New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-07

In his seventeenth year the Rev. Mr.. Nixon
became member of the Brick Church. in which
he was reared He was graduated from New
York Free Academy In 1854 and from Princeton
Theological Seminary in 1858 He was imme-
diately licensed by the New-York Presbytery.
He was ordained and installed pastor OF
the church at West Farms Immediately by the
Second Presbvtery of New-York. He was elect
ed moderator of the Presbytery in 1868. In
1887 Mr.. Nixon. acting for the five churches of
The Bronx at the Auburn Synod obtained their
transfer to the New-York Presbytery.
In 1875 he was transferred to the fremont
Church. In his pastorate of seventeen years
he built up the West Farms congregation from
twenty-five to two hundred or more members.
Mr. Nixon applied himself at once to raising
the debt on the property of the fremont Church
By 1882 he had succeeded. The church stands
in an excellent position and now has property
valued at $4,000 When it comes to an in
crease Of membership the fremont Church suf-
fers the same handicap as East Side churches
further down The constant f1ux Of population
and the coming in of a foreign element have re-
tarded growth. In the thirty years Of Mr.. Nixons
pastorate between five hundred and six hundred
members have been received and as many have
moved away. The present active membership Is
III. The church celebrated its fftieth anniVer-
sary in November last year. Though this church
was too far north TO be affected by the tent
campaign, the pastor is planning revival sea.
son for the coming winter and is confident OF
good results.
Dr. Marsten. too, the retiring moderator, an
nounces the opening Of fall evangelistic cam
paign at Bethany. Rally Day will be cele-
brated there tomorrow. The Rev. DR.. Lyle VIII
address the Sunday school rally at p m
DR.. Marsten has been a member Of the local
body for the last six years. He was graduated
from Amherst College in 1874, and later from
the Andover Theological Seminary. His first
charge was the First Presbyterian Church Of
Boston. After a pastorate Of several years
there he accepted a call to the First Presbyte-
Ran Church OF Columbus, Ohio, the oldest church
in Central Ohio
Thinking that the situation of the church.
which is in the business centre Of the city, was
not conducive to progressive church work, Dr.
NTarsten proposed that the location be changed
The greater part of the congregation favored
fused to sanction it. The result was the forma-
ton of the Broad Street Presbyterian Church.
with DR. Marsten as pastor. Ground was pur-
chased in the residential section Of the city and
first the chapel and then the church was erected.
Tr Mersten worked so hard to build the new
church. which is called the handsomeset relg-
ious edifice in Columbus that after ten years his
health broke down and he resigned and came to
New-York
This was in 1898 While in Columbus he acted
&c chg n1ai in of the Ohio Senate and was active
In church and lecture work throughout the State.
ON coming to New York he entered religious
Journalism for a time and also contributed to
tbe Eoolx Review Of 1.-The New-York Times"
Three years ago he accepted the pastorate OF
the Bethany Presbyterian Church, IN me Bronx
Dr Marsten has published several books OF
noe+rv and prose. Some Of these are The
freedom of Christ History of Presbyterian
ISM and Songs of Life.