USA > Delaware > New Castle County > New Castle > Sketch of early ecclesiastical affairs in New Castle, Delaware, and history of Immanuel Church > Part 11
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Shortly after Mr. Presstman's death, Bishop Lee was invited by the vestry to take charge of the Church as rector. To that invitation he replied as follows:
"Wilmington, October 17, 1843.
Gentlemen :- Your letter of the 13th inst., and the resolution, of which a copy was enclosed in it, inviting me to become the Rector of the Church, have received my earnest consideration. The mark of their confidence with which the vestry has honored me, is very sensibly felt, and will be long and gratefully remembered. After revolving the question of duty, (and as such simply, I have endeavored to consider it,) I have been confirmed in the impression which I communicated to the Honor-
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able J. Booth, by letter, dated September 25th, in reply to some informal remarks which he made to me on the subject. It is not necessary for me to go into the reasons which have determined my mind, and I will only state therefore that under present circumstances I feel con- strained to decline the invitation which has been so kindly tendered. It is my hope and prayer that you may be directed from on high in the important subject of filling the vacancy which an inscrutable Providence hath made, and that under a faithful and acceptable pastor, your parish may continue to enjoy the prosperity and peace with which it hath been favored in years past. I am with my sincere regard, your friend and fellow- servant in the Gospel of Christ.
ALFRED LEE.
To the Hon. Geo. B. Rodney,
Wm. T. Read, Committee."
On November 30th of the same year, the Rev. Geo. W. Freeman, D. D., then lately of Raleigh, North Caro- lina, accepted an invitation to become rector, and immediately entered upon the duties. Dr. Freeman, like most of the rectors of Immanuel Church, was in the front rank of the Clergy. After remaining in charge of the parish one year, he was elected Missionary Bishop of the Southwest. His resignation was communicated to the vestry in the following letter.
"New Castle, November 28, 1844.
Gentlemen :- Having felt it to be my duty to obey the voice of the Church, calling me to the office and labors of Missionary Bishop for the Southwest, it has become necessary that my connection with you and the congregation you represent, as Rector of Immanuel
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Church, should shortly determine. And although it is probable that I shall not be able to set out for my important field of labour before the close of the winter, yet as I shall necessarily be much absent from home, and it seems important that you should take measures for the calling of one to succeed me in the pastoral rela- tion as early as may be, I beg now to resign my paro- chial charge, from and after the first Sunday in December next. In thus tendering my resignation, permit me to say that the necessity which urges me to this course was not of my own procuring, but has been laid upon me, as it would seem, by the providence and will of God. My own wish and expectation were to spend the remainder of my days among you; and you will believe me, I trust, when I add that nothing but a high and imperious sense of duty to God and His Church would have been permitted to influence me to an abandonment of my purpose, and that yielding obedience to the voice which thus calls me away from you, I have done violence to my own personal predilections and attachments.
Please to accept, Gentlemen, for yourselves and the congregation at large, my warmest thanks for the many kindnesses I have received at your hands, together with the assurance of my best wishes and my earnest prayers for your prosperity and happiness, both individually and collectively. I am, very affectionately,
Your friend and pastor,
GEORGE W. FREEMAN."
Although Dr. Freeman was in charge but one year, he had taken a strong hold upon the hearts of the people, and a resolution of the vestry upon receiving his resigna- tion expresses "poignant sorrow" at being compelled to part with him and "his most interesting, excellent and amiable family."
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On December 30, 1844, the vestry resolved to invite the Rev. Thomas Farmer Billopp, of the Diocese of Maryland, to the Rectorship. The letter was, however withheld until Bishop Whittingham was communicated with, but after a very satisfactory endorsement of Mr. Billopp's qualifications was received, the letter was transmitted. Mr. Billopp accepted the invitation and soon entered upon the charge. During the summer of 1846, some repairs were made in the interior of the church and the spire painted. It was intended to have the ball and cross on the spire re-gilded, but it is noted in the minutes that no one was found willing to execute the work, because of the danger attending it, and that on October 13th, the iron rod supporting them was broken by a storm of unprecedented violence. A new cross made by John Mooney, of Philadelphia, was placed upon the spire on May 9, 1848, at a cost of ninety dollars. It is made of wood covered with copper, and with the copper ball through which it passes, gilded; it is six feet high and the transverse piece about four feet.
A new farmer's house was built on the Glebe in the summer of 1848.
John Janvier, a wealthy gentleman, an old resident of New Castle, and member of the Presbyterian Church, died in the spring of 1846, and bequeathed by his last will a legacy to trustees for the benefit of Immanuel Church. He bequeathed the same amount to the Presbyterian Church. It was a rare instance of generosity, showing, as it did, a liberality in religious views, which allowed him to aid those of another christain faith as well as his own. The action of Mr. Janvier's executors, Dr. Chas. H. Black, John Janvier and William Janvier, in giving effect to the testator's intentions, is hardly less
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liberal and praiseworthy. The purposes for which the yearly income of the legacy were to be used, were: for Sunday school, fifty dollars; for the sexton, seventy-five dollars; for a pew for the testator's family and friends, twenty-five dollars, and for keeping the wall and enclos- ures of the yard of the church in good repair, twenty- five dollars and fifty cents. Great care has always been taken by the vestry in the management of this fund, and in appropriating the income; and it is to be hoped that all future vestries will consider this a sacred trust, and that it will long be preserved a monument to the most impartial liberality of John Janvier.
At a meeting of the vestry in May, 1850, it was resolved to make extensive alterations in the chancel and repairs to the church, including, painting the walls, ceiling and wood work, repairing the wood work and coppering, and placing inside venetian shutters in the windows. The committee to take charge of the repairs and alterations consisted of Messrs. James Booth, Wm. T. Read and James C. Mansfield. The Church was closed during the work, and services held in the Sunday School Room. The committee made a report July 15, 1851, by which it appears, that on April 3, (?) 1850, they agreed with the architect J. Notman Esq. of Philadel- phia to superintend the alterations in accordance with plans submitted by him, which provided for the cutting away the wall of the tower for a recess chancel: That they contracted with the following persons viz: Jas. M. Dixon, of Wilmington, May 8, 1850, for taking down the old work of the chancel and executing the alterations of the same for $325: Messrs. Carlisle and Landsdale Sept. 5, 1850, for interior painting of the Church $295: Lewis Thatcher for inside venetian shutters $51.75. Afterwards the stained glass window was contracted for
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with John Gibson of Philadelphia for $112. Through a misunderstanding between the architect and contractors, the work was much delayed and the Church not opened until December 15, but the stained window was not completed until April 3, 1851. The whole cost of repairs was the sum of $1022.94; about half of this amount was raised by subscription and the balance taken from the revenues of the Church. The only change in the form of the Church at this time was the making of a recess chancel, which was seven feet deep. The side iron gate and piers were built in the summer of 1855. The Rev. Mr. Billopp resigned the rectorship of the parish on June 3, 1856. He had many warm friends in the congregation who greatly regretted his resignation. His disposition and manners were exceed- ingly gentle and his voice sweet and sympathetic which made him a charming preacher and reader; a better reader is rarely found. He removed to Middletown to become rector of St. Ann's, and then after occupying a parish at Salem, New Jersey, became rector of a parish in Maryland where he died a few years since.
The Rev. Benjamin Franklin rector of the Church of the Holy Apostles, Philadelphia, was called by the vestry on August 4, 1856. Mr. Franklin accepted the rectorship, by letter, dated September 5th, in which he expressed "hope and assurance that for the work of my christian ministry I shall find in you a body of willing and con- siderate co-helpers. I solicit, for my infirmities warn me how much I shall need them, the hearty co-operation, the unwearying charity, and the never-ceasing prayers of all the people. With these I trust that a happy and useful relationship will exist, continually producing the fruits of faith, good works and holiness, which may, God grant, through the Blessed Spirit, for the sake of II
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Jesus, our Redeemer." It may be said that so long as Mr. Franklin remained rector he received the con- fidence and support of both vestry and congregation to a marked degree and all agreed that he was worthy of it. Before Mr. Franklin arrived the parsonage on the Glebe was placed in good repair and a porch built at an expense of about two hundred dollars. On March 16, 1855, a crack was discovered in the Church bell. This bell and clock were placed in the tower by the Trustees of New Castle Commons in 1822, by agreement with the vestry, who had built the tower to accommodate them. The Trustees of the Commons were notified of the accident to the bell and a committee was appointed by the vestry to confer with the said Trustees in the matter. Much correspondence and negotiation followed, finally resulting in the vestry passing a resolution August 31, 1855, revoking and annulling the agree- ment of 1822, and Messrs. A. C. Nowland and James C. Douglass were appointed a committee to purchase a bell at theexpense and for the use of the Church. The committee purchased a bell weighing nearly twelve hundred pounds from Messrs. Bernhard & Co., bell founders of Philadelphia and successors to Wiltbank, who cast the bell of 1822. It was placed in the tower at a total expense of four hundred dollars.
.
On 29th of March, 1855, the Parish met with a sad loss in the death of Chief Justice Booth, a devoted life long friend of the Church. The following extract from the resolutions passed by the vestry at their first meeting after his death will show the high estimation in which he was held by them. "This vestry, in testimony of their gratitude for the great services of Judge Booth to Immanuel Church, desire to record a summary of these services on their minutes, and to portray, imperfectly
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it may be, for those who will succeed us, those qualities of the head and the heart which won for our departed friend universal respect and esteem. The maternal ancestors of Judge Booth were members of our Church. He was baptized in 1790, being about 5 months old, by his uncle, then and for thirty years, its Rector, and was confirmed by the venerable Bishop White. He was chosen a vestryman on the 3rd of May, 1816, and Warden, April 19, 1824, and annually re-elected till his decease. In the year 1820 he was appointed Treas- urer, and has managed gratuitously, for thirty-five years, the finances of our Church, faithfully, judiciously, and with much care and labor, besides taking an active part in all her concerns, particularly in the addition to our Church-edifice of the transept, tower and spire, completed in 1822, and on the recent enlargement of its chancel, and renovation of its interior, in a style simple, appropriate and beautiful. To him we were mainly indebted for the fine tone of the bell which so long summoned us to our sanctuary, for it was cast under his superintendence as a Trustee of the New Castle Commons. For many years the music of our choir was conducted by his consort, aided by himself and members of his family, with skill and taste not usual. While the engagements of his profession, and then of his office of Chief Justice prevented him from sitting often in the conventions of the Church, he took a lively interest in the questions which have agitated her, his sound opinions upon which were maintained without intolerance. His characteristic, intellectually, was sound judgment, coupled with the power of close application, and with great prudence. He was emi- nently truthful and guileless. Pure himself, he was unsuspicious, and slow to believe evil reports. He was
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so steady in his friendships that the playmates of his boyhood were the objects of his regard and kind offices in manhood and in age. His uncommon sweetness and amiableness of temper made him beloved by his family and friends, and his bland and courteous manners having the stamp, unmistakable, of sincerity, favorably impressed even casual acquaintances. Recently convers- ing with a member of this vestry as to his pecuniary affairs, he said, 'I never wronged a human being'- this is true-true to the letter-and was uttered in no spirit of boasting; for he was lamenting imperfections, and short-comings of duty, exaggerated, perhaps, by his humility, and which he shared with all our fallen race. There was never one freer from selfishness, vanity and egotism, more ready to serve his fellow-creatures, and more placable when wronged. A man like this was the object of universal respect, esteem and confidence, which were evidenced by the various offices conferred upon him, among them the elevated and responsible one of Chief Justice of Delaware, to which he brought commensurate legal knowledge and ability, and which he administered with dignity, impartiality, courtesy and diligence. But once previously in the recollection of this vestry, have so many of our most respectable citizens attended a funeral in Immanuel Cemetery as followed the remains of our friend to their final resting place."
The bay window, as it was called, was built at the east end of the Church during the summer of 1857; at an expense of two hundred dollars. A new organ, which the addition was made to accommodate, was built and placed in the Church at a cost of one thousand and fifty dollars. A note is made in the minutes of the vestry of the fact that the organ was first used Septem-
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ber 12, 1857, on the occasion of the funeral of Mrs. Hannah W. Booth. Mrs. Booth had for many years been organist and directress of the music.
On August 8, 1859, the Church received a donation of $2,000 from Mrs. Franklin P. Holcomb, which, upon her death bed in Georgia, she expressed a desire to give.
On June 13, 1860, a contract was entered into with Jacob D. Winslow, for extension of the transepts and extensive repairs to the Church. A committee was appointed on 25th of April, 1859, to employ an architect and report what repairs were desirable. S. D. Button, Architect of Philadelphia, prepared plans, and upon these plans the contract with Mr. Winslow was made. While the work was in progress services were held in the Court House. The work was completed in about sixty days. Each transept was extended twelve feet six inches with cellars under them. Ten additional Pews and floors in pews were made in each transept. the Church were taken up (being in a dilapidated and unsafe condition.) The pews were reset, without doors, upon a prime heart yellow pine floor supported by white oak joists. The ball and cross were reguilded and the Church painted inside and out; the whole cost was about three thousand dollars. This was done as the committee reported, with much satisfaction, "without either taxing the parishioners or infringing to any con- siderable extent upon the funds of the Church."
Owing to a serious attack of illness which incapaci- tated him from active work, Mr. Franklin, on June 19, 1863, tendered his resignation to the vestry. The vestry declined to accept the resignation but gave the rector six months leave of absence and decided to
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secure the services of an assistant to the rector for six months. The Rev. Thomas Mills Martin was chosen assistant rector in August. In the following letter dated Dec. 16, 1863, Rev. Mr. Franklin again tendered his resignation to the vestry.
"My Dear Friends, when in June last I tendered a resignation of my rectorship, you, affectionately, declined to receive it, and proposed a continuation of my salary, with exemption from all parochial charge, duty and responsibility, during the period of six months. That period is now closing. I have, con- scientiously, occupied it in following carefully my physicians directions. Constant exercise in the open air, under the pleasurable excitement of new objects of interest, has improved my general health; but the obscure inalady, which unfits me for devotion and study, seems not materially to have changed. My obvious duty is to resign iny rectorship. Sorrowfully and hope- fully, I commend you all, brethren, and the people still very dear to my heart, among whom I have, seven years, happily lived and labored, to the watchful care of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost whom we joyfully worship, and I pray God to set over you in the Lord one who will earnestly contend for the faith, which was once delivered unto the saints, looking unto Jesus, the head over all things, to the Church which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Most sincerely and affectionately your friend and rector.
B. FRANKLIN."
The vestry accepted the resignation and in a series of resolutions testified to their "heart-felt grief" at being compelled to part with him, and among other things say, "That the enlargement of our Church
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edifice, and the increase of worshippers within its hallowed walls, and especially, the augmentation of the communicants of our parish are fruits of his faithful- ness."
There was universal regret in the parish over Mr. Franklin's removal. A clergyman was rarely found who so thoroughly combined all the qualifications of a rector so well as he. He was a strong and eloquent preacher, a good reader, a loving pastor and sincere friend. The hearts of his people went with him and many still love him and have observed with glad interest the successful record he has since made in the National councils of the Church.
The assistant to Mr. Franklin, Rev. Thomas M. Martin, was an eloquent preacher and many of the con- gregation desired his immediate call to the rectorship. After some hesitation and delay the vestry invited him to accept the rectorship. He, however, declined and accepted a call from St. Stephen's Church, Terre Haute, Indiana.
On June 27, 1864, the Rev. Richard Whittingham then occupying .a parish at Orange, New Jersey, was called. He at first declined, but some obstacles, which were in the way, having been removed, he accepted a second call of the vestry and took charge of the Church on All Saint's day, 1864.
Mr. Whittingham took great interest in Church education and sought to excite an interest in the parish in favor of a parochial school. On two oocasions he made propositions to the vestry for the establishment of such a school, but his suggestions were not received with much favor and on November 20, 1866, he tendered his resignation and accepted a call to St. John's
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Church, New Haven, Connecticut. Mr. Whittingham was a good preacher, having a remarkable command of language, and was a man of great piety.
During the summer of 1865 a committee of the vestry, consisting of Messers. A. C. Nowland and J. H. Rogers, was appointed to prepare one of the old vaults for a receiving vault for the use of the Church. The committee reported that upon examination they "found the ancient vault, near the porch, of James Sykes, who had been a vestryman and warden of Immanuel Church for the years 1717 to 1729, inclusive, and whose remains, together with those of three members of his family, were deposited therein on the 12th of February, 1730, in good state of preservation, and at once proceeded to make necessary alterations to fit it for a receiving vault. The bones of Mr. Sykes and the bones of those who slept with him were carefully buried in the vault under the floor and covered by a stone slab with this in- scription: "The remains of James Sykes and his family; he was buried in this vault 12th February, 1730.' The walls and arched roof of the vault being found in good condition it only remained for your committee to adopt and provide convenient access to it, which was accom- plished under the personal supervision and direction of Mr. Rogers, one of the committee."
Edward Williams, a vestryman for over thirty years and superintedent and teacher in the Sunday school for a long period, died in October, 1866, mnuch lamented as an earnest churchman, and citizen of liigh standing in the community for integrity, prudence and industry.
The Rev. Charles Sidney Spencer, a native of Mary- land then assistant at St. John's Church, Washington, was invited by the vestry to the rectorslip on November 29,
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1866. He accepted and first officiated on Sunday Jan- uary 6, 1867.
James M. Johns Esq., on October 7, 1867, pre- sented to the Church a lot of land at the corner of 9th and Clayton streets of the size of forty by one hundred feet, for the purpose of a Sunday School room or Chapel. A "Chapel Fund'' was soon started for the purpose of erect- ing a proper building on the lot, and about the same time a Sunday school was organized in the neighborhood of the proposed chapel, and a committee appointed to prepare plans and receive proposals for the erection of the Chapel. On the 29th of June, 1869, the vestry decided to accept the proposal of Isaac B. Ubil. The work was soon commenced, and on October 5, 1869, the committee reported the same completed at an expense of $2166.85. About $1350 of this sum had been raised by subscription and collections in the church and the balance from the profit realized from the exchange of an investment held by the Trustees of the Church. In the fall of 1872, it was found that the north wall of the Sunday School Room was in a very insecure condition so that it was deemed necessary to build buttresses against that wall, which was done at an expense including some other repairs to the building, of $434. In 1880, repairs were made in the steeple costing $390. The church bell was cracked about Ist of March, 1882, and so rendered useless. The vestry lost no time in replacing it with a new one, cast by Reg- ister & Son, of Baltimore, weighing 1310 pounds, at a cost of $220. The tones of this bell are very sweet, as have been those of the old bells, and it gives much satisfaction.
The necessity of having more ground for burial purposes was recognized for many years, and as the Church yard could not in any way be enlarged, other
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localities were suggested from time to time. When the Chapel was built an effort was made to purchase land adjoining it for a burial ground, but the owners refused to sell the ground for that purpose. Upon application of the vestry, the Legislature, in 1873, passed a bill allowing a part of the Glebe to be appropriated for the purpose of a burial ground for Immanuel Church, but it was not until August 18, 1884, that the vestry, who on that day met on the ground, selected a site east of the rectory on the Glebe, and a surveyor was appointed to lay the ground off so that it would not be interfered with by the streets when extended. Mr. Alfred C. Nowland, then the vener- able senior warden of the Church, caused the plat to be enclosed at his own expense. In the fall of 1889, the ground was laid off into lots and walks, the walks built up with cinders from the Iron works, trees planted and the spot made attractive. The site is really a beautiful one for a cemetery and it is thought it will be very sat- isfactory for the purpose for which it is designed.
The Rev. Mr. Spencer resigned his charge of the Church after a rectorship of nineteen years, on January 12, 1886; the same to take effect February ist. Soon after, he accepted the charge of St. Margaret's Church near Annapolis, Md. Associated as a pastor is with the most sacred and impressive moments of the lives of his people, the ties that have united them for many years. cannot be severed without regret to many, if not to all. During Mr Spencer's incumbency the parish lost many of its earnest and strongest supporters. Among these were James Rogers, who died September 15, 1868, an aged and honored citizen who was first elected a vestry- man in 1816, and held the office at the time of his death; Dr. John Merritt a popular physician, loyal churchman and efficient vestryman, who died January 5, 1872; Wil --
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