New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-17
RISE OF A GROWING CHURCH
BROOKLYN CoNGREGATIoNALIsM.
THE REV. ALBERT J. LYMAN AND HIS chAH"H-
FOUNDED IN 1850

Conprecafionallsm in Brooklyn dates Dack oh'
forty five years, although an attempt was maui W %
tablish church Of that faith and order moro IMAM a
century ago. At that time there was only ONO o"u.1
in tho little village Tic other side OF VIC p''nn",.
ferry across the strait separating Manhattan ana Long
Islands Some of the residents who were noo ai'v
getber shifted with the services I'm Dutch In the chu'n
founded by the settlers from Holland In BreucAoS,
determined TO organize a. church OF thelr own J"I
after tho Revolutionary was ended where hhsn9n
should be spoken from the pulpit In oIder 10 uia"
I'm as many people as possible the form OF service anu
church government was borrowed from Ne"-hnsianu'
and was congregational or independent An eoln,o
was built in 1856 on the north side of Fuon-st heaS
opposte what is now Clarkst. and here shaii 'o
pany Of worshppers was gathered.
Thus It came abuut that the second church In BROOK
lyn was Congregational, and that denomination ah,o
dated the Protestant Episcopal and the Metnou's.
Episcopal by years In securing foOthoid III 'na'
part of Long Island But the church did not possess
the elements Of stability and was too weak 10 i've inc
congregation divided and services were given up "o
wears later the church was sold TO the organizers OF
st. AIMS Episcopal Church, and the site "h'ro !"
stood was afterward occupied by St. AIMS chuich-
ward Congrcgatlonallsm lapsed, and no effort 10 S-
vlve It was made for nearly sixty years. Mean"hi"
the Episcopal Methodist Baptist, Presbyterian, hoinah
Catholic and Unitarian denominations had gaiheo
considerable strength and instead of church there
were score or in the advancing city.
Then almost simultaneously the Church OF tho PHI
grims and Plymouth Church were established ana
by 1850 they had begun 10 exert marked lnnuehce
upon the community. The first effect OF this IN
church extension was in a movement for new or
ganzaton in South Brooklyn, then beginning 10 10
looked upon as desirable part Of the city for homes
and where cornnelds were being turned into building
plots. 1t in 1850 that three members OF Plym-
outh who had been instrumental in founding II IN
1547, John T. Howard Henry c. Bowen and James
G
President sts chapel was erected at a small cost
and It opened for services in February, lool
In the month it organized as the south Con-
gregational Chuch of Brooklyn, with twenty-thrce
MEMBERS and It was duly recognized by council Inc
Rev. William H. March began his work as first pastor
tho same year and he remained three years with tho
church. After a brief pastolate by the Rev. Danlel
March, DR. Rufus ". Clark called in 1897.
BUILDING THE PRESENT EDIFICE.
In the first year of his ministry the present church
edfce, fronting on Courtst, and dagonaly opposite
Carroll Park, was erected. 1t IS of brick with stone
trimmings and has a lofty splrc The edfce will scat
900 persons and Is conveniently and comfortably ar
ranged 1t enlarged by the addition of galleries
in 1864 and improved in other ways AT the rear Is
a large lecture room, with Sunday-school room In
tho Same building, together with pastors study
and other rooms for church work A mOrtgaged debt
of $4,000 rested upon the property till 1878, when
it was paid off, and since 1855, when the floating
debt was discharged, It has been free from indebted
ness. Brief pastOrates marked all Of its early his
tory, and I'm 1862 DR.. Clarke resigned After the Rev.
Edward Tayorv no served from 1864 1867 Dr. Henry
NJ Storrs, cousin of DR.. Richard Salter Storrs was
called to the pulpit He remained five years, and then
resigned TO accept the sccreayshp Of one of the Con-
gre gatlonal Boards.
For the past fifteen years the church has been un-
der the spiritual ard direction of the Rev. Albert
J. Lyman, under whom not only has the church been
freed from financial embarrassment and the member
ship nearly doubled but a large work has been done
outside the church proper in mission attached to 1t
Mr. Lyman Is a little forty years Of age.
He born in Massachusetts and studied for the
ministry at Yale and the Union Theological Seminary.
His first pastoral charge was in Milford, Conn, in
1870, and in November, 1873, he was called to this
CITY, Secured at first TO supply the pulpit as acting
PASTOR he continued in that relation for about twelve
years, steadily growing in the love and affection Of
his people, and increasing the prosperity, both ma
tcrial and spiritual, of the church. At length he
yielded to the persuasons of his people and In
stalled pastor about two years ago, after making a
brilliant statement of the grounds of his theological
belief before Council In which sat such eminent
as DIS storrs, Taylor, Behrends, Penccost, and
IngcrsolL
Mr.. Lyman has a ccar-cut, scholarly face, smooth
shaven, and shaded by masses Of heavy dark hair.
As a preacher he Is finished speaker. with clever
in description and oratorlcal power combined
with pleasing delivery.
MAKING RAPID STRIDES LATTERLY.
In the last three years tho church has taken long
stride forward. The pastor returned from a year
abroad with strength renewed and mind quckened
and threw himself into the work of the church
In 1855 there were $50 members remaining, out of
total of 1875 from the beginning thirtyhve years
before At tho last communion service the number
had increased to rs, by far the largest number ever
the rolls at any one time considerable aces
sion secured last year after the Middle Reformed
Church In Harrls0nst., of It's neighbors, was dis
solved About two years ago the lecture room
completely renovated and the organ repaired
Within year handsome and commodious Mission
Chapel has been erected in FOurth-place, Court
ST. at a cost Of $4,000, all of which has been paid
This mission founded in 1873 and has engaged the
work Of many members Of the church directed by
the pastor FlOurishing Sunday schools attached
to both church and chapel, and wide influence is
exerted by the church in the part Of the city where
It stands.
Among the adjuncts of the church IN carrying for
ward its work arc thriving Young Peoples Associa
tion a Christian Work Committee, and a Woman's
Missionary Society, each of which looks after special
field of activity. \ feature Of the church is the ex-
cellent music Mrs. LasarStudwcl being the chief
singer Praise services on Sunday evenings at monthly
intervals popular that the church Is throngcd
At a recent meeting of the Congregational Club OF
Brooklyn, the Rev. Mr. Lyman was introduced the
exact opposite Of the oldtme minister of stern and
forbidding aspect, as he always wears pleasant
smile. If merit IS measured by the attained.
the pastor of the South Congregational Church holds
high rank among Brooklyn ministers.
WORKNEN SUSPENDED AT THE NAVY YARD.
About hundred worHmen were suspended at the Navy
Yard yesterday, and will probably remain IN forced deness
unless they seek elsewhere for empoymen-unti the 1st
August least About that time work will begin
to be pushed the cruiser Maine, the materials
for construction will begin arrive at the Navy Yard
about time Some disappointment Is felt by the work
that repairs ordered upon the Pensacola
lt her for q cruise
The is that orders given to repair her when
It was brought the attention OF the Navy Department
that law OF Congress stood in the way, law that pre-
scribes repairs be made upon vessels that would
cost more than 90 per cent the cost Of vessel OF tho
same general character Board Of Survey has examined
the report that It will s230 900 to Mt her for
oneyears cruise and $4,000 repairs for