Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-03-16


/ Spellmeyer from his earthly labors. All
hearts are touched by the lonely cir
cumstanoes of his death. with no one to
receive his last message of Low to dear
ones. of counsel to his followers, OF
triumph in having fought q good fight
and kept the faith, without human COM
fort or aid as he went down into the
valley of the shadow, with 10 one to
| offer praye and supplication TO the
Mightiest for the dying leaders soul.
He fell at the front while encouraging
his followers to carry forward the BAN
ner of Christ, planning for the spread
Of Gods kingdom. exhibiting a pattern
of the Christian soldier clothed in the
whole armor of God. No more fitting
end can come to a great leader.
"Dr. Spellmeyer was the pastor OF
Central Church for three full terms.
We know from his own statement that
he looked on Central Church as his
home. 4 thousand tender n sacred
memories bound him to our church by
ties thai neither time nor distance nor
official care could sever or weaken 1t
was here he returned from the isola-
ton and loneliness of the b%ishopric for
the personal touch of loving hearts. for
the sweet of Christian fellow
| ship, for the enjoyment of all those
intimate relations so intensely human
that spring up between a pastor and
his flock. In a peculiar sense we were
his people and the sheep Of his pasture.
1--WE recall his modesty of deneanol
/ when he first came among us-a mod
esty that won all hearts and that never
deserted him through all the ripening
years when fame and power came to
crown him. No faint of self-seeking or
self-sufficiency, no ignoble ambition, nc
base alloy of envy or observation-disclosures
ever married his conduct or his life.
Back of these high qualities was a pri-
vate life of stainless purity and spot
less honor, free from everything sor-
did, and devoted with great singleness
of purpose TO the high calling of min
lister Of Jesus Christ. The beauty of
his life and his communion and fell
lowship with Christ are set forth in
the beatitude, Blessed are the pure in
heart. for they shall see God
mo one ever saw DIR. Spellmeyer
without being struck with the singular
benignity of his countenance, upon
which God had seemed to set His seal
TO give the world assurance Of the spirit
of the Master that dwelt within. On
that a c shone goodness. faith, love,
patience and meekness.
Many of us recall with deep feeling
his visits to our homes in times of
affection and bereavement when the
angel of his presence comforted us, his
words brought healing to wounded
haartS aud hfc trara ac1a3Aa1 JiLn
the sweet V of incense. These
blessed memories hallow many a heart
and home in Central Church and
sharpen the pangs of grief at the loss
of our beloved and revered friend.
"Of the preaching OF DR.. Spellmeyer
we need not here bear extended testi-
mony. 1t is enough to say that men
OF every creed and men OF no creed
heard him gladly. His broad human
ity, his passion for human souls made
him kin to every human heart. The
fact that he was elevated to the blsh-
opric directly from the pastorate--a
rare o-ccurrence-is perhaps the strong
est tribute to his power ir, the pulpit.
He never resorted to sensationalism
either in topic or method. but relied
wholly upon a plain, direct presentation
OF LIE truth u Ll6 NITlSlldI lOlis
His message always came straight
from the heart and went straight to
the heart. For him the house of God
was not a place of amusement nor
the preacher a purveyor of entertain
ment. Tor him the pulpit was no
place for the exhibition of learned dis
course, although he was a learned man;
no place for the exhibition of skin-deep
eloquence and %elocution to ticks the
ear of the populace, although his elo-
quence was powerful in ~persuading men
to repent and accept salvation through
Jesus Christ.
This brief minute will only permit
bare reference to his marked executive
ability as an administrator, 10 his I'M
failing tact and sense Of the fitness of
things, to his matchless leadership that
kept the brethren from strife and rail-
ings within the church. He was pre-
eminently one of the peaceinakers who
are called the children of God"
His -consecrated life, his splendid
talents, his all-embracing humanity,
have contributed nightly to the
| strengthening of the Methodist Church
and of religion among all lei
Following the reading of this me-
mortal the committee adopted these
resolutions;
Resolved, That the official board of
Central Church take steps to COM
memorate Bishop Spellmeyer's life and
work in our church by the erection oi
a suitable tablet or memorial.
Resolved, That we transmit a copy
of this minute to Mrs. Spellmeyer and
extend to her our deepest and tender
est sympathy in the ~irreparable loss
she has sustained.
Resolved, That we adopt this min
ute as an expression of our sense oil
the loss of a great leader in the church
and also as an expression of persona,
loss. But we do not sorrow as them
that have no hope For we know
that he has received AN abundant en-
trance into the everlasting kingdom OF
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. .
Interment will be in the family plot
in Evergreen Cemetery, Elizabeth.
TERROR TO THIEVES ROBBED.