The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-01-28

BERGEN BAPTISTS.
Fortieth Anniversary Of
Clinton Avenue Church
Soon to Be Celebrated.
FOUR DAYS SERVICES
Sketch of the Origin and
Growth of This Congre-
gation-Among the
Churches.

Forty years ago, in the Town of Bergen,
for the townships had not been con-
solidated at that time, what is now the
Bergen Baptist Church was organized by
a little band of Baptists. There were
few. if any, churches of that denomination
in existence in what is now Jersey City
and very few Baptists. On February 5,
1859, the Bergen Baptist Church was or
ganized by Deacon Schopp and a few
other Baptists who were without a place
of worship. On February 3, 1888, the
fortieth anniversary of the church will
be celebrated in a fitting manner, and the
programme arranged for the celebration
is a most appropriate one. The exercises
will last four days, and these will indeed
be enjoyed by the large congregation.
The pastor, the Rev. John c.. Allen, has
history of the church and trace the work
event and has succeeded in completing
the anniversary plans. The programme is
announced as follows
Sunday morning, anniversary discourse
by the pastor; Sunday afternoon. adj
dresses by former superintendent w. H.
Sutton and the Rev. George C. Wilding
of Headden Methodist Church; Sunday
evening, sermon by the Rev. It. j. Morgan,
LII. D., of New York; Monday evening,
fraternal greetings; addresses by the Rev.
Cornelius Brett, d. D., of the Bergen Re
formed Church: the Rev. w. L. Hoagland
of the Emory Methodist Church., the Rev.
Benjamin Otto, with devotional exercises,
led by the Revs. w. C. Chalmers and
Charles E. Little. Tuesday evening,
social reunion of present and former
members, addresses by Hon. Charles
Leider and the Rev. T. J. Whitaker of
Brooklyn, n. Y. Wednesday evening, an
niversary prayer meeting. The organist,
Prof Frank C. Dessert, has prepared a
programme of excellent music for this
occasion, and the members of the church
choir. of twenty-five voices, have volun-
teered to sing at all the exercises. The
assistant organist, Howard Losey, and
the harpist. Henry T.. Pond, will also
assist. Nothing like this programme has
ever been proposed before for this church,
and the members of the congregation are
looking forward with interest to this
event, which will undoubtedly terminate
with the anticipated success. The pastor
in his anniversary address will give the
histaory of the church and trace the work
back a number of years. The portion of
the church history on which he will lay
the most stress will be that of the three
years since he has been pastor.
Very few records of this bid church,
which stands at Madison and Clinton ave-
nues, nave been kept. From what can
be learned, the first services were held in
a house at Bergen avenue, and what was
then called the Newark Plank Road. but
now C~ommunipaw avenue. After the lit
tie bard organized. it progressed with
rapid strides. until sufficient money was
realized with which TO buy the site. where
the handsome edifce and chapel now
stand. The chapel, which faces on Clin-
ton avenue was built first. This is OF
red brick, and is two stories high with a
basement. Huge sheds were erected near
the chapel and the worshippers when they
drove to the services in their old time
rigs, nitched their horses beneath this
shelter. A petition was also sent to the
Town Council, asking for oil lamps. This
was granted. For years this chapel
stood, but like all old things, it had to
give way in time to a more suitable house
of worship for the INCREASING congrega-
ton. 1t was ten years after the chapel
was erected that the church was built.
1t is SO well known that a description is
unnecessary. There was a clock in the
tower at one time, but age has done it's
work, and the machinery has long ceased
to tick off the seconds. The Roman num-
bers on the face are all that is left of
the tinepiece.
In the summer time beautiful vines
creep up the sides of the church, and the
effect is a very pretty one. Since the
building of the church, the Sunday
School services, prayer meetings and en-
t~ertainments and sociables have been held
H. 81 L r. -.