USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Dedham > History of Saint Paul's Episcopal Church in Dedham ; with addenda covering the last fifty years, 1758-1958 > Part 4
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During the month of March, 1847, the church was closed, when the parish spent twelve hundred dollars on the adornment of the church interior, for a fence enclosing the church lot, and for the general improvement of the same. This year, also, the ladies of the parish, at the expense of one hundred and twenty dollars, fur- ther beautified the church with the gift of tablets containing the creed, copies from those of the Temple Church, London. At the Easter meeting in 1848 a pew was presented to the widow of Bishop Griswold for her use.
In 1847 Miss Hannah Chandler of Boston presented the church with a handsome chandelier. In 1848 a lady gave a silver alms plate; that Christmas Reuben Richards donated a bell weighing
two thousand pounds . In 1849 a lady of the parish gave a hand- some marble font, and an organ was installed at the expense of about fifteen hundred dollars, which, we are told, was "beauti- ful in finish," and "in design and painting harmonizes with the architecture of the church." Messrs. Reuben Richards and J. W. Clark gave the organ. In 1856 a gentleman of the parish made a present of a beautiful prayer book for the communion table. The church was repainted at a cost of three hundred dollars in 1855. These facts are enumerated to show the earnestness and generosity of Mr. Babcock's parishioners. By steady growth, the Sunday School, which was in a deplorable state at the beginning of his ministry, had, under the rector's faithful guidance, reached the number of eighty, a large number for the size of the parish at that time.
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The Later History of St. Paul's Church
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH, 1845-1856.
I quote the following description of the church as it appeared at this time : - "The church was a beautiful edifice. of mediaeval architecture. The architect was Arthur Gilman of Boston. The builders were Thomas and Nathan Phillips of this town. The frame was raised July 4, 1845. It was built with great care and pos-
sessed great architectural beauty.
It was minety feet long, and
the tower, which was a copy of St. Magdalen's College, Oxford, England, was about 100 feet high, presenting an elegant and impos- ing appearance from every point of approach. The ceiling was filled with heavy tracing in bold paneling and richly grained in dark old English oak. All the furniture of the church was in keep- ing with the edifice itself. The massive chairs were built partly of wood taken from the former church. Another writer said of this
church that it was "one of the most chaste and appropriate speci- ments of church architecture in our diocese." With this beautiful church, and the generosity of his people to outside objects as well as those parochial, Mr. Babcock had prospered well along his chosen lines of activity. Unblessed with children, his church was very near his heart.
Sunday, Dec. 7, 1856, at half past six in the moming, a wild ringing of fire bells aroused the town, flames having been discov-
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ered bursting from the rear end of the beautiful church, where was the library of the Sunday School. Very rapidly the fire spread, and in a few minutes enveloped the entire building. The intense heat, the scarcity of water, and the rapid progress of the fire, rendered the efforts of the firemen useless. In less than an hour, the church, its furnishings and its cherished gifts were a mass of smouldering ruins. Nothing was rescued, except that the active exertions of the Sunday School librarian, John Lathrop, saved the library.
The town was spared a serious conflagration by the presence of a light snow on the roofs of the neighboring houses, by the ab- sence of a wind save that cinders were borne to a considerable dis- tance by the convection currents of the fire. We are told that the Centre School-house and several houses took fire, but were promptly extinguished. The residences of B. H. Adams, Francis Cole, Joshua Carter, George Coolidge and Luther Weeks were in great danger for a time. The fire apparatus which came to the scene were the Water Witch engine of this village, Captain Isaac Weathers; Hero Engine Company of the Upper Village, Captain Francis Turner; the Niagara from Mill Village, Captain Charles Colburn, Jr. Later arrived Washington Engine Company of South Dedham (now Norwood) and Sala- mander, from West Roxbury, all hand power engines.
The origin of the fire was supposed to have been an over- heated stove, as the flames were first seen in that part of the church where a stove stood, in which a fire had been kindled a half hour before. The estimated loss was $10,000; there was an insurance of $5,000 at the Norfolk Mutual office of this town.
The loss of the church was a terrible blow to Mr. Babcock and his parishioners. That morning services were held and holy communion celebrated in Temperance Hall, made from the old Court House, and which many of us remember as standing on the lot now vacant on the southeasterly side of Court Street, midway between Norfolk and Church Streets. After the morning services, the people of Rev. Dr. Lamson's and Rev. Dr. Burgess' Churches held parish meetings and offered freely the use of their churches to their un- fortunate Episcopal friends. It was decided, however, to make use of the court room at the Court House until the new church, to which all hopes immediately turned, should be built.
Steps were taken to build a new church immediately. In a few weeks a fair held by the parish netted about $1000, and there was a very liberal subscription by some of the church people in addi- tion. Arthur Gilman presented plans for a building as nearly as possible fireproof. and they were accepted.
June 23, 1857, the corner stone of the new church was laid by Rt. Rev. Bishop Eastburn. "A procession, consisting of the Bishop, clergy, wardens and vestrymen of the church, with others, went up to the chancel nave of the foundation, repeating the one hundred and twenty-second psalm, and afterwards followed the reading of the exhortation and collects. The rector, Rev. Mr. Babcock, then read a list of articles which had been put in a metallic box and sealed up, to be placed under the corner stone. The contents of the box were as follows :- A copy of the Journal of the Diocese of Massachusetts; Historical Discourse; the Rector's Offering; the
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Church Almanac; engraving of the late church; Newspapers of the day; Certificate of Priest's Orders, by Bishop Griswold; Letter of Bishop Eastburn; Book of Common Prayer; Holy Bible; gold, sil- ver and copper coins; Parchment Record of Statistics of St. Paul's Church, Dedham; a list of the articles deposited.
"The box, being deposited by the Rector, the Bishop proceeded with the ceremony, striking the stone three times with a hammer, and announced that he had laid the corner stone of a church by the name of St. Paul's Church, to be devoted to the service of Almighty God, according to the principles of the Protestant Episcopal Church. The Rev. Mr. Babcock then made an address, historical in its char- acter, in which he reviewed the progress of the Episcopal Church in Dedham. .... At the conclusion of the address of the Rector, the Bishop spoke briefly to the assembly, after which a hymn was sung, in which the multitude joined. A prayer of benediction closed the ceremonies." The parchment in the box placed under the stone contains a brief history of the Society and a list of the Rectors
The consecration of the new church took place June 17, 1859. There were fifty clergymen present and a very large congregation. The order of exercises was: - Procession of clergy to church. Pre - sentation of deed of church to the Bishop by the senior warden. Reading of the minutes of consecration and acceptance of church by the Bishop. Regular morning service and sermon by Bishop Eastburn ( text from Titus, II, 7 - "In doctrine showing incorruptness" ) Hymn of consecration, to tume of "Old Hundred." Prayer and bene- diction by the Bishop.
Mr. Gilman, the architect, adhered strictly to the early Eng- lish or lancet pointed style, or, as one writer expressed it : - "The architecture is Gothic of the early English order, a style which obtained particular favor during the thirteenth century. " The church is built of Dedham granite, and rests on massive foundations. The walls are strongly buttressed, as is the tower, which at this time was completed for only two stages, about thirty- five feet. The front entrance in the tower is finely arched and very massive. At the south side is a beautiful porch entrance, in- tended for those coming in carriages. In the interior the church consists of a nave, with side aisles, and separated from the rest of the church by a strong and graceful brick arch is the chancel at the west. The floor is supported by brick columns, while the walls on the inside are also of brick; there is a space between the inner brick and outer stone to prevent dampness, and the walls thus constructed are about two and one-half feet thick. The roof is supported on each side by five beautiful brick columns. The brick work throughout the interior is overlaid with plaster. The high open roof is further supported by curved braces, studs, ties and rafters of solid chestnut, rubbed down and oiled. The inter-
ior finish of the pulpit, the desk, the interior of the chancel, the window frames and the pews, are all of chestnut. The pews are without doors and of Gothic panel style. At the south side of the chancel was the robing room, and at the north side was the organ room, in which was placed a Hook organ, made in Roxbury. The choir
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seats, beside the organ, were placed at right angles to the pews of the church. The area included in the naïve and aisles was forty-nine by seventy-one feet: the chancel area was fourteen by twenty-two feet. The roof steep over naive and chancel is of gentle slope over the side aisles, and is covered attractively with slate.
The stained glass windows were much admired, the large one in the chancel, costing $1000. represents St. Paul. The beauty and newness of everything, from the massive masonry to the beautiful wood work and the pleasing appearance of carpets and cushions, de - lighted every one.
The building thus described was built without any help outside the parish, and only over a little over a year and a half after the total destruction of its predecessor. The stone of which the church was constructed was given by the brothers Bullard of this town. Ira Cleveland, the senior warden, was the chief donor. His special gift was all the windows, including the one in the chancel. These windows were made by Owen Doremus of West Bloomfield, New Jersey. The organ was presented by the junior warden, Joseph W. Clark. The two chancel chairs were given by a Boston clergyman. The ladies of the parish gave the bibles, prayer books for the pulpit desk and communion table. The pulpit cushion was given by a New York lady. A Boston lady furnished the robing room. The font was given by Mrs. Babcock.
The contractors for the building were the Messrs. I. and H. M. Harmon of Roxbury, who executed the stone work. The wood work was done by Alonzo Folsom of Roxbury. The walls and ceiling were colored by W. J. McPherson of Boston. The building committee were Ira Cleveland, Joseph W. Clark and Rufus E. Dixon. The cost of construction was $18,336.51.
The affairs of the parish at this time were such that when we look back over the first century which, curiously enough, was marked by this consecration, we must feel that the seed sown by the fathers in stony places had at last brought forth manifold fruit.
Mr. Babcock had not enjoyed his new church a year when he was obliged to take a rest of several months on account of feeble health.
The story of the parish from this time on for more than twenty years is one of steady growth and earnest activity. In 1867 Mr. Cleveland presented the church with a bell weighing 3000 pounds and costing $1500.
In 1869 the tower and spire of the church was completed and surmounted by an iron cross, gilded. Also, an iron fence, with massive stone posts, was built around the church building enclos- ing the lot; then sheds for carriages and the grading brought to completion the original intention of the parish twelve years before. The expense of this work was $12,143.31. This entire sum was pledged and raised in the parish during the year. As none of the subscribers are now living, none can object to a presentation of their names, for their zeal is praiseworthy and should be perpetu- ated as an example to those who follow them.
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ST. PAUL'S CHURCH, 1858-1869.
Ira Cleveland gave $4963.81. Joseph W. Clark gave $3500. Horatio Chickering gave $1000. Charles B. Shaw gave $500. The following gentlemen gave $200 each :- E. S. Rand, Jr., Thomas L. Wakefield, Dr. Ebenezer Burgess, George E. Hatton, Erastus Wor- thington, George D. Gordon, Rufus E. Dixon, Calvin F. Ellis. The following gave $100 each :- John Lathrop, Lewis H. Kingsbury, Mrs. Edward Stimson. John H. B. Thayer and Alfred Allwright each gave $75. Charles Henry Parker and S. D. Bacon gave $50 each. George Bird gave $20, and Robert Pepper gave $10. That year there were in the parish one hundred and eighty-four communicants; the Sunday School had twenty-one teachers and officers and one hundred and twenty-five scholars.
In 1870 Columbia College and, also the same year, Griswold College, Iowa, conferred the degree of Doctor of Divinity upon Mr. Babcock.
For the relief of the sufferers from the great Chicago fire, in 1871, this parish contributed $207.81. Of interest to the dio- cese at large are the two facts which I shall quote directly.
"On the 12th of June, 1872, the honored remains of Rt. Rev. Alexander Viets, Griswold, D. D., were removed from under Trinity Church, Boston ( together with those of his wife and son) and de - posited in a granite-lined grave in the church enclosure of this parish."
"On the 14th of September, 1872, the honored remains of Rt. Rev. Manton Eastburn were brought to the cemetery in Dedham for sepulture and rest by the side of his revered mother."
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The bodies of Bishop Eastburn and his mother were subsequent- ly removed from Dedham. It may be of interest to note that five months after the remains of the Griswold family had been brought here, Trinity Church, Boston, was partially destroyed in the great Boston fire.
The brown stone monument in the church lot, erected through the efforts of Ira Cleveland, who was the largest contributor, marks the last resting place of Bishop Griswold and his family. In November, 1872, Dr. Babcock had a slight apoplectic at- tack, resulting in a loss of voice, which disabled him from per- . forming his duties. His pulpit was supplied until Easter follow- ing, and then it being very evident that the rector could not take up his duties, he was granted a six months' vacation.
A mission Sunday School was opened in the eastern portion of the parish, June 8, 1873, mainly through the energy of Horatio Chickering.
Mr. Chickering became a member of St. Paul's parish in 1850. He was elected vestryman in 1853, and served continuously in that capacity until Easter, 1873, when he declined a re-election. He was ever a generous contributor to church objects. He identified himself with the mission above mentioned, and from it has now grown one of the most earnest churches in the diocese - the Church of the Good Shepherd.
In October, 1873, Dr. Babcock had so far recovered that he was about to resume his duties. On the 14th he attended a meeting of the clergy in Boston. While drafting a resolution he was
seized with apoplexy. He was carried to the Evans House, on Tre- mont Street, where he died, Oct. 25. "Thus ended, " says one writer, "the comparatively long and useful life of one who was dis- tinguished not as a sensational or popular preacher, but as an earnest, devoted Christian minister, who was found faithful unto death." What Dr. Babcock did for this parish has been told part- ly in these few pages. How he came to a feeble parish - one not accustomed to contribute generously towards the support of the church - and, after more than forty years of faithful work, left it one of the most respected in the State, we have endeavored to show. Beside his work here, he was the chief agent in the estab- lishment of the churches at Hyde Park and Wrentham. He was for four years secretary of the Diocesan Board of Missions. He was treasurer of the Diocesan Convention nineteen years, and president of the Standing Committee until his death. He was specially in- terested in the Society for the Relief of Aged and Indigent Clergy- men of the Diocese, and spared no efforts to enforce on churchmen the claims of this excellent society.
As a citizen of Dedham, Dr. Babcock was always warmly inter- ested in all the town affairs, and served for years on the School Committee. At a union meeting held in Dr. Burgess' Church ( Ortho- dox Congregational) at the time of President Lincoln's death he delivered the eulogy. This was afterwards printed.
Dr. Babcock's funeral was held in the church on Thursday, October 30th. Besides his sorrowing parishioners, many of the clergy, together with a large number of Dedham's leading citi-
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zens, attended to revere his memory. The church was draped thirty- one days, in accordance with a vote of the wardens and vestry. Dr. Babcock was buried in the church enclosure. Over his remains his wardens, Messrs. Ira Cleveland and J. W. Clark, have erected a marble monument.
In accordance with a petition from this parish to the Great and General Court, an amendment to the Act of Incorporation, passed June 12, 1818, became a law March 10, 1874. This amendment changed the corporate name of the church from the "Episcopal Church in Dedham" to "Saint Paul's Episcopal Church in Dedham," and gave the church power to pass by-laws. March 23, 1874, the present by- laws were adopted by the church.
June 9, 1874, the parish elected Rev. Daniel Goodwin of Wick- ford, R. I., rector. Mr. Goodwin accepted and took charge in Nov- ember. The same year Dr. George E. Hutton left a bequest for a chapel. The appraised value of the legacy was $5848.32.
February 10, 1875, the parish voted to build the present brick chapel. This building was first used May 10, 1876. At its east end a memorial window for Dr. Hutton was placed by the chil- dren of the Sunday School.
In 1879 a reredos was erected in the church - also by the children of the Sunday School - as a memorial to Dr. Babcock, and at an expense of $260.
Mr. Goodwin accepted a call to East Greenwich, R. I., in 1879, much to the regret of his parish. Mr. Goodwin was an ex- cellent pastor, and in the five years of his rectorship thoroughly organized the work of the church. He originated the Parish Guild, which held its first meeting at the house of Lewis H. Kingsbury, Jan. 25, 1875. The objects of the Guild were "to help on church work, by organized exertion, when properly called upon, either in improvements in the edifices, or in church decoration, or in ar- ranging for the music of week-day services, or in local missions, or in serving the sick and the poor, and burying the indigent dead, or in seeking to promote attendance upon the services of the church and at the Sunday School, or in establishing series of lec- tures or concerts for the benefit of the parish, or in maintaining a parochial library, or in taking care of the robes and linen of the church, or in any kindred enterprise." This Guild was a great value in promoting parochial activity and solidarity. It was the main spring of the parish life for over fifteen years, when it lost its influence and was finally discontinued in 1899.
Mr. Goodwin was very successful in the Sunday School, and he held the affection of his scholars to a marked degree.
Mr. Goodwin left the parish in September, 1879. The parish caused to be spread upon the records its appreciation of his ser- vices here.
December 3, 1879, Rev. Arthur Mann Backus of Elyria, Ohio, was elected rector of the parish. He accepted and first offici- ated Jan. 11, 1880.
Ira Cleveland presented the parish with a chime of ten bells, Easter, 1881. The largest bell weighs 3050 pounds, and the small- est, 250 pounds. On each bell is the inscription, Presented to
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St. Paul's Church, Dedham, by Ira Cleveland, Easter, 1881. On the seven largest bells we find in addition the following :- No. 1. "Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth Peace, Good Will toward Men." No. 2. Sacred to the Memory of Reverend Samuel Brazer Babcock, D. D., Rector of St. Paul's Church, Dedham, 1832-1873. Tied October 25, 1873." No. 3. ""e Praise Thee." No. 4. "We Bless Thee . " No. 5. "We Worship Thee." No. 6. "We Glorify Thee." No. 7. "We Give Thanks to Thee for Thy Great Glory." These bells were made by Meneely & Co. of West Troy, N. Y. and were rung first on Easter Lay, 1881, by Edward Halliday of St. John's Church, Troy, N. Y. The old bell, which was the same size as the No. 1 bell of the chime, also given by Mr. Cleveland in 1867, had become cracked about twelve years later, and it had been re-cast. when the chime was placed in the belfry, the old bell went to Cheshire, Connecticut. The cost of the chime was $5400.
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-1869 TO THE PRESENT DAY.
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During the summer of 1882 the interior of the church was deco- rated by Arthur Noble of Boston. The old buff colored walls and sky blue tint of the spaces between the roof rafters gave place to elaborate ornamentation familiar to all. In the roof four small gable windows were cut on either side to improve the ventilation. This work, which occupied about two months and entailing an expense of $3500, was another act of generosity on the part of Mr. Ira Cleveland. At the same time the organ was taken out of the organ room it previously occupied, and placed in the end of the north side aisle. It was entirely rebuilt. The work on the organ was the gift of the original donor, Mr. J. W. Clark.
Mrs. Babcock, widow of Dr. Babcock, died Jan. 26, 1883. She was seventy-one years of age and, like her husband, she was a vic- tim of apoplexy, having been a paralytic for some time. She left a fund of $1000 for the benefit of the Sunday School library. This estimable lady was ever an earnest worker, ably assisting her hus- band in parochial labors. Her epitaph on the stone in the church lot, where she lies beside him, is as follows :- "When the ear heard her, it blessed her, and when the eye saw her, it gave wit- ness to her, because she delivered the poor that cried, the father- less and those who had none to help them." At Easter, 1884, Mr. Cleveland pleasantly surprised the parish by the beautiful lecturn which is inscribed to Mrs. Babcock's memory.
In the fall of 1886 Mr. Backus was taken suddenly with a seri- ous illness, and his father-in-law, Rev. Lewis Burton, officiated for him after November until the following June. Somewhat improved in health, the rector resumed his duties, assisted by Rev. Robert W. Plant at that time. Mr. Plant remained until Easter, 1888. Finding that his hope of restored health would not be realized, Mr. Backus resigned October 7, 1888, after nearly nine years of ser- vice here. Until incapacitated by sickness, he was an earnest work- er, much beloved by his parishioners, and, when his health failed, they appreciated the brave fight he made against invalidism. Mr. Backus removed to Ohio the following year, where he died, July 18, 1891. The brass cross on the church altar is a memorial to him.
May 20, 1889, Rev. Reginald Heber Starr, D. D., of St. Thomas Church, New York, was chosen rector unanimously. He assumed charge the September following.
December 31, 1889, the parish was thrown into mourning by the death of Mr. Ira Cleveland, at the age of nearly eighty-eight years, after a short illness. Mr. Cleveland would have completed fifty- two years in the service of this church as warden and delegate to the Diocesan Convention at the Easter meeting following his death. After Mrs. Babcock's death in 1883, his home for forty-five years was broken up, and he was taken into the family of Mr. Backus, where he resided at his death. Mr. Backus at first lived at the corner of Metcalf and Washington Streets, but in October, 1885, Mr. Cleveland bought the house on Court Street, now the rectory, and this became their home.
By his will, Mr. Cleveland left the church $5000 as a fund for the rector's salary; $1000 as a fund to pay for ringing the
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chimes and recasting the bells. He also left the estate just mentioned to be used as a rectory by the church. Finally he made the church residuary legatee. The church received as a result of this last clause a residue which amounted to $9000.
To properly appreciate the extent of Mr. Cleveland's devo- tion to this church during his long and earnest life is impos - sible, but the history of the church here during that period is profoundly associated with him. He was a constant attendant at church to the very last, and his chief happiness consisted in fur- thering her interests. He was a generous contributor from Sunday to Sunday, which, together with his special gifts, we would not, if we could, represent in figures. Suffice it to say that towards the erection of the church, afterwards burned, and the present edi - fice he gave $13,000. But his influence was no less remarkable than his own free giving. He had the faculty of arousing a gener- ous sense in others, so that in the time covered by his life prob- ably no parish in the State contained so large a proportion of persons who expressed their love for their church in such free will offerings.
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