Page:History of West Hoboken NJ.djvu/95

 The pastorate of this church has, since the resignation of Dr. Egbert, been under the Rev. Charles A. Evans, a graduate of Princeton Class of 1884. As pastor emeritus, however, Dr. Egbert continues to exercise a broad and wholesome influence in the church.

ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

Palisade avenue and Charles street.

The organization of this church took place on June 19, 1846, when a number of persons interested in the formation of a Protestant Episcopal Church in the village of West Hoboken, met at the residence of Mr. James DeLancey Walton, and, after organization, extended a call to the Rev. A. C. Patterson, who thereby became its first minister.

The people of St. John's had, of course, no church building at that time, but met every Sunday in the loft of a silk mill owned by Mr. Henry G. McRae, on Hague street.

After considerable difficulty, enough money was raised to erect a church building, and the corner stone of the old church building on Clinton avenue, recently vacated, was laid by Bishop Doane on June 29, 1848.

The population of the village at that time was so small and of such a transitory character that it was with difficulty that enough interest was maintained to keep the struggling little parish alive. As stated in another part of this story the only method of reaching the outside world was by means of stages, and the drivers of the stages used to rest their horses in the shade of the large trees in the church yard and tie them to the side of the old building.

Some time ago, during repairs to the old building, a large screw-eye, which had been used for that purpose, was taken out of its side.

Progress was slow until about the time of the war, and the old records show that as late as 1865 the rector then in charge received for his services the princely sum of $200 a year.

From that time on the parish gradually grew, keeping pace with the growth of the town, until it completely outgrew the accommodation of the old building, and it became necessary to build a more suitable place of worship.

The present handsome stone building on Palisade avenue is one of the most complete buildings of its kind in the town. It will seat 500 people, and the hall below the church about as many more.