USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Dorchester > Fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of St. Mary's parish, Dorchester, 1847-1897 > Part 6
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DORCHESTER, Sept. 9th, 1873. To St. Mary's Parish, Dorchester, Mass. : -
I resign into your hands the charge of St. Mary's Parish, which you committed to me about thirteen years ago, my resignation to take effect on next Easter-Day, or upon any earlier day which may suit my convenience. Yours very truly,
WM. H. MILLS.
P. R. Oct. 6. Adjourned Parish Meeting. Mr. Charles Emery moved that the Parish accept the resignation of the Rector, the Rev. Wm. H. Mills, according to the tenor of his letter to the Parish.
The Chairman having put the question on the acceptance of the resignation of the Rector, it was voted to accept it.
On motion of Mr. M. L. Bradford, the following Resolution was unanimously passed by a standing vote : -
" Resolved, That while the circumstances of the Parish make it necessary to accept the resignation of our Rector, the Rev. Wm. H. Mills, we desire to express the entire respect and the affection which is felt for him by each of us here present, and, as we believe, by the whole congregation of St. Mary's Church."
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St. Mary's Parish, Dorchester
DORCHESTER, Oct. 9, 1873. P. R.
The Rev. Wm. H. Mills, Rector of St. Mary's Parish, Dorchester : -
REV. AND DEAR SIR, - At an adjourned meeting of the Parish of St. Mary's Church, holden in the church on the 6th inst., to act upon your letter of resignation, the undersigned were appointed a committee to inform you of the acceptance of your resigna- tion, by the Parish. In accepting the same, the Parish desire, through us, to say to you that all the members entertain for you the highest respect and affection. For nearly fourteen years you have labored with them, as their beloved Rector, with marked ability, untiring energy and unquestioned fidelity ; and when the hour of your departure shall have arrived, rest assured that your official and personal relations with them will ever be held in kind remembrance.
With our best wishes for your health, happiness, and continued usefulness, we remain,
Faithfully yours,
DANIEL SHARP, MARTIN L. BRADFORD, DANIEL B. STEDMAN, Jr.
It was while Mr. Mills was in charge of the Parish that much of the best work of the Church was accomplished. Those days must have been stirring ones -the days of our Civil War. The fact that the Rector's wife was a Southern woman, with decided interest in the cause of the Confed- eracy, no doubt proved embarrassing to the Rector and people in those trying years of our national existence.
DORCHESTER, Oct. 10, 1873. To the Committee of St. Mary's Parish, Dorchester, Mass. :
Your letter, informing me of the acceptance of my resignation by St. Mary's Parish, at their meeting held Monday, the 6th inst., was received last evening.
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Fiftieth Anniversary
This result is very satisfactory, as it proves to me that in resign- ing, I act from a right judgment.
Thanking you for your kind words, and praying that God may fill all your hearts with His spiritual benediction and grace,
I am, yours truly, WM. H. MILLS.
DANIEL SHARP, MARTIN L. BRADFORD, DANIEL B. STEDMAN, Jr.,
Committee.
YONKERS, May 26th, 1880. My Dear Mr. Saltonstall : -
I . . . . comply with your request to give you some statement of my connection with St. Mary's, Dorchester. So far away from the Parish Records, I can give you little else than figures and statistics.
. I took charge of St. Mary's, Dorchester, September 2d, 1860, but did not enter upon my full duties as Rector until the first Sunday in Advent, November 4th, 1860. 1 resigned my charge on Easter Day, April 5th, 1874, and was, therefore, the Rector of St. Mary's nearly fourteen years.
In 1862 a floating debt contracted before I took charge and amounting to $600.00, was paid. In 1863 the mortgage debt, amounting to upwards of $2,000.00, and contracted during the Rev. Mr. Drown's ministry, for the enlargement of the church, was also paid. During this year the lot west of the church, costing $900.oo, was bought and paid for, leaving the Parish at this time entirely free from debt. It so continued and with increasing income until the year 1866, when the church was greatly enlarged. Two bays were added to the length of the church, with north and south transepts, and a chancel 25 x 20. A small tower (which was blown down in the great gale) was added on the northwest corner, and a porch on the south side; a most excellent room was also made in the basement for the Sunday School, and a Bible Class Room and Rector's Room. The whole cost of this enlargement was about $20,000.00. The Parish raised $13,000.00, thus leaving a debt of $7,000.00, which was provided for by mortgage on the church.
Besides this amount there was raised and paid for chancel furniture and window, and transept window and font, about $1, 500.00. A lot of land on the south side of the church lot, costing $400.00, was also bought. I very greatly regretted the necessity of mortgaging the church, and, therefore, used my best endeavors to remove it as soon as possible, refusing, on account of this debt, several calls to other Parishes, and one especially which I very much desired to accept.
THE REV. WILLIAM H. MILLS.
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St. Mary's Parish, Dorchester
In 1873 the mortgage debt had been reduced to $4,000.00. By great effort I had succeeded in obtaining subscriptions for this whole amount, and thought the Parish would soon be again free from debt. But before I had begun to collect the subscriptions the great fire took place in Boston, and destroyed my people's ability to pay their subscriptions. This was the turning point in St. Mary's prosperity, and ever since the mortgage debt has been a source of trouble.
The committee appointed by the Vestry for the enlargement of the church was, Mr. Nathaniel Phillips, Dr. C. E. Stedman and Mr. J. P. Townsend. The architect, who supervised the work, was Mr. George Ropes of Boston. All the pews in the old church were rented, and all the people of the Parish, I think, at that time saw the necessity of the enlarge- ment, in order to provide pews at a lower rental, and so open the church to a class of people who, up to this time, were not largely represented. In. the light of subsequent events, it might have been better to have been content with a smaller enlargement. But the Parish was in an excellent state of prosperity, and did not seem to have undertaken more than the . need required, or than it could readily accomplish. In any event the Parish would not have been unfavorably affected by the enlargement of the church and the incurring of debt, had it not been providentially prevented from removing the mortgage.
In 1873 there was a marked change in the Parish. Up to this time it had been prosperous ; the ninety-four communicants at the beginning of my ministry had increased to two hundred and fifty-four ; the congregation had proportionally increased ; St. Mary's was regarded as one of the strongest and most prosperous Parishes in the Diocese outside of Boston. The great causes of the change which then commenced were the disastrous effects of the great fire which fell with peculiar severity upon St. Mary's, the hard times then just coming on, and the unsettled condition of the town from the annexation to Boston. There may have been other minor causes for decline, but without these great ones, they would never have been worthy of notice. There is yet, I trust, a prosperous future for St. Mary's Church, and I rejoice that the tide has already turned again in its favor.
During my ministry there were three hundred and twelve baptisms, two hundred and sixteen confirmations, forty-one marriages and one hundred and sixty-four burials. The offerings taken in the church, exclusive of pew rents and donations of all kinds, amounted to $52, 130.38.
In the Fall of 1867 1 commenced the Mission at Milton Lower Mills by sending to the Village to make inquiries Miss Hannah Austin, now Sister Hannah, who is in charge of the Church Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Mission owes a great debt to her faithful services for a long time
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Fiftieth Anniversary
rendered. She found, to begin with, two Church families, and also a Ilall, the " American Hall," in which the Services of the Church could be held. Services began at once and were hield every Sunday evening. A Sunday School was formed, and Mr. G. T. Stoddard was appointed by myself as the Superintendent. To his very faithful, zealous and efficient labors the Mission was very greatly indebted. After the Services had once com- menced they were never interrupted. I carried them on every Sunday evening until March 14th, 1869, when by my appointment the Rev. J. B. Clark, of Oakland Hall, Needham, conducted them on every Sunday morning until January, 1871, when the Rev. George Waters, D. D., suc- ceeded him and continued the services for about a year and a half. I then resumed them myself, and with occasional help from Lay Readers con- tinued them until I left Dorchester in the Spring of 1874.
In 1870 a large lot containing 28,000 feet was purchased of Mr. Asaph Churchill for the Mission. The cost was $2,000.00, which I obtained from a generous Layman through the Parish Aid Society. In 1871 a very neat and substantial edifice was erected on the lot at a cost of a little more than $5,500.00. This sum was raised mostly through my own personal efforts, the same generous Layman who had provided for the lot giving me two thousand dollars, and the people of St. Mary's giving a large share of the remainder. There was no debt left to trouble the Mission. March 23, 1874, I presided at the meeting of the people of the Mission who then organized themselves into All Saints' Parish, Dorchester Lower Mills. It is a great joy to me to liear of the continued prosperity of this Parish.
Before leaving Dorchester I prepared a history of the founding of All Saints' Parish, which you will find in the Parish Register.
I have ever had at heart the prosperity of St. Mary's and her people, and my heart is glad to hear of its revived spirit since you have been its Rector. May God abundantly bless you in all your work, and make you the instru- ment of bringing the dear old Parish to even more than its former strength and prosperity.
Yours faithfully, WM. H. MILLS.
ELECTION OF RECTOR.
P. R. 1874. May 12. Special Parish Meeting. The Rev. W. W. Silvester was elected Rector.
DORCHESTER, May 13, 1874.
REV. AND DEAR SIR, - It is our pleasure to inform you that at the Parish Meeting holden according to law, at the house of Dr. C. Ellery Stedman, in the 16th ward of the City of Boston, you
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were unanimously elected Rector of St. Mary's Church, Dor- chester.
The salary offered is twenty-five hundred dollars, with a vacation of four weeks.
The committee appointed to notify you of this action of St. Mary's Parish hope that you will give this invitation early and favorable consideration. They are convinced that the united voice of the congregation in calling you to this office promises harmony . and growth for the future of the Parish and cordial support to the Rector.
Should you accept this call, the committee beg leave to point out that the commencement of the duties of a Pastor cannot be too prompt. to suit the wishes and needs of the people of St. Mary's.
Believing that we have been providentially guided in thus unan- imously choosing you for our Rector, and invoking God's blessing upon you and yours, we are, dear sir,
Very respectfully, your obd't serv'ts,
J. P. CLAPP, C. ELLERY STEDMAN, DAN'L B. STEDMAN, Jr., DANIEL SHARP, Committee of St. Mary's Church.
P. R.
NORWICH, May 28th, 1874.
To J. P. Clapp, C. Ellery Stedman and others; Committee of St. Mary's Church, Dorchester, Mass.
GENTLEMEN :- I have received your letter dated 12th inst., inviting me to become Rector of St. Mary's Church, Dorchester, at a salary of $2,500 and an annual vacation of four weeks. I thank you for the honor.
Having conferred with the members of the Parish, with, your Bishop and with some of my personal friends, and after much prayerful consideration, I have decided to accept your invitation.
I shall come among you determined, God helping me, to. serve you faithfully in the cause of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.
I cannot but think that the unanimity of my call, kindly men- tioned in your letter and also heard from members of your Parish, .
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Fiftieth Anniversary
is a signal intimation of Divine Providence, pointing out to me my present course of action and my duty, and I sincerely hope that our labors in the vineyard of the Lord, which we (D. V.) shall perform together (for I come to help you, not to do all for you) will abund- antly testify that our guidance was from above.
It is my intention to take charge of St. Mary's Church, if agree- able to you, on the week following the 7th of June, my first Sunday being on the 14th. .
I am, gentlemen, your obedient servant in the Lord,
W. W. SILVESTER.
P. R. 1874. Sept. 28. Special Parish Meeting.
Voted, that the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars be hired by mortgage of the Church property or otherwise to pay for the repairs upon the church, and that the Treasurer be authorized to execute the necessary deed or deeds and note or notes in behalf of the Parish, for that purpose.
1877. Oct. r. Special Parish Meeting. Adopted an amended Constitution and By-Laws.
After Mr. Mills came the brief rectorate of Mr. Silvester. The ministry of the latter began, as it were, on the ebb tide of the life of the Church. Owing to the unexpected social results of the annexation of Dorchester to Boston, the cen- tralization of all interest in the city proper, the removal of many wealthy residents from the town to the city, the divid- ing up of old estates, and the great fire of 1872, St. Mary's was compelled to pass through severe trials. Mr. Silvester did what he could under the circumstances, but resigned after a short service of four years.
RESIGNATION OF RECTOR.
V. R. 1878. DORCHESTER, Feb. 2, 1878. To the Wardens and Vestry of St. Mary's Church.
GENTLEMEN, - I very well recollect the gladness and hope with which, nearly four years ago, I entered upon the pastoral work, of
THE REV. WILLIAM W. SILVESTER.
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St. Mary's Parish, and I assure you, it is now with unfeigned regret that I am compelled to ask you to release me from the duties which I then took up at your invitation.
I would suggest, if it meets your approval, that my rectorate cease with the present month, February. I do not go away from St. Mary's without feeling a deep interest in its future welfare ; I feel an interest in it as a Church; I feel an interest in it for the individuals that compose it. May God bless and keep both it and them is the earnest prayer of your Minister.
Very affectionately,
W. W. SILVESTER.
ST. ANN'S MISSION.
We place here, in connection with extracts from the Records, a note from Mr. Silvester, giving a brief account of the early history of St. Ann's, with some reminiscences of his rectorship.
V. R. 1878. Feb. 12. Mr. Sharp, of the committee appointed Nov. 7, 1876, to confer with the Bishop and solicit him to take charge of St. Ann's Mission, made a verbal report of the interview with the Bishop, and expressed the opinion that the chapel would be finished during the coming spring, and the Parish relieved of the charge of the Mission.
AUGUST 10, 1897. My Dear Mr. Saltonstall : --
I recollect St. Mary's in my lay days as in a most flourishing condition. The exodus of prominent families from the Parish began under the rectorship of the earnest, painstaking, successful Mills, who has gone to his reward. The departures continued under my own rectorship, which began in June, 1874. The depression following the Boston fire was severely felt in the Parish, and I have only a continuous recollection of hard times and a great struggle, forever going on, to meet current expenses. No people were ever more willing, it seems to me, to try and bear the burdens than the people of St. Mary's. One year I succeeded, by a personal effort, in raising a sum of money which the Vestry believed it impossible to do. The truth was that each one was willing to do his best, and the instances of sacrifices which cost something, that year, were un- doubtedly many, and I feel sure they are written down in the book of good deeds to the credit of the faithful.
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Fiftieth Anniversary
The only aggressive work done was in laying the foundations of St. Ann's Church. That enterprise never had the full sympathy or assistance of St. Mary's people. Mrs. Phillips, Miss Jones, and one or two living near the Mission, were all that were deeply interested. Mrs. Phillips was determined to give a plot of ground and establish a Mission. So, not knowing what would come of it, I began Mission Services in a barber's shop on the main street near the present church. The plan of building" was secured in 1876 or '77, and the work begun. Mrs. Phillips, after giving the land, first gave $500, then a second $500; she died, somewhat suddenly, while the carpenters were putting on the roof of the building. Two five hundred dollar notes were found in her purse, which, had she lived, were to have been given for the construction.
A very few persons were helpful in securing funds for the building. I had it built at day's work, and begged, from day to day, the money to pay the carpenters. I received some galling lectures on the foolishness of young men inaugurating unnecessary Missions, and men who ordinarily would have given a hundred, gave ten dollars, for times were hard. Well, it was done up to the point where the mysterious Building Association of Boston (I don't know what it was called) would come in with the money for its completion ; then I went from St. Mary's Church, and the Mission was turned over to St. James's, Roxbury, and the Rev. Percy Browne, - and the Rev. Phillips Brooks (who kindly gave me $50 towards construc- tion), in Perry's History, inadvertently gave the whole credit to St. James's and its Rector. In your history, please see that St. Mary's gets credit for the work. In regard to the Mission not being needed : Bishop Paddock informed me that St. Ann's became a self-supporting Church sooner than any Mission ever started in Boston.
Yours, very fraternally,
W. W. SILVESTER.
ELECTION OF RECTOR.
P. R. 1878. April 12.
BOSTON, 12th April, 1878.
REV. AND DEAR SIR, -At a meeting this day of the Parish of St. Mary's Church, Dorchester, it was unanimously voted to extend to you the invitation to become its Rector, at a salary of one thousand dollars per annum, to be taken at such times as you may wish.
We therefore cordially request your acceptance of the rectorate, trusting that you may find it a worthy field for your labors, and that between you and your people there may be established mutual
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confidence and esteem, which will make your duties pleasant and promote the happiness and good of us all.
It is thought to be highly desirable that, in the event of your acceptance, you take charge of the Parish at the earliest possible date.
Hoping for a favorable consideration of our invitation, we are, dear sir,
Faithfully yours,
JOHN P. CLAPP, Warden. WM. F. JONES, Clerk. MARTIN L. BRADFORD, WVM. P. HUNT,
Committee.
To the Rev. L. W. Saltonstall, Cambridge.
P. R.
CAMBRIDGE, April 15th, 1878. Messrs. John P. Clapp and others, Committee of St. Mary's Parish, Dorchester, Mass. : --
GENTLEMEN : - I cordially accept the invitation conveyed to me in your note of the 12th inst., to become the Rector of "The Parish of St. Mary's Church in Dorchester," and feel honored by the "unanimous vote," which authorized your action.
It will not be convenient for me to leave Cambridge before Monday, May 6th. Immediately after that date I hope to enter upon my duties in Dorchester. I earnestly hope with you that all our intercourse may promote only mutual confidence and esteem.
With a deep sense of the responsibility and importance of the office to which you have called me, I cannot too urgently ask your kind assistance and patience, and trusting that in all things official and personal, we may be directed and controlled by Him without whom we can do no good thing,
I am, sincerely yours, L. W. SALTONSTALL.
THE FAIR.
V. R. 1879. Nov. 23. The Treasurer stated that the net result of the recent Fair was $2,950, out of which the mortgage of $2,100 .... on land belonging to the Parish had been paid, the balance of $850 being deposited in bank,
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V. R. 1883. Nov. 18. Vestry Meeting. The Rector stated that he had obtained a quit-claim deed of the Church land from Mrs. S. P. Bogardus, one of the surviving heirs of the Dodge estate, and was in negotiation for a similar deed from Mr. C. S. Dodge, the surviving heir.
V. R. 1884. March 10. Mr. Martin L. Bradford, chairman of the committee to consider the propriety of securing a site for a new church edifice, read the report of the committee.
Voted, that the concluding portion of the committee's report be placed on file, viz. :
"The committee therefore report that, in their judgment, the way is not now open for the removal of St. Mary's Church to an- other site. They think it very desirable that the pews now held by non-resident owners should become the property of the Parish, in order that the property may be wholly in the control of the wor- shipers, should it be found expedient at any future time to move the church."
V. R. 1884. Oct. 26. Vestry Meeting. The Rector read a letter from Rev. Percy Browne in reference to organizing St. Ann's Mission into a Parish, and requesting the consent of the Vestry. On motion of Mr. Bradford, it was Voted, that the Clerk be in- structed to signify the assent of the Vestry to the formation of St. Ann's Parish.
Mr. Edwards desired that his name be placed on record as voting in the negative, and Mr. Sharp requested his to be placed as not voting.
DEATH OF MR. JOHN P. CLAPP, SENIOR WARDEN.
V. R. 1885. June 21. Vestry Meeting. Mr. Bradford, of the committee appointed at the last meeting to draw up Resolutions on the death of Col. John P. Clapp, then presented the following Resolutions, which were adopted : -
" Whereas, It has pleased Almighty God to remove from this world of trial and suffering to one of everlasting rest and peace our venerable and beloved Senior Warden, who has faithfully served the Parish in that capacity for the period of thirty-five years :
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St. Mary's Parish, Dorchester
" Be it Resolved, That we desire to place on record our love and appreciation of him who will no longer meet us in council or guide us by his advice and experience. We would offer our united testi- mony to the exalted worth of one whose integrity was unimpeach- able, whose fidelity to his Church was seldom equalled, and whose life as a Christian is a model which all should strive to imitate.
" Resolved, That the example of his Christian life shall be a lasting monitor to us, inciting us to a more earnest zeal for the welfare of that Church which he so long and faithfully served.
"Resolved, That we feel that our words are inadequate to do justice to the character of our departed friend ; therefore we desire to add to our Resolutions the following extracts from a commemo- rative sermon preached by our beloved pastor, the Rev. L. W. Saltonstall, on the Sunday following his death, from the text - Psalm xci : 16, ' With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.'
" It has never been my lot to meet one whose life seemed to be in all respects such a perfect fulfillment of the promises contained in the text as him whose loss falls so heavily upon this Parish and upon us who have known and loved him in past years. And if the first promise of the text was fulfilled in his experience, may we not as certainly say that the second was also? 'The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance '; - so wrote St. Paul to the Galatians. And I can find no terms better fitted to outline the features of that life so beloved by us all. As we miss the sight of his venerable face, the grace of his manner, the kindness of his words, let us remember the source whence those all came, from the heart of a man 'whose delight was in the law of the Lord.' In His law did he meditate day and night.
" John Pierce Clapp was the son of Ebenezer and Eunice Pierce Clapp, and was born in Dorchester, February 12th, 1803, and died after a short and painless illness, May 28th, 1885, aged 82 years, 3 months. He was confirmed in 1842 by Bishop Griswold, for. whom he always expressed the sincerest respect and affection.
" By his death the Rector lost one whom he venerated as a father and loved as a friend. His kind words, good deeds and wise
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counsels will come to mind on many occasions, and all these will testify to his having been in all his relations faithful."
"Resolved, That we tender to the family of our departed friend our heartfelt sympathy for the loss they have sustained. May the recollection of his many virtues and the hope of his joyful resur- rection to the life immortal, be their comfort and solace."
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