New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-23
PREACHERS WORTH HEARING
XXI.
XXI
DR. z. B. CoE, OF TIE COLLEGIATE CHURCH.

DIR. E. B. COE, OF TIE COLLEGIATE CHURCH.
EARLY HISTORY OF THE DENOMINATION IN
THIS CITY-A SKETCH OF THE PASTOR
In THE TRIBUNE last Monday reference was made
to the venerable age which Trinity parish has reached,
dating as II does from tho close Oh the seventeenth
Century. But the Collegiate Church in this city Is
considerably older than Trinity Is said to be the
Oldest in tho Middle states having been organized In
July 1929 less than eight years after the landing Oh
the Pilgrims The founder was Dominic Jonas
Mchsellus, who had been sent by the Dutch West
India Company to the West India Islands, but after
ward came to the then struggling Colony OF New
Amsterdam.
II must not, however, be supposed that the sturdy
Dutch and walloon settlers we're without religious
services, for when the hrst horsem was erected on
Manhattan Island 9 spacious room was provided for
such services In the loft above 1t, and this they con-
tinued to occupy until the spring Of 1893, when
under the Of the Rev Everardus Bogardus, they
erected the first church edce outside the fort In what
Is now Broadst, between Bridge and Pearl sss 1hls
occupied only nine or ten years, whom the COLO
nsts, although poor managed to raise $500 guiners,
with which they erected stone church within Fort
Amsterdam, near what is now the Battery. and this
they continued to use, after the English occupa
tion until 1693 when the Dutch determined to erect
another building partly because they required larger
structure and partly because IL was used for ono ser
vice by the English garrison.
The last church edlfco erected by the Collegiate
Church is the at Foryelghth-s and F1fth-ave. 1t
was dedicated I'm November 1872. Its style is the
decorated Gothic Of the Fourteenth Century while the
stone carving is rch the effect is chase and simple
Tho building tho stained glass windows the communion
table, and even the carpets were designed by the
architect, william Wheeler Smith, that the result Is
perfect harmony in all its parts. Dean Stanley when
he visited this country pronounced IL the best parish
church he had ever In the spIro is hung B. bell
hov I In ms m m
presented to the consstoy Of the church by Colo
mel Abraham de Peyster for the Of the old Middle
Dutch Church, afterward used as the Post Office and
occupied by tho Mutual Life Insurance Building.
So worn and battered Is It by that there are many
dents in IT, almost large ones fist. and its position
the collar has been frequently changed 80 that the
hammer may strike II In q new place This TACT
accounts for tho debatable note It speaks.
POPULAR PASTOR IN PROMINENT CHURCH
To this handsome church the Rev. Dr. Edward b.
Coe, its present minister, called In 1870. He
was graduated from Yale In 1862, and spent the next
two years studying In Paris and Berlin Upon his
return from Europe in 1854, he chosen Street Pro-
lessor Of Modern Languages In Yale and retained that
position until he came to New York Several proni
nent churches In the meantime had called him to tner
pulpts, but he had declined their fattering offers
Dr. Coo the Of minister and the soninlaw OF
another His father the Rev. Dr. David 3. Coe, is we'll
known Congregational clergyman, who has been for
many years one OF the secretaries of the American
Home Missionary Society. Mrs. Coo is tho daughter
Of the Rev. DR.. r. s. Storrs, OF Brooklyn.
DR.. Coo is In HIS PRIME being about fortyslx years
old. 10 Is OF medium stature, but compact and
robust His eyes arc striking lighting up with SYM
pathy or love those feelings excited and BEAM
ing with intelligence His temperament is calm and
judicial. He looks ct all sides Of q question dis
passonaely. His thoughtful and earnest,
but he appeals to the intellect conscience rather
an m a. fhn faAIin and 10
convincing whllo thoroughly orthodox his constant
effort Is to show that the requirements Of religion
based upon the nature OF man and his relations to
God. HIS voice Is full and finely modulatod and every.
thing about him indicates culture and refinement.
This Is especially noticeable in his careful dlcon and
faultless enunoIaton. But culture and refinement In
no way weaken tho strength Of his argument or tho
vgor OF bis Christianity; they rather add 10 both.
Rutgers College gave him the degree Of n in 1881,
and four years later Yale conferred a similar honor
Called to tho church when young In tho ministry,
having been licensed only two years before, he had
only small stock OF sermons therefore what he says IS
fresh and original When no began his pastorate
the congregation comparatively small, but It
has steadily grown until almost all the pews on
the main floor occupied and they arc filed with
mon Of substance and Intellectual vgor, many Of
them descendants OF the old Knickerbockers His
congregation includes many cergymen and professional
men
MAKING BUSINESS OF RELIGION.
Dr. Coo preached yesterday morning on Making q
Business Of Religion" his text being: sand He called
ten servants Of His and gave them ten pounds, and
said unto them, Trade ye herewith TIL come" In
his sermon no sald
II there any things which, In the ordinary judy
ment Of men, regarded essentially distinct from
other, they what is commonly called business
and what is commonly meant by religion. The is
concerned with this world and che other with the world
to come The one is essentially material and the other
IA ne hns a m
little account Of the soul the other relates to the culture
OF the soul and disregas or desDses the body Each
has It's principles and methods It's traditions and usages
its standards Of its codes Of morality It's honored
its rewards AMI It's penalties They even appear
often be In oonnct with each other It is sometimes
seriously asked whether DO successful In bust
and at the same time be Christian. 1t has been
remarked that the Developments Of business activity in
community ordinarily brings about decline in It's relgous
lto 1t has occasionally happened that men have youn
ary out Of business In order 10 give themselves
the duties OF religion. It still occasionally happens
that feel Obliged 20 leave their religion behind when
they 20 their business. The spheres Of the
felt to be anagonstio thai the attempt 10 combine
them Is WISE Religion ia thought TO stand In the
way the highest business efficiency and and
hearty vigorous to business is pronounced
Inconsistent with tho best religious activity growth
thus appears necessary that one OF them should DO
sacrificed 70 the other.
Now tho teachings Of our Lord addressed TO uen
Of race which singular aptitude for business
affairs. And this fact is reflected both In our Lords
direct Instruction and in the illustrations which he
often drew from mercantile life. You recall me-
illusions which made in Ills parallels to the
interest," capital and wealth There Is indeed
class OF personsnot artisans teachers lawyers
mnisters-who find they seek them. in the dis
courses Jesus many words addressed to themselves
those who dstinctivey business What then
does lie say concerning the relation OF business to re-
Igonf Docs he teach that they incompatible with
Other that there analoges and connections
between them whlrh 1t is not night to overlook He
certainly did not dwell any great length evils
which business fear from religion But here was
not greatest danger Men did not especially need to
be warned against an excess OF religious real The
greatest danger that religion would interfere
with the successful prosecution Of business but that
eager devotion to business would be fatal
to the higher interests and claims OF religion.
CARRYING RELIGION INTO ONES BUSINESS.
Our Lord lad down two important principles upon the
subject The first is that IL Is mans duty 70 carry his
religion into his busresS Life He taught is not for
religion but religion life He made change and
.ouoht rnake mona in the conditions o. existence