Page:History of West Hoboken NJ.djvu/107

 liberal things for this church, were now about to be brought into operation.

James Brown, Esq. with most commendable zeal and liberality, although himself and family members of a New York Presbyterian Church, had purchased a tract of about four acres of beautifully located land on the western slope of the hill overlooking the village of New Durham. Here he erected with some aid from a few personal friends and about $1,000 from the congregation (of which Elder Abel I. Smith contributed $700) the present church.

The cost of this church at that time was $6,000, and besides the church building aforesaid, Mr. Brown also erected the parsonage at the rear of the church, and a school house, which at that time was used for the education of girls, the teaching being paid for by Mr. Brown and the Consistory of the church. This school subsequently became a pay school for both sexes, and with the advent of the public school, its use was discontinued.

Mr. Mabon continued his pastorate until 1882, when he resigned, and the present pastor. Rev. I. A. Gowen, was installed in the year 1885.

This old church has at various times established missions in various towns in North Hudson, at present maintaining them in Guttenberg, West New York and Weehawken, and it was in this manner that our present Reformed Church was established.

It is not known exactly on what day this mission was established, but it could not have been later than 1867, for in that year the present church building was erected on the land given for the purpose by Mr. Edwin A. Stevens, of Hoboken, New Jersey. Atat [sic] the solicitation of Mr. Jas. Brown, who erected the building at a cost of $8,000.

The preaching services and religious work of the chapel were in charge of the succession of pastors of the mother church for nearly thirty years.

In 1895 the Rev. W. R. Ackert was called by the Grove Church Consistory to take charge of the chapel. This action was made necessary on account of the marked growth of the chapel's congregation. Under Mr. Ackert's ministry the chapel work was characterized by marked and growing success. For many years an evening service and Sunday school were the only services held. During the new pastorate all of the present active auxiliaries were organized and efficiently carried on.

Between May, 1895, and April, 1901, about one hundred and thirty members were received into the communion of the church at the chapel. On June 1, 1901, Rev. W. R. Ackert resigned