Monday, September 6, 2010

Adventures in Religious Tolerance

From the New York Times, July 28, 1879 [pdf].
When the residents of this aristocratic avenue discovered that they were in danger of seeing a Roman Catholic church spring up among them, with all that the establishment of such a church implied, they bestirred themselves to oppose the project. The wisest of the Roman Catholics here did not favor it, and St. Mary’s was induced to exchange the lot for as good a one in some other locality. A good lot was found, but just before the accomplishment of the transfer the worthy residents of the avenue came to the conclusion that it was too good a lot for the Roman Catholics, and they exchanged it for a poorer one, which they offered to the Pastor of St. Mary's. Knowing what they had done, he would not take it, and arrangements were made for the erection of a stone church on Hillsborough avenue.

The Fox News Times article ends by calling the church an "eyesore on the avenue" and predicted its quick descent into bankruptcy, but it is still there today!

Via dotCommonweal.

2 comments:

JJ said...

Great find!

Ralph Locke said...

Very timely reminder, thanks!