USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > The New church and Chicago; a history > Part 10
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It is living illustration of the, we may say, spiritual criminality that must necessarily exist, otherwise support of the Church and its ministry would be full-handed and happily bestowed.
Making use of his own words, he does not complain, and in spite of meager support, has done much good work in receiving members, forming societies, and building churches; and lays stress on the Lord's words, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his right-
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eousness, and all these things (the Gentiles seek after) shall be added unto you."
Mr. Bartels is author of a New Church catechism published in 1899, made up entirely of questions as by the natural man, and short, terse answers given in the light of the New Church. While it is a small book, it is quite comprehensive of the subjects in both the old and new Word, and cannot be read by any faithful reader of the Bible without beneficial results; while to those who may be wandering in the darkness of the literal sense, there must appear the incomparable light which floods the first vision of the spiritual sun. Other literary work of the kind which enters into the spiritual man, the effect of which, going with him into the next life, lives forever, is creditable to the intellect and industry of this time-hon- ored and mature New Churchman.
1865.
In its annual report for the year 1864, the executive committee makes a very urgent appeal for more generous support of the Church, and quotes Article VII of the Rules of Order as being the declaration of the Society on the subject, page 103, and also gives in full its report to the Illinois Association in 1855, as follows:
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE CHICAGO SOCIETY OF THE NEW JERUSALEM TO THE ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION, 1855.
We learn from the doctrines of the New Church that all we have, even our very life, is constantly, daily and hourly, communicated to us by the Lord, and that we must make an acknowledgment of this fact, and of our dependence upon the Lord for all we are and have, in order that it may be of real use to us. We must regard not only our spiritual possessions as the Lord's, but also all our worldly wealth as belonging to our Heavenly Father. Viewed in this light, the conclusion seems inevitable that
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all that we have should contribute to the support and maintenance of the uses of the Church, and that each and every one should contribute to this purpose, as the Lord gives him ability. This has always been the declared doctrine of the Illinois Association and the Chicago Soci- ety, and it is believed that the leading members of our Society have always endeavored to contribute with some regard to this principle. Yet no such definite rule has been adopted as to produce that uniformity and equality which justice and true order would seem to demand.
The committee has had this matter under consideration for a long time; and, while it does not pretend to have arrived at any certain conclusion as to what is true order, it concluded to adopt for its government, and to recommend to the brethren the adoption of the rule of contributing five per cent. of their respective incomes to the support of the uses of The Chicago Society of the New Jerusalem; leaving an equal amount, upon the tithe principle, to be devoted to other charities and more general uses.
The principle of tithing, your committee believes to be correct in principle and useful in practice. The difficulty is in the application of this principle. Some persons have very considerable incomes, but little or no property. Others have large estates, but no considerable income. Some, and perhaps the majority, have both small means and very little income. No rule can be laid down, which. in the present disordered state of the world, will not be liable to many and varied exceptions and modifications; and, therefore, each person must be left free to act accord- ing to his or her own conscientious judgment and discre- tion, in the adoption of the principle, and the application of the same to his or her condition. But the principle is believed to be sound and correct, and the members of the committee have agreed to apply it to themselves, and to recommend it to their brethren.
It is believed that a conscientious endeavor to conform to it will tend to make us circumspect and considerate in our dealings, provident in our expenditures, and prudent in our business transactions. It will introduce order into our daily expenses, requiring us to take account of and know what our means are, and make our disbursements
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conform to the same. And, in this as in all other in- stances of the fulfilment of duty, it is believed that tem- poral prosperity is never really prejudiced by the perform- ance of orderly spiritual duties.
The experience of those who have endeavored to apply the principle of tithing, it is believed, will not show that they have been pecuniarily less prosperous than those who have neglected it. The committee believes that while prodigality in charities tends to recklessness in business, just contribution has the reverse tendency.
The committee has said more now upon this subject than it otherwise would, from the fact that at the present time both the necessities of our Society and the general Church require increased and more orderly and systematic contributions for their support. If the New Church be anything, it is everything.
How strangely inconsistent, then, do those who have been blessed with the acknowledged light of the New Jerusalem act, who spend large sums in building and fur- nishing houses for themselves and families, and in their own personal decoration and comfort, while their clergy- man is unpaid, or but meanly kept, not supported, upon a salary that raises him but little above beggary, and the worship of the Lord's New Church is unprovided with a suitable edifice.
The committee recommends for adoption the following resolution:
Resolved, That the members of this Society will endeavor to pay five per cent. upon their respective net incomes for the support of The Chicago Society of the New Jerusalem, with the exception, that any member of the Society, whose wedded partner is of a different relig- ious persuasion, is expected to deduct from said five per cent., the amount by him paid for the support of the denomination to which such partner belongs.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
[Signed] J. YOUNG SCAMMON, JOHN SEARS, JR., JAMES V. Z. BLANEY,
ALEXANDER OFFICER,
HENRY L. FULTON, CHARLES V. DYER,
DYER N. BURNHAM,
Members of the executive committee who were present at the last meeting for 1854.
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RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY AN EASTERN SOCIETY ยท EMBODIED IN THE REPORT.
Resolved, that we acknowledge the equity and justice of contributing to the support of the ministry and for the contingent expenses of our Society, according to the ability given us by the Lord from year to year; and for this purpose we will individually furnish to the treasurer of the - New Church Society, annually, a statement of our income, to be conscientiously made according to the best of our ability, on which we agree to be assessed, and to pay him in quarterly payments the percentage which may be found by him necessary to meet our pro- portion of said expenses.
Finally having devoted more space to the same subject, the committee says, "We have come to the conclusion that the most orderly and most convenient way is to have collections taken up each Sunday." The commit- teemen are not unaware that there is in the minds of many * * * strong opposition to taking collections, but it is believed that such collections to a certain extent are unavoidable, and when made each Sunday feelings of repugnance will gradually pass away." And so, for the first, the custom of the Sunday collection, or more proper, the offering at time of worship, was adopted by the Chi- cago Society.
In 1865 the salary of Mr. Hibbard was made two thousand dollars per year, at which time the executive committee presented him with a letter, signed by all the members, expressing their high regard for him in very affectionate terms.
The Convention met in the temple, June 14th, and conducted its session.
In June he who became the Rev. Charles H. Mann, and who is known throughout and appreciated in the
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Church with universal affection, came to Chicago and entered into study for the ministry with Mr. Hibbard.
Mr. Mann is one of the several living New Church clergymen who are honored by having served in the United States army during the civil war. Others are Rev. Samuel S. Seward, Rev. Eugene D. Daniels, Rev. Theodore F. Wright, and there may be more. Several, if not all, wear the insignia of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion.
The experience in that field of extraordinary usefulness, added to his collegiate education and time spent in literary occupation, had well fitted him for preparation for the noble profession which he has filled with marked con- sistency and signal success. In addition, it is due Mr. Mann to remember his twenty-five years of service in the arduous office of manager and editor of the New Church Messenger.
During the year Mr. Mann became a member of the Chicago Society and in October, at the Association, by invitation, delivered an address on "The Signs of the Times," and on two Sundays in November filled the pul- pit in the temple during the absence of Mr. Hibbard.
Commencing in December on invitation of the Society, he delivered a course of lectures or sermons, Sunday evenings, on the internal sense of the Word, which ran through the winter and into May.
During this time he preached frequently in the morning for Mr. Hibbard; his administrations in the Adams street temple during several years amounting to fifty or more times. Following those years, he has been, and is yet, a visitor in Chicago, when people of the Church are recipients of useful lessons which he so well knows how to impart.
Mr. Mann was married to Miss Clausine C. R. Borch-
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senius, March 14, 1867, in the temple, by Mr. Hibbard. She preceded him as a member of the Chicago Society two years.
The German Society having been formed as proposed in 1864, it was voted to transfer to it the property in which it worshiped, subject to the condition that it could not be conveyed without the consent of the trustees of the general Society.
1866.
January 8th, in the annual meeting of the Society, a reso- lution was adopted authorizing the executive committee to purchase a lot in each division of the city suitable for the location of a mission chapel, "for the accommodation of persons residing in the suburbs." The establishment of such missions was recommended by remarks, and the sub- ject was left with the committee with authority in the matter.
The meeting of the executive committee August 8th, decided that there should be raised by subscription one thousand or fifteen hundred dollars, to be donated to the Portland (Me.) Society to aid in building a temple to replace the one recently destroyed in the conflagration, and it was ordered that subscription papers be prepared and the work commenced. This resulted in eleven hun- dred dollars being sent before January 1st following.
Two hundred dollars was appropriated for the use of the Illinois Association.
1867.
To the executive committee, August 28th, Mr. Scammon, as chairman of the church committee, reported that he had arranged with Mr. J. M. Hartman to lead the German mission service at the Free Church on
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Kankakee avenue, and to pay him at the rate of five hundred dollars per year, which action was approved by the committee.
1868.
From the report of the Society to the Illinois Associa- tion for 1868 it is learned that Mr. Hartman was a Ger- man Lutheran preacher who had received the New Church and had been baptized. He conducted the mission until in the spring of 1868, when, on his going to Europe, it was carried on by Mr. Ragatz, Mr. Hibbard, Prof. Tru- man H. Safford, Mr. Leonard G. Jordan, Rev. Mr. Brick- man, and others.
The contribution of the Society for the use of the Asso- ciation was two hundred dollars.
The Free Church on Kankakee avenue, mentioned above, is frequently called the South mission. It was opened in the fall of 1866, in a building which belonged to Mr. Scammon, and which some years later he gave to the Society. It had been built for, and was the chapel of the great military camp, Camp Douglas, which occupied a large territory in that vicinity during the civil war. The location of the mission is now known as the south- west corner of South Park avenue and Thirty-third street -the site of the beautiful South Park Avenue Methodist Church.
In 1868 the Society purchased eight lots in Oakwoods cemetery to supply the place of those in the old Chicago cemetery which it had become necessary to dispose of on account of the abandonment of the cemetery. The old cemetery was on ground, part of which is now in Lincoln Park.
April 28th, the executive committee adopted the fol- lowing: "Resolved, that we recognize the valuable
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service rendered the Society by Mr. J. Freeman Silke in keeping the accounts and writing up the books of the Society during the past two years, and that he be requested to continue to act in the same capacity here- after; and that pew No. 51 be set apart for the use of Mr. Silke and his family as compensation for the service."
[From the Messenger, in September.]
Last evening we had a meeting of twenty-three of our Sunday-school teachers-our temple school, and the mis- sion-and agreed to take two hundred and fifty copies of the "Little Messenger," to have a picnic, and to have weekly meetings of teachers, to be more in earnest our- selves, and to help others to be more so than heretofore.
Mr. Hibbard leaves us next week for Minnesota, Mr. Dillingham, of Maine, taking his place while he is absent.
[Letter from Mr. Hibbard to the Messenger, in October.]
Our temple is being thoroughly cleaned, repaired, and finished; new furnace, lower rooms kalsomined and painted; upper rooms cleaned, ceiling frescoed, walls kalsomined, ornamented over windows, and on all panels and open spaces; inscriptions from the Word and Sweden- borg, some twenty-eight or thirty in all. I think when it is done it will be very beautiful and appropriate.
1869.
February 17th, the executive committee voted to give the offering of the following Sunday to the American Bible Union, for the purpose of aiding in procuring a press on which to publish the Scriptures in the Chinese language.
The chapel of the North mission was dedicated by Rev. Mr. Hibbard and Rev. Mr. Brickman, May 24th.
A letter in the Messenger in June, says: "The build- ing is very respectable in appearance, being built in good
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taste and painted drab. It is, I should judge, thirty-five or forty feet by fifty or sixty, and will seat, loosely, two hundred and ten."
This chapel was purchased of the United Presbyterian Church, Superior street, between Wells and Franklin, by the Society, and moved. The land on which it was placed belonged to Charles V. Dyer and Sanford E. Lor- ing, part of which, as will be seen by purchase later, became the property of the Chicago Society.
Under date of May 26th, is recorded the report to the Society of Mr. Alexander Officer, executor of the estate of John Sears, deceased, relative to the bequest of Mr. Sears to the Society, which amounted to three thou- sand one hundred and forty-two dollars. The acts of Mr. Officer, as executor and as member of the executive com- mittee, were approved, when Mr. Scammon offered a reso- lution which was voted, expressing thanks for the Society and for the committeemen, and containing the following paragraph.
"Mr. Sears, in the final distribution of his estate, recognizes the principle on which he, in common with many of us, acted during his active membership in the Society, that all we have belongs to the Lord; and it is our duty to set apart a certain portion of our income annually to the support of the Church; and the donation of a tithe of his estate to the Society when he was called to surrender his control of the same, is, in our judgment, a grateful and appropriate ultimation of this principle in the last legal act of his life."
The executive committee voted also to have the pastor read to the congregation at service the following Sunday, so much of its action as relates to this subject, and that a copy be sent the New Jerusalem Messenger for publi- cation.
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[Chicago Tribune, in June.]
A strawberry and cream festival will be held this eve- ning at the New Jerusalem temple on Adams street, between Wabash and Michigan avenues, for the benefit of the South Mission Church. Mrs. Magnussen Jewett, with the Arion club, will entertain the festival with some choice selections.
[Letter from "Sigma" (Mr. Scammon) to the Messenger, in August.]
Rev. Mr. Dillingham is on a visit to Maine, and con- sequently Mr. Hibbard is the only New Church minister in the city. He preaches in the temple on Adams street in the morning and at four P. M. in the North mission. New Church service in the German language is held in three places, at Mr. Ragatz' temple, Reuben street, South mission or Free Church, near the university, and either at Dyhrenfurth's schoolroom in the central part of the city or at the North mission, two of the services always being conducted by lay readers.
August 25th, it was decided that the offering for the first Sunday of each month be devoted to the general mis- sionary fund, to be distributed by the executive com- mittee.
The appropriation for the Association this year was as above-two hundred dollars.
[Letter from Mr. Hibbard to the Messenger, in October.]
Yesterday I baptized, in all, twenty persons-four at the temple, fourteen at South mission, and two at a pri- vate house. The Holy Supper was administered at the temple and at the mission; at the latter place both in Eng- lish and German. The Rev. Mr. Tuerk is with us for a few Sabbaths. The South mission is now made a beauti- ful place of worship.
December 6th it was voted that the Rev. J. R. Hib- bard be authorized to employ ministerial assistance for
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the work in Chicago, at an amount not exceeding fifteen hundred dollars per year, and recommending Rev. Mr. William M. Goodner.
December 29th, on the recommendation of Dr. Alvan E. Small, a respite from duty of three months was granted Mr. Hibbard, and it was ordered that his salary for the time be paid in advance. An affectionate and sympathetic resolution was adopted for the affliction of the pastor, in the loss of his wife, and on account of his own illness; it was ordered that the expense of the funeral of Mrs. Hibbard be paid from the funds of the Society, and that Mr. Scammon read the report of the action of the committee on this subject to the congregation the following Sunday.
At the same meeting of the executive committee it voted to ask for the ordination of Rev. William N. P. Dillingham.
The book room at this time, carried on by Mr. Scam- mon, was at 23 La Salle street.
1870.
Aug. 24, 1870, it was ordered that the offering for the first Sunday of each quarter be devoted to the relief of the poor of the Society.
The Following Articles from the Messenger :
(February.)-Mr. Hibbard is ill with vertigo. Mr. Dillingham is serving the temple and North mission; Mr. Goodner serving Hyde Park* and the South mission.
*NOTE .- The service in Hyde Park, referred to above, was made necessary by the lack of Sunday trains and transportation to the city. It was locked after and frequently conducted by Mr. E. Towner Root, in his residence. It was held for a time in a building now described as "The Old Seminary building," and also in Marine hall, Fifty-third street and Lake avenue. Mr. Hibbard, Mr. Goodner, and Mr. Noble are the only ministers of whom we have record of serving there, but it is likely there were others.
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(August.)-The Adams Street Society has extended the vacation of Rev. Mr. Hibbard, on account of his ill health, until the end of September. The pulpit will be filled by the Rev. Charles H. Mann of Orange. The Rev. C. Day Noble has been invited to take charge of the South mission.
(September.)-We held our annual picnic on Wednes- day, August 31st. The day was lovely. The sun shone and there was a breeze from the lake. It was just warm enough to make it enjoyable out doors. We occupied Doctor Dyer's grounds at Comorn, ten miles out on the Rock Island railroad. They are nicely adapted for the purpose, having a grove of young oaks on them. * Groups of friends gathered around the tables and spread out the contents of their baskets, after disposing of which selections from "The Prize" were sung, the musicians playing the accompaniment. The young people spent the afternoon in dancing, playing ball, and singing; the older ones in conversation and card playing. There were two hundred and eighty persons present, and not the slightest accident occurred to mar their pleasure.
1871.
By the annual meeting, Jan. 8, 1871, the executive committee was requested to consider the subject of estab- lishing a reading-room, in connection with a New Church bookstore, and authority was given for the committee to act as it might deem best.
The meeting of the executive committee, February 11th, appointed a committee to recommend sites for mission churches for the North and South divisions of the city. The following meeting, held February 25th, voted to purchase a piece of land adjoining the site of the North mission for five thousand dollars, cash in hand; and the piece of land at the southwest corner of Calumet avenue and Thirty-third street, one hundred by one hundred and fifty feet, for ten thousand dollars, cash in hand; both sums to be taken from the temple fund.
THE ADAMS STREET TEMPLE AND MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL CONVENTION. June 9, 1871.
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March 4th it was voted to buy the stock of books owned by Mr. Scammon in the New Church bookstore, 23 La Salle street, and move them and the shelving to the lecture-room of the Adams street temple, and that the room be fitted to carry on that use .*
[From the Messenger, in January.]
Two of the four dancing parties for the season, in addi- tion to the weekly socials, have taken place at Marisole's academy on Wabash avenue. They were well attended by old and young and very enjoyable.
The meeting of the executive committee, June 28th, was occupied with considering a communication from the pastor, Rev. J. R. Hibbard, and the reply thereto.
Mr. Hibbard referred to his work in the Church in the state for twenty-eight consecutive years, and as pastor of The Chicago Society of the New Jerusalem for twenty-two years. He speaks of the return of vertigo, which was the cause of a vacation of three months being extended to him a year and a half previous, and says he is compelled to ask leave of absence for a year from the first of July following. He says it is his intention, with the compan- ionship of Dr. H. N. Small, a physician and friend, to visit the countries of Great Britain and several of the Continental countries, hoping that the respite from labor and the change will result in a restoration of his health.
The reply of the committee, the record of which is signed by all the members, as below, is very considerate, kind, and sympathetic. In it are these lines: "Words of eulogy do not belong to a Church which acknowledges the great doctrine contained in the command, 'Let your
*NOTE .- By a statement of July 6, 1873, it is seen that the value of the books at the time of the destruction of the temple and contents, 1871, was about two thousand three hundred dollars.
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communication be, Yea, yea, Nay, nay, for whatso- ever is more than these cometh of evil;' and we desire to express no sentiments but those we feel. Mr. Hibbard has been the first and only pastor of our Society, and first and only superintendent of the Illinois Association. His service in guarding the Church from errors without and within deserves our gratitude. His fidelity, zeal, and de- votion have been commensurate with his strength, and his industry unflagging. Commending him to the protection of our Lord and Saviour, we wish him a pleasant voyage and happy return to his chosen field of labor with regained health, * while we tender to him the accompanying material aid for his journey."
Signed by J. Young Scammon, chairman; Carl F. W. Junge, secretary; Alexander Officer, Robert E. Moss, George F. Root, James M. Hill, Alvan E. Small, Willet Northup, Franklin Gilmore, and Sanford E. Loring.
The letter of the committee was read and presented in the Adams street temple, in the presence of friends and members of the Society, all joining in the presentation and leave-taking, Thursday evening, July 13th. The subscriptions for the present amounted to sixteen hundred and eighty-eight dollars.
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