New-York tribune., 1911-09-21
ST. JOHNS MUST co
Century Old Trinity Chapel
Fought End for Years.
YIELDS TO IMPROVEMENTS
Once Centre of Homes of First
Families, Now in Midst Of
Warehouses.

The end Of st. Johns Chapel. the cen
tury old church in Varick street. is ap-
preaching. Since Il has been decided that
Seventh avenue IS 10 be extended and Var
ck street is 10 be widcned by slicinG TWEEN
ty feet off the east side OF the thorough
fare the Corporation Of Trinity Church
must decide in few weeks what is to be
done with the property When the city gets
through with It the front Of the chapel IN
cluding the tower and a part Of the hos
pital and parish house, viii be gone.
The chapel was virtually stripped Of its
furnishings some time ago and the famous
organ will be dismantled soon. The altar
cross. candelabra and pew cushions are now
in use in st. Luke's, in Hudson street The
memorial lectern 10 Or. Sullivan IT, Weston,
the former assistant rector in charge, has
also been removed. More than three years
ago Trinity vestrymen decided 10 close St.
Johns and use the site for business. but
the plan aroused such a protest that in
functions were granted and Sunday morn
ing services have been held up 10 the pres
ent time. When the chapel is razed, tho
land will be sold for loft building improve
ments.
lit WI i4NA HANliF VI t7A J'lili was lolA All
1903. and the Rev. Dr. wilkins friend Of
Bishops seabury and Chandler. preached
the first sermon within its walls in 1907.
It cost $4,000, which was regarded by
Contempcraneous critics as an "eytrava-
CANT sum to invest in a church. The organ
was built in Philadelphia and cost $4,000.
1t was carried away in 1912 by a British
cruiser and was recovered only after the
payment Of n $4,000 ransom
The interior architecture was known as
the "three decker" type. Above the ole
waited altar was the prayer desk and above
that was the pulpit In the quaint nevs sat
many Of the first families of the city dur
ing the first twenty-five years Of the chap
els existence. There were the Veseys the
Barclays, the Charltons and the Lisperards,
families for whom many streets in the
lower West Side section were named.
After fifty years an alarming exodus of
families Of rank began 10 take place. one
by one the leading citizens forsook their
downtown homes for others above Green
wich village. In 1857 the Rev Dr. Weston
preached a sermon on this subject.
lamenting the prospects for the future Of
st. Johns S. The park fronting the church
was swept away and the neighborhood be-
gan 70 suffer from inyasions Of warehouses
and freight depots.
In 1905 Trinity vestrynen decided that
the chapel had outgrown its usefulness and
steps were taken 10 sell out. The chapel
then had 735 communicates and 1,O5s bap-
uzed persons connected with It. The action
Of Trinity called forth a torrent Of criticism,
a,-F.A
Court. In the end Trinity vestrymen agreeu
10 keep the chapel open as long as # ap-
peared that there was religious need for
the work.
Some OF the rectors Of 81. Johns rose 70
places Of rank in the Church. DR.. Vain
wright Gfterward became Bishop Of New
York and the Rev John L. Young was
made Bishop of Florida in 1867. Among the
otner rectors were the Rev. DR.. William II.
Cooke and the Rev. Philip a. H Brown,
who preached the centennial sermon in
1907