The Bergen Church had made an effort to start a branch at Jersey City,
but the first successful church society was that of St. Mathew's
Episcopal Church which was organized August 21, 1808. The services
were held for several years in the school building. October 22, 1831,
the corner stone of the church was laid on Sussex, between Washington
and Warren streets; the building was consecrated November 26, 1835.
The first Presbyterian society in Jersey City was founded in 1809 and
held services in the Jersey Academy. The first Presbyterian Church
was organized December 15th, 1825. The Particular Baptist Church of
Jersey City and Harsimus was organized March 11, 1839. The building is
still standing on the west side of Barrow street, between Newark and
Railroad avenues. Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in
1836. It is said that the first Catholic services in Jersey City were
held for the French potters that were brought over to make porcelain,
but the Roman Catholics of New Jersey were under the jurisdiction of
the diocese of New York until October 30th, 1853, when the diocese
of New Jersey was created. St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, begun
in 1831, opened for service in 1837, stood on the site now occupied
by St. Aloysius Academy. The second and present building is on the
northeast corner of Grand and Van Vorst streets. This parish has
been in possession of the Jesuit Fathers since April 13, 1871. The
Tabernacle Church, the first successful Congregational Church in Jersey
City, was organized in 1858; it is situated on the southeast corner
of Henderson and York streets and is noted among other things for its
"People's Palace" and good work among the poor of the parish. From
1853 until 1859 there was an Unitarian church on the southeast corner
of Grove and Montgomery streets. The pastor, Rev. O. B. Frothingham,
was a very talented man and popular lecturer, but soon after he left
the society disbanded. As early as 1852 attempts were made to organize
an Universalist Church, but none were successful until 1872, when the
First Universalist Church of Jersey City was incorporated. There are
now nearly one hundred churches of the various denominations in the
city.