The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-16
SIXTY YEARS ITS RECTOR.
The Rev. DIR. Haskins's Anniversary in st.
Marks, Williamsburg.

The sixtieth anniversary OF the Rev. DR..
Samuel VI. Haskinss rectorship at St Marks
Episcopal Church. at Bedford avenue and South
Fifth street. Williamsburg, was celebrated yes
terday by the m embers OF the church aud many
persons who formerly belonged to It, The
pulpit was decorated with flowers and plants.
and at the morning service the Rev. DR.. Nor
gan Dix. Of Trinity Church. preached. In the
course OF his address he said:
We are here to keep tho siXtieth annvar-
sary OF the rector Of this parish. who has for
all that time exercised his ministry in this
place. SO here are. first. a venerable servant
OF God well stricken m years. a priest. a patri-
arch. father in Israel. whose entire minister
ial life has been passed in this parish OF st.
Marks. Thanks be to God for an event which
invites the due commemoration OF a record so
remarkable as this For it is remarkable
record. 1t Is perhaps unprecedented In the
loved DR.. Edison took charge, of the parish Of
81. AIMS Church n Lowell. Mass. in lS24 and
Of his rectorat.. but had not complstei it.lyiDg
in his ninetieth year. in full and active service
until his asst llness. which continued for q few
weeks only. such instances are eXceedi ngv
rare. II there be any other 1t has ESCAPED my
memory, Seldom have men participated in
how long shall it lie ere another occurs5
"Of long pastoratcs this may be said That
there Is much to make against them, that the
odds are not in favor OF him who hopes TO enjoy
one IN the pruce OF the Lord. In our At i'll crude
Ecclesiastical system, past congragationalism
and past democracy. there is much to weigh
against tho decent. the orderly. tho stable
among us Canouioal legislation has been at
tempted in hope to mitigate the evil. To some
extent II has succeeded. but to very small eX-
tent. Not to laws and canOns should W. look
for remedy. Here. az else whore, the safeguard
would seem to be in character. surely Il may
be said that in the case of "a very long and
happy pastorate such as this Of our brother.
what has wrought the result by the grace Of
God has been character in priest and peOple.
DR.. llaskins. who is in his eighty seventh year
made a brief address. He said that dur nG his
sixty years rectorship N that church he had
baptized 1000 infants, had presented sixty
three classes. numbering ] .52S parsons to
the bishop. had received in holy communion
for the first time 2.FE'. united in marriage
1885 couples. and to his knowledge had never
married any person who had been divorced
He had conducted the burial services OF 1913
persons had instructed thousands upon thOus-
HndS Of children personally every Sunday after
noon and because o! this twenty-five had gone
into the ministry. and two into tho House OF
Bishops.
At the evening service the Rev. Dr. ". r.
Huntingdon OF Grace Church. Manhattan
made an address.
The church. which is OF stone and almost
com plstely covered with ivy. has been known
for more than half a century as the ivy COW
ered church." The cdifce is going to be torn
down for the purpose OF the new Fast River
bridge and recently the church society secured
q plot OF ground at Eastern PARKWAY and
Brooklyn avenue. Brooklyn. upon which new
church will be erected.