The history of the Broadway tabernacle church, from its organization in 1840 to the close of 1900, including factors influencing its formation, Part 22

Author: Ward, Susan Hayes, 1838- nn
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: New York [The Trow print]
Number of Pages: 408


USA > New York > New York City > The history of the Broadway tabernacle church, from its organization in 1840 to the close of 1900, including factors influencing its formation > Part 22


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" But the influence and usefulness of Dr. Thompson have not been limited to the duties of his pastorate. Through the public press and in public assemblies, by voice and pen, the churches of our faith and


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order have felt and recognized his leadership. The Nation in its hour of extremest peril, the Christian soldiers who went forth from our homes, and from our sanctuaries, to the fatigues and perils of the con- flict have abundant reason to remember, and do gratefully recall, his words of cheer and courage, his unfailing sympathy and help, his per- sonal ministry among the sick and wounded, and that yet greater gift -which God required of him-in the bearing of that common burden in that dark and awful hour.


" The Christian world has been his debtor for the learning and labor which he has brought to the interpretation and illustration of the Holy Scriptures, and to the practical enforcement of the truth of God.


" But we in these churches and in this Conference make mention especially of the loss which we are suffering by his removal from our councils and from personal participation in our fellowship. For these many years we have been used to look to him as not only the Bishop of our Metropolitan Church, but as, also, and, therefore, by right of position, and by right of his singular gifts and abilities, our chief coun- sellor in matters concerning the welfare of the churches. During these years in which the church under his pastorate has grown to be mater et caput ecclesiarum in this metropolitan region, no face has been more familiar in our meetings than his. We have found in him a strong and able leader, a wise and faithful counsellor, a generous and sympathetic friend. We testify our sense of the debt we owe him for his fidelity to the great fact and principle, so vital to our polity, so essential to our Congregational order-the fellowship of the churches."


Part of the minute adopted by the Congregational Club of New York, November 3, 1879:


" Resolved, That we hold in deep respect the memory of our late brother as we recall his multifarious learning, his unceasing and pro- digious activity, and his intense passion to be of service to Christian learning, Christian liberty, and the spirituality of the Church of Christ.


" Resolved, That the example he has set before us of a broad brother- hood with all who love the gospel of Jesus Christ merits our gratitude and imitation as members of this brotherhood of churches.


" Resolved, That by the services which his sensitive and overmaster- ing patriotism impelled him to perform for his native country, not only while he lived here with us, but also after he found it his duty to reside on the Continent of Europe, he has deserved well, not only of our Christian Churches, but of the whole nation."


Extract from commemorative address by the Rev. Dr. Henry W. Bellows, November 10, 1879, before the Union League Club, New York City :


" It is not as a scholar, as a pastor, that the Union League Club is called to consider him; but as a citizen who has deserved well of his country, a patriot, and a man of honor and principle, with whom we


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were associated in time of public danger. The two churches of which he was in turn pastor; the periodicals to which he was an indefatigable contributor; his peers in Egyptology, and his numerous personal friends will not fail to do him justice in bearing testimony to the value of his labors and the charm of his manly, wholesome disposition. But the part of his life and character of which the Union League Club was the nearest witness, and claims as largely its own, was the influential, brave, and eloquent share he took as a citizen and a Christian minister in the time of the great rebellion. What should we have done in crush- ing the rebellion if only hired and professional soldiers had been sent to meet it? We had to create a solemn sense of duty to the country, to persuade the women of the justice and seriousness of a cause that demanded their husbands, sons, and lovers, to hush the scruples of the peace societies, and to cheer the people in times of defeat and terrible delay. Be it remembered, our foe had made religion of her cause. Were we to go into a war which was made religious on one side without the support of our religious leaders on the other side-and that the side of Liberty, Emancipation, National Union, and Republican insti- tutions? Everybody knows what the religious leaders of the North did. A few bravely led off, and were followed by the rest; and among the most stalwart and zealous of them was Joseph P. Thompson. Always an anti-slavery man, too near Dr. Bacon not to be courageous, too near Dr. Taylor of New Haven not to have a conscience exercised to dis- cern good and evil, too near President Woolsey not to know inter- national law and the duties of citizenship, he threw himself into the war with whole-souled conviction."


7


Publications by Dr. Taylor.


Life Truths : A volume of sermons. Liverpool 1862


The Miracles, Helps to Faith, not Hindrances. (Edinburgh) 1865


The Lost Found, and the Wanderer Welcomed. 1870 Memoir of the Rev. Matthew Dickie. (Bristol.) 1872 Prayer and Business 1874


David, King of Israel 1878 Elijah, the Prophet


1876


The Ministry of the Word. (Yale Lectures.) I876 Songs in the Night 1877 Peter, the Apostle 1877


Daniel, the Beloved 1878


Moses, the Lawgiver 1879


The Gospel Miracles in their Relation to Christ and Christianity.


(Princeton Lectures.)


1880


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The Limitations of Life, and Other Sermons 1880


Death in the Sight of All the People. 188I


Paul, the Missionary 1882 Contrary Winds, and Other Sermons 1883


Jesus at the Well 1884


John Knox: A Biography 1885


Joseph, the Prime Minister 1886


Parables of our Saviour Expounded and Illustrated I886


Shut In 1887


The Scottish Pulpit, from the Reformation to the Present Day. (Yale Lectures.) 1887


Miracles of our Saviour Expounded 1890


The Christian in Society I891


Ruth the Gleaner and Esther the Queen. 1891


Good Character 1892


The Boy Jesus, and Other Sermons


1893


The Faithful Saying: To the Working Classes. Huyler's Circus Royal, Liverpool. 1858


The Song of Salvation. (Liverpool.) 1859


Address on the Occasion of the Laying of the Foundation Stone of Scaman's Orphanage. (Liverpool.)


What the Bible Says about Giving. American Tract Society


Seed Sowing. .American Tract Society


The Christian Serving his Generation ..... National Temperance Society Difficulties and Advantages of Bible Translation : Sermon before the American Bible Society 1877


Address at a Complimentary Dinner given to Dr. Crichton and Dr. Graham by the Representatives of the Lancashire Presbytery.


Sermon : Not Ashamed of the Gospel. American Home Missionary Society.


The Relation of Home Missions to the Prosperity of the Nation and the Conversion of the World. American Home Missionary Society. Debtor and Creditor. Distributed to its Policy-holders by the Mutual Life Insurance Company.


Is the Young Man Absalom Safe? Before the Young Men's Social and Benevolent Society, Fifth Avenue Church.


Memorial to J. M. Manning, D.D.


Memorial to Professor Lyman S. Atwater, D.D., LL.D.


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K


Dr. Taylor's Resignation.


" NEW YORK, 27 October, 1892.


" To the members of the Church and Society assembling in the Broad- way Tabernacle, New York City :


" MY DEAR PEOPLE :- The leave of absence, so tenderly granted to me in my need by you, is now so nearly at an end that it becomes me to let you know what is the state of my health now, and what are my intentions as to the future.


" By the blessing of God on the means which, at the suggestion of my skilful physician, have been used, I am now far better than, at one time, I ever expected to be. All through the summer I have been mak- ing steady progress toward health; not much when looked at from day to day, but quite marvellous when tested month by month, and, taken as a whole, giving sure promise, humanly speaking, of ultimate perfect restoration.


" But experience tells me that the process of recovery must be slow. At the very best it will take months yet, perhaps even a year or more, even if nothing untoward should occur, before I reach the goal to which I am now so eagerly looking forward. And even if I do reach that ultimately, I am painfully conscious that I can never hope to be again the man that I have been. One cannot pass through such an illness as I have had without losing that which he can never regain, especially if his vocation be that of a preacher of the Gospel. For it leaves behind it the constant liability to a return, and the consciousness of that takes away from him that utter absence of concern for self on which the effectiveness of speech so largely depends.


" In these circumstances I am compelled to face the question what my duty to the Church is, and, after long, anxious, prayerful, I may even add tearful, consideration I have reached the conclusion that, in justice to you, no less than in consideration for myself, and out of regard to the glory of the Master whom we are both seeking to serve, I ought to place in your hands the resignation of my pastoral charge.


" I can never fully tell you what it has cost me to come to this de- cision. I loved to preach. Some of the happiest experiences of my life have been in the pulpit. I have marked with the deepest interest the growth and deepening and mellowing of Christian character in those who statedly waited on my ministry; and the thrill of joy that tingles through one's heart when he is instrumental in leading a soul to the Saviour has to be experienced to be known. It was a great happiness, too, to visit you from house to house, to grasp your hands in affec- tionate greeting, and to help you, as I might, with words of counsel and of cheer. Not only in regular visitation have I known your homes, I have been with you in your times of sickness and bereavement, and


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by the fellowship of such seasons, we have been welded together in the closest affection; while your kindness to me at all times, but espe- cially during the weeks when my illness was the most critical, will be remembered by me with gratitude, as long as memory lasts. My feel- ings, therefore, are all opposed to my taking the step which I have mentioned, but my judgment is fully convinced of its wisdom.


" So, sadly and with undiminished affection for you all, among whom I have preached the Gospel of the Kingdom of God during twenty busy, happy and useful years, but with the concurrence of my nearest and dearest friends, with the approval of my own judgment and with what seems to me to be the guidance of the Spirit of God, I return into your hands the charge with which I was intrusted on the ninth of April, 1872. " Believe me


" Yours faithfully,


"WM. M. TAYLOR."


L


Minute adopted by Broadway Tabernacle Church at a special meet- ing, November 2, 1892:


" With the deepest regret we receive and accept the resignation of our beloved pastor; and we would express our sense of our own per- sonal loss, while we sympathize with him in this trial which withdraws him from the active service to which his life has been devoted.


" He came to us from a distant land, another denomination, and almost a stranger here, but the fellowship of Christian faith and Chris- tian service at once made him and his household at one with us by close and tender ties, and he has loyally led us in the administration of this church according to its own polity and discipline. Very deeply engraved in our hearts is the record of his ministrations in our pulpit, our social worship, and our homes. We shall never forget that he has taught us to understand the scripture; he has explained to us its mean- ing; he has helped us to see the significance and importance of the Old Testament, and its relation to the New; and, above all, he has shown us in the clearest light the revelation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in the Sacred Word. And hereafter when in reading its pages we come upon one passage and another, and another, we shall constantly remember him.


" This church, thus nourished by his ministry, has much more than doubled its members, its strength, and its benevolence. Many of his instructions from the pulpit have gone forth in other lands. During all these twenty years he has constantly inspired us with a growing enthusiasm for carrying out the last great precept of Christ to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature; and he himself has led us and gone far in advance of us, in every effort in aid of Home


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and Foreign Missions. In serving this church he has thus exerted a world-wide influence.


" In all this he has, unconsciously to himself, perhaps, fulfilled the purpose which he expressed in coming to us ' to hide himself behind the Saviour,' and has taught us to listen as 'hearing a voice, but seeing no man.'


"For him, we pray that God will long continue him in life, and bless him with strength, comfort and happiness, and relieve his be- loved household from all anxiety and solicitude. And for ourselves we trust that God will perpetuate in our hearts the lessons of vital faith we have received, and make this church bear such increasing fruit in the future as will be worthy of the planting and watering which have been the consecrated and self-sacrificing work of this long and happy pastorate."


M Admission of Members, Articles and Rules of the Church and Society. (From the Year Book for 1901) ADMISSION OF MEMBERS. CREED.


As a church of Jesus Christ, associated in accordance with the teach- ings of the New Testament, for the public worship of God, for the observance of gospel sacraments and ordinances, for mutual edification. and encouragement in the Christian life, and for the advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom, we declare our union in faith and love with. all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.


Receiving the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. as the word of God, and the only infallible rule of religious faith and practice, we confess our faith in the one living and true God, revealed as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; the Creator and Preserver of all things, whose purposes and providence extend to all events, and who exercises a righteous government over all His creatures.


We believe in the universal sinfulness and ruin of our race, since " by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."


We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, having taken upon Himself our nature, has by His obedience, sufferings, and death provided a way of salvation for all mankind; and that through faith in His name whosoever will may be saved.


We believe that although salvation is offered freely to all, they only repent and believe in Christ who, in thus obeying the gospel, are re-


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generated by the Holy Spirit; and that all who are thus regenerated are " kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation."


We believe that there is a day appointed in which God will raise the dead and judge the world; that the wicked shall " go away into ever- lasting punishment, and the righteous into life eternal."


CONFESSION OF PERSONS RECEIVED UPON CONFESSION OF THEIR FAITH.


Dearly beloved, you have come to confess Christ before men, and publicly to dedicate yourselves to God. You avow your personal sense of the love of God in the forgiveness of your sins, and you believe that the Holy Spirit has wrought in you that change of heart by which you are enabled to put your trust for salvation wholly in Christ and to enter upon a new life. Trusting that He who hears and answers prayer will uphold and strengthen you, you do give yourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ, to be His disciples, receiving Him as your only Priest and Pro- pitiation, your great Teacher, Lawgiver, and King; you dedicate your- selves to God as the object of your highest love, and to His service as your highest joy.


In this solemn consecration you do now join with us in the following confession : I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; the third day He rose from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.


I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. AMEN.


[The following shall be omitted if none have been baptized. ]


You who in childhood were admitted by baptism to a place in the covenant of God, do now, for yourselves, assume its full obligations and privileges.


[The following shall be omitted if all have been baptized.]


You who have had no part by baptism among the people of God, do now accept the seal of the covenant.


[Baptism shall here be administered to such as have not been baptized.]


ADDRESS TO THOSE UNITING BY LETTER.


Beloved friends, who have been recommended to our communion by the churches to which you have belonged, in the love of a common Master, we welcome you to our joys and our labors, trusting that you will both receive comfort and strength and impart the same to us.


In uniting with this church you do all promise to obey the commands and walk with us in the ordinances of the gospel, to cherish the fellow- ship of this church to whose creed you have just listened, to attend and


m Jig ex


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COVENANT FOR ALL.


according to your ability to contribute to the support of its worship, to aid in its labors, and as far as in you lies to promote its purity, peace and prosperity. Do you thus promise?


We, then, the members of this church


[Here all the members of the church will arise.]


affectionately receive you into our communion and welcome you into this fellowship with us in the blessings of the gospel and the service of our divine Redeemer. We promise with God's help to walk with you in Christian love and tenderness, and to aid you in discharging the duties which you have this day assumed, by our sympathies, our coun- sels and our prayers.


For this cause


[Here all bow the head in prayer.]


we make supplication unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strength- ened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge.


The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.


Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. AMEN.


[Here the pastor in behalf of the church shall give to each the right hand of fellow- ship.]


ARTICLES OF THE CHURCH AND SOCIETY.


Soon after the organization of the society, October 2, 1840, as a religious corporation, the following articles were adopted both by the church and society, as the basis of union and co-operation :


I. The congregation shall hold the property, and receive the income, and make all pecuniary engagements, appropriations and payments.


II. In calling a pastor, the congregation and church will act as con- current bodies-a majority of each being necessary to constitute a call; the church nominating and the congregation confirming or rejecting the nomination.


III. The committee of the church will provide for the supply of the pulpit when there is no settled pastor, making the necessary arrange- ments for singing, and, in general, for the ordinary celebration of re- ligious worship; and the congregation will liquidate all reasonable expenses thereby incurred. Provided, that if the congregation choose


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to do so, they shall always have a right to make the committee a joint committee, by putting on it as many members of the congregation as have been elected from the church.


PERMANENT RULES OF THE CHURCH.


I. The permanent officers of this church shall be a pastor or pastors, and deacons. There shall also be elected a clerk, a treasurer, superin- tendents of the Sunday-schools of the church, and nine brethren, who, with the permanent officers, shall constitute a committee for the gen- eral oversight of the interests of the church. This committee shall provide for the supply of the pulpit in cases of emergency; they shall designate the objects of benevolence to be brought before the church for its contributions; they shall confer with persons who offer them- selves for admission, and report to the church at a service prior to that at which they are elected the names of all whom they deem suitable candidates. They may also transfer the regular prayer meeting to another evening of the same week.


The clerk, treasurer, and superintendents of the Sunday-schools of the church shall be elected annually and hold office for one year from the annual meeting, or until their successors shall have been elected; the nine brethren to be elected as members of the committee shall be elected as follows: At the first election, three brethren shall be elected to serve for one year from the annual meeting, three brethren shall be elected to serve for two years from the annual meeting, and three brethren shall be elected to serve for three years from the annual meet- ing. At each annual meeting thereafter, three brethren shall be elected to serve for three years from such annual meeting.


2. All officers of the church shall be elected by ballot, and without any public nomination, unless a committee shall be appointed for that purpose. If such committee be appointed, the name proposed by the officers and teachers of the Sunday-school for superintendent shall be received and considered by such nominating committee. Such nom- inating committee may be appointed at the same meeting, or at any regular Wednesday evening meeting for prayer and conference, held at least two weeks previous to any election. When a vacancy occurs in any office, the clerk shall notify the church of the same at the first business meeting thereafter; and the church shall designate a time for filling such vacancy, of which notice shall be given on the Sabbath preceding.


3. The church shall meet for prayer and conference on Wednesday evening of each week. The Lord's Supper will be administered on the first Sabbaths of February, April, June, October, and December, and the prayer meetings next preceding these Sabbaths shall be also business meetings, at which any matter relating to the interests of the church may be introduced; the annual meeting shall be held on the Wednes- day evening preceding the last Wednesday in January; at which the


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committee and the treasurer of the church and of the deacons' fund shall present their reports, and the officers for the ensuing year shall be elected.


Upon the requisition of ten brethren, in writing, the clerk shall call a special meeting for business, by causing a notice to be read from the pulpit on the Sabbath preceding such meeting.


1


No business shall be transacted at any meeting other than the busi- ness meetings herein provided, except the consideration of requests to participate in ecclesiastical councils, and applications for contributions at the time for special objects of benevolence; which requests and contributions shall be in order at any meeting.


4. Admission to membership shall be by the election of the church at a business meeting (at which candidates are expected to be present) and by publicly joining in the covenant at a communion service.


5. Requests for letters of dismission may be announced at any of the services of the church; and if no objection is made to the clerk, he shall issue to the applicant the customary certificate, which shall be valid only one year from its date, at which time his or her relation to this church shall terminate, unless such certificate shall have been re- turned to the clerk.


6. It shall be the duty of the committee to report to the church, from time to time, the names of those members who have removed from the city without requesting letters of dismission, and of those who are habitually absent from Sabbath services and the communion table of the church, for such action as may be deemed proper in the premises; it being understood that this rule does not supersede the responsibility of individuals to labor personally to recover such as may fall into error or sin, and, if need be, to bring their cases to the knowledge of the church. A supplemental roll, to be known as the " Absentee Roll," shall be kept, to which shall be transferred from time to time the names of those absent members whose residences are unknown or who are habitually absent from the services of the church for reasons unex- plained, and against whom the church does not feel prepared to pro- ceed by way of discipline; and as these are self-suspended members the church and its officers are relieved from the duty of active watch and care in respect to them.




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