,
The Washlngton-ave. church was organized on
December Is. 1851. with twenty-seven members
LA.