New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-09

it possible to have the length OF the auditorium
and main Sunday school room parallel to the
street insuring the best possible light. This IS
aided, also by a corridor with skylights and
large side windows between the auditorium ana
the Sunday school rooms.
The auditorium with it's horseshoe gallery,
seats 1000 persons. The parish house Is three
stories high. and is divided into rooms Tor the
Sunday school and the administrative and socla!
functions of the church. There are three nam
rooms in the Sunday school and eight class
rooms. Then there are large library and the
unusual features Of private offices for the school
superintendent and the secretary. other new
features are pastors study with comforta bic
enteroom, and complete apartments as nome
for the janitor and his family. Then there are q
boardroom, a kitchen and a large recreation
room. The whole cost OF the land and buIIolns
is 1S2T50OO which is met entirely by the pro-
ceeds Of the sale of the two old properties
The architects are Bannster & Schen the
builder Edwin Outwater, and the superintendent
Of construction Professor Collins 7. Bliss, or
New York City. The church also had the ad-
vantage of a pastor, the Rev; Dr. wilson ~.
Sexton, who has built church before He II
who formulated the general plan so sue
cessfully carried out.
The old North Presbyterian Church. which
gives its name TO the combined congregations,
was organized in 1917 with sixteen members
from the Spring-st. old Congregational and
Houston-st churches Two years later IT moved yea
into its own building in 32d-st.. between 9Th
and 9th aves. The name was as appropriate then
now. for the little congregation Worsnlppeo
in the midst of cornfelds. at the far north OF
the city The Rev. Washington Roosevelt was
the first pastor.
Mr. Roosevelt was followed by the Rev. Dr.
Edwin Hatfield, the Rev Dr. Thomas So street eel
and the Rev. DR.. S. B. Rossiter. In 1879 the
church was rebuilt and again in 1886. little
later Sunday school building was erected. IN
DR.. Hatfelds pastorate the church just aoan-
doned at 31st st and 9th-ave. was built, at a
cost of $4,000. The mortgage of $4,000 was
also paid through the efforts of Dr. HatheId at
a time Of financial crisis IN the church.
When the present pastor, DR.. Sexton, came
TO the church five years ago he was almost i'm
mediateIy confronted with the necessity or SELL
ing the building 70 make way Tor tle new
Pennsylvania Railroad STATION. The problem
was finally solved by the union with the Wash
ington Heights Church The two churches have
worshipped together since last faIL The Tor
NAL legal and ecclesiastical union was accom-
plshed last February.
The Washington Heights Church, under the
Congregational denomination was founded IN
1854 with the Rev. 0. II. White as the hrst
pastor The building was at 1lOth-st. and 10TH
ave. In 1857 the church became Presbyterian
as that element predomnated. Succeeding pas
tors were the Rev. Charles Augustus Stoddard
the Rev Allen F. DeCanp and the Rev. Dr.
John c. Bliss, who becomes pastor emeritus
of the combined churches.
The reorganization OF the combined churches
was delicate task It has been accomplished
with perfect harmony however. An unusual
feature of the present organization is the COM
bining OF the Womens work of the church under
home mission. foreign mission and local church
work. The Sunday school too has abandoned
the international lessons and adopted graded
system of its own.
graduated from Western Reserve College and
Union Theological Seminary. After serving
IN several churches in the East, Ohio and Mich
igan. he went to Detroit to the Bethany Pres
himself.
The new North Church has a membership of
nearly 100 and, with record of remarkab bic
growth in recent years, it has prospect OF
brilliant future.