USA > Michigan > Men of progress : embracing biographical sketches of representative Michigan men with an outline history of the state > Part 12
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The salt manufacture of the State is under a system of inspection established by law, at the head of which is the State Inspector, with deputies at such points as may be required. There are four grades, marked as Fine, Pack- ers', Solar and Second Quality. The salt product of 1860 was 4,000 barrels. In 1861 it had reached 125,000 barrels, and showed a quite regular rate of yearly increase, until, in 1875, it had reached over 1,000,000 barrels. In 1880, 2,676,588 barrels; in 1885, 3,297,- 403; in 1890, 3,838,637; in 1895, 3,529,362.
The salt inspection is by distriets, which are grouped as follows, with the number of
*Geological Survey, 1873, page 14.
65
HISTORICAL SKETCHIES.
barrels inspected in each district in the year 1897:
No.
DISTRICT.
No. Establish ments.
Barrels.
1
Saginaw County
20
284,387
2
Bay County
15
310,894
3
St. Clair County ..
6
297,064
4
Iosco County ..
4
42,231
5
Midland County.
2
34,056
G
Manistee County.
11
1,827.427
Mason County ...
6
522.324
8
Wayne County.
4
274,431
58
3,622,814
The price of salt per barrel in 1860 is given at $1.80. It has since undergone various fluctuations, until in 1897 it was 584 cents.
The Commissioner of Mineral Statistics speaks with no little confidence of the future of gold production. Throughout the whole Upper Peninsula, he says, "gold has been
found in many places in the Huronian rocks, and numerous attempts at developing a pay- ing lode have been made." IIe attributes the lack of interest in the gold quest to the greater attention that the coarser metals have received. Several efforts at developing profit- able mining are reported, resulting in a total product while in operation of $668,484. Sil- ver is regarded as promising, but with the production so far but meager.
Other mineral productions in 1897 are given as follows:
Mineral coal, tons 122,850
Sandstone, cubic feet 120,338
Gypsum, tons 48,500
Grindstones, marble, slate, graphite, clay and mineral waters, cach claim recognition in the reports.
RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS.
ROMAN CATHOLICS.
St. Anne's Church and Father Del Halle-Father Gabriel Richard-Diocesian Data-Statistics of the Church in Michigan.
In the religious, as well as in the civil realın, the Roman Catholics were the pioneers in Michigan. A brief reference is made to their work in a preceding page. The first official occupation of the territory by Cadillac in 1701 represented the trinity that was deemed essential to the founding of a State --- the element of the civil, the military and the religious. With the founder of Detroit, with his civil commission, came also the martial array and the bearer of the cross. One of the first acts of Cadillac was the erection of a chapel for religious worship. This received the name of St. Anne's Church, a name still retained by one of the Roman Catholic churches of Detroit. One Father Del Halle was post chaplain and pastor of the church. He fell an innocent victim at the hands of some Ottawa Indians who had become in- volved in a brawl with some officers of the post, June 6, 1706. St. Anne's was the only church in the territory during the first century of its civil history. Passing over the cen- tury, Father Gabriel Richard appears as a time-mark, not only in the history of the Roman Catholic church, but in the social, civil and intellectual history of the territory as well. He came to Detroit in 1798 as pas- tor of St. Anne's Church. He brought the first printing outfit to the city in 1809. He was an earnest promoter of educational enter- prises, and was elected as delegate to Congress from Michigan in 1823. He was esteemed alike by Protestants and Catholics. He gave his life and energies in aid of the cholera- stricken inhabitants of the city in 1832, and died of cholera September 13 of that year.
From Hoffman's Catholic Directory for 1899 the following statistics of the church in Michigan are taken:
Diocese of
Detroit.
Diocese of
Gd. Rapids.
Diocese of
Marquette.
Bishop.
1
1
2
Diocesan priests ..
155
74
54
Priests of religious orders
44
12
8
Churches with resident priest
116
66
56
Missions with churches.
76
70
24
Stations
36
40
64
Chapels.
15
9
3
Seminary for secular clergy (Polish). Students.
1
155
Seminary of Religious Order ..
1
45
6
Colleges and academies for boys . Students.
430
Academies for young ladies
4
Females educated in higher branches ..
350
45
20
Parishes and missions with schools. Pupils ..
17,200
10,383
5,440
Orphan Asylums Orphans.
500
220
90
Industrial School. Inmates.
12
110
House of Good Shepherd
1
Total of young people under Cath. care. Hospitals
20,000
10,600
5,500
Home for aged poor ..
1
1
Inmates during year.
250
110
Infant asylum.
1
Baptisms
7,600
4.074
Marriages.
1,200
645
Burials
3.047
1.220
Catholic population, about
177,905
*17,836
60.000
*Number of families.
+For Indians.
Michigan was erected into a Roman Catho- lic See in 1833, as the Diocese of Detroit, under Bishop Frederick Rese. He was suc- ceeded in 1841 by Bishop Lefevre, and he in turn by Bishop Borgess in 1870, Bishop Foley, the present. bishop, coming to the charge in 1888. The diocese of Sault Ste. Marie and Marquette was established in 1857, comprising the Upper Peninsula, with the episcopal residence at Marquette. Rev. Fred- erick Baraga, D. D., was the first bishop, being succeeded on his death in 1868 by Rev. Ignatins Mrak, D. D., who in turn was suc- ceeded in 1878 by Rev. John Vertin, D. D., who died February 26, 1899. Rt. Rev. Fred- erick Eis is the present bishop. The diocese
5
2
2
1
1
+2
Children in preservation class
125
4
4
Ecclesiastical students for diocese
3
1
64
67
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
of Grand Rapids was established in 1882, comprising so much of the lower peninsula as lies north and west of the counties of Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Clinton, Shiawassee, Gencsee and Tuscola. The episcopal residence is at Grand Rapids-bishop, Rev. Henry Joseph Richter, D. D. A viear-general and a seere-
tary are a part of the diocesan staff, the Rev. F. J. Baumgartner exercising the office of chancellor and seeretary in the Detroit dio- cese. The polity of the church, in the com- pleteness of its organization, embraces many subordinate officials, not practicable here to enumerate.
PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.
Rev. David Bacon-Early Methodist Missions-Dr. Nathan Bangs-Ministration of Father Richard- First Protestant Societies-A Couple of Anec- dotes
The first mention of the appearance of a representative of the Protestant arm of the church places it a century later than the ad- vent of the organized church under Cadillae. In the settlement of the northwest especially, this difference will be noted between the work of the two great divisions of the church: The Roman Catholic followed the waterways, establishing his posts at eligible points as he went, while the Protestant found the better field for his work where the settler had pene- trated the interior and established a social community. This difference between the two divisions of the church, in their methods and results, is illustrated by the experience of the first Protestant missionary, Rev. David Bacon, a Congregationalist, who had been sent out by a society in Connecticut to estab- lish a mission among the Indians at Maekinae and in the northwest, but "finding no open- ing among the Indians, stopped in Detroit," where he preached a few times .* This was in 1801, and was the first Protestant service of which there is any record to be found, as a propagandist work.
In 1804 an itinerant Methodist minister from Canada, named Freeman, held services in Detroit. The first official visitation was by Rev. Nathan Bangs, Methodist, under au- thority of the New York Conference, in 1804.
The New York Conference, in the Metho- dist church polity, at that time, exereised jur- isdiction over the whole country and Canada, and it was through Canada that the work to the westward was prosecuted. Dr. Bang's holds a prominent place in Methodist history, to which he was himself also a contributor. The following anecdote is worthy of record, as showing that the spirit of mischief was rife an hundred years ago as well as at the present day. Speaking of one of his sermons, Dr. Bangs wrote: "I preached in the old eouneil house on a week-day evening. While preach- ing, there arose a terrible thunder storm; the lightning flashed, the thunder rolled through the heavens with awful noise. But I kept on preaching. I was afterwards informed that two young men sat trembling, fearing that God was about to strike them dead for what they had done, as they had put powder into the candles, in the expectation that they would burn down to the powder and explode chiring the sermon."# Dr. Pileher speaks of the inhabitants of Detroit at the time, who were almost wholly of French extraction, as "given up to pleasure, especially during the winter months, particularly to musie and dancing, which tended to weaken the mind, vitiate the moral sensibilities, and to disin- eline them to religion." Those who knew Dr. Pilcher as an ardent churehman will not marvel that he should have added: "The mere ceremonies of Romanism did not lay any re- straint on the people in these respeets." Of Dr. Bangs' work it is said that at the first meeting, quoting his words, "the light-hearted
*History of Protestantism in Michigan, Rev. E. H. Pilcher, p. 12.
*Dr. Pilcher's work.
68
MEN OF PROGRESS.
people" flocked to hear him, but at the third, . close of the war the Methodist work was re- sumed by Rev. Joseph Hickey, his work ex- tending as far as Monroe.
which was on the Sabbath, only a few chil- dren eame. "So," says the historian, "he left them, wiping the dust from his feet as a testi- mony against them."
After the elose of Dr. Bangs' mission, in 1804, there is no mention of a renewal of the work until 1809, although the territorial gov- ernment, presumedly Protestant in the per- sonnel of its officials, was in operation. In 1807, Gen. Hull, the governor of the terri- tory, with other Protestant gentlemen, in the absence of any Protestant service, invited Father Richard, the Roman Catholic priest, to preaeh to them in English, he and his flock being French. In accordance with this invi- tation, he held meetings at noon every Sun- day in the council house, and gave instrnc- tions on "the general principles of the chris- tian religion, the principles to be adopted in the investigation of truth, the causes of errors, the spirituality and immortality of the soul, and the evidences of christianity in general." An amusing anecdote is told of him in one of his discourses. His command of the English language was but indifferent, and his aptness in translation apparently not the best, and in rendering the words, "Ye are my sheep," he gave them a savory flavor by saying, "Ye are my muttons."#
The first Protestant religious society in Michigan was of the Methodist denomination, organized in 1810. It numbered seven mem- bers, including Robert Abbott, a name promi- ment in the civil history of the territory and in the early days of the State. The propa- gandist work was pursued with energy both in Michigan and in Canada, as it was a work that knew no territorial boundary lines, until it was interrupted by the breaking out of the war of 1812, to be again taken up after the close of the war. Up to this time, according to Dr. Pilcher, no other denomination had made any effort to gain a footing in the penin- sula, other than the first feeble effort of Rev. David Bacon, before mentioned. After the
The first Protestant denomination to be represented in Michigan (except as above) was the Presbyterian. Rev. John Monteith, a fellow of Princeton College, eame to De- troit in 1816. Although a Presbyterian, his mission took on a non-sectarian eharacter, and a society was organized under the name of the First Evangelieal Society of Detroit, and a church edifice was subsequently built, that being the first Protestant church erected in Michigan. The society, in the process of evolution, subsequently became the First Presbyterian Society, which is still in ex- istence.
A couple of anecdotes are introduced in this connection as illustrating the change that has taken place in the tone of pulpit utter- ances since the early part of the century. In 1817 a Methodist minister named Joseph Mitchell was preaching in Detroit. His church services and those of Mr. Monteith were held alternately in the council house, and in various ways the two were brought into friendly conference. On one occasion Mr. Monteith said to Mr. Mitchell: "I wish to make an agreement with you not to preach doctrines." He was met with the rejoinder: "What, not to preach the doctrines of Metho- dism! I am bound to preach them, for I be- lieve every tittle of them to be true. Not to preach against Calvinism! That I am under the necessity of doing, for I believe it to be an erroneous system of doctrines." The clergy at the present day give more thought to the good and welfare of mankind and to the ethics of life than they do to mere doc- trinal abstractions. On a certain occasion, when the Governor and other officers and men of note were present in the meeting, the preacher, pointing toward each one as he ad- dressed them, exclaimed: "You, Governor! You, lawyers! You, judges! You, doctors! You must be converted and born again, or God will damn you as soon as the beggar on the dunghill." The days of Rev. Mr.
*Dr. Pilcher's work.
69
HISTORICAL SKETCHIES.
Mucklewrath have passed, and language of been already adverted to. The Episcopal this kind is not now often heard from the pulpit. But it is said that Gov. Cass was so well pleased with the sermon that he sent the preacher a five-dollar note.
It would be out of the question to trace the history of any of the religious denominations with any minuteness of detail. The Metho- dist and Presbyterian denominations have
Church was first organically represented in 1824. The Baptists followed two or three years later. The Congregationalists had a number of organized societies in the carly part of the 1830 decade, although, according to Dr. Pilcher, by reason of their union with the Presbyterians, they were not distinctively known in the State until 1842.
CHURCH DOCTRINE AND POLITY.
Methodist Episcopal - Baptist - Congregational- Presbyterian-Protestant Episcopal Church Stat- istics.
The population of Michigan and of the country, so far as religions opinion is con- cerned, is properly divisible into three general classes: Roman Catholics, Protestants, and those of no religious profession .* Of the many sects of the Protestants, the five leading ones are the Methodist, Baptist, Congrega- tionalist, Presbyterian and Episcopal. The term Protestant (literally protest-ant), was the term applied to those who led in the schism from the Roman Catholic Church in the sixteenth century-that is, those who stood in protest against the dogmas and prac- tices of the church-of whom Martin Luther in Germany, and John Calvin in France (later of Geneva, Switzerland), were the lead- ing lights, not forgetting John Knox, in Scot- land, a disciple of Calvin. In England the protest was more political than doctrinal, aris- ing ont of a disagreement between Henry VIII. and the Pope of Rome. From this sprang the Church of England, which is rep- resented by the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States. The organic structure of the Church of England adhered substan- tially to the Roman Catholic, which it sup- planted. The Methodist Episcopal Church is an outgrowth from the Church of England, founded by John Wesley about the beginning of the eighteenth century. Its adoption of the word "episcopal" has reference to its or-
ganie features rather than to form and doc- trine. In this sense both the Roman Catho- lie Church, as the parent, and the Episcopal and Methodist communions as offshoots, are all "episcopal," each having bishops, with more or less of anthority in their government.
The three denominations of Baptists, Con- gregationalists and Presbyterians, are doctrin- ally known as Calvinistic, basing their faith upon the system of theology formulated by John Calvin. They have no bishops, and governmentally their polity is of the popular rather than the centralized type. So much by way of generalization, leading up to a brief statement of the polity and status of the several denominations in Michigan.
The representative assembly of the Metho- dist Church is the conference, and the same term refers to the geographical division which the conference represents. The General Con- ference of the United States meets every fourth year. An annual conference is held in each conference district. There are two conferences in Michigan. The Michigan conference embraces the western half of the lower peninsula, dividing on the meridian line (the government basis for land surveys, a north and south line passing near the city of .Jackson), as far north as Roscommon county. Leaving this county on the east, the district embraces everything west of it, including Charlevoix county, to the straits of Mackinac. The Detroit conference embraces the balance of the State, including the Upper Peninsula. While the Methodist conference corresponds
*Referring to the mass of the population The Jews are a religious people, with other minor cults.
70
MEN OF PROGRESS.
in some respeets to the Episcopal diocese, it has no resident bishop. Bishops are created by the General Conference, when there is a need for them, and they are given assigned fields of labor. Each annual conference is presided over by a bishop assigned to the work. The conference is subdivided into dis- tricts, each district embracing a number of charges, to which a presiding elder is ap- pointed. Bay View, a locality chosen for the purpose and so named, on Little Traverse bay, is the favorite place of summer assembly for the Methodist people, but to which people of other denominations largely resort. Al- bion College is the educational center of Methodism in the State, and the denomina- tion is journalistically represented by the Michigan Christian Advocate.
The Baptist denomination ranks next to the Methodist in point of numbers in the State. Their annual representative assembly is known as the convention, and is held in October of each year, usually about the mid- dle of the month. A president is chosen, for the session, by the assembly itself. There are district associations of a purely advisory character. The Baptist denomination, in its governmental polity, is similar to that of the Congregational. It exercises no authority over individual churches. Their member- ship in its representative bodies is purely vol- untary. Their assemblies have no further objeet than fellowship and mutual counsel and co-operation. Kalamazoo College, located at Kalamazoo, represents the denomination echicationally. Hillsdale College is under the anspices of the Free Will Baptists, a denomi- nation differing in tenets somewhat from the Baptists proper. The Christian Herald, pub- lished in Detroit, is the recognized organ of the Baptists of Michigan.
Congregationalism, in the matter of doe- trine, differs but little, if at all, from Presby- terianism. The difference is in the matter of government and church polity. On this head the remarks foregoing relative to the Baptist denomination are applicable. The State or- ganization of the Congregationalists is known
as the General Assembly, presided over by a moderator. Olivet College is the well-known educational center of the denomination in the State. The Plymouth Weekly, published in Detroit, represents the denomination in the field of journalism.
The State Assembly of the Presbyterians is the Synod. A subordinate assembly, of which there are nine in Michigan, is the Pres- bytery. The national body is known as the General Assembly, and meets every year. The Synod meets annually, and is presided over by a moderator. The Presbytery is the legislative body of the denomination. The Synod may propose measures to the Presby- teries in the form of "overtures," and if ap- proved by the Presbyteries, the measure is promulgated by the Synod and becomes the law of the church within the jurisdiction. This method is so nearly identical with the politieal machinery of the United States under the carly confederation, that it would seem that the one must have been copied from, or suggested by, the other. The Pres- bytery exercises an advisory power over the settlement of pastors over the churches, and its consent is also asked as a matter of form upon the severing of the pastoral relation. This rule, therefore, differs from the Baptist and Congregational denominations, in which cach church is the judge as to whom it will employ. Ahna College represents the de- nomination educationally, as also a female seminary at Kalamazoo. The Tappan Asso- ciation is maintained at Ann Arbor as a social and doctrinal center for students at the Uni- versity. The newspaper organ is the Michi- gan Presbyterian, published in Detroit.
An annual convention is held by the Epis- copalians in each Diocese, of which there are three in Michigan, with a resident bishop in each. The Diocese of Michigan embraces the eastern portion of the lower peninsula, as does the Diocese of West Michigan the west- ern portion. The Diocese of Marquette eom- prehends the Upper Peninsula. These are presided over respectively by Bishops Thos. F'. Davies, Geo. D. Gillespie, and G. Mott
71
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
Williams. The Hobart Guild, so named in honor of the late Bishop Hobart, of the De- troit Diocese, is maintained at Ann Arbor as a eenter for students attending the Univer- sity. The church has no denominational eol- lege in the State. The Detroit Churchman is its newspaper organ.
Dr. Pilcher gives the membership of the several denominations, presumably at the time of the publication of his work, in 1878, as follows:
Methodist
56,100
Presbyterian
13,348
Episcopal
8,969
Baptist
24,508
Congregational
13,935
44
72
119
25
29
66
No. of Church edifices.
10,122
22,530
33,855
8,825
10,500
17,865
Seating Capacity.
U. S. CENSUS, 1850.
159,775
142,850
142,850
82,800
59,550
$84,050
Value of Ch. Property.
88
101
247
45
69
123
African M. E.
18
4,200
Colored Baptist ...
450
Christian Connection.
43
10,210
Christian Adventist
5
1.100
Christian Reformed
56
26,245
Church of God ..
18
2,600
New Jerusalem (Swedenborgian)
2
400
Disciples of Christ.
57
13,925
Dunkards (German Baptist).
13
4,150
Evangelican Adventist
2
450
Evangelical Association.
116
30.455
Free Methodist.
148
26,700
Free Will Baptist.
72
17,810
Friends (Quakers, so- called)
15
3,625
148
132
469
79
114
218
No. of Church edifices.
62,991
45,925
140,290
26,750
38,320
70,140
2,037,230
1,069,900
2.356,906
911,250
742,200
$1,029,630
214
162
669
120
223
252
No. of Church edifices.
93,449
53,711
201,140
3,047,585
1 444,450
1,337,550
$1,209,625
Value of Ch. Property.
352
226
993
136
276
355
No. of Church| edifices.
150,369
81,195
294,614
40,827
87,635
111,612
Seating Capacity.
4,539,380
2,318,850
4,263,835
1,680,745
1,701,900
$1,997,910
No. of Church edifices.
27,915
38,030
71,005
16,051
22,026
37,865
Seating Capacity.
U. S. CENSUS, 1860.
241,600
611,400
483,000
313,450
203,959
$260,450
Latter Day Saints (Mormon)
13
2.120
Lutheran
36:
98,160
Mennonite ..
12
1,885
Methodist Protestant
41
7,785
Moravian
Reformed Presbyterian (Covenanter) ..
50
20,270
Reformed Church in U. S.
2.325
Salvation Army
5
1,525
Seventh Day Adventist.
82
16,790
Union
42
8.475
Unitarian
10
3.555
United Brethren
146
30,315
United Presbyterian
7
1,900
Universalist.
26
7,250
Wesleyan Methodist
56
10,050
Miscellaneous
58
13,305
The whole number of organizations of all denominations in the State is given at 3,936; cdifices, 3,715; sittings, 1,138,832; value of property, $20,775,156.
In the census report, from which the fore- going is taken, no mention is made of the Spiritualists, who have a considerable numer- ical strength in the State. They may be in- cluded under the comprehensive head of "Miscellaneous." Their organic work has never developed any great degree of strength,
although they maintain meetings at many places in the State, and have two places of summer assembly-at Pine Lake, near Lan- sing, and at Island Lake.
The following statistics are compiled from census reports as noted :
Roman Catholic.
Presbyterian
Methodist . ..
Episcopal.
Congregationalist.
Baptist ..
DENOMINATIONS.
RELIGIOUS
116,860
The following statistics of miscellaneous religious organizations are compiled from the State census report of 1894 :
No. of Or- ganizations
Seating Capicity.
Value of Ch. Property.
Seating Capacity.
U. S. CENSUS, 1870.
STATE CENSUS, 1884.
STATE CENSUS, 1894.
Value of Ch. Property.
80,536
Seating Capacity.
2,161,075
1,200,'50
5
2.800
Jewish.
250
1,200
Reformed Church in America
Value of Ch. Property.
42,489
66,613
MISCELLANEOUS.
POLITICAL PARTIES.
Derivation of Party Names-Early State Politics -- Governor Mason-Woodbridge and Reform-Suc- ceeding Democratic Rule-Governor Barry-Anti- Slavery Parties-The Van Buren Candidacy of 1848-Disastrous Whig Defeat in 1852-The Know- Nothings-Ex-President Fillmore-Bell and Ever- ett-Formation of the Republican Party-Merg- ence of the Whig Organization-The "Silver Greys"-Anti-Chandler Campaign in 1862-The Prohibitionists-The Greeley Campaign of 1872- Ex-Governor Blair-The Liquor Traffic in the Campaign of 1874-The Greenback and Other Third Parties-Democratic-People's-Union-Silver Combination-Political Fusions Not a Success.
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