The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-10
A Fifth Avenue Pastor.

The Rev. DR. VAN DYKE having asked for
the acceptance OF his resignation as pastor
OF the Brick Presbyterian Church at Fifth
avenue and Thirty-seventh street. sent in
last year. and having recommended the
Rev. DR.. BABcocK Of Baltimore as his sue
cessor, the Baltimore minister was warmly
and unanimously" called to the pastorate
by the congregation on Wednesday evening.
1t offers him n salary OF $4,000 n year,
and when he assumes the Office DR.. VAN
DYKE will crafty the preference he ex-
pressed last year by entering upon his
functions as a professor OF English litera-
ture at Princeton University.
The Brick Church Is one OF the oldest and
most distinguished OF the Presbyterian
churches Of this country, having had as its
pastors some Of the most famous OF the
ministers OF the communion Of the West
minister Confession. 1t stood formerly
for more than ninety years on the present
site OF the Neu York Times building, hav-
ing been erected there In 1897, the present
more ornate edilce In the Fifth avenue not
having been built until 1853. It's original
pastor was the famous DR.. JOHN RODGERS, n
stout patriot during the Revolution and
notable figure In the New York society
OF his day. who was described by a
writer in 1887 as 1.-The most accom-
plished gentleman for a Clergyman that
/ have ever been acquainted with"
He lived luxuriously, 'as he may well
do, for his salary is ESQ and his per-
quisites upward Of goo more" 1t was
also said OF him that his manners were SO
elegant and formal that the last thing he
and his wifc always did before retiring for
the night was to salute each other with a
bow and courtesy" Presbyterlanlsm then
was OF great social consequence in New
York and its dignity was further sustained
simultaneously by DIR. JOHN MASON. like
wise n polished man OF great ability. The
famous DR.. GARDINER SPRING succeeded DR..
RODGERS in the pastorate OF the Brick
Church, In 1910, and remained in the Office
for sixty-two years
Those were the palmy days OF New York
Presbyterianism. A great part OF the wealth
and solid respectability OF the town was
represented In its churches. Then no
questioning OF the Westminster Confession
had entered into tho fold Tho Presby-
terians OF that time were satisfied with the
old Bible, andif Dr. BRIGGS had then under
taken to proclaim the need OF a new Bible, "
made in accordance with the tests OF
critical science, he would have been
driven out In short order to nurse
his infldcity by himself. DR.. VAN DYKE
succeeded to the pastorship In 1883,
when the Presbyteriaus were still strong in
New York, though already they had begun
to show signs of falling away from their
old faith In the Westminster Confession.
The appetite for worldly pleasures sedu-
lousy eschewed Of old by them, even among
the richest. was growing irresistible.
Formerly they had looked asksnce at the
theatre, the opera and the dance, more
especially the round dances" as they were
called, and their social functions were &C.
| cordingly somewhat staid. But a new
spirit has since come in.
DR.. VAN DYKE Is very different man
from his predecessors in the Brick Church
| pulpit more modern" In his notions and a
pleasant writer and speaker rather than a
vigorous expounder OF doctrine. For that
| very reason he has been successful in the
| Brick Church to a remarkable extent salts
| flying a congregation better than any other
| OF the present Presbyterian ministers OF the
town. Hcisa peculiarly fitting represents
tive OF the new and somewhat diluted
Prosbyterianism which has followed upon
| the agitation for the revision Of the West.