16728 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS June 4, 1976 Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD. Yes. speeded up the work of the Senate, and on Monday, and by early I mean as early Mr. ALLEN. The Senator spoke of pos­ I am glad the distinguished assistant ma­ as very shortly after 11 a.m., and that a sible quorum calls and votes on Monday. jority leader is now following that policy. long working day is in prospect for I would like to comment that I feel the [Laughter.] Monday. present system under which we seem to Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD. Well, my dis­ be operating, of having all quorum calls tinguished friend is overly charitable to­ RECESS TO MONDAY, JUNE 7, 1976, go live, has speeded up the work of the day in his compliments, but I had sought AT 11 A.M. Senate. There has only been one quorum earlier today to call off that quorum call call today put in by the distinguished as­ but the distinguished Senator from Ala­ Mr. ROBERT C. BYRD. Mr. President, sistant majority leader, and I think the bama, noting that in his judgment I un­ if there be no further business to come Members of the Senate, realizing that doubtedly was seeking to call off the before the Senate, I move, in accordance a quorum call is going to go live, causes quorum call for a very worthy purpose, with the order previously entered, that them to come over to the Senate Cham­ went ahead to object to the calling off of the Senate stand in recess until the hour ber when a quorum call is called. the quorum. of 11 o'clock on Monday morning next. I believe instead of having 20, 25, or 30 Mr. President, I hope that both cloak­ The motion was agreed to; and at 2:28 quorum calls a session, we are now hav­ rooms will notify their respective clien­ p.m. the Senate recessed until Monday, ing only one or two, and I believe th~ has tele that rollcall votes are expected early June 7, 1976, at 11 a.m. EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS CONGRESSIONAL BICENTENNIAL Passaic when the three major branches of there was a critical financial crisis in the the Methodist Church joined in 1935. Then, country; St. George's would feel the effect SALUTE TO THE FIRST UNITED when we go back one hundred years, our for the next three years. Within that pe­ METHODIST CHURCH OF PASSAIC, church was named the First Methodist Epis­ riod the people tried to raise money to keep N.J., UPON ITS CENTENNIAL copal Church. Preceding the centennial year, their church operating. Dr. Howe donated CELEBRATION IN MEMORIAM 1976, our Church wa.s named St. George's over $30,000-the ladles held fairs and festi­ TO THE LATE REVEREND MISS Methodist Episcopal Church. And in its ori­ vals-lecture series were started-concerts ANNA OLIVER, ITS FIRST LADY gin, it was called just the Methodist Episco­ were given-but nothing would stem the PASTOR pal Church of Acquackanack landing. foreclosure that loomed overhead. In the year 1843, a. Sunday School was The ladies held "necktie and apron sup­ started in the Tap House On The Hlll and, pers" to raise money, but to no avail. while the Tap House no longer exists, the In March, 1876, three pa.reels of property HON. ROBERT A. ROE site on which it was located is the area tcnown owned by St. George's were sold by the sheriff OF NEW JERSEY today as Passaic Park. A year later, in 1844, for back taxes-two pieces of property were IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES a small Methodist Church was built on the sold for unpaid taxes of $7 each, one for un­ paid taxes of $12, and for the unpaid tax of Thursday, June 3, 1976 west side of River Road and this church building remained adequate until the con­ $100.00. Mr. ROE. Mr. Speaker. On Sunday, struction of the railroad which changed the And then ca.me July 4, 1876, a most impor­ June 6, the residents of the city of Pas­ area. from a river-oriented community to one tant da.y for our country a.nd also for our saic, my Eighth Congressional District, which was railroad oriented. The river no Church. The only official centennial cele· State of New Jersey, will join with the longer was the center of activity and people bration in Passaic was held in St. George's. started moving to areas along the route of In August, the foreclosure procedure forced congregation of the First United Metho­ the railroad. a. new church society to be formed, and on dist Church in commemorating the In 1865, the land on which the church August 17, the First Methodist Episcopal lOOth anniversary of its founding and stood, about two hundred feet north of the Church came into existence. memorializing the services of a former Erle Ra.Broad bridge, was sold a.nd the On September 17, with only fifteen people pastor and first woman to receive a full church was dismantled and moved piece by in the congregation, there appeared in the theological degree, the Reverend Miss piece to the corner of Howe Avenue and Pros­ pulpit, fresh from theological school, the Anna Oliver. pect Street. Dr. John M. Howe, a leading doc­ Rev. Anna Oliver. Her theme for the sermon tor and businessman of Passaic, ha.d donated as "Singleness of Alm." The financial pendu­ This is indeed a most historic occasion the property and took over the pastorate of lum finally began to swing and soon the and I know you and our colleagues here the new church. But it was not very long be­ church began to prosper. Concerts were in the Congress will want to join with me fore the church was too small for the grow­ given, lecture series were started a.nd in the 41 extending our warmest greetings and ing congregation and it was decided to erect early part of 1877, the Rev. Anna Oliver felicitations to Rev. Kenneth L. Smith, a new church. In 1870, Dr. Howe deeded a lot called a.s her assistant the black evangelist, the esteemed pastor, and all of his par­ to the church on the corner of Bloomfield Miss Amanda Smith. The floating debt of ishioners on this most joyous and note­ Avenue (now Broadway) and Gregory Ave­ $3,000 was soon reduced, the back interest nue. The old church building was sold to on the mortgage was pa.id, and all running worthy memorial observance. the city and it became Passaic's City Hall, expenses were covered. The church had been As we celebrate our Nation's Bicenten­ Fire Headquarters, Police Headquarters, and built with a seating capacity of 800 but at nial and reflect upon the history of our the office of the City Clerk. The building wa.s times there were 1,000 persons crowded into country and the good deeds of our people used by the city until 1892 when the new the church. The First Methodist Episcopal which have placed America in the high­ City Hall was ready for occupancy. The old Church of Passaic was indeed prospering; est position of preeminence as a repre­ wooden church building then was used for prospering so much that, as was the custom cake-walks a.nd primaries, except on Sun­ of the time, the pews were being rented, sentative democracy, second to none, days when a Holland congregation wor­ sometimes for as much as $5 to $50 each. This among all nations of the world, with your shipped there. In 1897, it was torn down to prosperity was readily noted by the next Con­ permission, I would like t-0 insert at this make room for the new Municipal Building. ference and they then appointed another point in our historical journal of Con­ Soon after 1870, plans for the new stone regularly-ordained pastor, the Rev. James R. gress a brief history of this most es- church began to take on monumental pro­ Bryan. teemed church, as follows: • portions. The Rev. George H. Whitney and During the course of our church history we have had fifty pastors. Since 1876, we ExcERPT OF HISTORY OF THE FmsT UNITED the building committee were told to bulld a church worthy of Methodism and one large have seen many changes in our Church; most METHODIST CHURCH, COMPll.'ED BY HISTORI­ enough to fulfill the needs of the growing changes have been very rewarding but some CAL COMMITTEE, WILLIAM T. SMITH, CHAIR­ changes were most devastating. The most MAN congregation. On September 4, 1871, the cor­ nerstone was laid and on November 2, 1873, drastic change was the loss through fire of This year, 1976, is a year of very significant the church was dedicated as St. George's the old stone church on January 31, 1954. importance to our Church in Passaic as 1976 Methodist Episcopal Church. But, like the phoenix of Egyptian mythology, encompasses both bicentennial a.nd centen­ It was a stupendous undertaking; the our church rose a.gain. Under the guidance nial history. The name of our present church, Methodists had erected a butlding which was of the Rev. Gustave A. Stark, we secured a the First United Methodist Church, dates considered the best one in the District, but new building site, a. new church building, from the merger of the Methodlst Church the escalatinrz costs had risen to well over new interests and new goals. and the Evangellcal United Brethern Church $70,000 instead of the $30,000 as originally And now we come to the bicentennial of in April, 1968.