New-York tribune., 1902-04-27
TABERNACLE.
ANOTHER MOVE UPTOWN FOR THIS HIS
TORIC CHURCH-IDEAS OF FINNEY.
THE FAMOUS REvIvALIST. CAR
RIED OUT IN FIRST EDIFICE-

The Broadway Tabernacle the solid dignif1ed
and severely forbiddng brownstonc edifce
which raises its square tower in the heart of the
city at Sixth-ave. and Thirty-fourth-st-. is to
be torn down to make way for commercial
structure, and this is the last day of Sunday
worship in it for the big congregation There
will be prayer meeting next Wednesday even
ing the last night in April, which will continue
until midnight, at which hour the title to the
church passes cut of the hands of the trustees
For more than forty years the pioneer Congre-
Gational church in this city has worshipped
under the high arched roof of the building from
which it is departing with more or less
regret. Further up Broadway. at Fifty-sixth-
st. a site is being cleared for new and greater
tabernacle, and within year the congregation
VIII again be in home of its own.
Last Sunday the Rev Dr. Charles F. jefferson,
the pastor appealed to the congregation for
series of endowmeuts aggregating $i2J0oo and
at the morning service to-day the result VIII be
announced. lie wants to make the new tabcr-
nacle monument to the Puritans which viii
last for a thoIsand years. and generous en-
dowments are necessary The tabernacle site
at thirty fourth-st. cost the church $500" IN
1887 and VS. sold for more than $100popo-
After purchasing the site for new tabernacle
and paying the churchs debts there is left Of
half OF which will be spent for the new church
and parish house buildings. the plans of which
are now being drawn. DR.. jefferson has asked
for endowrnents for the church library. Tor
music. for the Bible school for daily Lenten
lectures. for the support of students. for church
extension and finally Bethany Church 1und
of 100000. No names will be made public but
the amounts raised for each fund Will be an
nounced
The tabernacle has a history more interesting
than that which usually falls to the lot Of a
church. More than sixty years ago the Kew
Charles C. Finney. revivalist, came TO TINS
city from New England. The services he "on'
ducted made many converts. and from among
them the Tabernacle Church was formed. Many
Free Presbyterians became members, and me
church was soon recognized as a power III the
community.
Services were held in different places for
time and finally a plot of ground was purchased
In Broadway, between Catherine Lane and An
thony-st now Worth-st novel structure
was erected after the ideas of the Rev Mr.
Finney who wanted church where the Gf'aI-
est possible number of people could be addressed.
The plans provided for an auditorium 100 feet
square with a pulpit in the centre and seats
in circular rows, and the name Tabernacle "ai
given to it. More people could hear the lnlh-
iser's voice than in any other church OF ne
time Before the building was entirely finished
the rumor was circulated that white and col
ored people to sit in the same pews In ne
new church. on this account the building vas
set on fire. The fremen refused to fight the
flames and the structure was burned out Anti
slavery advocates aroused by the outrage,
and funds Immediately available for le-
building When completed, section of peWs
was set aside for colored people When Dr. Tai
mage's first Brooklyn Tabernacle was erected
it was modelled the Broadway structure
The Rev Dr. Joseph P. Thompson. the well
known editor and author, was the first pas
tor Of note taking charge of the church
in 1915. He strenuous abolitionist, and
in one of the darkest periOdS of the hA