Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-09-14
PASTOR ACCEPTS
PITTSBURGH CALL
Rev. Perry n. Murdiok to
Leave South Orange M.
{. Church.

After having visited churches as
far west as Chicago and south to
Virginia, the committee on pulpit sup
ply of Bellevue NJ. e. Church, Pitts
burgh, which recently attended SER
vice in the South Orange NJ. &c.
Church, has extended unanimous
call to Rev. Perry II. Murdick, pastor
of the village church, to fill the
vacancy at Pittsburgh. Rev. Mr..
Murdick has accepted the call. and
will assume the new charge on Sun
day. October IL, providing the change
is sanctioned by Bishop Luther VIII
son, of New York, and Bishop Earl
Transton, of Pittsburgh.
Rev. Mr.. Murdick is one of the most
popular clergymen in South Orange,
where he is serving his fifth year as a
pastor. Announcement of his de-
cision to make q change made at the
services yesterday came as COM
plete surprise to the members of his
congregation. Rev. Mr.. Murdiek made
no mention of his decision. Louis II.
Burke, a member of the official board
of the South Orange church, made the
announcement at the morning service.
He told of how Mr.. Murdick had been
extended the call to a larger field,
and made known the fact that the
official board had unanimously voted
Saturday night to release him as
pastor if in the wisdom of Bishop
Wilson It is thought best for him to
go to Pittsburgh.
A committee from the Pittsburgh
church attended the evening services
in the South Orange. church last Sun
day and, after hearing Mr.. Murdick
preach, personally extended the call.
The South Orange minister would not
accept, however, until after he had
gone to Pittsburgh. This he did on
Monday and Tuesday of last week.
He is of the belief that the call to
the Pittsburgh church is an oppor-
tunity of lifetime. The Pittsburgh
| church has congregation of 1880
members and Sunday school of l 100,
while in South Orange he has charge
of flock of 400, with registration of
but 375 in the Sunday school. The
church to which he will go was dedi-
Gated In 1906, while the congregation
was established 101 years ago. For the
past year the church had had no pas
! tor. Churches were visited in many
States by the committee on pulpit
supply, but Mr.. Murdick was the first
one to whom an invitation was eX-
| tended.
Rev. Mr.. Murdick went to South
Orange in April, 1910, after having
been pastor of the Woodbridge Meth
odist Episcopal Church for four and
a half years. He previously served
| two years as pastor Of the Methodist
Episcopal Church at Mendham. His
first charge was in Elizabeth, where
he organized the congregation of
| the Epworth Methodist Episcopal
Church and remained pastor for four
| years.
| While in South Orange Mr.. Muir
| dick brought the church to a high
standing. A debt of $11 300 which
stood against the church and prop
erty when Mr.. Murdick became pas
tor, was entirely wiped out prior to
the tenth anniversary of the dedica-
ton of the church edifice in Novem-
Der, 1912. This was made possible
| by an every-member canvass for
subscriptions conducted by the pas
! tor
At q meeting of the official board
of the church Saturday night the Of
ficials told Mr.. Murdick that they
would accept his resignation with re-
gret. The clergyman was told that
| the church was in q better condition
at present than ever from finan-
cial standpoint. materially and
spiritually. During his stay in South
| Orange Mr.. Murdick and Mrs MUIR
dick have been given many recep-
lions and tokens OF, esteem by the
congregation.
The acceptance of his new pastor
ate will necessitate Mr.. Murdick re-
! signing as president of the Essex
County Sunday School Association,
an office to which he was elected for
the second time, this year.
The Bellevue church is the third
! largest in the Pittsburgh conference.
The church and property is valued at
$125.000. The congregation of the
South Orange church is arranging
to tender the retiring pastor and his
wife farewell reception.