USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Our county and its people : A history of Hampden County, Massachusetts. Volume 2 > Part 23
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Throughout the period of its history the South church has had but three regular pastorates,1 covering an aggregate of al- most three-score years. The first pastor was Rev. Noah Porter, jr., from 1843 to 1847, followed by the memorable pastorate of Rev. Dr. Samuel G. Buckingham, who both in church work and in the interests of all the institutions of the city always labored for the public good, and often at the expense of personal comfort. He retired from active church work in 1894, but was regarded as pastor emeritus until the time of his death, July 12, 1898. Rev. Dr. Philip S. Moxom succeeded to the pastorate in April, 1894, and still serves in that capacity. Under his ministry here the
1On May 7, 1885, Rev. Edward G. Selden was installed associate and active pastor, and worked in conjunction with Dr. Buckingham, pastor, active and emer- itus, until October 5, 1893, when he was dismissed.
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church membership has increased to nearly 500 persons, while the Sunday school has 270 pupils.
North Congregational Church-In the spring of 1846 a number of meetings were held for the discussion of a proposition to organize another Congregational society in Springfield, and the result was the adoption of a constitution and articles of faith by a number of interested persons; and with this informal or- ganization the little society secured the services of Rev. Robert H. Conklin, and in September of that year began holding meet- ings in Frost's hall. The more formal church organization was perfected on Oct. 28, with 22 constituent members. The Sunday school was formed Nov. 11, George White being the first superin- tendent. In September, 1847, the church acting in the capacity of a parish purchased a lot of land at the southeast corner of Main and Worthington streets, and built thereon a chapel; and in the following month the society hired for use during the win- ter months the old structure on Sanford street which was known as the "Free church." However, the lot above mentioned was soon sold and in place thereof the society purchased a new lot on the west side of Main street, north of Bridge street. In March, 1848, the church was duly incorporated, and in the same year a substantial edifice was built on the new site. It was completed and formally dedicated March 1, 1849, the day of the installation of the first pastor.
In 1871 this property was sold for $46,000, and a new site was purchased, the land being located at the corner of Salem street and the avenue of the same name. Here a large edifice was erected in 1873, the dedicatory services being held September 18. The cost of the structure, including the chapel, was more than $53,000.
The North church at present has a membership of 440 per- sons, and in its Sunday school are 315 pupils. A colony of fifty- five members of this church was organized into the Memorial church by a council held in the vestry of the former church, Oc- tober 27, 1865. The succession of pastors of the North church is as follows : Raymond H. Seelye, D. D., March 1, 1849-Jan. 26, 1858; James Drummond, June 16, 1858, died in the pastorate
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Nov. 29, 1861 ; L. Clarke Seelye, D. D., LL. D., Jan. 20, 1863-May 31, 1865 ; Richard G. Greene, May 13, 1866-Oct., 1874; Washing- ton Gladden, D. D., LL. D., Feb. 1, 1875-Dec. 7, 1882; Charles. VanOrden, D. D., LL. D., May 13, 1883-Oct. 11, 1886; W. L. Gage, D. D., April 16, 1887-one year; F. Barrows Makepeace, Oct. 6, 1888-1899 ; Newton M. Hall, Oct. 4, 1899-the present pas- tor.
Indian Orchard Church-The First Congregational society of Indian Orchard was organized March 23, 1848, with fifteen members under the pastoral care of Rev. Luther H. Cone, late pastor and now pastor emeritus of Olivet church. In 1856 the Ward Manufacturing company gave the society two lots at the corner of Main and Oak streets, and in 1863 a neat house of wor- ship was erected thereon. In the course of a few years the soci- ety became disorganized and the church property passed into the hands of Harvey Butler and later of the Indian Orchard Mill company. In the late winter of 1865 a reorganization was ef- fected, and Mr. Rice was called to the pastorate. From that time the church maintained a fairly healthful existence, although not always self-supporting. The present members number 161 per- sons, with a Sunday school of 200 pupils. The church at present is without a pastor.
Hope Congregational Church-This church, now among the first in point of numerical strength in the city, had its inception in the successful work of a mission Sunday school which was opened in the eastern central part of the city in 1865 by a num- ber of interested members of the South church. At first these sessions of the school, with occasional informal church services, were held in dwelling houses, but later on a barn in Union street was purchased and fitted up for Sunday occupancy. In 1870 a small chapel building-Hope Chapel-was erected, but in the course of the next five years three separate enlargements of the original structure were necessary. In 1875 Charles Morgan, a recent graduate of Yale Divinity school, was called to take charge of the mission work, and in the same year articles of faith and by-laws for a new church were adopted. On March 15, 1876, a church was regularly organized and Mr. Morgan was ordained
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and installed as its first pastor. On November 14 the chapel was removed to a new location at the corner of State and Winchester streets, and during the succeeding five years the increase in in- terest and membership was such that a new and larger house of worship was a necessity. On September 24, 1882, the corner stone of the present attractive edifice was laid with impressive ceremonies, and the completed structure was occupied for the first time, October 14, 1883. Its cost was $38,000. However, be- fore three more years had passed there was a call for "more room," and in 1887 galleries were constructed in the auditorium, increasing the seating capacity of the edifice from 900 to a little more than 1,200 persons.
Although one of the younger religious bodies of the city Hope church, like the First church from which it sprung, has it- self been a prolific mother. Let us briefly mention its principal offshoots :
Emmanuel Church-In the latter part of 1881 a Sunday school was formed in the school house on the East Longmeadow road and was conducted by four young men from Hope church. A Sunday evening prayer meeting was held and also occasional preaching services. A neat chapel was subsequently erected on White street by the standing committee of Hope church, and was dedicated December 7, 1884. On November 20, 1888, the mission was organized into Emmanuel Congregational church, with a membership of 45 and a Sunday school of 103 pupils. This church now numbers 77 members and is under the pastoral care of Rev. David L. Kebbe, who was called to that office in 1895.
Eastern Avenue Church-The Eastern Avenue chapel was erected by the standing committee of Hope church in the early part of 1884. In July of that year Rev. Orville Reed, associate pastor of Hope church, took charge of the work both at the East- ern avenue and the White street missions. On February 22, 1888, the mission was organized into a church with 58 members and 160 Sunday school attendants. The chapel building has since been enlarged. Although temporarily without a pastoral head the Eastern Avenue church has a present membership of 123 persons, while in its Sunday school are 177 pupils.
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The Park Church-In 1887 Hope church evangelization so- ciety purchased the lot at the corner of St. James avenue and Clarendon street and erected thereon a dwelling house, finishing the lower floor for use as a chapel. The growth of the locality soon made it evident that enlarged accommodations would be needed, upon which the dwelling was removed and the erection of the present chapel was begun in August, 1888. The building was completed in May, 1889. In June of that year a church was organized with 56 members and a Sunday school of 136 pupils. This church has a present membership of 64 persons, and from 1896 to the early part of 1901 was under the pastoral charge of Rev. Allen E. Cross.
St. John's Church-For several years Hope church was in- terested in a work among colored people of the city, and in carry- ing out that work a chapel was built in Quincy street. In 1890, by the union of the Sanford street church and the Quincy street mission, St. John's church was organized with a membership of 23 persons and a Sunday school of 60 attendants. Since that time the church has enjoyed a quiet, steady growth.
Thus it is our privilege to note in part the commendable work originating with and carried to successful results by the en- terprising benevolence and truly missionary spirit of Hope church, a comparatively young but in point of membership the second in numerical strength among the Congregational churches of the city. Notwithstanding the fact that it frequently has con- tributed its members to offshoot bodies, the mother church has a present membership of 678 persons, and in its Sunday school are 662 pupils.
The succession of pastors, their associates and co-workers, of Hope church is as follows: Charles Lincoln Morgan, March 15, 1876-November 1, 1880; David Allen Reed, June 7, 1881-Decem- ber 23, 1889; Orville Reed, in charge of Eastern Avenue and White street chapels, 1884-86, and co-pastor of Hope church, 1886-88; Ralph Watson Brokaw, co-pastor, 1888-89, pastor, 1889- 98; Samuel H. Woodrow, September 1, 1898-the present pas- tor.
The French Church-The society of this church was the out- growth of missionary work among the French residents of
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Springfield during the years immediately preceding 1886. The church organization was perfected in 1886 and since that time has been one of the institutions of the city. The house of wor- ship is located in Bliss street. Since 1897 this parish has been under the pastoral care of Rev. Thomas S. St. Aubin, the mem- bers numbering 37 persons.
The Swedish Congregational Church, which does not ap- pear in the minutes of the general association as one of the regu- lar societies of that denomination in the city, was organized in 1891, and now is under the pastoral charge of Rev. Gustave Lind- strom.
Faith Congregational Church-With a house of worship at the corner of Fort Pleasant and Sumner avenues, was organized in 1894 ; pastor, Rev. D. Butler Pratt.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL
Asbury First M. E. Church-Bishop Asbury visited Spring- field as early as 1791 and preached his first sermon on July 15 of that year. He again visited the town in 1794-95, and was fol- lowed by other missionary laborers, all of whom worked faith- fully for the establishment of a permanent Methodist Episcopal church in the locality. Preaching services were held in dwell- ings, and a class was formed as a result of the work in 1796. These services were continued with more or less regularity until 1801, when circuit preachers ceased their visits and left whatever was of public worship under Methodist teachings to the local preachers of the neighborhood. In 1815 the class and society were reorganized by William Marsh and were made a part of the Tolland circuit. In 1819 Springfield was made a separate sta- tion and Daniel Dorchester was appointed pastor; and in addi- tion to his regular labors this worthy teacher of Methodism also taught school in the old block house on the armory grounds. About this time the meetings were held alternately in the school house near the corner of Hancock and Central streets, at the Watershops, and also in the armory chapel on the hill, with occa- sional services in the old court house In 1820 Moses Fifield was sent to take charge of the local services, and in the same year a
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chapel was built at the Watershops. This was the first regular church home of Methodism in Springfield, and at the time there were only fifteen churches of that denomination in Massachusetts. However, the first sermon in the little chapel was preached by Elder Sawyer, a minister of the Baptist church. In 1835 the building was enlarged, but finally was made into a tenement house. In 1821 Thomas Asbury, a local preacher, was employed to assist Mr. Fifield, and in 1823 a new meeting house was built in Union street, to which place the old organization was trans- ferred, although occasional services were continued to be held at the Watershops until 1832, when regular preaching was re- established there.
In 1834 a great revival increased the number of local Metho- dists to 346, and in the following year the society was divided into two separate churches and a pastor was appointed for each. In 1844 a new church was organized and a new house of worship was built in Pynchon street, to which place the Asbury members were transferred. Ten years later preaching was resumed at the old church edifice and the pulpit was supplied by Miner Ray- mond, D. D., principal of Wesleyan academy at Wilbraham. In 1860 the old society was once more constituted a church, and was placed under the pastoral care of Samuel Jackson. In 1865 the erection of a new house of worship was begun, the structure be- ing located in Florence street, from which fact it was called the Florence Street M. E. church. The corner-stone address was de- livered by William Rice, and in November, 1866, Bishop Simpson preached the dedicatory sermon. In 1871 the name was changed to Asbury First M. E. church, by which it since has been known.
The change in name to Asbury First church established his- torical connection with Bishop Asbury, the founder of Methodism in Springfield ; and the entertainment of the 100th session of the New England conference by the mother church in 1896 was an eminently fitting event. In church circles in Springfield Asbury First exercises a wide influence for good, and its pulpit has been filled with the best material at the command of the conference. The church now numbers 307 members.
Glancing back into the history of the church and society, we may recall the names of many of its ministers and pastors, as
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nearly as possible in the order of succession: Daniel Dorchester (1819), Moses Fifield (1820), Thomas Asbury (assistant to Mr. Fifield), Thomas Pierce (1822), John M. Hardy (1823-24), Mr. White and Sanford Benton (1832), Mr. White and Moses Dwight (1833), Bartholmew Otherman and George F. Poole (1834), Ebenezer Blake, H. H. White, J. D. Bridge, W. H. Rich- ards, E. Potter, J. Fleming, E. A. Manning, Miner Raymond, Samuel Jackson, John C. Smith (1862-63), Pliny Wood (1864-65), Mr. Fulton (1866-67), Samuel Roy (1868-69), Charles D. Hills (1870-72), F. K. Stratton (1873-75), W. C. High (1876-77), Joseph Scott (1878) ; and since 1878: E. P. King, V. N. Simons, Henry Matthews, C. A. Littlefield, Charles Tilton, and W. J. Heath, the latter the present pastor.
The Wesley Church-Although one of the youngest religious societies of the city, the Wesley church is nevertheless descended almost directly from the old Union street society, which dates its history from the year 1823. In that year a large frame meeting house was erected in Union street. The later and more pre- tentious State street edifice was completed in 1873, at a cost of $80,000, and was dedicated on November 25 of that year, by Bishop Simpson.
St. Luke's church was organized in 1888, the charter there- for bearing date January 14, and under the advice of the com- mittee in charge it was determined to build a chapel at the High- lands. The structure was finished during that year and the so- ciety took the name of St. Luke's. During the next ten years this church increased rapidly in strength, and in 1896 it numbered 318 members. The pastors of St. Luke's were George A. Viets, 1888; L. H. Dorchester, 1889-93; W. G. Richardson, 1894-98.
In 1899-1900 the work of uniting State street and St. Luke's churches was undertaken by Rev. Dr. Charles F. Rice, assisted by Dr. Seaman, and the present Wesley church of more than 600 members is the result of their endeavors. More than that, the society is possessed of one of the most complete and attractive church edifices in the city, and under the pastoral guidance of Dr. Rice future success and increased growth are assured.
The pastors of the old Union street church were D. Dorches- ter, Daniel Webb, Timothy Merritt, Orange Scott. T. C. Pierce,
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Hiram H. White, Bartholmew Otherman, A. D. Merrill, William Livesay, John Rice, Charles K. True, Mark Staples, Daniel Wise, R. S. Rust, A. D. Merrill, W. R. Clark, George Landon, J. W. Mowrey, F. A. Griswold, Moses Dwight, C. B. Bragdon, J. M. Barley, Oliver S. Howe, A. O. Hamilton, Daniel Steele, Isaac Cushman, Nelson Stutson, Joseph Scott, Joseph H. Mansfield, John C. Smith.
The pastors of the State street church were R. R. Meredith, Merritt Hubard, J. H. Twombly, Daniel Dorchester, W. T. Per- rin, W. E. Knox, C. S. Rogers, W. R. Newhall, W. H. Meredith, T. Corwin Watkins and W. G. Seaman, in the order mentioned.
Trinity Church-This church is a continuation of what many Springfield Methodists remember with affection as the old Pynchon street church. It had its inception in the prayer meet- ings held in the grand jury room of the court house, and in the same building also was held the meeting at which the church organization was effected, February 9, 1844. On that occasion this resolution was adopted : "We, the members of the Methodist Episcopal church in Springfield, Mass., residing in and about Main street, having advised with our brethren in the other parts of the town, deem it to be our duty to proceed forthwith in the erection of a place of worship." In April, 1844, Jefferson Has- call was assigned to the charge, which at the time had about forty members. The church edifice was dedicated in March, 1845, and immediately the church began to take a leading position in the religious life of the town. The Pynchon street building was maintained and occupied until 1869, and during its history its pastors were as follows: Jefferson Hascall, George Landon, Mark Tafton, Isaac A. Savage, J. D. Bridge, Fales H. Newhall, Jefferson Hascall, Mark Tafton, Nelson Stutson, J. S. Barrows, A. Mckeown, William R. Clark and C. D. Hills.
The present Trinity church edifice in Bridge street, near Main street, was dedicated by Bishop Simpson, December 1, 1369, during the pastorate of Mr. Hills. The total cost of the structure, including land, was $73,000. The succession of pastors of Trinity church is as follows : C. D. Hills, 1869 ; J. O. Peck, 1870-73 ; Mer- ritt Hubbard, 1873-76; S. F. Upham, 1876-79; F. J. Wagner,
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1879-82 ; Frederick Woods, 1882-85 ; George Skene, 1885-88 ; Wal- lace McMullen, 1888-93 ; Henry Tuckley, 1893-98; A. C. Skinner, 1898-the present pastor.
This church has a total membership of 690 persons, and is recognized as one of the leading Methodist Episcopal churches in the Connecticut valley.
Grace Church-In the latter part of 1866 there was voiced a strong sentiment in favor of the establishment of a church of this denomination in the south part of the city, and to that end about thirty members of Pynchon street (now Trinity) church withdrew their membership and organized the Central M. E. church. For several years meetings were held in the old Union hall, then in Institute hall, and still later in the old Universalist meeting house, which was rented by the new society. In 1869 a considerable portion of the members withdrew from the new church and returned to the old society; but notwithstanding this loss the others held firmly to their purpose and through their united labors the church continued to grow in strength. "
In 1872, Rev. A. J. Cass was appointed pastor, which proved a fortunate event in the history of the church. During his term the name was changed to Grace M. E. church and the large house of worship on Main and Winthrop streets was erected. The formal dedication took place January 19, 1875. The completed edifice cost $73,000. The present membership of the church is 303 persons. The succession of pastors is as follows: Charles A. Merrill, 1867-68; Rev. Dr. Cook, supply, 1869-70 ; Charles F. Johnson, 1870-71; J. R. Tiddy, 1871-72; J. A. Cass, 1872-76; E. A. Smith, 1876-78; J. O. Knowles, 1878-80; S. B. Sweetser, 1880-83; T. W. Bishop, 1883-86; W. J. Heath, 1886-91; F. H. King, 1891-94 ; E. P. Herrick, 1894-98; C. E. Spaulding, 1898- the present pastor.
Swedish Church-In the early part of 1893 S. L. Carlander, superintendent of the Swedish missions in the New England con- ference, visited Springfield and found about one thousand per- sons of Swedish birth living in the city, only about twenty of whom were members of the church, and all of whom were desirions to have a church home for their own people.
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Accordingly, on June 4 of that year, the First Swedish M. E. church was organized, but not until 1901 did the little band se- cure a house of worship of their own in the erection of the small edifice on Bay street. The present members number about fifty persons. Hilmer Larson was the first pastor, and was succeeded by Peter Frost and Charles Paulson, in the order mentioned.
St. James Church-In 1901 the society of this church erected an attractive house of worship on North Main street, and now as a permanent institution of Methodism it shows a membership of more than 100 persons. The church had its inception in a mis- sion chapel built by subscription in 1879. An organization known as the Union Evangelical church was effected in 1887, but in 1898 a reorganization resulted in a church society under Meth- odist Episcopal supervision. The name was changed to St. James church, and the new edifice was built in 1901. The pastor is Rev. W. E. Vandermark.
The Loring Street African M. E. church, which for several years has been a religious institution of the city, is not allied to the M. E. church of the New England conference. For a time an effort was made to bring the society within the jurisdiction of the conference, but the conditions necessary to effect that end were not fulfilled.
BAPTIST CHURCHES
The First Church-With the establishment of the United States buildings at the Watershops there came to live in Spring- field many persons and families who held to religious teachings differing with those of the old First parish church, and whenever opportunity offered both Baptists and Methodists assembled in some convenient place for worship according to their own desires. In 1811 nineteen Baptists formed themselves into the First Bap- tist society of Springfield, and on May 13 of that year the church was recognized by a regularly convened council according to the rules of the church. The new church began its history with twenty-five members and during the next ten years the number was more than doubled, although the society had no settled pastor and no regular house of worship previous to 1821, when a plain
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Old Baptist Church, Main Street, Springfield, site of the Republican Building
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frame building was erected at the corner of Central and Cherry streets. In the next year Rev. Allen Hough was installed as pas- tor, at which time the members had increased to 50 persons.
In 1832 a more comfortable house of worship was built at the corner of Maple and Mulberry streets, the dedication services be- ing held September 12. However, during the next fifteen years even this building was found to be too small for the growing con- gregations, and it was therefore sold and removed to Union street, where it now does service as a dwelling house. Having sold the old meeting house, the Baptist people at once began the erection of a substantial brick and stone edifice at the corner of Main street and Harrison avenue, on ground where now stands the Re- publican building. The structure, which cost $18,000, was dedi- cated September 27, 1847. Here in the very heart and center of the business district for the next forty-two years was the princi- pal home of Baptist teaching in the locality. During this long period the old First society sent forth her members to form other churches of the same denomination, more than 100 withdrawing themselves in 1864 to found the State street society, while many others removed to the west; and the First Baptist church of Chi- cago may almost be called the offspring of the mother church in Springfield. The present splendid edifice on State street was completed and dedicated in 1889, and cost about $90,000. It is one of the largest and most attractive structures of its kind in the city, and when the dedicatory services were concluded the prop- erty was free from debt. This society celebrated its 90th anni- versary, May 12-13, 1901.
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