New-York tribune., 1894-06-25
EFFORTS TO SlCE ~ OID CHrECH



TROUBLES on 1 DOWNTOWN PROTESTANT Eris-
cJrAL PARISH
The Church of ,hc Hos Martyrs ono of the few
d,wntown Protestant Episcopal churches * IIver-
i,s,l - ba sol! for d4bt ncNi Friday dt noon. AMI
unless friend Of the church comes - - rescue
by that time "a vii. bc lost 20 the den animation n
th., city. From pr'aent irlica'ions II is likely 20
fiI la'1 thc hands Of the Hebrews. cvcutuliiy 20
become a synagogue THIS condition u things IS
extremely dl-,nsleful to The church authorities here,
ami en )r,s are being made 20 Induce some one -
wealth - buy the property .n and thus save II 10
continue the work IL has done since 1876. when 1t
became a part of the diocese of Nrw-YOrk. under
Bishop Horatio Potter. Whether his effort - pre-
serve 1t VII be successful. cannot yet b. toll.
The history Of the church and Of the clrcum-
stances which have LED up the existing depOrabie
state Of affairs Interesting ami peculiar The
building which Is situated 40 No. - Forsyhs', IS "A
small unpretenioua structure. VOL back from the
street. on lot whose dimensions are y BY lO feet
1t built IN 1851. ana was used by denon!na-
tlon Of AIvortisis. They believed that the world
would come 20 an end on particular day In 1850
But time proved that the calculations of the sect
were wrong. TIE memb,rs Of the congregation. who
had assembled In the little FJrsyth-st church -
await the supreme moment. were dfnppontri and
the parish Was broken up. At this time thr Rev
James Mi.eu rector Of the Church of the Holy
Martyrs then situated IN i.uliow ST, where II had
be,n but Ten years before. thought that the site IN
F)rsyth-s'. would be- preferable To- the IN Iud-
low s. and the prOper! was purchased for M hoIy
MGrfyis thurcn. The dcti Of transfer was Gated
Angus; l5 1876.
Forsyih-st WAS then the home Of many families
Of wealth and. although the Church OF the Hoy
Martyrs was made free. II received hearty support
About he end Of that period, however ihr wei do
Ep4SCppdllaus began TO move uptown. ana, ittc by
ilitle thr parish .ost rs strength but Mr. M,llett
st remained 20 minister % the wants OF his grad
ua.y diminishing congregation.
Affairs III the church went from bad to worse. and
the ary o. the rector became greatly IN arrears.
tO their rector. for $1,000 Since then ne IN
tcrrst has accumul1ieI 10 such an extent that all
hope OF NQdating u through the ~noris u ihe
parish Itself .Ong ago passed. and the alternative u
condition Of things Ia FOrsy hist not generally
known throughout ihe diocese. ana the elimination
has caused considerable surprise. II j. aaid that
Trinity Corporation has laie.y contributed SIN al
sum toward the support Of ihe ferb" parish an
nua.y. Mr.. M4lett ihe rector. Is strl alive and
he remained ia active charge of his work until
through innrmlty. lie has been IN the ministry for
iifty-siN years. IL has been the rector Of the
Church OF the Holy Martyrs since Its establish
ment before that being ASSISTANT rector Of Epiphany
Church n SianiOn-st Since Mr. Mlllett com
pe.ed 10 retire The church has been minstcred 10
By young divinity student.
have looked upon the Episcopal church there as an
eXcc,len; bull,ng for synagogue. and II s prob
able thn' II Will be bought for that purpose. II 1t
can be purchased at reasonable figure. 1t l. said
that the properly Is worth about $4,000. n the
cnurch auhortfs here can prevent H. however. 4
Will not be- permitted 10 he sod to any outside
derstood that Bishop potier feels that cessation
OF work In the downtown parts ~ he city should
be permitted, and. II i should be bought In by some
one In the Interest Of the Episcopal Church II VII.
| the Cathedral Mission. formerly the old Epiphany
House. at No. 130 Stanton-st