USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > The history of the First Baptist church of Boston (1665-1899) > Part 21
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ROLLIN HEBER NEALE, D. D. Minister, 1837-1877.
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usefulness, and he acted upon this theory during the remainder of his long life. (He died in Boston in 1888.) The church reluctantly accepted his resigna- tion of the pastorate which had lasted six years and a half. No notable events occurred during his pastor- ate, but the church was greatly strengthened and en- larged after more than twenty years of disheartening decadence. He came at an opportune time to the church which had newly settled in a desirable locality. He received two hundred and fifty-four members and left the church with a membership of three hundred and fifty-seven.
In 1837 the benevolent contributions of the church were, for the first time, systematically arranged. It was "voted that a quarterly collection be taken, an- nually, in aid of the following objects, viz; Foreign and Domestic Missions, Education, Sabbath School & Bible and Tract Society."1 These and other objects had been supported formerly by collections made by special vote of the church, and were somewhat irreg- ular. At this time it was voted also not to respond to appeals to aid in building meeting-houses in other sections of the country. The records show many such appeals from every part of the United States and Canada ; but it was decided to restrict contributions to the great missionary organizations, and in this they undoubtedly acted wisely.
Rev. Rollin H. Neale was invited to preach for a few Sabbaths, which he did. He was unanimously called to the pastorate, Aug. 29, 1837, at a salary of eighteen hundred dollars. He was born in Southing-
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ton, Conn., in 1808, was graduated from Columbian University, Washington, D. C., in 1830, and from Newton Theological Institution in 1833. While at the latter place he was also pastor of the South Boston Baptist Church. From 1834 to 1837 he was pastor of the First Baptist Church of New Haven, Conn. He accepted the call and began his work September 17, on which day he was publicly installed.
He began at once a ministry of persuasiveness and usefulness. He had a genial and gracious personality, and was an earnest and often eloquent preacher. He had a genius for friendships. Many persons were drawn to him and additions to the church became numerous. In August, 1841, it was " voted to invite Rev. Jacob Knapp to begin a series of revival meet- ings with them."' He was one of the most notable evangelists whom this century has produced. He came early in 1842 and preached with wonderful power for several weeks. The whole city was greatly stirred. Religion became the absorbing topic of con- versation on every side. Within a few months about three hundred persons were baptized into this church. Large numbers were added to the other churches in the city. It was the greatest ingathering that the church had ever witnessed. But in October the pas- tor laments to the church that there is a marked de- clension of spiritual life and exhorts them to arouse themselves and seek to maintain the high spiritual level which they had reached in the great revival. But this was not to be, and the evidences of spiritual declension are manifest during the following ten
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years. The additions by baptism did not average eight annually, and the work greatly slackened. Every enterprise suffered from the lethargic spirit in the church, which had reached its high-water mark of membership (seven hundred and fifty-five) in 1844, and no effort seemed to avail to arrest the decline in numbers and in zeal.
In 1844 the Home Mission Society sent to the church the following query: "Do you approve the appointment of any man as a missionary of the Society who is a slave holder. i. e. who holds his fellowmen as property? "1 The church voted to answer: "we give a negative answer, because we believe, that though good and pious men have held slaves, slavery is never- theless a great moral evil and we wish it entirely dis- connected from our missionary operations, and from the church of Christ."1 It was the time of the violent agitation over the subject of African slavery, and North and South were coming to the parting of the ways. Discussion grew more and more fierce. Fugi- tive slaves were seized in free States and carried back into slavery. The great conflict was already fore- shadowed. There were many timid souls, but this church and its pastor were not among them. Their utterance is unmistakable without being intolerant.
May 13, 1845, at a business meeting of the church, when ballots were being prepared for the choice of a deacon, "it was voted that the sisters be requested to ballot with the brethren."1 This is the first record of the sisters voting formally and equally with the brethren. This church, which purported to be a true
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democracy in church government, in company with churches of all other denominations, had steadily re- fused a vote to its Christian women. Now for the first time they are recognized as having a legitimate voice in the business of the church, and they have continued the exercise of that right until this day.
In October, 1846, the prudential committee was abolished. It had held a precarious place ever since it was organized, some years before, and even after this time it was revived and dropped several times. It has had a fitful history.
In 1851 the question of removal to a new site be- gan to be agitated. Business had made extensive encroachment on the field which the church occupied. Ground was finally purchased from the Loring estate on Somerset Street, and on Sept. 12, 1853, the corner- stone of a new house was laid. In April, 1854, the new vestry was occupied for the first time, and on Jan. II, 1855, the whole house was dedicated with the following service : " Prayer by Prof. Barnas Sears ; Original Hymn by Rev S. F. Smith, DD. Scripture reading by Rev E. N. Kirk DD; Sermon by Dr Neale; Dedicatory prayer by President Francis Way- land ; Drs Cushman, Burlingham, and Caldicott as- sisted in the services which were witnessed by a large and interested audience."1 The meeting-house was ninety-four feet long by seventy-six feet wide. It had one hundred and fifty-eight pews and seated about one thousand persons. Its interior was finished in Gothic style. Its vestries were under the main audi- ence room. It was lighted by gas. It had a tall
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steeple, which, standing as it did on the summit of Beacon Hill, was one of the landmarks of the city. It was visible for many miles, and was especially well known by sailors, who by means of it guided their ships into the harbor. The old property was sold for eighty thousand dollars, and the site was utilized for commercial purposes.
The last day in the old house was one of sadness and joy. Former members came in great numbers to the final services. Eight hundred and forty persons had been baptized during the twenty-five years in which it had been occupied, and there were many tender associations. Here the first infant, or primary, Sunday-school in the world (so far as is known) was organized. Here had been the great revival led by Rev. Jacob Knapp.
The high hopes of the new location were not real- ized. The church did not grow as had been expected. Almost every year marked a decrease in members. They gave largely to missions, education, and philan- thropies. After the first year the additions were few. Some years there were no baptisms. Families were moving away, and new Baptist churches were spring- ing up in other sections of the city. For several years the agitations of the Civil War absorbed men's thoughts. The spirit of patriotism ran high in the church. Some of its most active and valued young men volunteered for service in the army of the Union. The work of the church was pursued amid many distractions and discouragements. The pastor, with commendable patience, stood in his place, and was upheld by the united support of a loving church.
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'During his long pastorate of forty years the records reveal no dissensions and no divisions. It is a record of unbroken harmony, although not always of pros- perity.
In 1861 a committee of sisters, with Mrs. S. G. Shipley as chairwoman, was appointed "to make gar- ments for the volunteers now going forward for their countrys defence."1 These patriotic services were long continued. In 1864 a great effort was made to free the meeting-house from debt, and twenty thou- sand dollars was subscribed toward its liquidation, but it was not until 1867 that the whole mortgage was canceled.
In 1865 the two hundredth anniversary of the church was celebrated, and the pastor preached a historical discourse which was printed. In January, 1868, Rev. A. B. Earle was invited to conduct revival services, which proved acceptable, and "did not real- ize the fears which past experience had engendered." 1 Thirty-four persons were baptized as a result of these meetings, but at the end of May the church begins to lament the decline in spiritual interest and to devise nieans by which the attendance upon the meetings inay be improved. The prayer meetings languished and the state of religion was not what they had hoped it would be.
In June, 1871, the church called Rev. John T. Beckley to be associate pastor with Dr. Neale, who now began to feel the infirmities of age. He accepted the call, and was ordained Oct. 10, 1871. In Febru- ary, 1873, it was voted to hold the preaching service
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in the evening instead of the afternoon, thus changing the unbroken custom of the church and beginning the practice which still continues. The relation of pastor and associate seems to have been happy, but the church continued to decline and every year grew less able to bear its burdens and less hopeful for the future.
In 1875 a committee appointed to consider the state of the church reported that "there were 344 members-98 males, and 246 females, but that only 113-41 males and 72 females, could be relied on to attend the meetings."1 The review of the situation was distinctly discouraging. They invited the de- clining Charles Street Church to unite with them, but these overtures were finally withdrawn. In 1876 overtures were made to the Harvard Street Church for a union of the two interests and a removal to a new location. Negotiations were pending for more than a year, and efforts were made to obtain a new site at the corner of Pleasant Street and Columbus Avenue, but the Proprietors of Pews were doubtful about the desirability of the location. Finally the attempt at union was abandoned, because "this church did not see its way clear." 1
June 1, 1876,. Mr. Beckley terminated his relations by resignation, and on the same date Dr. Neale ten- dered his resignation, which, however, was not im- mediately accepted. The church seemed to be at the gravest crisis in its long history. Its location was not good.» Many of its valuable members had re- moved to other parts of the city, and the outlook was
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FIFTH MEETING-HOUSE. Shawmut Avenue. 1877-1882.
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disheartening. A strong committee was appointed to consider Dr. Neale's resignation and the whole situa- tion of the church, and report some plan of action. Late in 1876 and early in 1877 informal conferences were held with members of the Shawmut Avenue Church, located at the corner of Shawmut Avenue and Rutland Street. A plan of union was formulated and presented to the church. Both organizations heartily ratified this plan. The Shawmut Avenue Church surrendered its property, and its members were received in a body into the membership of the First Church. On Thursday, May 24, 1877, the First Church met for the first time in the vestry of the Shawmut Avenue meeting-house, and received the five hundred and ten members of that church into its membership. The union was now complete. Sun- day, May 27, the First Church occupied for the last time the meeting-house on Somerset Street, and there- after met for worship in that on Shawmut Avenue. The old meeting-house was afterward remodeled and used as the home of Boston University. The chapel of the University still retains the former ceiling, windows, pulpit, and pulpit furniture of the room in which Dr. Neale preached from 1855 to 1877. Sun- day, June 3, the united church met as the First Church to worship in the Shawmut Avenue Meeting-house, and Rev. William Hague, D. D., who had been pastor of each church, preached the sermon.
The Shawmut Avenue Church was organized in March, 1856, under the name of the Thirteenth Bap- tist Church. Revs. R. W. Cushman and P. S. Evans labored with the church for the first year and a half.
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In 1859 Rev. J. W. Parker became pastor and the name was changed to Shawmut Avenue Baptist Church. The meeting. house was purchased, refitted, and dedi- cated. Mr. Parker resigned in December, 1864, and in April, 1865, Rev. Wmn. Hague, D. D., became pastor. The meeting-house was enlarged and beautified, and the debt was paid. The mission school, which has since become the Ruggles Street Church, was estab- lished. Dr. Hague resigned in 1869. Rev. Geo. C. Lorimer, D. D., was pastor from 1870 to 1873, and Rev. Wayland Hoyt, D. D., fromn 1874 to 1876. This church had had at times large accessions, but in 1876 was seriously considering a change of location, when providentially the two churches were led to a union. The expectation was to find a new site and build a suitable meeting-house.
The resignation of Dr. Neale was accepted June I, 1877, and he was provided with an annuity of one thousand dollars, as long as he should live. He died in Boston, Sept. 18, 1879. He had been pastor almost forty years. His pastorate was the second longest in the history of the church. He was a man of com- inanding figure, urbane, genial, quick of sympathy, and an interesting preacher. He especially excelled in short addresses, as at funerals, in times of sorrow, or on special occasions. He was very approachable, and was loved and loving. His kindly, catholic, Christian spirit made a large place for him in the affections of his congregation and of the community. He was one of the notable citizens of Boston. He received the degree of D. D. from Brown in 1850, and from Harvard in 1857. He was for many years a
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"visitor " and also an "overseer" of Harvard College. He was a frequent contributor to the religious press, and an active participant in civil and denominational affairs. His portrait, which the church possesses, was presented by Samuel Hill, and was painted soon after he assumed the pastorate in 1837. He received one thousand two hundred and forty-one members into the church. His bust and a marble memorial tablet have been placed on the west wall of the audience room of the church.
In March, 1878, Rev. Cephas B. Crane, D. D., of Hartford, Conn., was called to the pastorate "at a salary of four thousand dollars, and five hundred dollars for moving expenses." He began his labors April 12, and was publicly installed April 21. The sermon was by Rev. G. C. Lorimer, D. D. The other participants in the service were Drs. J. N. Murdock, R. G. Seymour, Heman Lincoln, A. J. Gordon, H. M. King, R. H. Neale. Dr. Crane was born in Marion, N. Y., in 1833, graduated from the University of Rochester in 1858, and from the Rochester Theolog- ical Seminary in 1860. He was pastor of the South Church, Hartford, Conn., from 1860 to 1878.
In March, 1880, the church publicly celebrated the two-hundredth anniversary "of the nailing up of the doors of our Meeting . House " by the General Court. The pastor preached a suitable sermon in the morn- ing, and in the evening there were addresses by Gov- ernor John D. Long, representing the State; Rev. J. T. Duryea, D. D., representing the Puritans; and Prof. E. B. Andrews. The exercises awakened great interest.
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CEPHAS B. CRANE, D. D. Minister, 1878-1884.
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Dec. 20, 1881, a communication was received from a committee of four, of which Mr. Irving O. Whiting was chairman, and Mr. Samuel N. Brown was a member, proposing the establishment of a Baptist church in the Back Bay, and requesting a conference. Such a conference was held, and considered the present favorable opportunity for establishing a church, and especially the possibility of purchasing the beautiful meeting-house on the corner of Commonwealth Ave- nue and Clarendon Street, which the Brattle Square Unitarian Society had erected but had lost upon a foreclosure of mortgage. A public meeting had been held there on the twentieth of June preceding, the invitation to which said : "We think this may be of material value in determining the desirability and availability of that edifice for the purposes of a Bap- tist church." This house, which was built in 1872, had remained unoccupied for several years (1875 to 1881) and was for sale. A special meeting of the church was called Dec. 28, 1881, to consider the mat- ter, when after much discussion it was voted "that a change of location of the First Baptist Church to the Back Bay is expedient."1 The vote was forty-eight to twenty-eight. A committee consisting of Lansing Millis, E. B. Badger, J. D. K. Willis, G. E. Learnard, and D. C. Linscott was appointed and "authorized to purchase the property known as the Brattle Square Church." 1 Negotiations were begun and on March 7, 1882, the church voted to purchase the property for one hundred thousand dollars. There was some op- position to this movement, but the majority in its
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favor was large. Not long after, the Somerset Street meeting-house was sold to the Boston University for forty-five thousand dollars, and in June the Shawmut Avenue property was sold to the First Free Baptist Society for forty thousand dollars. It was voted to purchase the vacant lot of land west of the meeting- house on Commonwealth Avenue and erect a chapel. The corner-stone of this chapel was laid Sept. 12, 1882, with appropriate services. On Friday evening, Oct. 27, a prayer meeting was held in the side vestry, and on Sunday, Oct. 29, 1882, the meeting-house was dedicated. The acoustics of the audience room had been bad and in order to remedy this serious defect galleries had been built in each of the transepts and over the main entrance at the east end. The interior had been put in order, and changes had been made in the pulpit and choir loft. The dedicatory sermon was by the pastor, and other parts in the services, both morning and evening, were taken by Drs. Alvalı Hovey, A. J. Gordon, T. D. Anderson, D. H. Taylor, S. K. Lothrop, J. T. Duryea. These services were impressive and were largely attended.
Feb. 7, 1883, the new chapel was opened for service with appropriate exercises. The whole cost to us of the meeting-house, chapel, and all belongings, had been one hundred and sixty-six thousand dollars. The original cost of the property as it now stands has been about four hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The meeting-house is in the form of a Greek cross, in the Southern Romanesque style, and is built of Rox- bury stone. It presents a massive and striking appear- ance. It has a square tower of remarkable beauty.
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This tower is one hundred and seventy-six feet high, and its frieze consists of four groups of colossal sculp- tured figures, representing baptism, communion, mar- riage, and death. At the corners are four angels of judgment, each with a golden trumpet, summoning the world to the grand assize. The figures of the frieze are likenesses of famous men. In the baptismal scene is Charles Sumner. In the communion Long- fellow is the central figure, with Emerson and Haw- thorne. In the marriage are Lincoln and Garibaldi.
The sculpture was from designs by Bartholdi, of Paris, and was carved by Italian artists after the stones were set in place. A singular error has been perpetuated through the misinformation of a writer of Boston history in regard to the ownership of our beautiful tower. It is currently supposed that the tower and ground on which it stands were reserved and belong to a company of gentlemen who are not Baptists. The fact is, that the church owns the tower, the ground on which it stands, and the whole property absolutely in fee simple. The audience room seats about nine hundred, the smaller vestry about one hundred and fifty, and the chapel about three hundred and fifty. There is also a ladies' parlor and a pastor's study. It is one of the most costly and beautiful meeting-houses in New England. The architect was Mr. H. H. Richardson. In the belfry hangs the old bell which was hung originally in 1809 in the old Brattle Square Meeting-house. It was cast in London, weighs three thousand four hundred and sixty-nine pounds, and cost two thousand dollars. It replaced one given by John Hancock in 1772. It has
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been in constant use for almost ninety years. In the tower on the Clarendon Street front two oblong sand- stones are inlaid, one of which bears the inscription, " John Hancock Esq. July 27. 1772." and the other, " Jno Greenleaf. 1772." These were taken from the corner-stone of the old Brattle Square Meeting-house and inserted here as memorials. It seems singularly appropriate that John Hancock, who was an officer and pillar in that church, should have his name on the wall of the First Baptist Meeting-house, for in the old house on Salem Street he was a constant attend- ant on the eloquent ministry of Dr. Stillman.
Sunday, March 2, 1884, the pastor called to the pulpit Mr. Lansing Millis, who made a statement of the debt which remained on the meeting-house after the sale of all their other properties, the pay- inent of the mortgages on them, and the collection of all subscriptions hitherto made. This debt remaining was fifty-five thousand dollars. An hour was taken in considering the matter and in taking pledges, when it was found that the whole amount was subscribed. It was a time of great enthusiasm and gladness.
Oct. 5, 1884, the pastor, Dr. Crane, resigned, on the ground of impaired health and consequent inability to do what work was requisite for his office. The church accepted his resignation, to take effect at once, and presented him with a purse of two thousand dol- lars in token of regard. In the following April he became pastor in Concord, N. H., where he remained twelve years. Dr. Crane's pastorate was a notable one. The process of the unification of the two churches went on through all his ministry here. His
PHILIP S. MOXOM, D. D. Minister, 1885-1893.
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tact, his genial management, and his Christian bear- ing made it possible to hasten and consummate this unification. The purchase of the present beautiful meeting-house, and the removal of the church to the Back Bay, together with the adjustment of many difficult questions, occurred during his ministry. He had the assistance of many notable laymen, two of whom, Lansing Millis and Deacon J. W. Converse, both of blessed memory, were especially prominent in obtaining the new house. Tablets to their memory have been placed by the church on the interior wall of the audience room. Dr. Crane was pastor six and one-half years, and received one hundred and ninety- four new members.
June 16, 1885, a call was extended to Rev. Philip S. Moxom, of Cleveland, Ohio, at a salary of five thousand dollars. His pastorate began August 3, but he did not actually begin his work until October I. He was publicly installed October 7, with a sermon by Rev. Thomas Armitage, D. D., of New York City. Other participants were Drs. Alvah Hovey, Phillips Brooks, George A. Gordon, A. J. Gordon, C. B. Crane, H. K. Potter. Mr. Moxom was born in Canada in 1848. He attended Kalamazoo and Shurtleff Col- leges and Rochester University, from which he grad- uated in 1879. He had also pursued theological. studies at Rochester Seminary. He had been pastor in Bellevue and Albion, Mich., and Mount Morris, N. V. In 1879 he became pastor of the First Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio. A man of fine literary tastes, he was also deeply interested in all social and philanthropic movements.
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In May, 1886, the young people of the church be- gan a mission at Grove Hall (Boston), which was so prospered that in February, 1887, it was organized as the Elm Hill Baptist Church. Considerable sums of money were contributed by this church toward the erection of their chapel. Jan. 10, 1892, the pastor gave three months' notice of his resignation. Febru- ary 8, the church declined to accept it by a vote of sixty-nine to twenty-five, and in March his resignation was withdrawn on certain conditions which he speci- fied and which the church accepted by the same vote as above. Differences of opinion which had been manifest for a considerable time remained and were intensified. Nov. 5, 1893, Dr. Moxom again resigned, closing his pastoral service Dec. 31, 1893. He had been pastor eight years and four months, and had re- ceived one hundred and ninety-one new members. He subsequently became pastor of a Congregational church in Springfield, Mass., where he now (1899) resides. This church was left in such condition as is usual where there have been so marked differences.
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