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HISTORY of THE CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR
GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
7/2/89
GENEALOGY 974.401 N76fL
3 1833 01268 6314 To Daniel + Elizabeth Corrigan" My dear parents without whose love, support and example I would never being embarking on my new ministry at the Church of Our Savon, Brookline as its Eighth Rector.
Had blew you both, I love
you so much !
Michael
7
A HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2019
https://archive.org/details/historyofchurcho00flet
(Photo by the Alfred Brown Studio, Brookline)
EDIFICE OF THE CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR
A HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL
IN LONGWOOD, MASSACHUSETTS
FROM ITS FOUNDING IN 1868 TO 1936
Written and Compiled at the Request of the Parish Council of the Church by
HERBERT H. FLETCHER A Member of the Parish
The memory of the just is blessed
PUBLISHED BY THE PARISH COUNCIL OF THE CHURCH BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS 1936
Copyright 1936 BY HERBERT H. FLETCHER
The publication of this volume is made possible through the donations of the following persons:
Ethel Amory and Betty Amory Bartlett
Eric Goullaud
Susan Train Hand
Henry Howard
Paul M. Hubbard
Ruth Greenough Kellogg
Rebekah Ketchum
Anonymous
Mr. and Mrs. George S. Parker
Susan A. Howe and R. Heber Howe, Jr.
Anonymous
Mr. and Mrs. James C. D. Parker
Mr. and Mrs. William H. Lin- coln
Mary L. Nichols
Ethel Marion Wentworth and Sara E. Whittemore
Dr. and Mrs. Robert Amory and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Thorndike
A Life-Long Parishioner Mary L. Bush Arthur H. Gilbert I. Lloyd Greene
In Memory of : Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Amory, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Amory, Jr., Ingersoll Amory, Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Bartlett Bartlett and Sullivan Amory.
Emma F. Goullaud
Lucilla Train Lawrence
Alonzo Potter Howard Mr. and Mrs. James M. Hub- bard Mrs. Charles Pelham Green- ough George H. Carnes Althea Train Payson
Mrs. Samuel C. Payson
Anonymous Ida W. Soule
Dr. and Mrs. Augustus Thorn- dike
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
FOR much information in this history the author ac- knowledges with gratitude his indebtedness to Lives of American Merchants, by Hunt; Amos Lawrence, Diary and Correspondence, by William R. Lawrence, M.D .; The Life of Amos A. Lawrence, by his son, Right Rev- erend William Lawrence, D.D., LL.D .; to numerous year books issued by Reverend Reginald Heber Howe, D.D .; The Descendants of Major Samuel Lawrence, by Rob- ert Means Lawrence, M.D .; to brief historical addresses by Judge Philip S. Parker and Mr. George S. Parker of the Vestry; to Mrs. Benjamin K. Hough for the doings of the Women's Organizations; to Reverend Floyd W. Tomkins for facts concerning the first rector, his uncle; to Mr. Chauncey W. Norton for information concerning his father, Reverend Frank L. Norton, the Second Rector; to Mrs. Philip S. Parker for informa- tion concerning her uncle, Warden F. W. Lawrence; and much aid and many suggestions from Mrs. George S. Parker, Mrs. Grace B. S. Burtchaell, Mrs. Henry G. Spaulding, and other members of the Parish.
THIS CHURCH WAS INCORPORATED AS "THE CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOR." SINCE THE LAST WORD HAS BEEN SPELLED SAVIOUR IN ITS REC- ORDS AND PUBLICATIONS FOR YEARS AND IS LIKELY SO TO CONTINUE IT HAS BEEN DEEMED MOST SEEMLY TO USE THAT SPELLING IN THIS VOLUME
FOREWORD
To those who in these sixty-eight years have worshipped in The Church of Our Saviour this book will arouse many tender memories.
It also will accomplish one definite result in giving its readers an illustration, in careful and detailed state- ment, of hundreds of suburban churches, their member- ship, worship, work and spirit. What would we not give for such a thoroughly told story of, say, some Parish of Old Colony Days! History is made up not of marching armies and mass movements but of the lives of typical citizens of all ages and temperaments.
This book by its patient and careful presentation of the detailed life of one parish in its day will reveal to future generations what sort of people the members of the Church are and what one parish church has done for them.
The best of the story is in the lives of God's Saints- who give challenge to us and our children.
WILLIAM LAWRENCE
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
PAGE
I
THE ORIGIN OF THE CHURCH .
3
Its spirit. Its location. The givers. The early
history
II COMPLETION OF THE CHURCH GROUP . 16 Its debt to the Lawrence family and others
III
AMOS LAWRENCE
22
Great Christian merchant and philanthropist for whom the Church is a memorial
IV
AMOS ADAMS LAWRENCE
44
Joint giver of The Church of Our Saviour.
Successful merchant and lover of men
V
WILLIAM RICHARDS LAWRENCE .
58
Learned doctor and churchman who joined with his brother Amos in the gift of this Church
VI THE EARLY RECTORS .
64
Reverend Elliott D. Tomkins, 1868-73.
Reverend Frank L. Norton, 1874-76
VII REVEREND REGINALD HEBER HOWE, D.D. . Rector, 1877-1919
69
VIII
FORTY YEARS OF PROGRESS .
84
Some distinctive events in Reverend Doctor Howe's rectorate
IX REVEREND HENRY KNOX SHERRILL . 90 .
Rector, 1919-1923
.
X REVEREND HENRY McF. B. OGILBY . . 104
Rector, 1923-
xiii
CONTENTS
CHAPTER XI THE WARDENS OF THE CHURCH . Men of standing and accomplishment both in civic and Church life
PAGE
118
XII THE WOMAN'S ORGANIZATIONS . 133
A record of faithful devotion and valuable aid during the entire history of the Church
XIII THE CHURCH VESTRY 152
Men who have shared the burden of Church management: notable for length of service
XIV MEMORIALS, THANK-OFFERINGS AND OTHER GIFTS 155
A list which reveals the heart throbs of many Parishioners
XV THE WORLD-WAR HONOR ROLL . 164 Members of the Parish who served their coun- try in 1917-18 both at home and abroad
XVI THE UNITED THANK-OFFERING . 168
Great triennial gift of Church women orig- inated by a member of this Church-officers and organists
XVII LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
171
A new era creates an imperative need-Finis
xiv
ILLUSTRATIONS
EDIFICE OF THE CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR
Showing parish house at the left and choir room in the
Frontispiece center
FACING PAGE
INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR
Showing nave, chancel, altar, pulpit and lectern. Part of the chapel altar can be seen at the right and entrance to sacristy at the left . 4
THE CHURCH RECTORY
Church porch at the extreme left. Cloister and parish house in the center . 8
WILLIAM LAWRENCE, D.D., LL.D.
Who went from this Church to his long and eminent career as priest, dean and Bishop . 14
MRS. AMOS H. LAWRENCE
Donor of the Church Rectory 18
AMOS LAWRENCE
Eminent Boston merchant and philanthropist, for whom the Church is a memorial . 22
AMOS ADAMS LAWRENCE
Christian merchant, joint donor of the Church edifice 44
WILLIAM RICHARDS LAWRENCE, M.D.
Learned physician and churchman-joint donor of the Church edifice 58
REV. ELLIOTT D. TOMKINS AND REV. FRANK L. NOR- TON, D.D.
The first and second rectors of the Church . ยท
64
XV
CHAPTER I
THE ORIGIN OF THE CHURCH
ITS SPIRIT. ITS LOCATION. THE GIVERS. THE EARLY HISTORY
Strong son of God, Immortal Love,
Whom we that have not seen Thy face, By faith and faith alone embrace,
Believing where we cannot prove.
(From Tennyson's foreword to In Memoriam)
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; Let the whole earth stand in awe of Him. (From Venite Exultamus Domino)
O Lord in Thee have I trusted; let me never be confounded.
(From the Te Deum Laudamus)
IT is in the spirit of the above quotations-the spirit of confident faith in the Son of God, the earnest desire to worship in the beauty of holiness, and the reverent prayer for guidance in the journey through life's mys- teries, that the communicants of The Church of Our Saviour, in Longwood, Massachusetts, assemble for their worship and their fellowship.
Hence the name: THE CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR.
While it is impossible at this writing to call upon any
3
THE CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR
of the founders of the Church to testify, it probably is wholly within the truth to assert that such has been the spirit of the worshippers in this Church from the begin- ning
It is a Church with a decided atmosphere an atmos- phere which does not appeal strongly to the madding crowd, sight-seers, entertainment seekers, and sermon tasters, but which offers freedom, tranquillity and peace to all who would worship in spirit and in truth-to such indeed as the FATHER seeketh to worship HIM.
The Church of Our Saviour is not a large Church. Neither is it a wealthy church in the ordinary meaning of that word, but it seems safe to say that few churches are equally rich in associations and memorials. Not only are the Church edifice and the rectory memorials, but nearly all the furnishings of the Church are memorials, and each one of these inspires tender memories of some loyal soul, once a faithful worshipper in this Church, now gone from the Church militant to the Church triumphant.
For these reasons, and that generations to come may know of this wonderful and precious heritage, is this his- tory written.
Longwood is that section of the town of Brookline, Massachusetts, which lies next to the Boston boundary line on the northeasterly side, and on both sides of Beacon Street which is the main thoroughfare from Brookline to Boston. From its early beginnings to the present time it has been a neighborhood of substantial homes and of people of culture and dignity as well as of much refine- ment.
When this Church was built, in 1868, and for several years thereafter, Longwood was a comparatively small, rural community wherein every resident knew his neigh-
4
(Photo by the Alfred Brown Studio, Brookline)
INTERIOR SHOWING NAVE, CHANCEL, ALTAR, PULPIT AND LECTERN
THE ORIGIN OF THE CHURCH
bor. Beacon Street was a country road less than fifty feet wide. Communication with Boston was limited to the Boston and Albany railroad from Cottage Farm sta- tion on the main line, or from Chapel Station on the Newton circuit line, or by coach from Coolidge Corner which deposited its passengers at a small shanty in what then was open country, but now is the congested cor- ner of Massachusetts and Huntington Avenues. At that point, passengers en route to Boston embarked on small blue-trimmed horse-cars which ran through Massachu- setts Avenue, then called West Chester Park, Marl- borough Street, either Dartmouth or Clarendon Street, Boylston and Tremont Streets, ending in front of the Old Granary burying ground. Chapel Station was a small wooden building, reached by a stairway from the foot of Carlton Street, and was a railroad station and Post Office combined where each family was obliged to call for its mail, there being no delivery service.
Across the railroad track at that point, a section now so wonderfully transformed, there were three small stores and a few cheap tenements. Muddy Brook, since so charmingly developed, was a dirty stream winding through an unsightly marsh and a breeding place for a typical insect known as "the Longwood Mosquito."
Although Longwood was expected to grow rapidly, building was very slow. Reverend Doctor Howe once stated that for eight years after he became rector in 1877, not a house was erected in the neighborhood. In 1891, following the development of the electrical trolley car and the merger of the several independent horse car companies in Boston and Cambridge, under the leader- ship of Henry M. Whitney, a Brookline resident, Beacon Street was widened to its present proportions, as also
5
THE CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR
was Commonwealth Avenue, electric cars began to run on both thoroughfares, and the neighborhood began to develop. The panic of 1893-5 delayed progress, but from 1896 to the present time the building of high-class resi- dences and apartment dwellings has been fairly continu- ous, both in Longwood and contiguous sections of Brook- line, and the population has increased amazingly.
For the main edifice of The Church of Our Saviour, the communicants of the same are indebted to two brothers, William Richards Lawrence and Amos Adams Lawrence, sons of Amos Lawrence. The two brothers founded a community before they founded a church. In 1850, these brothers bought a large tract of land in the northeastern section of Longwood, known as Cottage Farm. It was noted for natural beauty and had some historic interest. On this tract Amos A. Lawrence built a substantial home. Later his brother did likewise, and, as opportunity offered, they invited other agreeable fam- ilies to build residences and join their neighborhood, which in time, as one commentator has said, became much like a large family. Before the second decade had passed, these people began to feel the need of a house of worship. The general sentiment favored the Protestant Episcopal form of worship. While St. Paul's Church had been built on an isolated spot somewhat to the East of Brookline Village, and in a locality not then populated, it was considered too distant for the Cottage Farm com- munity. Roads were poor, and in winter were often blocked with snow. Nevertheless, some members of eight families attended that Church, but six Episcopal fami- lies either attended church in Boston or did not attend at all. In a letter to the Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese in the spring of 1867, Amos A. Lawrence stated that fe-
6
THE ORIGIN OF THE CHURCH
males could not walk over the exposed field roads to St. Paul's Church, when such roads were wet and miry or filled with snow. Sears Chapel had been built on Col- chester Street, about 1860, and was under the control of David Sears who owned a large estate in the South- erly section of Longwood, running from Essex Street to Coolidge Corner and from Beacon Street to Muddy Brook. That Chapel was then known as Christ Church or The Apostolic Catholic Church of America. Some three or four of the Cottage Farm families attended serv- ices in that church, and one family attended the Ortho- dox Congregational Church. Mr. Amos A. Lawrence ap- pealed to David Sears to change the form of worship in Sears Chapel to accommodate the Episcopalians in the Cottage Farm Section, but Mr. Sears refused, saying: "No arrangement can be made with the proprietors of Christ Church, Longwood, to change its form of worship. They hold the Church under a strict trust, and are con- tented and happy, and anxious to worship God in quiet- ness of spirit and with righteousness of Life; they have no desire to make proselytes, and profess to live at peace with all men." He accompanied this statement with an invitation to Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence, or any of their family, to occupy his pew whenever it was inconvenient for them to attend church elsewhere.
Without further ado the Lawrence brothers began the erection of The Church of Our Saviour edifice, and Mr. Amos A. Lawrence entered into correspondence with the bishop of the diocese, Right Reverend Manton Eastburn, relative to the acceptance of the church by the diocese. Some objection was offered by the vestry of St. Paul's Church. In one of his letters to the Bishop, Mr. Law- rence wrote: "The poorer residents here are entitled to
7
THE CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR
some place of worship. A year and more ago, Reverend Abbot Brown and Dr. Wharton held services in the town schoolhouse on St. Mary's Street, until obliged to desist by a legal objection made by Mr. D. Sears. Since that the congregation has been scattered and they have no church and no religious services. Therefore, they ask us what they shall do and what we can do to assist them in con- tinuing those services from which they derived so much profit. The edifice has already been commenced and when completed and paid for it will be offered for Episcopal worship; if not accepted it will be offered to some other (Evangelical) denomination."
As a result of this letter, of which the above is an ex- cerpt, the Bishop and Standing Committee of the Dio- cese gave the desired consent on April 17, 1867, which was only ten days after the writing of Mr. Lawrence's letter.
The building of the Church proceeded under the direc- tion of the architect, Alexander R. Estey, and on comple- tion it was presented by the builders to a corporation organized under State laws, February 19, 1868, at a meet- ing held in the residence of Dr. William R. Lawrence, on the Southwest corner of Carlton and Ivy Streets.
The subscribers to the articles of association were: William R. Lawrence, Amos A. Lawrence, Francis W. Lawrence, Robert Amory, Commodore George P. Blake, Copley Amory, Samuel H. Gregory, S. Dana Hayes, W. C. Hichborn, John D. Bryant, Samuel L. Bush, Lu- cilla T. Lawrence, Sarah E. Lawrence and Susan C. Lawrence. The following named persons were later hold- ers of pews and also members of the corporation-Henry A. Green, Richard Briggs, A. P. Howard, William H. Lincoln, Sarah A. H. Burnham, Sarah E. Whittemore,
8
(Photo by the Alfred Brown Studio, Brookline)
THE RECTORY
THE ORIGIN OF THE CHURCH
George H. Peters, John A. Burnham and Thomas J. Lee.
On June 5, 1874, the By-Laws were changed and the following named persons were declared to be the members of the corporation at that time, the total number of mem- bers being fixed at twenty-one, the vacancies as they oc- curred to be filled by the remaining members: William R. Lawrence, Amos A. Lawrence, Susan C. Lawrence, Francis W. Lawrence, Arthur Lawrence, George H. Peters, John A. Burnham, Mrs. Sarah Burnham, Dr. Robert Amory, Samuel L. Bush, Thomas J. Lee, Augustus Whit- temore, Richard Briggs, Henry A. Green, Samuel H. Gregory. .
This form of organization has continued to the present time. It is a close corporation, which manages the affairs of the Parish and is controlled entirely by its members, the members of the Parish having no vote or right in the management. It has proved to be an efficient method in conducting the business affairs of the Church. There are only one or two other examples of this form of organ- ization in the Diocese, most Parishes preferring the dem- ocratic form of Parish meetings when all members of the Parish with certain qualifications could become members of the corporation and vote in its affairs. In 1922, a Parish meeting was held to consider changing the form of organization. After a spirited debate, it was voted by a close margin to retain the present form of close cor- poration. The Parish having flourished under such di- rection and management, it was the opinion of the major- ity that it would be better not to change. Further allusion is made to this action in Chapter Nine of this volume.
The corporation officers elected at that first meeting were the following: Wardens, Dr. William R. Lawrence
9
THE CHURCH OF OUR : SAVIOUR
and Samuel L. Bush; vestrymen, Amos A. Lawrence, Dr. Robert Amory, Commodore George P. Blake, S. Dana Hayes and Copley Amory; treasurer, Francis W. Law- rence; clerk, John D. Bryant.
Several weeks earlier, Reverend Elliott D. Tomkins of Northampton had been invited to become the first rector of the new Church. He was a brother of Reverend Floyd W. Tomkins, who later became widely known as rector of Holy Trinity Church, Philadelphia, and who in later years held mission services in some Brookline churches. In a letter dated January 14, 1868, Mr. Tomkins ac- cepted the call.
The first service was held in the new Church on Sun- day, March 22, 1868, and on that day, Mr. Amos A. Lawrence penned a letter to James Lawrence, a cousin (who was abroad), and because of its personal touch on the day and the occasion, as well as the additional in- formation it gives, and the disclosure of motives and simple Christian faith, a long excerpt of the letter is here given.
First describing a great snow storm on the night before Mr. Lawrence wrote: "No man or beast could move about in safety. I ventured out in the afternoon on horseback, but found the crossroads completely blocked. The snow was higher than a horse; but the main road to Boston was passable and the air was agreeable. This morning the sun shone out bright. The birds sang as cheerily as be- fore the storm.
"This is the first day of the opening of our new Church here. .. . It is a pretty stone edifice, all finished except the stone steeple, near my house, on the other side of Beacon Street, and called The Church of Our Saviour. William and myself have built it and we propose that it
10
THE ORIGIN OF THE CHURCH
shall be in 'Memory of Amos Lawrence.' This is to be written on a little tablet inside. A parish has been formed and we propose to make it a present to this parish. The inside is very handsome and I think the outside will be (Gothic) when it is finished. It will cost $45,000 to $50,- 000. Before long we hope to have a rectory beside it corresponding with it in material and architecture.
"The service to-day was beautiful and quite impressive. In spite of the drift there was a congregation of one hun- dred, forenoon and afternoon. The clergyman, the Rev- erend Elliott Tomkins, is a young man of twenty-eight who has been settled in Northampton and he has an excellent reputation. Certainly he is a capital reader and preacher, and he seems to be a truly pious man. The congregation join in the chants and hymns, led by half a dozen boys (not in white surplices) and all was well done and effective. . . . .
"I did not expect to build it until William suggested it a year ago; not to give it away, not to have it for a memorial of my father, until the other day when Wil- liam proposed to do so. But I am glad that it has taken that course, and am entirely satisfied that it is right. Of course, it is Protestant Episcopal (not English but American) and we prefer that. This is not evidence that we dislike other forms of church organization and wor- ship or that this is the only true church. For my own part I believe that there is only one church on earth and in Heaven; and that it comprises all those who be- lieve in the Lord Jesus Christ and His Gospel; all those, whether living here on earth or in Heaven, are one body and can never be separated."
In offering the church property to the corporation the donors stipulated, among other things, that "The said
11
THE CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR
church shall be devoted to the worship of Almighty God according to the rites and usages of the Protestant Epis- copal Church in the United States of America," and "whenever it shall cease to be so used shall revert to the donors, their heirs, executors or assigns," that "no part of the property shall be sold or alienated," that "no horse sheds shall be erected," that "the church shall not be used for concerts, secular lectures or addresses or for other than religious meeting, except with the consent of a majority of the wardens and vestry," and that "hospi- tality shall be exercised towards strangers."
At a meeting of the first corporation on April 13, 1868, the following resolution, proposed by the Junior Warden, Mr. S. L. Bush, was unanimously adopted:
RESOLVED: That the members of this corporation should not close this period of their parish life and enter upon the duties of another corporate year without first recording their grateful appreciation of the forethought, taste and Christian liberality with which a place of worship has been prepared for this society and of the munificence with which the same has been tendered as a free gift to the parish by the Messrs. Lawrence in their communication accepted by this corporation at its last meeting.
VOTED: That to those who have thus provided in anticipa- tion of our parochial existence so beautiful a house of worship, the thanks of this corporation, and of the individual members of it are due and are hereby tendered with the earnest prayer that every blessing temporal and spiritual may be their reward.
At a meeting of the Wardens and Vestry April 26, 1869, a resolution was adopted extending thanks to Mrs. Amos A. Lawrence for the gift of the church organ.
The church was consecrated by Bishop Eastburn, Sep- tember 29, 1868, a day described in the records as one "whose perfect autumnal beauty seemed specially cre-
12
THE ORIGIN OF THE CHURCH
ated for this sacred service." A number of the clergy were in attendance. At 10 A.M. a procession was formed at the robing room, and proceeding thence entered the north door of the church, reciting the twenty-fourth psalm. The instrument of donation was presented by the junior warden, Mr. S. L. Bush, and the sentence of conse- cration was read by the rector. Morning prayer was said by Reverend E. M. P. Wells and Reverend Doctor Nich- olson of Boston. The lessons were read by Reverend Mr. Shafter and Reverend Doctor Wharton. The ser- mon was preached by Bishop Eastburn from Psalm 132, Verse 14. "This is my resting place forever; here will I dwell; for I have desired it."
An account of the consecration and a description of the Church edifice was published in the Christian Witness of October 8, 1868. After a somewhat lengthy descrip- tion, in which it was stated that the edifice was con- structed of Roxbury stone with granite trimmings and walnut woodwork, the article stated:
This tasteful structure has been erected at a cost of $50,000 by two brothers, Messrs. William R. and Amos A. Lawrence, and is a memorial to their father, the late Amos Lawrence, Esq. Its graceful outlines are a very "psalm incorporated in stone" and witness to the cherished memory of a good man whose children's children will rise up with many others within its walls, to call him blessed. Long may those walls endure, and, crowned with their steadfast crop, proclaim to every passerby a temple of the crucified.
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