The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-02-12
AT DAVENPORT CHURCH.
REV. y. N PIERCE BEGINS HIS
 PASTORATE.

SignaIed Out Davenport Church When
 n Student as a Field for His LabOrs
 fin the Ministry-SermOn Was More
 a Heart to Heart Talk, Reminding
 Them of Their Duties to Each Other
 -The Poor and Not the Rich Were
 What They Had to Minister to Most.
 The Rev. J. N. Pierce, who has ac- ceptably filled the pulpit of the Congre- gational church at Mt. Carmel for some time past, mas resigned from that charge and accepted the pastorate of Davenport Congregational church, this city, and yesterday morning he began his ministerial duties there. Davenport church was founded in 1862 and MT. vPierce is the fifth occupant of it's pull pit. For over twenty years the Rev. l. c. Meserve labored as its pastor, and the church prospered to an unusual de- gree. For some time back the attend ance has been falling off, but it is hop ed that with the help of the new pastor the church will once more take her place among the progressive churches of New Haven. There was good att tendance at the morning service yester- day when the Rev. MT. Pierce preached his first sermon as it's pastor, choosing for his text For other foundations can no man lay than that which is laid,''
 MT. Pierce's address was more of the nature of simple heart to heart talk with his congregation than of the na- ture of a sermon. He reminded them of the responsibility that lay on them both as pastor and people In part he said:
 To him the preaching of his first ser mon as minister of Davenport church was a great pleasure. Some four years ago when a group of theological stu dents were discussing the question as to where they would like to preach, he at that time singled out Davenport as the parish where he would like to min ister. He had looked around the local l ity then and saw that it was situated where there was a broad field for labor a place where there was a great work to be done, and many souls to save Speaking of Sundays attendance at the service MT. Pierce said that every Sun l day since he came there he had observ- | ed new faces. His preaching and thei1 1 listening were, he reminded them, but 8 small part of what they had to do Ii they were to accomplish the work set before them. They ought to shoulder 1 the responsibility of coming to church every Sunday morning and taking their part in the service. He also reminded 1 them that he expected more from them and members of Davenport church than their mere attendance at service. There was some little thing for each of them to do individually and from which they must not shrink. Speaking on the foundation of bae church, Mir. Pierce re- minded them that the church's fcunda- ! tion was Jesus Christ and it was alst l Lu5 IOuludIlDH lIidL 6FGIy OHS S llle dIlu I character was built upon. If they were | to be successful as a church they mus keep out of the wood, the hay. and the 1 stubble and bring forth the gold, the i silver and the precious stones. All tht i talents that God had endowed then with they should consecrate to his worl l and glory and until they had done tnai 1 they could not expect to build upon the structure which Christ had given then as their foundation. The preacher nex
 reminded them of the great need ther, was for brotherly love and the spirit O
 living together in unity and the exer
 ticns that they ought to put forward tt save their brother man. He was galC the free pew system was in vogue il Davenport church. He believed thei I duty was to preach to the poor nor than to the rich, not for those living il the palaces of Whitney avenue, bu
 rather for those living in and around
 the district in which their churcl
 stood. As in the building of the templ
 by King Solomon, so was it with them
 They had all some little part to d,
 which would ultimately bring to com
 pletion the church which l9 built on tn
 one grand foundation of Jesus Chris the Lord.