History of Chicago. From the earliest period to the present time, Part 89

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 1340

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Samuel Jackson

tem., Charles B. Smith. A building committee was chosen, consisting of Samuel Jackson, Vincent IL. Freeman and Benjamin Briggs, with Charles B. Smith as general agent. A special meeting was held on Wednes-

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HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

day the 16th, at Samuel Jackson's house, at which the name, " Tabernacle Baptist Church," was adopted. On the 20th of August, 1843, there were received by letter: Charles Charleston, Christian R. Oliver, Ange- lina Waggoner and Ellen S. Mizener. H. G. Wells was received by baptism, and on the 24th of August Mr. Wells was chosen clerk of the Church. On the 3Ist of August the following persons were elected dea- cons: Vincent H. Freeman, Benjamin Briggs, Samuel

NESSEN CON

TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH.

Jackson and Benjamin F. Hays, and at the same meet- ing Rev. Charles B. Smith was unanimously elected pastor of the Church. Measures were taken by the building committee, immediately after its appointment, looking to the erection of a house of worship. A lot was selected on the west side of LaSalle Street, between Randolph and Washington, where now /1883, stands the Merchants' National Bank, upon which was built a plain frame edifice, forty by seventy-two feet in size, at a cost of $2,200.

On Tuesday, October 3, 1843, a council of ministers and delegates from the churches of the Northern Illi- nois Association, convened in this place in response to an invitation of the Tabernacle Baptist Church, for the purpose of recognizing and fellowshiping it as a regu- larly constituted branch of the Baptist denomination. The services were held in the evening, and consisted of an admirable discourse upon the "Union of the Church," by Rev. Thomas Powell ; the extension of the hand of fellowship by Elder Blake, and an address to the Church by Rev. A. J. Joslyn. The building was dedicated October 13, within eight weeks of the com- mencement of work upon it, Rev. Charles B. Smith preaching the dedicatory sermon. On the 18th of October, C. N. Holden was received to membership: on the 26th he was appointed treasurer, and on the same day was chosen clerk, to succeed H. G. Wells, resigned. Rev. C. B. Smith, having given notice in March, 1844. of his intention to do so, resigned his pastorate on the 6th of April. During the interim between Mr. Smith's resignation and the procuring of a second regular pas- tor in August following, the pulpit was occupied the greater portion of the time by Rev. Mr. Ambrose. It was during this interim, on the igth of May, 1844, that this Church made application to the Northern Illinois Association to be admitted asa sister Church. In order that the Association might understand their sentiments in full upon the great question then agitating the Church, the following resolution was made a part of their applica- tion:

" Resolved, That slavery is a great sin in the sight of God, and while we view it as such, we will not invite to our communion or pulpit those who advocate or justify from civil policy or the Bible the principles or practice of slavery."

They also submitted the following paragraph as a summary of the history of their Church up to that time:

" The Tabernacle Baptist Church was organized August 14, IS43. with sixty-two members. under the pastoral charge of the Rev. C. B. Smith. We have since received forty-two members by letter and fourteen by baptism. Eight have taken letters to other sister churches, one has been taken from us by death and one has been excommunicated, leaving our number one hundred and eight."

In the early days of this Church, it was as much op- posed to secret societies as it was to slavery. On the 30th of May, 1844, a committee appointed to investigate the subject of Odd-Fellowship reported as follows:

" Your committee having carefully and prayerfully examined into the principles and practices of secret societies as far as they have been able to do so, have come to the following conclusions :

I. "That secret societies are calculated to retard the best inter- ests of humanity, and do conflict with the civil and moral laws.

" That their rites and ceremonies are solemn mockeries. 2. 3. "We believe they are hindrancesto growth in grace to such Christians as may be united with them."

The report of the committee was accepted and adopted, and on the 29th of August one of the mem- bers was excluded from Church membership for hold- ing connection to the society of Odd-Fellows in prefer- ence to the Church.

On the 26th of August, Rev. Caleb Blood was unan- imously called to the pastorate, and during the same month assumed its charge. On March 24, 1845, he tendered his resignation, which was accepted. On the 3d of April, Rev. C. B. Smith, then at Medina, N. Y., was called to the pastorate, and proffered a salary of $500, and expenses to Chicago. This call was accepted conditionally, and the conditions accepted by the Church. Mr. Smith began his second pastorate in July, 1845, and in the succeeding October it was terminated On the 23d of November, 1845, Rev. William H. Rice was unanimously invited to become pastor, and began his labors in July, 1846. In the meantime the pulpit was filled by Elder Edson. In April, 1846, the hand of fellowship was withdrawn from MIr. Cushing and his wife for having adopted and adhering to doctrines of " the New Jerusalem as taught by Emanuel Swedenborg. On the 6th of May, 1849, Rev. W. H. Rice tendered his resignation, which on Tuesday the 15th was accepted. On the 2d of August of the same year he died of cholera, which also carried away several prominent and valuable members of the Church. On Sunday, July 1. 1849, Rev. Lewis Raymond, of Milwaukee, was unanimously elected pastor to succeed Mr. Rice. Mr. Raymond ac- cepted the call and commenced his labors September 1. In February, March, and April, 1850, during a special revival, large numbers were added to the Church. Re- vivals were also experienced the two following seasons and many were brought within the fold. On the Ist of October, 1850, this Church, being unanimously of the opinion that the dictates of wisdom and duty pointed to the western division of the city as their future field of labor, appointed a committee of three to make inquiry as to the location and price of a lot and as to the terms upon which it could be purchased. The church building was destroyed by fire. June 26, 1851, and on the same day an extra meeting was held at which it was resolved to build a suitable house of worship on Desplaines Street, between Washington and Madison. In the meantime, by invitation of the First Baptist Church, received through Dr. L. D. Boone, this Church worshiped with the First Church. They also worshiped by invitation in the Third Presbyterian, and also in the Canal-street

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PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

Methodist Church. The new church building fronted

the west, was forty-four by seventy-two feet in size, of the Gothic style of architecture, two stories high surmounted by a short square steeple, and cost, with the lots, $5,840. The corner-stone was laid August 14, 1851. Onthe 16th of November the Church commenced worshiping in the basement, and the church building was dedicated February 3, 1853. Rev. Lewis Raymond resigned his pastorate July 6, 1852, at which time the membership of the Church had increased to three hun- dred and thirty-nine. He was succeeded, November 1, of the same year, by Rev. A. Kenyon, of Kirtland, Ohio, who preached the dedicatory sermon of the new church building. Rev. Mr. Kenyon remained until August 5, 1856, when he resigned. His resignation was accepted. Rev. H. Harvey declined an invitation to become pas- tor, and Rev. I. E. Kenney, on February 24, 1857, was unanimously invited to become pastor, with a salary of $1,500 per year. On the zoth of April he began his labors, and remained until December 7, 1858, when he resigned. The resignation was accepted, and on January 30, 1859, Rev. H. K. Green, of Danbury, Conn., was invited to become pastor, and pledged a salary of $1,800 per year. Rev. Mr. Green was installed as pastor on Friday, March 25, 1859. On the 5th of June, 1859, this Church wrote, in their letter to the Baptist association, which met at Bloomingdale : "Our congregations are large and increasing. Unity and harmony mark our efforts. We sustain, besides the Sabbath-school connected with the Church, a mission school in a destitute part of the city. Both are enjoy- ing a high degree of prosperity, and around them our fondest hopes center." On November 1, 1859, there were found to be one hundred and seventy-five mem- bers in good standing. Rev. H. K. Green resigned his pastorate April 30, 1861, on account of ill health, and was succeeded September 1, of the same year, by Rev. Nathaniel Colver, D.D .. who remained until December 1, 1864, when he resigned. It was during this year, 1864, that the Tabernacle Baptist Church united with about fifty members of the First Baptist Church to form the Second Baptist Church, which accepted from the First society, as a free gift, its church edifice standing at the corner of Washington and LaSalle streets, and moved it and re-erected it at the southwest corner of Monroe and Morgan streets, in which they still worship. During the existence of the Tabernacle Baptist Church, as such, there were received into its membership a total of nine hundred and eighty persons.

REV. C. B. SMITH, D.D., the first pastor of the Tabernacle Baptist Church, was born October 29, 1814. Ile graduated at Yale College in the class of 1837, a class distinguished as contain- ing such men as William M. Evarts, Edwards Pierrepont, Samuel J. Tilden, and Chief Justice Morrison R. Waite, ffe was baptised in August, 1842, and removed to Chicago and took charge of the First Baptist Church the following month. He returned to the East in 1845. During the years 1846 to 1849 he published works entitled " The Philosophy of Reform," " .\ Lie in Earnest," and "Scenes in Luther's Life." Subsequently he was settled in New Elaven, Conn., in Malden, Mass .. in New York City, and in Du- buque. Ele has been in Grand Rapids for twenty years, and pur- poses to make that city his home during the remainder of his life. He was pastor of the Baptist churches for a number of years, but is now (1353) without a charge. Ile preaches nearly every Sun- day, without compensation, to destitute churches, and to churches of every denomination as he is requested. He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity in 1850 from Wabash College, Indiana.

THE EDINA PLACE BAPTIST CHURCH .- On the 8th of April, 1856, the first meeting of Baptists looking to the organization of this Church, was held at the house of J. S. Buchanan. The moderator of the meeting was Rev. J. A. Smith, and the clerk J. Woodworth. Rev.

Robert Boyd opened the meeting with prayer. A pre- amble and a series of three resolutions were adopted, the first and third resolutions being as follows:

"I. That we agree to work together as a Church of our Lord Jesus, under the designation of the Third Baptist Church of Chi- cago, and that the articles of faith and church covenant found in page 191, of the 'Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge,' be adopted.

"3. That we give the Rev. Robert Boyd a call to become our pastor, and that we give him one thousand (S1,000) dollars, and furnish him a parsonage as compensation in part for services, each year."

At a meeting held April 15, at the same place, the following resolution was unanimously adopted;

" That a committee of five be appointed to take a deed of trust of the lot now purchased, situated on the corner of Harrison Street and Edina Place, and hold the same for the Third Baptist Church, and that brethern Edwards, Buchanan, Gassett, Babcock and Wood- worth be said committee."

At this meeting L. A. Willard and J. Woodworth were elected treasurer and clerk of the Church, res- pectively. At the next meeting, held April 22, 1856, at the house of J. T. Edwards, resolutions were passed to build a church edifice on the lot at the corner of Harrison Street and Edina Place. to change the name of the Church from the Third Baptist Church, to the Edina Place Baptist Church, and to appoint a building committee consisting of "brethern Buchanan, Boggs, Babcock and Gassett." A committee on religious wor- ship was also appointed, consisting of " brethern Bu- chanan, Willard and Woodworth," and a committee on singing consisting of "brethren Edwards, McCall and Raymond." From this time until the completion of the new church edifice in October, meetings were held in the lecture-room of Plymouth Church. The new church was dedicated on Sunday, October 5. Rev. Robert Boyd preaching in the morning, Rev. Dr. Howard in the after- noon. and Rev. A. J. Joslyn in the evening. A council called for the purpose of publicly recognizing this Church, convened October 30. This council on mo- tion of Rev. J. Young. recognized the Edina Place Church as a Baptist Church in Gospel order. The members at the time of its formal organization and rec- ognition, by the Council, October 30, 1856, were: Rev. Robert and Mrs. Christina Boyd, Justin A. Smith, Mrs. Jane A. Smith. John S. Buchanan, Mabel A. Buchanan, Lucius A. Willard, Mary Ann F. Willard, John T. Ed- wards, Sarah Edwards, John B. George, Elizabeth Johnston, Cyril Babcock, Lydia F. Babcock, Silas B. Gassett, Susannah Gassett, Charles T. Boggs, Virginia A. Boggs, Charles Larminie, Jacob Woodworth, John MI. Woodworth, E. D. Woodworth, Amelia Boggs, Ann E. Moore, Maggy Whitelaw, Murdock Morrison, Eliza- beth Morrison, Samuel McCall, George Hines. Ira Rey- nolds, John S. Lawrence, Emma R. Lawrence and Agnes Wanless.

At a meeting of the Church, held December 5, 1856, J. T. Edwards, J. S. Buchanan, L. A. Willard and J. Woodworth, were elected deacons, and on the 3Ist of December, upon the resignation of J. Woodworth as clerk of the Church, J. S. Lawrence was chosen to fill the vacancy. The Sth of April. 1857, was observed il> the anniversary of the organization of the Church. Jus- tin A. Smith recounted its ear!, history, its weakit -- , trials and discouragements. The society had passed through a season of almost unparalleled financial embar- rassment, but in every emergency had been successful, and had not only erected and finished but had paid for its church edifice, which, according to its report to the Fox River Association, in June, 1857. cost $15.500. On January 28, 1858, a protracted meeting of three

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weeks' duration closed. The pastor conducted . the meetings almost entirely without assistance, and as a result twenty persons were added to the Church. In March, 1859, another series of revival meetings was held, which added about twenty members to the Church. Early in the year 1860 the question of the removal of the Church became a subject of discussion. On the Ilth of April it was decided : " That it is expedient for this Church to remove from its present location to the vicinity of Wabash Avenue and Old Street, when a suitable lot can be obtained." This resolution was re-adopted on the ioth of October, 1860. and a com- mittee was appointed to secure a lot. But little was done until in March, 1862. At a meeting, held on the 2Ist of that month, the pastor urged as reasons for change of location, that on Sundays there were not regularly over twenty unconverted persons in the con- gregation, and that during the year last past, they had been losing some of the most active and influential members of the Church by removal. It was also stated at this meeting that a way for the completion of this long-cherished object seemed to have been opened in a providential manner, as they could then exchange their present lots for one on the northwest corner of Wabash Avenue and Old Street. A committee of three was therefore appointed to effect the exchange of property with Dr. L. D. Boone, the owner of the Wabash Avenue lot ; and a building committee of four was appointed to let contracts and to make arrangements necessary to effect the removal. May 11, 1862, was the last Sunday spent in the old location. Resolutions appropriate to the occasion were passed, one of them expressing thank- fulness for the continued success of the Church for so many years ; for the uninterrupted peace, harmony and union which had continuously prevailed, and for the constant affection that had existed between Church and pastor. Preparations for a change were com- menced on the 19th of May. The house was removed, and re-opened for worship on the 31st of August, 1862, the members in the meantime worshiping in the Ply- mouth Congregational Church. On the 22d of August a meeting was held at the pastor's house, at which by resolution the name of the church was changed from the Edina Place Baptist Church to the Wabash Avenue Baptist Church. The cost of the removal, including an enlargement of fourteen feet in length, a new front and other necessary repairs, was $2,200. At the re-dedica- tion of this church the pastor preached in the morning from the first verse of the twelfth Psalm, and Rev. Dr. Everts preached in the evening. The Sunday school was re-opened on the same day. Up to January 1, 1862, there had been received into the Church three hundred and eleven members ; by baptism one hun- dred and twenty, by letter one hundred and eighty-three, and by experience eight. The dismissions amounted to eighty-eight, leaving the net membership at this time two hundred and twenty-three.

UNION PARK BAPTIST CHURCH .- Early in the year 1855, a mission chapel was established on the West Side, the location being West Lake Street, between Sheldon Street and Bryan Place. This chapel was erected with funds contributed by citizens living in the vicinity, and by Baptists of the city at large. The leaders in the en- terprise were mainly those who afterward became con- stituent members of the Union Park Baptist Church. The exercises at the chapel were continued until the Church was organized. November 12, 1856. The origi- nal members of this Church, who were dismissed for the purpose of organizing it from various other churches in this city and elsewhere. were as follows: From the First

Baptist Church, Chicago, David I .. Jacobus, Mrs. Eliza Jacobus, Oscar J. Jacobus, Mrs. Lydia Moody, Mrs. Sophia Bretschneider, Edward Zimmerman, Mrs. Har- riet Zimmerman and Mrs. Mary Wayman; from the Tabernacle Baptist Church, Chicago, Mrs. Prudence Creote, Mrs. Helen Hays, Mrs. Luranda Hopkins, Miss Eliza Knott, Mrs. Almeda Mckay, Miss Adeline Miller, Miss Emma Price and Mrs. Henrietta Sutherland: from the First Baptist Church, Aurora, Ill., Asahel Lock- wood and Mrs. Mary Lockwood; from the First Baptist Church, Lowell, Mass., Daniel Hurd, Mrs. Rosetta Hurd and Miss Betsy Hill; from the First Baptist Church, Piscataqua, N. J., Mrs. Hannah Randolph and Miss Mary Randolph. The first trustees of the Church were David L. Jacobus, Daniel Hurd, C. A. Reno, and L. H. Smith. The first deacons were, David L. Jacobus and Daniel Hurd. The first treasurer was James P. Jacob- us, and the first clerk Edwin Zimmerman. The first pastor was the Rev. A. J. Joslyn, who commenced his labors one week after the organization of the Church. During his pastorate the chapel was enlarged by the ad- dition of two wings, one on each side, by reason of which its seating capacity was increased to about three hundred. The total cost of the building up to this time was about $2.000. During the first few years of its ex- istence the Church encountered numerous difficulties, and was too feeble to well withstand them; but it courage- ously and patiently labored for success, and at length triumphed and received large accessions to its member- ship. There were revivals in the fall of 1857 and in the winters of 1858-59, during which especially consid- erable numbers were added to the rolls. Rev. Mr. Joslyn remained pastor of the Church until November 1, 1860, when he resigned, leaving it in a comparatively strong and healthy condition. During his pastorate there had been received in the aggregate two hundred and five members; one hundred and fifteen by letter, eighty by baptism and ten by experience. Rev. Mr. Joslyn was succeeded by Rev. James Dixon, who com- menced his ministry January 1, 1861, and soon after- ward the chapel was removed to the northeast corner of Lake and Sheldon streets, and again enlarged. It has been moved from time to time, and now stands at the corner of Noble and Superior streets. The subse- - quent history of this Church, which possesses far more than a common interest, will be detailed in the subse- quent volumes of this History.

THE SALEM BAPTIST CHURCH had its origin in the winter of 1852-53. Its projector was the Rev. J. R. Balme, who had recently come from England. On the 27th of February, 1853, Mr. Balme preached at the open- ing of the Church at 170 South Clark Street, and notice was given that religious services would be regularly held at the same place thereafter by him. This Church was organized Monday, April 25, 1853, in Mrs. Balme's school-room, on South Clark Street, at which time the Rev. A. Kenyon delivered an excellent and impress- ive address. On May 1, Elder Balme administered the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, in the district school- house which stood at the corner of Clark and Harrison

streets. A lot was leased in the early part of the month, on Clark Street. between Jackson and VanBuren, and it was the design to erect upon this lot, as soon as the subscription could be completed, a new church edifice. The subscription, however, was never completed, the church building never erected, and as a sufficient num- ber of members did not rally to the standard of MIr. Balme, he surrendered the project and left the city. The few members that had joined distributed themselves among other churches.

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THE BEREAN BAPTIST CHURCH was started in 1855, by members of the Tabernacle Baptist Church, who sympathized with the Rev. A. Kenyon, on account of what they felt to be unjust treatment of him by that Church. Temporarily they worshiped in a school- house at 109 South Jefferson Street. The organization was effected December 14, 1856, and the Berean Bap- tist Church was recognized by a council of the Baptist churches of the city February 8, 1857. During this year they erected a frame church building on Jackson Street, between Desplaines and Haisted, which cost $1,700. In 1859, under the pastorate of the Rev. Isaiah Rider, who was ordained November 7, 1858, this church building was removed to DeKoven Street, between Des- plaines and Halsted. Here the society remained and prospered until 1867, under the pastoral ministrations of Mr. Rider and Dr. Nathaniel Colver, when, becoming ambitious and looking upon their modest edifice as quite too small for so large and prosperous a city as Chicago; and feeling, as a certain minister expressed it, that "the day of small churches in Chicago had passed," they de- termined to erect a large and magnificent building in order to satisfy their personal and religious pride, and to provide an elegant religious home for a large, wealthy and prosperous organization. In 1867 the Church called the Rev. N. F. Ravlin to the pulpit. He re- mained until 1870, and succeeded in erecting and in- closing, on the corner of Harrison and Sangamon streets, where five twenty-five-foot lots had been purchased, a fine brick building, the main body of which was sixty- five by one hundred and twenty-five feet in size, the ex- treme width, including the towers, one on each front corner, being seventy-five feet. When the basement of this building was completed the Church sold to a busi- ness firm their property on DeKoven Street, and moved into the basement of the building, which they hoped would soon be completed and be their permanent home, and changed the name of their society from the " Be- rean Baptist Church " to the " Fifth Baptist Church." Had the church been finished according to the original design it would have cost $100,000. Including $20,- ooo borrowed of the Union Mutual Life Insurance Company, the society expended on the structure about $45,000. In 1868 the property was estimated to be worth $55,000; the congregation was three hundred, and the scholars in the Sunday school four hundred. It became evident about this time that it would be diffi- cult, if not impossible, to complete the audience room of the church and towers, which would cost an addi- tional $25,000 or $30,000. Members were tired of giv- ing and were opposed to an increase of the debt. The Second Baptist Church was near, was large and wealthy and with but a small debt, and as the Fifth Church was mainly composed of people in moderate circumstances, men of means preferred to unite themselves with a Church in which the drain upon their purses would not be so constant nor so large. Still, although the members of this Church had much to discourage them, they labored on as best they could. When Mr. Ravlin retired from the pulpit in 1870, he was succeeded by Rev. J. T. Westover, who remained only six months. He was suc- ceeded hy Rev. W. J. Kermott, who came in 1870, and re- mained until 1822. He was succeeded in 1872 by Rev. N. F. Ravlin. During 1873, Mr. Ravlin, thinking it possible that the Church would be more prosperous under another name, proposed to the members that the title "Temple Haptist Church " be adopted in place of the " Fifth Baptist Church." The change was effected August 11. 1873. A Church paper, under the name " The Temple Call," was issued monthly, by John L.

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History of Chicago. From the earliest period to the present time, Part 89

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas Number of Pages: 1340

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 1340