New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-18
TWO CHURCHES NAY UNITE.
METHODISTS CONSIDERING UNION.
AMBITIOUS PLANS OF ST. PAUL's And ST.
I,vES'S cONcPrG ATIoSs

AMBITIOUS PLANS OF ST. P>UL's And ST
JAMEss CONGREGATIONS.
A proposition has been made by the congregation
Of 81. Jamcss Methodist Episcopal Church, Madison
and one hundred and twenty siXihst.. to the trn'
OF St Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church. which
formerly stood Twenty econi-st. and Fourth ave-
TO unite the congregations in one church and TO
build In Harlem n large Temple OF Mcthodsm,' as
one Of the members OF ~. Pau's congregation "N-
pressed II. The proposition has been under conSid
grafton by The 81. Paul people for some time. and 1t
Is highly probable that il will be accepted
A member OF II. Pauls Church said Ia Trbun"
reporter: ." don't see how congregation can do
any better than Ly going 10 Harlem and uniting with
some other church 80 rs form strong central
organization for church work. In fact there i no
| other place for 10 90 unless go oil Manhattan
Island The east side Of the city IS out Of the qucs
ton that l., OF the Third elevated railroad
10 bnild Il large church below Fifty nintnst. would
only be repeating the bunder we made In building at
Twenty secOnd 81 and FOurihavc. for by the time ihc
church structure completed and IN full working
order the need Of moving uptown would again con
front II would d. equally difficult for 70 cSiab
llsh oursevc, west OF Central Park for that ~ ALREADY
supplied with Methodist Episcopal churches AMI con
grcgatons Of other denominations.
ave seriously thought Of purchasing tho plot Of
ground nj West Endavc. and Eighty -sxth-s but ns
much Of the property there j. restricted against
fiat houses there never be- a very large popiIla-
ton there, and 81. Andrews Church I'LL all the
requirements Of the present and future. Then there
Is Grace Methodist Episcopal Church In Onc-hnndred
and fourthst., IN AN even more thny populated part
OF the city. This leaves the choice of going to
Harlem or of going of the island altogether
william a. Martin. trustee Of ST. James's Church.
said To Tribune reporter: We made the proposition
Of uniting church with 4. Panl's som" time ago
and | believe II would De mutually advantageous. |
have long advocated the removal Of st. James,
Church from It's present site In Madsonavc and one
hundred and twenty -slXthst. To some place further
southwest, say In the neighborhood Of Lenoxaye.
and Onehundrcd and -tweneth-st. The present home
Of 81. James's Is not central II the outer edge
OF Its congregation, that many do not attend II.
am confident that a strong Methodist Episcopal
church near LenOx-ave. and within ten blocks of
Cnc-hundrcd and twcnty-nfth 81. would be great
gain for Mcthodists In this city. geographically
Onchundrcd and twenty -Anhst. Is the centre OF New
York City, and IL will be a question oil Only ir"
more years when 1t will be the centre OF population
It. James's Church has only small d"bt, som"
10000, while It's property is worth ABOUT rI'"ooo
ST. Pauls Church has $4,000 In cash besides an
annuity OF 81 200 a year By putting this money to-
gcthcr could build not only n church, but other
buildings devoted TO the purposes o 'it en- worh'
which would exceed anything OF us khn IN lhe conll-
try. And by the time these DniidmIs ~"re con-
plctcd and the church wOr, under way III" centre
Of population wout he well on It's march toward one
hundred and twenty -fthst. Thus III ihc course OF
few years should find stronghoin oi Mc'hodishl
In the heart OF America, mciropoH,' c
Another why the r"Ino'ai OF o. James
Church from It's present site wonld De desirable t
construction OF elevated roan"aE i"r me new
York Central tracks In Parkav". Jh'l PACK 81 the
church. The railroad will have II sta'loh nv one
hunirc land twenty slxthst. and PdrhaVe which will
injurc the church property.