The Washington herald., 1912-01-21
Unprecedented Movement Toward
Church Consolidation and
Readiustment in New Yo1

Churches in unprecedented numbers
and unusual prominence on Manhattan
island. New York City. some of them
famous throughout America and Eur
ope. are considering just now their
own existence. their removal, or their
consolidation with other churches. At
least 100000 is involved, and some
men OF national regulations as men,
bers OF Official bodies OF these conEre-
cations are in counsel upon the prop
osition The number making public
their negotiations is upward Of a
dozen. while fully thirty others are
known to be studying their futures but
declining as yet to reveal plans.
Four BAPTIST. six Presbyterian, two
Episcopal. two Reformed, two Disciple,
and one Unitarian churches are inme-
diatelv involved. Two Baptist churches
have been sold since January l, one
OF them in the theater district near
Times Square. The Fifth Avenue Bap-
tist the Rev DR.. c. F. Aked the last
pastor. and the RockefelIers as mem
bers. is considering a sale, and a pos
sible extinction. II such be brought
about thu proceeds will become en-
dowment -or Calvary Church, the lat
ter that r.. The Rev. DR.. Robert Stuart
MacArthur cor more than forty years.
Calvary ildlngs in Flfty-seventh
street II, carnegie Hall will be re-
taIned. e are denials, but COM
mittees o. .onsolidation are at work
The Rev. DR.. Parkhurst's church on
Madison square. possessing $4,000 en-
dowment has just forced the sale of
another Presbyterian church the title
10 whose property IL held, and has
added the $4,000 to its endowment, its
reason being that il needed the income
TO pay current expenses. One Presby-
aad In HfE nnV RNv
Goulds and Sages, and located opposite
the new New York Public Library, has
recently gone, and now two Harlem
Presbyterian churches, one with
handful of people, are discussing con-
solidation. Still another Presbyterian
church, east of Central Park, is for
sale and will soon close its doors II a
sale be not effected.
An Episcopal church of seventy
years history, located in the Times
Square district. half fits members work
ing in the Hippodrome and other the
Rters, and almost all of its Sunday
school children. numbering 200, being
sons and daughters of actors, has just
voted to sell and depart. Two Disciples
of Christ churches consolidated last
Sunday, and two Reformed churches
have sold their properties recently.
One OF them has rebuilt quite near to
Columbia University, but closed its
doors and only reopened them when 1t
was able to borrow $4,000 In INSTALL
ments Of $4,000 year for five years.
In selecting the Reformed organization
that should loan the $25,00O. the one
was chosen that could best stand the
odium. so 1t was thought, of refusing
20 loan more at the end of five years
under the alternative of closing alto
gether. The Unitarian Church. All
Souls, with the Rev. DR.. Henry w.
Bellows as minister. was famous
throughout America nifty years ago. It
was in it that one OF the great COM
missions for relief OF Union soldiers in
the civil war was organized.
Asked II these changes indicate any
failure in New York on the part of
Protestant Christian effort. an officer
OF one of these famous churches re-
piled:
Not at all. Ministers and laymen
in charge of these churches are just
as earnest, just as liberal just as wise,
as other Christians. All they are doing