First Presbyterian Church Brooklyn Heights from south

The First Presbyterian Church, located at 124 Henry Street between Pierrepont and Clark Streets in the

Brooklyn Heights Brooklyn Heights is a residential neighborhood within the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Old Fulton Street near the Brooklyn Bridge on the north, Cadman Plaza West on the east, Atlantic Avenue on the south ...

neighborhood of

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

was built in 1846 and was designed by William B. Olmstead in the

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...

style. The church's memorial doorway was added in 1921 and was designed by

James Gamble Rogers James Gamble Rogers (March 3, 1867 – October 1, 1947) was an American architect. A proponent of what came to be known as Collegiate Gothic architecture, he is best known for his academic commissions at Yale University, Columbia Univer ...

. Architecturally, the church's dominant feature is its

crenellated A battlement, in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet (a defensive low wall between chest-height and head-height), in which gaps or indentations, which are often rectangular, occur at intervals ...

tower with pointed arch windows. Many of the stained glass windows in the church are by the

Louis Comfort Tiffany Louis Comfort Tiffany (February 18, 1848 – January 17, 1933) was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is associated with the art nouveauLander, David"The Buyable ...

Studios. The church – which is part of the

Brooklyn Heights Historic District __NOTOC__ The Brooklyn Heights Historic District is a Historic districts in the United States, historic district that comprises much of the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City, United States. It was named a National Historic ...

, created by the

New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the Government of New York City, New York City agency charged with administering the city's Historic preservation, Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting Ne ...

on November 23, 1965Staff (November 23, 1965
"Brooklyn Heights Historic District Designation Report"

– has been described as "solid, stolid and dour," but also as "bold but somewhat naive". The congregation was founded in 1822, at a time when affluent merchants were beginning to move to the neighborhood from

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

. Their original church was located on Cranberry Street between Henry and Hicks Streets, and was where the celebration of Brooklyn's official incorporation as a city was held.Meerse, David "First Presbyterian Church, Brooklyn" in , p.454 That site was bought by the Plymouth Church when the First Presbyterian Church, needing to expand, moved to its present location."History"
First Presbyterian Church website At the time of the Old School-New School schism in

American Presbyterianism Presbyterianism has had a presence in the United States since colonial times and has exerted an important influence over broader American religion and culture. Throughout US History, Presbyterians have played a prominent role in society. Fro ...

over

slavery Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

and other issues, some members of the church, in reaction to the "New School"

abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world. The first country to fully outlaw slavery was Kingdom of France, France in 1315, but it was later used ...

preaching of Dr. Samuel Hanson Cox – who was the church's pastor for 17 years – split to start an "Old School" church, located at Remsen and Clinton Streets, while others left to help start the Church of the Pilgrims or joined the Plymouth Church. The congregation began the Heights Fellowship (1949-52) under the leadership of Philip Elliot (1931-1961), to encourage

ecumenism Ecumenism ( ; alternatively spelled oecumenism)also called interdenominationalism, or ecumenicalismis the concept and principle that Christians who belong to different Christian denominations should work together to develop closer relationships ...

, racial harmony and internationalism. This same program was also promoted by Paul Smith at the end of the 1980s.

References

External links

*{{commonscat-inline, First Presbyterian Church (Brooklyn) Presbyterian churches in New York City Brooklyn Heights Gothic Revival architecture in New York City