Last night, the last religious service was held in the Commerce Street Christian Reformed Church. Both the morning and evening services, conducted by the pastor, Rev. P. Ekster, were in conformity with the occasion. The building will now he transferred to A.V. Moris, who purchased it last year with the condition that the congregation could hold their services there until their new church was completed.

The church is the oldest of the Christian Reformed denomination, not only in this city, but of all the churches of the middle west. Forty-five years ago the corner stone was laid by Rev. Roelof Dulker. Although it was intended to have the veteran minister also conduct the last service in the old building, his feeble condition made this impossible. Rev. Dulker lives with his son-in-law, Rev. Henry Hospers, pastor of the Second Reformed church on Bostwick street. He was forced to resign from his profession on account of old age.

March 13, 1857, the congregation was organized. Because of the various difficulties which some of the members found in the Reformed church they decided to found the new Christian Reformed congregation. Meetings were first held in Collins and Fanuel halls and afterward above Gunn’s hardware store, at Monroe and Market streets. Later a small church building was erected at Ionia and Island streets at a cost of $3,000. In 1867 the present church building was erected. Nine pastors have served the church.

Rev. H.G. Klyn was the first pastor who left the Reformed church to take up his work with the struggling beginners. He however, soon returned to his former churchmen and for a long time it was doubtful whether the congregation would be able to exist. The next pastor to take charge was Rev. W.H. Van Leeuwen, during whose pastorate the congregation became firmly established. Rev. R. Dulker, the builder of the church property, followed. Following him Revs. C.E. Boer, J. Kremer, J.H. Vos, T. Vander Ark, G.J. Haan and the present pastor, Rev. P. Ekster, have served.

Last year the congregation decided to sell the church property and to build a new home in a place where it would be more convenient for the members to attend the Sunday services. The old church property was sold to A.V. Moris for $16,000. It was then decided to build a new building on the ground which was purchased at Bates and Henry streets, at a cost of $25,000 and a new parsonage next to it at a cost of $4,000. The building has now been completed and will formally dedicated Thursday evening. Those who will take part in this service are Rev. P. Ekster, two former pastors, Rev. T. Vander Ark, and Rev. G.J. Haan; Rev. W.P. VanWyk of the Oakdale Park church; Prof. G.J. DeJong, rector of the Christian Reformed Theological seminary and Rev. Henry Beets pastor of the LaGrave Street church.

The new edifice is a red brick structure. The auditorium, with the balcony, will be able to seat about 1,100 people. The basement is equipped with parlors and smaller rooms which will serve for meeting places of the consistory, the societies and classes. Everything is modern and equipped to fit the needs of the church. The parsonage is next to the church on the corner. It is of wood structure with red brick trimmings.

Since the congregation was organized 12 other churches of that denomination have been established in Grand Rapids. Some of the first were the East Street church, which is now the largest church of the denomination, the Alpine Avenue church, the Fifth Avenue church, which celebrate their twenty-fifth anniversary recently, and the LaGrave Street church which was the first English speaking church of that denomination.

The first services will be held in the new edifice next Sunday evening.