The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-05-24
Led BY HYMNS
How the Coytesville Con
gregationalists Became
Episeopalians.
new SERVICE TOMORROW
Members Are Preparing for
Confirmation and Child
ern Will bs Bap tized.


In its little church at Coytesyille its
first service under the full Episcopal
form will be held tomorrow by the mem-
bers of the Congregational Church,
which recently espoused the Protestant
Episcopal faith and has been received as
one of the churches of the Episcopal
diocese. The congregation consists of
about forty families, and most Of its
members are now preparing for confirms
alton in their new faith.
The Rev. J. A. McCleary, rector of the
Episcopal Church at Edgewater, and his
curate, Irvine Goddard, have been large
ly instrumental in bringing about the
change of creed. Archdeacon William
r.. Jenyey, of Hoboken, at the Episco-
pal Diocesan Convention held in Orange,
Thursday, made extended announcement
of the coming over of the congregation
to the Episcopal faith, and since then lit
tie else has been talked about among the
church people along this shore of the
Hudson.
The little brown church was erected
by mere handful of Congregationalista
fourteen years ago, in Coytesville, which
is on the Palisades, near Fort Lee. Then
there were not more than a dozen families
represented in the congregation. Its
members were chiefly dissenters from
the old Dutch Reformed Church. But
from the very first disturbing influences
seemed at work in the church. For a
time students from the Congregational
Union of New York were sent to preach
there and then the Rev. John Floyd was
secured as pastor Mr. Floyd was not
satisfactory to the factions of the church
and after another period Of student
preaching, the Rev. Stephen w. Ladder
came into the little church. But he was
unable to paeify the warning elements
and left. Next the Rev. David Brown
became the head of the flock, but he soon
gave up the charge, and the Rev. Mr..
! coming back the second time.
Then the church was closed for year
or SO. During this period another cal
amity threatened. Thomas W. Black, a
| member of the congregation. thought the
church property should be sold. To this
other members of the congregation OBJ
jected Another bitter war was started.
Mr.. Black had on his side his own family
and his two son-in-laws, NJ. j. Danziger
and r. w. Morrison. Although greatly
in the minority, they proved capable of
skilful generalship and succeeded in hav-
| ing the affairs of the church taken into
court
| In order to keep the church alive a
| handful of the congregation began again
| to hold services. The first step toward the
Episcopal faith was probably taken
when George H. Doggett went into the
church one Sunday to play the organ.
Mr.. Doggett is a churchman, and sings
in one of the Episcopal churches in New
| York. He took with him some Episco-
pal hymn books and played the Episcopal
and asked Mr.. Doggett to bring more
| books.
Then they began following the form of
the Episcopal service, very cautiously at
first, but they were pleased with the new
order of things. BY degrees they work
ed in long way toward the fixed form
of the Episcopal service, and each Sun
| day the congregation grew. Episcopal
prayer books were introduced, and about
four weeks ago the Rev. T. A. McCleary,
rector of the Episcopal church at Edge
water, was asked to receive unanimous
decision of the congregation to join the