The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1908-01-22
FORECASTS FUTURE
FORMER PASTOR READS AN
ORIGINAL POEM.
Interesting Feature at Reunion Meet
ing of East Orange Congre-
gationalists.

With a continued manifestation of in,
terest in the notable exercises of the weel
which make tho fcrtieth anniversary OF
the organization of the First Congregn.
tional Church, at Grove and Main streets
East Orange, the members with former
pastors and others who were associated
with the parish in its early days assembled
in the church chapel last night when q
fellowship meeting was held. There was
an Interesting program, the features OF
which were the addresses by the Roy. L,
h. Pullan. who was formerly pastor of the
church; the Rev. Ambrose White Vernon,
who Immediately preceded the present pas
tor; the Rev. Ferdinand Q. Blanchard and
the Rev. DR.. Charles j. Ryder.
The Rev. Mr.. Blanchard presided, and
at the close of the evening a portrait of
the Rev. Mr.. Vernon was presented to
the church by the Sunday school home
department. This will be hung in the
school room with the other pictures of
former pastors. A social hour followed
the meeting, when refreshments were
served by the women of the church. The
Sunday school room was attractiVely
decorated for the evening meeting.
In his "reminiscences of the olden days
in the then little church, the Rev. Mr..
Pullan, who has returned to East Orange
and resides in Maple venue. near the
church, and who is now engaged in bust
ness, told of the real hot days in sum
mer wheE the mems shirt sleeves as well
as the women's shirt waists were much
He recited a poem of prophecy from a
church paper he conducted from 1881 to
1888, in which he foretold the progress of
the parish and the erection of the new
church which now stands adjoining the
old chapel. The clergyman also recited
a new poem he prepared for last nights
event. 1t follows:
"A score of years ago this time
/ voiced my hopes in humble rhyme,
For twenty years to come.
And now those twenty, years are passed,
Upon this choice church home.
THE dreams which then dared rehearse
Were unlike Jo~seph's-none averse
There were to what l saw.
For men and women wise were here
Who neither toll nor tax did fear,
And with whom love was law.
"And soon one dream became a deed,
A splendid fact to fill a need,
A need that still remains.
For tho lives go, yet more lives come,
And larger grows the true church home,
And richer grows its gains.
.'Twas then saw in ~clearest light,
Twas time for me to take my Hight,
And so / went away.
There was a mortgage, strong and big
To lift that some one else must dig,
Must prod, and plead, and pray.
And II was done, tho years IL TOOK,
GLOW brief they seem in backward lookD
And well done as you know.
And now full forty years are spent
With this church as the monument
OF what they have to show.
This church, whose outward walls of stone.
But symbol Him whom lives enthrone.
With loyal love and fear.
This church, which stays as time on rolls,
Because it's built with human souls,
As living stones each year.
I'm structural shape, still incomplete.
1t stands. the passing world to greet,
Suggestive of its worth.
For never does the church get done,
Tho members finish, one by one,
Their work upon the earth.
The church. that living thing, the Lord
Is never all complete,
For always in this realm of night
He sends forth light. and still more light,
The darkness to defeat.
"Therefore, His church, that structure vast,
Which is His candlestick to cast
That growing light abroad,
Must ever be increasing so
To prove its heavenly right below
As holding forth His word.
'And now, as then. our forward gaze
Should scan the futures hiding maze
With hope and courage high.
Because, tho twenty years to come,
VIII gather many more at home
The church will never die.
AN all that's glorious in the past
The memory Of which last
Bids coming days "godspeed."
Al noble deeds that nave been done,
All laurels that have ono been won
The future should exceed.