History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 142

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1464

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SWEDISH CHURCHES .- By the census of 1875 there were then one hundred and sixty-six Swedes and Nor- wegians in the city of Worcester. In 1888 the num- ber was estimated to be over six thousand. For this rapidly-growing part of the population five churches have already been provided. Two of these are Method- ist, one is Baptist, one Congregational and one Luth- eran. The oldest is the

First Swedish M. E. Church .- Work was begun among the Swedes in Worcester as early as 1876 by the Rev. Albert Ericson of the M. E. Church. By him a church was organized, to which the Rev. Otto Anderson afterwards preached. In the fall of 1879 Mr. Ericson removed to Worcester, resumed his work and remained in charge till 1882, when he was suc- ceeded by the Rev. D. S. Sorlin. In 1883 a church was erected at Quinsigamond at a cost, including the lot, of six thousand seven hundred dollars, and was dedicated on the 31st of March, 1884. In the same year the Rev. C. A. Cederberg was appointed assistant preacher and in the year following the pastor in charge. In 1887 the Rev. Albert Haller was appointed to succeed him.

The Second Swedish M. E. Church was organized on the 9th of April, 1885. This church, a colony from the First, embraced ninety-four members, including twenty-nine on probation. With these came the Rev. Mr. Sorlin, pastor of the First Church, under appoint- ment as pastor of the new organization. On the 1st of September, 1885, the church took possession of the chapel on Thomas Street, which had been purchased from the Christ Church Society for eight thousand dollars. By two successive additions at a cost of three thousand four hundred dollars, a seating capacity for more than five hundred was obtained ; nor was this found to be sufficient. The growth of the society had

been so rapid that in November, 1888, there was a membership of two hundred and thirty-five. On the 29th of May, 1887, the Rev. H. W. Eklund of Stockholm, Sweden, became the pastor iu charge. His ministry resulted in great spiritual and material enlargement.

The Swedish Evangelical Congregational Church in Worcester has its root in the Free Church movement in Sweden. This movement began about 1869 under Rev. P. Waldenstrom, D.D., who had been a minister of the Lutheran or State Church. Under his vigorous lead the membership of this Free Church had grown in the course of sixteen years to be one hundred thou- sand. Some of this communion having emigrated to this country had found a home in Worcester. In May, 1880, a few of these people began to meet for prayer and conference on Messenger Hill, while others met at Quinsigamond and elsewhere. In June, Rev. A. G. Nelson, pastor of a Swedish Free Church in Can- pello, Mass., came by invitation and held several meet- ings. On the 15th of August the hall at 386 Main Street, over the Gazette office, was hired for reli- gious services. Some old settees were borrowed from the Y. M. C. A., while a small yellow table, still pre- served as a memorial of that day of small things, was bought and used for a "pulpit." In this place, on the 6th of September, 1880, the Swedish Free Church was organized, and here, on the 26th, Mr. Nel- son held the first Sunday service. In October the Rev. George Wiberg was called from Iowa to become the first pastor. In May, 1881, the church, finding the hall on Main Street too narrow, removed its place of worship to a hall in Warren's Block, near Washington Square. On the 19th of August in the same year a council, finding this Free Church in substantial accord with its own, gave it a cordial welcome to the fellowship of the Congregational Churches. Ouly one other Swedish Congregational Church then existed in the country, that one being in Iowa. On the 14th of January, 1882, a parish was duly organized in the office of Henry L. Parker, Esq., in Flagg's building, under a warrant issued by him. Membership in the church was made a condition of membership in the parish. In November, 1883, Mr. Wiberg resigned his charge, and on the 1st of December following, Mr. Nelson, the first preacher to the church, became its second pastor. Leaving in July, 1885, he was suc- ceeded by the Rev. Eric Nillson, who began his work on the first Sunday in August of that year and was dismissed on the 6th of December, 1888. At the same time occurred the installation of the Rev. Karl F. Ohlsson, who had been called from Hedemora, Sweden, to the Worcester church. Its membership was then two hundred and fifty.

As early as 1882 this Swedish church enterprise had enlisted the lively sympathies of the Congrega- tional body of the city, and a movement was then initiated to erect a church edifice. Through a build- [ ing committee, of which S. R. Heywood was chair-

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man and G. Heury Whitcomb treasurer, the money was | among them two incorporated religious societies. The raised, a commodious edifice erected on Providence oldest of these made an attempt to become incorpo- rated in 1880, which, through no fault of the society, resulted in failure to obtain what they sought. But in 1888 the society became a corporate body by the name which it had borne from the first, street, near Union R. R. Station, and on the 25th of January, 1885, was dedicated with services by nearly all the Congregational pastors of the city. The cost, including land and furnishing, was nine thousand three hundred and ninety-five dollars, of which the Swedes contributed one thousand five hun- dred and ninety-five. As they gain financial strength the whole cost will probably be assumed by the parish.

A most active, efficient and leading person in all this enterprise was Dea. John A. Corneli. He had been a Lutheran and been urged by his Lutheran pastor in Boston to forward that interest on coming to Worcester. Being, however, converted at one of Major Whittle's meetings, he had left the Lutherans and united with the Summer Street Church. After- wards he took a dismission from that church to assist in building up the church of his Swedish brethren. To him both its spiritual and temporal prosperity was largely due.

The Swedish Baptist Church grew out of a move- ment begun in 1879. In that year Mr. Anderson, a Swede, came from the Union Temple Church in Boston and united with the First Baptist Church in Worcester. Soon he had a Sunday school class of six or eight Swedes. Then he and his countrymen began to hold meetings in the vestry of the First Baptist Church. In I881, the Swedish Baptist Church was constituted with a body of nine members. The Baptist City Mission Board now came to their help, and board and church co-operated in hiring a hall for religious services in Clark's Block, now Walker Building. In 1882, Rev. Peter A. Hjelm was called from Sweden to the pastorate. He remained till near the close of the year 1888, and was then succeeded by the Rev. L. Kal- berg. The Mission Board had built, in 1855, a chapel on Mulberry Street at a cost, including land, of $9500. Of this amount the church from the first assumed $3000; in the end of 1888 that body had become so prosperous that it resolved to relieve the board en- tirely. In the same year the membership had in- creased to about two hundred and forty.

The Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Gethsemane Church was organized in 1881. In 1882 the Rev. Charles E. Cesander became the pastor. He was succeeded in 1883 by the Rev. Martin J. Englund, who was or- dained on the 17th of June. In the same year the church was erected on Mulberry Street at a cost of about $15,000. The Rev. Oscar M. Holmgrain was Mr. Englund's successor, being installed in October or November, 1885. The installation of his successor, Rev. S. G. Larson, took place in April, 1888. The Augsburg Confession is the basis of the church or- ganization. The membership in 1888 was about one hundred and seventy.

JEWS .- Polish Jews began to multiply in Worcester about the year 1874. In 1888 the number of souls was thought to be not less than five hundred. There are

Sons of Israel .- The method of admission to the synagogue, or church, is by ballot after the candidate has been proposed and personally examined as to his fitness. Five black balls defeat an election. Mem- bership involves an obligation to make certain annual payments, and seenres certain pecuniary advantages touching sickness and burial. A prime requisite for membership, whether in the outset or in continuance, is financial integrity. This society has had five ministers. The first was M1. Metzer who came in 1880. After him came M. Touvim in 1882; MI. Binkovich in 1884; M. Newman in 1885, and M. Axel S. Jacobson in 1887. In 1888 a synagogue was built on Green Street at a cost of $11,000, including land, and was occupied for religious services in Au- gust of that year. About fifty persons are members of the synagogue and two hundred belong to the con- gregation. The synagogue possesses three rolls of the five books of Moses written on parchment, the finest of which cost $150.

The second society is named the

Sons of Abraham .- It became incorporated in 1886. Besides Polish Jews it embraced some of Swedish nationality. Those constituting the society went out from the older body because of lack of agreement on certain matters. But their organization and doctrine and way of the synagogue are the same. In 1888 a synagogue of brick was erected by this society on Plymouth Street, and was to be ready for occupation by the end of that year. The cost of this, with the land, was also about $11,000. In that year the mem- bership was said to be forty. This synagogue, like the other, is the possessor of several copies of the Torah, or Law of Moses, executed in the same costly style, and kept in an ark or chest for use in the syna- gogne service.

Some half a dozen families of German Jews belong to Worcester, but have their religious affiliations with Boston.

ARMENIANS .- The Armenian nation was great and historical centuries before the Christian era. As early, perhaps, as any Gentile nation, they received the Christian religion; but not till the opening of the fourth century, and iu the year 302, did the Armenian Church begin to be established. To St. Gregory, the Illuminator, belongs the honor of being its founder, and hence it is distinctively styled the Gregorian Church. Independent alike of the Greek and the Romish Churches, it resembled them in holding a hierarchy and the seven sacraments. This ancient church, through varying fortunes, has come down to our day and still exists in its native seat. An impor- tant city of that country is Harpoot, in the great loop

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made by the river Euphrates, and there, early in the century, the American Board of Commissioners estab- lished one of their missions. In this way the Ar- menians came to have relations with Americans and to have knowledge of the United States. From Har- poot and vicinity many of them found their way to Worcester. The special attraction for them in this city was the great Washburn & Moen wire establish - ment. They began to be employed in that establish- ment in the year 1882, and in 1888 there were about two hundred and thirty-six on its pay-roll. This particular set towards Worcester was the means of drawing others who came and engaged in other employments. The whole number in the city was last reported at about five hundred. This is said to be a larger number of Armenians than is to be found, not only in any other place in the United States, but also larger than all those in Boston, New York, Brooklyn and Philadelphia together.

It was an obvious duty to provide for these Asiatic strangers edifying religions instruction. Accordingly, about the beginning of the year 1888, the Rev. H. A. Andreasian was invited to come from Harpoot and minister to them in their own tongue. Mr. Andreasian was a disciple of the American missionaries, and had become an evangelical Protestant as towards the Gre- gorian Church. He had been an ordained minister and preacher at Harpoot for twenty-one years. On receiving the call from Worcester he was given leave of absence from his charge in Harpoot for from one to three years. A place for worship was secured in Summer Street Chapel, and there every Sabbath a large portion of the Armenians in Worcester have diligently attended upon his ministry. There is yet no organized church, and the congregation embraces Gregorian as well as Protestant Armenians. The communion of the Lord's Supper is observed four times a year, and to it are invited "all who love the Lord Jesus Christ." The version of the Bible in use is that published by the American Bible Society in the Armenian language. The singing is congrega- tional, conducted by Mr. M. S. T. Nahigian, who came to Worcester almost before any other Armenian. A serious drawback upon the future of the Armenians in Worcester is the almost entire absence of Armen- ian women, caused by the refusal of the Turkish Gov- ernment to allow them to emigrate. The entire con- gregation on the last Sabbath of the year 1888 con- sisted of men, and mostly of young men. Mr. An- dreasian regarded this as such a serious matter that he was determined to discourage the Armenian im- migration, unless the women came also. About fifteen hundred dollars a year have been raised among themselves for church and burial purposes here and contributions to their poor at home. They have manifested their gratitude and a fine sense of the fit- ness of things by also making a voluntary contribu- tion of two hundred dollars to the funds of the City Hospital.

GERMANS .- In 1875 the number of persons in Worcester born in Germany was four hundred and three. Thirteen years later the number of this na- tionality was estimated at somewhat more than one thousand. Of these a small portion are of the Roman Catholic faith, but without any separate church or- ganization. The bulk of these are free from all ecclesiastical connection, except-as a leader of this sort put the case-" each is a little church by him- self." Formerly, and from time to time, the Prot- estant Germans essayed to establish a German church, but with more of failure than of success. In 1886 Charles H. Stephan, a layman of German birth, came to the city and was much dissatisfied at finding such religious desolation among his country- men. He at once bestirred himself to do what he might to remedy the evil. The result of his efforts was that, on the 30th of November, 1886, a com- pany of Protestant Germans was brought together for religions service and worship. This first meet- ing was held in the Swedish Lutheran Church on Mulberry Street. A mission service continued to be held from that time on until April 10, 1888, when a church was organized under the name of the Evan- gelical Lutheran Church. Ten persons became mem- bers by signing the " constitution," and Charles H. Stephan and Walter Lester were elected deacons. The " unchanged " (invariata) Augsburg Confession was made the basis of the organization. The two sacraments are baptism and the Lord's Supper. Bap- tism is uniformly administered to infants a few days after birth by a ternary pouring of water from the hand upon the infant's brow. The Lord's Supper is administered four times a year, under the imperative rule of the Lutheran Church. In regard to this sacrament, Luther's doctrine of consubstantiation is strictly held by this Worcester church ; the body and blood of Christ are received under and with the bread and wine, but not in the bread and wine transubstantiated, as the Romish Church teaches. The minister of the church is the Rev. F. C. Wurl, of Boston, who serves as a missionary under ap- pointment by the German Home Mission, at Brook- lyn, N. Y. Preaching is held in the hospitable and catholic Summer Street Chapel every alternate Sun- day, while a Sunday school is maintained every Sunday. The average attendance upon the preach- ing is forty-five and thirty at the Sunday school.

CITY MISSIONS .- The Trinitarian Congregational- ists had for many years maintained an unincorporated City Missionary Society. But under the efficient and stimulating lead of the Rev. Henry A. Stimson, D.D., with the hearty co-operation of others, both clergy and laity, a corporation was legally organized and established, December 10, 1883, under the name of the Worcester City Missionary Society. The ob- ject of the society was "to promote religion and mor- ality in the city of Worcester and vicinity by the employment of missionaries ; the establishment and

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support of churches, Sunday schools, mission sta- tions and chapels for the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; for the diffusion of Evangelical knowl- edge and for the fostering of such works of benevo- lence as are especially adapted to commend religion to those who undervalue or are ignorant of it." This step rapidly led to a great enlargement of Christian activity and giving in the direction of city missions. Before the incorporation, the sum of $500 was about the limit of the fund annually raised for the uses of the society. After the incorporation, as appears by the several annual reports, the amount raised was, in the first year, $2778.23 ; in the second year, $3670.69; in the third year, $3764.81; in the fourth year, $3886.53 ; and in the fifth year, $4006.71. With these means in hand a superintendent and as- sistants were employed, the city was eanvassed, mis- sions were established and preaching in them was maintained. Out of all this three organized churches have grown up, one of which speedily took matters into its own hands, became strong and erected one of the finest churches in the city. The Rev. Albert Bryant has been the efficient superintendent from the beginning. At the close of the year 1888 the so- ciety owned three chapels, valued at $15,000.

In the autumn of 1881, the Baptist Churches took measures for the united prosecution of city mission work. On the 25th of March, 1885, this enterprise took body and form by becoming incorporated under the name of the Worcester Baptist City Mission Board. The object of the association, as declared in the Articles of agreement, was " to promote religion and morality in the city of Worcester and vicinity, the establishment and support of churches, Sunday schools, mission stations and chapels under the gen- eral management of Baptists, the employment of mis- sionaries to labor in said city and vicinity for the furtherance of the above-named objects and the ad- vancement of the cause of evangelical religion." The policy adopted was to have all the Baptist Churches represented in the Board and all con- tribnte according to ability. Moreover, it was held to be good policy for each church to have special charge of some one mission, and, if able, to bear all its expenses. The French Mission was reserved from this arrangement and kept under the control of the Board. This mission was organized in 1881, and was placed under the charge of Rev. Gideon Aubin in 1886. Its support, in part, is furnished by the Home Baptist Mission of New York City. Other missions under the charge of this Board are, one at Quinsigamond and one on Canterbury Street, both of which were organized in 1885, and a mission at Adams Square, which was begun in 1886. The amount of property held by the Board and invested principally in three chapels is somewhat le s than $10,000.

In the spring of 1888, a mission of the New Jeru- salem Church, or Swedenborgians, was begun in

Worcester. Such a mission had been established in 1874, had been continued for nearly four years and had then come to an end. The numbers embraced in the new mission did not exceed a score at the close of the year 1888, and were all women. These provided a place of assembly, which is in Walker Building, and there on stated Sundays the Rev. Wil- lard H. Hinkley, of Brookline, Mass., a secretary of the General Convention, ministers to them as a missionary of the New Church. There is no church organization ; the members belong to different church- es in Boston and elsewhere. It appears from the New Church "Almanac" for 1889 that the number of societies in America then in " organized existence " was 141; the estimated number of "New Church- men," 10,178 ; the number of churches and chapels, 82; and the total number of clergy in active service and otherwise, 113. Swedenborg died in 1772. His doctrines were first introduced into America in 1784; and the first New Jerusalem Church in the United States was organized in 1792, in Baltimore. The first society in Massachusetts was instituted in Boston on the 15th of August, 1818; the whole number in the State in 1888 was nineteen.

Besides the foregoing, there are various other mis- sions, denominational and undenominational, that are independent and self-supporting.

In 1888, the total valuation, by the assessors, of church property, exclusive of schools, parsonages and other parochial property, was $1,794,900. This amount was distributed among the several denominations as follows : Trinitarian Congregationalists, $577,300 ; Roman Catholics, $451,800; Baptists, $193,300; Methodists, $171,500 ; Episcopalians, $165,100; Uni- tarian Congregationalists, $98,400; Universalists, $69,300 ; Disciples of Christ, $27,600; Swedish Lu- therans, $11,500, and the balance among the smaller organizations. The cost of the New Old South, not yet exhibited on the books of the assessors, would increase the total valuation by more than $100,000. The real value of the whole would no doubt exceed $2,000,000.

Our historical review shows that while the largest growth has been in the line of the oldest church, the city has also been greatly hospitable towards other creeds of later advent within its bounds.

In the preparation of this sketch of the Worcester churches the following is a partial list of the authori- ties and sources of information which have been con- sulted : Lincoln's "History of Worcester," Lincoln's "Historical Notes " (in manuscript), Smalley's " Wor- cester Pulpit," Bancroft's "Sermons," Austin's " Ser- mon on War of 1812," "Pamphlets ou the Goodrich and Waldo Controversy, 1820," et seq .; "Sketches ot the Established Church in New England," Hoffman's "Catholic Directory," Hill's "Historical Discourse," "Journal of Convention of Protestant Episcopal Church," Dorchester's " Early Methodism in Worce -- ter" (in manuscript), Roe's "Beginnings of Method-

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ism in Worcester " (in manuscript), Green's "Glean- ings from History of Second Parish in Worcester," Davis' " Historical Discourse on Fiftieth Anniversary of First Baptist Church," Wayland's "Sermon on Twenty-fifth Anniversary of his Ordination as Pastor of Main Street Baptist Church," Barton's " Epitaphs," Drake's "American Biography," Liturgy of New Jerusalem Church, New Church Almanac; printed manuals of the various churches and societies, manu- script records of same, including records of First Parish at City Hall, and of the church therewith connected (Old South) in the last century, in the handwriting of Rev. Mr. Maccarty ; Worcester Spy newspaper, ancient copies of Psalm-books, "Twenty- fifth Anniversary Exercises of First Universalist Society," "One Position" of Disciples of Christ, Thayer's "Christian Union." Much information has also been obtained from pastors and other living persons, actors in and having knowledge of what took place. In this way knowledge of what is written about the Swedish, Arminian, German and Jewish ecclesiastical matters were chiefly obtained.

CHAPTER CLXXXII.

WORCESTER (Continued.)

PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

BY SAMUEL SWETT GREEN, A.M.

THE earliest public library in Worcester of which I have been able to find a trace is that of

THE MILITARY LIBRARY SOCIETY IN THE SEVENTH DIVISION .- The preamble to the agreement signed by the gentlemen who became members of the society recites the fact that " military science is essential to the military character," and states that the Legislature had passed a law which provided for the " creation and encouragement" of a library such as that of which the formation was contemplated, with the pur- pose of making "adequate provision " for "the ad- vancement of the object of military inquiry, . .. the general diffusion of military knowledge" and "the formation and instruction of military men," to the accomplishment of which objects "the establishment of a military library would greatly conduce."

The subscribers agreed " to associate in the procure- ment of a library," which was " always to be kept in the town of Worcester, as the most central place." Their first meeting was held April 3, 1811. Major Levi Lincoln, Jr., Lientenant Gardner Burbank and Dr. John Green were appointed a committee for the " procurement of books."

"John W. Lincoln was" at the same meeting " elected clerk " ... and "chosen librarian." On June 13, 1811, rules and regulations were adopted by the society. One of those provided that " There shall

be chosen annually a clerk and librarian, both which offices shall be vested in one and the same member." On June 24, 1812, John W. Lincoln was chosen clerk and librarian, and Dr. John Green, Lieutenant John W. Lincoln and Major Isaac Sturtevant were consti- tuted a committee for the procurement of books.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 142

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1464

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1464