New-York tribune., 1906-05-19

Ramsey Thompson. then pastor Of the Dutch
Church, at Tompkinsville. He started a Sunday
school in the Bay House." in Broad street.
Stapleton, with thirteen members. The school
grew rapidly. despite the unluclEy number, and
in 1850 took larger quarters in an upper room
in Bay street
In 1851 the school became the Reformed Dutch
Church Of stapleton. with thirty-two members.
Dr.. Thompson took the new church himself A
new building was built on the present site
In the summer of 1856 a mission school was
started by the church. near Broad and Rilzer
streets. and called the Gore street Sunday
school, lasting till 1874. when some one burned
the building.
Three years later DR.. Thompson resigned In
the ten years Of his service the Sunday school OF
IL had grown to a membership Of 5O6 The
church had received 80. One Of DR. Thompson's
successors was the Rev. DR.. Thomas H. Skinner.
who later became professor of divinity in Nc
Cormack Theological Seminary. at Chicago
Meanwhile in 1856. twenty one members Of the
DuUch Cnureh at Stapleton withdrew and formed
new church at Clifton. Preliminary meetings
We're held at the home of John D. Dix In Nav
I Ine % cnorch was organized at the home Of George
w Nerdfo, IN townsend avenue The church
OF Staten Island -@ "a
From this time till 1868 through the dis+rao
lions OF war and gradual change Of population
was a period of hardship for the Clifton and
sLspleeon churches At that time the former had
Sording1y decided to reunite with the mother
Shurch. This was done and the Rev Dr I =
SDocA"el OF Brooklyn, became pastor The
.Lalne. FlIst Pres byterian Church of Edgewater
was adopted by the united church
An 1eS4 the present church and chanel u-era
Seucated on opposite corners at Brownell and
1cnpkins streets W
The Rev. Oliver Paul Barnhill the present
pastor, was installed d year ago He vas boro
az la Grange. KY. about tWentv-seven vearc
ago. He was graduated at Centre College XIV
4fd al Princeton Theological Seminary later
Of
Ton University. Mr.. Barnhills first work was
as assistant pastor Of the Memorial Prash1,
EeF1en Church, Of Brooklyn and SUPERINTENDENT
o. tne sunday school Later he acted as pas
covenant, at Williamsport, Penn
M BaFnhifIs personality and training are ne.
culiarly adapted TO the difficult work OF his
TACT that ffty-eight have been added to the
church IN the last year The mortgage too has
been decreased by $1,000 in the same time
me anniversary exercises were celebrated
last Thursday Two former pastors were pres
enf- the Rev. David r. Frazer. Of Newark and
the Rev. George NJ McCampbeu, Of Allegheny
Penn, both of whom delivered addresses The
Rev. Dr. George Nixon, Moderator of the Pres
byteFy, who was formerly a member of the
church, also delivered address
Next Thursday the Rev. Henry Dean Wahl
VIII be installed as evangelist minister in charge
Of the German congregation Mr. WahI has ,een
school for the last year. He has about eighty
pupils IN his charge now. and VIII continue this
work through the summer He is a graduate OF
the German Theological Seminary at RIOOuofeid
and this is his first charge. He is native of
Germany. where his parents now live
The congregation Of the Stapleton church is
scattered all over the island. there being only
one other church OF the denomination on the
ISLAND to-day, that at West New Brighton. With
the promise OF its present revival its members
believe il has a bright future.