The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-09-21
HAPPY EPOCH
IN HISTORY OF
CHURCH
West PreSbyterianS Will OBJ
serve the Opening Of
$24,OOO Edifice.


on the following Sunday night.
The Rev. Harold c.. Harmon, pastor
OF the church. has arranged this pro-
I gram for the week: Opening service
at 10:45 a. m. tomorrow, the Rev. John
r. Fisher, the first pastor of the
church, to preach, and the present
pastor to deliver the sermon at he
evening service.
The event of the week will be he
dedication service next Wednesday
night, at which the following min
listers are expected to be present and
make brief addresses: The Revs. Will
lam Chapman, pastor of the Roseville
Presbyterian Church; the Rev. Will
lam Alfred Gay, d. d., acting pastor
of the Memorial Presbyterian Church;
the Rev. Joh Hunter. pastor of Fifth
Avenue Presbyterian Church; the Rev.
John Mcdowell, pastor of the Park
Presbyterian Church; the Rev. Davis
w. Lusk, pastor of the Sixth Presby-
terrain Church, and the pastor of the
West Presbyterian Church, Mr.. Har-
mon, who will preside at the services.
Mrs Emma Holtz Markwith will be
the soloist.
Fellowship night will be next Thurs
day with neighboring churches, and
LliC lO1IO Ills -
represented; Memorial Presbyterian,
Wickliffe Presbyterian, De Groot, Fair
mount Baptist and the Fewsmith Me-
mortal Presbyterian. Representatives
from those churches will make con-
gratulatory remarks, and there will be
music by the church choir.
Next Friday night will be old home
night. at which all he old members
Of the church and friends are invited
to be present. The Rev. Samuel Price,
pastor of Calvary Presbyterian
Church, Camden. the first pastor of
the Bruce street mission, from which
the church sprung, will deliver the
principal address, and a number of he
:, older members of the mission will
speak of the growth of the church.
Sunday, September 20, will be work
ers' day, for those who aided in build
ing the church, and 1t will be the oc-
casion of general thanksgiving for the
congregation. The pastor will speak
at both the morning and evening
services. His morning subject will be,
1.-The Time to Rejoice" and his theme
in the evening, "A Review of the
Field"
(Following is a history of he church,
prepared by the present pastor:
The West Presbyterian Church Is the
outcome of mission work begun forty-1ve
years ago in a religiously neglected part
of the city locally known as Frog Hollow.
The late Rev. Charles T. Haley, d. D.,
then beginning his life's work as pastor
of the Roseville Presbyterian Church, with
one or two elders OF the cnurcn, see9ree
Bruce street, on Warren, and started a
Sunday school, the saloon suspending
business during the session. AS the scnooi
brought no business to the saloon the
proprietor insisted that the schoool seek
other quarters. These new quarters were
found over a stable further up the street.
The work grew rapidly, and in two
years two lots being secured across the
street on the west side, a small building
was erected. Very soon this was doubled
in size, and again for a third time neeoao
room was secured by building the beauti-
The work was limited only by the size of
the building and the ability to furnish an
ample teaching force. the latter coming
almost entirely from the Rosevilie church,
and always of an exceptional quality. Two
schools were maintained for many years,
one In the morning and one In the after
noon, the combined enrolment reaching over
eight hundred. The interest, faithfulness
and sacrifice of friends to this work VIII
never be known on earth, but is greatly
appreciated. --...
in large umbers coming into the member
shin OF the Roseville church. Morning
services also were started several years ago
and nave helped foster a churchIy spirit
which was growing more and more appar-
ent. 1t was evidently the purpose and IN
tention OF DR.. Haley to move for the or,
practical moment. Early in 1901 he intro
duced the matterlto his session. Applica-
ton was made to the church extension COM
mittee of the Presbytery OF Newark Tor q
ajft towards a new church building in a
more favorable and central locality for the
congregation of the Bruce Street Mission.
Eventually four lots on the southeast cor
ner of Littleton and Eleventh avenues We're
secured. In April, 1902, a petltlon. slghea
by about ninety persons 70 pc 6rsa Was nr es
sented to the Presbytery OF Newark.
The petition was granted and a connmis-
sion appointed to organnl nne the 16 f lay. at Z
O'Clock, in the parlor of the Roseville
Presbyterian Church, the commiSslon met
Frazer. the Rev. DR.. Charles t. Haley,
the Rev DR.. John r. Fisher, and the
members Of the session of the Roseville
E Shur Gfe;xa lns 0i f. ". HanSnaBs.. q. ".
Ketcham, II. Y. D. schenk. f. w. Benla-
min, e. c; Herriek. Cyrus Peck: A; nrS M.
emf presented letters of dismissal from the
Rosevllle Presbyterian Church, and twelve
dIdates on confession Of faith. This num-
Der. 100 In all, were received to constitute
the West Presbyterian Church
to the church. The Rev. DR.. G. t. Haley
presided and with appropriate ceremony
the West Presbyterian Church of Newark,
~ IL n vi
on the evening of June 20, 1902, the Rev.
DR.. John r. Fisher was elected to be the
first pastor of the church. He served faith
fully for four years, but because OF the m
creasing illness of Mrs. Fisher he resigned.
On October 5, 1906, n unanimous call was
extended to the Rev. H. G. Harmon, OF
Cairo, NJ. Y. The call was accepted and
Mr.. Harmon began his lubors the first
Sunday of December of the same year.
In the meantime sufficient funds having
been secured through the kindness and
generosity of Cyrus Peck and Of the Pres
bytery of Newark, and the plans presented
by Architect Alfred Walters having been
approved, it was decided to build. Accord
ingly, In September last, ground was
broken for the new ediioe. The corner
stone was laid December so, 1906, with Inn
pTessive ceremonies.
Following are the officers Of the church
Minister, the Rev. II. Q. Harmon; elders,
Thomas 3. Puchan and William ]. Nc
Cracker; deacons, H.. &. Fouratt, George
f.. Osborne and G. E.. Ryder; trustees,
William j. McCracken, president; Charles
Mnntrick. treasurer; +. w. Lowsaw, secre-
tnry; Charles p. II. Harris, John Wallace,
George e. Osborne, E. c. Fetter. Freder-
ick Sem, G. e. Ryder; superintendent OF
he Sunday school. William J. McCracken,
muslcal director. o.. Richarit; sexton, H.
q. Fouratt.