New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-27
ONE HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
CENTENARY OF THE FIRST REFORMED
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
THE CELEBRATION BEGUN YESTERDAY TO LAST
UNTIL THURSDAY EvENING-AN IN

UNTIL THURSDAY EvENING-AN IN
TEREsTING HISTORY
The centennial celebration Of the frs, Reformed
PRESBYTERIAN Church. No l23 West fwelf;h-st. be-
gan Yesterday and VII he continued this even'ns
tomorrow evening Wednesday evening and 1hnrs-
day evening at o'clock The cnuIch has been
elaborately decora ed with American hags hung
from the ceiling and galleries. and the altar and
pillars have been covered with green garlands
Above the altar is large shield Of whe flowers
bearing the inscription 'l197-ls9n Christs crown
and covenant" The ceremonies yesterday began
with the regular service. when the Rev Dr. paV'd
Steele the father OF the present pastor. rreachea an
historical sermon on The Church OF Our Fathers
In the afternoon there were exercises by the sun
day-school and the Society Of Christian EndeavoF.
and in the evening the pastor the Rev DR. James
D. Steele delivered historical sermon on The
Story Of the Congregation" The programme for
the coming days is
Monday-A public meeting. with addresses refer
ring 10 the history OF the church
Tuesday-A publ, reception to which ben many my
vitcd
Wednesday-A public meeting In reference to the
mission work of the church.
Thursday-An enteri nment in which the younger
members of the congregation will appear In the
costumes Of hundred years age followed oy
reception TO former members ana irlends OF inc
CONGREGATION
William NJ Abbott Is chairman Of the general
committee IN charge of the ce,ebration James R
Turner. secretary. and the Rev. Dr. James ID
Steele. treasurer. An elaborate souvenir programme
commemorative OF the celebration has been issued
The Reformed Presbyterian. or Covenanter.
Church Of America traces its history back 10 the
Reformation Church OF Scotland which vas found
I'd in the yea 1860 The solemn league and cove
nant of the yer 1880 which renewed In 1919.
gave rise 10 the ra lie Covenanters. or Cameroni-
ans. famous in Scottish history. ana whose perse-
cution from 1853 TO oSS. after their defca: Both
-rr1c iolly in Srl ftStt
history Many OF these Covenante-s and their de-
soencants emsra;ed to the American colonies. frs;
10 the Caronas ana from there spread gradually
northward until they reached New-York
For many years the Covenanters were so widely
scattered and the means OF communication
SC inadequate ana expensive that they had no
regular Presbytery. Finally. in l773 the Reformed
Presbytery OF America was formed In Phila-
deiphis. but It was many years before a congre-
cation organized In New-York
In 1870 praying society was regularly held AZ
No Peck slip. the home Of John Agnew. grand
father 0. o. the present trustees OF the church
Tnc members % this praying society December
g. 49,. organized The congregation that continues
10 the present time Its first services held
In A schoolhouse In Cedar-st- The congregation
moved soon af,erward a wooden caurch In
Chamhe:s-st.. where the building o. the American
News Company is al present. In isls this
wooden church replaced The
site by stone ana in 1884. the congre-
CATION having greatly Increased IN size.
other move was made 10 larger house.
at Prince and Marion SITS. This In its turn proving
too small. on August IS 1913. the cornerstone OF
new church was laid and in 1919 the congregation
removed TO It's present home. in West Twelfth 81
From 1901 down to the present time. this chur-n
has been presided over BY only five ministers. TWO
OF whom. father and son. served for nearly
eniy-three years. On July 6. 1871. Mr.. tafterwdrd
the Rev. Dr. Alexander. Macleod was installed ~
pa stor II married daughter OF John Agnew. ir
whose house the original prayer-n.eetings were
held Or. Ma cLeod continued as pastor Until his
death FEBRUARY Il. l8l3. when he succeeded
by his son the Rev. D.. John Mel Macleod. who
also continued pastor TO his death. Ap-il a 1874
The Rev. William WyLe succeeded him. and
continued In charge Of the congregation until
1885. when the pastoral relation YVES. AT his
quest. dissolved. and for the TWO following years
the congregation was without a pastor. In 1851
the Rev. John McC. Stephens became pastor. md
continued until 1883 when th"re was another va
carcy Of TWO years. on April IS. 1881. the Rev
James Dall9s Steele. Pm. D.. the present pastor.
ordained and installed.