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SUYDAM STREET CHURCH.An Opportunity Offered to Lift Its Debt.It Is fair to assume that there Is no one in this city who takes an active interest in itsreligious alTaira.who is not more or lesB intimate with the history of the Suydam street or the Fourth Reformed Church. It was organized in 1884 with only 14 members, under the leadership of the venerable ltev. William II. Campbell, D.D. It had neither home nor means. It had nothing but earnest hearts and willing hands, that have ever since been tireless and unceasing in the service of the Master. But three short years have passed and yet that little flock of 14 has increased to a congregation of 124 members, with a Sabbath flcliool of 100 scholars, oiilcera and teachers, all sheltered beneath one roof .in a church home, which must ever bo a glorious monument to the untiring zeal of that earnest pastor and his active working congregation, while it is a gem among the church architectural beauties of our city.All this has not been accomplished without money. Churches are not built with words, nor is the gospel propagated by sound alone. The building and lot cost $14,700,; of this sum, $8,700 has been paid, an amount that is nothing less than as ton lulling when the meagre number of the workers is considered. It is now^propoBedto raise the remaining $0,000 and entirely relieve the church edifice and consequently the congregation from debt. It is es sential that this should be done now for reasons that are very apparent. The congregation within itself is able to contribute at present about $1,200 yearly to its church fund.Two-thirds of this sum is now required to pay current expenses and interest on the mortgage. If a pastor had to be paid the fund would ho insufficient. This church has, however, been the crowning work of Rev. Dr. Campbell’s long and useful life and he has given to it all of his pastoral work and fostering care without reward, and it must stand forever a noble and fitting monument to. this good man's abounding 'zeal in bis Master’s :rT work.It must be remembered, however, that Dr*. Campbell, at eighty, though strong in spirit, is weak in body. A life that has been ever active in good works for liis fellow men is drawing to a close, which all hope may be long deferred ; but that he should much longer continue the pastorate he has covered with so much honor to himself and success to his work, is in the course of nature impossible. The time has, therefore, come when the Suydam Street Church must be cleared of debt that it may bo able to pay a pastor, and with this time has come the opportunity.Col. Jacob J. Janeway, a man whose liberality is constantly exercised in good and'useful works, has without solicitation i die red to give $1,000, or one-sixth of the whole debt, if the other five-sixths will be raised by the First and Second Reformed and the Suydam Street Church itself, in the proportion of $8,000 from the two former churches and $2,000 froih the latter. The Suydam Street Church has accepted the oiler.In order to raise the $3,000 in the First and Second Reformed Churches a circular has been prepared by Rev. Win. V. V. Mabon, l. D., which will be sent to every member of those congregations, asking that they agree to contribute a share of the amount. The sum necessary to he given by each will be small, not enough to be regarded in any way as burdensome, and its early contribution will set the question of the Suydam Street Church debt forever at rest and place that edifice and congregation upon a basis of prosper ous usefulness, which will not only be a crowning triumph for the noble and self sacrificing efforts of the pastor and his as sorbites who have done bo much for it, but will make it a shining example of the Christian liberality of our people and an architectural honor to the city it beautifies.It is hardly necessary to add that Dr. Campbell could not have compassed what has been done had there not rallied around him a hand of noble workers who have been diligent in season and out of season in building up the church’s best interests. The continued co-operation of these friends is necessary to carry on the movement in augurated so auspiciously,and ita ultimate success is assured. That all these associ ates will labor for the good cause there is no reason to doubt.
Newspaper Details
New Brunswick Home News
New Brunswick, New Jersey, US
Fri, Dec 30, 1887
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Library O.
DC, USA 08 Aug 2024
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