MINUTE OF THE VESTRY ON ACCEPTING HIS RESIGNATION. "The Committee appointed by the Vestry of St. Mary's Parish, to present an expression of their feelings on the occasion of accepting the resignation of their beloved Rector, have prepared the following minute: "The official ties which have united the Rector of this Parish and his congregation, have been made deeply interesting by the fact that nearly his entire life has been spent within the precincts of the Parish. The personal friendship which has descended to him, with the venerated name he bears, has ripened into profound and most affectionate esteem, under the influence of his zealous official ministrations. "Of these ministrations it is impossible to speak in terms adequate to our appreciation of them. As the Priest and Pastor of this congregation, his course, in public and private, in the Church and home, with the young and old, poor and rich, has been marked by untiring fidelity, conscientiousness and charity. His fervent devotion has maintained the character of our beautiful sanctuary as eminently a House of Prayer; and whilst fulfilling the provisions of the Church for the due celebration. of the Holy Sacraments and other Rites, he has assiduously instructed us in the truth as it is in JESUS, with words of burning zeal and eloquence. Not only in the public discharge of his ministry has he endeared himself to our hearts, but we can also bear testimony, from experience and observation, to his self-sacrificing pastoral labours in the more unobtrusive departments of his sacred office. In the hour of sorrow and sickness, his loving words and prayers have consoled us; and in our and our childrens' joys he has ever been a ready and welcome sharer. In his untiring catechetical instructions, as well in the Sunday and Parochial Schools as in the Church, he has practically manifested the love of CHRIST for the lambs of the flock. There has been no form of disease too frightful to deter him from the bedside of the sick. His judicious counsels have helped the weak hearted, and his generous alms have comforted the needy. In season and out of season, through cold and heat, by night and by day, his ghostly ministrations have been cheerfully and unselfishly given to our congregation, and to all who asked them. It is these and like services which have endeared him to all hearts, and compel us to record not only our unaffected sorrow at his loss as the Pastor of St. Mary's Parish, but to add the expression of our belief that his removal will be regarded as a loss by the community at large. "We bespeak for him, what we believe will most certainly be given the love, confidence and esteem of the new portion. of the one Fold, to which the great Shepherd of the sheep has called him. "In bidding farewell to our beloved friend and Pastor, we assure him of the grateful love and warmest wishes of all his congregation; and we offer our prayers to our Father in Heaven, that He will for His only SON's sake ever have our Rector and his family in His holy keeping. "J. W. ODENHEIMER, BISHOP ODENHEIMER INVITED TO THE RECTORSHIP. "The Rt. Rev. Dr. W. H. Odenheimer, Bishop of New Jersey. "DEAR BISHOP-The undersigned, a committee appointed by the Vestry of St. Mary's Parish, Burlington, to transmit to you the accompanying Resolution, unanimously passed, beg leave, in discharging their duty, to express, on behalf of the Vestry, the earnest hope that you will accede to one or the other of the provisions of the resolution. "St. Mary's Church is and ought to be, your Cathedral Church, and we desire that it may enjoy the benefit of such supervision as you may deem consistent with your Episcopal office. "Burlington, April 20, 1863. "Resolved, That the Rectorship of St. Mary's Parish be tendered to the Bishop of this Diocese; or, resolved, that he be requested to take charge of St. Mary's Parish. "Yours, most respectfully, "C. BAQUET, "S. ROGERS, "WM. J. WATSON." BISHOP ODENHEIMER ACCEPTS THE "CHARGE" OF THE PARISH. "To Prof. C. Baquet, LL.D., Mr. Wm. J. Watson, and Mr. Samuel Rogers, Committee of the Vestry of St. Mary's Parish, Burlington. "GENTLEMEN-I have received and considered your courteous communication, together with the Resolution unanimously adopted by the Vestry of St. Mary's Parish. It is the second time since my official connection with this Diocese, that I have been gratified by an invitation from the Vestry, to assume the Rectorship of their venerable Parish,† associated with the memories of the honoured dead, and with the love and labours of the living. The office of Rector involves, in my judgment, absorbing spiritual duties, constant personal presence, and the daily care of the sick and dying, as well as the regular and systematic instruction of all the flock. On conscientious grounds, therefore, I must now, as on a former occasion, decline the Rectorship. "I notice, however, the alternative to which you direct my attention in the resolution of the Vestry, and I am not insensible to your willingness to shield me from any interference with my Episcopal duty to the Diocese; accordingly, in this view of the case, I am ready to accede to the wish of your honourable body. "I accept, (not the Rectorship, but) the 'charge' of St. Mary's Parish, as tendered in the resolution of the Vestry; and I will retain the charge so long as it may be agreeable to the gentlemen themselves, and to all the parties concerned. "Praying the great Head of the Church to guide you and your co-workers, in your aims to promote His glory and the interests of the Parish, REV. EUGENE A. HOFFMAN ELECTED RECTOR OF ST. MARY'S PARISH. At a meeting of the Vestry, held May 11th, 1863, the following communication was received: "To the Vestry of St. Mary's Parish: "GENTLEMEN-It has been intimated to me, from several sources, that any suggestion from me as Bishop of the Diocese, and therefore interested in the welfare of all portions of the flock, which may aid you in filling the Rectorship of St. Mary's Parish, will meet with due consideration. "Accordingly, I express, respectfully but decidedly, my entire confidence in the ability, piety, Churchmanship, and fitness, in all respects, of a Reverend gentleman whose name has been mentioned in connection with this most reponsible office. "I refer to the Rev'd Eugene A. Hoffman, of Elizabeth, New Jersey. "I commend him to you as one who, with GOD's blessing, will promote the truest welfare of the congregation, and harmonize important interests which are indirectly, as well as directly, related to the Parish. On motion, "Affectionately your Bishop, "W. H. ODENHEIMER." Resolved, That the Vestry go into an election for Rector. Whereupon, the Rev. Eugene Augustus Hoffman, was unanimously elected Rector of St. Mary's Parish. † + Eugene Augustus Hoffman, son of Samuel Verplanck Hoffman, was born. in the city of New York, March 21st, 1829; graduated at Rutgers College, New Brunswick, N. J., in June, 1847, and at Harvard College, Mass., in June 1848; also at the General Theological Seminary, N. Y., in June, 1851; received the degree of M. A., from Rutgers College in 1850, and also from Harvard College in 1851; was ordered Deacon in Christ Church, New Brunswick, N. J., June 29th, 1851, by Bishop George W. Doane, and advanced to the Priesthood in St. John's Church, Elizabethtown, April 28th, 1853, by the same prelate. After a year and a half at Grace Mission Church, Elizabethport, he accepted in the spring of 1853, the Rectorship of the newly organized Parish of Christ Church, Elizabethtown, N. J., where he ministered for ten years, and until called to the Rectorship of St. Mary's Parish, Burlington.. LETTER TO THE REV. E. A. HOFFMAN. "To the Rev. Eugene A. Hoffman, Rector of Christ Church, Elizabeth, N. J. "REVEREND AND DEAR SIR-The undersigned, a committee of the Vestry of St. Mary's Parish, Burlington, discharge, with very sincere satisfaction, the duty assigned them of transmitting to you the following call to the Rectorship, which was made with great unanimity at the last meeting of the corporation : "The committee beg leave, in behalf of the Vestry, to express the earnest hope that your response to their call may be favourable, in which event, they assure you of a hearty co-operation in all plans for the prosperity of the Parish, which your wellknown ability and large experience may enable you to propose. With the divine blessing on so auspicious a Pastoral connection, the Vestry believe that not only the spiritual welfare of St. Mary's Parish will be greatly promoted, but that also, the temporal condition of the Parish will soon enable them to offer an adequate pecuniary expression of their appreciation of your valuable services. "The committee regret that under present circumstances, they are unable to offer you more than One Thousand Dollars per annum, together with the parsonage and grounds. "We remain Reverend and Dear Sir, "Very faithfully yours, "J. W. ODENHEIMER, Committee. "May 13th, 1863." THE REV. E. A. HOFFMAN'S ACCEPTANCE. "Christ Church Rectory, Elizabeth, N. J., 21 May, 1863. "Messrs. J. W. Odenheimer, Franklin Gauntt, J. Howard Pugh, and C. Baquet, Committee, &c. “GENTLEMEN—Your official communication, dated 13th inst., announcing to me, in behalf of the Vestry of St. Mary's Church, Burlington, my unanimous call to the Rectorship of |
