The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-09-28
CORNER STONE LAID.
Impressive Ceremonies at
the Central Avenue Re-
formed Church,
HISTORY OF THE CONGR EGATIoN
The Parish Organized BY the Rev.
DR.. Mahon--Its Steady
Progress.
HISTORY OF THE CONGREGATION

The corner stone of the new church
which the members Of tbs Central Ave
Reformed Church ara building In
the vicinity OF Central avenue and Bow.
ers street, just across Bowers street from
the present structure, was laid during
impressive ceremonies yesterday after
loo
The new building is to be a two-story
brick, Of Romanesque architecture de-
signed by l.. b. Walk & Sons. The Sun
day school in the basement will accom-
modate between four hundred aud
five hundred pupils, and the seating
capacity OF the auditorium above viii be
about five hundred. Tue new structure
Is to cost between $4,000 and $50. GEO.
Ground was broken for the Foundation
Of the site about three mouths ago, and
the new structure is being reared upon a
rocky foundation.
THE SERVICES YESTERDAY.
The services OF yesterday consisted Of
exercises In the old building at three
O'Clock in the afternoon, and addresses
by the Rev. Cornelius Brett, d. D.,
President of the General Synod of the
Dutch Reformed Church of America; the
Rev. j. F. Morgan. representing the
Chassis OF Bergen, and the R.v. e. N.
Crasto OF the Palisade NJ. E. Church,
and the Rev. E. A. Meury of the Second
Central Avenue Reformed Church.
After the devotional services the i'm :
mense congregation gathered about the
foundation of the new building. where
the corner stone was laid. Pastor Charles
5. Wright officiating. He handled a
trowel. silver plated and inscribed, as he
repeated the usua church service upon
such occasions: II lay tue corner stone
of a house to be erected and devoted to
the service of Almighty God, In the name
OF the Father, ana the Son, and the Holy
Ghost. Other Foundation eau no mau
lay than that is laid. which is Christ
Jesus. Except the Lord huild the house
they labor in vaiu that build t."
The audience hen united ia repeating
the Apostles creed, after which the pastor,
first tapping tne stone with his troWei,
deposited of a hollow In the stone the
roll OF the Church membership. and of
the Sunday school, q of the diff arent
organizations of the Church, IL copy Of
The JERSEY CITY NEWS, coins COM
~tributed, aud a copy of the constitution
OF the Reformed Church in America.
PASTOR WRIGHT's ADDRESS.
The Rev. Charles 5. Wright, as Pastor
OF the congregation, delivered Il histor,
ical address OF considerable interest. a
synopsis Of which reveals the fact that
the Rev. W. V. Mahon, L. l.. d., recently
Professor of Theology at the New Bruns-
wick Seminary. but at the time a pastor
at New Durham, suggested the establish
tnent of a Reformed Church organization
in the vicinity of the present structure in
1871. He bought the lot and built the
church, the building and church costing
about $4,000. Then he arranged with
the Board Of Domestic Missions
of The Reformed Church to
fuEn tHn yynrl- t1,dnp ifu =,
Fol a short while the services were OF
a missionary character, Rev. Mr.. Camp
bell for a time had charge of the mission,
According to the minutes of the Chassis
OF Bergen. the church was organized
July 10. 1872, and Incorporated about the
same time. Twenty-three persons signed
the application. though there were but
twelve charter members: Willard L.
| Eddy. Susan Eddy, Peter D. Vreeland,
Ilsvinia +. Vreeland, Peter Conover,
Catlarine Conover, James Christie,
| Charity Christie, Henry B. Robinson,
Margaret G. Robinson, William D..
Smith aud Johu Fletcher. Twenty six
other names were added during the fol-
lowing Novetub Der. OF these there are
still residing within easy call and still In
church worK-John B. Harvey, Elizabeth
L. Harvey, Mary LowerY and Samuel
and Elizabeth Miller.
PROSPECTING. g..
In 1878 the ~church, according to the
books or the Chassis, was in a prosperous
condition. The names of the various
pastors, with the order of their succession,
are given as follows:-The Revs. George
H. Pool, George l. Wolfe. Algernou Mat
thews, Waiter 4. Griffith, William Handy
and the present pastor. the Rev. G. s.
Wright, who was installed in 1888, and
has since Laen a power for gool in the
community.
AT the beginning OF the present pas.
torate the property was held in the name
OF DR.. Mahon. 1t was purchased of him
early In 18S4,gAt hat time there were 121
members on the church roll. Since then
180 have been received into the church,
Dut the roll has been decreased some
what by deaths aud removals. The total
membership is now 1853. The amount
raised and expended in church work by
the congregation is something IL the
neighborhood of $780, 00.
The site of the new building was pur.
chased of the Hon. Henry Brantieau,
who has been a true friend OF the church,
and has manifested a spirit of public
interest in the general welfare of TIE
community thut has won the respect of
the entire community. Or the $4,000
needed to build the new structure about
| GiO 00O hay 70 clroadu hoor raioad -