The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-06-23
CHUUCHS 200 YEARS OF LIFE
Old PONDS CELEBRATES ITS
BICENTENNIAL.

Duieh settlers First WOrshlpped IN lee
Church-PAFs % the Present Elllncs
Built ne Years AR0-Used a. n
Court nsGse IN Revolutionary Times.
OAKLAND. n. j.. June IA church
with a history celebrated ~ 7OOth ami
veraary to-day. Il ~ the Ponds Re-
formed Church. situated al a meeting OF
roads nine miles from Paterson. two miles
from Pompton and one mile from Oak
land station Ia the RAnapO Valley.
To get 20 the church a ManhAttanits
takes the New York. SusuuehRnna and
Western road from Jersey City 20 Oak
land. Then he tr,idges through the dust
for . mile With the low hills all around.
between zelda white with daisies and pasi
/ old EAmbrel rooted houses and more
trim and modern cement villas Of CON-
mutsrs from Paterson and even from
Manhattan. As he nears The church an
object Ct the right Of he road may excite
his curiosity. Il looks IKE a glbbet. Ia
painted white and has wide band OF iron.
the tire Of q locomotive driving wheel.
suspended from q chain. Thereby hangs
a huge sledge hammer. The device Ia q
FIRE alarm. When . husky resident
strikes a lusty blow with the slsdge
the alarm rssounds ell over the valley.
There's another near the station.
There was q big awning IN front Of the
meeting house sheds to-day where tablea
wero spread Tor supper. By | O'Clock In
ne afternoon Wagons. automobiles and
tho more humble Shank's mara kicksd
up the dust from ali three roads leading
N tho old church. BY O'Clock there
we're T'lEtlingR Of dresses and nutterinRB
Of fans IN he pews and galleries on either
side Of the walls. Three hundred people
were assembled In the church.
After The opaning prayers and hymns
and some COngrattilatOry addresses b.
former pastors % the church. the Rev
DR.. =. 7. CorNm % North Branch. n. ].
gave a historical review u the church
In gathering his data DR.. Corwin has
spent several weeks in Holland Il was
long review. for the church h rich ia
IL associations. In 1900 tho first Dutch
settlers began n come into the country
around the Ponds. az the region
was called nom several little bodies %
water. near one Of which the church
stands All the early names II those
associated with the church were good
Oh Dutch names, and Il was not ell
around isO that anything hut a Dutch
name was pOsaessed by a minister Of the
church. In all its 2O0 years the church
has been without a pastor but twenty
gears. For the greater part Of IL exist
enos q divided 10 dominic with other
nearby settiements the preacher going
on horseback through fords and forests !
between parishes.
The first church building was Of loEs /
and Il was used till I7O Then hex I
agona church with n pointed roof was
built, with rush bottOmed chairs for seats /
This church was used for ninety years. |
IN which time the Revolution and the |
War Of 1872 took place. In the Revo- |
luton the British burnt the Hackensack /
court house and jail For a time the i
bergen county court was held In the /
Ponds church. In a log jail near the I
church Tories were executed. and pa /
nshIonerS idade ii 10 hot Tor Tory school 7
master. one Rcnch that he retired 20
New York city. George Washington once /.
had quarters In the Ramapo Valley near I
the church
In 1879 the he1agonal church was re-
modelled into tho present structure.
while church services were held ia a harm /
rear by The white cement front thar
still gTaces u was then put on A. 70
stands nov. with its white front. it, walls F.
u mixed brick and stone and iis white
wooden superstructure. q IL quaint
relic n the cement holds good perhaps
the church will be- standing a century
hence