Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-06-05
old CHURCH'S
HISTORY GIVEN
Keyport Reformed Celebrates
at Diamond Jubilee in Most
Inspiring Manner

KEYPORT, June SIN honor of
the seventy-ifth anniversary of the
founding of the Reformed church
here, a special service was conduct
ed at the church yesterday morning
when the pastor, the Rev. f. I. Il.
Reynolds, delivered a most appro-
pirate historical address. in which
he gave the history of the church
from its founding to the present lay.
A large congregation was present at
the Diamond Jubilee" service when
special music and the administra-
ton of the Lords supper took place.
In the sermon delivered by the
Rev. Mr.. Reynolds he sketched the
birth of the organization OF
church and laid stress on the TACT
that the first meeting of the Chassis
of Monmouth was held here. The
church was organized with thirteen
members and the building of the
church was done through a most
efficient committee including Corne-
Illus Ackerson, David Warner. Dan
iel Sloan, Jr. The corner stone was
laid in 1S4S and the church was
dedicated June 81, 1850, at which
time the address was delivered py
the Rev. DIR. G. w. Bethune, a lead
ing speaker of New York.
The plot was secured from Garrett
H. Hendrickson and wife and Esra
Osborn and wife through Purchase
and Gibbs, and the seal adopted py
the consistory in 1S49 was a circle
enclosing a triangle. The first mis-
sionary was Nathan S. Chaplain VINO
served the church three years ana
left 1t to the oversight OF DR.. VII
liam Reilly, of Holmdel. Rev. John
Minor was the second missionary
and the third was Rev. Jeremiah
Searle, whose son, Jeremiah Searle'
Jr., was one of the two young men
from the local Reformed cnurch
who entered the ministry. The sec
ond Henry Van Brake. o OF Ell
der d. P. Van Brake, died shortly
after his graduation from the New
Brunswick seminary in 1SS7.
The first minister, Rev. Samuel
Lockwood, was a great educator
student and scholar and was glven
the degree of Phi. D., by his alma
mater. the New York University. He
was the superintendent of public in
~struction and did much to promote
education in the county OF Mon
mouth. 100
The was built in 1867
under the supervision of Rev. Dr.
Lockwood, d. l.. F. Schanck, cap
tain c.. d. Emsen, Peter p Conover'
the builder being Andrew McDow-
ell. OF the former pastors or
church numbering eight, u two
survive. Rev. Henry Van Woert. OIL
Roxbury, n. Y, and Rev. william
E. Compton, of Schenectady, N: 4:
During the eight and one-han
years of the present pastorate many
changes have occurred. Inc uupie1
envelopes have been introduced ana
The donations have increased six fold.
a new pipe organ has been pur-
chased a new sidewalk has peer
laid on three sides of the church
steam heat and electricity
have been installed in the parson-
age. and a handsome new church
house has been built. the contractor
and builder being Charles r. Davi-
son. 1t was decided to build n
church house March 2S, 1921, 10
accommodate the Sunday scnooi
which had doubled in membership
The corner stone was laid in Au,
gust and the church house opened
for services the first Sunday IN De-
cember. 80,
The new building is o useful
accommodating the boys whose OF,
CARNATIONS number between o. an
40 members, wolf cubs and boy
scouts, the Mems Club three years
old, and one of the largest anu
strongest organizations OF men IN sie
county, the Guild of the churcn' nv
wears ole. which has aided most ma
ferially in both social events and nm
ancially and the Ladies' Aid when
has been in existence since the Or
-or;zotian nf tho chnrcn,
In closing Rev. Mr.. Reynolds stat
ed that the only disappointment was
that not all the talents in the hurcn
had been c~onsecrated to God but as
a fitting tribute to the Diamond
Jubilee" that a reconsecration OF al
talents should take place to
the work of the church and to en-
large the building of the Kingdom
of God.