The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-07-01

Members of tho Lyons Firms Baptist
Church will tonight lay the cornerstone
Of the new church building in the course
of erection at Elizabeth and Lyons avenues.
A special program has been arranged for
the occasion, in which two former pastors
will take part. One of them, the Rev. DIR.
Thomas e. vassar, viii preside.
A feature will be that electric lights
will illuminate the spot where the serv-
ices will be held. The church has an in
teresting history, being nearly l4o years
old.
The program will open with an organ
voluntary followed by the invocation and
a hymn. Thp. Rev. s. 7. Graham. of the
Elizabeth Avenue Presbyterian Church,
will read from the Scriptures. Miss j. X.
Bailey. of Jersey City, will render solos.
Prayer will be offered by the Rev. II. E.
Vassar, jr., OF the Holm6ei. N. r., Baptist
Farms Church. The pastor of the Lyons
Farms Baptist Church. the Rev. Gideon Nj.
shott, viii then speak. A. H. Thomson,
architect, will make a few remarks.
The principal address will be by the Rev.
DIR. William M. Lawrence, Of the North
Orange Baptist Church. The Rev. S. ].
skevington, Of the Clinton Avenue Bap-
fist Church. will make the closing prayer
and then will come the formal laying Of
ne stone. The ceremony will end With
rEerneuediction.
The contents Of the old box win be
placed In the new box. The old box con-
tains religious and secular papers, some
OF them bearing the date of July II, 1870.
Among the papers were the Examiner
and Chronicle. Baptist papers; minutes
of the State and district associations,
historical sermons delivered on the Tooth
anniversary Of the church, brief history
Of present building, a roll of the officers
and members of the church, a Bible. In
the new stone will be several secular and
religious papers. including the Examiner
and Bulletin, home and foreign missionary
magazines, roll OF the church, Sunday
school n all the church societies. history
Of church since 1871, a blueprint of the
cemetery, architects plans of new build
ihg, picture Of all buildings. local news
Fapers of today and other things.
The Lyons Farms Baptist Church was
otgnnized in 1853. the property being given
by Ezekiel Crane. a constituent member
IN 176S. 1t was some time later before a
church edifice was put up, and during the
Revolution the building was used as a hos
&ital The church had a desultory pas
Horate until the year 1908, when the Rev.
Peter Bryant became pastor. Mr.. Bryant
reviewed and revised Booths book on
Baptism The church existed 103 years.
The present church building was dedicated
N 1871 at a Nost OF $4,000.
There are TOUR ex-pastors living, the
Revs. ]. G. Dyer, W. H. Bergfels. who
was pastor when the present church was
dedicated in 1870; the Rev. DR.. Thomas e.
vassar, ST., the Rev. Thomas e. vassar,
il.
In order to make room for the moving
and enlargement Of the church dlfice it was
found necessary to use the ground oc-
cupied by the church cemetery. Sixty
seven graves and one private vault were
marked with legible stones, many graves
were unmarked, or were so marked as not
to be legible. All valuable records were
searched in the archives at Trenton, Perth
Amboy. Newark and Elizabeth. No docu-
ment Of any kind is on record showing
that the gift Of THE property by Ezekiel
Crane was for other than church purposes.
No deeds were given by the church or
recorded by any purchaser Of lots for bur-
lal purposes. No reteipts or records of any
kind could be found to show that any
money had ever leone to the church
through this u-nincoFporated cemetery.
The church found itself In possession
OF this splendid piece OF property, which
1t has owned without dispute for 13S or
more years. But 1.-THE property was in
numbered by srav@s. Legal advice was
sought, and the following plan devised;
A surveyor made plot OF the cemetery,
for no plot had over been made. Each
marked grave Is iodated on the chart. The
next step was to Secure the approval Of
the next Of kin 10 the removal of the
stones to a sheitereh place, under the new
building. This corNsent was very readily
given, and the stonSes were removed. The
oldest interment tvas in 1794 inc the
latest in 1866. BeIotu the surface but little
except pieces of deEayed wood was found
Two bodies were Removed from the rear
Of the old chufcht to a place near the
front wall Of the / new church. and the
change was markell upon the new chart.
which can be seen In the parsonage. In
several instances thAe meagre remains were
simply lowered inI exactly the spot, 50
as to be buried p1roperly below the low
grade
The vault was lowered in exactly the
rame spot. and the memorial stone
marked David Es kr' was laid tp the new
wall markine ithe spot as fong as the
Jew church shall & IND. All sorts Of stories
about exposed par Is Of bodies n care
less handllng.are ~ .terly groundless-
A specialist in Il hat sort Of work was
lecured at heavy a(xpense, and one or the
OF both Of fAhe committee in charge
Jaw personally 10 Vsvery detail in clearing
lp the place. IN Imany of the marked
no signs Of hlirial were found except
lpi5lc es that theN earth was once dis
urn enHe lines Oh the building were 50
IN avold "a 18sing over any graves
u ad sny f~fhtercst la the matter