The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-11-11

With three special services yesterda,
the congregation of the North Orang,
Baptist Church, Of Orange, formally com
memorated the hftieth anniversary of the
formation of the parish. and also cele
brated the se-mi-centannial of the Sunday
school. There were large congregations a
all services and considerable interest mani.
fested.~
TIL Rev. DR.. William NJ. Lawrence, pas.
tor of the church, had arranged attractive
programs. and a feature of the day was
the presence of many former pastors, who
are participating in the exercises of the
week of the celebration. Frank e. Drake,
organist of the church for thirty-four
years. was in charge of the music, and the
choir was in good voice.
The church was attractivelv decorated
for the services of the day. The feature
OF the morning service was an historic
address by DR.. Lawrence. who spoke OF
the progress of the parish since the incep-
ton Of the church in 1857. The afternoon
services were participated in by the Sun
day school of the home church and the
Emanuel and Cone street chapels. In the
evening the congregation listened to adj
dresses by the Rev. DR.. Joseph Freeman
Elder, who was pastor of the church from
1867 to 1859, and the Rev. DIR. Edward
~ dhbOAiI III WAS III CIdIkc from 1910 10
1881.
At the morning service 1t was announced
that the total number of signed and
promised pledges received for the semi-cen-
tennlal fund amounted to $31, 933. 1t is
hoped to raise $4,000. The total amount OF
money contributed by members of the
church during the fifty years. including
two private contrib ltions to institutions, as
far as can be accounted for, was 80, 2S3,-
515.4 As.
DR.. Lawrence recalled the fire on March
10. 1858. at the old waverly Hall. where
services were held that destroyed all the
furniture in the place, together with the
library, and the only thing saved was n
Bible, through the energy Of the sexton.
and this was on view on the platform dur
ing the services yesterday. 1t was also re-
called that two Of the early trustees had
served as Mayors OF Orange.
we should remember" said DR.. Law
renee, that this church had and has good
men and women. We should not allow
the age of the church to become It's dan
ger. 1t has always thought more OF others
than 1t has of itself"
DR.. Lawrence said organization was eff
feeted on August 8. 1857. and on October
%, that year, the council was asked TO
recognize the church. The reason for CIV
ing the church Its present name was that
before the village of Orange became a
city this section. where the church is To-
Gated, was called North Orange and the re-
%tention of the name was done for historical
purposes. On November 4 the articles of
faith were accepted and the church had
tw~enty-seven constituents. The first peo-
pie to be baptised were Mr.. and Mrs.
White.
There are some things being adopted by
some churches said DR.. Lawrence, that
were adopted early by this church. 1t did
not follow; 1t led. The early mel planted
DR.. Lawrence also recalled that In 1879
the trustees of the church had made an
unsuccessful effort to have a street cut
through Military Park from Main street to
the church. The Sunday school,, said DR..
Lawrence. has been the most prominent
feature of the work Of the church and has
had a marvellous growth. and has always
been the training ground of the church.
During the sermon DIR. Lawrence re-
ferred to the good work accomplished by
the Mems Union and that he had maIl
the announcement of Inc church nearing
its hftieth anniversary at the second ban
quet Of the union. The women members
of the church have been on the boards OF
hospitals and other charitable institutions
The church at present has a membership
of $50. The work of those who labored fol
the success of the church was praised
highly bye the pastor.
This church, he continued, had goot
men and women and still has them. Lei
us not allow Its age to become its danger
The program at the Sunday school serv.
ices was as follows: Song. Forward. Be
Our Watchword,' school; Twenty-thirt
Psalm, all unitirg; prayer, the pastor
recitation. THANKSGIVING Marion Llnds
ley. hymn, Jerusalem the Golden,
school; flag exercise. primary department
address. historical, e. j.. Brockett: ami
versary hymn. school: song, school o
Cone Street Chapel; address, Russell Col
gate; song, school Of Emmanuel Chapel
address. Gardner Colby "reminiscences, ole
members; address, Sidney M. Colgate
hymn, Onward. Christian Soldiers,
school. bcnediction.
At the evening service DR.. Elder spok'
in n reminiscent way of the old time mem
bers of the congregation. p~r0lsing then
for the great work they had done in tn
face OF many obstacles. He reviewed tn
history of several families, and said h
had come back to find as pillars of tn
church the children he had known in tn
primary Sunday school.
This was my first pastorate,' he said
For l was called here while l was stu
student. I was ordained here May /. 1861
before I was graduated, and preached m
first sermon the first sunday In the follow
ing January. / sowcd and others havl
reaped. Let us. then. rejoice together.
have no monument in New York, and m.
heart turns to your beautiful house. wher'
| labored for SO many years. Tn TIM
spent With yeu three or four years az,
has been an oasis in the desert Of old age.
Speaking of the building OF the presen
church, he said that there was a question
as to whether II should be built or. the oil
site or farther up Main street. A lot a
Essex avenue and Main street was pur
chased, but II was afterward sold, and tn
congregation came back to the old site I
build.
DIR. Judson said that it was like a home
coming to return to Orange.
Things are so unchanged here in Or
ange," he said. In New York every tw
years there is practically an entire chang
in the personnel of my church, but | com
back to Orange and meet all my oil
friends. / went out from you fresh an
confident. In the full vigor and flesh O
youth. | return a little jaded and worr
l went out 80 strong because I was sup
ported by your sympathy, which yo
know so we'll how to give. In New Yor
this is different. There Is not such a pro
found interest In the church there: tn
people nave no time for II. They want
man to make things go whether the
stand behind him or not. The creates
characteristic Of your church is you
loyalty to your pastors, your sympathetl
interest and encouragement In his work,