USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Hartford > Christ Church parish--a century of its history and a look into the future; a historical sermon preached in Christ Church, Hartford, Feb. 9, 1902 > Part 1
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Gc 974.602 H25Li 1773090
REYNOLDE HI 1096-46 GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01105 5586
CHRIST CHURCH PARISH- A Century of its History, and a Look into the Future.
A historical Sermon
PREACHED IN
CHRIST CHURCH, HARTFORD CONN.
Sunday Morning, february 9, 1902
By the Rev. HERMANN LILIENTHAL. M. A
if the author's Compliments
PRINTED BY REQUEST
The Case, Lockwood & Brainard Company, Printers
1773090
HISTORICAL SERMON.
"Walk about Zion, and go round about her, and tell the towers thereof; mark well her bulwarks, set up her houses, that ye may tell them that come after." - PSALM XLVIII : 11, 12.
In Dr. Hoadly's "Annals of the Episcopal Church in Hartford" it is recorded that "on the 12th of July, 1801, it was voted that the Rev. Menzies Rayner of Elizabethtown, N. J., be requested to take charge of the church at a salary of $600 a year, to com- mence from the 20th of August then next, an invitation which was accepted ; and thus after struggling for nearly forty years the parish became completely organized." The "Episcopal Society " was now ecclesiastic- ally as well as legally complete by having a rector. The beginnings of Christ Church parish date back to 1762, when the Rev. Thomas Davies, a graduate of Yale, and a missionary of the S. P. G., was invited to hold a service in Hartford. This he did some time between January and April, and in October of this same year certain adher- ents of the Church of England associated themselves together, and for £80 bought a piece of land on what is now the north-
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east corner of Church street. Stones were purchased, and a foundation was laid for a church, but a period of depression set in, and the few Episcopalians found them- selves unable to raise money sufficient to erect a church. Further, they had to con- tend with the bitter prejudice of Congre- gationalists and Presbyterians, who were strongly opposed to what they deemed "prelatical" churches, and hindered their establishment by all means possible. To add to the distress of this little band, one of them illegally sold the lot that had been bought, and the purchaser, relying on his legal rights, entered the property, "broke up the foundations of the church, and carried away the stones, which he used for the foun- dation of a house he was then building." The land eventually was restored in 1785 to the "professors of the Episcopal Church," but not until they had paid £60 additional for renewed possession.
Meanwhile, the Revolutionary War came on, when the Episcopal Church and clergy were viewed with a "jealous eye as danger- ous to the civil and ecclesiastical liberties of the country." During the trying years of the war it is doubtful whether any services of our church were maintained in Hartford. But after the Revolution was successfully ended, and peace once more prevailed, on
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November 13, .1786, fifteen men came to- gether, signed an article of association, and formed an Episcopal society. Let me give you the very words of the agreement, and the names of the signers : -
HARTFORD, NOVE 13th 1786.
We the underwritten do, by these Presents Associate ourselves into a Religious Society, by the Style and Title of The Episcopal Society of the City of Hartford, under the Direction and Government of the Rt. Revd BisP Sea- bury, & the Episcopal Clergy of the State of Connecticut
William Adams
Stacy Stackhouse
Jnoº Morgan
Cotton Murray
John Thomas
Isaac Tucker
Jacob Ogden
Wm Burr
Sam1 Cutler
Elisha Wadsworth
Thomas Hilldrup
John Avery
Jnº Jeffery
Aaron Bradley
George Burr
Thus was reorganized the initial effort of 1762, and these associates became the found- ers of the present parish of Christ Church. The article of association and names of these fifteen men deserve to be commemorated by a mural tablet set in the wall of the vesti- bule of this church, where the worshipers and visitors daily and weekly as they pass in and out may for unnumbered generations know who the men of faith and courage were who laid the foundations of this parish.
And here it may be observed that a parish
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is often what it is because of the character of its founders. A parish is an organism, manifesting its own individual development, characteristics, and spirit. It displays in its history some dominant character or trait impressed upon it by some of its strong and leading original members; and so parishes may manifest faith or loyalty, generosity or gentleness, justice or integrity, vigor or im- partiality ; or, on the other hand, they may manifest opposite characteristics of coldness, unkindness, quarrelsomeness, restlessness, inactivity, or penuriousness. It becomes, therefore, a matter of vital importance in the life, growth, and future of any parish that it should start right, be built upon the eternal principles of loyalty to God and charity to man, and not on the unstable foundations of opinion, pride, or dissension. Schisms produce chasms, and controversies catastrophes.
These new associates of 1786 at once bestirred themselves for the building of a church on the recovered land, and by sub- scriptions, mostly in building material and labor, and even in spirits, the new church, after many delays, was at length finished, and in all probability opened for use in the latter part of 1795, when Mr. Calvin Whi- ting, a candidate for orders, was acting as lay-reader. Thus the hope of many years
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was at last realized, and though it was a little band gathered together, it was a com- pany in which were found indomitable cour- age, generous self-sacrifice, large liberality, and loyal faith. Could we but enter into the experience and feelings of some of those hearts, -that now at length in their own house of worship they could praise God after the manner of their fathers, and in accord- ance with their deep convictions, - we might find our own convictions deepened and our devotion strengthened. The church stood on the northeast corner of Church street, was built of wood, and when completed was considered the handsomest church in the place. Mr. Whiting, who officiated in 1795, died the same year, and the parish found itself without any officiant. March 4, 1797, the Rev. Ashbel Baldwin of Stratford was invited to become rector of the parish at a salary of $500 a year. But he declined the call, deeming the salary insufficient. A few years elapsed when on July 12, 1801, the Rev. Menzies Rayner of New Jersey was elected to and accepted the rectorship of the parish, and entered upon his duties the same year.
Thus in 1801 the organization of this parish was completed, the centennial anniversary of which occurred last year, but passing un- noticed then, I wish now to recall to your mind, and note as briefly as possible, the
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century of history of this parish since that date. My effort is made easy because of the abundant material furnished by the "History of Christ Church Parish," a book written and compiled by a member of this parish, honored and revered by you all, one whose life has overlapped the lives of every one of the rectors of this parish, and who has seen and known nearly all of them, and whose devotion and fidelity to this parish, whose unselfish service and many benefactions and gifts have given their crowning expression in the preparation of a history such as no one else living could so well do, because of long and intimate experience of parish affairs and personal intercourse with the many departed worthies whom his pages so nobly commemorate. That this history might be permanently preserved in printed form for reference for all time is due to the well-known generosity of another member of this parish. Those who would like to know more details than I can attempt to tell you this morning are referred to this "History of Christ Church Parish."
To return, the Rev. Mr. Rayner, the first rector, was settled in 1801, and his settle- ment was marked by the consecration of the church by Bishop Jarvis on November II, 1801, "a very rainy day." The comment of the Courant regarding the service was, "the
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solemnity of the performance was highly gratifying, manifested by a decent audience, considering the inclemency of the day." It must have been a great day of rejoicing in the parish, the members of which at this time numbered but a faithful few. The attempt to maintain their organization taxed to the utmost these early churchmen. Rates were occasionally laid on the taxable property of the members of the society which could be legally collected, but this taxing - obnoxious even to members of the standing order and most objectionable to those not of this order- was early discontinued by the parish, which then depended for its income chiefly on the rent of pews and slips and voluntary offer- ings of its members. When this resource failed to meet the expenses a subscription would be started to make up the deficit. Hence, with a prescience worthy a better outcome, the then senior warden, Mr. John Morgan, in April, 1807, moved to secure an endowment fund. He went to New York, and with the approval and assistance of its diocesan, Bishop Moore, raised among the churchmen of that city the sum of $445. To this was added a sum derived from the sale of a piece of land, and a few other contribu- tions, so that by December, 1807, the amount was brought up to $800, and formed the nucleus of the parish endowment known as
the "Episcopal Church Fund," the history of which has its dark as well as bright side.
Mr. Rayner ministered to the parish from 1801 until October 14, 1811, when he resigned. He was a man good-natured and affable, and of considerable controversial ability. But towards the end of his stay his teachings became less acceptable. In 1811 he accepted a call to another parish, but after some years resigned from the ministry of our church to join the Universalists, though in his letter of resignation to the bishop he states, "I shall still humbly claim to be considered as a member of the church, entitled to all its com- mon privileges." Bishop Brownell's words referring to Mr. Rayner's suspension are full of tender charity. Said he, " We may regret the cause which has led to [this withdrawal]. We are not to be judges of other men's con- sciences. To his own Master he standeth or falleth." Mr. Rayner died in New York November 22, 1850.
After Mr. Rayner resigned the parish, the Rev. Philander Chase -later bishop success- ively of Ohio and Illinois-was called to the rectorship. Mr. Chase was a man of unusual ability and of a masterful nature. In his "Reminiscences," Bishop Chase thus recalls his Hartford life :- "During this period (his rectorship) the number of the faithful greatly increased. I rejoiced to see
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the blessed effects of the gospel of peace and the many examples of a faithful and holy life. In the bosom of an enlightened society, softened by the hand of urbanity and gentle- ness, my enjoyments crowned with abund- ance of temporal blessings were as numerous and refined as fall to the lot of man. Of the time I spent in this lovely city I can never speak in ordinary terms. It is to my remem- brance as a dream of more than terrestrial delight." Mr. Chase resigned the parish in February, 1817. The reason for his leaving was due entirely to diocesan and not paro- chial causes. This is made evident in a letter of his to the standing committee of the diocese. He writes, "My reasons for leaving are couched in this one sentence-I am persuaded that I can be more useful to the Church of Christ, and more happy in my own person, elsewhere than in the diocese of Connecticut." Mr. Chase's removal to Ohio was greatly regretted by the parish, which had prospered under him. During his rec- torship a bell, the third in the city, was bought and hung in the church tower. A parish library was started, a new organ was bought and put in, and in the winter of 1815 the church was for the first time warmed, when chimneys were built and stoves set up in the church.
But the parish could not indulge in re-
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grets, and its attention was soon directed to Mr. Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright, an in- structor in rhetoric in Harvard, but as yet unordained. Mr. Wainwright accepted the call extended to him, was ordained deacon in Rhode Island, and advanced to the priest- hood in his own church, August 16, 1817, after which he was settled as rector. His recommendation was, "he is a young gentle- man of respectability, of the most unexcep- tionable character, ardent and sincere in the performance of his duties, is much beloved as a man, and reads to great satisfaction." Mr. Wainwright remained only two years in the parish when he was called to fill the place vacated in Trinity parish, New York, by Bishop Brownell, who had become bishop of Connecticut. Years afterward Mr. Wain- wright became the provisional bishop of New York.
After Mr. Wainwright's removal, Bishop Brownell - nomen et clarum et venerabile - long the revered bishop of Connecticut, and the presiding bishop of the church, was asked, December 16, 1819, to become the rector of the parish. He accepted on condi- tion of being provided with an assistant. But the bishop's duties to the church at large and diocese made it inexpedient for him to continue as rector of any parish, and November 11, 1820, he resigned, when the
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Rev. N. S. Wheaton, the assistant rector, was elected to full charge. I may perhaps here rather than later indicate the esteem in which Dr. Wheaton was held by a vote passed at the time of his resignation, Octo- ber 13, 1831. " When we look back for a series of more than twelve years, when we bring to mind how great has been the acces- sion of parish members, how many have been added to our communion, what har- mony has prevailed and prosperity attended our parish in all respects, by the blessing of God through the unceasing labors and pious administration of him who, during that pe- riod, has served at our altar, mingled in our affections, and secured our approbation and esteem, his loss to us collectively and indi- vidually can be duly appreciated only by a just estimate of the blessings we have thus enjoyed." This vote indicates the prosper- ity which was attending the labors of Dr. Wheaton.
The parish was still worshiping in the wooden church on the corner opposite to us. Changes in the arrangement of the church were needed to accommodate the growing congregation. The old square pews, includ- ing the so-called governor's pew, which had a canopy over it, were removed and slips substituted, but even these changes were in- sufficient to meet the need of increased sit-
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tings. This demand, together "with that pride in appearances which affects saints as well as sinners," created a desire for a "larger, more convenient, and ecclesiastical structure." Hence in 1825 began an agita- tion for a new church. Dr. Wheaton, while abroad in 1824 on business for the college which had been newly established in this city, had paid much attention to church ar- chitecture, and it is more than likely he would favor a new church in which he might embody some of his new architectu- ral knowledge. How well he builded we
can today testify. After many meetings for considering the subject, a lot for the new church on Market street, between Temple and Kinsley, was bought March 20, 1827. It may seem strange that this site was selected, " but in 1827 the population was more homo- geneous than now, and lay east of Trumbull street almost entirely." This location, how- ever, did not give general satisfaction and was sold, and the present site of the church was bought. Ground was broken for the new church in the summer of 1827, the cor- ner-stone laid by Bishop Brownell, May 13, 1828, and the building operations pushed with so much energy that the church -the tower excepted - was finished and ready for consecration December 23, 1829. In the ab- sence of Bishop Brownell, Bishop Hobart of
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New York officiated at the consecration. One who was present on this occasion wrote to a friend : "We had a noble consecration Wednesday, as fine a one as could be wished for, the weather was fine, and every nook in the church was filled to overflowing. Bishop Hobart, who does all his Episcopal duties well, never performed a service more admirably. I never witnessed a service more impressive from beginning to end ;" and so great was the demand for pews in this new church that the same writer states : "from present appearances I should think the church will be filled to crowding in a year or two." This was gratifying, but it is yet to be asked : "How was the building paid for ?" The cost up to this point for the land, church without the tower, and organ was in round numbers $43,700. The limit the parish had first placed for this new pro- ject was $28,000, but as generally happens the cost went far in excess of this first proposed sum. To raise this sum the parish proposed to borrow by the issue of stock upon which interest was paid. The first issue of stock was for $28,000, of which $20,000 was sub- scribed by individuals, but the other $8,000 had to be obtained somehow.
In its need the parish bethought itself of the "Episcopal Church Fund," an endow- ment which has been mentioned. The nu-
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cleus of this fund had been secured in 1807, and the parish by vote then, and later in 1810 by a constitution determined "that no part of the principal or interest arising from same [fund] should be applied to any pur- poses of this parish save only to establish a fund until the income from same should amount to $500;" and it was also ordained that this vote should be irrevocable. So careful was the parish in 1810 to keep intact this fund until it should have reached such a sum as to produce an annual income of $500, that it repeats in its constitution : "It is ordained that this parish shall not ever thereafter expend anything more than the interest or income arising from this fund, and that the principal shall not under any pretense whatever ever be expended either wholly or in part;" and the parish explic- itly declared its purpose was to "adopt all prudent precautions to guard against the in- judicious expenditure or misappropriation of this fund, or any part of it, by any per- sons who may hereafter in the vicissitudes of human affairs belong to this parish, and be in a situation to direct or misemploy the income of this fund." By such definite terms did the parish endeavor to guard this fund from being diverted or misappropri- ated. Under Mr. Charles Sigourney's care- ful nursing the $800 of 1807 had in 1830 in-
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creased to $8,500, and was earning an income of $500. The need of money to build the new church caused the parish to turn to this fund, and in order to gain possession of it a vote was passed "that immediate measures be taken to procure trustees of the Episcopal Church Fund with a view to its more certain preservation." The grim humor of this vote must have been evident when later, by vote, the amount of the fund, $8,500, was with- drawn from the bank and invested in the parish scrip issued for the building of the present church. This proposed step of the parish was vainly opposed by Mr. Charles Sigourney, who resisted any diversion of the fund from the original intent for which it was established, and who foresaw -should such diversion occur-what the event proved, that the fund would vanish. Mr. Sigourney had subscribed towards the new church but on the condition that the Episcopal Church Fund should not be invested in church scrip. When his conditions were broken he would not pay his subscription, thus publicly testi- fying to his convictions as to the sacredness of trust funds. The parish historian com- ments on this diversion of the fund thus: "To us at this day it seems rather queer, and certainly it appears as if the original intent of the fund had been diverted and put to a use not originally contemplated."
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It is not asserted that this diversion was strictly illegal, for legislative enactment had been obtained for the purpose, but our histo- rian well remarks: "If the example should be generally followed, it would probably dis- courage many gifts for the establishment of specific funds, gifts made for a certain object and with the expectation of a long continu- ance." Thus the Episcopal Church Fund so carefully nursed, the product of much sacri- fice, the hopeful source of strength and bene- fit to the parish for ages to come, was lost in the walls of this church. I have dwelt at length on this matter because of the import- ance of the subject. For it must be remem- bered that the parish today holds trust funds the application and the preservation of which, according to the donor's intent, call for serious and sacred guardianship. Some of these funds "are composed of the last earthly gifts of men and women who can no longer watch or control them; they become the pious offerings of hearts soft- ened by a contemplation of death, or affected by a desire to help the sick and the poor who may live after them. All the funds of this character should be placed beyond the line of speculative investment or temptation of extraordinary interest. . The watchful- ness which is due to our moneyed corpora- tions is equally due-yes, more due -- to
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the trusts of our religious societies," so writes our historian. In our parish organi zations in which the official generations quickly change, it does seem as if the se- cure guarantee of trust funds is possible only when placed in the hands of some cor- poration other than the parish itself. The temptation in some emergency to help itself to trust funds in its own possession is often too strong for a parish to resist. Thus par- ishes have lost their endowments, or have impaired them seriously, and have proved unfaithful to the conditions under which such trusts were accepted. It seems there- fore far safer could the endowment of our parishes be placed under the care of a char- tered corporation such as that of the Trust- ees of Donations and Bequests of our dio- cese, or trust company, as is the case with some of the trust funds of this parish.
But I must pass on from this most import- ant aspect of parish integrity.
The completion of the new church in 1829 may be said to mark the close of the first period of the history of this parish, extend- ing from 1786 to 1829, when it was emerging from the shadow of colonial and revolution- ary experiences ; and to mark the beginning of the second period of its history from 1829- 1879, when it manifested its larger life by changing its local habitation. It may not be
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inappropriate, therefore, to recall here once for all some of the honored names of the parish of both these periods, who by their labors and benefactions have made this 'par- ish what it was and is. In the words of the Son of Sirach: "Let us now praise famous men and our fathers that begat us. The Lord hath wrought great glory by them. Such as were leaders of the people by their counsels, and by their knowledge of learning meet for the people-men furnished with ability living peaceably in their habitations. These men were honored in their genera- tions, and were the glory of their times. There be of them that have left a name be- hind them that their praises might be re- ported. These were merciful men whose righteousness hath not been forgotten." And the name that stands out distinguished above all others is that of Mr. John Morgan. He
was one of the associates of 1786 who re- vived the Episcopal church in this commu- nity after the Revolution, and from that date until 1820-a period of thirty-four years- he faithfully served this parish as junior warden for fourteen and senior war- den for twenty years. Mr. Hoadly says, in his " Annals," of Mr. John Morgan, "that to his zealous labors and liberal contributions the parish was indebted for its temporal prosperity more than those of any other in-
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dividual." One has only to read the history of the parish of this first period to realize the truth of this statement. There was scarcely a parish subscription in those days -and they were frequent, for the needs of the young parish were many -which Mr. John Morgan did not head with a generous sum, generally the largest on the list. It was he who, with a foresight worthy a better outcome, raised the first $445 for the parish endowment. He was a native of Killingly and a graduate of Yale. He came to this city about 1781, became one of its leading merchants, and was connected with many undertakings. The old bridge across the Connecticut was projected by him, and the street leading to it was called by his name. He was a foremost leader, capable and will- ing. One who remembered him in his later years after financial disaster befell him says of Mr. Morgan : "As seen upon the streets, tall and thin, supported by a long gold- headed cane, he was sure to attract atten- tion by his venerable appearance, dignified, courteous, and sometimes brusque manner. If he had any prejudices he did not attempt to conceal them. He was bold and bluff, but warm at heart. He was ardent as a sup- porter, generous, dogmatic, well fitted to command. Authority became him well, and when irritated he never failed to assert it.
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