USA > Indiana > Tippecanoe County > Lafayette > History of St. John's Church > Part 2
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I trust I may ever be worthy of your kindness, and will use your gift with affectionate remembrance, with much comfort, thankfully, cheerfully and profitably, to the glory of God and the edification of my soul.
"And now, brethren, that your generous-nay, costly-donation is completed, and is in the posssession of your pastor, permit me to hold it without causing any further expense on your behalf, and taxing the liberality of our congregation beyond what has now been done; and allow me to finish the few out-buildings and slight improvements or additions (as the well etc.,) at my own cost. You have done more than enough, and I, with reason, may be content to undertake the small items which remain, especially since they are external to the main work.
"With this request, that your donation may now be considered perfected and finished, and that I may be henceforward full possessor, with entire control over the premises, I subscribe myself, brethren, beloved in the Lord, with profound respect and most cordial affection,
"Your attached friend and pastor, "REV. SAMUEL ROOSEVELT JOHNSON."
While Parson Johnson (as he was universally called,) lived in the small house his home had been open to all, but when he moved in the larger one his hospitality was, if possible, more profuse. He used his house, as he did everything else, for the advance- ment of the cause of Christ. In every way he helped the people around him. He was one of the Trustees of the County Seminary, then the principal school of the town, he was President of the LaFayette Literary Society, and he lectured for the benefit of the Female
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Benevolent Society. Every work for the advancement of the people found in him a willing helper. Nor did he neglect the little things that add to the beauty and grace of life. He brought rare flowers (among them the first passion flower), and gave slips and roots to his neighbors.
When Victor Hugo's great novel, "Les Misera. bles," was published, most persons believed the character of the Bishop was a mere brain creation, and the story of his giving the silver candle-stick to Jean Val. Jean was thought to be as unlike any real event as a fairy story. But it has its counterpart in an incident which occurred while Mr. Johnson lived at LaFayette, and is thus narrated in "Cox's Old Settlers :"
"One night Parson Johnson caught a man emerg- ing from his cellar with a ham of bacon. Astounded at the daring theft, the minister reproved him for his conduct. Abner (for that was the Christian name of the transgressor), to excuse himself for this act, said that his family was in a state of starvation, occasioned by the severe and protracted illness of its members; that he did not wish to disturb the evening devotions of the minister who had been so kind to him, and that ยท he had taken the ham with the intention of telling him of it, and paying for it when he became able. The parson immediately felt conscience-stricken-took the man into the cellar, and gave him an additional bacon ham, telling him whenever in future he needed provisions for his family to call on him, and dismissed him with his blessing, and prayer to the Almighty to grant all needed aid, temporal and spiritual, to the needy, afflicted man and his family. On returning to
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his house he said, 'Dear wife, we must immediately send some flour over to Abner W.'s; his family is in much want, and I fear we have committed a great sin in letting the poor go unprovided for, who live within a stone's throw of our house.' The flour and other dainties, such as the parson and his kind wife knew so well how to select, were the next day carried over to the poor man's cabin, and the man of God's conscience was at peace."
Meanwhile the work of the church was going steadily and prosperously forward. The first com- municant of the church was Jasper Bradley, of New Haven, Connecticut, a Christian gentleman, whose character and services were of great value to the church in those early days; but now the number of communicants was greatly increased. On June 6th, 1837, the first baptism that is recorded took place- that of John Garrett. Since that time there had been many baptisms. The first persons married in the church were Wm. W. Finley and Sarah Ann Brown, on November 25th, 1837. The first burial took place on June 20th, 1837, and was that of a very young child named Cornelius Mifflin.
Not only was Parson Johnson working in his own church, but he took great interest in establishing the church in other places, and he gained, in his own quiet and unobtrusive way, a deep and wide-spread influence throughout the length and breadth of Indiana. He was especially interested in the church at Delphi and Craw- fordsville.
At the time of the organization of the Parish of St. Mary's, at Delphi, he donated the ground for the church upon the same condition that he gave that of
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St. John's-"that it should forever be used for an Episcopal Church." He also contributed a sum of $600.00 himself, and gathered $100.00 from others, towards the building of the church. He often con- ducted the services there, and with the Rev. Anson Clark, of Logansport, presented, in 1845, the first class for confirmation in that church.
The church at Crawfordsville is older than the church in LaFayette, having been organized in 1832. At that time the old missionary pioneer, Rev. Mr. Hoyt, was there, and it is supposed that he suggested LaFayette as a good location to Mr. Johnson. Mr. Robert Jones, Sr., St. John's first Senior Warden, also first settled at Crawfordsville, and, with two or three others, made the first move towards establishing the church there. On various occasions Mr. Johnson held services in the church at Crawfordsville, going down often and giving them an evening service, and also assisted them materially in paying off their church debt.
LaFayette had all this time been improving and growing in every direction, but it was still in a transi- tion state from a village to a city, and the local government was ineffective. There were no railroads, but it was at the head of navigation on the Wabash river, and the Erie and Wabash canal was then in full operation. This brought a large floating population of boatmen, proverbially most lawless and ungoverned, and who, with the local rough element, gave LaFayette the unenviable reputation of being the hardest place on the Wabash. At this time, also, there was great agitation on the subject of slavery. Indiana being a border State, many runaway slaves passed through it,
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and in LaFayette there were a number of Abolitionists, who had established stations on what was known as the underground railroad. There was also another class of people who feared there was great danger of the State being overrun with vicious, runaway slaves; and the laws were very stringent, nay, barbarous, in regard to allowing negroes to enter the State. Still a large number of them had settled here. These were encouraged and protected by the Abolitionists, and were threatened and harassed by the Pro Slavery Party. There had been circulars sent offering a re- ward of $100.00 by the Governor of Kentucky for the return of every runaway slave. The excitement finally culminated in the winter of the year 1845 or 6 (the precise date we have been unable to learn), by a large party of boatmen and roughs organizing one night to tear down the house of Dr. Deming, who had been nominated for Governor by the Liberty Party (a party which Whittier calls the germ of the Republican party), and who had made himself ob- noxious by his speeches; and Mr. Lewis Falley, Sr., whose house was a refuge for runaway slaves. The mob had also planned to set fire to the houses of the negroes, and drive them from the city. But their secret was not well kept, and Mr. J. B. Michaels, who was then Sheriff, organized the law-abiding citizens into a company, and, with the "LaFayette Blues" and other militia companies, quietly arranged to thwart their plans. The Abolitionists were notified of the intended attack. When the mob came to Dr. Dem- ing's, he was found prepared for them. He came boldly forward, and made, it is said, the greatest speech of his life. At least it had a powerful effect,
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for the rioters gradually and silently slunk away. Mr. Lewis Falley was out of town at the time, and his wife was alone with her little children, The venerable lady, in telling of it, said: "Some friends notified me that my house was to be attacked, but also that there were armed men organized to protect me, and that at the first sign of disturbance I was to send my younger son for help. My older son was at the store to protect it. I put my little children to bed, and then in silence and darkness awaited their coming. I had not long to wait, for soon the mob came rushing on with oaths and threats, perfectly maddened with liquor and hate. But they were stopped by the guns of the militia, and told that the first man who tore a board from the fence would be shot down like a dog. I did not feel at all afraid, for I believed that what we had done was right, and that God would protect us. And He did; for while the men were still raging, there came up the most violent storm of thunder and lightning that I ever saw; and this, with the firmness of the militia, so frightened the mob that they went away without doing us any damage." Foiled in this, the mob now divided into parties, and started to drive out the negroes, whose cabins were scattered all over the town. In this they were more successful, as they burned three houses in the lower part of the town, and from nearly every
home drove the poor distracted creatures. The militia did all that was possible to protect them, and for three days and nights were under arms. The poor,
frightened negroes knew not where to go. Many families were afraid to shelter them. Fourteen of them found their way to the house of L. B. Stockton, whose colored cook gave them food and shelter. So
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frightened were they that they took refuge in a small, dark loft, and remained there for three days and nights. Parson Johnson, hearing of the condition of the negroes, went out through the town and hunted them up, taking all he could find to his own house, and giving them shelter in a row of sheds (some of which are still stand- ing) in the rear of his house. Here they were safe; for so great was the reverence and respect for the character of Parson Johnson that the roughest of the rioters would not have dared to molest them while under his care. This was the last act of public charity on record in Parson Johnson's life in LaFayette.
On June 18th, 1846, the following letter was sent to the vestry :
"DEAR BRETHREN .- After long and thoughtful consideration, I have come to the decision to remove back to the State of New York, a course not sought nor desired by myself, but necessary in the present condition of my affairs. That you may be free as a vestry for all such action as is advisable for the future supply of the parish with ministerial service, I there- fore take the earliest opportunity of declaring unto you that on the 15th day of July of this year (1846) I resign hereby the rectorship of St. John's Church, Lafayette. I shall, however, be happy to attend as usual to the regular duties of the pastor in the parish until such time as I shall leave this State, which will probably be in October, or perhaps somewhat later. Need I say how dear to me has been the union which has subsisted between us, how happy my residence among you, with how deep regret I make this separa- tion, and how strong and abiding shall be my affection and interest in your welfare. Need I declare my full
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and earnest belief that, with all my imperfections, this affectionate interest has been and is in like manner felt and manifested by you and the congregation to- wards me and mine ; or assure you how precious this conviction is to me, and how grateful its remembrance shall ever be. That the Lord Jesus, that great and good Shepherd of the Sheep, may take you under His present and continual guidance and protection, and bestow upon you every choicest blessing, is the devout wish and prayer of your attached friend and servant,
" SAMUEL ROOSEVELT JOHNSON."
" Postscript .- It is my wish and purpose that the house so generously presented to me by members of the congregation shall be occupied for the use of St. John's Church, Lafayette, at least for some years, and until such time as other and contrary notice shall be given by its owners. With this purpose I must beg that no personal kindness of my friends towards us may interfere, as we shall feel far happier in having our home thus applied than in any other way. I name this at present, as it may have its bearing upon the action of the church in providing for him who shall be invited by you as my successor.
"S. R. JOHNSON."
When Mr. Johnson first came to LaFayette, he had purchased a great deal of real estate, which had been sold from time to time, until there was very little re- maining. He had given five acres to St. John's Church, which the vestry, on May 10th, 1847, redeeded to him. Although he had notified the church of his intention of removing, yet it was not until the follow- ing year that his arrangements were finally com- pleted.
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At a meeting of the vestry, held in the church June 19th, 1847, the following members were present: Cyrus Ball, Thomas T. Benbridge, Andrew Ingram, Godlove S. Orth and Joseph Yundt. Cyrus Ball be- ing called to the chair, the following preamble and resolutions were adopted :
" WHEREAS, Our beloved pastor, Rev. Samuel Roosevelt Johnson, has determined to resign the rec- torship of this parish, and remove to the City of Brooklyn, N. Y., a determination, we believe, not from choice, but a result of controling circumstances, to which he has reluctantly yielded, and in which we feel it our duty to acquiesce; and remembering, as we do, his truly useful life among us-that he came here some twelve years since, when our country was com- paratively new, and the place where now stands the crowded city was but a village; that he has during his whole stay not only given his services as rector of the parish without compensation (for he always refused to accept a salary from us), but from his own resources has built up and sustained the church here and in various parts of the State; while the poor, the sick and the dying, of whatever religion, color or lan- guage, ever received not only spiritual advice and consolation, but temporal aid from his purse ; that he waited not to be called on for the exercise of his be- nevolence, but went about doing good wherever his counsel and assistance could give joy or relief;
" Resolved, That we do deeply regret that a neces- sity exists for his leaving us, and we sincerely hope that the circumstances which now call him away may take such direction as will add to his happiness, con-
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tinue and increase his usefulness, and in a short time restore him to us again.
" Resolved, That should the state of his affairs take such shape as to favor his stay among us, or early return, we do hereby invite him to the rectorship of this parish.
"Resolved, That our hearts will follow him wherever he may go ; that he has . our best wishes, our hopes and our prayers that 'all things may work together for his good,' both here and hereafter.
" Resolved, That the foregoing be entered on the records of the vestry, and a copy be presented to the Rev. Samuel R. Johnson by the clerk.
" Attest : Jos. YUNDT, Clerk."
On June 20th, 1847, Dr. Johnson finally closed his rectorship by sending the following letter :
To the Wardens and Vestrymen of St. John's Church, LaFayette, Ind .:
" DEAR BRETHREN-I received your very friend- ly communication last evening, and thank you for this cordial expression of your confidence and affection. Believe me, it is fully and feelingly reciprocated. I shall carry with me, and ever cherish, the memory of your kindness. May the blessing of God's providence and grace ever be with you. Farewell! Having now, in the exercises and services of this Lord's Day, bid farewell to our congregation, I close my pastoral work with this letter, and with this my painful and final act, viz: I hereby resign the rectorship of St. John's Church, LaFayette, Tippecanoe County, and State of Indiana.
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"With greatest respect and affection, I remain, brethren, your most truly attached friend and ser- vant,
"SAMUEL ROOSEVELT JOHNSON."
After leaving LaFayette, Dr. Johnson served for twenty-one years as Professor of Systematic Divinity in the General Theological Seminary at New York. Of his work here, Dr. Seymour, in his memorial sermon, says: "He lives in the memory of every alumnus who sat at his feet as a pupil, and they are my witnesses every one, scattered as they are in their high posts of trust and usefulness all over this land, that among the best things for which they have cause to be thankful to Almighty God is the blessed privilege of having been associated with Professor Johnson in the intimate relations of seminary life."
While Dr. Johnson lived in Brooklyn an incident occurred that we think belongs to the history of St. John's. He had, while living in LaFayette, encouraged and assisted several boys in getting an education. One of these, now grown to a useful and prosperous manhood, visited Dr. Johnson, and a few days after sent him his check for $1,000. We think the name should be recorded here. It was Judge David Turpie, of Indianapolis.
While Dr. Johnson was making arrangements for removal, the Rev. Mr. Okeson and the Rev Dr. Killi- kelly officiated occasionally, and for a few months the pulpit was filled by the Rev. Thomas B. Fairchild, of Hudson, Ohio, who had accepted a call to Logans- port later in the season. He will be remembered by the startling nature of the text of his first sermon,
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which was: " My Father's house is a house of prayer ; but you have made it a den of thieves." His sermons must have made a deep impression upon the people, as the following resolution of the vestry upon his depar- ture will testify:
"Resolved, That we shall ever bear in remem- brance his short stay among us, and hope we shall not be forgetful of his earnest warnings, his faithful ap- peals and admonitions, and his counsels to seek to be prepared for a future world; and we trust that his usefulness may be long spared, and that he may be blessed temporarily and spiritually."
On October Ist, 1847, the Rev. John W. McCul- lough, of Wilmington, Delaware, became rector. He was a highly cultured man, and of gentle, lovable dis- position. During his rectorship the first parish school was established. It was for girls only, and was held in the vestry room of the church, and taught by Dr. Mccullough himself. This year Mr. Swantzen was engaged as leader of the choir, and here is the first mention of any money being paid for the music, he having a salary of one hundred dollars.
In 1848 the church building was enlarged to 28 by 60 feet, at a cost of $400, the congregation having grown so large that the old building would not hold them. On January Ist, 1849, Dr. Mccullough re- signed the rectorship to accept that of St. Luke's Church at Jackson, Tennessee, connected with a pro- fessorship in West Tennessee College, to which he had been elected, and which he was well qualified to fill. After his departure, the vestry extended a call to their first pastor, Rev. S. R. Johnson, offering a salary of $650, but he was unable to accept it.
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There was now an interregnum, in which the Rev. A. M. Loutrel officiated for a short time.
Up to this time there had been no Bishop of the Diocese, the Missionary Bishop having officiated at long intervals. When the Diocese of Indiana was or- ganized, all looked to the Rev. S. R. Johnson as the man for the bishopric, but he anticipated the universal wish, and assured his intimate friends that, under no circumstances, would he consent to take upon himself the responsibilities of the Episcopate. Had it not been for his wondrous humility, his name would have graced and enriched the list of American Bishops. But now it was thought that the church was strong enough in Indiana to have a bishop, although too weak financially to support one by assessment alone. There- fore it was decided to add to the bishop's work and salary that of the rectorship of St. John's; and Mr. A. Ingram was appointed to confer with Dr. Mears, of Indianapolis, Dr. Dunn, of Frankfort, and other prominent churchmen in the diocese, relative to the election of a Bishop in connection with the rectorship of the parish. Several persons were so elected, among them the Rev. Thomas Atkinson, of Baltimore; but all declined.
At a convention held at Indianapolis in June, 1849, the Rt. Rev. George Upfold, D. D., then of the Diocese of Pennsylvania, was elected Bishop of In- diana, accepted the position, and was consecrated on the 16th of December of the same year.
On the 25th of February, 1850, Bishop Upfold was invited by the vestry of St. John's to assume the . rectorship of the church. He accepted, and began his duties that year. Not only as the first Bishop of In-
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diana, but also for his own personal character, some more extended notice is due him:
The Bishop was born in England, on the 7th of May, 1796. Emigrating to this country in 1802, his parents settled at Albany, New York, and became at- tached to St. Peter's Parish, the oldest of the churches in that city. At twelve years of age he became a pupil in the Lansingburg Academy, and after two years there he was entered as a Freshman at Union College, Schenectady, where he graduated in July, 1814, and immediately entered upon the regular prose- cution of his chosen profession-that of medicine. During this period he served for a short time as a vol- unteer in the war with Great Britain, and at the close of his term of service resumed his studies under the celebrated Dr. Valentine Mott, of New York, and took his degree of M. D., in 1816, from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in that city. After only two years' practice in the city of Albany, his mind was directed to the work of the sacred ministry, and he resolved to devote his life to the service of his Master and the benefit of mankind in that high vocation. Receiving deacon's orders, in 1818, from that eminent Bishop of New York, the Rt. Rev. John H. Hobart, he became minister of Trinity Church, Lansingburg, and Grace Church, Waterford, where he continued to serve until December, 1820, a few months after his advancement to the priesthood. He then became the first rector of St. Luke's Church, New York, and during a portion of his rectorship, from 1821 to 1825, officiated also as an assistant minister in Trinity Church, by which his parish was founded, and from which it received its chief support. After a rector-
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ship in St. Luke's of eight years, he accepted a call to St. Thomas' Church, New York, and in about three years more became the rector of Trinity Church, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he remained for eigh- teen years, resigning it to become the first Bishop of Indiana. His acceptance of the charge of the diocese was at a period which promised nothing but severe labor, great personal self-sacrifice and self-denial, with small visible results, of long-continued, patient work, laying foundations that others might build thereon. The greater part of his time was spent in traveling. This alone was a great labor at that time; but from the day after his consecration down to the last hour in which it was possible to labor-in summer's heat and winter's cold, with unflinching courage and perseve- rance, he prosecuted his work. Added to the labor of traveling, he had to deal with and govern a people who had very little knowledge of church law, and who, having been accustomed, during the long absence of the Missionary Bishop, to decide questions for themselves, were restive and sometimes rebellious un- der any authority. The Bishop was a high church- man, but very conservative, and disliked change. He held his convictions firmly, and was true and sincere in all his dealings. So well known was this trait that it was said of him: "You always know where you will find the Bishop of Indiana." He had that most necessary and admirable trait in a ruler-a love of jus- tice. As a preacher, he relied upon no graces of oratory for his success. His was simply the eloquence of truth. His sermons were strong and clear, always carefully prepared, and commanded the respect and attention of those who heard him. He was himself
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no enthusiast, but always calm, cool and practical in his preaching. He was a man of fine personal pres- ence, in appearance and manner, every way worthy of his high position. The personal and social character of the Bishop was not generally known. He was too busy to be much in social life, and when he had leisure he preferred to spend it in the quiet of his home and the work of his study. To strangers he was some- what reserved in his manner, as most Englishmen are, but to those who knew him intimately he was one of the most genial and agreeable of men. The Bishop was particularly fond of young people, and of pro- moting their pleasure in every innocent way. He loved to see them dance, and said "he would as soon think of telling young lambs not to skip as young peo- ple not to dance." His friendships were not lightly made, but were true and lasting. His work in the diocese cannot be too highly estimated, and he seemed to be precisely the man needed for the position.
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