The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-01
DR.. BBNNITT'S WORK
Tenth Anniversary of His
Minlstration in This
City Celebrated
Yesterday.
THE CONDITION OF GRACE CHURCH
Labors in Outside Fields Review
of. the Decade from the
Pulpit.
THE CONDITION OF GRACE CHURCH

The Rev. George s. Bennitt, rector of
Grace Church, delivered a sermon yester-
day morning in celebration of the tenth
anniversary of his rectorship. He took
as his text, 81 determined not to know
anything among you, save Jesus Christ,
| ane Him Crucifed." DR.. Bennitt gave a
| frief sketch of Paul's life and work, and
said 1T was a glorious example OF what
the Christian ministry should be. DR..
| Bennitt said:-I have been held up for
your belief. your example, your comfort,
your salvation. your rest. your peace, the
Name Of the Only Begotten Son OF God,
Jesus Christ. Whatever may have been
wrought out in the years we have dWeat
| together as pastor and people, not unto
Us, but unto Thy Name shall be the praise,
o Lord. With these thoughts and feel
ings we pass in review the work which
has been wrought out during the ten years.
When I came here there was a mortgage
on the reotory and on the Sunday school
building; the removal of families from the
vicinity had caused a serious falling oil IN
new rents and less than fifty pews were
rented; a floating debt of over $500 had
accumulated; five of the windows IN pne
extension were partially boarded UP and
partially filed with squares OF LII
glass: the cushions, altar APPOINTMENTS
and yestment and service were DID,
The first thing suggested and accom-
n,ished was to give up the renting OF
news and Introduce the pledge and en-
velope system. The next step taken was
a fund to pay off the mortgage indebted
800 4. .Ls.nat Sea- Tn 1E72 the nrSf
mortgage was cancelled, and shortly after
the second mortgage had the same rate.
The rectory has been kept in excellent
condition, the walls of the Sunday schooi
room have been frescoed and the vain
seoting has been painted: the sidewalk
around the church property has peen
tagged, the iron fence has been painted,
storm doors added to each entrance, all
the cushions in the church recovered, a
music library case provided. the altar en-
tirely rebuilt and enlarged, a reredos set
up behind the altar. the organ rebuilt
and enlarged. sanctuary hanglnss, aiuar
linens and vessels provided.
1--WE come now to the spiritual work. !
have delivered nearly $1,000 sermons ana
addresses. There have been 81 baptismss
blsrials. One-third of the burials in the
fifty years history of the church have
been performed III lily lcStOASHiP. rnc
In the ten years 947 names have been re-
s sSfo families lie with US. The parish has
raised in the last ten years for general
church objects, So, S62. 10; for diocesan OBJ
iects and hospitals, s., 1886. 80; for parochial
objects, S76, 322.05; total, $S5,621.0 S.
1.-THE rectory is yet to be paid for. The
parish hall is yet to be free from debt.
The central situation Of the parish makes
it most important in its operations, and
ensures to 1t a vast field of work, neither
to be overlooked or despised.
"Added to the work carried on in this
parish there should be at least some
statement of my other duties. In the ten
council meetings of Christ Hospital. Ten
years ago the hospital owned nc land or
buildings; today she owns 20 city lots
which with the buildings are worth
S65, 600. There Is a mortgage of 10000 on
it,. but the endowment of beds has
reached 5000. I have held the Office of
President of the Diocesan Board of Mis-
SONS since the Board was established. I
have been elected representa- tive to every
general convention Of the church held in
the ten years. My. suggestions have
found place In the dictionary of lessons.
the revised hymn-book, prayer book and
church hymnal. / was one of the three
priests appointed to point the CanticleS
and the Psalter, and to establish an
authorized use in the American Church.
! was one of rs clergymen invited to con-
tribute a sermon for a volume OF ser,
mons for the day. I have Just completed
the revision and re-editing of the
C-hurchmen's Altar Manual"
DIR. Bennitt in conclusion said the state
ment had not been given in vain glory,
but because it was due the parish.