Page:History of West Hoboken NJ.djvu/89

 town was the old St. John's building on Clinton avenue and Warren street, but that old building is now torn down and the oldest church building to-day is that of the Presbyterian Church.

I will not venture to say which is the oldest church, and after reading the sketch of both churches, I leave the reader to draw his or her own conclusion.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN.

Clinton avenue and Hague street.

In the year 1844 a religious society, entitled the Ecclesiastical Society of West Hoboken, was formed by a few of the dwellers in the place, by which preaching on the Sabbath was regularly maintained, and by which also a Sabbath School, provided with a library and other requisites, was started. A minister was selected by this society each year, or oftener, when necessary.

It was entirely undenominational in its structure and aims until, in 1847, it was decided to constitute it a Congregational Church.

The organization, at which the Rev. J. P. Thompson, then pastor of the Broadway Tabernacle, New York, presided, took place at the house which stood on the corner of Spring and Demott streets, and was the residence of Mr. Nathan Brown. In less than a year this church was disbanded from some cause now unknown, but the members again constituted themselves an undenominational regiliousreligious [sic] body under the former title of the Ecclesiastical Society of West Hoboken.

Meantime the Rev. Wm. Bradford, then editor of the New York Evangelist, had come to the village to reside, having bought the house now used as a cork factory at the corner of Palisade avenue and the Paterson Plankroad. An earnest Christian minister, he at once became connected with this Ecclesiastical Society. At this instance, and through his influence, a meeting was held, at which it was resolved that the time had arrived for the erection of a church edifice, and measures were at once taken to secure the accomplishment of this object.

The result was the present building, the ground consisting of two lots, valued then at $250. which were given gratis for the purpose by Mr. John Syms.

During the process of erecting the church the congregation worshipped in MacCreaMcRae? [sic]'s silk factory, which stood upon the spot now occupied by the Davis Express office and yard, having previously met in the house at the corner of Demott street