before that date. It is well known that the Trinity authorities consider the continuance of religious services in this church inadvisable and impracticable. The church, therefore, in all human probability, will never be used again by the Trinity corporation for parish work. Ordinary business sense dictates that this property, valued at about $250,000 shall not lie idle. It is to be presumed, therefore, that with the completion of the local improvements the corporation will seek to realize on this asset, either by sale for commercial purposes or by the demolition of the church and the erection of a revenue-producing building This means that if St. John's is to be saved, it must be saved soon.

There appears to be no justifiable way in which public funds can be used for this purpose. We approached the Board of Education on this subject once with a view to its use for educational purposes, (report for 1914) but the suggestion did not prove to be practicable. We are forced to the conviction that if the building is to be saved it must be saved by private philanthropy. The American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society would like to see St. John's Church become a civic center, after the plan of the Old South Meeting House in Boston, but on a somewhat more liberal plan. The Old South, as is well known, stands on one of Boston's busiest thoroughfares, Washington street, at the corner of Milk street, crowded in closely by business buildings. It is in possession of the Directors of Old South Work, who maintain in it an extremely interesting museum of historical relics, who publish historical booklets called Old South Leaflets, and who otherwise conduct a valuable historical work. An admission fee to the church is charged to assist in its maintenance. For details of the means by which the Old South was saved, see index.

There are possibilities for an even greater civic work in St. John's Church. As the headquarters of the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society, it would become the center of a patriotic and philanthropic work reaching to all parts of the United States. It would become the conspicuous rallying point for local efforts for the conservation of local history, the preservation of our city parks, and the betterment of our city conditions. generally. With a proper financial endowment, it could be main

tained as a free auditorium for civic, patriotic and historical meetings. It could house a library and museum of city history, and in innumerable ways be made to serve the highest public interests of the city, state and nation. The object is one which might well inspire the generous impulse of some person of large means and lively appreciation of the possibilities for public good which it presents.

SAINT PAUL'S CHAPEL

One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary

Another chapel of Trinity parish, namely, old St. Paul's, on the west side of Broadway, between Fulton and Vesey streets, New York City, still continues in vigorous and useful activity with its daily services ministering to those who come from distant parts of the city on Sundays and to those who withdraw for a few moments from the hurly-burly of Broadway on week-days. On Monday, October 30, 1916, the 150th anniversary of the beginning of worship in the edifice was celebrated with impressive exercises. Just before noon, the members of the Society of the Cincinnati and the Society of the Sons of the Revolution, who had assembled at Fraunces Tavern, marched to the church, escorted by a squad of mounted police and preceded by the 71st regiment band. Soon afterwards a procession of about 250 clergymen in their ecclesiastical robes proceeded from the parish house to the church. Mayor Mitchel, General Leonard Wood, U.S.A., Admiral Usher, U.S. N., Governor Whitman's military staff, the British Consul General C. Clive Bayley, and other prominent officials, were in the brilliant congregation which thronged the church. President Wilson was invited to come and sit in Washington's pew, but was unable to be present. The Rev. William T. Manning, D.D., rector of Trinity parish, preached the sermon. Other commemorative exercises were held on the days immediately preceding and succeeding the anniversary, under the direction of the Vicar of St. Paul's, the Rev. William Montague Geer, D.D.

Apropos of this anniversary we give in Appendix A of this Report a monograph about St. Paul's Church, written, in the main, by the late Mr. Charles F. Wingate of this Society.

JOHN STREET METHODIST CHURCH

One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary

In our last Annual Report, at page 146, we referred to the difference of opinion as to whether the John Street Methodist Church of New York or the church founded by Robert Strawbridge in Frederick county, Md., is the oldest Methodist Church in the United States. The committee of the Methodist Conference has not settled the matter authoritatively yet. In the meantime, the New York Church, claiming priority of organization, celebrated its 150th anniversary from Sunday, October 29, to Sunday, November 5, 1916, both inclusive.

The John Street Church, which claims to be the "Mother of Methodism" in the United States, was founded by Philip Embury. He had been made a local preacher in Ireland by John Wesley and came to America in 1760. That he and associates were men of some influence is indicated by the fact that on October 31, 1765, Lieut. Gov. Cadwalader Colden of New York granted to Philip Embury, Peter Embury, James Wilson, John Wilson, George Wilson, Moses Cowen and Thomas Proctor, a tract of land in the then Albany county" backwards of and adjoining to lands granted to Ryer Schermerhorn and others, etc., containing 8,000 acres and the usual allowance." (Docs. Rel. Col. Hist. N. Y., VII, 902.)

The Rev. Dr. Louis R. Streeter, pastor of the John Street Church, is authority for the statement that when Embury came to New York in 1760, he brought his entire class from Ireland with him, and that Methodism really began in America then, although there was no church and no regular preaching was held until 1766. He believes that it is certain that the meetings of the class were continued here, and that this, if fully established, will settle the matter of priority. Dr. Streeter has gathered much data bearing upon this subject, which will be presented to the Commission appointed to inquire into the subject. The importance of this discovery, if substantiated, lies in the fact that John Wesley's unit was the "class." Limited to twelve members, the class leader made all the collections and shepherded the flock, reproved and exhorted them and was responsible for their conduct. He gave out tickets

for their admission to the quarterly love feast and communion, without which they were not admitted.

Embury's first sermon was in response to a call from Barbara Heck, a member of the class, who urged that he preach against card playing and worldliness, which she feared would ensnare his flock unless he lifted his voice against them. Dr. Streeter asserts that this was a mere development of the church, not the beginning, which he places back in 1760 with their arrival.

It appears to be probable that the present John Street Church, which is not the original edifice built in 1768 but stands on its site, will be torn down within the next year and replaced with a tall business structure. The property is owned by the Methodist General Conference and at the session in Saratoga in 1916, consent was given to permit the Trustees of the property to improve it with a commercial building. Tentative plans provide for a church headquarters on one of the lower floors. The church covers a plot fronting forty feet at 44 and 46 John Street, on the south side, between Nassau and William Streets, in the active fire insurance center. The adjoining four-story building at 48 John Street is also controlled by the Conference and the entire plot, fronting 62.6 feet and more than 80 feet in depth, will be utilized in the building operation.

The old John Street Church did not share the fate of some other city churches during the Revolution and it was not used for hospital or prison purposes. It was, however, used for religious services to which the Hessian as well as British soldiers went.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Two Hundredth Anniversary

In September, 1916, the First Presbyterian Church of New York celebrated its 200th anniversary. The history of the old First Church is interesting not only from the denominational standpoint but also from the standpoint of city history, for its first house of worship stood in Wall street and was erected upon property whose chain of title is linked with some of the most important events in the history of old New York. For that reason, we have devoted Appendix D of this Report to early transactions

connected more or less intimately with the beginning of Presbyterianism in New York. It is, in a sense, a chapter of Wall Street history, and therefore, we believe, possesses a dual interest. (See plates 4, 5 and 6.)

BRICK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Offered Millions to Sell Property

The financial temptation to which the churches of New York City are repeatedly exposed, to sell their present church properties for commercial purposes and to remove to other sites, has been illustrated notably during the past year by the offer made to the Brick Presbyterian Church to sell its property on the northwest corner of 5th Avenue and 37th street. As stated in Appendix D of this Report, the Brick Church is the offspring of the Old First which has survived a similar temptation and which, like it, does not take a commercial view of church work. In 1856, the Brick church paid $58,000 for its lot on the corner of 37th street and Fifth avenue, and when the present church was built in 1858, moved into it from its first house of worship which stood in the block bounded by Nassau street, Beekman street, and Park Row. The property at 37th street and 5th avenue now has an assessed valuation of $2,140,000. On October 28, 1916, it was announced that the church had refused an offer of nearly $2,500,000 one paper said $3,000,000 to make way for a commercial building - an increase in value of 45-fold or 55-fold. The Rev. William P. Merrill, pastor of the church, was quoted as saying that of the many offers which had been made for the plot this was decidedly the best, as the prospective buyers were ready to pay the entire sum in cash.

"The offer was of such a nature that it was deemed necessary to lay it before the entire Board of Trustees," said Dr. Merrill, "and the vote was unanimous to decline it. The Brick Church is a civic institution, and the sentiment of the entire church body is to keep the old structure on its present site."

The Brick Church property is one of the most valuable devoted to religious uses in the city, and owing to its splendid location in the new retail section of Fifth avenue, many efforts have been made in the last few years to induce the officers to sell.