Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1904-05-26
CHURCH ANNIVERSARY
Ha5f Century Anni0eysayy Of the Es-
Enlistment of khe Parish at Christ
Protestant Ebise0b1I C5suyeh.

Enlistment 0f me Pa1lSh ct Christ
Protestaut EplseQ4al Church.
To-day is a red letter day in the
history Of the parish Of Christ Prot
estant Episcopal Church this city, on the
occasion Of the fftieth anniversary Of
the establishment of the Parish.
Special services viii be held commenc-
ling at IL O'Clock ii the morning, the
sermon to be reached by Rev. VIM. H.
Lewis, D. d., tie oldest living rector Of
the Church, now rector Of st. Johns
Church, Bridgeport, Conn. Following
T tie memorial service addresses win bel
made by Rev. W. strother Jones, p. D.,
OF st. Michaeps Church, Trenton; Rev.
Jesse Y. Bura D. D., OF St. Peters
Church, Clarksboro, as Rev. Robert ".
Forsythe, of St. Paups ChSrch, Camden.
A luncheon will be served in she parish
house at o'clock to invited guests,
members and friends.
Christ Church was established in 1854.
The Rev. William Herbert Norris was
then appointed missione v in charge by
the Right Rev. Bishop Doane. The lot on
4 which the church is located was pur-
/ chased from William H. Morris in 1855,
and decided in trustto William H. Norris,
i George Manley, Benjamin F. Carter,
\ John R. Wright, and Edward Pierson.
4 The church building was completed in
! 1857, at an expenditure of about ten
i thousand dollars, and was consecrated
i the same year by the Right Rev. Bishop
Doane. In the fall of 1873, after long.
faithful, and most selfsacrifcing service,
the Rev. Mr.. Norris resigned to accept
an appointment as missionary to travel
in Europe. Before his departure, in
| October. 1873, Robert R. Neff, Henry c.
Foote, and Samuel II. Ladd were elected
:; to fill vacancies in the board OF trustees.
i BY appointment Of Rt. Rev. Bishop
i IOdenheimer, the Rev. William Fl. Lewis
became the missionary in charge after
1.-THE resignation ef the Rev Mr.. Norris,
In April, 1874, the parish vas regularly
incorporated, and organized and elected
1.-THE following officers: Robert R. Neff,
senior warden; Benjamin F. Carter,
junior warden; Henry G. Foote, Samuel
| H. Ladd, David Cooper, Samuel G.
Twells, Henry G. Clark, NJ D., Frank J.
Foote, and Theodore R. Glover, vestry-
men. The Rev. William H. Lewis was
then elected rector. The same year the
parish was admitted into union with the
4 Diocesan Convention. The Rev. Mr..
Lewis resigned the rectorship in 1878.
During his time the parish was very
prosperous, and the chapel, nearly op-
posite the church, was built, at cost of
about seventeen hundred dollars.
In the same year 1878 Rev. George M.
Bond was elected rector. He was sue
ceeded by, Rev. Howard E. Thompson
who was rector for 13 years. Following
the resignation of Mr. Thompson, Rev.
Abran Z. Urban was chosen rector.
He resigned in June 1902 and in March
of last year the present rector, Rev.
Malcolm Taylor, was elected. His rec
torship has been marked by a renewal
. of activity along all lines Of church
work. The work Of thoroughly reno
waiting the interior OF the church edifice
has Just been completed including new
ceiling and roof, new stained glass win
dows, new carpets, walls decorated and
wood work overhauled, the improve
ments costing about $1,000.
The present number Of communicates
is 2ll, and the number Of Sunday School
scholars 140. The officers are: Wardens,
Henry G. Foote and DR.. H. G. Clark;
yestrymen, Samuel G. Twells, John B.
Peddle, William Z. Speakman, Joseph
IW. Merritt, Norman S. Grey, G. Walter
Shivers, John T. Kirkbride and Harry
B. Reeves.
During the episcopate of Bishop Croes,
and afterwards, until regular services
were established by the Rev. Mr.. Norris,
occasional Episcopal services had been
E held in the Court House by Bishop
Doane and others. From 1924 to 1926
the Rev. Richard Hall resided in Wood
bury, and bad charge Of the Episcopal
Churches at Clarksboro and Chew's
Landing. From 1885 TO 1886 the Rev. j.
i Clancy Jones was resident of the town,
and had charge Of the two last churches
q referred to. He afterwards became a
member of Congress from Pennsylvania
: during the administration Of President
Buchanan, and was prominent leader.
He was also appointed minister to
Austria.
s1.00 to the seashore Decoration Day.
On Decoration Day, May 30, the Penn
sylyania Railroad Company West Jersey