USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Springfield > Trinity's first century, 1844-1944 > Part 6
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VICTORY OVER DEBT
Though Frederick Woods was only thirty-four years old when he was appointed in 1882, he had been a widow- er left with two sons, Frederick and William, had married again and had a daughter with the wife whom he brought with him to Springfield. The committee had heard him preach at his church in Westfield and liked him. It was a wise committee. It was Dr. Woods who cleared the debt. It started with a sermon he preached on November 25, 1883, on the subject of the miraculous draught of fishes. After applying it to the debt he let the net down into the somewhat surprised congregation, and by the time one p. m. rolled around the whole amount needed, $15,244, was pledged with the stipulation that it would be paid forth-with. W. W. More and B. D. Rising each gave $1,000. Mr. George Dickinson gave $2,000 though he was not a member of the church. But the next year he was on the Board of Trustees and was a strong supporter of the church until his death. During the excitement one broth- er offered fifty dollars to Dr. Woods if he would read the Thanksgiving Proclamation of President Arthur, which he did. The newspapers considered that treason to the Re- publican party and accused him of selling his soul for $50, even though he refused when later someone offered him $100 to retract what he had read.
Anyway the big job was done, and on March 20,1884 Trinity was out of debt, a fact that L. Ladd found some way to mention during every report for years thereafter. As treasurer of the trustees he was profoundly interested and a constant gad-fly to rid the church of debt, and as treasurer he practically gave a long life to Trinity.
There was a big celebration and speeches that lasted until almost midnight. Even William R. Clark was back and several former preachers. The address of the even- ing was given by Dr. William Rice, the "Nestor of Spring- field Methodism".
This great man should never be forgotten by the church. The son of William Rice, the original organizer, Dr. Rice
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Rev. Frederick Woods 1882-85
had entered the pastorate early but because of ill health found it necessary to halt a most promising career. He started all over again. Appointed librarian in Springfield he served that institution with great distinction and ability, becoming one of Springfield's most eminent citizens, and mourned by a host far beyond the bounds of the city when at last he was laid to rest. Through all of the troubles and problems and victories he was a fountain of strength and influential counsel. He was, by common consent, honor- ary member of every board and committee. Furthermore, the records show that he had subscribed and paid more to the building of the church than any other man except Horace Smith, and it was his mind that planned the art- istry in the building itself. His family has touched the life of Trinity Church throughout the one hundred years of its existence. His father founded it. He himself was a lead- ing figure thoughout the middle years. His son Charles was pastor of State Street Church and Charles' son is Horace Rice, a leading attorney in Springfield and an influential member of Trinity at this day. Dr. Rice's other son, William North Rice, was one of Wesleyan's most bc- loved professors. In addition to all of that, Dr. William Rice Newhall, who was pastor of Grace church, was named for him.
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There were many relatively new people in important positions, now, in Bridge Street Trinity. Dr. Newton Morgan was superintendent of the Sunday School, follow- ed by B. D. Rising. George L. Wright, Lebeus C. Smith, Warner F. Sturtevant, Olin Smith, Charles A. Bly and F. L. Gunn were active. They were all needed. Time was at work, and before the altar rails of the church, carv- ed from the interior woodwork of old Pynchon Street, had lain before 1890 the silent forms of many whose good works on this earth were over: Dr. Horace Jacobs, truly a Christian physician, David Smith, Willam Mattoon, S. D. Hollister, Charles A. Winchester, Willis Phelps, George Treadway and many more.
Mrs. Sarah Woods died seven years after the Trinity pastorate, and Dr. Woods married again, his third wife living until 1935. Dr. Woods retired in 1907 and left this life from Melrose on January 28, 1914 at eighty years of age. The Conference Minutes of that year say that he was "one of the greatest preachers this Conference has ever known."
FIFTY YEARS ARE FINISHED
The Reverend George Skene, forty years old, transfer- red from the Troy Conference in 1885 at the request of the Trinity Quarterly Conference, and became pastor. To Mrs. Emma (Spinney) Skene it was almost a homecom- ing, for she had been born in Chicopee, though her hus- band was from Lincolnshire, England. The church had 430 members but that figure would have to be reduced if they "counted only those who could be found". The ladies were working hard and had just promoted a success- ful fair. There was an average attendance of forty in the Oxford League, of three hundred in the Sunday School, and fifty in the Juvenile League. Only the Atwood, or North Main Street Class was left from the old system, though efforts would be made to revive others. In 1885 the organ was moved from its flank position to the recess
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1
Rev. George Skene 1885-88
back of the pulpit where, some objected, "it would scream and roar" and provide a stage for concert artists instead of support for great congregational singing. But it was better there. A concert was arranged, artists came from Boston, a quartette from the Orpheus Club sang, Dr. Hulburd was brought back to preach. There were many renovations, costing $3,000, and it was all paid for before work began! Ladd was the one who had seen to that!
In 1887 Dr. Skene became ill. The people passed the hat, raised a purse and sent him to Europe for a long vaca- tion. To supply during the interim a very young, per- sonable man was secured by the name of Wallace McMull- en. Dr. Skene died on January 16, 1917, and Mrs. Skene in July, 1918.
At the conference in 1888 the new pastor of Trinity church was the young Reverend Wallace McMullen! And it was no coincidence. He would stay for five years and then leave against the will of the church. The young people's work took on new zest and life under Dr. Mc- Mullen. It was now the Epworth League instead of the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor. A Tem- perance League was started, "Temperance Education- Saloon Suppression". Later it would be the Trinity Knights, boys pledged to abstinence. The Young Men's
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Bible Class had an average attendance of forty-five, and David Hale was superintendent of the Sunday School.
When young McMullen announced that he would be married on June 19, 1888, the brethern, and especially the sisters, got together and decided that he must bring his bride to a new and better home. A newly built house, on Salem Street, would be waiting for them when they return- ed from a four weeks "vacation." Three children were born to the McMullens in that parsonage.
Everything was going fine. There was a Trinity Chapel at Laurel Park. A new pulpit had been installed and the old one given to the Methodist church in East Long- meadow. Miss Lizzie Newell had begun a long career as organist. K. Arthur Dearden was director of music, though Herbert E. Lincolm shortly followed him.
For five years there were just three troublesome things First, the labors were hard and the calls on a down-town pastor many. In one year Reverend McMullen conducted fifteen funerals, and a deaconess or assistant was needed. (The present pastor of Trinity, the present year, conduct- ed fifty-one funerals). Secondly, the members of the Official Board, despite pleading, did not come and never had come to prayer meeting. There were never more than nine officials, later pastors would say four. Third, old Pynchon Church was being torn down, and that was sad. There was excitment when the old cornerstone was opened.
Five years was a long pastorate, but too short for the people. The resolutions drawn up were sincere, and many hoped that in five more years Dr. McMullen would be re- turned. Like one of his predecessors he responded to an invitation from Drew Theological Seminary and there fill- ed the chair of Homiletics, later was pastor of Metropoli- tan Temple in New York City. Mrs. Annie McMullen died shortly after leaving Trinity, but Dr. McMullen lived until 1943. His achievements received national honor.
Miss Newell became Mrs. Vining and resigned as organ- ist, Miss Emily Tucker took over. John Roberts came as director and when he left, two years later, the Music Committee would report that "his enthusiastic grasp of
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Rev. Wallace MacMullen 1888-93
things musical has developed a healthy sentiment." Mr. Frederick Goodwin came to replace him. There was a new blower, too. The membership of the church was 647.
Reverend Henry Tuckley, wife and family, arrived dur- ing the same month that "Pop Corn Man" Page and Miss Shepherd were married. That was a great joke, since neither of them had any means of livelihood except what Trinity church provided. The "Owen Fund", left in 1863 by Abijah Owen as a means to provide clothing for poor children, had become a parish relief fund. "Pop Corn Man" Page had but one leg, used a crutch, and got his name from his trade.
And on September 13, 1893, Dr. and Mrs. William Rice celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary, and in the same house, on Court Street, where his father and mother had celebrated their's. All of which was a re- minder that the next year, 1894, was the Golden Annivers- ary of the church! On June 17 the Jubilee was held. Nine former pastors were back and fondly recalled the old days. There was a fine dinner, great preaching and good times. One admonition of Dr. Woods was, "There are some tendencies of the church that are degrading. I don't believe in any influence for catching men except preaching. The apostles did not offer amusements to
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Rev. Henry Tuckley 1893-98
catch the crowd, and if you catch the crowd you will find that it is the crowd that has captured you."
The Home Department was organized, Manning Tuttle being the new Sunday School superintendent. The Sew- ing Circle changed the name to "The Pastor's Aid and Sewing Circle". Mrs. E. J. Morse was secured as church missionary. There was the great Centennial Conference, held at Asbury in 1896, and on December 4 of that year the church caught on fire because of defective wiring in the basement. Electricity had been installed just eleven years before and Trinity was the first church in the city to use it. The fire caused considerable damage but all was well in- sured and later renovations proved it to have been a pro- fitable accident. Fire, smoke and insurance all worked together for good, as everything does to them that love the Lord.
It wasn't all smooth sailing, however. Henry Tuckley, in his Quarterly Conference report, said, "Beneath this re- cord of labor and seeming success there is a record of in- feriority, anxiety, disappointment- and, as some will no doubt think, failure. But the Pastor is glad it is no worse."
Once more the generations were moving and new and younger men were taking hold: R. R. Cleeland, William M. Collins, L. D. Robinson, Albert Rothery, R. B.
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Rev. Alfred C. Skinner 1898-1902
Sturtevant, Thomas O. Bemis, D. P. Luddington, J. F. Deitz, W. R. Price and E. R. Cooley. Among the ladies were the wives of all of these men, and Elizabeth Beals, Mrs. H. B. Streeter, and others, though for the most part the records personalize the men but generalize the ladies by the repeated expression, "The women are doing fine work."
Dr. Henry Tuckley was the second pastor in history to have served as long as five years. One of his three child- ren, Jennie, became Mrs. Yarrow and served as a mission- ary in Turkey. James is a teacher in Newark, New Jersey, and Elizabeth is now Mrs. Williams and living in Bing- hamton, N. Y.
PERIOD OF EXPANSION
The committee turned toward Amherst where a thirty- four year old minister by the name of Alfred C. Skinner was doing good work. He came in 1898. He had been born in St. John's, Newfoundland, was talented, an artist and sculptor.
Running the Sunday School, with average attendance still about 300, was H. J. Webb, and soon Marcus H.
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Smith would step in. There were other names now: A. M. Burt, O. L. Cowles, Alfred James, George Farmer, H. A. Shallies and H. A. Moses. There was a revival service with Dr. Pardington as evangelist. A young deaconess, Miss Ruth G. Barr, began a fruitful ministry in Trinity. Some old timers voted against the use of individual com- munion cups, but nevertheless hygiene won out. An In- dividual Communion service was given in 1905 by Mrs. Hattie Dickinson Stewart. The Spanish War was fought on the field and in the newspapers and Dr. Skinner finish- ed four years of service. He died in Worcester on June 7, 1934 at seventy years of age. Mrs. Skinner, whom he married after leaving Trinity, is still living, at 70 Lovell Avenue, Worcester. 1"His cultured, artistic tempera- ment, deepened by his passion for the Gospel ministry, made him a preacher of distincton."
The Reverend Eugene M. Antrim, when he arrived in 1902, probably did not know that he would break a re- cord and serve the church with great success for eight and one half years. But he would. He was fresh from a year's study in the Berlin University on a Boston University fellowship. During his ministry another Sunday School mission was started, November 17, 1902, on the corner of Carew and Liberty Streets, called Liberty Mission. Trinity would nurture it, build a chapel there in 1905, give the lots and $40,000 in cash and see it dedicated on January 1, 1922, as Liberty Methodist Episcopal Church. In April, of 1874 a Sunday School had been organized on Plainfield Street which in January, 1898, would be- come, with further donations of land, St. James Methodist Episcopal Church.
Now there was a fine printed program called "The Trinity Chimes" and a highly organized, exceedingly busy downtown church acknowledged as one of the strongest in the New England Conference. There were nineteen offic- ial committees, a vested chorus of one hundred voices, Leagues, Women's Societies, Missionary Societies, a D.F.
(1) Minutes of the New England Conference, 1935.
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Rev. Eugene M. Antrim 1902-10
M. G. Club, an Athletic association. " There was a fine parsonage at 37 Edwards Street, a Pastor's Assistant, George M. Elsbree, as well as a Deaconess, first Miss Laura Donnell and then Miss Lillian Jones. The member- ship of the church was 802. Sometimes, in the evening, the minister wore a robe, to the consternation of old-timers.
A great revival was held in the old City Hall by the united Methodism of the city, and Bishop John Vincent and Milton S. Rees won many converts. Mrs. F. M. Johnson directed the music and Mrs. Stella Pease was organist. Rev. Charles A. Moore came as assistant pastor and pastor at Liberty. Through it all death struck: B. D. Rising, George Wright, Erasmus King, W. W. More, William Collins, James Boyde, Warner Sturtevant, David Luddington, the latter leaving a bequest of $10,000 to the church, Miss Ora E. Blair, who left a legacy for the "poor of the church," William Smith, Edwin Cooley, Miss Susan Price, and so many others. But then, also, new names and new faces: Frank Dunlap, Samuel Craig, O. A. Eberhardt, F. D. Merriam, William F. Richardson, J. F. Deitz, H. E. Streeter, M. F. Buell, G. H. Phillips, L. C. Small, C. R. Roe, L. J. Harmon, D. H. Nesbitt, and so many others that the membership was approaching one thousand.
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Lucius E. Ladd Secretary of Trustees for 45 years in Pynchon Street and old Trinity Churches.
Among the deaths was Lucius E. Ladd. He had been a trustee since 1851, clerk and treasurer for forty-five years, and had been chairman of the building committee.
For more than eight years this chronicler has walked by a file of huge, dusty record books in the office bookcase of the church. How was he to know that in them a voice
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speaks out, sometimes cries, sometimes sings, often suffers. In matchless penmanship and with the artistry of a pro- fessional draftsman one feels in Lucius Ladd's narrative (it is far, far more than a report) the beat of a church's heart. When a great soul dies the entire page is bordered in laboriously drawn mourning bands. When things are bright, garnished capitals cry "The Dawn Is Breaking!" When Garfield is shot, and Mckinley, grief designs the page.
Following it through, entering into the inner life of a man who loved Trinity church with all his soul, one watch- es the hand grow old, unsteady, wavering, as the years sap his strength. One grows old with him, and rebels against it, chuckling when his old time fire calls stamp taxes on legal documents "one more example of democratic treason and disloyalty," or when he writes "(note: church bosses, he means!)" At the bottom of one shakily written re- port of the treasurer are these words: "(Note: the writer thinks now that this will prove to be his final Fourth Quarterly Conference Report. L.E.L.)"
He was right. The next one was written by someone else for the first time in forty-five years, and attested in an almost illegible scrawl, "Lucius E. Ladd." At the next one is a fine resolution, in a strange hand, which pays for- mal tribute to Lucius E. Ladd at his death in 1908, aged ninety years and three months.
The death of Ladd marked a new era in the church. He hated debt, opposed any and every measure until funds were provided. Now younger men with the future in their eyes, understanding the possibilities of rising values, set out on an amazingly involved adventure of expansion. The Mohican property, at the west of the church, was bought for $55,000 and then leased to the Mohican Company for $6,000 a year. The "Cook" property to the east was bought for $12,500, in order to build an annex and parish house for the church. To swing it the church was mort- gaged for $70,000, the properties transferred but at no profit to Frank Dunlap. The Trinity Realty Trust Cor- poration was founded to manage these affairs. Lots back
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-
-
-
Record Book, Minutes of Trustees Meetings Lucius Ladd, Secretary
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of St. James church were bought, property for Liberty Church bought. By 1911 the church was in debt $71,100, all covered by real estate assets and the entire project planned to provide Trinity Church with a permanent en- dowment.
Lucius E. Ladd must have turned over in his grave. But Springfield was growing, over one hundred thousand population now. Values were sky-rocketing, fortunes were being made. Since business men were making fortunes for themselves, as good Christians why not share with the Lord and His church?
Manning Tuttle was superintendent of the Sunday School, and it was averaging 380 in attendance. Miss May Price was superintendent of the kindergarten depart- ment for sixteen years. George Barker was president of the Epworth League, Elizabeth Beals, 3rd Vice-president, Charles Walker secretary, Erma Randall treasurer. Over one hundred were attending the Oxford Bible class. A beautiful, wonderful new electro-pneumatic pipe organ was given the church by Mr. Moses and Mrs. Luddington to take the place of the "old tracker" and on October 19, 1910, Clarence Eddy came from New York to dedicate it with a concert. For two years W. Herrick Brown was organist. The new, three story annex was built with Dun- lap, Cleeland and Moses as the committee. Mr. Charles F. Aikin came as Pastor's Assistant. Dr. Antrim preached a series of sermons on "Burning Issues" which received much space in the press. In 1912 the church received a beautiful mural painting, on the lunette of the choir wall, depicting a pastoral scene of nature at peace, and called "Beside Still Waters." The artist was Paul Cornoyer of New York. It was given in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Warner Sturtevant by the Sturtevant family.
But by that time Dr. Antrim had left to take the pastor- ate of the North Woodward Methodist Church in Detroit, Michigan, a great pastoral record behind him. In 1923 he was elected president of Oklahoma City College. Dr. Antrim is today still living in Oklahoma.
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THE CLOSING YEARS
Dr. Edward A. Elliott was forty-three, Canada born and Canada educated, and left the church in Bay City, Michigan to accept the call to Trinity in 1910. He, and his wife, Alice, were to stay seven years of a fine pastorate.
Marcus Smith was in charge of the Sunday School, and to the leadership of the music there came in 1912 a strik- ing personality and a facile organist who would continue for almost a decade and a half, Arthur H. Turner. Mrs. Frank Dunlap organized a Queen Esther Circle for High School girls. In June of 1914 the Ladies Aid inaugurated an inovation by establishing groups within groups, called "circles," which would make for more intimitate fellow- ship and multiple service. There were six of them. They looked forward to as many as two hundred women in the organization. A Men's Brotherhood was going, too, num- bering about one hundred men and beginning a "Sugar Eat" annual series in 1913, when L. J. Harmon was be- ginning his duties as head of the Sunday School. There were four local preachers: W. O. Parmenter, C. W. John- son, L. F. Preston and E. B. Lane. Yes, and one of the old Classes had been revived by Brother Craig.
The membership grew and congregations were fine. But there was also plenty of evidence that an expanding Springfield was taking the people farther and farther out and many were worshipping in neighborhood churches. The downtown problem was setting in. In 1912, for the first time, there was talk about a Forest Park project, in fact lots had been purchased out in the Park section dur- ing the real estate ventures when Dr. Antrim had been pastor. Though new members constantly joined, the church could never quite reach the one thousand mark, largely because of losses incurred by people moving to the suburbs.
When Dr. Elliott was engaged, Trinity church got two ministers for the price of one, for Mrs. Alice Elliott was herself no incidental asset to the ministry of the church. She was a popular and effective Sunday School teacher,
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Rev. Edward A. Elliott 1910-18
she could and did often fill in for her husband at meetings and conferences, she assisted him immensely with the call- ing, and she was an author of charming verses. Her works have been published. Many of them are about Trinity and her affairs, the Ladies Aid, the Sunday School class. The following was written about the parsonage on Ed- wards Street.
The paint was off the clapboards And the steps were falling down; But they said we're going to sell it So no use of a new gown; It's too near the busy town.
On Edwards Street in Springfield town Between two houses gray,
There stands a building colorless For the paint is fallen away;
The eves troughs too are broken down And the raindrops as they fall Ne'er seek the sewer as they should But soak the basement wall;
And on the floor in pools they stand With boards across for path,
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While in too many rooms the dirt Outlines each separate lath; But then it's near the library And one can walk down town, And best of all it's near the church Which is not tumbling down.
Dead were E. R. Cooley, O. L. Cowles and Charles R. Bly. Dr. C. W. Freeman and his hospital in China had been adopted by the church. On November 15, 1916, there was another fire again, starting from the basement, which did considerable damage to the auditorium. Big, handsome, jovial, witty, popular Dr. Elliott and Mrs. Elliot had served seven years. It was time to move.
Mrs. Elliott did not live long after. She died on Janu- ary 9, 1922, in Cambridge where her husband was pastor of the Harvard Street Church. Dr. Elliott passed away on April 30, 1941, at the home of his daughter in Swamscott, Mrs. John S. Young.
Fred Winslow Adams was the district superintendent of the New York District of the New York Conference, and though he was only in his mid-forties his record in St. Andrews Church, New York City, and the thirteen year pastorate at the First Church in Schenectady seemed to make him the man. The General Conference had placed him on the commission to revise the ritual, and the liturgy used in Methodist churches all over the land was mostly of his doing. Futhermore, he had a reputation as a lectur- er on literary and patriotic subjects, "Mark Twain," "James Whitcombe Riley," "The Five Grains of Corn." He had a genius for publicity and was known for aggres- siveness and unceasing toil. And he, too, had a wife, Harriet, who would be an added bonus, a fine musician. Here was the man for the building enterprise.
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