Rev. Samuel W. Fisher was the first pastor. While a student in the Union Theological Seminary of New York he came out and preached for the new church. He was a son of Dr. Samuel Fisher, who was a preacher of considerable note in the state. After Mr. Fisher graduated he was called and installed as pastor of the church in 1839. It was a very harmonious and successful pastorate for more than four years, when he accepted a call to a church in Albany, N.Y. Afterwards he was called to a church in Albany, N.Y. Afterwards he was called to a church in Cincinnati and later became President of Hamilton College. He was succeeded in the West Bloomfield church by Rev. Aaron C. Adams, who served the church six years, when he returned to New England where he served as a pastor for many years. He died a little more than two years ago aged ninety-one. Succeeding pastors were Rev. Job F. Halsey, Rev. Josiah Addison Priest, D.D., Rev. Nelson Millard, D.D., Rev. J. Romeyn Berry, D.D. and Rev. William Junkin, D.D. Pleasant and endearing memories are cherished for these former pastors who did much for the moral and religious welfare of this community. All of them have departed this life except Dr. Nelson Millard, who is now living in Rochester, New York. The present pastor, Rev. Llewellyn S. Fulmer, was called from Baltimore and installed over the church in October, 1901.

The first church building in Montclair was the M.E. Church, referred to above, erected in 1836. Henry Wilde, Gorline Doremus and Josiah W. Crane were active promoters of the enterprise. The advantage of the change made in its location some years later to North Fullerton Avenue is apparent from its present beautiful buildings and largely increased membership.

The original building of the First Presbyterian Church soon followed. Next was St. Luke's first building, mentioned above, and the next in order of time was the Roman Catholic Church, a plain frame building located in Washington Street and now occupied by the Foundling Society. The Church of the Immaculate Conception made a wise move when it changed its location to North Fullerton Avenue where, through the strenuous labors of Father Mendl, it has attained its present large membership and material advance in the large and handsome church building nearing its completion, together with its fine Parochial school building on Munn Street. The other church organizations of the town are fresh in the memory of the present generation.

Up to about 1870 the four churches named, viz.: the Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal and Roman Catholic, seemed to satisfactorily accommodate the church-going people of the town, but for about fifteen years previous there had been a gradual and increasing growth of residents encouraged by the improved traveling facilities to and from New York. A large proportion of the new residents allied themselves with the Presbyterian Church (the Society was at this time worshipping in the present building), and, while this was not in many cases their denominational preference, yet in the spirit of a true Christian fellowship they added much to the material and spiritual interests of the Society. At the time the church was built it was the custom to give to the contributors a pew or pews according to the amount subscribed for the church building, giving the holder the perpetual ownership on the payment of an annual annuity fixed by the Society for the support of the church. With the largely increased membership, the unequal privilege in the choice of pews with many who were sharing the expense of the church was apparent. After some effort to overcome this olden-time custom, the pews were almost entirely surrendered to the Society, thus giving a more equal chance in the choice of seats, in consideration of which very liberal contributions were made by the new-comers for the improvement of the church property. Galleries were put in, the pews were rearranged, adding much to the seating capacity of the audience room, also to its general appearance.

A large proportion of these families who had united with the Presbyterian Church and had worked and contributed with them for many years in the spirit of true Christian Catholicity, were, in denominational preference and education, Congregationalists, and early in 1870, when they felt their numbers would justify a church organization of their own choice, they held several preliminary meetings, resulting in a unanimous decision to that end; and on June 8th, 1870, a Council of the Congregational Church on invitation met in the Presbyterian Church, when the organization was consummated. In the following September the Council met again in the same place, when Rev. Amory H. Bradford, who had received a unanimous call to become their pastor, was ordained and installed pastor of the new church by the Council.

The severance of this large and valued membership from the old church was attended with much regret, but with a hearty Godspeed.

From the phenomenal growth of the new enterprise, its energetic work in the religious, moral and intellectual welfare and general betterment of Montclair under the long pastorate of Dr. Bradford, it seems quite evident there must have been some good Presbyterian engrafting during the years of association with the old church, and it is certain a kindly impression as left, as the relationship of the two churches since has been one of true Christian fraternity, markedly manifest in the annual New Year morning prayer meetings, which Mr. Joseph B. Beadle, one of the founders of the Congregational Church, was largely instrumental in inaugurating and which has been for nearly forty years a valuable contribution to the true Christian fellowship of all the churches in Montclair.

As a general rule in those days the graveyard was connected with the church. This was located on Church Street, the land having been purchased by the Presbyterian Society from Major Nathaniel Crane, and ran back to the Crescent. Trinity Place was the western boundary and Bradford Place the eastern. The first interment was Prudence, wife of Zenas Baldwin, who died March 8th, 1837. As the town began to grow it was later abandoned as a burial place and the bodies and monuments were removed to the Rosedale Cemetery.

After the school property was sold to the church, a new location was purchased of Ira Campbell on Church Street and a one-story frame school building erected about where the chapel of the Presbyterian Church now stands. When it was decided to build the present church, more land was necessary and a strip of land between the two streets running back to the line of Mr. Cole's store was purchased. Two dwellings on the property were sold at auction. The one on the Turnpike was moved to the east side of South Fullerton avenue, opposite the Crescent, where it stands at present somewhat enlarged. The other, which was located on Church Street, now stands at the northeast corner of Glen Ridge Avenue and Forest Street. The present church building was completed and dedicated November 12th, 1856. At the time it was considered a big undertaking for the Society and by many regarded as a building in size much beyond any future need of the town. The new church was located just back of the old one and the Society continued to hold service in the latter while the new building was being constructed. A few weeks before its completion the people of the town were much surprised to see a fine church bell on a heavy truck driven into town. It was placed on the stone platform at the front entrance of the new church where it stood for several weeks. The explanation of the unexpected surprise to the people was read in the following inscription cast in the bell: "Presented to the Presbyterian Society of West Bloomfield, N.J., by Miss Mary Crane, Oct., 1856, 1084 lb., Key of G." Miss Crane was a daughter of Israel Crane and an esteemed member of the church. The bell was hoisted to its present position in the tower and its fine tone has been a familiar sound for more than half a century, calling worshippers to the House of God.

Later there was a general move for more advanced facilities for public education and after many meetings of prolonged and heated discussions, a decision was reached to purchase of Grant J. Wheeler the land on Church Street between Valley Road and Orange Avenue, and the present Grammar School building was erected, which was regarded as a big advance in the school interests of the town. And as we look back to the plain, original schoolhouse of 1740, with its fire-place in one corner, standing on Church Street, near the present locality, and compare it with our present large and fine Central School buildings with their advanced facilities for education, it becomes evident that the world and Montclair move.

After the completion of the new school building, the Church Street School property was sold to the Presbyterian Society, this being the second purchase from the School District and continuing a seeming affinity between Church and School as we found it with the early settlers. The building which stood about where the present chapel stands was used by the church as a lecture room for a number of years.