On Thursday, January 2, 1902, by the authority of the Session of the Ramapo Presbyterian Church, a prayer meeting was established in Suffern in a small room over the Suffern National Bank." Out of this gathering of twenty people grew the Suffern Presbyterian Church which today has 627 members.

            The records of the Session beginning in that year and continuing unbroken to the present are the chief source of information for this account of the major events in the constant growth of our Church. Long- time members of the congregation have contributed valuable information. A full half century has passed, and of the original fifty-seven charter members only three remain with us today.

            Once the decision was made to build a Church in Suffern, action followed quickly. On February 2, 1902, the first session of the Sunday School was held with Mr. D. H. McConnell as Superintendent, Mr. Lewis Chatfield, Asst. Supt., Mr. J. E. Meirs, Secretary, and Mr. J. B. Campbell, Treasurer. In the same month, Rev. Marks held the first preaching service. At a congregational meeting in May, a pastoral call was extended to the Rev. Walter J. Campbell of Princeton, N. J. "And that you may be free from worldly cares and, avocations, we hereby promise and oblige ourselves to pay to you the sum of seven hundred and twenty dollars per annum." So read the yellowed pages of the minutes of the Session for that year.

            In July a meeting was held to take steps to acquire a lot and build a house of Worship. Plans for a Church were formally submitted in October, and the following month the deed for the lot where the Chapel now stands was delivered.

            May 4, 1903, may be regarded as the physical beginning of the Suffern Presbyterian Church for on that day ground was broken for the building. On May 21, the Church was organized by a special committee of Hudson Presbytery. On June 10, the Church was incorporated, and the dedication of the Chapel fittingly took place on November 26, Thanksgiving Day.

            This history will not attempt to list all the devoted men and women who have served the Church during the past fifty years. But those who first held positions of trust and responsibility may well be singled out for mention. Both Elders and Trustees were chosen in this spring of 1903. The Elders were Mr. Percival Van Orden, Mr. McConnell and Mr. Chatfield. Mr. James B. Campbell, Mr. Van Orden, Mr. McConnell and Mr. Chatfield were elected as the first Trustees.

            The statistical report of the Presbyterian Church in the spring of 1904, one year after its beginning, shows that much spiritual and material progress had been made. One hundred members were on the Church rolls, and the Sunday School had a pupil membership of 127 children and 18 officers and teachers. The total Church receipts for the twelve months ended were $3,952.02. Two Christian Endeavor Societies, a Men's Prayer Circle, and the Women's Missionary Society had all been organized. Of the last named, Rev. Campbell wrote, "They are doing good work in awakening interest in this all-important branch of the Church's work. Their meetings are of a high quality and much good should accrue from them."

            By 1906, Church membership had reached 166, and total Sunday School membership was 170. In this year, Rev. Campbell who had served his congregation well and faithfully tendered his resignation. After a period of some months a call was extended to the Rev. Emery D. Webster of the First Presbyterian Church of Morris town, New Jersey.    

            Mr. Roy Spicer was elected clerk of the Session in 1909 and his notes of that year give us much detailed and interesting information of events in the Church at that time. 186 members now appeared on the Church rolls. There were 195 teachers and pupils in the Sunday School and the Christian Endeavor Societies had 102 members with an average attendance of 35. The monthly meetings of the Young Men's Club must have been instructive and even entertaining. "Dr. Hussey gave a helpful talk on subject entitled, 'First Aid to the Injured.' Mr. Webster gave an interesting talk upon the 'Claim of Socialism.' In our last meeting, a debate took place between three young men of the Club and three young ladies of the Church, upon a subject entitled 'Woman's Sufferage.

            1913 was the Church's tenth anniversary. Church membership was 204; the Sunday School enrollment was 169; there were 57 in the Ladies Aid Society. In this year the Board of Trustees recommended that the old Manse be sold and a new one be obtained.  

            In the next two years, construction of the new Manse took place; a Men's Bible class was started by Rev. Webster, and a young people's choir was formed. Church membership steadily increased.

            The United States entered the first World War against the Central Powers in April 1917. The minutes of the annual Congregational meeting of that month list contributions for "The Relief of Belgian Children" and for "Armenian Relief." In the fall of 1916, 150 people had attended a Hallowe'en social in the basement of the Church, and a large Christmas tree had been obtained for one dollar. The Women's Social Circle supported Red Cross work in Turkey, and supplied flowers for the Church each Sunday.

            Rev. Webster resigned in 1918, having received a call from the Presbyterian Church of Brockport, N.Y. He was succeeded by the Rev. Truman A. Kilborne. Mr. I. A. Fisk became Superintendent of the Sunday School Department about this time and served with great devotion for the next fifteen years.

            In the spring of 1919, a new organization was added with the formation of a unit of the Camp Fire Girls. In April, 39 new members joined the Church, the largest single group to that date. A number of young men returned from army service in France and resumed their role in community and Church affairs.

            Plans were now underway to enlarge the buildings by the addition of what today is the Church proper. Mr. McConnell, Chairman of the Dedication Committee, was especially active in this work. On Sunday, June 5, 1921, an impressive Dedication took place. It was the largest Protestant service ever held in the history of Suffern, the attendance being slightly under six hundred. The two former pastors, Rev. Campbell and Rev. Webster, Rev. Kilborne and five other clergymen participated in the service. The entire Session of the Hillburn Presbyterian Church was present, representing the parent organization. At the time of the Dedication, the membership of the congregation numbered 264, and Sunday School 165.

            At the annual Church meeting in the spring of 1922, the Young People's Society announced that they had raised enough money to purchase an automobile for the Pastor. After expressing his thanks, Mr. Kilborne reciprocated by offering the use of the car to any of the congregation who might be in need of it.

            In 1923, Rev. Ki1borne resigned, and accepted a call to the Greenwood Presbyterian Church in New York City. During his pastorate 145 new members had been added to the Church roll, while Sunday School membership had increased to 210.

            The Rev. Henry Fairfield Watts, Pastor of the Patterson, N. Y. Presbyterian Church then received a call from the congregation. Mr. Watts was to be the minister for the next thirteen years, the longest pastorate this Church has had.

            In the following year, the Church organ, which has given inspiration to worshippers since, was installed. Another major event was the formation under the leadership of Mr. Marcus Stewart of the first Boy Scout troop in Suffern. Today it is Rockland County Troop Twenty-one, but it was Troop One and the best troop of all, to the leaders and boys of the 1920's. A Girl Scout troop under capable leaders was established in 1925 under Church sponsorship. Another group sponsored by our Church was the Men's Forum. Speakers at the monthly meetings included such celebrities as William Beebe the explorer, and James W. Gerard, war-time Ambassador to Imperial Germany.

            Mr. Watts and the Church officers were instrumental in the formation of the Daily Vacation Bible School, which offered for more than a decade a program of religious instruction, craftwork and games to the children of the three Protestant faiths.

            It may be recalled that the middle 1920's saw the revival of the Klu Klux Klan, an organization preaching intolerance and prejudice to minority groups. When a delegation of hooded and masked men made friendly overtures towards our Church they were properly rebuked, and the Pastor, Session, and congregational members actively opposed all that the Klan stood for. Its disappearance from this vicinity after 1928, was partly due to the Presbyterian Church's firm stand against such intolerance.

            Our Church marked its twenty-fifth anniversary on October 14th, 1928. 180 people attended the Sunday morning service. Of the original 57 charter members thirty-four were still living and 14 were present for worship. Messages from the former pastors were read, and a large choir augmented by a quartet of the charter members, presented a special musical program under the direction of Miss Frances Meade.

            On the following evening an anniversary birthday supper was held in the Chapel. At this time birthday gift envelopes were opened. These anniversary gifts, as well as contributions from the Sunday School, Ladies Aid Society, and other groups soon made it possible to completely furnish the Church parlors much in the manner in which they appear today.

            During Mr. Watts's pastorate there was much emphasis on training and instruction of capable Sunday School Leaders. Mr. I. A. Fisk and Mr. Ardis Clegg supervised a growing and successful Sunday School program. Training classes in teaching materials were given for some years by Miss Maude Brodhead. In 1930 our Church undertook the partial support of its first Missionary, Dr. John McAnliss, who ministered to the people of Seoul, Korea. Twenty years later many of these same Koreans were to suffer and die for their Christian beliefs. In 1934, Mrs. I. A. Fisk was elected as the first woman Elder, and Mrs. Ida Tunison was chosen as the first woman Trustee.

            A near catastrophe was averted in our Church building when cracks in the ceiling were noticed and promptly investigated. The entire structure holding the arch was found to be in imminent danger of collapse-- possibly upon a Sunday morning. The Church proper was closed for several months, and services were con- ducted in the Chapel. In the meantime, scaffolding was erected and extensive repairs were made. The arch was eliminated and the present flat ceiling installed.

            The 1930's were the years of the Depression. They were years of anxiety and strain for the Church organization. Some members of the congregation were on relief and others in great financial distress. Consequently, Church contributions and pledges were greatly reduced. The musical budget could provide for only a part-time organist and an occasional soloist. In order to conserve coal the Church auditorium was closed except for Christmas and Easter. The congregation worshipped in the Chapel which was heated on week-ends only.

            Mr. Watts resigned from the Suffern pastorate in January 1937, having faithfully served the Church for over thirteen years. He was succeeded in October by the Rev. G. Wendell Jung of Jeffersonville, N. Y. On May 22, 1938, the thirty-fifth anniversary was observed at the Sunday morning service. In the Spring of 1940 the room beneath the Church proper was given a concrete floor and converted into a recreation room. Another important event of that year was the adoption of the rotation of Elders plan, calling for one year of ineligibility following a period of three years of service. It was generally agreed that this was a desirable move, since it brought many more men into Church service and leadership.

            Following the outbreak of the second World War late in 1941, the Church ministered in many ways the needs of its many young men and women in military service. Many service kits were sent out and an honor roll plaque was secured. Church letters were regularly mailed to service personnel. Mr. Jung served as Presbytery chairman of the Wartime Service Commission, to which three percent of the Church receipts were pledged.

            The fortieth anniversary was celebrated by a congregational dinner in May 1943. That summer the Minister served as camp Pastor at Fort Fisher, North Carolina. In the following April, he resigned to accept a pastorate in Trenton, New Jersey. Church membership at this time was 361, and Sunday School enrollment was 130.

            The Rev. Rudolph Wissler, previously pastor of the Florida, New York Presbyterian Church, became the new minister in July 1944. Many changes and much progress have occurred during the nine years of his ministry. The end of the war soon brought the return to the community of many of the young members. New families joined the Church. Statistics show that Congregational membership had doubled since 1944. The Church budget and Benevolence Giving are more than twice as great as they were a decade ago. Physical improvements include a complete redecoration of all the Church rooms. Acoustical tile has eliminated harsh sounds and bad echoes. The heating system which gave so much trouble in the 1930's had been changed from coal to oil. In 1951 the Manse was moved from its old location five feet from the side of the Church to its present site seventy-five feet away. Also, the Manse was remodeled with the addition of an enlarged living room which took in part of the old front porch.

            Soon after the war an amplifying system was given in memory of Lt. Frank Greene by his family, enabling sacred music to be broadcast from the Church towers.

            In 1946 the Couples Club was formed, and two years later a board of six Deacons was added to the roll of Church officers.

            Rev. Wissler was an active leader in the Restoration Fund drive which had as its object the reconstruction of Churches, schools, and hospitals in devastated lands. In a six weeks drive the congregation subscribed more than a thousand dollars above its quota. At present our Church is active in helping to raise a national fund of $12,000,000 to aid in the construction of new Churches.

            And so as our Church celebrates its fiftieth year, we can look back over the years with pride and satisfaction. A very few of the original members of a half-century ago were at our anniversary service. Many of those who took part in the twenty-fifth anniversary are still active in Church work. Several of our present Church officers can recall their active participation in the services of 1928. When the Suffern Presbyterian Church celebrates its one-hundreth year in 2003 A. D., there will be a few who have also taken part in this our fiftieth anniversary. That they can look back upon another half-century in which our Church prospered physically and spiritually is our hope and our belief.