USA > California > San Francisco County > San Francisco > The retrospect. A glance at thirty years of the history of Howard street Methodist Episcopal church of San Francisco > Part 7
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true spirit of the denomination. He espec- ially condemned the laying aside of the grand and beautiful poetry of Charles Wesley for the ryhming jingle of our mod- ern social songs. He regarded it as an of- fense to good taste, spiritually. The es- prit de corps of the Methodist ministry was to him delightful, and this was one of the chief attractions of Baltimore, where he had seen it in such perfection. How often he expressed a wish that it might flourish here as there, and how often he had fostered the sentiment by preaching and lecturing for churches in the country who were too poor to pay their preacher's salary '
His death is a loss to this coast as well as to the church at large. The memory of such ministers is precious. The church cannot afford to pass them by. The hon- age paid by such minds to the cross of Christ is an argument for the truth and divinity of Christianity. Here, at least, in this new country, so full of materialism and materialistic tendencies, the memory of our brother's oratory, so spiritual and so bibli- cal, is a precious legacy to the church which will not soon be forgotten. Our brother is now at rest. With other ministers of our
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church, who have labored here for the Master and have been called home, he has entered upon his reward. "They rest from their labors, and their works do follow them."
"' And so he giveth his beloved sleep,' As seemeth to him best ; O ! blessed thought God's holy Writ hath through the ages brought To comfort those that sorrowful must weep, Nor leave them desolate : our cross of woe Is by the priceless words of Christ made light ; His consolation, sorrow's darkest night So sweet illuminates, that we may go Rejoicingly, that ' death hath lost its sting, The grave, its victory' ; the friends we love Will in God's golden harvest fields above In his good time know perfect blossoming ; And all these heavy griefs that make life dim But draw the suffering children closer him."
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REV. J. T. PECK, D. D.
PECK MEMORIAL.
ADDRESS BY REV. F. F. JEWELL.
Jesse Truesdell Peck was born in Middle- field, Otsego County, N. Y., Aug. 14, 1811, and died in Syracuse, N. Y., May 18, 1883. He was one of eleven children-five sons and six daughters-all of whom became members of the Methodist Episcopal Church; the five sons entering the ministry of the church in which the parents lived and died.
When I was pastor of the church in Os- wego, N. Y., from which I was transferred to this in 1872, I had as my assistant a ven- erable father in the ministry, Rev. Reuben Reynolds, who was for some time district school teacher in the neighborhood where the family of Luther Peck, father of Jesse. resided. In Dr. George Peck's autobio- graphy, I find this allusion to my friend : " My teacher was Reuben Reynolds, then, like myself, a licensed exhorter in the church, now an honored member of the
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Northern N. Y. Conference. This was in 1815-16, which would find Jesse a child of four or five years. From Father Reynolds I learned very many things concerning the remarkable home that graduated so many sons into the ministry, and of the child Jesse, of whom my friend always delighted to say with his characteristic quaintness : " I taught him his letters, and I am glad I did : he has made such good use of them."
He was licensed as a local preacher at the early age of eighteen. Three years after- ward, when twenty-one years old, he joined the old Oneida Conference, and commenced his itinerant career, with no other idea in his heart than to give all his years to this work. for which he seemed so well fitted, even from the beginning. His consecration, how- ever, implied obedience to the voice of the church, and there was no hesitation when he was taken by that voice, and for sixteen years required to bear the usual, and in some cases, the unusual burdens, borne by the early educators in our Methodism. Five years afterward he was chosen Principal of Governeur Wesleyan Seminary, St. Law- rence County, N. Y. Here I found his name fragrant in many families and circles, where. long years afterwards, I was per-
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mitted to enter. Here in his home his parents lived, and here his mother died.
Of this mother it was written at that time : she was a true mother in Israel. kind and conciliatory in disposition, firm and pa- tient under trials, praying without ceasing with strong and victorious faith, fervent in spirit serving the Lord. She had a sympa- thetic heart, which prompted her to care for the sick and the poor, and seek diligently the wandering, the discouraged, and the reckless. Her burning zeal impressed all who came into her presence. The giddy and the profane were struck dumb by her tender reproofs uttered in well-chosen words and in the spirit of kindness, and her desire for the salvation of souls often engaged her in personal efforts which won them to the Savior. She early consecrated her children to God, and sought by precept and example to lead them to Christ. They were all con- verted. Two of her daughters died before her in holy triumph, and she lived to see all her sons in the Gospel ministry. When she heard the last one of them preach, she said : " Now Lord, lettest thou thy hand- maiden depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation." Of her death, Rev. Dr. Wentworth, then her pastor, said it was
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peaceful and triumphant- a fitting close to such a life. The venerable servant of God (alluding to her husband) was waiting to close the eyes of the companion of his youth. The breeze of an autumnal evening rustled the drapery of a open window, but besides this there was no sound, save the deep breathing of the aged sufferer. Suddenly the soft, silvery, tremulous voice of the white-haired veteran fell upon the ear : " Give joy or grief ; give ease or pain ; take life or friends away, etc."
" I fancied," says the Dr., " that the dy- ing saint listened to the music of two worlds, and listening, smiled and died." I have inserted this glimpse of his mother, that in the analysis of the character of our departed friend, due credit may be given to the one who under God gave directions to, and to indicate from whom he inherited, some of the most striking traits of his beau- tiful character. His pulpit power was here recognized, and his services sought on vari- ous occasions, as an able and talented preacher of the word.
This power was felt, however, to most advantage in the school, where in remarka- ble revivals, his emotional oratory was made a means of awakening many a young man,
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who afterwards entered the ranks of the Christian ministry. Here occurred what was perhaps representative of the times, as an incident in revival work.
Governeur was, and has generally been, a strong Presbyterian community. The Presbyterian minister sometimes attended the chapel services, and was careful, espec- ially when revival meetings were in pro- gress, to lend his presence in the interest of religious decorum and propriety. On one of these occasions the altar was crowded with penitents, and there were sobs min- gled with earnest prayers from stricken
penitents on every side. The Presbyteri- an minister, in looking about, saw among those weeping ones a child of his own flock sobbing as violently as any. He approach- ed her, and taking her by the arm raised her to her feet, and leading her to one of his Elders who was just at hand, he said : " Take this girl out of doors ; she needs fresh air." The Principal firmly said : " She needs salvation." "Let us pray for her."
From Governeur he was transferred to the Troy Conference, and placed in charge of the Troy Conference Seminary at West Poultney, Vt., in the spring of 1841. A
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wider field here opened before the already successful young Principal. The academy building was large and beautiful, costing $40.000 at a period when building was far less expensive than now.
Here, with a corps of professors under him, most of whom became eminent in af- ter years in the field of instruction aud lit- erature, he commanded the respect and con- fidence of all for his geniality, energy, and wisdom in administration. Here, as at Governeur, extensive revivals prevailed in the Seminary. Dr. Stephen D. Brown, of precious memory in the Troy Conference, was wont to speak of a sermon preached at one of the revival meetings in the school by the young Principal, as the most power- ful sermon to which in a lifetime he ever listened.
From this he was elected President of Diekinson College, at Carlisle, Pennsylva- nia, where he remained four years. Hle then served a term as pastor of Foundry Church, Washington, D. C., at the close of which he was elected general secretary and editor of the Tract Society of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church. One term in the pastorate of the Green Street Church, N. Y., completed his labor in the East, previ-
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ous to his transfer to this Conference and his labors on this coast. Of these another will speak. After his return to the East he served three charges, viz .: Peeksville, Hudson Street, Albany, and Centenary, Syr- acuse, where he was when elected to the Episcopacy in 1872. He was one of the founders, and I may say, the chief founder of the Syracuse University ; president of the first board of trustees, and to it he gave untiring labor, and all of his considerable fortune.
I well remember his ringing words in the State Convention of which he was chair- man ; which convention gave indorsement and form to the great ideas which had filled the great mind of this truly great man.
He was five times a member of the Gen- eral Conference, and a fraternal delegate to the Canadian and East British Confer- ences. As an author he has given to his church and ages several valuable and some standard works, viz .: "The Central Idea of Christianity," "The True Woman-or Life and Happiness at Home and Abroad," " What Must I Do to be Saved." and " The History of the Great Republic from a Chris- tian Standpoint."
It was while he was engaged in this work
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I first met him, and an acquaintance began which has been a pleasure and a benedic- tion to me ever since. I was invited to his home. He was very busy in his literary labors. I spoke of the research and labor involved in his work. He replied, with a beaming face : "But, oh, it pays to trace the footprints and handiwork of our Heav- enly Father along the line of the ages." His transfer soon afterward to the Confer- ence of which I was a member, brought me into frequent contact with him after that, and served to produce what I felt honored to claim, a growing friendship between us. I have been associated with him at several dedications. I have heard him preach as but few men, living or dead, ever could preach, on great occasions, when the gospel would roll from his lips an avalanche of con- vincing and saving power. I sat beside him in the delegation as a member of the General Conference which elevated him to the Episcopacy. He was the first one to intimate to me that I was to be sent to San Francisco, and placed in charge of Howard Street Church. In that letter he said : " My Dear Jewell, if the way opens, as it seems to be doing, and duty says so. I know you will go."
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He kindly wrote me a long letter on the eve of my departure for your midst, and gave me such counsel as was prompted by his great fatherly heart, and I flattered my- self to believe a special interest in me as a a friend. Among other things he said : " Trust the official members of the Howard Street Church ; I know them." He has kindly written me from time to time, al- though his work has been so absorbing, his last note being one of congratulation upon the improvement made last year in our church property. I mention these to express my feelings to-day. Bishop Peck was my personal friend, and whoever had his friend- ship had the friendship of as true a heart as ever throbbed in a human bosom. Of his last sickness we have learned but little beyond this ; that while otherwise enfeebled by sickness, pneumonia attacked him, and by it he was so prostrated as to be able to speak only in whispers, and was unconscious most of the time. His record was on high ; and he has passed on to his treasure and the society of the redeemed in heaven. His life and labors are the legacy of the church -let us use it wisely.
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ADDRESS BY R. MCELROY.
Death, the mighty reaper, is still busy ; oh, how busy ! Not a moment's rest. and never weary. Ilis gleaming sickle, with keenest edge, is ceaselessly leveling the tender shoot as well as the ripened grain. All ages, all classes, are stricken by his sturdy blows, and garnered for the mighty harvest. None are exempt; the good and the pure, as well as the evil and the vicious -all fall in their time, and are hidden from mortal view. Why, then, should this pulpit escape the general fiat ? Why should heaven be unpeopled from this sacred desk ? Why should that shining shore have no representative from this platform ? If they come from the East and the West, from the North and the South, to sit down with Abraham in the kingdom of heaven, why should not God allow some who have stood here pointing pilgrims up to those golden thrones, to nestle very tenderly within the bosom of the glorified patriarch ? Surely, our work in this temple would be fruitless indeed, if the priests who min- ister at its altars are not permitted to go, when they weary in life's battle, to that favored seat where the harpers harp, and the redeemed sing.
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We come then, on this memorial day, not to sadden our hearts with mournful dirges that our loved and revered are gone, but to gladden our spirits that they are counted worthy of so great honor as being released from earthly labor and crowned with immortal glory. We rejoice that to- day, among those who stand upon the sea of glass mingled with fire, are those who once stood where we now stand, and told us of the blood which made them pure. Lips that clearly and forcefully announced the wondrous plan of salvation from this altar are now attuned to celestial melodies, and sing, oh, how sweetly, " the song of Moses and the Lamb !" No cause, then, have we for sighs and tears, no room for bitter lamen- tation that Heath and Phillips, that Ban- nister and Blain, that Guard and Peck have left the damps of earth for the brightness and beauty of heaven.
My acquaintance with Jesse T. Peck began in the year 1846. He was then the honored and successful Principal of Troy Conference Academy, in Poultney, Vermont. The next year I entered the ministry of the same Conference, and from that hour we have held the most precious intimacies, personal when together, through corres-
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pondence when separated. After leaving the Troy Conference Academy he went to Carlisle, Penn., and assumed the Presidency of Dickinson College. From that institu- tion he became General Secretary of the Tract Society of the M. E. Church. Upon retiring from this position he went back into the pastorate, and was appointed to the Green Street charge, New York City. After the expiration of the constitutional term at Green Street, he was transferred to the California Conference. and appointed pastor of Powell Street church in this city. This was in the year 1858. As soon as he entered upon his pastorate he became most closely identified with the cause of Methodistic Christianity on this coast. There was no department of the general work that did not claim his sympathy and share his toil. Specially among these were the California Christian Advocate and Univer- sity of the Pacific. The columns of the former were constantly, during all his so- journ on this coast, enriched and embellished with stirring articles from his facile pen ; while the prosperity of the latter was greatly enhanced by his wise counsels in the Board of Trustees, and his liberal con- tributions to its needy exchequer. He was
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at once regarded by other denominations as a prince in our Israel, and as such was accorded a prominent place in all non-de- nominational Christian enterprises. While intensely loyal to his own church, he was nevertheless entirely divested from sectarian bigotry, and hence was a general favorite with all catholic-spirited, Christ-loving men. None loved him more, nor regretted his departure from the coast to a greater ex- tent, than did men outside of Methodism, who had learned to esteem his worth by association in all causes conducive to human weal. These men made him President of the California Bible Society, an office which he retained while he remained on the coast, and which he, at all times, most fully mag- nified. At the time of his election that Society was in a very straightened condi- tion financially, and what little property it had was grievously burdened with debt. But through his wise counsels, far-reaching plans were inaugurated, which matured into very great advantage to the Society, freeing it entirely from debt, and giving it large material interests and great spiritual usefulness. And so everything he touched, whether Methodistic or non-denominational, seemed to feel the life-giving current of his magic wand.
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After serving the Church at Powell Street, Sacramento, Santa Clara,and in the San Francisco District, he came to us and assumed the pastorate of this church. Such was the condition of the charge at that time that no ordinary man could have had the least possible chance of success. We had just reared and dedicated this temple, and were loaded down with a debt of $14,000, after every member and friend of the society had given his last possible dollar to the enterprise and every legit- imate available outside means to raise funds had been exhausted. One of the most in- defatigable and efficient pastors that Meth- odism had ever known, the Rev. John D. Blain, had just vacated the charge, and been appointed to inaugurate a new enter- prise but a few blocks to the westward. Of course, the whole people loved Bro. Blain, and greatly desired to aid him in his new field. To give him a start and form a nucleus upon which he could lean, a colony of some forty of our most earnest Christian workers went out from us. Of course, in our debt-burdened condition, this loss was quite a severe strain on the society. And not only so, but many, very many non-members who formed a part of this
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congregation were so in love with Bro. Blain, and so respected him for his untiring and unselfish labors in their behalf, that they, too, went out from us to become part of the new congregation. Under these circumstances, had not the new pastor been a man of extraordinary power, both as pas- tor and preacher ; had he not been vested with wonderful magnetic force to attract the people; had he not been replete in wise and feasible schemes to advance the cause committed to his charge, the So- ciety would have lanquished under his min- istry, and failure would have been written over the door of his administration. But to the contrary, so great was his pulpit elo- quence, so massive and beautiful his thoughts, so fervid and burning his zeal, so heart-thrilling his exhortations, so soul-in- spiring his prayers, so steady and pure his piety, so sweet and guileless his spirit, so tender and helpful his sympathy, so unceas- ing his pastoral labors, so affable and gen- tlemanly his deportment, so genial and sun- ny his intercourse with all, that but little time was required to fill the seats which had been vacated, and make his pastorate an assured success. Indeed, so great was that success and so opulent were his resourc-
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es that he had all times, and on all occa- sions, ample means to further assist and foster the infant Central. No two men ev- er loved each other more or worked in more perfect harmony than did Jesse T. Peck and J. D. Blain. No jealousy or strife ever existed between them, no anxiety as to which should be the greatest in the king- dom of the people's esteem. But with one heart and with one mind each endeavored to the very utmost of his ability to build up the common cause.
As Dr. Peck had been at the head of several of our educational institutions before coming to this coast, and had spent many years in educating young men for the various learned professions, he conceived the idea of organizing the young men of his church into a literary society, that they, by church associations, might improve their ntelle ctual status as well as their spiritual condition. Accordingly, an unemployed evening was designated for their meeting, and a room in the basement of the church assigned them. Not many weeks elapsed before the society grew to large proportions and became quite a feature of our church work. and very many young men of a liter- ary turn were brought under church influ-
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ences through its instrumentality. There is no doubt the society was exceedingly useful, in a high sense, to most of its members. Not only did the pastor have care over the flock in all their spiritual interest, not only did he leok sharply after the prayer and class meetings, the Sunday school and Bible classes, but every depart- ment of church work was constantly upon his hands and his heart. Busy, oh ! how busy was his life in Howard Street ! And then that debt, that ponderous debt, was a matter of great solicitude to him ; so much so that he set on foot a plan to reduce it during his first year. Ten thousand dollars of this debt was funded in a mortgage upon the property, and four thousand dollars was carried on the trustees' notes as floating. The plan was to pay off and cancel this floating portion of the liability, and a sub- seription was opened on condition that all must be raised or none would be payable. That subscription had reached only the sum of $3,200, and all the material had been fully worked up when the Board met for counsel. We canvassed the subscription, we canvassed the church record, and not a member of the Board could see where another dollar could be got. Sad, sullen
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and despairing we sat thinking that the $3,200 would be sacrificed for the lack of the $800, and were about to adjourn in utter despair, when the pastor stealthily drew from his pocket a bit of paper, and passed it over to me as Treasurer of the Board. Judge of the electrical effeet upon that body of anxious men, when I announced to them that the bit of paper was a certi- fied check for $800, which the pastor had picked up among his Front-street merchant friends during the day, just to meet this contingency, and round out the full sum of the floating debt. No member of the church knew what he was doing that day, but the sequel showed that he had been gleaning well. It also showed how large and potent was his influence over the men of the mart, who only gave from personal respect for him, and not from any special attachment to the church.
It must not be inferred, however, that he was entirely beyond the shafts of envy. No man with positive opinions, with pre- eminent success in his life-work, can ever reach that goal until he enters the Golden City. Such is the extreme selfishness of humanity, that many are found who try to exalt themselves by hurling venomous shafts
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at those whose lofty positions they fain would reach. I have seen such shafts enter his extremely sensitive nature, and have witnessed how terrible were their effects in lacerating his finest and most delicate feelings ; but never on this green earth of ours have I witnessed so much Christlike forbearance, such an indisposition on being reviled to revile again, such an entire absence of all vindictiveness toward those whose ealumnies have made the heart quiver with intensest anguish. In all my closest intercourse with this noble man, I cannot recall a single unkind word uttered by him in regard to any human being.
His devotion to his sick wife took him from this coast, and kept him a resident of the East, as the climate there was better adapted to her enfeebled condition. And so this family affliction robbed us of his valuable services, and lost to us all that he might have achieved for the cause, had he been permitted to stay and labor. But our loss was the gain of others, for surely he has not been idle. With hand and heart, and brain and tongue, and pen and purse all consecrated to the one great cause that charmed his boyhood life; that held spell- bound his manhood days ; that lost none of
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its magic sweetness when the infirmity and decrepitude of age came on ; that upheld and sustained him when death's cold wa- ters engulfed him. Idle ? No! nor is he idle now. Dead though he is, yet speak- ing still : and will forever speak along the ages yet to come. From leaf and page, from book and tract, from memory's deep recess, speaking firm and strong, speaking sweet and silvery, speaking words of cheer to weary pilgrims, speaking words of warning to wayward ones. Hark ! don't you hear the echo of his wondrously sonor- ous voice, as it comes along through all the corridors of years agone, when from this sacred desk it trembled upon the air, and filled all this saered temple with richest melody ? Dead ? Yes, but still alive for- ever more ! Alive to enjoy the fruitions of the heavenly land! Alive to be free from the pains and agonies of earth! Alive to look up, up, up at the wondrous glories of that land where no night is : where the sun goes not down, and where the springtime of youth and beauty is for- ever more ; where flowers do not fade and grasses are ever green ; where beauty vies with beauty, and where splendor rolls on splendor ; where the jasper walls are seen
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