History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. I, Part 130

Author: Shaw, William H
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: [United States :]
Number of Pages: 840

USA > New Jersey > Essex County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. I > Part 130
USA > New Jersey > Hudson County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. I > Part 130

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& Dr. Brown's last work here was the preparation of the Manual of 1×77. In which the results of long and ripe experience were emtxulied both in the constitution and rules and in the creed and covenant, which were then adopted by the church There is a striking similarity between the confemton of faith since then umul among us in the receiv. ing of members and that recommended by the Congregational Commis- miun in 1sx4

521

RELIGIOUS INTERESTS OF NEWARK.

David Ripley and others." The name of S. B. Alling services appeared in the Newark Daily .Advertiser of is yearly brought to mind by the fifty dollars which the next day : has come from his estate since his death, in 1861, into the benevolent fund of the church. For mention of those who are still spending with the church the latter hours of their day of equally useful service, we hope that some future historian will derive, as we have, material from the living memories in which their worth is writ. It is not for mere remembrance, like an old "Old Mortality," scraping the mass from grave stones, that we commemorate those who have labored here and gone to their rest. It is rather to revive in our own hearts their spirit of zeal and faithfulness, that we may keep alive their altar fires. So only will it be an honor to be their heirs.

This church has served its half-century well. It has its fruits not only in the individual lives it has moulded to piety and humanity, but in the five churches which were either developed from seed which it helped to plant or were formed from it outright. It has a record in which time has exposed nothing to apologize for or be ashamed of, a record of effective Christian leadership, which attest- it desert and duty still to live, and for which to find be all the glory ! It has been a working and reforming, a catholic and a progressive church, with its face set hopefully to- ward the future.

The membership of this church in 1884 was two hundred and ten ; value of chuch property, twenty- five thousand dollars.

Officers for 1884: Rev. James M. Whiton, Ph. D., pastor ; William J. Decker, John P. Jube, George A. Mclellan, James Skinner, George O. F. Taylor, dea- cons; J. Frank Beers, superintendent Sunday-school ; George W. Gore, Jr., clerk.

Belleville Avenue Congregational Church .- This church, located on Belleville Avenue, was or- ganized in INGS by a colony from the First t'ongre- gational Church, in Clinton Street. Rev. M. E. Strieby was called as their first pastor, and was suc- ereded by Rev. Calvin B. Hulbert, then of New laven, Vt.

During the year 1868 the church purchased a lot and built a chapel at a cost of nine thousand dollars. Mr. joined the church, in 1837, so great was the stigma cast Hulbert remained with the church about three years. when he was sureerded by Rev. ti. M. Boynton, who remained till 1880. His successor was Rov. W. II. Ward, and in 1884, Rev. George H. Hepworth was installed as pastor of the church. Finding the chapel inadequate to the size of the congregation, it was do- vided to build a church edifice of brown stone, which was completed in 1854, and dedicated April 25th of that year. The following account of the dedicatory

1 Archibald S. shafer, nt one time a dry-gummis dealer in Newark, now of Oberlin, S. S. Hughem and Samand W. Lam bertine ministers of the gungwe.l. William farison completed his studies for the ministry, but Arvecutiun for his anti-slavery principles led to his giving It up for the low. Lucius D. Baldwin is mentioned in the Manual of 1836 as a theo- logical stundlent. Most, If not all, of these studied at Uberlin.

"The Belleville Avenue Congregational Church was dedicated lost evening, in the province of an audience which filled a very available place In the building, and hairy had to be placed in some of the aisles The edifice was brilliantly illuminated with five large reflectors of a pretty end novel design. The effect un entering the Inailding was very pleasing and rheerfal. Quite a number of prominent clergymen orcupied seats on the pulpit platform, including Bov De George I Hepworth, the pastor of the church , Rev. Dr. Hay l'aliner, the seriate pastor , Blev. Dr William M. Taylor, of the Broadway Talernacle, New York ; Her Dr .J W. Whit on, of the First Congregstimmt Church of this city , Rey Dr M E strieby, the first pustor of the church ; Rev. Dr William Hays Ward, editor of the New York Independent, who is also a member of Belleville Avenue Church , Boy Was HI Brodhead, pastor of the Ra- formed Church at Woodside ; atu Rov. Mr Haywood, of Elizabeth The exercises began with a finely-exoruted offertoire on the organ by Professor Fred ( Banana, the organic of St Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church, after which Res Mr. Brodhead offered the prayer of invocation Rev. Dr George M Boynton, of Boston, who preceded Rev Dr Hep- worth as pastor, was expected to be procent and offer this prayer, but he was unable to get here. 'Thon, Lord, Art My Hope,' a quartette, was finely rendered by Misse Sofeld and Ward and More. Haworth and Morrill, members of St Paul's Methodhat Epis agal Church choir. Rev Dr Strieby then rend appropriate selections fromn P'stalins Ixxxiv., crxsi and exxxii., after which Has De l'almer offered a very impressive doch- 'ation prayer. This was followed by a dedication hymn, written for the occasion by lev. Dr. Palmer, and which was read by Res. Dr. Hepworth in a distinct manner. It was sung to the tone of ' Federal Street.' It was exceedingly well rendered by the quartette, and the audience were requested to join with it, which they did with a henrty good-will, making the building ring with the happy strains of over a thousand voice.

"The sermon was preached by Key Dr. Taylor, who selected for hla text a clause of the thirteenth verw of the fourth chapter of Hebrews, 'Him with whom we have to do "

" Rov Dr. Whiton offorral the concluding prayer ; the quartette ren- dered some more choice marie, and after singing the long netre Doxology, the benediction was pronounced by Rev. Pr. Taylor."

It is but just to say that this is one of the most complete and best appointed church edifices in the city, and with its present pastor, is a more popular resort for church-going people of no particular taith, than any in the city.

Universalist Church .- The first Universalist Church ever organized in Newark was formed in 1832. The first meeting, were held in private houses, and were attended by only five or six members. Subsequently they obtained a church, a building afterwards owned by the United Presbyterians, on Clinton Street. An old and highly-respected citizen says that when he

upon the denomination that no woman would be seen in their congregation in the day-time. In 1852 there was a division among the members, and two separate congregations were kept up till 1864, when they united under the name of the " Union Universalist t'hurch." In 1870, they had about seventy members, and a Sab- bath-school numbering two hundred and fifty pupils. They purchased a property on Fair Street, where they worshiped some time, when the building was converted into a horse stable for fancy stock, and later into a railroad station. Their church property is now lo- cated at No. 935 Broad Street, and is quite valuable. Their first pastor was Rev. L. G. Marvin. He war succeeded by Revs, James Gallagher, Asher Moore, A. St. John Chambre, A. C. Laurie, William E, Gibbs.

522

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Since Mr. Gibbs their pastoral supply has been quite tants by all the nations of the earth for thousands of irregular, and at present there is no regular pastor, though Rev. E. II. Chapin is accredited as such.

Society of the New Jerusalem .- This society was organized in 1871, and a church edifice built on Belle- ville Avenue, opposite Second Avenue, in 1875. The trustees in 1881 were George W. Smith. James Roberts, Charles T. Root, G. M. S. Horton, A. II. Schon. Fittings, two hundred ; communicants, twelve. Rev. Charles H. Mann is the present and only pastor the society has ever had. He says, "This church teaches the supreme and sole divinity of Jesus Christ, the holiness of the Sacred Sciptures, and salvation by a life of obedience to the Ten Commandments."

St. Stephen's German United Evangelical Church .- This church was organized March 17, 1874. with eighty-nine constituent members. The first church officials were Eckert. - Wolz, - Kuhl, - Swarz, - Loebline. The church edifice is of brick, located on the eorner of Ferry Street and Hamburg Place. The corner-stone was laid June 25, 1874, and the church dedicated in December of the

Ninth Street, where they own a frame building, occu- pied for mission purposes. The entire church prop- orty is valued at thirty-five thousand dollars. In July, 1884, the membership numbered three hundred and twenty. Church officers for 1884 were A. F. Kuhl, John Kuhl, F. Flaack, M. Leux. John Shiel, Frederick Kunkle, John Wolz, John Hummel and Philip Kaufmann.

This church has had but two pastors,-Rev. Oscar IT. Krafte, five years, who was succeeded, in 1879, by the present pastor, Rev. R. Katerndahl.

German Evangelical Association .- This church or religious organization, was formed in 1878 or 1879, and is located at 251 Court Street. The pastors have been Rev. I. A. Blattenberger, from 1879 to 1883; Rev. Emanuel Glasser, in 1884.

Harmonical Association of Spiritnalists .- This is one of the modern religious institutions of the city, with headquarters at No. 9 Bank Street.

Second Adventists are numerically weak and of slow growth, yet they proclaim their tenets at No. 12 Academy Street.

Church of the Messiah, located at 247 Washing- ton Street, is of recent origin in Newark, where that branch of the great Christian family has been planted but a year or two. Rev. S. T. Graham has charge of its spiritual department.

The Jewish Synagogues in Newark. It was said of old, "the sceptre shall not depart from Judah," and his tribe became the mightiest of the earth. The story of the wanderings of the twelve tribes of Israel; the history, prophecies, command- ments and miracles of Moses; the entry into the prom- ised land; the glory of Jerusalem ; the building of the temple-its magnificence; the destruction of the Holy City ; the exile and persecution of its inhabi.

years,-the recital of those things makes a story more thrilling than the most exciting romance of the ablest writers of ancient or modern times.

The Jews, though kicked and cuffed about the world for centuries, retain their original traditions, and preserve for the most part the same customs and religious ceremonies that were handed down to them by their great law-giver. They also have the foa- tures that belonged to the days of King Solomon.

There is now in Jerusalem about ten or twelve thousand Jews, who have gone thither from all parts of the world-returned exiles, sent there by their race to pray over the ruins for the restoration of Israel to its original form and glory. These people ocenpy the Jewish quarter, and are not allowed to live in any other part of the city. In Rome, the same rule prevails of confining the Jews to a certain quarter of the city, but there are many of them wealthy and do not suffer the degradation that belongs to those of Jerusalem.

But the irrepressible spirit of progress of the nine- same year. This society has founded a mission on ' teenth century has broken down the barriers that

isolated them from the enjoyment of civil rights, and as they feel that they are no longer oppressed and despised, they drop their old superstitions and many of their former religious usages.

The Jews are not numerous in Newark in propor- tion to the population, or at least not so much so as in some other towns.

PIONEER SYNAGOGUE .- The first organization of the Jews in Newark was effected Aug. 20, 1848. The first meeting was held in a private house in Washington Street, and subsequently occupied a building on the corner of Academy and Washington Streets, where they continued to worship for one year. In 1858 they built a temple at the corner of Washing- ton and William Streets, which they subsequently sold, and it is now occupied as a factory.

SECOND TEMPLE .- In 1867 another temple was built at 324 Washington Street, and dedicated Aug. 29, 1868. It is in the Moorish style, beautiful in its sim- plicity, and is on the plan of the temple at Berlin.

THIRD TEMPLE .- When this temple was erected, the congregation divided; those professing orthodox doctrine went out and worshiped elsewhere, and sub- sequently huilt a new temple on the corner of High and Bank Streets.

There is nothing in the manner of worship in the Reformed Jewish Synagogues essentially different from that of some denominations of Christians, the pews are arranged in the same manner, the services consist of singing, prayer uttered by the priest and responded to by the choir, and a sermon. Men and women sit together, the men wearing their hats. The priest also keeps his head covered during the service, wearing a sort of cap of black velvet and a black robe with ornaments.

The Reformed Jews' theory is that religion is as

523

RELIGIOUS INTERESTS OF NEWARK.

progressive as science ; that God is constantly teach- ing man in proportion to his increasing capacity to receive knowledge ; that the revelation of His will to man is not complete, and never can be. They recog- nize all mankind as their brothers, and that all rational enjoyments of life should be allowed, but moderation should be observed. Their Jerusalem is the whole world, and they do not pray for, or wish to return to, Jerusalem in Palestine.

The Orthodox Jews pray for a restoration of their kingdom in Jerusalem, and the return of the whole race to the holy city, and profess to believe that a Messiah will appear at some future day in the body, forbid marriage with other sects, and are professedly strict in their Sabbath observances. The following account of the dedication of the new synagogue, which occurred Aug. 10, 1884, was taken from the Vewark Evening News :

" As the mentbers of the congregation filhel the seats and aisles to wit. now the dedication of the new building, the organ pealed forth a volun- tary as the procession entered the editive. The Rabbi, the Key Julius Loewe, and the Res Dr. M De sala Mendon, of New York, were its ad- vance of the President. Moritz Burleigh, and Vice-President. M. rita Fuchs. Fourteen young girls dressed in white followed. The girls went into the chair, and the pastor and his assistants entered the altar Mise Bella Hermann came forward at the conclusion of the singing. She was accompanied to Miss Lash Cola, Flora Hannock, Ha fidsticker and Lesh Immergluck, dried in white. Miss Hermunn carried a white satin cushion, upon which was the key to the synap one. Min Hermann wus net near the altar by Presslent Burleigh.

" MISS HERMANN'S ADDRESS

" . Fooling that I could not surrender the key to a more worthy person,' mail Mins Hermann, 'it is my duty to expres to you the sincere thanks of the congregation for your activity and zeal in the g anl cause. We hope that this key may open a bright and prosperous future for the congre- gation. I must express the same thanks to the Imilding ommitter and toni who have awisted us in this good work.'

" In accepting the key. Mr. Burleigh gave a short review of the history of the congregation, and paid a tribute to the bnibling . damittre for ac- complishing » much.

" . Almost was years ago,' said Mr Burleigh, the congregation semed] tar be asley.p. Afew active spirits uroumal congregational interest, and the project of erecting a synagogue greatly strengthened, until we stand toulny dedicating our house of worthy .. In addition to a omplishing all this, the building committee has collected enough funds to nicely fix up the cemetery The entire work has been literally supported, and the synagogue todas is in god financial condition. It will prove a sobre of much joy and happiness to all hunest Jewa,'

"THE PROCESSDIN OF THURAIS.

"The procession of Thoralas, or Sacrest Writings, then entered. The six trustees lote the scrolls. The guard of honor consisted of Minees Annie Berla, Hanua Henhut, Tillie Black, sophie Norton, Jennie leche, Barbnel Sitoon, Hattie Sternberg, Bella Plant, Nettie Kerpel, Mury Go- ben and Annie Kridel. The girls all were white dreams and carried candles and lowquets. Headed by the Rev. Whi lawwe, the procession pared slowly round the room singing the service, rammes being made by the choir,

"After the pression the Rev. De solu Mendes preached a armen in English. He took for his text . Four food, and Loose Thy Nichtnur an Thym.If.' The speaker declared that the text was an old Jewish com mamIment, which had been formulated into civil law- undt alupteil by other churchex. He declared that there shoukl Ir more real worship. and declared that the Jewish families met a good example to the rest of the world 1y their fuinily devotions.

" The One Hundred and Twelfth Pasim wir sung by Mre. Maschke, and afterward us duet by Mrs. Maschke and the Kes Mr. Love. The exercisea were closeul with the benediction. Many prominent purple were present.

" The synagogue is a twostory brick, of molest appearance. The in-

terior is cumufortalde, and all fancy rhamer tatmin has been ainyled. The building in twenty-tise Iy mventy-five feet it all will be need for the weekly w rod. At the west and in the pulpit, and Ir.hind this is the reaptaste in which the Banks of Me- are kept. Thewe are written on parchment, and are very bajuimely engraved. The wcondl story will be used an a Sunday ~ bor I, an alan Brugh the week as a school for the instru n . f . hilde u in Hebrew and German

OHEB SHALOM .- This new tabernacle of the Hebrew Congregation, Oheb Shalom, in Prince Street, was delicated on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 11. 1.4. The ceremonies began about four o'clock in the old syna- gogne, where the "scrolls" were taken from the shrine. A procession was then formed, consisting of a band, Krv. S. Philo, Professor Hood, twenty young girls, dressed in white and carrying baskets of flow- ers, and a single young miss with a white satin pillow, upon which was laid a large key. Then came a canopy, borne by four members of the congregation. and under the canopy were three other members of the congregation carrying the " scrolls." Theu fol- lowed some forty or fifty citizens, among whom were Mayor Haynes, Congressman Fiedler, Senator Stainsby and Judge Hood, and next came the Lasker Literary Society, representing the twelve sons of Jacob. This procession, with the band playing, marched to the synagogue and halted in the vestibule, where the choir sang and Rev. S. Philo read a portion of Scripture. The procession then resumed its march, and after passing several times through the different aisles, the young misses were drawn up in line on both sides of the altar. The pastor, the president of the congregation, and the three men who carried the scrolls, together with three young girls, then ascended to the altar, where one of the young girl-, Mis- Lillie Gibian, presented the key of the synagogue lo the president in an appropriate address. Rev. L. Zinslu then offered prayer, and Rev. S. Philo placed the scrolls in the shrine, and read a portion of the Scriptures. The vesper and consecration hymns were then sung, after which Police Justice Hoot de- livered an appropriate address. A recitation and the singing of a hymn followed, and the ceremonies were ended. The new edifice has a -eating capacity of nearly fifteen hundred.

Cemeteries .- The old burying-ground between Brond and Halsey Streets, below Market, was appro- printed and set apart by the original proprietors, and embraced, according to the old records, seven chains in length by four in width. The deed given by the proprietors was the same as that by which all other public property was conveyed, and expressly stated the use to which it should be confined. This bury- ing-place is one of the oldlest landmarks of the town, if not the oldest. Here, almost in the centre of the city, hidden by the great stores and factories of Broad and Market Streets, lie the remains of those who were literally "the rude forefathers of the hamlet." Enter- ing through a handsome gateway, one finds a green turfed yard in which remain a few of the crumbling monuments created to the memory of the pioneers.

524

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Although by no means neglected, the old burying- ground presents few evidences of the kind and loving regard of the living for the dead. The ground is under control of the city, and whatever has been done for many years in the way of maintaining it in or- | derly condition is to be credited to that management.

The most beautiful of the Newark cemeteries is Mount Pleasant, which lies between Belleville Avenue and the Passaic, in the northern part of the city. It consists of forty acres of land, most beautifully laid out in walks and drives. The surface is undulating, and is shaded by huge trees, while a profusion of smaller ones and of all kinds of evergreens and shrubs lend an additional charm to the grounds. The monuments in many cases exhibit great beauty and massiveness, and, in short, the place is interesting in a degree that few cemeteries in the country are, so well has art supplemented nature. This cemetery, too, has all of the dignity and solemnity, as well as the sweetness, which should invest a sacred resting-place of the dead. Mount Pleasant was projected by Horace F. Baldwin in 1843, and the association which

The Bishops' Cemetery or the Cemetery of the Holy Sepulchre was chartered in 1871, but upon the ground which formed the nucleus of the present cemetery manages it was incorporated by the Legislature of | improvements had been made many years before. New Jersey Jan. 24, 1844. The first board of managers The cemetery fronts on Grove Street and Central Avenue. It is wohl laid out and a very admirable resting-place for the dead. were William Rankin, president; Isaac Ballwin, treasurer; Algernon S. Hubbell, secretary. The cemetery was consecrated with religious ceremonies The Jewish Cemetery is a small inclosure on South Orange Avenue. by the Rev. James Scott, D. D., June 18, 1844. These facts are set forth on a memorial pillar near the gate- way, upon one of the faces of which is this inscrip- tion: "This pillar is to perpetuate the history of Mount Pleasant Cemetery," etc., as already given. The first person buried here was Elizabeth Jacques, on July 12, 1844. About ten thousand interments have been made here.

Fairmount Cemetery was incorporated Feb. 9, 1855. The grounds, lying on South Orange Avenue, about one mile from the court-house, and consisting of over sixty avres were purchased from the First Presbyte- rian t'hurch. This cemetery overlooks the country toward the Orange Mountains. It is beautifully laid ont in winding avenues and walks with graceful curves. The first interment here was that of Lewis Pierson, aged twenty-four years, who was buried Aug. 24, 1855. The dedication ceremonies oceurred in

THE early history of Freemasonry in New Jersey September of the same year. A monument to the i is involved in a shade of obscurity, yet there is evi- soldiers is a noticable feature of this cemetery. It is a handsome square shaft, surmounted by a soldier leaning upon his musket, and bears the following in- scription :

"THIIS MONUMENT IS IN MEMORY OF THE HEROIC DEAD BURIED HERE, WHY ONVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY DURING THE GREAT REBELLION ERECTED I) THE CITY OF AFWARK, A. D., 1869.''

Upon the sides of the shaft are the names of his- torie battles of the war, as Antietam, Gettysburg, At- fanta, Petersburg and Mobile Bay.

Woodland Cemetery is managed by a company which was incorporated in 1855. This company bought the present cemetery grounds off Springfield Avenue, opposite Tenth Street; but a number of years elapsed before extensive improvements were made. The cemetery is quite largely German, as the names and language of the inscriptions denote. The situa- tion is a commanding one, and the grounds have been very tastefully laid out, and are kept in excellent condition.

In 1869 the city authorities purchased fifteen and a half acres of land along the New Jersey Central Rail- road, at Waverly Station, just south of the city, and set the same apart as a burying ground. The bodies from potters field on Hamburg Place, and from the bury- ing-ground at the almshouse, in all numbering about four thousand five hundred, were shortly removed to this ground, and since then many additional inter- ments have been made.

St. John's Cemetery is a small burial-plot con- nected with the Catholic t'hurch of the same name. and located on Crittenden Avenue. The most notable burial made here is that of the Very Rev. Patrick Moran, first vicar-general of the diocese of Newark and pastor of the church, who died in 1866.

St. Mary's is a small burying-ground lying just out- side of the city limits, and north of Roseville.

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History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. I, Part 130

Author: Shaw, William H Publication date: 1884 Publisher: [United States :] Number of Pages: 840

Author: Shaw, William H
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: [United States :]
Number of Pages: 840