USA > Indiana > Vigo County > Terre Haute > Historic discourse delivered at the quarter century anniversary, of the second Presbyterian Church, Terre Haute, Indiana, December 27, 1873 > Part 2
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#This newly organized church appears first on the Minutes of the General Assembly for 1829, and is reported as having seventeen members ; having gained seven to its membership during the first year. In 1831 the church appears on the Minutes of the Assembly as vacant, Bro. Monfort having remained with them less than two years. The reason for his short stay was doubtless the severe afflictions of sickness and death in his family. Says one of his sons in a private letter : " During my father's short stay in Terre Haute, we passed through terrible afflictions in the loss of my mother and sister, and the severe illness of all the family save myself."
Rev. David Monfort stood high in the esteem of the best citizens of the place, and the memory of his devoted wife is
*The date, Saturday, May 17, I found in an old trustee book of the First Presby- terian Church of this city, together with the record of the meeting. The year, viz : 1828, I decided by reference to a calendar, by which I learned that Saturday, May 17, and the year 1828 corresponded.
*The year 1828 appears also as the year the church was organized, by putting to- gether the two dates, 1827, the time of Mr. Monfort's arrival, and 1829, when the church first appears on the Minutes of the Assembly.
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still fresh in the minds of many of our old citizens, all of whom speak in the highest terms of her superior talents, and of her womanly and Christian character.
In Gillett's History of Presbyterianism, I find the follow- ing : " Rev. David Monfort, D. D., was a native of Pennsyl- vania, and was born in 1790. In 1817 he completed his course in Princeton Theological Seminary, and the following year was settled over Bethel Church, in Oxford Presbytery, State of Ohio. *In 1829 he joined Wabash Presbytery and supplied the church at Terre Haute. In 1830 he commenced a pastorate of twenty years in Franklin, Indiana. His death occurred in 1860."
After the resignation of Rev. David Monfort, the church was without a pastor for some four years. During this period, Rev. - Sprole supplied the pulpit for a few months. tProbably in the fall of 1830. He came here directly from the seminary. The church was anxious to have him remain, but he could not be induced to stay.
It was during this period that the +Vincennes (formerly Wabash) Presbytery met in Terre Haute with this church. This meeting of Presbytery was in the fall of 1832. §The church at this date was vacant, and as yet there was no house of public worship in the town. The Presbytery convened in the Court House. At this meeting of Presbytery five per- sons were received into the church : one on profession and the others by letter. It was also during this period that the Rev. James Crawford, who was settled in the region north and west of us, and the Rev. John C. Campbell, who sup-
*The correct date must be 1828.
+Private letter from Rev. Ransom Hawley.
¿Changed by act of Synod, in 1830.
¿ Private letter from Rev. Ransom Hawley.
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plied the church of New Hope, situated some four or five miles west and south of us, frequently visited the church in Terre Haute, and ministered to it. And if I may may in- dulge in a personal reminiscence it was during this period, in the year 1832, that I was received into this church by the rite of baptism, administered by Rev. John C. Campbell ; and what gives special interest to this fact is that to-day I minister to a branch of the same church to which then I was publicly admitted. For it is an historical fact, not hereto- fore recognized, that this the now Second Presbyterian Church of Terre Haute, organized under the name of the Baldwin Presbyterian Church, in 1848, whose quarter cen- tury anniversary we to-morrow celebrate, is by direct lineage a branch of the First Presbyterian Church of Terre Haute, organized in 1828. Let us briefly trace the history and see if this appear.
After the resignation of Rev. David Monfort (which must have been in the latter part of the year 1829), *the first record of a church meeting is under the date of May 16, 1833. The object of this meeting, as stated, was the election of a pastor. Rev. Samuel Baldridge moderated the meeting. The result was the election of Rev. Michael Hummer as pastor of the church. The church, as then constituted, con- sisted of the two original elders, Messrs. Samuel Young and James Beard. The names of the members, so far as I can learn, were Messrs. Amory Kinney, Ephraim Ross, Zenas Smith, Thomas Desart, Alexander Ross, William Young, Mrs. Elizabeth Desart, Mrs. Charlotte T. Condit, Mrs. Julia McCall, Mrs. Hannah Smith, Miss Mary King, Miss Cath-
*Trustee book of the now First Presbyterian Church of this city.
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erine Boudinot, Mrs. Mary Ross and Mrs. Mary Young, sixteen members in all.
The call was placed in the hands of Mr. Hummer, but there is no record of his ever having publicly accepted it. * For just at this time there were sad divisions in the church ; and Rev. Matthew G. Wallace, by invitation, took charge of the church. In consequence of this, a large proportion of the church withdrew under Mr. Hum- mer, and held public services in the brick school-house, which stood for so many years on the northwest corner of Fifth and Walnut streets, the site now occupied by the Catholic school-house. And as I am reliably informed part of the old walls are still standing, forming a part of the walls of the present Catholic building. But to return to the history. Troubles of a private nature, external to the church, disturbed the happy relation existing between Mr. Hummer and this peo- ple ; consequently he remained but a short time, resigning his place to take charge of the Presbyterian Church, at Lafayette.
And further, in tracing the history, it was this same col- ony, fnot as an organization, but as individuals, that united with a few others at a meeting in an upper room of the Court House, in 1834, and took the first steps which resulted in the organization of the First Congregational Church of this city.
And, furthermore, in briefly sketching the outline of this history, it was a Presbyterian element, composed of sixteen members, three of whom belonged originally to this afore- said colony, that withdrew, in 1848, from the Congregational
#Record in trustee book of First Presbyterian Church.
7Testimony of Mr. Thomas Desart, now of Brazil.
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Church and organized what is the now Second Presbyterian Church of this city. So that to-day we stand as a represent- ative branch, though it be by separations oft, (the causes of which it is not necessary to speak,) we stand, I say, a rep- resentative branch of the First Presbyterian Church of Terre Haute, organized in 1828.
The other branch (or part of the original stock shall I call it ?) of whose history I should be glad to speak were it not in every way out of my province, has persistently held on to the name of the original mother, bearing, as it does to-day, the name of the First Presbyterian Church of Terre Haute. As a sister branch she is larger than we, and it may be in disposition firmer, and, consequently, if possible, has been more faithful to our Presbyterian doctrine of perseverance ; yet she has had her trials, as we have had our trials, but to- day, I am happy to say, she is in a more hopeful condition for serving the Master than for years past.
And we say to these, our Presbyterian and Congregational sisters, to whom we have sustained such special and peculiar relations, the Lord be with thee! The Lord grant peace and prosperity to all within thy gates! The Lord speed us all in the common work of rebuilding the walls of our spiritual Jerusalem.
In conclusion I would say, that in briefly recounting the history of the past, we have learned something of the dis- couragements under which the fathers labored in the plant- ing of the church in this place. That while churches were organized on every side of us, it seemed impossible to get a foot-hold here. And in understanding some of these diffi- culties it is noticeable that even when the church was organ- ized in 1828, only two of the ten members of which it was originally constituted, resided in the town, and even one of
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these was the wife of the minister who organized the church. The other eight members resided in the country. From the first our town bore a bad reputation, so far as church mem- bership was concerned. Even in 1829, more than a year after the church was organized, *a missionary who passed through the town was told that there was but one professor of religion in the place, which, in charity he adds, must have been a mistake.
I mention these things to show the faith and courage of the fathers in their early struggles to plant the banner of the cross in our town. To whose courage and faith we are to- day so much indebted, and for which we are glad, yea we will take courage and march forward in hope of final victory. For though yet in the wilderness, our faces are turned Zion- ward. Like the Israelites, for forty years and more we have wandered. We have been made to drink the bitter waters of division and spiritual dearth; we have complained against God and he hath been displeased and turned us back. And yet, in all, has there not been some progress ? And for any evidence of the good hand of our God upon us, we will give thanks and rejoice.
In the past history of the town it is easy to recount the evidences of progress. From three or four log houses in 1816, there has sprung up, as if by magic, in the short space of fifty-seven years, a beautiful and flourishing city with a population of 25,000. And a very large part of this increase has been in the last twenty years. In the first years of the history of the town, the best houses were built on the bank of the river, and on First street. In about ten or fifteen years, Second began to vie with First street for the suprem -
#Private letter from Rev. Ransom Hawley.
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acy. And in a few years afterward, Third, then called Mar- ket street, became the Broadway of the village. At this time all east of Sixth street was out on the prairie on the hill. "Sibley town" was then a thicket of oak saplings and hazel bushes. " The Indian orchard," one of the oldest landmarks of early days, was way up the river, where the boys went on Saturdays for green apples. "Strawberry hill," another of the time-honored landmarks, which has not to this day altogether lost its identity, was way down in the country. And " Pucket's lane," a celebrated locality of the olden times, but now almost unknown, was way down south of the village. Even so late as the year 1840, Seventh street was a county road, and all east of it fields of clover and corn ; Seventh which to-day claims the honor of being the central avenue of the city, though the honor rightly belongs to Sixth street. Consequently to the pioncer of 1816 and 1824, or even to the old resident of 1840, what a change. The old landmarks have disappeared or are forgotten. From a few scattered white houses on the river bank, we have be- come a beautiful city on the prairie. From a quiet village, adorned by the fragrant locust tree, we have become a city of mart and manufactures, and with bright prospects of be- coming second to but one city in the State.
And in this material progress we are permitted to trace the progress of the church. For from but one church of ten members, with only two of these residing in the village, in 1828, we have to-day churches of every denomination, with a church membership not reckoned by twos or tens, but by thousands. And from one little Sabbath-school held in the Court House, in 1825, we have church and mission schools extending to every part of the city. But, my brethren, ex- cept the Lord build the house they labor in vain who build it.
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In tears our fathers sowed, in joy may their children reap. And in the future song of the reaper let the refrain be, even the cry of the Psalmist, " Not unto us, O Lord, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy and for thy truth's sake."
But I can not close without extending the word of wel- come to my brother who founded this church twenty-five years ago, who is with us to-night from his distant home in the West, to speak words of joy and cheer on the mor- row. To you, my brother, I say welcome ! And gladly to the other four brethren, former pastors of this church, who , are detained but who have sent their gratulations, would I say welcome! Also, to the elders of the church who have served with the pastors; and to the private members who have labored with them for the sake of the Master, and who have returned to enjoy with us the festival of to-morrow; and to our invited guests of the city ; to you all I speak the word of welcome! And last, but first of all, I do not forget *you, my brethren, pioneers of Presbyterianism in Indiana, though you have not labored in this particular field, yet for years have been engaged in this same work of building up the kingdom of Christ in this part of the State, and are here, by special invitation, to relate something of your missionary ex- periences, to you I extend a hearty welcome ! And my prayer is that this occasion may prove, not only a season of joy and rejoicing, but the beginning of better things. And may Jesus, the great Head of the Church, who hath given everlasting promises to his people, add his blessing.
#Rev. Henry Little, D. D., and Rev. Ransom Hawley.
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MANUAL
OF THE
Second Presbyterian Church, TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA.
Containing Articles of Faith, Form of Admission, Roll of Membership. &c., &c. Second Edition, 1873. 40 Cents.
ANNIVERSARY SERMON
DELIVERED BY
REV. WM. M. CHEEVER, AT THE
QUARTER CENTURY ANNIVERSARY OF THE Second Presbyterian Church, of Terre Haute, December 28, 1873. 15- 20 CENTS.
Historic Discourse
DELIVERED BY THE PASIOR, REV. BLACKFORD CONDIT,
ON THE History of Presbyterianism in Connection with the Early History of Terre Haute, December 27, 1873. 15- 80 CENTS.
N. B .- Either of the above sent by mail, post-paid, on receipt of price.
Address,
F. A. McBRIDE,
Terre Haute, Indiana.
6/2
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