The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-02-12
4 CHURCH'S GROWTH.
History Of the Struggle
Made by Episcopalians
to Organize in
GreenVllle.
REeEoRs WHO HAVE OBLIGATED
Troubles and Triumphs of Grace
P. E. congregation-Among
the Churches
REUTORs WHO HAVE OBLIGATED

Inc cAange IN the cholr % tat Itieo
P. +. Church, Pearsall and Ocean ave
aues. GreenRille. made, a short time ago
by the rector, the Rev. Percival c. Pyle.
when he introduced a surpliced boys
choir of twenty voices, has greatly bene-
fitted thai church and has met with the
hearty approval of the congregation, as
we'll as of the members of ~tleechoir. Al
though comparatively new alongside Of
n of the older choirs, it stands second
to none IN the city. There are now
about twenty-five Boys in the choir OF
this grand old church which enjoys the
distinction of being one of the oldest
churches of its faith in Hudson county.
OrgaBist p. Richter has charge of the
boys and is present at all the rehear-
sails.
The history of this church dates back
thirty years, all of which have been
marked with much progress. Charltable
work, however, is not lacking in this lit
tie congregation, and much oil It mas
been done since the church was organ
lied in 1864. Although this edifice does
not compare with many of the larger ana
more wealthy congregations it has one
of the finest houses of worship IN ene
city, and the interior makes up IN Beauty
for what is lacking in the exterior. Ihe
congregation was organized at a meeting
held at the residence of DR.. Bernard Il.
Budd. on Danforth avenue, on the even
ing Of January a 1854. A ina tlme
WIZ CIV I<P4oSOP1iASAt '
VILE, but those residing there determined
to organize a church, and the meeting
held at DR.. Buddis hous was an en-
4thtlsiastic one. The first business trans
acted after the adoption OF a .eonstltu-
ton and bylaws was the election OF q
board of Vestrymen. Those elected We're
mour. wardens, John A. Schuyler, Lewis
b.. Bruen. J.. B.. Pidgeon, ID. Reynolds
Budd and Henry Seymour;
The first service was held at the NOME
- r n p1n on &1Jnd4 evening,
January 81, 1864. William G. Hughes,
postulant and lay reader under the Rev-
f. Putnam, rector of ST. Pauls at Ser,
gen Point. officiated. Services We're hela
at the homes of the different members
for about five months after the cnurch
was. organized. Finally an old building,
situated in the vicinity OF oId befgen
Road and Danforth avenue, which was
formerly used for factory purposes, was
secured and after much time and money
was spent in thoroughly r~enovatlns the
old building, the first service was neiu
there on June 13, 1864. The Rev. DR.. Cal
laudet. of ST. AIMS New York. of1ciated
III the morning. the Rev. Mr.. Putnam OF
Bergen in the AFTERNOON ahu the nep.
III. Jaeger OF Bergen folnl III 'ue eset
The new church was then christened
Grace Mr. Hughes continued IN
October %. 1864, when the Rt. Rev. Will
lam H. Odenheimer. Bishop OF New ser
sew. ordained him deacon. He was can,
cd as r6ctOr-elSCI OIL APIl Np' ioc' "HO
or May 5, in the year following as rec
for of the parish, which position he re-
signed on September 5. 1867, after serving
the church for a period a o. I'M shree ,s ytars
have succeeded him:-The Rev. john X;
Matthews, called April 20, 1868; resigned
October 20. 1869. The Rey; Fredeg r. $50 ~:
rector. April "a, 1879; resigned November
% 1872 but continued in charge until July
i. 1873. The Rev. James W. Soe, MINIS
Gnril %, 1874; resigned June 80, 1877. Rev.
Chalmers d. Chapman, minister m
charge December l. 1877; rector-eleet. May
j, 1875; rector, November 2 1873; resigneo;
spring of December, 1896. Rev. PerciVal
q PYLE, rector, December. 1895, and is
Grace p. q. Church was Incorporated
on May 1. 1865, and its present churen
opened for win service on December
q 1872 The church passed through a
very stormy period during the last few
years of Rev. Chapman,s reetorsmlp
an attempt to bring about the with
drawal from the pastorate OF rector
CHAIRMAN after nineteen years service;
some charged that throat trouble ana
desfness had rendered him unfit for SER
vice as rector any onger, and an efort
was made to induce him to Withdraw;
II was said tha he would be presented
with a. purse to tide him Tor a year
or So and that at the end of that time
q smafJ parish would be secured for him
60 that he could earn enough money
to keen him during his remaining years.
Mr. Chapman would agree to none OF the
PROPOSITIONS. and then the struggle Tor
supremacy began.
Many of the wealthy members VINO
were behind the movement to nring
about the withdrawal of the rector pc
came tired of the struggle and resigned.
going to St. Johns and the Church OF
the Holy Cross on Claremont avenue. The
faithful few who remained with Pastor
Chapman worked hard to maintain the
church organization. but the membership
dwindled steadily until July, 1896, When
fhe announcement was made that Rector
cha pman had resigned to accept a charge
in a small parish in North Carolina.
railing health was announced as the
cause of his resignation. Immediately
after his retirement a number of clergy
men were secured for services on Sun
DAYS. among them the Rev. Percival c.
pyle then of ST. Agnes Church, Lafay-
cite He made a most favorable impress
sion and in December of that year was
extended a call, which he accepted It
was then that the wealthy members OF
the congregation, who retired a short
time before, returned and took q new
interest in the affairs Of the church.
Ever since Mr.. Pyle has taken charge the
church has made rapid strides and is at
present in a very healthy condition, both
hi point of membership n finances.
Rector Pyle is a young man, but is very
well liked throughout the parish and is
receiving loyal support.
ro1ro nr1