USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > One hundred years of Mount Vernon Church, 1842-1942 > Part 14
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 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23
119
APPENDIX C
the wicked will go into punishment, and the righteous into life; both of which States will be without end.
COVENANT
In the presence of God and this assembly, you do now solemnly avouch the Lord Jehovah, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, to be your God, the Supreme object of your affection, and your portion forever. You cordially acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ to be your Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit to be your Sanctifier, Comforter and Guide. You cheerfully devote yourselves to God, in the everlasting covenant of his grace, consecrating all your powers and faculties to his serv- ice and glory; and you promise, that through the assistance of his Spirit, you will cleave to him as your chief good, that you will give diligent at- tendance to his word and ordinances, that you will seek the honor and inter- est of his kingdom, and that hence- forth, denying all ungodliness and every worldly lust, you will live so- berly, righteously and godly in the world.
You do also now cordially join yourselves to this Church, and engage to submit to the rules of government and discipline which it has adopted; to strive earnestly for its peace, edi- fication and purity, and to walk with its members in charity, faithfulness, circumspection, meekness and so- briety.
This you profess and engage.
(Here the members of the Church will rise.)
In consequence of these professions and promises, we, (the members of
the wicked will go into punishment, and the righteous into life; both of which states will be without end. This we severally profess to believe.
COVENANT
In the presence of God and this as- sembly, we do now solemnly avouch the Lord Jehovah, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, to be our God, the su- preme object of our affection, and our portion forever.
We cordially acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ to be our Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit to be our Sanctifier, Comforter and Guide. We cheerfully devote ourselves to God, in the ever- lasting covenant of his grace, con- secrating all our powers and faculties to his service and glory ; and we prom- ise that through the assistance of his Spirit, we will cleave to him as our cheif [sic] good, that we will give diligent attendance to his word and ordinances, that we will seek the honor and interest of his kingdom, and that henceforth, denying all un- godliness, and every worldly lust, we will live soberly, righteously and godly in the world.
We do also cordially join ourselves to the whole body of Christ, called the church universal, regarding ourselves henceforward as so identified with all its interests, and so unchangeably in covenant with it, that if Providence removes us from one branch of it, we are bound to connect ourselves with another, as soon as we may be able.
We do also cordially connect our- selves with this church in a more di- rect and special union, engaging to submit to the rules of government and discipline which it has adopted; to
120 ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF MOUNT VERNON CHURCH
this church,) affectionately receive you to our Communion, and in the name of Christ declare you entitled to all its visible privileges. We welcome you to this fellowship with us in the blessings of the Gospel, and on our part engage to watch over you and seek your edification, as long as you continue among us. Should you have occasion to change your place of resi- dence, it will be your duty to seek, and ours to grant, a recommendation to another church: for hereafter you can never withdraw from the watch and communion of the Saints, without a breach of covenant.
And now, beloved in the Lord, let it never be forgotten, that you have
strive earnestly for its peace, edifica- tion and purity, and to walk with its members in charity, faithfulness, cir- cumspection, meekness and sobriety.
Into this covenant we severally en- ter.
come under solemn obligations, from which you cannot escape. Wherever you go, these vows will be upon you. They will follow you to the Bar of God, and will abide upon you for- ever. The Lord guide and preserve you till death, and at last receive you and us to that blessed world where our love and joy shall be forever per- fect.
AMEN.
D
RESOLUTIONS PASSED ON THE DEATH OF THE REVEREND SAMUEL EDWARD HERRICK
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHURCH
It having pleased our heavenly Father to remove from us to Himself, and to the larger life beyond, our dearly beloved Pastor, the Reverend Doctor Samuel E. Herrick, at the fullness of his work here, the Mount Vernon Church would place on record some expression of its grateful appreciation of his noble char- acter, and worth as a minister and a man, as disclosed in his remarkable service of nearly thirty-four years with this Church.
In Dr. Herrick was a rare combination of intellectual greatness, and humility and gentleness of spirit. He was a deep scholar, a profound thinker, a true prophet of God, a preacher with divine gifts and extraordinary power, yet "wearing all that weight of learning lightly like a flower." Deeply responsive to loving appreciation, he cared little for the praise of men, for popularity, or for fame. Absolutely forgetful of self, service was the keynote of his character, and he rejoiced as much in serving the humble as the great.
He gave his life, consciously and intentionally, for us, the people of Mount Vernon Church, and while, as he himself said, no call for work outside his own people was ever responded to by him if it interfered with his duty to them, nevertheless such calls upon him (many of a personal nature, of which the world can never know) were very frequent, and were met, with no neglect of
121
APPENDIX D
his own Church, but often at great personal cost to himself. Selfless, patient, and generous beyond measure, he gave his life for his fellowmen as few have done.
He held character above all things else; and, without respect of persons, honored and loved men for what they were, not for their possessions or acces- sories. He proved by his own life, what he so faithfully taught us, that "the life is the light of men."
Hating sin as only one of his fine nature could hate it, none would do more, and few so much, for the salvation of the sinner. In all his teachings, he sought to bring men to recognize God as their Father and Jesus Christ as their Elder Brother, and to show, by their love for one another, their true discipleship of the Master, and their true place in the family of God.
He was too great, too noble, too good, to be more than imperfectly appreci- ated even by those who knew and loved him best.
The Lord's beauty was upon him; and singularly appropriate to himself are these words which many years ago he spake of another, "In him, every widow has lost a husband, every orphan a father, every Christian an example, and every human being a friend."
FEBRUARY 3, 1905
RICHARD L. GAY
FRANK H. WIGGIN
DAVID R. CRAIG Committee
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY
WHEREAS, It has pleased the All-wise Giver and Governor of our lives to recall to Himself the Reverend Samuel E. Herrick, D.D., for thirty-three years the beloved and devoted pastor of Mount Vernon Church, be it therefore
Resolved, That while this society mourns as for one held dear, but parted from us for a while, it yet rejoices in the rich heritage of character and service that remains to it, the precious, imperishable things over which the death of the body has no power. Dr. Herrick was a man of rare quality in many ways. Few were his equals in that splendid endowment of the graces of both mind and spirit. His life was a benison. His death, coming so quickly as the culmination of uninterrupted service, was not a lingering farewell, but a solemn benediction. It came as he might have wished it to come, and it found him ready.
He possessed the vision of a seer and the voice of a prophet. He was an eager searcher after truth and was not afraid to welcome it when found, even though it might involve the overthrow of previous conceptions and make necessary a readjustment of belief.
He was a leader, but he exacted no blind following. He illuminated the way; he strove to shed the light of his own leading upon every onward and upward advance. He was a firm but gentle guide, not a theological tyrant or dogmatist.
As a preacher and teacher the clarity of his reasoning was only equalled by the purity of his diction and the beauty of his style. The jewel and the casket were worthy of each other.
122 ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF MOUNT VERNON CHURCH
There was no incongruity between the man and his message. He was digni- fied, but winning, benignant, broad and tolerant.
He judged men by the strength he found in them rather than by their weak- ness; by the good more than the evil. It was not necessary that men should possess his own high ideals to be attracted by him. There was a charm in as- sociation with him. There were inspiration and power in both his life and his counsel. His memory will be cherished in warm and reverent affection in this society as long as even one remains who enjoyed the rare privilege of his as- quaintance, which meant also his friendship.
The bereavement of its members is only second to that of the stricken home and family where the love and goodness which his life irradiated were con- stantly experienced.
Resolved, That these resolutions be entered upon the records and that an engrossed copy be sent to the family with the profound sympathy of the Society.
E RESOLUTIONS PASSED ON THE RESIGNATION OF THE REVEREND ALBERT PARKER FITCH
David R. Craig offered the following resolutions:
WHEREAS, The Mount Vernon Church has received with profound regret the letter of resignation of its minister, Rev. Albert Parker Fitch, who in the course of four years' service among us in pulpit and parish has endeared him- self to us all by his thoroughly able, energetic, unselfish and devoted ministry, his eloquent preaching and his affectionate sympathy in the spiritual and temporal affairs of all this people, and
WHEREAS: an invitation having come to him to enter a door of larger op- portunity and to assume a still more congenial work, one in which he may more effectively exercise those powers which have been so blessed in the advance- ment of the work of this Church, and the said call being such as he cannot with good conscience decline, be it
Resolved, That we accept Mr. Fitch's resignation, and release him in accord- ance with the terms of his letter of February 14, 1909, and
Resolved, That we assure Mr. Fitch of our deep sorrow at parting with so strong a servant of God, and of our sincere gratitude for the loving ministry of the past four years, which has infused new vigor into the life of our Church, assuring him also that wherever in the Providence of God he may be led, our love and our prayers will follow him and his.
Deacon Albert Murdoch spoke as follows:
In seconding Mr. Craig's resolutions I would like to say just two words. The first a word of appreciation prompted by gratitude and love. A heavenly vision
123
APPENDIX F
without doubt has come to our beloved minister. It would be wrong for him to be disobedient to it. The severance of the Pastoral relationship must be a hun- dredfold harder for him than for us, inasmuch as we each grieve for losing one, while he has to grieve for losing many. So in his dilemma we sympathize with him-in his vision we are coming to see eye to eye with him, and in his future arduous task we will pray for him and rejoice with him in his success. Out of what is now a cloud may come a rain that will refresh all our souls that both his life and ours may become more abundant. We are grateful to him for coming just when he did, bringing to us all comfort and consolation just when we sorely needed it. Taking up the work of a man we all dearly loved-a difficult place that he has filled so gracefully and successfully; ministering to us in spiritual things as his unusual prophetic and priestly qualifications enable him to do; taking the things of God, of Christ and of the Holy Spirit and inter- preting them to us in words of life, he also entered into our joys, sorrows, troubles, and discouragements, making bright hours brighter, sad and sorrow- ful nights less bitter; in times of trouble often bringing the sorely needed re- lief, and in days of discouragement sharing the load with us.
The second word is perhaps more of a prayer than a resolution :- That we may now all be loyal to this dear old Church. We, too, want to be open to the heavenly vision. We want by conference with each other and by earnest prayer to God to be so led in this matter that the strong bond which binds us together may become stronger, that the differences of our opinions may be so gathered up into one by mutual love, wisdom and forbearance that we soon may have a common vision that will guide our choice. If we all put ourselves into this atti- tude we shall not have to wait long. Waiting too long will not be good for us. We are losing a pastor, but not a true friend and fellow member of the Church, so together with him let us work and pray for a clear knowledge of what the great Head of the Church wants us to do.
F RESOLUTIONS PASSED ON THE RESIGNATION OF THE REVEREND JAMES AUSTIN RICHARDS
Dr. Edward O. Otis offered the following resolutions:
In moving to accede to Mr. Richards' request and accept his resignation I do so with a keen regret and with a deep sense of our loss which I know we all feel. We have lived and labored together as pastor and people for eight and a half happy years, and our relationship has ever been one of perfect harmony and love.
During Mr. Richards' ministry the church has grown in membership and in its activities and in a deep realization of its obligation to its immediate and the greater community.
124 ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF MOUNT VERNON CHURCH
The pastorate of Mr. Richards will always be a cherished memory and an inspiration to more devoted service to the Master.
We feel and desire to express our sense of deep gratitude to Mr. Richards for his devoted services, to us personally, and all the interests of the church.
We wish him every success and happiness in his new field of labor. Our prayers go with him. While we feel we shall sadly miss his personal presence, the work which he accomplished in this church and the lofty ideals of Christian living he has set before us, we will remember and will remain an abiding in- spiration.
Happy are the people who are to be his people.
Recommendations submitted by Deacon George W. Mehaffey:
In seconding the motion to accept the resignation of our Pastor it is as Dr. Otis has just said ; it is with keen regret and a deep sense of our loss that we do so.
Mount Vernon Church has been singularly blessed with only four Pastors during its long period of activity covering seventy-six years, a record of which we are very proud. It shows the deep feeling of service, unity, and love that has existed between Church and Pastors.
While we regret the loss of Mr. Richards we also take pride in the greater and larger field of service which he is to enter. The Master has called him to other activities and he has answered.
Mr. Richards holds the affection of all young and old. The seeds of Truth that he has sown in our hearts will grow as time passes on.
Mrs. Richards has our love, as her name is always linked in our hearts with that of Mr. Richards. We wish them happiness and success in all their future work.
MONDAY, APRIL 15, 1918.
G RESOLUTIONS PASSED ON THE RESIGNATION OF THE REVEREND SIDNEY LOVETT
Mr. Reeve Chipman offered the following resolutions:
Resolved : That it is with deepest regret that Mount Vernon Church of Bos- ton finds itself called upon to take action on the resignation of its beloved pas- tor, the Reverend Sidney Lovett. This regret is coupled with a profound appreciation of what his ministry of nearly thirteen years has meant to the church.
It has chanced to fall in an era of changing thought in all fields of life- political, economic, social and religious. Upon the minister has fallen the im-
125
APPENDIX H
portant responsibility of assuming the leadership in adapting the entire pro- gram of the church to these new conditions. With steadfast zeal and courage, and with a rare insight into and appreciation of the problem in hand, he has led us through this period, ever pressing onward and upward to a more nearly perfect fulfilment of the peculiar mission with which we as a church have found ourselves confronted.
Significant in this program has been the further development of student and young people's work, the establishment of Herrick House, and an evolution of a form of Sunday morning worship making use of a chorus choir as an important and integral element.
Outstanding in the memory of his parishioners who have encountered any kind of trouble or sadness will ever be Mr. Lovett's sympathetic, comforting and helpful ministrations. Of inestimable value, both to him and to the church, has been the cooperation and assistance of Mrs. Lovett who shares the affections of the Church with her husband.
In his appointment to the chaplaincy of Yale University, however, we are constrained to recognize a call to a broader field of usefulness on his part, from which we could not properly withhold him.
Accordingly, be it hereby moved that the resignation of the Reverend A. Sid- ney Lovett as pastor of this Church be accepted with the deepest regret and with the sincerest wishes for a ministry at New Haven crowned with continued usefulness, and success.
In motion duly made and seconded,
VOTED unanimously that said resolution be adopted and that the resigna- tion of the Reverend A. Sidney Lovett as pastor of the Church be accepted with the deepest regret and with the sincerest wishes for a ministry at New Haven crowned with continuing usefulness and success.
MARCH 16, 1932.
H ACTING MINISTERS, ASSISTANT MINISTERS, AND MINISTER'S ASSISTANTS
No Assistant Minister, 1842-1871
Samuel E. Herrick, Associate Minister, 1871-1874; Minister, 1874-1904 Miss Lucy H. Brown, Assistant and City Missionary, 1880 (?) -1905 Miss Mary A. Ballou, Assistant and City Missionary, 1905-1923; in absentia, 1921-1922; Hostess in Herrick House, 1923-June, 1924 Wellington H. Tinker, Associate Minister, Sept., 1908-Sept., 1909 Josiah P. Dickerman, Assistant, Nov., 1909-June, 1910 Edward O. Ham, Assistant, Sept., 1910-Apr., 1911
126 ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF MOUNT VERNON CHURCH
Howard Stowell Fox, Assistant, Sept., 1911-June, 1913 A. Vere Shaw, Assistant, Sept., 1913-June, 1914 Robert J. Watson, Assistant, Sept., 1913-1918 Miss Addie M. Starrett, Secretary, 1919-1923 John C. Wiley, Assistant, Sept., 1920-June, 1922
Harold G. Jones, Director of Religious Education, Sept., 1922-1923; Acting Minister, 1928-1929
Samuel J. Hocking, Director of Student Work, Sept., 1922-June, 1923 Miss Dorothy A. Hickie, Secretary, 1923-ad multos annos
Miss Helen Ordway, Director of Social Activities, Sept., 1923-June, 1924 Miss Eugenia Parker, Director of Social Activities, Sept., 1923-June, 1924 Harry Nicholson, Director of Religious Education, Sept., 1923-June, 1924 Harold B. Hunting, Director of Religious Education, Sept., 1924-June, 1926 Mrs. Florence E. Glazier, Hostess of Herrick House, Sept., 1924-June, 1926 Miss Margaret Conant, Director of Student Work and Social Service, 1924- 1927
Robert P. Bullard, Director of Student Work, Sept., 1924-Feb., 1925
Everett M. Baker, Assistant Minister and Director of Student Work, 1925- 1928
Miss Mary G. Perry, Hostess in Herrick House, Sept., 1926-June, 1935 Miss Gladys Hadley, Director of Religious Education, Sept., 1927-1928 Miss Laura G. Corlett, Church Worker, Sept., 1928-June, 1929 Miss Miriam J. Higgins, Missionary in East Boston, Feb., 1929-June, 1930 Andrew Burns Chalmers, Associate Minister, 1929-1931
William Russell Bennett, Associate Minister, Dec., 1929-Dec., 1930
Walter P. Brockway, Student Worker, Sept., 1930-June, 1931
Edwin E. Aiken, Jr., Associate Minister, Sept., 1931-June, 1932; Acting Min- ister, June, 1932-June, 1933
Carl J. Webb, Clinical Minister, Sept., 1936-June, 1938 H. Edgar Pray, Director of Student Work, Sept., 1936-Dec., 1937 Richard Schoonmaker, Director of Student Work, Dec., 1937-June, 1938 Keith G. Kanaga, Minister's Assistant, Sept., 1938-Jan., 1941 Arlan A. Baillie, Assistant Minister, Sept., 1941-ad multos annos
127
APPENDIX H
LETTERS OF GREETING
LETTER OF GREETING FROM THE REVEREND WELLINGTON H. TINKER
YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, N. Y. December 11, 1941
DEAR FRIENDS:
While my work in Mount Vernon Church covered only a few months-ten in active service-I shall always remember with gratitude the unfailing kind- ness and consideration with which my humble efforts were received. To men- tion names is hardly fair but I cannot refrain from recording my special gratitude to Miss Ballou. To her fell the task of acquainting the new minister with the city of Boston-think of it-not to mention the answering of count- less other questions, but her patience never failed and her judgment seemed always so fair and so wise. To work with her and Dr. Fitch was a rare privilege that I have always cherished.
Among my memories of the work at Mount Vernon Church, I recall espe- cially the Saturday evening visits that members of the Young People's Society made with me each week for ten consecutive weeks. We carried flyers advertis- ing the Sunday evening meetings of the Church, while visiting the hotels, the stores, and the saloons, which in 1908-09 were not very far from the Church. We were always treated with respect and often would stop and talk with per- sons who seemed interested.
Following the regular Sunday evening preaching service, open forums were held in the Prayer Meeting Room where, of course, many questions were asked. After the question period Dr. Fitch would often invite a few of the most interested questioners to lunch with us. The meetings were very well attended and apparently appreciated.
I cannot close this message without expressing my indebtedness to the Deacons and Trustees and especially to the young people of that day-in the Mount Vernon Church. Many years have passed since 1908-09 but I cannot recall any working period of my life that gave me greater joy and satisfaction than those ten months of work and fellowship with the members of Mount Vernon Church.
Cordially and gratefully,
WELLINGTON H. TINKER
128 ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF MOUNT VERNON CHURCH LETTER OF GREETING FROM THE REVEREND JOHN C. WILEY
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH JAMAICA, NEW YORK July 21, 1941
DEAR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF MOUNT VERNON CHURCH:
It is a source of sincerest joy and happiness to know that you are celebrating your one hundredth anniversary as a strong and useful Church of Jesus Christ. My hearty congratulations and my confidence that you are finding strength and courage for the "second hundred" that lies ahead in the realization of the uplifting and rewarding service which, together with so great a cloud of un- seen witnesses, you have thus far rendered for His Kingdom.
Twenty-one years ago, as a very amateurish and inexperienced theological student, I was welcomed by you with unusual kindness as a member of your Church family and as a bungling student assistant to your pastor at that time, the Reverend Sidney Lovett. For two years, from 1920 to 1922, I had the rich pleasure of sharing your warmhearted fellowship and also the valuable ex- perience of trying out for the first time my fledgling efforts in Sunday School teaching, boys' club work, and young people's activities. Occasionally I led a midweek service, and on two or three occasions with fear and trembling I occupied the pulpit at an evening service.
For the patient and forgiving generosity, for the unfailing confidence, and for the staunch friendship of Sidney Lovett in those days of my very "green- horn" service I will never cease to be grateful; and the exposure I had during that time to his contagious qualities of understanding, integrity, and lovable consecration, especially his ever-inspiring friendship with young people, has not been, I trust, entirely futile in my experience.
The atmosphere of genuine Christian friendship which Mount Vernon Church threw around my timid endeavors, together with the many personal evidences of kindness and trust by individual members . . . were a most en- couraging introduction into Christian service for me. And now, after eighteen years in the Baptist ministry, I am "of my own free will and accord" about to return to the Congregational Communion which so graciously allowed me to embark upon my first efforts in the Christian ministry. For in September of this year I am taking up the pastorate of the Mission Hills Congregational Church of San Diego, California. Thus it may be that through these years of the pastorate of two Baptist Churches and amidst rewarding experiences among this devoted Christian body, I have been feeling unconsciously the pull of that branch of the universal Church of Christ of which you at Mount Vernon are so inspiring representatives.
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.