The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-06-13
A HOMELESS CHURCH.
Where Shall the Old First
Presbyterian's People
Worship?
PREsBYTERY MAY INTERFERE.
A Consolidation with the Bergen
Presbyterian Church Likely.

Inc CONTROVERSY UeIWctu bue beISen
Presbyterian Church and the Second Pres
byterian Church, over the alliance which
the members of the old First Church may
make in the near future has stirred Preby-
terian circles strongly within the last two
or three weeks.
The First Church is now without local
habitation, and has became mere name.
Its old building opposite the post office on
Washington, street. was sold year ago
to George r. Mckenzie. 1t has since been
torn down, and building of fats is going
up on its site. About $4,000 was realized
from the sale. and this money was put
aside to provide an annuity of about
81 900 for the support of the Rev. DR..
Imbrie, the aged pastor, who had more
than acceptabiy filed the pulpit for con-
Siderably more than u quarter of cen
tury. The congregation has not been for
mally disbanded. 1t has been necessary
to keep the corporate name, in order to
keep the fund within its control. But the
wOrshippers have scattered themselves in
different directions, and worship at such
affairs as they prefer.
oyERTUREs TO CONSOLIDATE.
The adyisibiiity and prepriety of keep
ing the flock, that is included within the
corporate title, together, has been topic
for anxious discussion for months past.
For time the worshippers thought that
a consolidation with the Wayne Street
Reformed Church congregation might not
be unwise, but then up came the question
of continuing the corporate ex-
istence of the old fold; and the
suspicion that the merging with
another denomination might sacri-
flee it and imperil the $4,000 fund put
that proposition beyond consideration.
Many members of the congregation at
after the sale of the. old First
Church, and presently there came
to the old flock an overture
from the Bergen Church, that there
be a formal consolidation of the two
bands of worshippers. while this was
under consideration motion was made
in the Second Presbyterian Church, on
Third street, that that church make a
like overture to the homeless congrega-
ton.
DECADENCE OF DOWN TOWN CHURCHES.
It is these two proposition that excite
Presbyterian circles all over the city at
present. The decadence of down town
churches is urged against the acceptance
of the oyertures of the Third Street
Churcn. The reason for the Rev. DR..
Fishers departure from the pulpit of that
church five years ago, was, because, as the
centre of population moved westward the
congregation became Simmer and slim
mer, and he foresaw that in few years
the church could not be sustained. The
practical disbandment of the old First
Church was, indeed, due to this very
thing. Worshippers had moved else
where, apd hence its decline.
The Second Church people urge on, the
other hand that they are the natural af-
finity of the old Firft Church people.
Their house of worship is nearer and
handler to their old place of worship than
the church on the Hill is. They show q
little bitterness, too, when they talk of the
efforts of the Bergen Church to take the
First Church's people to the Hill.
"The Bergen Church is rich and popu-
lous," they declare, "and yet the $4,000
annuity fund is the thing they really
seek"
The Bergen Church people retort in
kind.
"The Third Street Church is poor, they
say, "and they want the $4,000 to keep
themselves afloat."
OF course, when each church describes
its own attitude, it makes no reference to
the $4,000 annuity fund, and puts its
anxiety to absorb the floating congrega-
ton only ON the ground that 1t wants the
worshippers to be within its fold.
MEETINGS TO BE HELD.
1t Is not to be denied that the proposi-
ton which meets with the more favor
among the mother church people is that
from the Bergen Church. If it be &C
cepted the Rev. DIR. Imbrie will become
Pastor Emeritus of the new congregation.
with the Rev. Mr. Herr in active charges
The Bergen Church will meet on the 20th
inst to consider the matter further. and
the members of the old church will hold a
conference at Hasbrouck's Institute on
the 25th, probably to take final action on
the subject.
TALKS WITH THE PEOPLE.
1--WE wish to go to the Hill," said one of
the congregation to me, for the reason
that we cannot see the point of placing
the money downtown; that course is out
of the question. AS far as / know the
majority of our people now attend the
Bergen Church, although they live down
town, and in few years it will be almost
impossible to support Protestant
Church downtown. There is no chance
of our consolidating with the Second
Church under any circumstances If we
60 with the Bergen Church / cannot vet
tell what the name will be. At all events,
we will most likely keep our separate
organization, which can be easily done"
DR.. Imbrie said:--"The negotiations
with the Hill church have gone so far that
they will likely be completed"
A SECOND CHURCH VIEW.
In speaking on the subject with gem
tleman connected with the Second Church,
he said:-
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