The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-06-06
SEVENTEEN ANNIVERSARY.
Bergen Reformed Sunday
Schools Unique
Celebration.
HISTORY OF IT'S ORGANIZATION
Founded by Benjamin Foster
Welsh an Aggressive
Christian : Yester-
days Exercises

terday celebrated the seventeen anni-
versary OF the founding Of the Sunday
school connected with that church. There
were special commemorative services
morning and evening. The church was
furnished and decorated for the occa-
sion. All the pulpit and platform turhi-
ture was removed, and that which was
used in the church at the time of the or
ganization of the Sunday school was
substituted. The old upholstered sofa
which was used an hundred years ago
and the hair cloth covered seats when ac-
companied 1t took the place Of the MODERN
platform furniture. The ancient comrnun-
ion table, which has been carefully pre-
served all these years and is now the
property of the Ladies' Aid Society, stool
in front Of the altar. On it was the Bip.e
which was used in the Bergen Reformed
Church in the early part of the present
and the latter part of the last century.
The usual form of service was aban-
doned in the morning, and in its place
was held "a Service After the f'ashion
of the Fathers" 1t began with the read
ing of the law and was followed by an IN
vocation, salutation and the reading OF
the Scripture lesson by the pastor, the
Rev. Cornelius Brett, D. d. The singing
of a hvmn followed and then came the
exordium remotum. DR.. Brett explained
that in the old days the preachers were
n,,,ch more careful of the manner in
which they introduced their sermons than
they are at present. They praciicaiiy
preached two sermons at each service
The first was called the exordluIn re-
motnm and was usually about the length
of a modern sermon. In it the minister
outlined his sermon. Sometimes ne eA-
hausted all his points and when the time
for the regular sermon arrived ne Simply
PREACHED it over again. DR.. Brett salo ne
could remember as a boy listening 10 WV
sermons every Sunday morning he salo
that he did not propose preaching Two
sermons. but that in place OF the exof-
dunn remotum he would explain the sig
nifcance of the present service.
He said that the date of the organiza-
ton of the Sunday school had been de-
termined by the old banner which was
hanging at the back of the platform. me
inscription on the banner which was
made nearly fifty years ago, is: SUNDAY
School of the Reformed Dutch Church OF
Bergen. N. ]. Organized 1923" DR.. Brett
SalQ illdl LIZ. a. VS.
at that time, knew whereof he spoke wheh
he said tina the Sunday school was or
ganized in 1928. Unfortunately the minutes
of the Sunday school do not date back 70
its organization. Back of the speaker
desk. spread across the choir loft, was a
large flag. DR.. Brett said that as he
looked upon the old furnishings and upon
the flag he was reminded that there were
far more stars in the nag tnan lnere
were in 1928, when the fathers were as
loyal and were as willing to lay down
their lives for the honor of the nag as are
the young men of today.
A prayer and the usual offering folloWed
the exordium remotum, and Ihen Dr-
Brett preached an hostorical DISCOURSE
reviewing the work of the Sunday schooi
from its organization to the present llnle.
ton Of the Sunday school, but it was
probably organized in the spring OF lSss
by Benjamin Foster. Welsh who became
its first Superintendent; The first ses-
sions were held in the old Columbian
Academy, which has taken the place %
the primitive school house on the ste
H We1sh was an aggressive Christian, but
was conservative, and" said Or. Brett,
ION the introduction Of q small melodeon
in the church of his fathers, he left the
| church. sold his farm, near the Junction
Of C-emmunipaw and Bergen avenues, and
removed to M~iddlebush, N. j. He a!a
moi heleVe III WDISulpDlli6 0Oh Ny oblAt'
| umen Mr.. Welsh acted as SUI
perintendent for many years, probably q
score. He returned to this city and died
| here in 1864, in the 18th years Of his age.
are in the Sunday school today.
Abraham Britten was probably the sue
cessor of Mr.. Welsh, although the recoras
are silent on that point. 1t Is also said
hat DR.. Wyncoop was superintendent LOT
| a short time. In 1857, when Henry Llnds-
lev was superintendent. the record pc
nv T indc1nN wa GrGI1nPTin-
fendent until 1866, when he resigned to
take up other religious work. The next
Superintendent was Lewis A.. Brignam,
/ who continued in office until 1855, When ne
TTiad IN rapid succession followed as SUI
n-eriutendents each serving but a snort
time. Albert Romano, Daniel van Mlmc
kIe, Jr.. and c. A. Demarest. n IoSo
Henry Fitch, Jr., was elected superIn-
| tandeYf He served until April last, when
| he removed from the city and was forced
| ~ resign. He has been succeeded Dy Ben
| iamin c. MENUS, who IS the present super
The evening service was devoted IT to 9
| Rev. DR.. James Z. zimmerman, VINO W we
when he resigned to undertake mission
ary work, would be present, put az lne
| last moment he sent q letter OF regret. ns
| noneratulated the Sunday school ana
mssbed it well. His letter was read by
Tr Brett when the time allotted Tor an
address, by DR.. zimmerman arrived. Law
yer Isaac .. IaylOi, Sun u -
| BENJAMIN G. Taylor. who was pastor OF
he church from 1928 to 1871, n pastor
amerifns for nearly ten years longer, OF
| until his DEATH, spoke Of his fatners MN
tslrv II was under DR., Taylor thal lne
Sunday school was properly organized.
| Mr. TAYLOR said, in part -.
aI,ITt seventy years have passed sinct
INV beloved father, in the early Vagof %
| thss yo,1ths came to this church and as
sI,Jned this pastorate. To the end OF ms
| 7avs ne continued here, giving " .lns
usople all that he could give OF serVlle
Eiohfeen months after he became lne
pastor OF this church he began the Keep
mo of ! systematic record of all ms pup
liz service. Ny heritage is to have Ina
racord II began on January I, 1857, and
ended MAY rs, 1879. That record OF half g
aarf1,rv remain to me a precious me
nnsn+n Ii was the custom II. the early
davs fo hold services on New Years Gay,
no matter what day of the week u mignl
fsl1 m The first record made IN TINS
in,5rnaI wa6 on New Years DAY, 1871. Far'
- Il reads. Much interest was excited OF
baha1f of the Sunday school. The chill
fsdran received Vremiums, also sang tWe
hvTnns composed by Mrs. Taylor
ssSeventy years have passed. Ihls 4
MP 4 modest claim OF seventy years Il
daes not tell the whole truth. Let me re-
mind YOU that way back in the latter
nart az the seventeenth century we hna
| this church fostering and taking care O
fahe children. They were taugnt py 9
snbooIuaste1 who was approved ny tn
oh,,roh He instructed the children in tht
eis+ne,,farv principles of religion and II
tba doctrines OF the Dutch Reformed
1 fs13arrh. IF IS in deeds that we find cause
Not Only has th1s