Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1886-11-06

An Ofacial statement Regarding the
Dtxwen Avenue Congregational
GhmreIN

Am Onacial statement Regarding the
| Dfxwen Avenue Congregational
Church.
NEW HAVEN, Nov. 5.-We have been re-
quested by the pastors and other representa-
| tives of the Congregational churches in this
city to present to the public the following
statement:
The Dixwell avenue church, which has
been in existence for more than fifty years
and has for long time worshipped in what
has been known as the Temple street church,
| is largely composed of some of the best and
| most intelligent of our colored people, and
has been to large extent, and is capable of
becoming to still larger extent, powerful
fundamentally for elevating and Christian
izing the colored element in our population,
and exerting still wider influence for good
upon the eolored race. By the advice of a
conference of representatives of all our
Congregational churches, this church and
| society sold their church property about a
| year ago, and bought the property known as
the Dixwell avenue mission, and prepared to
build suitable church ediice, using the
building already upon the land for a lecture
| room. This edi6ce will now soon be COM
pleted. It is simple but tasteful structure,
economically but well built, and entirely
meets our approval. The entire cost of the
ST., 900. OF this amount John
G. North, trustee, has paid $4.640 from
| the sale of it's former property, and from
other trust funds. The members of the
congregation have paid and pledged 81 400.
These contributions have been
| liberal, considering the ciIcum-
| stances of the people, and we are sat
| isfed that when the people shall have fur
| nished their new church edifce, as they pur-
pose to do, they will have done all that is at
present in their power. By unweared effort
the pastor, Rev. Albert P. Miller, man of
liberal education and pastor in whom we
have entire confidence. and who has won our
respect and admiration, has succeeded in OBJ
tanning from friends in the city $2,360.19
more. Thus So, 400 have been raised and paid
out, leaving balance of So, us unpaid Of this
amount about $175 can be relied upon from
subscriptions yet unpaid, and it is believed
that the Congregational union will render
assistance to the amount of the last
5000; and one of our citizens has
promised to give $500 more, if the whole is
paid. This leaves only So, 500 to be raised.
But the circu instances are such as to make it
necessary that the whole amount be raised
by the end of the year. The property is so
secured in the hands of trustees that it can
never be sold or mortgaged. This, while it
insures to donors the permanent usefulness
of their gifts, makes it impossible to raise
loan by pledging the property; and there is
nothing to be done but ask the public to
come to the help of this congregation. We
do this most heartily ard urgently, confident
that now that the circumstances are fully
explained our people will recognize and re-
spond to this call upon their liberality. We
are aware that this cause appeals first and |
most strongly to Congregationalists, and we |
therefore urge it upon the churches and |
of our own denomination and rec |
ommend that each pastor speak in its behalf |
from his own pulpit. But it is cause in |
which all have an interest, and we therefore |
it to the iberality of all our citi- /
zens who are interested in the work of evan
gelizing the people, and especially to those
who are particularly interested in the eleva-
ton and redemption of the colored race. Let
our Christianity have at least this in its
favor, s'that to the poor the gospel is
preached"
JOHN Fl. TODD,
J. E. TwITCHELL,
THOMAS r. TRowBRIDGE,
HIRAM CAMP,
JOHN G.. NORTH.
New Haven, Conn, November 8, 1886.