The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-04-25
DR.. Buckley Retires.

At his own request Dr.. James Mon
roe Buckley, d. D., L. l. D., for thirty
two years editor of The Christian Ad-
vocate, and since 1912 lecturer at Drew
Theological Seminary, was placed on
the retired list of New York East
Conference on the last night of the
session at Stamford, April IL, 1916.
He entered this Conference in 1866,
coming from the pastorate of Central
Church, Detroit, Mich. His first con-
nection was with New Hampshire
Conference, which he joined in 1859.
His pastorates in New York East
Conference, before his election to the
editorship in 1880, were two terms
each at Summerfeld Church, Brook
Ign, and Stamford, Conn.,, and one at
Hanson Place, Brooklyn.
The circumstances surrounding his
retirement were intensely interesting
On the Friday previous he had for
mally declared to his colleagues that
he did not wish to be voted for as a
delegate to the General Conference,
a position which he had held with the
highest honor in eleven successive
General Conferences. On Tuesday
evening the church-the church which
he served as pastor forty years ago
was crowded with ministers and spec
tators, awaiting the reading OF the
appointments. The Bishop recogniz-
ed DIR. Buckley-how many Bishop
has given him the floor in the long
course of the years-and he went for
ward to the pulpit, drew out a paper,
and read with voice which had much
of its familiar resonance, these char
acteristic words:
"The retired minister can baptize
and perform marriages. Also he can
be employed as pastor of a charge,
he shall have seat in the Quarterly
Conference. All the privileges in the
church where he resides belong to
him.
| Also he is one of the members OF
the Conference, and, if possible, he
should attend the yearly Conference
While there he has the right to speak
and to vote upon every subject which
is before the Conference.
Also, if the members give to him q
sufficient number of votes, the retired
minister may be one of those sent tc
the General Conference.
| For many years have wished that
I might live a few months or years
that could look over the world again
and especially the Methodist Epis.
copal church, and other churches
with calmness.
Providence has allowed me the full
fillment of my strong desire. Fol
four years / have had liberty. Two
years ago l went to Ireland, and ther
a thousand miles farther, to Spitz
bergen, and looked at the sun BY
night and by day. The North Poll
is only as far from that marvellous
Spitzbergen as Washington City il
from eastern Maine.
No one was near me. / thought o.
my early friends, so many gone, ant
felt that a man is like a beast.
| But the sun and the stars told m,
to return home, and / thought of tn,
Star of Bethlehem"
| Turning then to the presiding of
ficer, he continued, with emotion
which communicated itself to all VIII,
were listening with strained atten
ton:
Bishop Wilson, desire you and tn
Conference to place me on the retire,
list Is not your honored father m,
friend, and has not his door been opel
to me for forty years? Did / no
sympathize with you when you
mother assembled to heaven? Did
not talk with you when you were
boy of sixteen, and did / not receiv
, from your father the intelligence tina
you were studying medicine, and som
years afterward that God had Gale
: lyou to preach? Who, then, would b
better than you to place me on the re
tired list in this Conference?
/ am well, but my eyes, from owe
use, are not to be trusted, especiall
} | in the evening. Also my voice some
, times rebels. But, there is anothe
disease, which will never be better
but worse. That is, Ammo Domini."
RI As he ceased speaking the entir
congregation rose instantly and spon
taneously, a striking tribute of uni
versal respect and affection. DR.. Z
G. Downey made the announcement
, that DR.. Buckley relinquished hi
/, claim from the Conference fund, an,
went on to read the following specia
minute of appreciation:
"The request of James M. BUCKLEY
| for a place in the ranks of the hon
orably retired ministers of this Con
ference is a fact of historic signifi
canoe not only for the New Yorl
East Conference but for world-wid,
Methodism.
For fiftyzseven years, just fifty o.
which have been spent in the New
York East Conference, this valiant
and militant soldier of Jesus Chris
has been fighting the battles of Meth
odism and Of righteousness. The his
tory of Christianity, and especially Of
that form of Christianity known as
Methodism, during the last half cen.
fury, cannot be written without giving
him large place. AS debator anc
controller of public assemblies he has
been without peer among us; as
legislator he has left his impress upon
our laws and our institutions; as
author he has given us books of in
dubltable value; as editor he has
diHused general information, defend
ed, interpreted and advocated Meth
odlst principles and policies, combated
evil and advanced righteousness with
an energy and virility second to none;
Whlle as pastor, preacher and friend
he has comforted, counseled, strength
ened and stimulated a mighty host
who are glad to rise up and bless him
Tor his helpful and healing ministry.
As DR.. Buckley retires from the
ranks of the effective ministry and
seeks the quiet and rest which he has
| abundantly earned and to which his
four-score years entitle him, we de-
sire to assure him of our esteem, our
veneration and our love. With us he
never has had and never can have an
equal. No one can draw the bow that
Ulysses has laid aside. In the affec-
ton and admiration of the New York
East Conference ,one name stands
unique, pre-eminent-the name of
James Monroe Buckley"
The whole congregation remained
standing during the reading of the
minute, and for many moments sue
cessive waves of applause swept over
the house, as though the Conference
and other friends could not sufficiently
express their love and appreciation of
its venerable hero.