USA > New York > New York City > A history of the churches, of all denominations, in the city of New York, from the first settlement to the year 1846 > Part 10
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Wall Street Church on the subject of psal- mody, and when, at the settlement of Mr. Bostwick in the spring of 1756, those dissen- sions were in a measure dropped, a minority were still dissatisfied, and preferred to with- draw quietly, and establish a new church, which was accordingly done. The church took the name of the " Scotch Presbyterian ..... Church," and put itself under the care of the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania. In the month of June, 1761, the Rev. John Ma- son, of Scotland, arrived in New York, and became pastor of this church, and it was greatly owing to his influence that the union was effected between the Associate and Re- formed Churches. After this union, the church of which he was pastor was called " The First Associate Reformed Church in New York." In 1768, this church erected a substantial house of worship, of stone, 65 feet by 54, standing on Cedar street, near Broadway.
The minister of this church, the Rev. Dr. Mason, was a man of eminence, an accom- plished scholar, and a most devoted pastor. It was not strange that the church and con- gregation increased under his ministry; nor
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that he should be greatly lamented, as he was, at his death, which took place in the year 1792.
On the death of Dr. Mason, his son, Mr. John M. Mason, who was then pursuing the study of theology at Edinburgh, was in- vited by the church to succeed his father in the pastoral office, which invitation he ac- cepted. The Rev. Dr. John M. Mason re- mained pastor of this church until the year 1810, when he resigned this charge to become the first pastor of the church in Murray street. Not long after the resigna- tion of Dr. Mason, the church presented a call to the Rev. Robert B. C. McLeod, which he accepted and remained pastor of the church about twelve years, when he re- signed the charge, and was succeeded by the Rev. Joseph McElroy, who was installed, May 26th, 1824.
The increase of business in the lower part of the city, and the consequent removal of the families from the vicinity of the place of worship, led this church, like many others, to change their location. Ground was there- fore purchased in Grand street near Broad- · way, and a large and most substantial build-
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ing was erected in the year 1836, and to this the church removed. Dr. McElroy is still pastor.
PEARL STREET CHURCH.
This was the second Associate Reformed Church. The congregation was organized in the year 1797, and a house of worship built on Pearl street, then called " Magazine Street," between Elm street and Broadway. It was a substantial building of stone, 66 feet long, and 56 wide. For a few years it formed a collegiate charge with the Scotch Church in Cedar Street, but in the year 1804 they were separated.
The first pastor of the church was the Rev. Robert Forrest, a native of Dunbar, Scotland, who was installed in the spring of 1804. He labored in this congregation with ability and faithfulness for about seven years, and was succeeded in 1811,* by the Rev. John X. Clark. After a ministry of nearly seven years, Mr. Clark resigned the charge. Rev. William W. Phillips suc- ceeded Mr. Clark, being installed in the
* Mr. [Forrest died in Stamford, Delaware Co., N. Y., March 17, 1846, aged 78.
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spring of 1818, and in the summer of 1826, he was dismissed, in order to take charge of the Wall Street Church, to which he had been called. Rev. Walter Monteith suc- ceeded Dr. Phillips, being installed Aug. 23, 1826. His ministry continued about three years, when he was succeeded by Rev. Ben- jamin H. Rice, who was installed Dec. 3, 1829. Dr. Rice resigned his charge in 1833, and on April 17, 1834, Rev. Henry A. Row- land was installed. Three years after this, the church edifice was destroyed by fire, and rebuilt on the same site in the following year. In 1843, Mr. Rowland resigned his charge, and the Rev. Charles H. Read, the present pastor, was installed Dec. 13, 1843. The present number of members in the church, is 350.
MURRAY STREET CHURCH.
This was the third Associate Reformed Church. It was composed principally of persons who had belonged to the " Scotch Church" in Cedar street while the Rev. Dr. John M. Mason was minister there, and who left with him, when in the year 1810 he re- signed the pastorship of that church. For a
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term of time they met for worship in Dr. Romeyn's church in Cedar street, at such hours as the house was not occupied by the ordinary congregation. They were subse- quently organized as a church, and Dr. Ma- son became their pastor. In 1812, an ele- gant stone building was completed, situated .on Murray street, opposite to Columbia College, the site of which is now occupied by large dwelling-houses. Here Dr. Mason continued to officiate, with a large and in- creasing congregation around him, until Sept., 1821, when he was elected Professor of Theology in the college at Carlisle, Pa. His health having become somewhat im- paired by the continued exercise of the min- istry, he was induced to accept the appoint- ment ; but after two years, his health utterly failed, and he returned to New York, where he died in 1829.
He was succeeded in Murray street by the Rev. William D. Snodgrass, who was installed, Sept. 22, 1823, and remained pas- tor of the church until Sept. 22, 1832, when he resigned his charge, and removed to the Second Street Church in Troy.
Dr Snodgrass was succeeded by the Rev.
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Thomas McAuley, D.D., then of Philadel- phia, but formerly pastor of the Rutgers Street Church, who was installed January 31, 1833. A heavy debt had long lain upon the church for its original cost, and many changes in the congregation having taken place, after about eight years of Dr. Mc Au- ley's ministry, it was judged best by the congregation to sell the ground on Murray street, which had become very valuable, and remove the house to another location. A very desirable site was accordingly procured on Eighth street, fronting Lafayette place, a part of the street called " Astor place," and the edifice was taken down and built on that spot. It was completed in 1842. In No- vember, 1845, Rev. Dr. McAuley resigned the pastoral office, and the church is now vacant. It is generally known in the city as the " Eighth Street Church," and sometimes as " The Church on Astor place," though its corporate name has never been changed from the " Third Associate - Reformed Church."
In May, 1822, the three churches above named, with nine others belonging to the same Synod, united with the General As-
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sembly of the Presbyterian Church. Several years passed, and there was no church of this denomination in the city; but in the year 1831, the Associate Reformed Synod of New York sent the Rev. William Mc- Auley to this city for the purpose of collect- ing and organizing a congregation ; and his labors resulted in the formation of
" THE FOURTH ASSOCIATE REFORMED CHURCH."
The first meeting was held in Rutgers Medical College in Duane street, on the first Sabbath in October, 1831. The assemblies were small at the beginning, but gradually increased, and on the fourth Sabbath of that month a church was duly organized. The church was constantly supplied with preach- ing, and continued to increase in numbers and influence. In March, 1832, they re- moved from the medical college to a house of worship on Franklin street, at the foot of Varick street, which they hired; and here they held their first communion, on April 15, 1832. The church then contained but twenty-six members. This church has had two pastors. The first was the Rev. James
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Lillie, who was installed August 22, 1833. He labored with much acceptance until De- cember, 1835, when the pastoral connection was dissolved in consequence of his accept- ing a call from a church in Salem, in this State. The present pastor is the Rev. Wil- liam McLaren, who was ordained and in- stalled pastor on September 1,1836. In the following spring the congregation purchased the house of worship which they occupied for $16,000, and they are now in a flourish- ing state. The church numbers in commu- nion three hundred and ten members.
FIFTH ASSOCIATE REFORMED CHURCH.
This church, which was organized in November, 1838, was gathered principally by the labors of the Rev. James Mairs, who preached in a schoolroom at No. 131 Allen street for about three months, and after that in the Lecture-room of the. Medical College in Crosby street, until his death, which took place in September, 1810. The Rev. Peter Gordon soon succeeded Mr. Mairs, and was installed pastor of the church in December of that year.
Soon after this the congregation removed
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to the "Society Library" on Broadway, where they remained nearly two years. After this, for a short time, they occupied the " Broadway Hall," near Grand street, and at length they hired, with a view to permanency, a house of worship on Jane street, near Abingdon Square,-commencing worship here on May 1, 1844. The congregation is now assuming a more settled character, and they have purchased the house of worship which they occupy for $12,000. Mr. Gor- don is still pastor, and they have 120 mem- bers in communion.
ASSOCIATE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The first church of this name in the city of New York, was formed in the spring of 1785, by the Rev. Thomas Beveridge. Mr. Beveridge remained with this church for a while, but does not appear to have had the pastoral charge. He was afterwards settled in Cambridge in this state, and died sudden- ly at Barnet, in Vermont, July 23, 1798.
A house of worship was erected on Nas- sau street, in 1787, and here the first pastor of the church, the Rev. John Cree, was ordained and installed, October 12, 1792.
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PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 213
Mr. Cree remained but two years when he resigned his charge, and removed to Penn- sylvania. For eight years the church re- mained without a pastor, but in the year 1802, the Rev. Thomas Hamilton was in- stalled, and continued pastor of the church until his death, in August, 181S. For about two years after this the church had occa- sional supplies. In the early part of 1821, the Rev. Andrew Stark was appointed by the Presbytery to supply this church. After hearing him for a time the church gave him a call, and in May, 1822, he was installed their pastor. Two years after this, the con- gregation sold their house of worship in Nassau street to the South Baptist Church, and erected another on Grand street, corner of Mercer street, to which they removed in August, 1S24. Dr. Stark is still their minister.
SECOND ASSOCIATE CHURCH.
This church was formed of members be- longing to the first church of the same name, in the year 1830. There were at first between thirty and forty communicants. They met for worship in the Dispensary in White 19
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street, and the Rev. Duncan Stalker was their preacher for about six months. The Rev. James Irving was the first pastor of this church. He was installed in 1831, and continued in the pastoral office until his death, which took place in the fall of 1835. During the ministry of Mr. Irving a con- venient church edifice was erected on the corner of Thompson and Prince streets, at a cost of about $16,000 for house and land, and was opened for worship in 1833. A heavy debt lay upon the building, but still the prospects of the congregation were, on the whole, encouraging.
After the death of Mr. Irving, the Rev. Hugh H. Blair became his successor in the pastoral office. But difficulties soon arose of various kinds. The congregation was embarrassed on account of their debts, and finally the house of worship was sold under foreclosure of mortgage, and the church and congregation retired to the lecture-room of the medical college in Crosby street. But their troubles were not at an end. Dissen- sions existed among themselves, which, in the spring of 1838, ended in a separation, and the body now known in the city as
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the " Second Associate Church," worshipped for about a year in the " National Hall" in Canal street, and thence removing several times to other places, remaining without a pastor, being supplied by the Presbytery until the spring of the year 1843, when the Rev. William J. Cleland, their present pastor, was installed. About that time they purchased a small house of worship stand- ing on the corner of Houston and Forsyth streets, where they still remain. The num- ber of communicants is about one hundred and thirty-five.
THIRD, OR CHARLES STREET ASSOCIATE CHURCH.
When the separation took place in the Second Associate Church, as just related, that portion of the people who adhered to Mr. Blair continued for a time to maintain worship in the Medical College, and then a small church building standing on the Sixth avenue, opposite Amity street, was pur- chased and occupied for several years, but in October, 1814, the congregation took possession of a substantial brick edifice, which they had erected on Charles street,
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where they still remain, with an increasing assembly. Mr. Blair continues in the pas- toral office, and they now enrol nearly four hundred members in communion.
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The Reformed Presbyterian Church in the city of New York was organized in the year 1797. The members of the original session were Messrs John Currie, Andrew Gifford, David Clark, John Agnew, and James Nelson ; the three former from Scotland, and the latter from the north of Ireland. All of these are now deceased, except Mr. Gifford, who still survives, in very advanced years, an eminent example of Christian consistency.
In the year 1800, the congregation called to the pastoral office, the late Rev. Alexander McLeod, D.D., who had then but recently been licensed to preach the gospel. At that time the church contained about thirty communicants, and they met for worship in a small room in Cedar street.
In the following year a site was procured on Chambers street, east of Broadway, and · a small neat frame building was erected. In
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this house Dr. McLeod continued to min- ister until 1813, when a larger and more com- modious edifice of brick was erected on the same spot. This place was well known to the Christian inhabitants of New York of all denominations, who were often attracted to it by the commanding talents of the pastor.
In the year 1826, a few spirited individu- als of the congregation purchased a house of worship which had been formerly used by by the Reformed Dutch Church in Greenwich village, and removed it to Sixth street, now Waverley place. The original design of the movement was to establish a collegiate charge, both branches of which should be under the pastoral care of Dr. McLeod, with an assistant minister. 'This design, however, failed of accomplishment, and a distinct and independent congregation was organized, to worship in Waverley place. At that time the whole number of commu- nicants in the Reformed Church was about three hundred and thirty, and of these about one hundred received certificates to form the new church. The Presbytery then submit- ted the choice of the two congregations to
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Dr. McLeod, and he decided to remain with the mother church in Chambers street.
In the beginning of the year 1833, the congregation called the Rev. John N. Mc- Leod, and he was installed as colleague pastor with his father. Dr. Mc Leod sur- vived this event but a few weeks, departing this life on February 17th, 1833, in the 58th year of his age, and 34th year of his min- istry. 'The Rev. Dr. John N. McLeod con- tinues to the present time sole pastor of the church. In the year 1835, the congregation considered it expedient to remove from Chambers street, and having disposed of their house of worship, they purchased a larger and more commodious building which had been occupied by the Union Presbyte- rian Church, situated on Prince street, corner of Marion street, where they still remain, a flourishing congregation. They number three hundred and thirty-six on their roll of communicants.
SECOND REFORMED CHURCH.
This is the organization referred to above, who, in number about one hundred, were de- tached from the old Reformed Church in
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Chambers street, in the year 1830, and form- ed into a separate church, worshipping in Waverley place. The first pastor of this church was the Rev. Robert Gibson, who was installed pastor of the church, May 18th, 1831, remaining in charge until his . death, which took place, December 23d, 1837. He was succeeded by the present pastor, the Rev. Andrew Stevenson, who was installed November 14th, 1839. This congregation is in a flourishing state, and three hundred and nineteen were reported in communion in May, 1815.
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IM SULLIVAN STREET.
This church was formed January 21st, 1833. It arose out of some difficulties in the Rev. Dr. McLeod's congregation in Chambers street, to which the original mem- bers belonged. The congregation worship- ped for some time in the lecture room of the Reformed Dutch Church in Franklin street, but in the year 1939, they purchased a house of worship on Sullivan street, near Spring street, which had been built and occupied by `the Protestant Methodists, where they still
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remain. The church has had but one pas- tor, the Rev. James Chrystie, who was in- stalled, November 16th, 1836, and remains with them. They have one hundred and eighty members in communion.
DATE OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK.
WITH THE NUMBER OF COMMUNICANTS IN EACH (1845).
Date.
Com.
First Church
1716
288
Scotch Church .
1756
675
Reformed Church (Prince st.)
1797
336
Pearl Street Church .
1801
350
Duane Street Church
1808.
444
Brick Church .
1809
719
Rutgers' Street Church
1809
869
Canal Street Church .
1809
250
Eighth Street Church
1812
404
Seventh Church
1818
1073
Allen Street Church
1819
447
Central Church.
1821
549
Colored Presbyterian
1822
413
Spring Street Church
1825
. 773
Bleecker Street Church
1825
399
Carmine Street Church
1829
637
Reformed Church (Waverley Place)
1830
319
2d Associate Church
1830
135
Sixth Street Church . 1831
155
4th Associate Reformed Church
1831
310
Houston Street Church
1832
723
1st Associate Church
1785
300
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PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
Welsh Church.
1833
142
Reformed Church (Sullivan st.).
1833
180
Brainerd Church
1834
363
West Twentieth Street Church.
1834
217
Mercer Street Church.
1835
514
Madison Street Church .
1836
300
5th Associate Reformed Church 1837
120
Tenth Church. 1837.
87
3d Associate Church
1838
350
Eleventh Church
1839
280
Chelsea Church
1842
97
Fifteenth Street Church
1844
40
Harlem Church. 1844
19
Bloomingdale Church .
1845
12
Church on University Place
1845
168
Hammond Street Church
.1845
31
Yorkville Church.
1846
18
Total
. 13,478
Total number of Churches .39
LIST OF PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES WHICH HAVE BECOME EXTINCT.
When formed. When and how ended.
Elizabeth Street Church .... 1811
Laight Street Church . .. 1811 Eighth Presbyterian . .... . . 1819 Vandewater Street Church .. 1820 Village, or Tabernacle Church. . . 1822
Bowery Church 1822
dissolved 1841.
Provost Street, or 14th
Church.
1823
Union Church
1829
1st Free Church
1830
North Church.
1831
dissolved 1813. dissolved 1842. dissolved 1842. died out. died out.
dissolved 1825.
dissolved 1838. united with Taber- nacle Church 1838. died out.
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2d Free Church
1833
Village Church
.1833
Tabernacle Church
.1834
(Catharine Street)
1st German Church
. 1834
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became Congrega. tional in 1841. died out. died out.
4th Free Church
.1834
Manhattan Island Church .. 1834
Sixth Avenue Church.
1835
, University Church
1836
became Episcopal
in 1837.
dissolved 1842.
died out.
dissolved Oct., 1838.
dissolved 1837.
Ninth Church .
.1836
dissolved 1838.
Broadway Tabernacle
1838
dissolved 1840.
Jane Street Church. .
1842
dissolved 1844.
Total number of Churches
21
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BAPTIST CHURCH. -
1724.
THE first Baptist Church organized in the City of New York, is said to have been in doctrine Arminian. Three ministers of this description are stated to have been in the city in the early part of the last century, viz., Mr. Wickenden, Mr. Whitman, and Mr. Ayres. In 1709, Mr. Wickenden preached in New York, but not having a license from the royal authority, he was imprisoned three months for his offence. In 1712, Mr. Whit- man came to New York from some part of New England, and preached in the house of Mr. Ayres, continuing his visits as he found it convenient for the space of about two years. During this time several per- sons were hopefully converted, and among them Mr. Ayres himself, who afterwards be- came a preacher. That was a day of perse-
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cution for religion, and for fear of this, it was proposed that the ordinance of Bap- tism should be administered to the converts in the night, and it was accordingly done to several persons. But Mr. Ayres and several others declined taking this course, and he boldly waited on Mr. Burnet, the royal Go- vernor, stated frankly to him his convictions of duty, and requested protection. This the Governor readily gave, and, with several other gentlemen, accompanied him to the water, where the ordinance was administer- ed in peace. In Sept., 1724, a church was organized, and Mr. Ayres became its pastor. Not long after a small house of worship Was erected on what was then called " Golden Hill," not far from the site of the late Baptist church in Gold street, which was taken down in 1840. . Mr. Ayres re- mained pastor of this church about seven years. On Oct. 31, 1731, he resigned his charge, and removed to Newport, R. I., where he died. After the dismission of Mr. Ayres, a Mr. Stephens preached for a short time, and in less than a year after, the meet- ing-house was claimed by one of the Trus-
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tees, and sold as private property, and the church was dissolved .* 3
" FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH."
The body now known in New York by this name, was organized on June 19, 1762. For more than fifteen years prior to this, some few persons, who were Baptists in sen- timent, had maintained prayer meetings, with occasional preaching, first in private . houses, and afterwards in a rigging loft, standing on William street, then called " Cart . and Horse street," from a conspicuous sign of that kind which hung in it. These feeble means were blessed, and several persons were hopefully converted. The nearest Baptist church was at that time at Scotch Plains, N. J., and to this those persons were attached. They were considered a branch of the Scotch Plains Church, and the pastor of that church, Elder Benjamin Miller, used . to preach in New York as he found oppor- tunity, coming regularly once in three
* For much information respecting the early move- ments of the Baptist Church in New York, the writer is indebted to Mr. Parkinson's " Jubilee Sermon," and to Benedict's History of the Baptists.
.
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BAPTIST CHURCH.
months to administer the Lord's Supper. Such was the arrangement in 1753, and so it continued until the organization of the church. In 1759, a lot of ground was pur- chased on Gold street, between Fulton and John streets, and a small meeting-house was built, which was opened for worship March 14, 1760. In about two years after, the members of the Scotch Plains Church living in New York, having increased. to twenty-seven, felt ready to stand alone, and it was accordingly done as above stated, June 19, 1762, by Elders Benjamin Miller and John Gano. The infant church imme- diately invited Mr. Gano to the pastoral office with them, which he as promptly ac- cepted, and entered on his labors. Mr. Gano was at that time in the very prime of his manhood, being about thirty-five years of age; he was a man of rare gifts and grace, and it was not strange that a large congregation was soon gathered around him, so that in about a year it became necessary to enlarge the house of worship. Things went quietly on for several years until the commencement of the Revolutionary war, which brought great evils upon this church,
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BAPTIST CHURCH.
as well as upon all the other churches in the city. When the British army took posses- sion of New York, the churches were mostly closed as a matter of necessity, and many of the people fled. In April, 1776, Mr. Gano became a chaplain in the army, and his church was scattered, so that on the re- turn of peace, when Mr. Gano returned to the city, in Sept., 1784, out of two hundred members of the church which he had enroll- ed previous to leaving, only thirty-seven could be found. The members of the con- gregation were scattered also, and their house of worship had been used as a stable, and well nigh destroyed. However, they all set to work like men to repair their desola- tions. Many of the members of the church soon returned from their dispersions; the word preached was accompanied by a di- vine power, and many, it was hoped, were added unto the Lord. Mr. Gano continued to labor successfully until April, 1788, when he resigned his charge, and removed to the State of Kentucky ; having held the pastoral office in this church twenty-six years, with credit to himself, and to the edification of the people. During his ministry in New York,
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