USA > Kentucky > Fayette County > Lexington > Historical sketch of Christ Church cathedral : Lexington, Ky. > Part 3
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Soon, however, matters were adjusted and all the members of Christ Church reunited. But that same year "the bright galaxy dispersed;" the band of learned men at Lexington was scattered; the Med-
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ical School was removed to Louisville and Dr. Cooke went with it; Dr. Coit returned to the East; Mr. Caswall went to Indiana; and the Leacocks jour- neyed to Tennessee.
Rev. Edward
In 1837 repeated efforts were made to secure an assistant minister for Christ Church, one being greatly needed to help Bishop Smith with his nu- merous duties as both Rector and Bishop Rev. A T. Bledsoe, of Ohio, was engaged, but held the Winthrop place for a few months only. In 1838 Rev. John Ward accepted the office for a short while; and in the same year, during Bishop Smith's absence in the East, to attend the Convention, the Rev. Ed- ward Winthrop, from Connecticut, filled his pulpit. Mr. Winthrop was a professor in the Theological Seminary and also conducted a "Select Class for Young Ladies in the higher branches of the Mathe- matics, Mental Philosophy, etc."
On his return, the Bishop decided to resign the office of Rector, and he did so, October 22, 1838. In the meantime the Theological Seminary had not prospered as it had been hoped it would, and it was given up. The rectory, next door to the church, which had been occupied by Bishop Smith, was sold; and he and his family were granted permis- sion to occupy the Seminary buildings. Here he commenced, and conducted for several years, a young ladies' school.
In 1839-40 Bishop Smith was State Superintendent of Public Instruction. While holding that office, he visited and lectured in seventy-six out of
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the ninety counties then contained in Kentucky. The grounds and buildings belonging to the Sem- inary in Lexington were sold in 1844, and the library transferred to Shelby College. The Bishop moved to Katorama, near Louisville, where he continued his school for young ladies until he moved into the city.
Perhaps it is not generally known that our Church made the first move towards establishing St. Paul's, Louisville. Christ Church, Louisville, was too young and feeble to think of such an undertaking. So the suggestion came from Christ ·Church, Lexington, the Mother Parish of the Dio- cese, and a circle of ladies here offered to raise half the salary for a missionary, to labor among those living below Fifth Street in Louisville After 1872 Bishop Smith was the Senior and Presiding Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States. In 1875 he moved to Frankfort and built a home there. But much of the latter part of his life was passed in the East. The duties of his office of Presiding Bishop frequently required his presence there, and he was at that time too old a man to endure the discomforts of much traveling. He was represented in Kentucky by his assistant, Bishop Cummins, and afterwards by Bishop Dud- ley. He died in New York, May 31, 1884, after a long life full of good works. One of his character- istics was his fondness for children, whom he could please and entertain by the hour with the simplest and most commonplace objects. It must always
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be remembered that he was the first Bishop of Kentucky and that his episcopate was one of "hard unremunerativelabor, uncomplainingly performed."
In the old records of the vestry we find only one- reference to decorating the church. That was in December, 1830, when Thomas Hart was com- missioned to get all the materials necessary for the Christmas trimming. Then, as now, the work was. done by the young girls of the congregation. A daughter of Bishop Smith says there were some fine pillars in the old church, and she remembers their pleasure in wreathing these with cedar. Christmas Eve was the Bishop's favorite festival. Mr. Incho, the organist then, would render inspir- ing music, and their celebration of the holy night would make it a memorable occasion.
Another interesting thing to note, in reading those old records, is how gradually grew the cus- tom of taking up a collection at the services. At. first the Church revenues were raised by taxing the owners of pews and renting seats to others, and for large needs subscription lists were resorted to. Subscriptions, by the way, it seems, were usually readily promised, even large sums; but the collec- tion of the amounts was a slow and difficult pro- ceeding. December 30, 1822. it was resolved, "that a collection be had at the Church on the last Sun- day of every month (except December), and on Christmas Eve, for the benefit of the Church." In February, 1826, it was decided to take up a collec- tion every second Sunday also, but this was to,
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Chapel of the Good Shepherd, South Broadway.
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last only a short time, namely, until they paid for certain alterations on the pulpit and for some other repairs. In 1833 a box was placed in the church for voluntary contributions for the use of the Diocese, and a collection was to be taken "each Sabbath (excepting the regular ones for other purposes) for painting the Church." Then two years later it was resolved to have a collection every Sunday "for the general purposes of the Church," that taken the first Sunday of every month to be de- voted to missions. And though this rule was sus- pended at times, for instance, when the rent of the pews was raised, the method was always resorted to again, until it became the invariable custom.
Mr. Winthrop continued to fill the place of Rector of the Church until December. The last of that month he petitioned the vestry to release him, and the Rev. E. F. Berkley, a graduate of the Lexington Theological Seminary, was engaged as temporary Rector. Soon he was called upon to accept the position permanently.
Mr. Berkley was born in Washington, D. C. Sep- tember 20. 1813. He came to Lexington in 1835 and studied for three years at the Theological Seminary. He was ordained in Christ Church in December. 18: 8, and the next month he accepted the charge of the Church and remained its honored and beloved Rector for nearly nineteen years. He married Miss Sarah Maury, of the celebrated Virginia family of that name, and they lived on North Mill Street in the house recently remodelled by Mr. Hull David-
Rev. E. F. Berkley.
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son . It was during Mr. Berkley's ministry that it was decided to pull down the old church, which had always been regarded as unsafe, and erect a much larger one. The remains of those buried in and around the old building were removed to the Episcopal Burying Ground, on East Third Street, which had been purchased in 1834. The place is still owned by the Church, and a small house on it is occupied by the sexton. An interesting day can be spent there, wandering among the old tomb- stones, deciphering the almost obliterated inscrip- tions, and many familiar names and quaint epitaphs will reward a persistent search.
The cornerstone of the new, that is the present church, was laid with appropriate ceremonies on Wednesday. March 17, 1847, the dedicatory address being delivered by the Rev. James Craik, D. D., Rector of Christ Church, Louisville This is the third church building constructed on the site occu- pied by the little frame house originally used for church purposes.
All brides ever married in this church should know what one bride did. "She put half her wed- ding dress in Christ Church bell clappe ... " That is, she handed over one-half the amount her father gave her for her dress to Mr. Dudley Craig, treas- urer of the Church, to buy the clapper for the new bell We may be sure the peals of the wedding bell were sweeter and merrier, in her own ears at least, because of that self-denial.
In the year 1847 Henry Clay was baptized. From
Erection of the Present Church.
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its very beginning he had been a pew-holder and contributor to the Church, and was very much interested in the erection of the new building. We are able to give Mr. Berkley's own account of the occasion, as contained in a letter written by him several years ago, in answer to some questions asked him on the subject by Dr. Ryland, of this city, who had heard that Mr. Clay had been im- mersed in one of the ponds at Ashland :
"I baptized Mr. Clay in his parlor at Ashland, at the same time administering the same ordinance to his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Thomas H. Clay, and four of her children, on the 22nd of June, 1847, a few special friends only being present. The water was applied by the hand, out of a cut-glass urn, which, among his many rare presents, had been given to him by a manufacturer of such wares in Pittsburg, Pa. It may interest you to know that in the baptismal service of the Protestant Episcopal Church there are certain questions asked which the candidate is supposed to answer from the book. Seeing that Mr. Clay did not have a praver-book in his hand, I suggested that the use of one might enable him more readily to answer the questions. He replied, "I think I shall be able to answer them;" and the readiness with which he answered, and his familiarity with the service, gave evidence that he had made it a personal study, and was ready to stand by his declarations."
Mr. Clay was at that time seventy years old. All his life he evinced the most profound respect for the Christian religion, but he was involved in the tur- moil and vicissitudes of public life, which he thought uncongenial to an avowal of his faith. So he
Henry Clay.
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would not take the sacred vows of a follower of Christ until he retired from politics, until he felt he could live up to them faithfully and consistently. He was confirmed about a month later, July 18, and that confirmation took place in the Chapel of Mor- rison College of the University, were services were held while the building of the new church was in progress.
Dr. Craik, of Louisville, says: "The delegates to the State Convention at Frankfort, in 1849, had the pleasure of meeting in council there the Hon. Henry Clay, who attended as a Lay Delegate from Christ Church, Lexington. This great and good man en- tered into the deliberations of the Convention with all the interest and animation he was wont to manifest on every subject which concerned the well being of his fellow-men. Not long before, Mr. Clay had been baptized and admitted to the communion of Christ Church, Lexington. This illustrious man,. regarded by the whole civilized world as the fore- moststatesman of the age, and upon whose wisdom and counsel depended the destinies of his country, coming thus to the fountain of regenerati. n, to be admitted into the kingdom of heaven by one of the youngest of Christ's Ministers, and in the same simple way in which every little child is received into that kingdom, furnished the most impressive illustration I had ever known of our Saviour's words, .Except ve be converted and become as little children, ye. shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Who- soever, therefore, shall humble himself as this little.
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child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.' I have reason to know that Mr. Clay did not make this confession of faith until after a thorough investigation of the foundations of that faith."
Mr. Berkley tells us one little anecdote concerning himself and his famous parishioner. He says : "One Sunday I preached a sermon that had too much of myself and my views in it; I was a young man then." A few days later, after dining at Ash- land, he and his host were walking about the beau- tiful grounds. Mr. Clay praised his recent sermon, complimenting him upon its composition and de- livery, but added, “When I go to Church, I like to hear something in the sermon that will guide a sinner to his Saviour."
Mr. Berkley says that he accepted the rebuke and felt that it was deserved. He remembered and treasured that saying and was restrained by it whenever he was inclined to preach anything else than "Jesus Christ and Him crucified ."
In thinking of Mr. Berkley, every one recalls how impressive the Church service was as conducted by him. He knew it all by heart and rarely referred to the prayer-book. The beauty of his voice and the energy of his manner combined to make a most striking and lasting impression on his hearers. Mr. Merrick, a tutor at the University, used to tell his pupils, "Boys, if you want to know how to speak, just go down to hear Mr. Berkley "
He was a rather stout man and had a fine tenor
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voice. At funeral services he generally selected the hymn, "I Would Not Live Alway," and started the tune himself. One could hear several of his clear, sweet notes before others joined in.
Mr. W. D. Hulett.
For many years during Mr. Berkley's rectorship, Mr. William D. Hulett, a blind man, was the organ- ist at Christ Church. He gave lessons on the piano, too, and was quite a gifted musician. He was much loved, and his faithfulness and general useful- ness were appreciated by the congregation, the members of which testified to their esteem by pre- senting him with what was, in those days. a very rare and valuable gift. This was a copy of the Bible and of the Prayer-book for the blind, printed by the American Bible Society. The books were very large, the Bible being in three volumes, each about two feet square and at least six inches thick. The copies still exist and have been given to similarly afflicted persons in the community .
Mr. Berkley was a man of marked peculiarities, but most charming personality, and he had a wide circle of friends in Lexington outside the members of his own congregation. One gentleman, a Pres- byterian, who had been married by Mr. Berkley, was devoted to him and united, with a few others, in presenting him, when he left Lexington, with a handsome silver service as a mark of their affection and esteem. Among his own flock, among the aged that he had comforted in tribulation, among the boys and girls he had baptized and presented for confirmation, and among the little children in the
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Sunday-school, he was revered and loved One who was a child then testifies as to the position he held among the latter: "We were led on and en- couraged in our efforts by that ever true and faith- ful Christian soldier, Edward Berkley, our truly beloved Rector of Christ Church, whom we all loved next to our own father.s."
He accepted a call to St. George's Church, St. Louis, in 1853, and passed the remainder of his life in that city. He died only last year, in May, 1897.
Rev. James H. Morrison, from Pemberton, Vir- ginia, was chosen rector in 1858. In that same year it was planned to improve and extend the Church building. The church at that time was much smaller than at present. The addition included all the space where we now have the chancel, the organ- chamber, the robing-room and the transepts. The old rear wall was not even recessed, but extended straight across where the transepts now begin. As the improvements progressed, new additions to the original plan were suggested, and the work grew to such proportions that there was not suffi- cient money to carry it on. After repeated efforts to cut down the cost and to raise the necessary funds, the undertaking was given up for the time; the opening where the walls were incomplete was planked up, and the church, in that condition, was used for several years. The chancel was not finished nor the chapel built until during Mr. Shipman's ministry. Many people blamed Mr. Morrison for attempting such elaborate improvements without
Rev. J. H. Morrison
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any idea how they were to be paid for, and nicknamed the incomplete structure, "Morrison's Folly." But we, with our great roomy church and our exceptionally large and beautiful chancel, feel like blessing Mr. Morrison for his wisdom in so satisfactorily providing for the needs and tastes of future generations.
. January 24, 1860, a charter, which had been ap- plied for, was granted by the Kentucky Legislature, and the vestry was resolved into a corporation This step was taken to enable the vestry to accept and manage the property of Mrs. John Ward.
At the outbreak of the war, Mr. Morrison, who was an ardent Southerner, removed to Virginia. He was an austere and reserved man, and one of profound convictions and great learning. He re- signed as Rector of Christ Church July 12, 1861
Rev. J. S. Shipman.
On the resignation of Rev. Mr. Morrison, Rev. Jacob S. Shipman was called to be his successor, and surely no more fitting choice could have been made.
Mr. Shipman was born at Niagara, New York, November 30, 1832. He was a graduate of Yale College, and there enjoyed the special instruction of Dr. Joseph M. Clark. He was ordained deacon in 1857 and was admitted to the priesthood the fol- lowing year. His first charge consisted of two parishes in New York State. Later he accepted the Rectorship of Christ Church, Mobile. Thence he was called to Christ Church, Lexington, Septem- ber 17, 1861. He took charge of his new parish October 13 of the same year.
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Episcopal Residence, West Sixth Street.
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The state of affairs could not have been very en- "couraging to the new rector, for the improvements on the church were in the most unfinished condition, with no apparent hope of their completion. But with his coming there seems to have arisen new determination, for steps were taken the next year to carry on the work. The vestry met for some time every Thursday afternoon to co-operate in soliciting subscriptions for the building. Two thou- sand dollars were borrowed from Mrs. Ryland, one of the active and liberal members of the church. An additional thousand was ordered to be obtained a few weeks later. The organ chamber was erected at a cost of four hundred dollars, Mr. Frank Fitch donating one hundred and fifty dollars for that purpose
A few months later the last part of the money from the estate of the Rev. John Ward was paid to the Church treasurer, and was ordered to be appro- priated to the payment of the debt on the chapel, then in course of erection. Later on, the sum of rseven thousand five hundred dollars was subscribed by the members of the parish, and, although this was not quite the amount needed, the work was pushed forward to its completion. Money was probably borrowed of the Theological Seminary Fund, for the purpose of finishing the payments, as the Church was afterwards in debt to the Fund for several years.
We know to-day little of the strenuous efforts put forth to procure the means to carry on this under-
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taking; but we enjoy the results ; and, glorying as: we do in the increased beauty of our old church, we give heartfelt thanks to those who labored towards. that end.
In March, 1864, on Easter Monday, we have the first record of a meeting in the new chapel.
Bishop
The Rt. Rev. George D. Cummins, D. D , was con- Cummins secrated Assistant Bishop of Kentucky in Christ Church, Louisville, November 15, 1866. He was: born in Kent County, Delaware, December 11, 1822. Before coming to Kentucky, he had held the follow- ing charges: Christ Church, Norfolk; St. James' Richmond, Virginia; Trinity, Washington, D. C .; St. Peter's, Baltimore, and Trinity Church, Chicago . His degree of D. D. was conferred on him by Prince- ton College He was a most delightful preacher, being distinguished for the rhetorical beauty of his sermons. In November, 1873, he resigned his office. and withdrew from the Church. The following month he presided at the organization of what is: commonly known as the Reformed Episcopal Church. He was formally deposed from his office. and ministry as a Bishop of the Church by the Presiding Bishop, June 24, 1874.
In June, 1875, the Rev. Mr. Shipman was elected to the Bishopric of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The vestry and four hundred of the congregation drew up a petition protesting against his acceptance. The Episcopate was declined and Mr. Shipman also refused the degree of D. D. that had been conferred by Racine College. Later on, however, he accepted the same degree from Trinity College. The degree
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of D. C. L. was also conferred on him by Kenyon College.
In 1866, Christ Church Seminary was established Christ at Lexington by the Rev. Silas Totten, D. D. It con- Church tinued to be a large and prosperous school for many years. Its principal, Dr. Totten, was a man of great learning and high standing in educational ranks. He was born in New York in 1804; was a tutor in Union College for some time after his graduation Dr. there ; for three years was Professor of Mathematics Totten. and Natural Philosophy in Trinity College, Hart- ford ; and was then called to its presidency, which office he held for twelve years. Afterwards he held a professorship in William and Mary College. and was President of Iowa State University. Being in Holy Orders, he held charges once or twice for a short time, and frequently officiated in Christ Church during his residence in this city. His death occurred here in 1873 The Seminary was from that time until 1884 successfully conducted by his daughters. The school was strictly a Church institution ; and it is to be regretted that it has passed out of existence
One of the first missionary efforts put forth by Mission the Church by which permanent results were accom- at San- plished was the establishment of a mission at San- dersville. dersville. The place was a little manufacturing village about three miles from Lexington. Every Sunday afternoon a number of the congregation, with the Rector and sometimes the blind organist, Mr. Hulett, drove out to conduct the Sunday- school there. The mission was continued for some time.
Seminary
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Several times the question of selling the rectory was brought up and discussed ; but there were legal difficulties involved. Money was frequently given for its improvement.
A record of these times seems incomplete without a personal mention of some of the members of the Church who gave so much of their time, labor and means to its service. In the list of the vestrymen we find the names of many families still prominent in our Church and community. If we were to at- tempt to mention even the most prominent, we should have a long list.
The Church owes agreat debt of gratitude to the memory of Mr. John S. Wilson. To him is due the preservation of the memorial tablets in the church, and perhaps, also, the existence of the records of the vestry. He was instrumental in procuring the safe in which the records and the Church registers are kept. He served for many years as a member of the vestry, and when, in 1879, he removed from this city to Louisville, resolutions were drawn up by the vestry, expressing their regret and sense of loss in his departure. He stood high in this com- munity. His Christian character was manifested by his great benevolence and attachment to his Church. He was a devoted friend of Kentucky's famous sculptor, Joel T. Hart, and all artists who came here in need received ready sympathy and support from him.
On November 26, 1877, the Rector, Rev. J. S Ship- man, D. D., tendered his resignation, having ac-
Mr. J. S. Wilson.
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cepted a call to Christ Church, New York. The vestry had passed resolutions previously, on hear- ing of his call, asking him, if possible, to remain; and his determination to leave was received with deep sorrow by all In his pastorate of .ixteen years, he had made for himself a host of friends. who regard him still with the sincerest affection. He was a man of scholarly attainments and an eloquent preacher. He drew to the Church men of all classes, most notably those who had not been regular attendants at Church. Men of intellect came to hear his sermons and found in them not only mental food, but spiritual as well. He was bright and genial in disposition, with a warm and generous heart. In self-sacrificing devotion to duty, he more than once relinquished his su umer vaca- tion to remain by the bedside of a sick parishioner. He came to our city in troublous times, when not only friends were estranged from each other, but families were divided. With great wisdom and prudence, by refraining always from an expression of his own views, he maintained in the Church that unity which he deemed should be found there at all events. We quote a few words from an address to the Lexington Bible Society by Dr. Lyman Beecher Todd, Dr. Shipman's personal friend :
"Of Mr. Shipman's usefulness as pastor, and also of his admirable administrative ability, the vene- rated Bishop Smith, on visiting this parish and ad- ministering the rite of confirmation to the largest class ever presented in the history of the Church, re- marked in the presence of the speaker: 'This Church
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here at Lexington is greatly blessed in a Rector; Shipman has an old head on young shoulders; and I do believe he is the only man in America who. when every Protestant church in Lexington has divided during this war, could have held this Church together.' Pure in spirit and with a warm heart, he gave comfort to the afflicted and sorrowing, and with bright intelligence and genial nature carried gladness everywhere. He will ever have a green spot in many, many loving hearts."
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