USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Litchfield > St. Michael's Parish, Litchfield, Connecticut, 1745-1954; a biography of a parish and of many who have served it > Part 11
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To the glory of God, our Father, by whose favor we have built this house,
To the honor of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior,
To the praise of the Holy Spirit source of life and light,
We dedicate this House,
For help in right living,
For the guidance of youth,
For the promotion of brotherhood,
For works of love and good will,
For the fostering of patriotism,
For the fight against all evil;
As a tribute of gratitude and love for thy faithful Servant, Storrs O.
Seymour, D.D., whose name it bears, praying always for God's holy guidance in all its uses. Amen.
Bless, O Lord, those who work in this house in whatever way for thy glory;
Bless all children who shall be taught here the glory of thy name; Hallow all social uses with the true spirit of brotherhood;
And may the use of this building go on from generation to genera- tion,
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Thus the parish house was opened after years of waiting and long- ing. It has filled a great need.
Meanwhile, in the autumn of 1929 repairs on the new church were completed. They were necessary because of faulty construc- tion, and, undertaken first by Mr. Towne, then carried on by his
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estate, were finally finished by the parish at a total cost of many thousands of dollars. They were done by Nicholson and Gallo- way, of New York, under the personal direction of Mr. Austin Briggs.
In 1930 and the years following occurred the deaths of several members and friends of St. Michael's whom it could ill spare. In October, 1930, Miss Edith D. Kingsbury died. Although a mem- ber of St. John's, Waterbury, she was a warm friend of this parish, to which she left $5,000. On February 22, 1931, Mr. W. Jerome Bissell died. He had been a vestryman of St. Michael's in 1887 and 1888, and from 1894 to 1920, when he was elected junior warden. In 192 5 he was elected senior warden, which office he held at his death. At the annual meeting following his death Admiral George P. Colvocoresses was elected senior warden and Mr. John T. Hub- bard junior warden.
On September 10, 1932, Admiral Colvocoresses died. He had been a vestryman from 192 1 to 1924, junior warden from 1925 to 1930, and in 1931 was elected senior warden. In December Mr. Ernest Howe, a generous supporter of the parish, died suddenly.
On April 29, 1933, Mrs. Colvocoresses died in Washington, D.C., and was brought to Litchfield for burial. She had been an enthusiastic member of the parish and active, too, in every good work in the village. On May 4 Professor Henry Smith Munroe died, and on May 16, his wife, Mrs. Alice Brown Munroe. Both were devoted parishioners of St. Michael's. On July 15 Mrs. James H. Brewster died suddenly. Sister-in-law of the rector, she was active in the church school which she, in collaboration with Mrs. Wetmore and Mrs. Cunningham, had made a most successful part of the parish.
On September 3, 1933, Mr. Brewster's seventy-fifth birthday, a reception was held for him at the parish house and attended by nearly a hundred people in spite of a very rainy day. During the festivities Mr. Brewster was called to the stage and was presented by Mr. Alain White with a purse of almost $600, from every mem-
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ber of the parish, and also a Book of Remembrance from the offi- cers and boys and girls of the Sheltering Arms Camps 3 at which he had held services on Sunday afternoon during the summer for many years. Mr. Brewster was very much touched by the love and kindness so expressed.
In 1924-1925 a branch of the Girls' Friendly Society had been started under the vigorous leadership of Mrs. Ellsworth T. Miner. At the annual parish meeting of June 3, 1925, a vote of thanks was tendered to Mrs. Miner for her loyal and effective work, and to Mrs. Otto Koser, Mrs. Clarence Lynn, Mrs. Frank Buell, and Mrs. Benjamin F. Bailey for their able and hearty assistance.
In the fall of 1934 a branch of the Young People's Fellowship was started by Woodrow Tyrrell, who had attended the summer school at Pomfret and had become enthusiastic about the move- ment. It was joined by about fifteen young people, graduates of the church school. In January, 1935, this group gave a supper in the parish house, the first entertainment of the kind held there. On Sunday, February 3, the charter members of the Fellowship were admitted at the morning service. Mrs. Cudworth Beye was direc- tor of the organization, and Mrs. Wetmore and the Misses Sally Penman and Harriet Hubbard were advisers. The members were Woodrow Tyrrell, Clara Koser, Ruth Deacon, Carolyn Koser, Emma Wheeler, Virginia Byrnes, Gertrude August, Olive Coe, Mildred Morehead, Elsie Harrison, Stanley Harrison, and Fred Byrnes.
On September 1, 1934, the entire parish, as well as the village of Litchfield, was saddened by the sudden death of Miss Dorothy Bull. Exceptionally talented and with many interests, she was a loyal member of St. Michael's, and active as well until she assumed the heavy responsibilities of the Spring Hill School, which she
3 The Sheltering Arms Camps were the summer branch of the Sheltering Arms, a children's home in New York City, founded in 1864 by the Rev. Thomas McG. Peters, then rector of St. Michael's, New York. In 1917 and for many years thereafter they occupied an ideal location on Bantam Lake, the property of the White Foundation.
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founded and with which she was identified at the time of her death.
On Quinquagesima Sunday, March 3, 1935, Mr. Brewster sent his resignation to the vestry of St. Michael's. He spoke of his ad- vancing years and said he was acting for the welfare of the parish, although it was hard to bring to a conclusion the cordial relations of the last nineteen years. The resignation was accepted with the following resolution:
RESOLVED, That we, the members of the Vestry of St. Michael's Parish, receive the formal resignation of our beloved Rector with profound sorrow and regret. Had he not stated to us that it was his earnest wish to resign we would not willingly have acceded to his request. We speak for all the members of the Parish, in saying that his conduct of the Parish for these many years has increasingly endeared him to all of us; that his example of the Christian life and of Brotherly love has had a vital influence on our lives, and his orderly conduct of the services of our Church has made better Churchmen and Church- women of our congregation. The many parish activities he has fos- tered and guided have grown in strength and usefulness, and have influenced more people than he will ever know.
We are glad to note that we are not to be deprived entirely of his support, and the society of his family who have been such welcome additions to our Parish and Town, by reason of the fact that they are to continue to reside in Litchfield.
May God bless him and keep him, and make His face to shine upon him and his family for yet many years to come.
It is with great regret that the members of St. Michael's realize that Mr. Brewster's nineteen years as pastor of the church have come to a close. It is too great a task adequately to express our appreciation of his long and unselfish services. We know that he is beloved and respected by the community, to as great a degree as by his parishioners. His un- selfish and benign leadership and Christian influence have been re- stricted to no group or denomination.
Perhaps no more sincere tribute could be paid Mr. Brewster than to say "He has followed faithfully and well in the footsteps of the Good Shepherd."
At the annual parish meeting the following May a supper, largely attended, was given in his honor.
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So ended the second long rectorate in succession. After the pe- riod in the last century when rectors came and went with great frequency, the nearly forty years under two rectors were a wel- come change. With a beautiful church and a well-appointed cen- ter for parish activities, the prospect of many years of spiritual prosperity seemed assured. Mr. Brewster could look back on years of accomplishment, the results of which were impressive.
Mr. Brewster was born on September 3, 1858, in New Haven. He was graduated from Yale College in 1881. After teaching and farming, including three years in Dakota, he entered the ministry, was ordered deacon at St. Paul's, New Haven, on January 25, 1897, by Bishop Lemuel H. Wells of Spokane, and ordained priest at Northford, Connecticut, on March 10, 1898, by Bishop Brew- ster, his older brother. During his ministry he held three rectorates -St. Andrew's, Northford, 1897 to 1899; St. John's, Warehouse Point, 1899 to 1916; and St. Michael's, 1916 to 1935. After retire- ment he continued to live in Litchfield for almost twenty years, during which time he assisted in numerous ways the rectors who succeeded him. What will be remembered about him by those who attended St. Michael's is his reading of the service. Added to a beautiful voice there was a dramatic quality in his reading which was quite unconscious and grew out of his long familiarity and identification of himself with what he read.
XIII
1935-1954 HENRY E. KELLY . HOWARD F. DUNN
ON JULY 14, 1935, Bishop Brewster, acting for Bishop Budlong, installed the Rev. Henry Erskine Kelly as rector of St. Michael's. In preparation for the new rector, St. Michael's Guild had reno- vated the rectory at a cost of about $3,500, and on July 31 Mr. and Mrs. Kelly took up residence there.
At a special meeting of the vestry on September 9 Mr. Brew- ster was elected Rector Emeritus with title to a stall in the chancel for life, and was voted an annual stipend of $500.
Mr. Kelly took up his duties with enthusiasm. In August he organized an Acolytes' Guild with two young men and a few older boys who took turns acting as server at the early celebra- tions. By the following summer eleven boys and young men were enrolled to assist at church and church school services. In October the rector brought about the formation of the Sewing Circle, a working group of women under the presidency of Mrs. Frederick T. Busk. Both of these organizations have continued to the present time.
Beginning in Advent the Forward Movement booklets for daily devotional readings were mailed to every home in the par- ish. On Christmas Eve the midnight Eucharist was celebrated for the first time at St. Michael's, with a congregation of over two hundred. Vestry meetings were held regularly in alternate months.
In 1936 the finances of the parish were substantially improved
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by additions to the endowment of about $1 12,000 from a bequest of Edward W. Seymour, Dr. Seymour's only son, who died No- vember 9, 1935, and of about $ 14,000 by the will of Dr. Seymour. Finances were further increased by favorable court action on the Seth P. Beers legacy, which had been in litigation for the past two years. There was also an addition in pledges and subscriptions. As a result of this improvement, St. Michael's, in addition to its full apportionment for missions, gave $605 toward meeting the 1935 deficit of the national Church.
In 1936 Mr. Kelly instituted the regular Thursday morning celebrations of the Holy Communion. Eucharistic vestments began to be used at Christmas, Easter, and Whitsunday. The rec- tor gave a course of lectures on "The Christian Faith" on Sunday afternoons during Lent, and on Thursday mornings during the summer following a course on the "History of the Church." In Lent the following year the rector gave a series of talks on church architecture and furnishings and their spiritual significance.
On September 29, 1936, the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, an historical pageant entitled "The Birth of St. Michael's Parish, Litchfield" was given in the parish house. Initiated by the Young People's Fellowship, the pageant was written by the Rev. Dr. Melville K. Bailey of Saybrook and Mr. Bennet Bronson, and was managed by a committee composed of Mrs. Kelly, Miss Margaret B. Howe, Mrs. Bennet Bronson, Miss Isabell P. Woodruff, and Mrs. Earl E. Sarcka. Two descendants of John Davies took part in the day's celebration-Mr. F. Kingsbury Bull, who played the part of Mr. Davies, and Miss Alice Kingsbury, who represented the Davies family in receiving, after the pageant, the peppercorn stipulated as the annual rental for the land given by Mr. Davies to St. Michael's. The senior warden, Mr. John T. Hubbard, paid the peppercorn to Miss Kingsbury. Mr. Brewster gave a résumé of the history of the parish from its founding, and afterwards conducted Michaelmas evensong in the church. The celebration closed with a children's party in the parish house. Soon after the Michaelmas
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pageant Miss Kingsbury presented Mr. Kelly with $1,000 as a memorial to John Davies, the income to be used at his discretion.
In 1936 the parish and the First Episcopal Society had deposited some of the old parish and Society records, including the first record book of the latter, with the State Library for safekeeping. In 1937 three handsomely bound volumes of photostatic copies of the records were returned for permanent possession of the parish and Society. The thanks of the parish were voted to the State Librarian, James Brewster.
On January 18, 1937, Judge John T. Hubbard died in his eighty-first year. His death was universally mourned, for he held many offices of trust in town, county, and state. But especially was his loss felt by St. Michael's Parish, with which his connection had been long as vestryman and warden. The following minute was voted at a vestry meeting on January 24:
The Warden and Vestry of St. Michael's Parish express for them- selves and for the Parish their deep loss in the death, on January 18, 1937, of John Tomlinson Hubbard, Senior Warden of the Parish.
Judge Hubbard, for many years Vestryman, had held every im- portant office in the Parish, Treasurer, Junior Warden, Senior Warden. Confirmed in 1870, he was for sixty-six years a communicant of the Parish. Simple in habits and pure in spirit, he was respected by all and loved by many.
"May he rest in peace and may light perpetual shine upon him."
On the Sunday following his death a memorial sermon was preached by the Rector Emeritus on the text, "There was a man sent from God whose name was John." 1 In a tribute in the Litch- field Enquirer these words are found: "Everyone will miss him, but all will be glad to have known him and been able to call him friend." Another tribute contained this summing up of his char- acter: "He lived gently and simply, deriving his characteristic poise and composure from the serenity of a quiet conscience and a full and understanding mind."
1 John 1:6.
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The matter of a second main entrance into the church, in addi- tion to that at the south, began to receive attention in 1937. It was decided to open the first bay (west) on the north aisle, and add there a covered timber porch. Its desirability and cost and means of payment were brought up at successive vestry meetings. Even- tually estimates were secured from the Goodhue Associates, archi- tects, of New York. At first it seemed possible that an offer to build the suggested porch as a memorial might be forthcoming, but after some delay on that account it was decided at a vestry meeting on April 22, 1939, to proceed with the building and meet the cost from the Litchfield Land Company funds. A saving in expenditures during the year before made this unusually large out- lay seem feasible. Built during that summer, the porch was com- pleted in October at a cost of $6,735, exclusive of the cost of oil- ing the wood and improving the driveway from the street. On Sunday, October 1, the porch was blessed by the Rector Emeritus.
Another improvement to the church to which Mr. Kelly de- voted thought and attention was the interior lighting, first con- sidered at a vestry meeting in 1937. In November, 1938, the new fixtures were installed at a cost of $1,350.
Other additions followed, including a wrought-iron handrail for the steps leading to the south entrance which was given by Mrs. Frederick E. Haight. Cabinets were made and installed in the sacristy to contain vestments, altar hangings, and supplies. From a trip to England Mr. Kelly brought back wardens' staffs, used to mark the pews regularly occupied by the two wardens. Also from England he brought a church school banner, beautifully embroi- dered. A church school cross with the figure of Christ the King in gold on polychrome wood was purchased to be carried in school processions. Further repairs to the church fabric were attended to, most of them necessitated partly by initial faulty construction. Judge Origen S. Seymour took these in charge and devoted much time to their correction.
Church services received much of the rector's consideration.
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The Lenten and Easter attendance at church in 1938 was the largest on record. On Palm Sunday, Stainer's Crucifixion was sung at the morning service before a congregation of 240 persons. On Good Friday the Three Hour Service was conducted by the Rev. E. M. Jeffreys, D.D., retired rector of St. Peter's Church, Philadelphia.
A matter with which the vestry concerned itself for several years was the Every Member Canvass of the parish. The rector wished to stir up many nominal parishioners to take an active part in parish life. For that reason he favored a visit to every family, but he disliked the idea of making it an occasion for begging for funds. Others thought the visit should be devoted to an attempt to raise the parish's income. The subject was discussed frequently, but the canvass was not put into effect during Mr. Kelly's rector- ate.
Much else could be spoken of-extra offerings for worthy ob- jects in the village and far away. One was especially worthy of mention here, being a gift of $900 to Trinity Church, Milton, for reconstruction of its tower and spire, made in memory of two rectors at Milton who were also connected with St. Michael's,- Truman Marsh and Isaac Jones. The use of St. Michael's Parish House was offered to the Red Cross without charge. The Bishop's Chair from the old church was given to All Saints', Oakville. On the other hand, many beautiful gifts were presented to St. Mi- chael's.
During this period the parish was frequently saddened by deaths of important parishioners and friends. Miss Kingsbury died in 1937, as did also Mr. Lewis A. Osborn, for many years a vestry- man. In 1938 Mrs. Morris W. Seymour and Mrs. A. M. Wiggin, two long-time members of the parish, died. In 1940 Mrs. W. H. Sanford died; she was a most active communicant, whose atten- tion had been especially, but not exclusively, directed to the Altar Guild, of which she was much of the time the sole member, and to
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St. Michael's branch of the Woman's Auxiliary. Mr. Frederick A. Stoddard, long a vestryman, and Judge Origen S. Seymour, senior warden, died also in 1940. All of these were loyal and devoted communicants whose places would be filled with difficulty.
On March 9, 1938, the Rev. E. Norman Curry died. He had made his home in Litchfield since retiring from active service in 1925. During his residence here he was very generous with assist- ance at St. Michael's and in other parishes of the Diocese. Besides helping the rector, he served on the vestry of St. Michael's from 1927 until his death. His active ministry had included pastorates in the dioceses of Albany, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Con- necticut. For ten years before his retirement he was the rector of Christ Church, Sharon. He was greatly loved at St. Michael's and his loss was deeply felt.
From December, 1938, to June, 1939, Mr. Kelly was absent from the parish because of a very serious illness, following which, though he made a brave attempt to carry on his work as usual, he was increasingly troubled with ill health. At the same time the work of the parish was growing, so in 1941 the wardens suggested that he have an assistant. After a time a curate was appointed, the Rev. Charles F. Nugent, then in deacon's orders. It was arranged that he give half time to St. Michael's and half time to St. An- drew's, Marbledale. The Bishop appointed the rector of St. Mi- chael's priest-in-charge of St. Andrew's, and Mr. Nugent was as- sistant in both parishes.
But Mr. Kelly's health did not improve as had been hoped, and in the summer of 1942, upon being told by his doctor that he could not recover, he told the vestry of his decision to resign. At a parish meeting called in August, at which he presided, he read the following letter:
To St. Michael's Parish, Litchfield, in the Diocese of Connecticut, in Parish meeting assembled on August 4th, 1942. My dear Parish:
As you know I have notified the Wardens and Vestry on July 22
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and the congregation on the following Sunday, that after three years' effort to recover the degree of health which the office and work of the rectorship require, and in spite of the assistance you have generously provided me, I find my health increasingly inade- quate, and relinquishing my office therefore my duty.
This Parish meeting was called at my request, primarily that I might present to the Parish, through the Parish meeting, my resigna- tion as rector to take effect at the convenience of the Parish. By the phrase "convenience of the Parish" I mean that I shall be glad to carry on if you wish, and if it would serve the interest of the Parish, during your quest for a new rector.
It is my desire, as far as possible, to save you from the halting of Parish life which is the result of being rectorless. But let us hope that the most serious business of securing a new rector will be soon and happily accomplished.
As for my feeling about the ending of my pastorate of St. Michael's, let me say that my mind is more occupied with remembrance and appreciation of the seven years of extraordinary happiness you have given me, than with the ending of my pastoral relationship with you. I have had those seven years, and shall always have them as a permanent and treasured possession, and as far as our parting as pastor and flock, unwanted as it is on my part, also so far as you have given any intimation, on yours, this is no matter for unhappiness as it would have been had we been longing to be rid of each other.
Please try to realize my gratitude to you for the many kinds of kindness and goodness you have given me from the very first, and the unfailing affection and loyalty I shall always feel towards you.
God bless St. Michael's every one now and all the years to come. Faithfully and affectionately yours Henry Erskine Kelly
The resignation was accepted with understanding and profound regret.
On August 6, two days after the meeting, Mr. Kelly held a service on the Feast of the Transfiguration. Later in that day he assisted at a wedding in the church. On the morning of the 7th he died quietly in his sleep.
His funeral, on Monday the 10th, at noon, was conducted by Bishop Gray, the Suffragan, and Archdeacon Thomas S. Cline,
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assisted by Mr. Brewster and Mr. Nugent. It was very largely at- tended by clergy, parishioners of St. Michael's and of St. George's, Bridgeport, and by citizens of Litchfield. During the service the stores in the village were closed out of respect.
The following resolution was adopted at a vestry meeting held soon after Mr. Kelly's death:
HENRY ERSKINE KELLY
We here record our deep sense of loss in the death of our faithful rector and friend.
Through his seven years' ministry among us he gradually entered more and more into the lives and hearts of the people of the Parish and the whole community.
He was a real pastor to those in trouble or affliction.
His sincerity and selflessness were his strong characteristics.
He never spared himself if someone needed him; his only thought was that he could help.
He had in this, much of the spirit and quality of the early Christian.
He had a great sense of the continuity of the Church throughout the ages, and this was evident in much that he did and said.
His disregard of his own health undoubtedly hastened his end, but he died in harness as a real soldier of Christ.
His was a real spirit of devotion and self sacrifice, which we of St. Michael's were fortunate enough to share for a time.
Another resolution was adopted at a parish meeting:
The people of St. Michael's Parish, Litchfield, Connecticut, have suffered an irremediable loss in the death of their beloved Rector, Henry Erskine Kelly. Seven years are not long as incumbencies go in many parishes, but they were long enough for Henry Kelly to establish himself firmly in the hearts of all his parishioners, old, middle-aged, and young. His patience, his transparent honesty, his kindness and his wisdom were known to us all. Without thought of self he went to and fro among us doing good, and at last wore him- self out in his labors for his flock. As Mr. Brewster, our well-loved Rector Emeritus, has so truly said, the life and work of such a man are worth more than many sermons, in the influence that they exert upon his people. Deeply sympathetic with us in our griefs, he re- joiced in our happiness, but warned us of our shortcomings. When
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