History of St. George's Church in the City of New York, 1752-1811-1911 (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II THE CHAPEL PERIOD (1749-1811) St. George's Chapel was the second sacred edifice erected in New York for the celebration of public worship according to the Use of the Church of England. It owed its origin to the pressing and realized necessity for largely increased church accommodation to keep pace with the growth of population, and particularly in view of the pronounced drift toward the " English Church " on the part of the younger members of the old Dutch families. For be it remembered that the worship of the Reformed Dutch Church was still conducted in the Dutch language; and it was not until 1764 that the insistent demand within that Church for a minister who could officiate in both languages was met by the appointment, through the Amsterdam Classis, of a Scotchman from Zeeland, the Rev. Archibald Leslie. But meanwhile the accessions from the Dutch Church had become so numerous, and the seating capacity of Trinity Church so utterly inadequate, that the proposition to build a Chapel of the parish Church met with universal approval. The initiative formal action was taken April 15, 1748, when the Vestry recorded its opinion That it's become absolutely Necessary to build a Chappell of Ease to Trinity Church, and being Desirous to Build the same where it will be most Commodious and Convenient to the Congregation in Generall?ordered, that the Church Wardens (with others named) be a Committee to Consider where -will be the most proper place for Building the said Chappell, and to hear the Sentiments of the Congregation, with their several Reasons, and to make their Report to this Board with all convenient Expedition. A divergence of opinion speedily developed as to the best location for the proposed chapel. A " site adjoyning to the garden of the late Docto...