The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-05-06
PiuOVS CHT RCH CLOSED.
The Jersey CITY Tabernacle and Its SURFING
Career.

Tn, Jersey CIV Tabernacle or First tongre-
v,tiuual church. which for forty years hns been
opcn To nearly every movement NJ reform, ls
| closed permanently. Ia" ~faCtional fight which
began with IN. consolidation Of The Tnbernaol"
] and tho South Bergen Reformed thn'ch re-
| suited in an announcement hv the trustees that
in future preachinC services would not be ! ed
in III" Tabernacle. The Sunday school ana
| Christian tnd.avor socielio. will he allowed 20
meet in the Tabernacle n long a. their mem
bers choose to keep them going.
The Tabernacle for many Near' was The best
known church in the State of New Jersey
| Organized by abolitioni~t~ IN war tinle-, in a
| copper h,ad district. IT Immediately took an
aggressive stand. undaIntrd hy opposition and
even persecution. in favor of the abolition Of
! slavery. The part taken 10y the Tabernacl" in
| tho strife h etyecn North aud South gained 1t
n wide reputation.
:. Hatch was the originator OF lh" Iaber-
nacie. Coing 10 Jersey city from New England
| he found , little colony " New Eug,1nder~ who
| spnlnudcd hi, suggestion that they form a
| congregational Church on broad principles.
, Tie nrst meeting " the band vas held n, the
residence ~ Mr. Hatch and he and hI~ wife,
Mrs Theodo.ia Hatch. Wen" tho first ,IgncrS
/ OF me covenant. Nv NV WV 10 ~
| John. Mrs. T. T.. ST John. A II Favln, Mrs,
=. r Allen. Ulinoisc Winter Mrs Eivira " inter.
| g. Frank Ilmd Mre. catherine" iund. { II.
hummer. William :. TAYLOR Me Julana lay
Tor, John | DE Hart. Fred W. B. H"mm,ng
Mrs. Mary u. Hpmming, Mrs. Jane S. Hatch,
Harriet + Storrs. Ehrne7pr Watt, Mr.. Fhza Watt
Mr. ru.r riold ThomasG Gillian Mr.. Mary
nh'' nn'" ~ : -
4 Gillian, y. j. D"hhlSoh NhuT"" murray
. aI,r,,r n,.Ar hapNtE.tn
N,s "a ln.h,rc Thoodorc l. SNYDER Mrs.
MRS u "Nn"e, r,a.h
Julia !" SNYDER Henry u NON MI r"lA'p'"
Holt Roxana Srarez, savanna Suarey. Mrs.
r,,, u.,,,o Nrs Nsrv / KIM Mary f..
.""" ~" ,"' - e..
BonneII. I II Shh" anu VIZ Hu"''e """"'
For -orun time The church met in various
b,ll, hr, a. The CONGREGATION grew the need
"n"' ' ~ wv I
OF = hnldihS oI us own wa i"'. .I"'"'
meeting 81 the society uas called therefore in
n.oor,h.r al Il, consider a building prni-
irV'"u' y, ,,La 49,.
&C. The fc"nI' vs. NV" 'e,''"" % NV , NV
nnclc A. The corner ~ York ard Ilr1d"r-ou
,.., ,, e,. ,,, r,.. The buidi,r gpr IS
N''''', "" " ~ n,,I -. ,to r,,,
lame rom W" '''"''''r "''''''' ~ " ''''
pi.r, rs~grcgationa Church in Broohllu
,L,.. -. l,orr =, tive 1,5.rpn.e
,o a., ,,.,,or oC ,L,. ToI,rr,,l,
'F1''''- ~ u" '''.." ,
IN 1881, the Rev John Milton Homes WAS 'al'u
to be Nrst pastor of tho church He WIS tail
- ,n,h rirl ,,, -rcot for rs hoC,.
anu ea"h'' WV" ,""" WV
lie VS. broad and progressive M'l""' o'hS
r,o,col ri. IDEAS ref. in keeping With these
- a., o,rc.r,ti,r ,,ure,.cd IN tho Collowii y
VI u" '''S', a.. r....
resolution adopted Al the hW' tue i'""' "a'I'
WAS built
"p,.oL.y Tb,, il, ia tho wish or ,ho .,co,v
"'."''"' 80" - W" " '"
thnt the trustees shall IN acc"rdancr,,. Htih
nacl" 10 -ll'h u~'s 81 phhll' interest," ana en-
light-nIncnt rs rla{ b"ior tn" highest n.et Illness
th,. commnntty
Mr. Holmes assumed hH new duties ~ the
outbreak Of ia" 'lVI' Wa" In hi" zeal h" m
medIal"iG began rlra'iutE ,irrius wa, scr
mons, BEFORE the waIl-oi ~" inh'rnacI' were
raised whrh mere We're "niN III" loundatI"Io,
with pinnks Tor a r3"r' a war mass ri',lnR
was held TIER. " ,r,~ niertl,E Mr ii"ln,"S
HE cane OUT ~It1nE or We hholh,n 81 TlaN'Iy
and he carried h- hearers WITH nam, here.
a,,er ihr ! aGrrnGr'" Wat Know ~ The h",,"d 81
popular WIN me town ana many threats were
made hoth 10 MI Homes ana ms rHnGrrHa-
ton oppn;iti"H ran nigh ~" day IN" news
was flagpnie on me 'hurch which. SUI there.
ON the GAY TIE good news was heard ~" lah.r-
S S'GIs p on. Isn oT S"m, !" . En,h rrn "q',iq' 'nf 'n" Gos
Nlr. uolnleH appeared J,lst, then ana stiLlng III,
big flag jumped on = high trucl: which stood
Just heneH,h ,hs 1'ar end listened the 6gniinE
seat tor n pulpit, IL, turned to lh,' immense
crowd that had gathered and delivered the
most stirring ana eloquent nf all MS war
speeches his act caused much criticism.
many OF m" COpprrheads holding that II was
des"cratton 10 PM Il fag on a church.
But II WI. AT the time Of the riots N New
York city that The Tab rnarle experienced the
most exciting time For several days a mob
was let locs" that threatened IN destroy and
Kill, Tho mob hunted negroes and those who
sheltered then, burned their hUutes. Iualtreated
them, siruir them up to i%amppo;ts or any
thing convenient, ,r heat them ~ death, Every
ferryboat took loads of frightened negroes
TO New Jersey. Every day saw them running
up Grand street, toward Grrenville and the
outlying country FOR shelter.
Any negro who came across Mr. Holmes
AZ that time was safe Tho Tabernacle had
an immense loft running over the entire build
ing In this Mr.. Holmes mlt the frightened
negroes who applied 10 him for shelter and
there he kept them until danger was past
II did not become known generally until the
feeling had died down that Mr.. Holmes had
made that usa Of the building. The general
| character Of he religious services hold aroused
the .ecessionists ,nd they threatened. IN tho
day. Of the riot. to destroy tho Tahe rnaCln.
This became known and the Young ucn Of tho
congregation determined 10 prevent IL They
armed themselves with rifles. revolyrrs and
| clubs and remained in tho church to protect
it,. Mr.. Holmes with them. They nstab-
lshnd picker. outside the building and waited