USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > History of the Church of Our Savior, Protestant Episcopal, in Longwood, Massachusetts > Part 10
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11
The names of early leaders, memories of their person- ality, and of the spirit in which their service was ren- dered help to determine the answer. Those who took up their tasks and are still laboring will pass on the tradi- tions of consecrated activity.
While The Church of Our Saviour has never been an institutionalized church, a study of its organized activities through the long rectorate of Dr. Howe and those of his successors leads to the conclusion that it has had an un- usually varied list.
No records are available disclosing the activities dur- ing the terms of Reverend Messrs. Tomkins and Norton. The story begins with the coming of Reverend Reginald Heber Howe in 1877. Young, enthusiastic, and idealistic, he found a parish imbued with much the same spirit as
133
THE CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR
himself. One feels a sense of youth and activity in read- ing the record of those days. At the end of the first twelve months he records: "A year of happy work among an earnest, willing people," and he speaks of their hearty co-operation.
The organization for Women's Work began in 1878, with the formation of the Parish Aid Society with the Rector as President and Miss Ida Whittemore, later Mrs. Richard H. Soule, as Secretary. This Society had a continuous existence of thirty-five years until it was merged into the new comprehensive Woman's Guild in December, 1911. Almost contemporaneous was the Guild, the original society of that name, founded in 1881. This worked steadily for thirty-one years until the amal- gamation. Both societies at different times included men in their membership. The Parish Aid in its first year numbered 43 women and 9 men. The Guild formed a men's chapter in 1883. The two chapters had separate fields of work, but co-operated in large enterprises. This undoubtedly imparted zest to many occasions. The gen- eral officers of the enlarged Guild were men. There was a Men's Chapter, a Woman's Chapter and at different times chapters were formed for separate divisions of the work for shorter or longer periods.
From the first, the character of the two organizations differed in broad outline. Most of the work of the Par- ish Aid Society, in spite of its name, was for objects out- side the parish, for the neighboring sections of Roxbury, for diocesan and missionary purposes. The Rector's note on the founding of this society stated: "In order to sys- tematize the work of the Parish and by increasing the number of laborers to do it more effectively and thor- oughly, a Parish Aid Society has been formed. . .. The
134
THE WOMAN'S ORGANIZATIONS
membership fee is one dollar ... it is hoped that all who can, both ladies and gentlemen, will join." They did not attempt to make money, but collected it from their members and from other parishioners at stated intervals. The society had two departments, one on employment and one on visiting the poor and sick. When organized, the first department was headed by Mrs. F. W. Lawrence, the second by Mrs. T. J. Lee. A more detailed account of this work will be given later. A return to the Guild is necessary for the purpose of a general comparison of the two societies.
The Guild devoted itself at first to helping the parish in equipment and other material needs. It raised money by all the familiar methods of such organizations-fairs, concerts, lectures, etc. A complete list of the donations of the Guild to the parish, year by year, would be too long to publish here.
During the first year, 1881, while still consisting wholly of young ladies, they raised $199.00 and gave a piano and desk to the parish room built that year. The presi- dent was Miss M. F. Gregory, the secretary, Miss E. M. Whittemore, the treasurer, Miss E. M. Andrews. The next year they gave the tiling in the chancel at a cost of $366.00. (This was extended when the chancel was enlarged in 1889.) From then on the list contains items such as repairs, decorating the interior of the church, providing a lending library, tiling and lighting the clois- ters, buying vestments for the choir, furnishing choir stalls, enlarging the chancel, putting a motor into the organ, contributing a new altar cloth, moving the organ to its new chamber back of the transept, adding a new cross to the spire, making an addition to the Parish Room, and for years contributing to the new organ which
135
THE CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR
was finally secured in 1900. There were many generous donors to the parish in all these years, but in general, when anything was needed or desirable, the Guild was on hand to supply it, or contribute towards it.
The record of the philanthropic activities of any par- ish through the latter half of the nineteenth century has more than local interest to any one studying the subject of social service. It was the time when charitable organ- izations everywhere were breaking away from antiquated methods and moving toward the inculcation of self- respect and self-help among the poor. For the Parish Aid Society and both its departments, Roxbury pro- vided a laboratory in which experiments and methods could be tested. The Rector felt this and wrote in 1879: "The charitable work of the Parish in this (Roxbury) district, as it develops, and we learn by experience how best to carry it on, is constantly assuming a more definite and satisfactory shape." The Employment department specifically undertook to cut out and prepare garments to be given to the poor "to sew for a recompense thus providing them with employment and encouraging in- dustry." The objectives of the Visiting department were: "to assist the Rector in visiting, to investigate cases of necessity and see that all reasonable wants are supplied." A subsidiary part of the Parish Aid work was taken by the Dorcas Closet, which began in the house of Mrs. T. J. Lee. There, cast-off clothing was to be sent "for distribution to the destitute and deserving." The Dorcas Closet took up a permanent abode in the new Parish building, and like the poor for whom it exists, bids fair to be always with us and to be always in need. For many years it was in charge of Mrs. Howe, the rector's wife.
136
THE WOMAN'S ORGANIZATIONS
These two departments continued to be the principal agencies of the charitable work of the parish, but other projects were undertaken from time to time. These either met a temporary need and ceased when it no longer existed, or were experiments which did not prove feasible. The Young People's Parish Aid society, started by a class in the Church School in 1880, was one of these. Miss Fannie Eldredge (Mrs. Von Arnim) was its first president. It was not mentioned after those two years, and was probably absorbed by the Guild which became pre-eminently the young people's agency for Church Work.
A rather unusual and ambitious project toward self- help for poor women, was a Laundry on St. Mary's street. It was established in 1882, under the Parish Aid. The managers the first year were Mrs. F. W. Lawrence, Mrs. R. H. Howe, Mrs. C. H. Maynard and Mrs. Har- rison Gardner. Its object was to provide those needing work in the Roxbury district with employment better suited to them than had been found hitherto. A par- ticularly helpful feature was that the women were care- fully taught by a competent matron to do really good work, a bit of sound policy making them permanently more employable. The laundry functioned for thirteen years and was under a committee of the Parish Aid dur- ing that time except for one year when it was taken over tentatively by the Women's Educational and Industrial Union of Boston.
Meanwhile the work in Roxbury went on steadily. At first a specified district was assigned to The Church of Our Saviour by the Rector of St. John's. During the first year cottage lectures were held there, in a vacant house, in an effort to reach the unchurched, but in general the
137
THE CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR
spiritual care of the people was left to St. John's, Our Saviour Parish lending assistance only in cases of mate- rial need. In 1879 the women from that district began to come to the parish room to get the sewing which had been cut out for them. This custom has continued ever since, though now there are very few who want to do sewing. At the beginning they were "assembled for about an hour for instruction in household matters" and for suggestions upon any other subject that might be thought useful by the woman in charge. In 1878, ten or more women were thus helped and 172 garments given out, $104.25 paid for sewing and $68.25 given. One year, nineteen women were employed. This and other chari- ties were financed by Mrs. Amos A. Lawrence.
In 1881, this district, lying in Ward XXII, Boston, was made a conference of the Associated Board of Chari- ties and visitors from this parish worked under that board. This accounts for the fact that this church's inter- est in the Roxbury work has always been two-fold, in that it contributes through St. John's Parish and also through the Associated Charities, now the Family Wel- fare Society.
When the residence on Monmouth Court, given to the Church by Amos A. Lawrence, was sold, as recorded in Chapter X of this book, the fund derived therefrom was invested. Since it was devised by the giver that a portion of the income from this house was to be de- voted to the Church's charities, a certain sum from the interest of the fund is given annually to The Church Service League and used for the charitable work in Rox- bury. Because it was used at first to give employment to needy women it is called "The Employment Spe- cialty Fund."
138
THE WOMAN'S ORGANIZATIONS
The work developed from year to year. A Ward Of- fice was established in 1882, where inquiries could be made, cases of distress reported and employers could have workers recommended to them. It was then first recorded that "the conference asks that no one give to beggars at the door."
In 1885, it was decided not to limit the work en- tirely to the confines of the Roxbury district, some vis- iting being done on the Brookline side of the line. But in general that district remains under the care of the social service committee of this parish and this has been the principal part of its work for "the Commu- nity."
The wider fields of "the diocese, the nation and the world" have not been neglected. The parish from the beginning appointed representatives to co-operate with diocesan projects. The first year book notes one such- St. Luke's Home for Convalescents. Mrs. F. W. Lawrence was this church's representative. The diocesan branch of the Woman's Auxilliary, then as now, covered the other fields. This parish in 1878 had the following rep- resentatives in departments of its work! Indian, Mrs. Robert Amory and Miss E. M. Whittemore (Mrs. Went- worth); Domestic and Foreign, Mrs. T. J. Lee; Mexi- can, Miss Ida Whittemore (Mrs. Richard H. Soule).
Other missionary work was the preparation of boxes. A good deal of criticism and ridicule has been showered upon the "missionary box"-perhaps sometimes and somewhere deserved. It may be that in an ideal state of things such boxes would not be needed, but the right kind of missionary box, prepared with loving and in- telligent appreciation of the needs of the missionary family, conveys a message of interest, and a personal
139
THE CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR
touch which, one feels, would be lacking in even the most generous stipend promptly but impersonally paid. At any rate, the missionary box survives and appears likely to do so indefinitely. This work began, as far as recorded, in 1880, with preparation of no less than ten boxes, valued at from nine dollars to $140.80. The records do not state which organizations contributed the boxes in that year, except the $9.00 one, which was given by a church school class. But soon the prepara- tion of boxes became a regular part of the work of the Parish Aid. In 1881, five boxes are recorded, for diocesan and other missionary objects, the total value being $439.69. In 1882, also five boxes were sent valued at $627.20.
The Guild also began to use part of its energies in this extra parochial work. In 1892 or 1893 a special mission- ary chapter of the Guild was formed, with Miss Susan Train at its head and with ten members enrolled. In 1894, three missionary boxes are recorded, besides gar- ments for Roxbury and gifts of money. This was not the first missionary work of the Guild, however, as it had been a custom since 1886 at least to sew in Lent for mis- sionary objects. While the missionary chapter is noted in only two of the yearly records, the same kind of work is noted in every year up to the reorganization.
From the first the Guild had other objects than purely material ones. As early as 1885, the Year Book notes that the objects of the Guild had been considerably en- larged to promote the spiritual as well as the material interests of the parish. Committees were then formed on hospitality, caring for vestments, furniture and orna- ments of the Church, etc.
These arrangements diversified the interests of the
140
THE WOMAN'S ORGANIZATIONS
Guild and brought them more into line with the work of the Parish Aid Society, but all the more, unless an indi- vidual parishioner felt able to belong to both societies, there was a lack of knowledge of each other's work, a loss of comprehensiveness and much overlapping of ef- fort. For these and other reasons it was finally decided to reorganize the societies for church work in the parish and to make one comprehensive organization. This was accomplished in December, 1911, and so began the second period of the women's work. The new organization took the name of the Woman's Guild. There were some re- grets on all sides, as always when old associations and old methods have to be given up, but everyone stood loyally by the new organization. The Rector, who, not least of the parish, felt the passing of the old order, announced hopefully in the 1912 year book: "This unification, it is hoped, will secure such advantages as may come from a larger body with an augmented esprit de corps, a wider knowledge on the part of all (persons) of the various branches of our work and the doing away with the question of age limit as to membership." This last phrase refers to the fact that members of the Guild, first or- ganized as a group of young people, so retained their loyalty and interest that they continued as members even after becoming heads of families. The Parish Aid was thus in danger of being regarded as a society for only veterans of the parish. The Rector expressed the hope that the men who had been members of the former Guild would become members of the Men's Club in which provision would be made for their co-operation with the Woman's Guild in all practicable ways.
It is touching to note how the Rector voiced an af- fectionate and appreciative farewell to the old societies.
141
THE CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR
Said he: "All who have been familiar with (their) work will not take leave of these organizations without thank- ful appreciation of how much useful service they have rendered and the prayer that a double portion of their spirit may be upon the new Guild and Club." He warned against trusting to organization and quoted the remarkable text from Ezekiel; Chapter One, Verse 21, about the "whirling wheels" and "the spirit of the living creature (that) was in the wheels." This had been the subject of a notable sermon (the author thinks by Bishop Brooks) on Church organizations. In the 1913 year book Dr. Howe records: "The new parochial organization . . . has now been tested and is found to promote interest and efficiency. Its membership is much larger than that of the organizations it displaced and its comprehensive- ness has allowed none of the work in which we were engaged to be neglected."
The Woman's Guild had the following officers in its first year: President, Mrs. Frederic Cunningham; Vice- President, Mrs. George S. Parker; Recording Secretary, Mrs. C. C. Payson; Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. R. H. Howe; Educational Secretary, Mrs. B. K. Hough ; Treasurer, Mrs. Royal Robbins. The constitution pro- vided for three departments:
I. The Local Charities Department in charge of the work in Roxbury, Brookline, and the Episcopal City Mission in Boston. This department had a head, secre- tary and treasurer and committees on St. Luke's Home, Brookline Friendly Society and Seamen's Department of the Episcopal City Mission. There were two sub- departments, Industrial and Visiting. The officers of these three divisions were: Miss Janet Goddard, Mrs. G. S. Converse and Miss Welch.
142
THE WOMAN'S ORGANIZATIONS
II. The Woman's Auxiliary Department, to co-operate with the diocesan branch of the national Woman's Aux- iliary. This department also had a head, secretary, treasurer, and committees on domestic, Indian, colored, diocesan, foreign and Latin-American missions. It had two sub-departments. The Junior Auxiliary and the Church Periodical Club. The head of the Woman's Auxiliary department in 1912 was Mrs. Henry N. Bige- low.
III. The Parochial Department, headed in 1912 by Mrs. Frank J. Donaldson. There was one sub-depart- ment, the Altar Society, of which the head was Mrs. Philip S. Parker.
The articles provided for four meetings a year, "to hear reports of departments and to listen to speeches of interest and importance."
Three agencies were carried over from the old divisions of parish work into the new arrangement. One was the Junior Auxiliary, which now became a sub-department of the parish branch of the Woman's Auxiliary (a na- tional organization) the daughter of the latter society. It is mentioned in the parish annals in 1905 when Mrs. Wentworth and Miss Nancy Tyler were leaders and Miss Susanna Cunningham and Miss Anna Pollard sec- retary and treasurer respectively. In 1906, Miss Nina Bigelow was leader and in 1907 Miss Edith Williams took charge and had a long term of useful service. Other leaders were Miss Alice Porter and Miss Rosamond Bige- low. The Junior Auxiliary ceased to function when the national authorities decided that missionary instruction and work ought to be a regular part of the Church School curriculum and that it was a duplication of effort to maintain this separate organization. Nevertheless the
143
THE CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR
Junior Auxiliary, during its years of activity, was a real force in training future missionaries and inculcating mis- sionary spirit at home. In this parish it gathered a group of young girls, many of whom have become outstanding church workers.
The "Little Helpers" was a name given to a branch of the Junior Auxiliary for very young children. The name has since been adopted by the national department of Religious Education for an organization of infants too young for the Church School, like the Cradle Rolls of other church bodies. For many years from 1913 the Little Helpers of this parish were under the efficient and magnetic leadership of the rector's grand-daughter, Miss Dorothy Parker.
The Church Periodical Club, which occupied a place as one of the sub-departments of the Woman's Guild, had been founded in 1888. Its object was to send reading matter, chiefly periodicals, to lonely and isolated persons, missionaries and others. To do this, it enlisted the aid of people who subscribed to such periodicals and were willing to pass them on when read. Addresses of indi- viduals were given to those who desired them and the subscriber undertook to forward the magazine regularly. Magazines in bulk also were distributed by the society, and sometimes books which were sent to hospitals, ships, mission libraries, etc. The first mention of this work in the parish was in 1897. Miss Janet Goddard was Li- brarian. She was succeeded, among others, by Miss Helen Morse and Miss Ruth Greenough (Mrs. Branton Kel- logg). The librarian in 1934, and for several years pre- vious, was Mrs. Augustine B. Conant. Many "human interest" stories could be told in connection with this work, and only a little imagination is needed to realize what it
144
THE WOMAN'S ORGANIZATIONS
means to an isolated person to be kept thus in touch with the life and thought of the world.
Upon the general lines established on the formation of the Woman's Guild, the work of the parish is still conducted. Dr. Howe lived to see the organization well established and working harmoniously. He was more than once moved to note the harmony of the parish. In 1913, he spoke of the "peace and good will" among all, and in 1912, "The Rector notes with deep satisfaction what, so far as he is able to observe, seems to be a fine spirit pervading the people of our beloved parish, a spirit of interest and harmony acquiring under God's blessing, increasing prosperity and usefulness."
In the fall of 1920, the Woman's Guild changed its name to "The Church Service League." The organiza- tion remained practically the same as far as the Women's Work was concerned, but the Men's Club was included, also the Church School. The League aims to unite all the organized activities of the parish, and is in connection with the Church Service League of the Diocese. Thus the unifying trend in progress since 1911 reached its goal.
Heads of departments and representatives of the parish at large meet with the Rector once a month as a Parish Council.
The experience of war-time Red Cross work led to the institution of the weekly Workroom, which has become an outstanding feature of parish life. It would be in- spiring if it were practicable to publish here a complete list of those who, week after week, have met and worked together over the sewing machines or at the surgical dressing table. What good-will and cheer have pervaded the rooms, what kindliness, courtesy and courage! The
145
THE CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR
good accomplished directly in all fields of the Church's work has been very great and the by-products in parish life are not the least part of the result. Many of the workers no longer gather, but somewhere it is felt there is a Book of Remembrance in which every name is recorded, as it is in the memory and affection of those who still carry on.
Changes in rectors have made no difference in the work here outlined. One feature of it, more like the "spirit of the living creature" which the prophet saw among the "wheels," is corporate prayer. In the early days of women's organizations, the opening prayer was almost always the function of the Rector. If he was not present, a short Prayer Book collect was the rule. Since women did not officiate in Church, they did not lead in prayer in Episcopal gatherings. Whether the change came because of greater interdenominational intercourse, or was merely coincident with it, is uncertain. Certainly women have found their voices in devotional as well as other ways. With the help of many excellent manuals and compilations, the opening of the meetings nowadays is always reverent and inspiring. The workroom observes a noonday period of prayer. An outstanding instance of this spirit of devotion is the establishment of days of intercession, which accompany the Workroom days in Advent and Lent. These began about 1920, being ar- ranged by Mrs. Henry N. Bigelow. A committee of three, with the Rector, now has them in charge.
Under the new constitution of the Church Service League the Parish Aids were organized as a sub-depart- ment of the Parochial department, with Miss Rosamond Newton as head. It was for the older girls and young women. It functioned for a few years until 1923 and
146
THE WOMAN'S ORGANIZATIONS
was followed by The Young People's Fellowship which disbanded in 1929. Now the work for young people is informal and done by the Rector and his wife in the Rectory.
Hospitality has always been specifically a feature of "Woman's Work." It pervades the parish house on every occasion when parishioners gather. The Thursday Workrooms have their luncheons and the monthly meet- ings of the Church Service League have their tea. All who have been served at these pleasant lunches owe a debt of gratitude to Mrs. Henry W. Poor, Mrs. Chester Eastman, Mrs. Edward Davis and Mrs. H. G. Wyman, who have provided the entertainments.
Sometimes clerical visitors or church school branch meetings claim the good offices of the Hospitality com- mittee. The feature of the year is the parish supper on Shrove Tuesday. For some years, Mrs. Edward B. Rich- ardson, wife of the Junior Warden, managed these af- fairs. Later, Mrs. Francis C. Capper took charge. Mrs. I. Lloyd Greene's gracious presence as hostess on all such occasions will long be missed.
A conspicuous feature of The Woman's Work in this parish is the long and devoted service, without recom- pense except a consciousness of duty well done and service ably rendered, of many individuals. It would be gratifying to mention in detail this service, but the pur- pose of this history and limitation of space render it impracticable. Certain instances, however, are so re- markable as to demand recording, while many must rest content with the "Well Done" of the Master in the final assize.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.