USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > New Haven > History of St. Thomas's Episcopal Church, New Haven, Connecticut, 1848-1941 > Part 4
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DEDICATION OF ST. THOMAS'S.
"Soft and sweet as some old ballad, Woke the April winds that day, Sending down a greeting hallowed To the golden heart of May.
And the sunshine like a blessing, On the roof and turrets lay, Like a double consecration, Of Saint Thomas' church that day.
Through the Gothic windows softly, Crept the rays of early dawn, And they lay within the chancel, Like the smile of God that morn.
Till at last the deep-toned organ, Pealed along the solemn air, Rolling down to mellow pauses, Half a psalm, and half a prayer.
And the white robed priests came chanting- Chanting up the long, mid aisle, Whose deep echoes gathered softly, Every blessed word the while.
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History of St. Thomas's Episcopal Church
And the gazers' heads dropped downward, Thinking of that olden time, When on Mount Moriah's forehead, Did the wondrous glory shine.
But there burst no dazzling vision, Fearful bright along the sky;
Yet not less each heart was certain Judea's God was passing by.
So the church was dower'd with blessing, And baptized with prayer and psalm, Dedicate with holy chanting, In the noontide's pleasant calm.
Oh, Saint Thomas ! may thy presence, And the tidings borne by thee, Messenger upon the mountains, 'Beautiful' among us be !
In the pleasant Sabbath mornings, When we come to thee and God,
Underneath thy 'sacred droppings,' May we tread where Christ hath trod.
And from gates of pearl and opal, Gently may the angels come, Upward from thine altars holy, Bearing thy beloved home !"
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INTERIOR OF THE CHURCHI (on Elm Street)
CHAPTER VI
DESCRIPTION OF CHURCH.
And not only did the paper carry this poem, but generous space was given to a minute and careful description of the church itself. So accurate and complete is this description that one is justified in reproducing it here in this story. Clearly it was written by one who had made a study of his subject. He says :
"It is a chaste and beautiful Gothic structure, in the early English style, built of Portland stone, and after designs furnished by Messrs. Wills & Dudley of New York. ... The extreme length of the build- ing, including the projection of the tower and the chancel, is 125 feet, and the extreme width is 65 feet.
The side walls have buttresses with weatherings at the head, and the tower walls are also buttressed, with weatherings and strong courses at suitable distances from the plinth or water-table upward. The front of the church is ornamented by handsome mouldings over the external door-ways. The Tower, 90 feet high, is in the centre, constructed in the most substantial manner with stone to the top of the pinnacles, and the upper angles are gathered and corbeled over so as to receive a stone spire at any future time, if it should be desired. The roofs are covered with cedar shingles.
The interior is divided into a nave, aisles and
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chancel. Two rows of columns support the roof- the principal timbers of which are exposed to view inside, and the whole has very much the effect of a clerestory. There are no side galleries-but a deep one is thrown across the tower end in front of the organ. The church will seat comfortably a congregation of 900 persons, and more may be crowded into it. The walls and ceilings are plas- tered and colored a light mellow tint. The tracery work in the spandrels and all the wood work in the ceilings, together with the gallery front, are grained in imitation of chestnut and varnished. The old organ, which stands in the recess of the tower, has also received a new face to correspond with the finish of the church. The hard wood, of which the seats throughout are constructed, is chestnut, oiled and rubbed, and if it keeps its place, as we are told it will, when thoroughly seasoned, the Building Committee will deserve to be congratulated on the selection of so beautiful a material. It quite exceeds our expectations, and has been mistaken by many for the real oak. The seats have no doors, and are open underneath, and uniformly cushioned through- out.
The Pulpit and chancel furniture are executed in chestnut, and are exquisite, both in design and workmanship. The Pulpit and Prayer Desk are outside of the chancel-the Desk being on the left, next to the Vestry room. The Pulpit, which is the most beautiful we have ever seen, has written upon it in raised antique letters, the Scriptural motto, 'Woe is unto me, if I preach not the Gospel,' and the Communion Table, which is in the altar fashion, has in similar letters, 'This do in remembrance of me.'
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Description of New Church
On a panel below, surrounded with a wreath of thorns, are I. H. S., in larger characters. Not the least attractive part of the chancel, is the railing, constructed and carved with open panels in a most beautiful manner. A massive Font, wrought from a solid block of Portland stone stands near the Pulpit, with a motto round the bowl, 'For the promise is to you and to your children.' It was the gift of Mr. George A. Shubert, foreman of the New Haven Stone Dressing Co., and is worthy of particular commendation, whether viewed as a speci- men of his skill or of his liberality.
The side windows have plain enamelled glass, with narrow colored borders, but the chancel win- dow, which is a triplet, and the windows adjoining, are highly ornamented and deep toned in color. The centre compartment of the triplet is very rich. It has a small figure of St. Thomas, the Apostle, with the dove, the emblem of the descent of the Holy Spirit, hovering above it. The sides of the triplet contain the emblems of the four Evangelists, filled up as to the rest with foliated work. The quatre- foil below the point of the chancel arch has an emblem of the Holy Trinity. Messrs. Doremus & Ackeroyd, New York, are the glass-stainers."*
Trimmed of some of its superlatives that is a very accurate and understanding account of the old church on Elm Street, written in those first days when it came fresh from the hand of the builder. And it is fitting that it should find a permanent place here, because, now that the congregation has made for itself a new home elsewhere, it is altogether probable that, in time, the place which knew the old church once will know it no more. The inevitable will happen, and
* Journal and Courier, April 17th, 1855.
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History of St. Thomas's Episcopal Church
it will live only on the recorded page-in memory, yes, for a while, but only for a while.
There are one or two explanatory statements in reference to that account which might be made. Whether or not there was ever any thought of running a spire up from the tower is not known, but there is in the church an architect's drawing showing such spire, slender and graceful. From the stand- point of upkeep it was well that it was omitted.
The pulpit was a fine example of the wine-glass type, in perfect harmony with the rest of the wood-work, made of chestnut wood like the pews, which wood as it became sea- soned and colored with age took on a beautiful tone. It was a source of great regret that these pews could not be moved and adapted to the new church. In 1894, Dr. Charles A. Lindsley presented to the church a brass pulpit in memory of his son Harrison W. Lindsley, made from a design by an intimate artist friend of Mr. Lindsley. This necessitated the removal of the old wine-glass pulpit. It was presented to St. Peter's Church, Monroe, Conn., where it still remains. It was eminently fitting that it should go there, because Mon- roe was the birthplace of Dr. Beardsley, and his boyhood days were associated with that church. The Lindsley pulpit was moved to the new church, as were the font and the lecturn.
With the church consecrated, the rector and his people were ready to enter into the full use and enjoyment of it. On Good Friday, April 6th, 1855, a few days before the consecration, he writes in his diary :- "This day brings to a close the seventh year of my ministry in this city. The crown- ing work of my labors so far as they can be seen by the out- ward eye, has been the erection of the new church. This has been prosecuted the last year, in spite of the great finan- cial embarrassments of the country, with the most commend- able zeal and vigor, and we have now the prospect of soon gathering in a temple which is to be a fitting symbol of the love and praise of Christian worshippers."
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Description of New Church
As has been stated the church was consecrated April 19th. Both the Bishops were present, and about forty clergymen, for the most part vested. The rector writes in his diary for April 22nd :- "Occupied our new church for the first time with morning and afternoon services. Officiated with- out assistance and had full congregations, the seats being free. Cannot expect as many in future. Preached in the morning from the text which encircles the pulpit, 'Yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel.'" The seats did not remain free long, for the very next day "the renting of the slips" commenced. About one half of them were rented, and at the close of the sale the aggregate amount was nearly $2,500, which was quite as well as the friends of the parish had any right to expect. This method of raising money for the parish was in very general use at that time, and was not abandoned at St. Thomas's until removal to the new church on Whitney Avenue.
This reference to the pew system, which, in some quarters is still tenaciously adhered to, though it is rather the excep- tion than the rule, gives one an excuse for bringing in here a rather curious aspect of the matter, and which shows how seriously it was regarded. In 1809, the Bishop of Nova Scotia, having learned that the pews in a church which he had just visited were all held free, wrote a letter to the parish, a portion of which follows. After felicitating them upon their evident prosperity, he says :
"But it gave me no small concern to learn that the pews in the church were all held in common, and that none were appropriated to individuals-as is the case in all other churches in our communion.
I never knew an instance before this, in Europe or America, where the pews were thus held in com- mon, and where men-perhaps of the worst char- acters-might come and set themselves down by the most religious and respectable characters in the
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parish. This must ultimately tend to produce dis- order and confusion in the church, and check the spirit of true devotion and piety.
When a man has a pew of his own, he can leave his Bible and prayer books in that pew when public worship is ended on Sunday, and he will be sure to find them in his pew on the next Sabbath.
The infirmities of age and bad health require attention to the comfort of warmth, especially in the winter. A man may procure that comfort by lining his pew with some kind of cloth and covering the floor.
It is needless to say that the mode of holding the pews in common must necessarily preclude these with many other benefits and conveniences that might be named.
What could occasion such an innovation-such a departure from the usage of the Church of Eng- land I am unable to conceive ; the greatest disorder must be the consequence, if this mode be continued, when the country becomes populous ; in some places it would at this day be ruinous to the church. . . . I earnestly recommend to your consideration, Gen- tlemen, the removal of this strange arrangement. . To obviate any difficulty there should be in yours, as in most other churches, a pew or two set apart for strangers, and the poor should not be neglected .*
What a nice, tight, cosy little picture of exclusiveness that is! Of course it has nothing to do with the history of St. Thomas's Church, but is introduced merely to show what sentiments did once prevail regarding the matter of free pews, and how far the Church has come along the way to a
* Walter Bates, Kingston and the Loyalists of 1783, p. 17.
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Description of New Church
finer conception of Christian brotherliness. Perhaps here in the United States that sentiment would not be as boldly and baldly expressed, but no doubt it would find an echo somewhere.
In common justice let it be said that neither in rented pews nor free pews, are perfect Christians necessarily developed. As a matter of fact the pew system succeeded very well in St. Thomas's administered liberally and wisely so as to work no hardships, the source of steady income, and always the means of holding families, when, unfortunately, their interest began to wane. But the system has had its day, and already is very much of an anachronism.
It was stated some pages back that the parish did not own a rectory until quite recently. It had no occasion to do so, for Dr. Beardsley owned his own house. When he first came to the church he lived for a few years in a little house on Wall Street, then 54 Wall Street, where Vanderbilt-Shef- field now stands. But in his diary appears the entry for March 27, 1856 :- "Purchased the Shipman property next St. Thomas's Church on the east." He realised the struggle which the parish had had in building the church, and felt that, for the time being, at least, the extra burden of furnish- ing a residence for the rector ought not to be placed upon it. He lived in this house until his death. He left it to his daughter, who, when she died, left it to the church for a rec- tory, giving, however, to her cousin, Rev. William A. Beards- ley, who was then rector, the life use of it.
Among Miss Beardsley's papers there was found a letter, which, though not valuable historically, is of interest fiction- ally or traditionally. The letter follows :
"29 West Seventy-fifth Street My dear Miss Beardsley :
Reverting to our conversation at your beautiful home last month, I wish to tell you that among
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History of St. Thomas's Episcopal Church
Mr. Leonard Abram Bradley's papers I have found the following note pertinent to the subject of the house's ownership and history, which I think may interest you, and therefore I take the liberty of transmitting it to you :
'On page 114 of Vol. I of the N. H. Historical Society Papers-article on Parsonage of Blue Meeting House by Mr. Beardsley, it is said that when the chimney of the Edwards House was being destroyed to make room for the present house, a pot of gold was discovered secreted therein in a hole.
There is a mistake about the pot of gold. The present house occupied by Mr. Beardsley, was erected for Abraham Bradley by Mr. James Win- ship, who was formerly a builder, and the old house was torn down by Mr. Winship. A son of Mr. Winship, who was very mischievous, gave some gold to an Irishman to pretend that he found it in a hole in the cellar. And thus the story arose that a pot of gold was found and the public was humbugged when there was nothing in it.
The old house that stood there was moved up to the North West Corner of Bradley and State Streets and now stands there. It was a yellow house.'
Yours truly,
J. M. Andreini
October 27, 1916."
On the face of it the story bears the marks of fiction. Pots of the yellow metal are not found in the vicinity of rectories and parsonages, though many a pot of the gold of happiness has been found there. And even in those days when gold was in circulation neither mischievous youths nor playful workmen were jesting in terms of gold.
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Description of New Church
In front of this old rectory there has stood for nearly fifty years a hawthorn, or May tree, now the only bit of green on the block. Presumably, it was planted by Dr. Beardsley, and may have been brought from abroad. Its blossom is white, and very fragrant. For the passerby who hails from the land of the hawthorn hedge, it is a constant source of admiration and joy.
CHAPTER VII
EFFORT TO REMOVE INDEBTEDNESS; RECTOR'S VISIT TO SCOTLAND FOR SEABURY CENTENARY ; ASSISTANT MINISTERS.
The parish had its handsome new church, but it also had what is very apt to go with a new church, a handsome debt. In the Articles of Agreement between the Wardens and Vestry of St. Thomas's Church and Nicholas Countryman the builder, the contract price of the building was $24,500. This was provided for in part by cash subscriptions, and, as has already been stated, by the issuance of stock.
In 1859 a determined effort was made to reduce the indebtedness. Dr. Beardsley states in his diary that "Mr. Sheffield* proposed to surrender his stock amounting to $1500, 'on condition that he was met with a liberal spirit by the other stockholders and members of the Parish.' The whole number of stockholders was 75, two thirds of whom were outsiders and a few not Episcopalians. . .. Of the $15,000 raised more than $10,000 was subscribed by the members of St. Thomas's Parish, and of the balance about $2700 were given by Mr. Sheffield and Mr. Candee two gentlemen largely interested as property holders in the loca- tion and prosperity of our church." The property on Elm Street immediately to the west of the church used to be known as the "Sheffield Block."
It took some courage for the parish to inaugurate a move for the reduction of its indebtedness, while the country was
* Joseph Earl Sheffield, the benefactor of Yale College.
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Effort to Remove Indebtedness
still trying to regain its breath after the disastrous panic which came at the close of the year 1857. But the parish had courage, and in that year 1859 it had the satisfaction of see- ing the debt reduced $15,000. It had some ways yet to go before the debt would be wholly lifted, but the same indom- itable spirit was there, as was the will to work and to sacri- fice, and it would not be long before the day of rejoicing would come. In the light of later events it is only right that this exhibition of heroic effort should be understood and appreciated.
At the annual meeting held April 1st, 1861, the following action was taken regarding the title of the property :
"Whereas, For convenience of transfer and to facilitate some nego- tiations in the early history of the Parish the title of the property has heretofore been vested in trustees (two of whom have resigned their trust) and as the necessity for such Trustees no longer exists therefore
Resolved, That the remaining Trustee be directed to convey the Property of the Parish held by him in trust to the 'Parish and Society of St. Thomas Church of New Haven' and that a committee of two be appointed to confer with said trustee and to carry out the object of this resolution."
Since that time the title of the property has been vested in the parish. The assets of the parish that year were reported as $51,382.98. There were still 266 shares of the Capital Stock outstanding. But each year's report showed the number gradually diminishing, as shares were turned in by some generous shareholder, or bought by the parish when funds were available. In 1869 a new organ was purchased at a cost of $5,300. Nor did the parish forget its rector, for his salary was increased to $2,000, and the next year to $2,500. Truly the people had a mind to work and to give. And, as has been the case in the history of most parishes, the women, not a few, not only believed but worked.
The parish did not remit its efforts to free itself from debt, and the thirty-first annual report of the Wardens and Vestry
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History of St. Thomas's Episcopal Church
submitted at the Easter meeting in 1879, carried the welcome news that the debt had been liquidated. From the minutes of that meeting we may quote the action bearing on this mat- ter. It was voted "that the thanks of this Parish are due and are hereby tendered to Mr. Harry Prescott for his valuable services as treasurer of the parish for nineteen years, and we congratulate him upon his ability to report the parish free from debt, and with a balance in the treasury at this thirty- first annual meeting, it being the first report of such condi- tion of the treasury ever presented.
Whereupon the following was passed :
Resolved, That having reached with the blessing of God that happy point in our history, aimed at since the erection of the church, where we can say we owe no external debt, it is hereby declared to be our duty to bring the annual expenses of the parish within its income, and as far as may be in our power to guide the generation of members that shall come after us, to a wise and liberal management of the trust that must eventually come into their hands."
The year 1884 was a memorable one in the history of the Diocese of Connecticut, for that was the centennial year of the consecration of its first Bishop, Samuel Seabury, the first Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. That historic event was recognized in Scotland as well as in America. This transcript from the minutes of the parish meeting held April 14th, 1884, shows what interest the parish had in that celebration.
"BISHOP WILLIAMS having accepted an invitation to be present at the services in Aberdeen, Scotland, October 5th, 1884, and to preach the sermon commemorative of the one hundredth anniversary of the consecration of the first Bishop of Connecticut, and of the Church in the United States of America, and having expressed a wish that our Rector should accompany him, this Parish mindful that our loved Rector is not only one of the Senior Clergy of the Diocese and
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President of the Standing Committee, but that he has rarely been away from his parochial duties for the long period of thirty-six years, deem it especially fitting that he should avail himself of the opportunity to accompany the Bishop, and we do hereby cheerfully relieve him for this purpose from his Ministerial duties for such time as may suit his convenience.
In granting our Rector leave of absence we wish him a safe and prosperous voyage, and a pleasant participation in an occasion in which his own historical researches have done so much to create an interest." The other members of the delegation from the Diocese of Connecticut were Professor Samuel Hart of Trinity College and the Reverend William F. Nichols, rector of Christ Church, Hartford.
The commemoration was a most memorable one, the rector of St. Thomas's having a share in it. The sermons and addresses given in connection with the occasion were pub- lished in book form and made a worthy souvenir of the event. Upon his return from Scotland the parish welcomed him with a special thanksgiving service. Here is the title page of the printed program-
ORDER OF SERVICE for SPECIAL THANKSGIVING at ST. THOMAS'S CHURCH NEW HAVEN, CONN. On the return of the Rector from the SEABURY CENTENARY at ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND Monday, October 27th, 1884.
It was an occasion of rejoicing, not only because of the safe return of their rector, but because of the honor reflected
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upon the parish through his connection with the commemora- tion.
During the rector's absence the parish was in charge of the Rev. Edward W. Babcock, who had become the assistant minister. Mr. Babcock had been the rector of the Church of the Ascension, New Haven, and it was under his rector- ship that the handsome stone church was built. He had retired from the rectorship of the Ascension, and was suc- ceeded by the Rev. Charles E. Woodcock, afterwards the Bishop of Kentucky. Mr. Babcock continued as assistant until June 1886, when he left to assume his duties as assistant at the Church of the Heavenly Rest, New York City.
Previous to any official assistance Dr. Beardsley somewhat regularly had had the help, particularly in administering the Holy Communion, of the Rev. Alonzo G. Shears, who was the Rector of the Suburban School on Dixwell Avenue. His boys attended St. Thomas's in a body occupying the seats at the front on either side of the chancel, those seats which are sometimes colloquially referred to as "Amen seats." Accord- ing to the Dictionary of American English, an "Amen seat" is a "seat in a church frequented by those who are moved to say 'Amen' during the service." It is to be hoped that the boys in their religious ardor were moved to say only the expected and orthodox thing.
From 1874 to 1879 he had the assistance of the Rev. Isbon T. Beckwith, a graduate of Yale in the class of 1868, who had been ordained in 1875, and was serving as tutor in the college. This was apparently a personal arrangement between the rector and Mr. Beckwith, for he is not reported officially as the curate of the parish, though all that time he was regularly assisting. In 1879 he became professor of Greek in Trinity College, Hartford, where he remained until 1898, when he was made professor of the Interpretation of the New Testament in the General Theological Seminary of New York City. Dr. Beckwith was a distinguished scholar
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and author, eminent in his profession of teaching, much beloved by his students. He died September 9, 1936.
On July 2, 1882, the Rev. Horace Hall Buck, recently ordained, became the assistant. He served his diaconate in the parish, and at the end of his year, June 6, 1883, with the Rev. John B. Harding, the Rev. Charles E. Woodcock, and the Rev. William E. Johnson, was advanced to the Priesthood in St. Thomas's Church by Bishop Williams. He went at once to the Missionary District of Nevada, where he had the parish at Austin.
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