Year: 1879

ITS HISTORY AND PROGRESS REVIEWED BY REV.


DIR. BELLOWS.


At the Church of All Souls the Rev. DR.. Bellows
preached taking for his text Deuteronomy H., 7


These forty years thy God has been with thee thou
hast lacked nothing" Forty years ago was duly
installed the pastor of the only Unitarian church
which then existence in the city of New York.
the parent church from which have sprung the
numerous branches which now fourishing both
here and throughout the length and breadth OF this
broad continent And considering the enduring friend
ship the flial devotion and amicable relations which
have at all times existed between the congregation
and him who has been called to at your leader in
divine worship and carrying out faithfully the aims
and purposes of our holy faith, may reiterate the
words of Moses, given in the sacred Scriptures.
1 remember distinctly the reluctance which mani
tested ut the time on being named to I'LL the position
of the Rev. DR.. Ware who was then about to resign
the pastorate, my sole desire then being to obtain
the guardianship of small flock in some New Eng
land village. But my doubts being removed by the
kindly advice given me by the eminent Dr. Chan
ming coupled together with the earnest desires and
expressions of confident assurance given me by Drs.
Ware and Dewey. induced me- to forego any calcula-
tons for the future which had determined on and
accept the charge which was so graciously rendered
me. On the I'd OF January, 1889. entered
on my duties pastor. the church being
located in Chambers street, the site Of
which the Savings Bank has been erected. The
erend gentleman here alluded to several persons who
were active and prominent members OF the first con-
gregaon and related at length the many difficulties
which had to be surmounted in order that their faith
which was decidedly unpopular at the time, might
secure a foothold.


MOVING NoRTHwARD.


The church in Chambers street was never free from
debt, and large portion of the brethren having
moved up to the vicinity of Fourth street and Waver
ley and Washington places the trustees determined,
for convenience sake to secure place OF worship
little further up town. The editce in which their
devotons were held up to this time thereupon
sold and heavily was it encountered by debt
that after satisfying creditors, only $1,000 were
realized from the sale of the house and grounds
While casting about for suitable location
services were held every Sunday in hall on Broad
way, below Canal street, which was used throughout
the week for miscellaneous purposes, such as exh-
bitions minstrel performances, &C., and known
in those days as Apollo Hail. They then secured
chapel at the corner OF Prince and Greene streets
but it being in dilapdated condition and falling
decay the Board Of Trustees held several stormy
meetings discussing the necessity of holding services
in edifce, but without avail, the majority be-
ing in favor OF remaining where they were. large
portion of the roof falling down with crash the
communion table during the Sabbath services shortly
after all objections to removal on the part
of the dissenters, and the brown stone church
on Broadway, between Prince and Spring
streets, was purchased and services held there
for years, until, large proportion of the
congregation having removed still further up town,
it was deemed necessary to make another change.
The reverend gentleman here spoke of several
sions on which he called to exercise his duties
as citizen being called to act chaplain at the
ception given to Charles Dickens and to the editorial
chair of the Chr7stidn Inquirer He then mentioned
the founding of the Second Avenue Cemetery, in
which, he said. the remains of the most distinguished
and earliest supporters of the Unitarian faith
inferred and after commenting on the beneficial and
gratifying results which the American Unitarian AS
gon the Doctor concluded his discourse by invoking
the Divine protection on his flock and wishing that
sscn Of the bonds Of love- friendship and
fidelity which had existed in the past.