The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1906-09-27

Benediction.
Orchestra, I'm the Eternal City" Won Tilzer
| The ladies of the church provided
q bountiful collation. at noon for all
present, and the day and exercises
were greatly enjoyed.
A BSTRACT FROM A HISTORICAL
SKETCH OF MANALAPAN
[ CHURCH.
PREPARED BY PETER FORMAN
SEPTEMBER, A. D. 1906.
Manalapan Church is located six
and a half miles westerly of Freehold
the county seat of Monmouth Coun-
ty. on the line of the cross State mac
adam road that leads from Trenton
to the seashore by way of Freehold.
The surrounding region is ge- orally
known as the Manalapan neighbor-
hood; u name of Indian origin, mean
ing good corn land 1t is strictly
an agricultural community. The oris-
inal ownership of great part of the
land lying within radius of two
miles from the church may be traced
to the assignment made to John Reid,
of Hortensia, in the County of Mon
mouth. one of the Board of Original
Proprietors of East Jersey, end is part
of two adjoining tracts, cach about
one mile square, which he grant
and conveyed to his two daughters
Helen and Ann Reid as their respec-
/ tive marriage portions.
The necessity of providing house
+ for public christian worship was lo lg
felt bv the people of the above named
iuejebborhood and freely discussed
by them. with the result that Sun
day School, alternated with preach
| ing services, was organized and held
in the Rergen's Mills School House,
which stands a short distance wester-
| " of the present church, about the
wears 1854. John Ve1Doren was
Superintendent of the Sunday School
! Col. John [. Conover, Thomas Baird.
1 DIR. J. S. English, William z. Fofman
and many other persons actively fav-
ored the enterprise.
4 1856. May ~ A public meeting
was held in the Bergen's Mills school
/ House to consider the question OF
\ building a church. The sum of 81, 800
was pledged for that purpose, aud 1t
was agreed not to proceed until ;
least the sum OF "a, 900 could be secur-
ed.
1855. May 26. At an adjourned
meetings subscription lists were order
ed to be circulated. Report was
made in favor of a site for the build
ling. being lot of two acres off tt 2
/ farm of Cornelius Hope, Jr., where
the church is located-and II was
agreed Eafter discussion that the
church. if built and organized should
be placed in care of the Old School
/ PRESBYTERIAN Church of the United
States of America
1855. July 2S, August 4. at adjourn,
ed meeting held on both OF said dates
upon report that more than the de-
sired SUN had been pledged, build
ing committee was appointed ana
authorized to proceed. The building
TO be 37x62 feet in dimensions, with
Il basement underneath.
1855. October 10. The corner stone
of the building was laid by the Rev.
Svmmes G. Henry. D. D., of Grant bury
New Jersey, in due and proper form
in the presence of large assembly OF
people.
. 1856. April. Upon petition of be-
tween two and three hundred persons
of the Manalapan neighborhood. the
Presbvtery Of New Brunswick, in
session at Trenton, n. j.. appointed
the Rev. Symmes G. Henry, ID. u. the
Rev. j. d. Alexander, ID. ID. and the
Rev. J. NJ. Rogers, Ministers, and Ben
nington T. Randolph and iElias Dey,
Elders, a committee to organize the
Manalapan Church.
1856, July 81. The church was ded-
ieated to the service of Almighty
God. The Rev. SyInmes c. Henry,
I ID. D. preached the sermon from the
text, Ezra. 6: 10. The Committee OF
4 Presbytery organized the church with
a membership of As persons. and a
session Of Ruling Elders. viz: vii
liam P. Forman, John | Ely, John
w. VanSchoick and Gilbert s. Reid
1856. August a. = Board of Trus-
! tees of Z einbers WAS elected. and
Articles of Incorporation, under the
title. ''The Alanalapan Church" ex'
ecuted The articles are duly recor /
ed in the Clerks Office of this county
aud marks the beginning of the iega
existence of the church under the
Civil law.
N 1856. August. BY a report of the
Building Committee on file, it is learn
ed that the total cost OF the church
building. fixtures, furniture, Innsiea
instrument. bell. etc., WAS 30. 464 81