The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-02-27
HONORED DECADE.
Anniversary Of the Rector
ate of Rev. G. S. Bennitt
of Grace Church.
SKETCH OF A BUSY LIFE
Founding of Christ Hospital to
Be C~ommemorated Tomorrow
in st. Johns Church.

Tomorrow. which is Qu-inquagesima
Sunday. is the tenth anniversary of the
r~ectorate, of Rev. George S. Bennitt,
B. D., Of Grace Protestant Episcopal
Church on Erie street, and there win be
a very interesting service In the morning
at which the rector will give an account
OF his work in the parish during the
decade just closed.
Among the ciergymen in this diocese
Rev. Mr.. Bennitt occupies Il foremost
place and throughout the city and county
he is admired for his splendid qualities
and beloved for his genial, kindly and
courtly nature. Few men are harder
workers in the Christian ministry than
he and he is the last mar to ak about
his work. al example which might worth
lily be followed by some who ak a great
deal and do as little practical work as
they can.
Politics he let's severely alone, combining
himself to the cares of his parish and
other Christian work, notably Christ
Hospital. As president of that noble in
stitution much of the hard work falls on
his shoulders and he is so thoroughly
identified with it that at a recent con-
ference, when he read the annual report.
a rector said: Christ Hospital without
Rev. Mr.. Bennitt would be the diocese
without a bishop"
The quaint little town of New Milford.
Conn, is Rev. g. S. -Bennitt's birthplace
and he was sent at an early age to the
Episcopal Academy in Cheshire, Conn.
From there he went to st. Stephens Col
lege, Annandale, N. Y, where he gradu-
ated with honors. In 1878 he was or
dained deacon by Rt. Rev. John Will
liams, D.. d., Bishop of Connecticut, and
later advanced to the priesthood by the
Bishop of Massachusetts, Rev. DR.. Pad
dock. About this time he was married
to Miss Thomasetta Butler of Staten
Island. In 1875 he was made rector of
All Saints Church. Boston, and in 1887,
March l, he became rector of Grace
Church, Jersey City, succeeding Rev. H.
w. %Spauding, D. D..
One of DR.. Bennitt's first acts as rector
was to make the church a free church,
and in this he has been wonderfully sue
cessful. for the parish is in a fourishing
condition, owing to the large-minded,
rector, He turned his attention to Christ
Church, then a small institution, in a
small rented building, cramped for room
and money. With his characteristic
energy Rev. DR.. Bennftt collected sub
scriptions, aroused the people of the city
to the hospitals needs, preached scores
OIL sermons ana leo q movement winch
resulted in the purchase of a site on
Palisade avenue and the erection of the
present handsome building. AS an in
stance of Rev. DR.. Bennitt's character
some conceived the idea hat the hospital
should be limited to certain classes and
creed, but this was by him promptly sat
upon, and today the hospitals doors are
wide open to Protestant n Catholic,
colored or white, and any shade or de-
gree of race or class of suffering hui
mainly.
Rev. DR.. Bennitt's name is well known
throughout the State and his own Con-
ference have repeatedly honored him. He
has been several times elected, and is at
present President of the Board of Mis-
sions of the Newark Diocese. He has
been sent to the general convention of
the Protestant Episcopal Church and that
dignifed body appointed him not long
ago n of a commission to point the
psalter for use in American churches. In
1894 st. Stephens College honored him
with the degree of baccalaureuS divini-
tatis, thus recognizing what one of its
alumni had done in furthering the work
of the church.
Rector Bennitt is q forcible and per-
suasive speaker. In the convention par
t~icularly, when any canon is under de-
bate, he is always prominent and his
views are always regarded with attention
and respect, for "he speaks as one with
authority" Canon law is a pet study
with the rector and he has served on
the Committee for Constitution and
Canons repeatedly and is a master of
the subtleties of ecclesiastical law.
for ten years good work in another way.
The mortgage on the church is wiped
out and there will be rejoicing over that,
too. This lifting of ar uncomfortable
burden is due in the largest measure to
the ~rector's zeal in his parochial minis