USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Hartford > Christ church, Hartford, Volume I > Part 26
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March 18. At this adjourned meeting it was
T'oted, That it has become necessary for the accommoda-
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tion of the increased members of the Parish, that another Church should be erected.
2nd. That it is expedient that this Parish be permanently organized as one Parish, with two Churches, and two Rectors.
3ª. That
be a Committee to obtain subscriptions for the purpose of erecting a new Church, to be, and remain the property of this Parish.
4th. That when such subscriptions shall be obtained to the amount of five thousand dollars, the same Committee shall ascertain what eligible site, or sites, can be had, and on what terms, and procure plans of a Church, with minute and careful estimates of the cost, and make full report to a future meeting of this Parish.
5th. That this Parish will not be responsible for any sim, beyond Twelve thousand dollars, and that the Committee be directed to restrict their estimates, for land, church, and organ, within that sum, and the amount of the subscriptions, which shall have been obtained.
The Committee also reported the following plan for the organization of an independent Parish.
Whereas, at a public meeting composed of members of this Parish, recently held at the Chapel, resolutions were adopted by a large majority of the persons then present, to the effect, that it was expedient to proceed immediately to the erection of a new Church, and the formation of a new parish, and appointing a Committee for that purpose,
Therefore Resolved, That this Parish is ready to assent to the proposed measure, and doth hereby declare and make known its assent thereto.
Resolved also, That the use of the Chapel for the year en- suting, concurrently with this Parish, is freely granted to the Congregation which may assemble there for public worship either as an independent parish or under any preliminary arrangement that may be adopted.
After a long discussion of the comparative merits of the two plans, as reported by the Committee ; the following res-
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olutions were unanimously adopted, being the second plan proposed, with two amendments, viz. prefixing the word "and" to the preamble, and prefacing the preamble by the first clause of the first plan, the resolutions as finally passed, being as follows:
Voted, That it has become necessary for the accommodation of the increased members of the Parish, that another Church should be erected.
And Whereas, at a public mecting composed of members of this Parish, recently held at the Chapel, resolutions were adopted by a large majority of the persons then present, to the effect that it was expedient to proceed immediately to the erection of a new Church, and the formation of a new Parish, and appointing a Committee for that purpose.
Therefore Resolved, that this Parish is ready to assent to the proposed measure, and doth hereby declare and make known its assent thereto.
Resolved also that the use of the Chapel for the year ensuing, concurrently with this Parish, is freely granted to the Congregation which may assemble there for public wor- ship, either as an independent Parish, or under any prelimi- nary arrangement that may be adopted.
The following resolution offered by the Rector, Rev. George Burgess, was unanimously passed. Resolved, That at the commencement of this undertaking, this Parish desire to place upon record, the expression of their cordial approbation of the same; their hearty wishes, and earnest prayers, for its full success and prosperity, and their desire and determination under the blessing of God, that the unity of purpose, and the harmony of feeling in which they have hitherto acted together, shall never be broken.
The measure was supported by the Rector, Mr. Bur- gess, greatly to the surprise of some of the older parish- ioners, who thought that the parish would be crippled by its success, and so no further action was taken for a time ; but the consideration of it only slumbered, and was finally carried, and St. John's parish was established.
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CHIRIST CHURCH, HARTFORD.
In truth, the movement had in it the elements of success, and was sure to succeed in the end. The fear which existed, that Christ Church could not successfully be carried on, was groundless. The exodus of valuable and influential members, while it was eminently proper in itself, and really necessary, was an incitement to greater exertions on the part of those who remained. Like too many in such cases, they hardly estimated their own capabilities.
The time had come when it was necessary that the hive should swarm. The church was filled, on the floor and in the galleries ; there were no accommodations for new comers, and no possibility of increasing them. Never before, and never since, have the seats been so fully and continuously occupied by worshippers, brought there by a sense of religious duty. Sunday after Sunday they attended with their families, and from the chancel to the eastern doors there was a crowd of men, women, and children. The necessities which kept some of them at home in the morning did not prevent their attendance in the afternoon.
Let us look at the picture in the time of Mr. Burgess.
The church was warmed by two large stoves, placed under the organ gallery ; the long, black pipes extended its whole length and entered the flues in the northwest and southwest corners; to catch the drippings which would occasionally occur, long pans of tin were hung under the pipes, which were held in place by brackets fixed to the pillars. At the best the heat was not very great. Mr. Buck, the warden, looked anxiously at the thermometer near his seat; if it stood at 50° he was un- easy, if it stood at 60° he was happy, and the congrega- tion was thankful. Alexander Houston, the sexton, had crowded the stoves as far as was prudent ; some might have complained of cold then, just as those do now, who wish for the heat of a parlor, although covered with
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heavy winter clothing ; there was, however, no occasion for the use of fans until summer.
Whatever notices there were, were carried to the rector by the sexton, softly stepping in his slippers after service had commenced ; those for intended marriages were presented in the afternoon, usually, when the parties bashfully remained away. Sometimes, however, one might stray into a neighboring meeting house, but the strong churchman solaced himself at home. The public notices, that is of matters occurring outside of the parish, were not frequent; the newspapers were still printed. But requests for persons, who were sick, or in affliction, or who returned thanks for recovery from sickness, were more common than now. As there was much less of traveling than at present, a request from a person about going to sea excited a general curiosity as to who he might be, and where he was going. The newspapers of the day had not always published one's movements beforehand.
The public baptism of infants or adults was generally in the afternoon, after the second lesson as prescribed. Perhaps the announcement " Let the candidate for baptism now be presented " caused a sigh from some on account of the lengthened service, but, if so, they were not genuine churchmen, who believed in a public service and upon a Sunday. It was a terrible trial to the sensitive mothers, however, who feared the crying of their babies, and the smiles or irreverence of some ill-mannered people.
While the second hymn was being sung, the minister retired to the vestry room, laid aside the surplice which he had previously worn, and, clothed with the scholastic black gown of silk, and with his bands, entered the pulpit. After a short collect he commenced his sermon, and secured the attention of all ; the simplicity, the earnest- ness, the directness of his preaching showed how highly he regarded his obligations, and how much he valued the
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presentation of the Word of God. If contributions werc taken, they were collected by the faithful officers in small boxes of wood, and deposited within the chancel rail upon the floor. The music, under the direction of Mr. Babcock, was good, if not always satisfactory ; inore from a lacking of proper discipline in the choir than from an absence of skill. The congregation ventured to join in the singing to a considerable extent, and en- joyed their own participation in it, even if they did not keep in perfect time or tune. Good Mr. Tudor was a skilled musician, and fretted somewhat at the mistakes which were made. Mr. Imlay immediately behind him, standing as erect as a staff, endeavored to perform his part of the worship. With his book held high before him, he was neither abashed nor silenced, when Mr. Tudor turned squarely around, and intimated by his ap- pearance that his nerves were irritated by unmusical sounds. "He does not know a single note," he once said to me, "and he is always behind." We are not all of us perfect either in reading or in singing, and an en- forcement of strictly correct rules might produce a thin congregation. The responses were fairly made; a few persons had the reputation of possessing a strong voice ; the energy which was spent in one direction kept them lagging a few words behind.
All the church bells in the city were rung much oftener and longer than at present. I must confess to a liking of these musical sounds, though some of them were harsh. The small one on the top of the uncompleted tower, fully exposed to view, was good enough for its size, but gave way to a larger one when the tower was completed. The tones of this were extremely sweet and pleasant, but in a few years it became broken, and its equal has never been found in the city. The custom was to ring the bell at nine o'clock for the Sunday-school - then what was called " the first bell" -at half-past nine,
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a signal for persons "to get ready," and then at half-past ten for assembling in the church. Whatever of goodness there was in a bell was brought out by Alexander Hous- ton. In the small area in which was located the Metho- dist Church on Trumbull Street, the Second Congrega- tional or North, on the corner of Main and Morgan, Christ Church, the Fourth Congregational just below (now the Melodeon), and the Baptist, nearly opposite, these made noise enough to waken all the sleepers in the district. The different bells down the street followed with their contributions, and no one could be able to say that he had not been loudly called to public worship. But there came a time when all this was thought to be disagreeable and unnecessary, and the "church-going bell" is kept comparatively quiet. Our vestry, some years since, thought the bell was unnecessarily used, especially on week-days, and directed that the practice should be diminished ; but were brought to terms by the rector, as interfering with his prerogatives, as it did.
The Wednesday evening service in the chapel was usually well attended, and by men, too, who at that time, and probably a long time before, and for a period after- wards, were sure to be present in much larger numbers than now. Borrowing something from the religious bodies around us, it was frequently called a Lecture. The full service for the evening was used, and there was an extempore address by Mr. Burgess, who spoke fluently enough, and in an interesting manner. There was, I think, more attention paid to the historical subjects of the Bible, especially those of the Old Testament, than at present. The extensive information of the rector and his good judgment did not fail to attract the attention of all. There was no resort to any clap-trap, or great ex- citements, or schemes of amusement to bring our people together. They followed with willingness the course which the Church had prescribed, and left to outside
22
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efforts the numerous schemes which are now often con- sidered so important in the business of religious socie- ties. As far as can be discovered, there was as high a sense of the duty of public worship and of our Christian obligations as at present. There was no kitchen con- nected with the Church or Chapel.
It was, I think, more customary then for the clergy to exchange with one another, to the satisfaction of all the persons concerned ; nor would the parishioners, enquir- ing of the sexton as to the preacher, turn away from the doors if not satisfied; the bond of union held them firmly together. When there was but one Episcopal parish in the city, we frequently had as a preacher some one from outside, or from one of the professors of the College. It was not unusual that Bishop Brownell preached himself ; his dignity and plain manner of address added to the impressiveness of his words. All these instances were of help to the rector, who, however, never spared himself, and generally held a third service in the evening. Mr. Burgess was so ready a writer that his sermons were prepared with ease, and it was said that he generally had twenty or more ready in advance. He was very methodical in his arrangements, and never seemed to be in a hurry ; except in cases of emergency he rarely left his study in the morning, but in the after- noon he could be seen coming up Morgan Street, to attend upon any calls or matters of business. He resided with Mrs. Nathan Morgan during his residence in Hart- ford, until his marriage with Miss Sophia Kip. Mrs. Morgan entrusted him with the marketing, which he attended to early in the day. He did not hesitate to attend such meetings of the town as fairly fell within his province, and was a strong advocate for the establishment of the Public High School, which met with considerable opposition. While he held a most catholic spirit to the views of others, and had a quiet way of answering the
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statements or objections made to him, yet he entertained his own opinions, and did not hesitate to express them if the occasion warranted it. To a lady who had heard some hard things spoken in the North Church by Dr. Bushnell he merely said: "Why, he was in his own pulpit, wasn't he ?"
He was a good churchman, believed in the Episcopal Church, and labored for it. He did not consider it necessary that he should spend a large part of his time in defending it, nor, perhaps, in explaining it. The Oxford Tracts were about making their appearance dur- ing his residence here, and were the subjects of much comment in the Episcopal Church. There were pri- vate discussions extending long into the night, in which he joined, in which his knowledge of Church history and religious views and practices made him a strong combatant. The "Strife of Brothers" gives us some light on this matter, and brings out strongly the catholic spirit which pervaded him. Though the town was then filled with cries of "the Church, the Church," by the voices of some over-zealous members of the parishes, yet the most friendly relations continued to exist between the rectors. Perhaps the zeal of Rev. Mr. Coxe was needed to infuse into our lives a more thorough knowledge of the blessings we enjoyed. Neither then nor for a long time afterwards did we truly understand the extent of the divided opinions and practices which would come to our Church.
The number of communicants was large, and was greatly increased during the rectorship of Mr. Burgess. He was very generally aided in the administration of the Communion by one of the clerical Professors in the Col- lege, or by some clergyman temporarily in town. On Christmas day the number was largely increased by per- sons residing in the neighboring towns and by others who seldom partook. Dr. Thomas Robbins, a learned Congre-
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gational clergyman, and the Librarian of the Connecti- cut Historical Society, was an occasional attendant on these occasions, and was very noticable from his vener- able figure, and the reverence with which he received the sacred emblems. It was more noticeable because he partook while standing at the chancel rail, and not in the posture which is prescribed. What explanations Mr. Burgess may have made, I do not know about, for I never asked him for any. It is possible that as Mr. Robbins was advanced in life, and somewhat infirm, "the pregnant hinges of the knees" were not easily brought into the position of kneeling. But the stiffness may have been of another kind, taking its origin in the upper part of the body. There is reason to believe, however, that Dr. Robbins had no special hostility to the Episcopal Church, and that he was more free from illiberality than some may have imagined. When he was a minister at East Windsor, he was on friendly terms with Dr. Elihu Tudor, as truly he ought to have been being a relative and near neighbor, and joined with him in his Christmas dinner, partaking possibly of the plum pudding and minced pie, considered so essential on this occasion. He may have conceived a more favorable opinion of the Epis- copal Church than some of his brethren, from his conver- sations with Dr. Tudor and witnessing his daily life; but I doubt if he ever forgot or forgave his loyalist attach- ments during the Revolution, or the pension which he re- ceived to the end of his life from the British government.
Services were always held on Christmas Eve, and were largely attended, especially by young people not connected with the parish, both in the city and in the country. It was one of the observances which were pleasing to all, and the behavior was generally decorous. For a number of days previously much labor had been bestowed on " dressing the church " with evergreens, which was mostly the work of young men and women, under the direction
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of a staid committee appointed by the Vestry. For some time after the present church was built, great care was taken that it should be in no way damaged. The thoughtlessness and carelessness of some persons is so great that they need constant watching. In the old build- ing, I have been told, that it was customary to drive nails in the pillars, or elsewhere, on which to hang the decora- tions. But no such license was to be allowed in the new one, and the placing of a tack so that no disfigurement should be made was the subject of consultation. There was no attempt at the decoration of any other church building in the city, nor any observance of Christmas day as a holy-day. Except with Episcopalians, there had been for years a carrying on of business as usual; workmen followed their usual vocations, and merchants opened their stores; there was nothing to distinguish it from an ordinary day. Perhaps this was more strictly true of the earlier part of the century, yet even about this time one might pass down Main Street and find few places of busi- ness closed, save those of S. Tuttle & Sons, Samuel Tudor, Lydia Royce, who kept a ladies' warehouse opposite the church, Charles Sigourney, James M. Goodwin, H. B. Chaffee & Co., Ward, Bartholomew & Brainard, John But- ler, Asahel Saunders & Son, and perhaps a few others. But the custom has greatly changed; churches are now generally decorated, and religious services are held ; few are the places in which some reference is not made to the Holy-day.
At this time there was no curbing of the streets, the gutters were broad and deep, laid with cobble stones. Hitching-posts were common and very useful, especially to persons coming to the city ; every householder felt it his duty to set a number of them before his residence, or place of business ; the merchant who neglected this was not considered as anxious to suit his customers. At a few places there still remained a long wooden trough in which
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the customer from the country could bait his horse with oats brought from his home. It was economical, and saved a shilling at the tavern; the careful husbandman was mindful in many ways about his expenses, and spent as little as possible; he had learned from his father, or from the annual almanac, that "a penny saved is a penny earned;" the scarcity of money rendered neces- sary a close watch of the purse.
On Sunday those living in the suburbs generally came to church in their own wagons, and the horses were se- cured to the convenient posts standing all along Main street ; if it was in summer time the clanging of the iron- shod beasts resounded through the neighborhood drown- ing all other sounds. The clatter was so great that it would never be tolerated at the present time. In the evening men left their horses in safety, with no fear of their being stolen, or of losing their whips or blankets.
Christ Church was lighted at that time with sperm oil; there hung, suspended by long chains from the top of the nave, over the center aisle, three large chandeliers ; there were smaller ones in the galleries, and under them, and the church was considered to be sufficiently well lighted. Improvement in this matter was considered as impossible, and not needed. But when illuminating gas was introduced in the city, there began to be complaints of inability to see clearly, and so the gas was employed. This was brilliant enough for a time, but was supple- mented by the electric light a few years since. Between them both we are tolerably well served on most occasions, and have not been obliged to resort to sperm candles, which Mr. Sigourney was requested by the Vestry to provide, many years before.
A history of the Church would be incomplete without a reference to the school kept by Miss Abby Canfield, for young children, in the rear of the Chapel. This was in a small building of one story, and was perhaps originally a
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blacksmith's shop, which was thought to be dangerous to the church property. Miss Canfield was a most estimable Church woman, greatly beloved both by parents and pu- pils. Few children of the parish there were who did not pass under her kind and gentle hand, and there receive their first instruction. Even now there are some living who delight to speak of their experiences in this little building, and of her pleasant ways. She was a constant and sincere attendant upon the services of the church, and regarded with no favor any attempt to change established forms and usages. Her good soul has been saved a great amount of worrying by taking its departure before the present time. She had that accommodating disposition which led her on Saturdays to hear her Episcopal pupils recite the Catechism as found in the Book of Common Prayer, while she afterwards attended to those of other de- nominations, in the Catechism of the Congregational Di- vines. She had taught previously and for some time in a building on State street, just east of the Hartford hotel. Few instructors for little children have followed this vo- cation for so long a period, or been more highly esteemed, her life extending for over eighty years, and teaching nearly to the last.
There is little to be added to the history of the Sunday- school which has been given by Mr. Hoadly. It has been faithfully conducted, and is believed to have been instru- mental in accomplishing much good. In former years the children more strictly belonged to the parents who at- tended the services of the church than at present, and there were few who did not avail themselves of this method of instruction. In turn they became teachers, and thus kept up their connection with the school. The custom of religious instruction at home gradually gave way to the instruction of Sunday-schools, and parents be- gan to feel relieved from some of the obligations which were due to their children. Undoubtedly the Sunday-
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school reaches some who receive no other religious teach- ing, and would receive no other if this was abandoned. The parish church sees too many of them only on this occasion, or when there is a celebration, or an excursion ; but we may be thankful if they can be reached at any time, for some will remember, perhaps for many years afterwards, the efforts which have been made for their improvement.
April 12, P. Voted, That the Rector of this Parish is hereby empowered to employ during the course of the ensu- ing year, such clerical assistance as in his opinion may be desirable, at the expense of this Parish.
May 27, V. Voted, That Mr. C. Nichols, and Mr. D. Morgan, be a Committee to treat with the Parish of St. John's Church, on the subject of releasing the members of said Parish renting pews in this Church, from the payment of the customary taxes, and report to a future meeting.
Voted, That this Parish will not assent to the request of Mr. Walter Phelps, asking leave to transfer his subscription for building the tower of this Church, to the Parish of St. John's Church.
James M. Goodwin was born in Hartford, August 24, 1785. His name first appears upon the records in 1812, as a tax-payer upon the rates of the previous year. He was a member of the Vestry from 1814 to 1829 with three exceptions, Junior Warden 1837, and Senior Warden 1829, and 1838. He was a merchant for many years, his place of business being on Exchange corner. He was also secretary of the Ætna Fire Insurance Company, succeed- ing Mr. Perkins, and was also secretary of the Protection Fire Insurance Company for a time. He was always an active member of the Parish, a decided Churchman, and usually very positive in any views which he entertained. " Plain spoken " has been used as applicable to him ; though this was from no ill nature, yet it was sometimes not well understood. Mr. Burgess occasionally, in the
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