Church of the Messiah (Reformed Episcopal) - Brooklyn, N.Y. (1950 photo, Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection)
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Church of the Messiah and Incarnation
(Reformed Episcopal)

80 Greene Avenue corner Clermont Avenue
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11238

Organ Specifications:
80 Greene Avenue corner Clermont Avenue (1865-1969)
► IV/57 Austin Organ Company, Op. 962 (1920)
• II/ George Jardine & Son (1886)
• Ferris & Stuart (1865)
Adelphi Street (1859-1865)
Second building (1859-1865)
• unknown
First building (1852-1859)
• unknown

The Church of the Messiah was founded in 1848 or 1849, and was the first Episcopal church in the area to follow the low-church principles of what would become the Reformed Episcopal Church. In 1852, a small wooden chapel was built on Adelphi Street, but after seven years it was necessary to build a larger brick church next door. The number of members continued to increase and in 1863 the incomplete Greene Avenue Presbyterian Church was purchased. In 1865, the congregation moved into their newly completed church, and the previous wooden chapel and brick church on Adelphi Street were sold to St. Mark's Protestant Episcopal Church.

1909 Interior View of the Church of the Messiah (Reformed Episcopal) - Brooklyn, N.Y. (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection)  
James H. Giles is believed to have designed the Greene Avenue church, which is similar to the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, built in 1860-62 by Grimshaw & Morrill, in that it has two unequal towers flanking a prominent facade, and features round arches. In 1890, the church was renovated by architect R.H. Robertson, who added a beehive spire on the taller tower. Robertson also built the ornate porch, designed a new chapel, and redecorated the chancel in the Byzantine style.

At some point, the name was changed to "Church of the Messiah and Incarnation," most likely due a merger with the Church of the Incarnation.

On February 10, 1969, the church was destroyed in a five-alarm fire. More than 40 companies and 200 men, some from Manhattan, were called to the scene, but efforts were hampered by snowdrifts and high winds.
           
Austin Organ Company
Hartford, Conn. – Opus 962 (1920)
Electro-pneumatic action
4 manuals, 74 stops, 57 ranks


The following stoplist was recorded by Lynnwood Farnam (1885-1930), noted concert organist of the early 20th century, who kept organ "notebooks" with specifications of the many organs he visited or played. Farnam did not give pipecounts but they are suggested below, based on similar Austin organs of the era.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, partially enclosed with Choir
16
   Major Diapason *
61
4
   Octave
61
8
   Principal Diapason *
61
4
   Harmonic Flute
61
8
   English Diapason *
61
2 2/3
   Twelfth
61
8
   Gross Gedeckt *
61
2
   Fifteenth
61
8
   Small Diapason
61
8
   Trumpet
61
8
   Clarabella
61
 
* unenclosed
8
   Viole d'Amour
61
     

     

     
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon
73
4
   Flauto Traverso
73
8
   Diapason Phonon
73
2
   Flageolet
61
8
   English Diapason
73
  Dolce Cornet III ranks
183
8
   Rohr Flöte
73
16
   Oboe Horn
85
8
   Chimney Flute
73
8
   Oboe [ext.]
—
8
   Viole d'Orchestre
73
4
   Oboe Clarion [ext.]
—
8
   Viole Celeste
73
8
   Cornopean
73
8
   Vox Seraphique [TC]
61
8
   Vox Humana
61
8
   Aeoline
73
  [Tremolo]
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Contra Dulciana
85
4
   Flute d'Amour
73
8
   Open Diapason
73
2
   Piccolo Harmonique
61
8
   Geigen Principal
73
8
   Clarinet
73
8
   Concert Flute
73
8
   Cor Anglais
73
8
   Unda Maris [TC]
61
  Tremolo  
8
   Quintadena
73
4
  
Harp
49 bars
8
   Dulciana
—
        
               
Solo Organ (Manual IV) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Stentorphone
73
8
   Tuba
73
8
   Flauto Major
73
8
   French Horn
73
8
   Gross Gamba
73
8
   Orchestral Oboe
73
8
   Gamba Celeste
73
  Tremolo
4
   Flute Ouverte
73
        
               
Solo–Echo Organ (Manual IV) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Cor de Nuit (Gemshorn)
73
4
   Fern Flöte
73
8
   Gedeckt
73
8
   Vox Humana
61
8
   Viole Aetheria
73
  Tremolo
8
   Vox Angelica [TC]
61
  Chimes
               
Great–Echo Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed (duplexed from Solo-Echo)
8
   Cor de Nuit (Gemshorn)
EC
4
   Fern Flöte
EC
8
   Gedeckt
EC
8
   Vox Humana
EC
8
   Viole Aetheria
EC
  Tremolo
EC
8
   Vox Angelica [TC]
EC
  Chimes
EC
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
32
   Contra Bourdon
44
8
   Gross Flute [ext. Op. Diap.]
—
16
   Open Diapason (wood)
56
8
   Violoncello [ext.]
—
16
   Violone
44
8
   Dolce Flute
SW
16
   Bourdon
—
4
   Super Octave [ext.]
—
16
   Gedeckt
SW
16
   Trombone
44
16
   Dulciana
CH
16
   Fagotto
SW
16
   Bourdon
EC
8
   Tuba [ext.]
—
               
Accessories
Hand-Pistons Foot-Pistons
8 adjustable pistons – General 4 adjustable foot-pistons – Pedal
4 adjustable pistons – Solo 4 adjustable foot-pistons – General
4 adjustable pistons – Solo-Echo Great to Pedal reversible
8 adjustable pistons – Swell Solo to Great reversible
6 adjustable pistons – Great Solo to Pedal reversible
2 adjustable pistons – Great-Echo Sforzando reversible
8 adjustable pistons – Choir  
2 pistons coupling all swells to master pedal  
           
George Jardine & Son
New York City (1886)
Mechanical action
2 manuals


Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.
           
Ferris & Stuart
New York City (1865)
Mechanical action


Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.
           
Sources:
     "Church Razed as Snow and Wind Slow Firefighters,"The New York Times (Feb. 11, 1969).
     Farnam, Lynnwood. "Organ Notebook," p. 1438. Specification of Austin organ, Op. 962 (1920). John de Lancie Library, The Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia; Sally Branca, archivist. Courtesy Jonathan Bowen.
     Stern, Robert A.M., Thomas Mellins, and David Fishman. New York 1880: Architecture and Urbanism in the Gilded Age. New York City: The Monacelli Press, 1999.

Illustrations:
     Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection. Exterior and interior.