The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-03-22
SERMON
EXCEEDS SIX HOURS
North Bergen Pastor Lasts IL
Minutes and 90 Seconds
Longer and Then-

Il is TO the Rev. Ernest Whitcornb,
very recently pastor Of the Evangelical
Church Of the Beulah Mission. at North
Bergen. n. j.. that the palm goes for
the best sustained price OF long distance
preaching recorded as having taken
place at any time within the last ten
centuries OF Christianity. Mr.. Whitcomb
preached last Sunday for six hours.
twenty-five minutes and eleven seconds.
Lacking. as lie does now, pulpit where
In 10 demonstrate that his last talk
against tsiyle was an inconsiderable thing
70 what he is Potent 70 accomplish when
he really sets out to preach. Mr. Whit
comb STANDS Jpon Ills record and adj
vances no pretensions. i was for food
and not sleep that he stopped at last
on Sunday and because, incidentally. the
police arrived abou: then.
Mr. Whitcomo and the trustees OF the
church OF which he is no longer pastor
have been In disagreement for several
weeks over some piece OF policy con-
nected with the worldly side OF the
church and It's administration. The
trustees asked him to resign. but he
paid small heed TO them. They, paying
even smaller heed to hirr, engaged a
successor 10 his place in the person
on the Rev. Harold Moss. son OF Mrs.
Beulah Moss. who founded the Beulah
Mission.
And 50 the Rev. Mr.. Moss was in
Quoted into o.1co iasht Sunday. and, as
he himself comedies there are doubtless
many shepherds of flocks who have as
sumed their pastoral burdens under
friendlier and more inviting auspices.
The camel going through the eye of a
needle did a simple thing as Mr.. Moss
apprehends simplicity: for before Mr..
Moss was able to ascend his church pull
pit in North Bergen the police had to
lend him their countenancc and carry
Ave men back with them to the lookup
AS has been said he went TO the
church at o'clock prepared TO take over
charge. He found the Rev. Mr.. Whit
comb in the pulpit preaching generously.
He had been somewhat prepared for this.
but as MIR. Whitcomb is blind he was
unable to be certain. as he came inside
the church. whether Mr.. whitcomb knew
he was there or not. He slipped into a
pew and waited an hour. At its expira-
ton Mr.. Whitcomb drew a deep breath.
n.
Another hour passed. and then an
other. and Mr.. Moss with several OF the
trustees withdrew to the church yard for
consultation. They decided that Mr.
Whitcomb would come to the end OF
vocal endurance some time, and rather
than provoke a row In church went in
and waited some more. He had talked
continuously for five hours and half
when IL was decided 20 call upon the
police. But even after they arrived he
was not interfered with until two women
members OF the congregation arranged
a small table on the pulpit rail and be-
gan to set eatables upon II. Whereupon,
at twenty-five minutes and eleven sec
onds after s, Mr. Moss and the police
announced themselves.
The next fifteen minutes were the
sprightllest ever lived through within 2
church upon the Palisades. Neither or
the clergymen took any hand, but tho
congregation divided itself into partisan
halves instantly, and IN the end the
police took away five young men ana
charged them with dIsosderly conduct
They will be tried IL the Recorders
Court OF North Bergen on Thursday
night When ultimately tho air cleared
and the Rev. Mr.. Whitcomb relinquished
the pulpit Mr.. Moss assumed II forth
with and tried TO tell the people how
things stood with him. But apparently
they had had surfeit OF preaching for
one day, for with q short quarter Of an
hour the church was empty to the last
new