New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-12
CHURCH OF THE COVENANT.

CHURCH OF THE COVENANT
November 1850 year later the place of Torahp
ana Fifth-ave where Delmonico's now is. Here, on
March o.. 1862, the church was ORGANIZED. elgh.
three persons presenting eerlcatSs Sr n o,o
Buck aud Frederick c. Eurnham were elected
so aSi ,stoI,td on Nm% III cornorstono Of the
present building was laid November 3. is5 AMI
the church was dedicated April 80. $50 The
parsonage vas finished two years later, It was
work requiring great faith. courage and devotion
IL WAS tho rcnova; Of an old corrrogation. put
the gathering OF an entirely now one derendent
from it's birth on its own resources. ana tAis anna
all the strain and excitement OF the var
A CHAPEL ESTABLISHED.
Tie congregation was hardly established In the
new church before 1t began another and scarcely
less important work. In January. 1866 rooms we're
secured over q stable in Fortcth-st.. near Third
ave- ard mission Sunday-school was c,artei win
twelve teachers and scholar. In December
1891. as the outgrowth OF this work. Covenant
Chapel. No. 80 Eas; Forty-second-st, was COM
pleted at cost OF 5000 1t has always sustained
the relation Of beloved child to the church. and II
has well repaid the fostering bestowed upon
it. 1t is church OF 30 members. Nib a sun
The New School General Assembly met in the
School Assembly at the same time met in the
Brick Church this Their last meeting as seIs-
rate bodies and 1t was in these churches that the
reunion OF the two branches of the Presbyteriar
Church. divided FOR thirty-two years was encc'ed'
T to- accept rssfHeq nn IN nn s
and in April DR.. Marvin r. Vincent was called
was installed on May g.
THE MEN WHO FILLED ITS PEws.
I quote from the "New-York Evangelist" part of
article by Dr. Vincent. which refers to the period
covered by his ministry:
Such congregation as 1t was; Representing so
DIR. Prentss and Henry E. Smith and Dr. Eastman
pr Stc~ nob dq head appeares
under the fourth gallery. and his son Albert was a
the light through the coiored panes falling on his
fun white beard. his Greek Testament in his hand
McLane and Brayton Ball Henry Walker. Yale.
stlmson. and Streeter The LAWYERS. too, we're q
DR. Post; Charles Butler opposite; John r. Crosby
further down: William Walter Phelps over on the
m aisle k nar Ga m the So early On
away IN the freshness Of his manhood, with all his
G. strong gO and Wam G. choate and Wam G.
Whi'nSy and Hugh D. 'e Tssr and MI '" H9ppn
artists. too Mrs Candace Wheeler and her daugh-
ter Dora; and Oliver Lay and George Yewell and
There were the two scribners' John Blair and
Elizabeth Prentiss and Whltelaw Reid and Charles
l. Norton and Edward s. Mead and Stephen
affairs. William Z. Dodge and Joseph r. '' Skid.
more sat In adjoining pews. Robert Gordon, with
knew him. Close behind him William H. Osborn. =
large man every way: People who had any sham
about them generally gave him wide berth
Thomas Denny's line scholarly face looked up from
The front The middle aisle There were Harvey
There were William II; II, Moore and Richard II
Kecam a and osph T srs6ns and ThT a
In 1874 the interior OF the church changed The
expense OF this, together with a previous obligation
and mortgage on the Covenant Chapel. amounting
In all to 5000 was all discharged by two efforts
property free from debt when laid down the pas.
torate in lSSS.'
RECENT HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
DR.. Vincent resigned in November 1881 to accept
the Professorship OF Sacred Literature In Union
Seminary. The present pastor was called In Octo-
Der. 1855 and installed in December. For five years
the church has gone quietly Its way a united
harmonious family. 1t has been seriously weakened
by the death of of it's strongest men and
noblest women Charles ID. Adams, Walter Howe
Harvey Fisk. Oliver b. Jennings. Philip schaff
Mrs; Thomas Denny: Mrs. Charles II. Rogers Mrs
been taken away and their places have not been and
cannot be filled Apart from these losses the church
mine. The congregations have increased the Sun.
day-school has trebled Its membership. the benev-
In addition TO the pew rents. which have necessarily
been high you have had to raise 5000 year for
the expenses OF the church and 81 ECO a year for
the chapel The burden has rested upon a few and
been Se S Il
TWO years OF its existence the church has contrib
CO., Fully half Of this has gone into o' mission
airy work the other half to the building and sup
port Of the church. '
For years the future of this church has been a
source OF increasing anxiety to many of YOU The
situation has never been favorable to the develop
ment OF a strong church. 1t is out Of the way and
there are forty Protestant churches within a radius
OF half a mile The people here are either ident-
ned with other churches or Indifferent to all
churches. To the east OF a very small
percentage OF the population is Protestant and
these are needed by the chapels and churches in
That region; For nearly year you have had be-
fore you the question of union with the Brick
Church. You have decided without a dissenting
voice to merge your life in theirs. You could have
continued for many years as you are drawing IL
necessary on our large and valuable property
But you have regarded this property as a sacred
trust committed into your hands. and after care
fully considering every alternative, II has seemed
TO you that this trust could be best administered
by the reinforcement and permanent endowment
OF the Brck Church. that so amid the manifold
changes OF the future OF our Presbyterian
city. - Wv