The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1886-07-18
THE CORNER STONE LAID.
THE NEW CHURCH OF TIE HUDSON
CITY PERsBYTNLAHg.

CITY REH88Y1&LAEG.
The First C0nsecratiem Of the New Edt-
fice Of the Westminster PresbytsrIan
Church.-An Interesting AfterneOn.
A Little Sketch Of the Church's History.
The foundation walls of the new church
edifce of the Westminster Presbyterian
Church make a raised diagram about four
feet high at the corner of Summit and
Magnolia avenues, on Hudson City
Heights. Yesterday afternoon a granite
stone, probably four feet square, rested at
one corner of the wall. Next to it was q
space, in the angle, that had evidently
been left for it. on one side, in old Eng
lish, the inscription
A. D., 1886,
had been cut. On the other side was a
monogram, showing the initials of the
church's name. In an opening In the side
of the stone were copies of the minutes OF
the last General Synod of the
Presbyterian Church, Confession of
Faith, a catechism, a copy of the New York
Observer, copies of the Eoening journal
With the church's history in it, d copy of
the Garfield Memorial Volume, a medal of
General Grant presented by little
girl, portraits of some of the prominent
members of the church, and some other
articles. 1t was to reverently place this
corner stone, thus marked and filed, in
its proper place, that the church people
with scores of their friends gathered around
it yesterday afternoon. The cerem onies
were opened with the singing of hymn by
the choir. Rev. Mr.. Kingsbury followed
with a selection from the Scripture, and
Rev. Mr.. Mitchell offered fervent prayer.
While the choir sang, Elder George p.
Howell leaned over, and gently raising the
stone let it slide into the place designed
for it. Then turning he made short adj
dress in which he spoke with fatherly
pride of the church and its growth and
passed deserved compliments upon Rev. /.
w. Hathaway, its present pastor. Rev.
Mr.. Hathaway followed in brief address.
The congregation and the guests fell in
line and marched to the old church ( d
Pavonia avenue. Mayer Cleveland was
troduced to make little address. ID
said that he supposed that, having invited
3 number of clergymen to the exercises,
Dominic Hathaway had included him to
give the audience little mixture Of world
illness. The choir sang, and Hon. William
III. Corbin, member of Assembly aRd re-
lation of Elder Howell, was ushered for
ward. He made neat little speech of
compliment, and was followed by George
w. Clerihew and Rev. John r. Fisher,
formerly of the Third Street Presbyteriaa
Church, but now of Orange. The exercises
concluded with the singing of hymn and
and Benediction.
1t is not many years since, to the Presby-
terians, Hudson City was mission field.
The attention of the Third Presbytery Of
New York, was first directed to it in 1865,
but it was not till 1869 that the prepriety
of putting up a house of worship was
formally discussed. In June of that year
few gentlemen met at Samuel lockers.
Rev. 4. w French presided. Subsequently
lots were purchased on Prospect avenue for
S., 800, of which 81 900 was loaned by three
of the gentlemen present. On November
8, 1870, Henry Dusenbury, John Gordon,
Q. G. Jewell, George P. Howell and Robert
Wills, were elected as Trustees. A little
wooden mission house was erected on the
site, and it had not been long up before the
relations between Rev. John s. Glendenning
and Mary Pomeroy brought the congrega-
ton into the full light of day. Glendenning
was their youthful pastor. Miss Pomeroy
played the organ. He was with her much
It the church and visited her at her house.
Finally, on her death-bed ,lshe charged MIN
with the paternity of her child. He met
the accusation with brazen denial, and
the whole city was conyulsed with excite
ment. Indignation meetings were held
and the Hill residents erected tablet over
her grave. Her reverend seducer was fin
ally tried by the Presbytery and convicted.
Since that time he has been in other parts.
Rev. o. eB. Bidwill succeeded him; but
objection was made that he locked pulpit
fire, and it was not long before his pulpit
was declared vacant. Rev. I. w. Hath
away finally took charge of the church,
andin 1880, was formally installed as its pas
tor His ministry has been a markedly
successful one. The church has recovered
from the awful blow Glenderning's wicked
ness administered to it. It has grown in
power and influence and members, till it is
now able to put up the, handsome structure
whose corner stone was laid yesterday.
The officers of the church are: Elders,
Geo. p Howell, John Gordon, Chas G.
Jewel, VIM. Fl. Banks Superintendent of
Sabbath School, James E. Banks; Trustees,
R. @. Tussey, L. G. Willard, Robt Mitchell,
III. G. Smith, John G.. Fisher, Robert Kerr,
Orion Banks Dsacons, John keenan, and
James Banks.
Singular Accident
Some time ago John Costigan started
house from Prior and First streets to 1893