The sun., 1909-06-14
OLD ST. NICH0LAS'S SAVED
DEBT or GERMAN CHURCH BE.
: ING PAID IN NOVEL WAY.
Its Psrishl oners Have for the Most Part
Moved Uptown, but They Responded
Promptly TO tho Can-Lishts TO
Mark the Names OF the Donors.

Promptly TO tho Can-LiShts to
Mark the Names Of the Donors.
st. Nicholass Church in Second street
is the oldest German church OF the Roman
Catholic faith in New York, although there
are few Of it's parishioners to be found
nowadays In the immediate neighbor-
hood OF the old building. The race that
has succeeded the Germans as dwellers
on the middle East Side swarms In the
neighborhood and there is now a Jewish
hospital just opposite the parish school
building But the parishioners have
no idea Of letting the church depart from
the neighborhood. even though financial
troubles have recently made the main
tenance of the church more difficult
matter than ever. Just as the time came
last year TO celebrate the diamond jubi-
lee of the parish its outlook was very
blue indeed Father Johann Mayer. the
beloved rector of the church. who for
long time had struggled with the financial
troubles OF the parish died. overcome by
the difficulties in which old st. Nicholas's q
was involved. Father Johann Nageleisen,
who succeeded him. determined to make
the celebration OF the church's jubilee
the occasion of some relief from its
monetary troubles. With that end in
view he formed a committee OF five
business men OF the parish and for weeks
they defiberated as to the best means
Of tightening it's heavy debt.
1t was during these deliberations that
a business man Of the parish called on
Father Nageleisen and suggested the
form Of diamond jubilee memorial
which would go far toward paying OH
the indebtedness Of the old church.
Yesterday this plan was realized at the
solemn high mass celebrated by Father
Stanislaus OF the Order OF the Precious
Blood. when in the presence OF a large
congregation the lights in the memorial
were Lit up to show the number OF bene-
factors who had already contributed to
help the old parish out Of it's difficulties.
The diamond jubilee memorial Is in
the form OF great vine which starts
under the tabernacle and spreads out
over the wall on both sides OF the high
altar. In the vine are tiny tablets con-
tanning the names Of those who have
contributed to the memorial fund. Those
who have given as much as 81 900 have
an electric light over the tablet on which
their name is written, and this burns
during mass and vespers. 1t is promised
that this light will burn perpetually
during the services. Yesterday the twenty
sections Of the memorial which have been
subscribed for were decorated with ten
electric lights symbolic OF the diamonds
of the jubilee.
Already $50 900 has been subscribed. but
as this amount is contributed by less than
thirty persons there are not lights for
every separate 81 coo. Persons who are not
able to subscribe 81 600 to the memorial
are able to combine with others and their
names go on tablet with light for the
benefit OF all Several of the societies
OF the parish have subscribed for tablets
in this way. Persons who have in the past
been in the habit OF presenting memorials
to members of their family in the form
Of monstrances. windows or in other forms
will in the future contribute to the "Dia-
mond Jubilee Memorial" until the leaves
and tendrls of the vine cover all the
chancel walls and the. electric lights are
numerous enough to show that the debt
of old ST. Nicholas has been paid and
the first German church here saved to its
parishioners
The memorial is Of bronze. On the base
Of the vine where the stem parts o branch
to each side of the altar are the words
Pray for the Benefactors Of st. Nicholas
Parish Father Benedict Boebner
preached al the high mass which followed
the unveilng Of the memorial. The
cornersi one Of the memorial Is dedicated
to Mrs Anna Bachmann. who sent the
first 81 600 the day the plan was men
toned to the parishioners. when s.. 900
was collected in memory of the previous
rector Father Mayer