1868: DEDICATION OF THE HAMILTON SQUARE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE WAS TRANSCRIBED
FROM THE STATE GAZETTE IN 1979 BC. (BEFORE COMPUTERS) ,
BEFORE SCANNERS, AND BEFORE THERE WAS SUCH A THING AS "OCR" (OPTICAL CHARACTER RECOGNITION):

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1868
DAILY STATE GAZETTE

Dedication of the Hamilton Square Presbyterian Church.

Thursday, the 17th instant, was set apart for the dedication of the above church to the service of Almighty God. The day was highly propitious, and the congregation of clergymen and others interested unusually large.
The present building is the third edifice erected for the use of this congregation. The first was built something like a century ago, the second in 1837, and this undertaken in 1867, and completed within the present year. Each time, an improvement in the character of the structure has been gained, keeping pace with the age in which we are moving. It will be difficult, however, for the next generation to improve much upon this latest effort of this enterprising people. Their church is in every way, a most decided success; the exterior and interior being equally modeled after the finest style of architecture and finish. You might suppose now that nothing remained for this people to desire. This, we regret to say, is not the case. They have before them, we understand, the resignation of their present pastor, Rev. Robert S. Manning, under whose pastoral care the congregation has been thirsting for the last thirteen years, and through whom this enterprise has been perfected, and their desire is, no doubt, to retain him. Otherwise they would be in a very highly favored estate. Whether Mr. Manning is retained or not depends upon the path of duty which may be marked cut for him. We understand that he has been solicited to engage in the work of aiding in the establishment of the Van Rensselaer Institute, located at Hightstown, and if he consents to engage in this work, it is fair to presume that it will contribute toward furthering that object. His energy and business tact is proverbial and this is what is requisite to succeed in life whether in the service of the church or the world. The dedicatory sermon, on the occasion referred to, was delivered by Dr. Hall, of Trenton. It is needless to say, from the well known character of our townsmen, that it was fully equal to the occasion.