The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-06-26
THEY WILL CONSOLIDATE.
THE FIRST AND BERGEN PRES
BYTERIAN CHURCHES.


BYTERLAN CHURCHES.
Plan of the Union of the Two Congrega-
tions-A Strong Centre of Presbyter-
ianism to Be Formed-The Rev. DIR,
Imbrie to Be Pastor Emeritus.
A meeting of the congregation of the
First Presbyterian Church, which has
been without place of worship since it
sold it's edifice at Washington and Sussex
streets year ago, was held last even
ing, in Hasbrouck Institute, to consider
the matter of consolidating with the Ber-
gen Presbyterian Church. Among those
at the meeting were Ex-Governor Bedle,
ex-Judge and Mrs. Randolph. Miss Ran
dolph, John Linn, Mr.. and Mrs. Flayel
MCGEE, William R. Barricklo, j. D.
Bedle, Jr., the Rev. DR.. Imbrie, Mr. and
Mrs. ]. Hulshizer. Matthias Smith, Mr..
and Mrs. C. f. Imbrie, Mr. Huntington,
Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Wallace. the Misses
Wallace, Miss Meschutt, Miss Sadie
Meschutt and Mrs. Gnower.
Judge Randolph presided and Mr..
Huntington was secretary. DIR. Imbrie
Governor Bedle, chairman of the Board
of Trustees, read the report of the Joint
Committee of the two churches upon the
proposed consolidation. He prefaced the
report with reference to the talks which
led to the appointment of committee of
two from the Board of Trustees of each
church to formulate q plan of union. Then
he gave a brief account the status OF
the Jersey City church That, he said,
has o fund sacred to Presbyterian uses.
When the building was sold the congre-
cation determined to keep up its organi-
zation with the approval of the Presby-
tery and to make DR.. Imbrie the Modera-
tor of the sessions.
The income of the fund derived from
the sale of the church was to be paid to
DR.. Imbrie for life.
1.-THE time has now come,i Ex-Governor
Bedle continued, s'when the congregation
must settle down, and those in charge of
the funds think some disposition should be
made of it. The church has been sold twice
now, and the general desire is to place the
fund where it will be fixed.
ssTo place it below the Hill 1t was
thought would imperil it again. So 1t is
proposed to unite with the Bergen Pres
byterian people and build up strong
church and centre of Presbyterianism.
at is also proposed either to build
large edifice on lots situated on Bergen
avenue, and running back to the old prop
erty. and keep the present building on
Emory street for the Sunday School and
week day meetings, or to enlarge the
Emory street building"
The plan of union, which was then read
in substance, provided that the two
churches shall consolidate; that the fund
of the Jersey City Church, amounting to
about $40, 900, shall be turned over to the
consolidated church. which is to be known
as the First Presbyterian Church of Jer-
sey City.
Emeritus and to receive.from the church a
salary of 81, 900 per annum during his life.
The Rev. Charles Herr, the present pas
tor of the Bergen church, is to be the pas
tor of the consolidated congregation.
If it is decided to build new church
the permanent debt is not to exceed
$4,000. II the present building is en-
larged and improved the permanent debt
is not to exceed $4,000. The Board of
Trustees and the sessions will each con-
sist of eleven members, the present mem
bers of those Boards of the Bergen Church
to retain their positions and the remain
ing vacancies to be filled from the Jersey
City church.
The fund of the Jersey City church is
not to be turned over to the consolidated
society until sufficient money is raised to
ensure the enlargement of the church
according to one or the other of the pro-
posed plans, without increasing the per-
manent debt above the Sums mentioned
in the plan of union.
A resolution adopting the plan of con-
solidation was offered by Ex-Governor
Bedle, and DR.. Imbrie addressed the
meeting urging the acceptance of the
resolution. Flavel MCGEE. John Linn
and Charles X. Imbrie followed in the
same. strain.
The only suspicion of opposition came
from Miss Wallace, who asked If it would
not be better to help some weaker church
in the lower part of the city than go up on
the Hill and assist a church already
strong. Judge Randolph replied that
in his Judgment the proposed plan was
the best that could be formulated under
the circumstances, and that the eXigen-
cies which brought it about appeared to
be Providential.
The resolution was then put to a vote
and ell voted in favor of it except Mrs.
Brown, Mrs. Wallace and the Misses
Wallace.
Mrs. Brown, who said that she has been
in the church since it was organized in
IS41. wanted to consolidate with the Re-
formed Church, but when she was told
that the fund could be devoted to none
but Presbyterian she withdrew her OBJ
lection.
A vote of thanks was rendered to the
members of the Board of Trustees for
their faithful and conscientious work in
the matter, and to the proprietors of the
Institute for the use of the meeting room.