The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-11-19
TO PREACH SAME
SERMON PREACHED
Is YEARS AGO
Same Music viii Also Be Re-
peated i'm Anniversary Serv-
ice for Harrison Church.
CHRIST EPISCOPAL'S
QUARTER CENTENNIAL
Present Building Occupied Since
1883, but Congregation Start
ed Long Before that.


will observe the twenty-flfth anniver.
sary of its occupancy of the present
edifice at the corner of Cleveland ave-
nue. and Fourth street, Harrison. next
Sunday. Three services will be held a.
1880 a. M, $3.50 and 7:30 p. m.
In the morning the rector, the Rev.
William j. Tilley, will deliver the same
sermon preached by DR.. James Hous-
on Eccleston. then rector of Trinity
Church, Newark, at the dedication of
the church, November rs, 1883. The
same music rendered at that time will
be repeated. if possible, in addition to
other special musical features. 1t is
intended that this anniversary shall
be a reunion of all the members of the
parish, both present and former, old
and young. The historic interest of this
occasion promises to be unusual.
Although the present structure has
been occupied but twenty-five years, it
is more than fifty years ago that the
initial steps were taken for the founda-
ton of what is now Christ Episcopal
Church. In August, 1854, Joseph M. L.
Gardner, then a teacher in Trinity
Church Sunday school, Newark, who
had been looking over the ground in
East Newark, as Harrison was then
known, resolved that he would estab-
fish a Sunday school in that section.
There were no public halls in the town
in those days, but a suitable meeting
place was finally secured in the home
of a Mrs. Lane, at the corner of War
rem and Fourth streets. Here Mr.
Gardner opened his school one Sunday
morning with fifteen scholars.
The First Building.
The enthusiasm of the young man
attracted the attention of the Misses
Mary and Louisa Rutherford, who lived
on the River road (now Passaic ave.
nue), and through their influence and
liberal support, a larger room was Sc
cured and subsequently the erection of
a building at the corner of Warren and
Third streets. Contributions were
made by he Misses Rutherford and
several members of Trinity congrega-
t1on. so that on the Sunday when the
school was opened for divine services,
not a dollar Of Indebtedness lay on the
building.
The session of the school was at first
held every Sunday morning, and later
in the afternoon. Usually a vesper
service was held by Mr.. Gardner at
the close of the session. The school had
a good library II during the week the
sewing Circle met. Mr.. Gardner's ar
dor grew with the movement, and, feel
ing that he was not doing enough In
the new field, he opened and conducted
an evening school during the week.
doubtless there are men in West IIud-
son who received a part of their early
education in this evening school.
On one occasion the Methodist Church
building was partially destroyed by fire.
The pastor was the Rev. James N.
Fitzgerald, afterwards Bishop Fitzger-
aid He and Mr.. Gardner were warm
friends and. at the ~latter's invitation,
DR.. Fitzgerald accepted the use of the
little brown church until their building
had been put In repair. Among other
supporters Of MIR. Gardner were Miss
Emeline Macfarlane. sister Of the wife
OF the Rev. Matthew H. Henderson,
rector of Trinity Church.; the Misses
Ellis, the late Charles L. c.. Clifford,
and a number of members of Trinity.
At this time the little church was known
as st. Martins Later the name was
changed to the Rutherford Memorial.
Recognized the School.
On April 10, 1863, the committee on
missions of the Pastoral Aid Associa-
ton of Trinity Church, under the rec
torship of the Rev. DR.. job G, Ec-
~cleston, reorganized the school, Mr..
Gardner retiring after nine years of
loyal, earnest and successful work. He
Is, therefore, hailed as the founder of
the church in West Hudson, and was
present at the harvest home festival
held in October, when he made a very
pleasing address upon the history of
the church. With the reorganization
soon came regular morning and eve
ming services, which have been ever
since continued. Cortlandt l.. Parker,
nephew of the late Cortlandt Parker,
senior warden of Trinity Church, New
ark, was the new superintendent. The
committee on missions consisted of
Cortlandt l.. Parker, George c. Miller.
Frank Harrison n Theodore Wood.
On Sunday morning, November rs,
1888, the first service was held in the
new church building. at the present
location. The sermon was preached by
the Rev. James Houston Eccleston,
rector of Trinity Church, Newark. His
text was Mark XII. II. The services
were conducted by the rector, the Rev.
Thomas G. Carver, assisted by the
Rev. b. M. Bradin. On this Sunday
morning DR.. Eccleston the
name as Christ Church. The rectors
of the present church have been the
Rev. DIR. Thomas G.. Carver, the Rev,
DR.. John Francis Potter and the, pres
emit rector, the Rev. DR.. William J.
Tilley. The superintendent of the
Sunday school from 1854 to the pres
ent time have been Cortlandt l.. Par
ker, Nelson Todd. Robert Sanderson
James ID. Orton. Mark Williams
George Robbins, the Rev. j. F. Potter
and Philip A. Clifford. The latter has
ably carried on the good work started
by Mr.. Gardner and continued by the
former superintendents. and 1t Is due
to his earnest efforts that Christ
Cb,,rob sunday school still ranks