The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-09-17
BERGEN'S new FAME
Pastor Grant Congregation
Has 0utgroWn Its Pres
ent Building.
PL ANS OF THE PROPOSED STRUCTURE
Architectural Beauty and Practical
Utility Combined-L0cal
Church Notes.
pL ANS OF THE PROPOSED STRUCTURE

The South Bergen Reform3t Church
has ontgrown its present quarters, and
before many months have passed it will
add another TO the number of church
buildings hat beautify Jersey City
Heights. The intersection of Boyd and
BERGEN avenues is The site selected, and
as already stated in THE JERSEY CITY
NEWS. ground has been broken, The foun-
Gation almost completed. and an extra
force of men put to work.
Judging from the plans of the new
chur1h, it unites Architectural beauty
with practical utility to a degree not often
found. The style is Il moiiied Roman
esque, a hint of later Gothic in the perch
aud in minor decorative details giving an
air of added strength without interfering
with the sincerity of the design. There
are Two entrances to the church building,
one on Bergen avenue aud one at the
base of Il gracefui bell tower at the corner
OF the TWO streets. The tower is sup
ported by four pillars and IT jActs owe.
The entrance. The upper portion, where
the bell is to hang, is open, and finished
VITA four alcles. The PASTORS study &C.
cnpie+ the mlddle portion; There is also
II aller tower on the Bergen avenue
corner, containing two large p~irlors.
INTERIOR ARRANGEMENT.
The interior is OF a slrIkingly original
and beaut full design. Tie pulpit will be
placed i'll the corner directly opposite the
entrance. with foul broad aiSles
rad.ating from it. and intersecting semi
circular rUWS of pews. This arrangement
Is 10 give an increased seating caDacity,
as the Sunday scaool hall. which is separ-
ated from the main building by sliding
Rlsss doors, may be thrown open when
occasion demands, bringing the pulpit in
a central position, and increasing the
seating capacity from 100 to 1900.
There will he two large round windo WIS
Which will be nlled with amber glass for
the present, until they eau be repla ced
by stained glass. The organ ana choir
seats will be placed back of the pulpit.
The ceiling will be frescoed and the i'm
ishings of hard wood. A semicircular
gallery will extend along three sides of
The church.
The Sunday School building in the rear
will be pushed to completion as soon as
possible, and used for services pending
the erection of the main building. II
viii be SO by IS feet, three stories and
basement, with turf cts. The main hall,
rs before stated, opens upon the church
by sliding doors, and a broad gallery runs
along three sides, opening on the main
floor by "well," and reached by wind
ing stairways. Here the infant class and
several other classes will meet. There
are also several smaller rooms for yestrv.
cloak room, Sunday School library, and
class use. The pupils VIII enter on Boyd
avenue. In the basement is a large hall,
which will he used as a sort of boys club
room, with possibly the equipment of a
gymnasium. 1t may also be used for eu-
tertainments. In the basement are also
toilet rooms. store rooms and cellars,
boiler room and kitchen.
The exterior will present an impoSinp
appearances, being furnished in Believiile
brown stone on the Boyd and Bergen ave-
hue SIDES, and in brick on the other two.
The roof will be slate, and tarrets and
towers will be rooted with slate. The
whole edlhce will cover the entire lot of
63 by 10 feet, and present a gratifying
comparison to the little brown wooden
structure which the congregation has so
outgrown. The cost of the building is
estimated at $4,000 inclusive of heating.
HOW IT WAS BUILT.
Til e congregation and Consistory have
been considering ways and means for Il
new church for d long time past, and
early III the spring, invited estimates
from a number of architects. The result
was discouraging, as the lowest figure
named was greatly IN advance of whaU
the church felt itself able to paw. The
subject was postponed indefinitely, and
everyone supposed the matter settled for
some time. when Architect Louis H.
Giele submitted plans and specifications
which met the main difficulty by supply |
ing a suitable. convenient and arehi- |
tecturally beautiful building at a price
within their means. The various com
mittees approved the plans and work on
the foundations began almost i'm
mediately.
1t is supposed that the Sunday school
building will be completed some time in
the early spring, and services Will be
held there until the church is opened.
which will probably be in the course OF a
year from the present date. The growth
of the Sunday school has been an imEor-
tant factor in the erection of a new
building. and it will nave plenty of space
i'll its new aud handsome Bovd avenue
quarters Pastor William D. Grant is
working for the new church with all the
energy that characterlzes all his minis
terial labors, and the congregation feel
assured that their cause is in good hands.
Rev. Mir. Grant has built up a reputation
for himself since his installation, for
thoughtful. practical discourses, as well
as conscientious pastoral work, and his
influence has had much to do with the
rapid growth of the congregation.
LOCAL CHURCH NOTES.