USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > The history of Detroit and Michigan; or, The metropolis illustrated; a chronological cyclopedia of the past and present, Vol I > Part 91
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The judge who delivered the learned dissertation could have been no other than the pedantic Wood- ward, and the article in the Gazette bears marks of his authorship. The next Gazette, of April 3, 1818, contained the following :
The notice contained in our last number respecting the estab- lishment of a Church we found to be incorrect. We published it hastily according to the information we received, supposing that although there had been for a long time regular worship in this city, there probably was nothing before that could be called a church. In this, however, our informant was mistaken. No organization of a Society took place on the 23d ult.
The Protestant Church in its present form existed before, and in some form or other has existed more than ten years.
The following was published for the first time in the same Gazette :
THE FIRST PROTESTANT CHURCH IN THE TERRITORY OF MICHIGAN.
was erected at the River Rouge on the 3Ist ultimo by a society of Methodists, a body corporate belonging to the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States. The said society was established at the River Rouge in the year 1810, and, through the mercies of God, has remained inflexible through the storms of war and various other trials, and by the Divine blessing is still in a prosperous way.
ROBERT ABBOTT.
One of the Trustees of the M.E. Church. RIVER ROUGE, April 2d, 1818.
No further efforts were made to change the name of the Evan- gelistic society, and the services went on. The natural growth of the city and Mr. Monteith's popu- larity rendered a larger room desirable, and on Janu- ary 17, 1819, Mr. Monteith was authorized by the society to go East and solicit funds to aid in building a church. His mission proved successful, and on June 17 he returned with $1, 122.46. Preparations were at once made for erecting the building, and as a preliminary step, on July 26, 1819, the Governor and Judges
Resolved, that the burying ground adjoining upon Woodward Avenue be granted to the Trustees of the Protestant Religious society of Detroit by their legal designation for the use of said society, exclusive of the streets and alleys therein ; and that the surveyor make an accurate survey and plat of the Protestant burying ground for this Board.
It is said that one of the judges had scruples about giving lots for a church, and therefore no deed was granted at this time. The church, however,
was at once erected on a part of the burying ground on Woodward Avenue, about one hundred feet north of Larned Street. It cost $7,000. The pews were sold at auction on Saturday, February 26, 1820, at 10 A. M, and the next day the church was dedicated.
The Gazette of March 3 contained this notice :
DEDICATION.
The dedication of the First Protestant Church of Detroit took place on Lord's Day, 27th ult. The sermon was delivered by the Rev. John Monteith, Bishop of the Church, from Psalm cxxii, I. " I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord." A Christian society was then formally organized and
Due the, Bearer OND DOLLAR receivable for debts due the first Protes. tant. Church of the city of Detroit, and; payable at the Treasury of the same,
Dolls.
Jam ArAtor
Trustees of the First/ Protestant Churchxe
FAC-SIMILE OF SCRIP ISSUED BY FIRST PROTESTANT SOCIETY.
three elders ordained with the imposition of hands. In the after- noon a sermon was preached by Mr. Moses Hunter, a missionary of the General Assembly, from Canticles, 85, " Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness leaning on her beloved ?"
The sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper were then administered. The assembly was large and remarkably attentive and solemn. The music was good and particularly the tunes of Denmark and Tamworth were well performed.
The society was still composed of Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Methodists, Congregationalists, and persons holding no particular creed; and it was, perhaps, in deference to the Episcopalians or Metho- dists that Mr. Monteith received the appellation of "Bishop " in the notice. The Presbyterians were conciliated by the ordaining of three elders, Messrs. J. J. Deming, Levi Brown, and Lemuel Shattuck ; and as all pew-holders, or those who paid $5.00 a year, had a right to vote on questions connected with the society, the Congregationalists must have been satisfied.
558
FIRST REGULAR PROTESTANT SERVICES.
The precentor of this period was Abraham Del- amater, a drummer or fifer connected with the United States troops then stationed at Detroit. He led the singing dressed in his regimentals, a bright red coat being part of his attire. The trustees were D. G. Jones, H. J. Hunt, S. Mack, L. Shattuck, and J. Abbott. The secretary was James D. Doty, who afterwards became Governor of Wisconsin.
Only nine tenths of the pews were sold up to April, 1820, but enough was realized to more than pay the cost of the building. The people, however, did not respond readily to the calls for money, as is evident from the following statement, published in the Gazette of November 17, 1820:
SABBATH COLLECTIONS.
We have been informed from respectable sources that some of our citizens who belong to the Protestant Association make objec- tions to the practice of collecting money on each Sabbath, pre- vious to the dismissal of the congregation. To do away with these objections we are requested to state that the money collected is to be applied to the enclosing of the Protestant burying ground. There have been already several collections made ex- clusively for that purpose, but enough has never been collected to defray more than one half of the probable expense of the contemplated enclosure, and it will not be commenced until a sufficient sum is collected to complete it.
Money was also needed to pay Mr. Monteith, yet, notwithstanding all the efforts made, it could not be raised, and as a last resort, the society issued due- bills to the amount of $700, in sums of one, two, and three dollars each, dated March 15, 1821. These due-bills were paid over to Mr. Monteith on account of salary. They were evidently intended to be cir- culated as money, for almost every merchant and corporation at that time issued their own bills; but the credit of this church corporation was so poor, or the time of Mr. Monteith's stay so limited, that the bills were never circulated or redeemed, and consequently Mr. Monteith was never paid.
On April 13, 1821, James Abbott, as treasurer of the Protestant Church, gave notice in the Gazette that persons could be accommodated with single seats at fifty cents a quarter, and on June 30 fol- lowing he gave further notice to "all persons who owe subscriptions or taxes on the pews, that if they are not paid by July 6, coercive measures will be resorted to for their immediate collection." Possi- bly the funds were needed to pay Mr. Monteith, for he left on the 23d of July, when an appropriate ad- dress was voted him.
On October 15 a meeting of the corporation was held, and the following persons were elected trustees for one year, namely: James Abbott,
Austin E. Wing, Thomas Rowland, Henry J. Hunt, DeGarmo Jones, and C. C. Trowbridge, The last named served also as secretary of the board.
At a subsequent meeting of the corporation a new constitution and articles of incorporation were agreed upon, under the title of First Protestant Society of Detroit. The society was incorporated under a general law of April 12, 1821. On Decem- ber 7 the articles were signed by the following citi- zens : Charles Larned, A. E. Wing, Thomas Palmer, J. D. Doty, Thomas Rowland, Stephen C. Henry, Francis Audrain, William Woodbridge, John Hunt, Justin Rice, James Abbott, Henry J. Hunt, Henry Sanderson, DeGarmo Jones, John P. Sheldon, J. J. Deming, Lewis Cass, B. Woodworth, Arthur Ed- wards, and B. F. H. Witherell.
No important change was made in the govern- ment or management of the society at this time, and it was entirely destitute of any denominational predilection. It was organized "to secure the regu- lar public worship of Almighty God, and the enjoyment of the many advantages resulting there- from."
After the departure of Mr. Monteith, the services were conducted occasionally by Rev. John P. Kent, a Methodist clergyman, and also by Rev. A. W. Welton, of the Protestant Episcopal Church, who became a resident of Detroit in November, 1821, but was not settled as a pastor. On May 10, 1822, he was engaged for a few weeks as a supply.
Soon afterwards C. C. Trowbridge, secretary of the society, called a meeting for July II, to arrange "to supply the pulpit with preaching." This evi- dently had reference to the coming of Rev. Joshua Moore, the second preacher sent here by the Pres- byterian Board of Missions. He arrived on the day appointed for the meeting. Two days before he came the Rev. Mr. Gratton had been engaged to fill the pulpit, and therefore the engagement of Mr. Moore for a year did not begin until September 22. On September 23 a meeting was called by Mr. Trowbridge "to consider about levying a tax on the pews for the regular preaching of the gospel for some definite term." Mr. Moore served until October, 1824, when he was obliged to leave, as the society was unable to pay him. On the final settle- ment the society gave him a note for $1,450, which was never paid.
On January 23, 1825, the First Protestant Society and Church was reorganized, and Articles of Faith adopted which, for the first time, fully committed the organization to the Presbyterian doctrines and government. Its history will be found in another chapter.
CHAPTER LVIII.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHES .- EVENTS OF INTEREST TO THE DENOMINATION.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.
THE advent of Methodist " circuit riders " in this region, and the services they held, have been already detailed. The present article concerns the corpo- rate body known as the First Methodist Episcopal Society, and later churches of the same denomina- tion.
Several notable facts serve as an appropriate in- troduction to the history of this particular church. As is elsewhere shown, the Methodist Episcopal Church was the first Protestant organization that appointed a minister to labor with the white people of this region, and the earliest continuous church services were conducted by a Methodist minister.
First M. E. Church.
The first Protestant church building in Michigan, other than that of the Moravians, was built by and for the Methodists, and the society named above was the first Protestant denominational church organized in the Territory, and the first to become incorporated.
The effort to build a Methodist church especially for Detroit dates from 1820. A meeting was held on May 16 of that year, for the purpose of consult- ing in regard to it, and committees were appointed on site and subscriptions. The following notice then appeared in the Detroit Gazette:
NOTICE,
The committee of arrangement who were appointed to procure a suitable site for the erection of a Methodist Episcopal Church in the city of Detroit, and to receive subscriptions for building of the same, will meet at the Council House in said city at 6 o'clock P. M. on Monday, the 22nd day of May, 1820, at which time and place the citizens of Detroit are respectfully requested to attend.
ROBERT ABBOTT, S. T. DAVENPORT, JR., WILLIAM W. PETIT. Com.
DETROIT, May 16, 1820.
At an adjourned meeting on Monday, May 22, the committee previously appointed made a report, but it is evident that the enterprise was not vigor- ously prosecuted, for the meeting was adjourned to May 29 and then to June 6. On June 6 Robert Abbott, Jerry Dean, and Edwin W. Goodwin were
appointed a committee to draft a constitution. After this action, promoters and committee appa- rently rested from their labors, for nothing further was done for nearly two years.
Then, under an act of April 12, 1821, a society was organized. The original copy of the articles, drawn up by John Farmer, is still preserved, and the writer identifies, beyond a doubt, the heading and the body of the document as the work of his father's hand. The articles were dated March 21, 1822, and are the only articles of incorporation of a Protestant church organized under territorial law now known to be in existence. The following twenty signatures are appended : Robert Abbott, Joseph Hickcox, William Hickcox, Joseph C. Corbus, Israel Noble, James Kapple, Nathaniel Champ, William McCarty, James L. Reed, John Ramsay, Joseph Donald, James Abbott, H. W. Johns, Edwin W. Goodwin, William R. Goodwin, P. Warren, Jerry Dean, Joseph Hanchett, Robert P. Lewis, and John Farmer.
It is worthy of mention that the Joseph Hickcox whose name appears as one of the corporators was the minister who came after the war, in 1815, and reorganized the Methodist Church, afterwards re- tiring from the ministry and settling on the Rouge. And as Robert Abbott, Joseph Hanchett, Joseph C. Corbus, William McCarty, and possibly some others of the twenty, had been members of the church on the Rouge, the new organization may be properly considered the legitimate successor of that church.
The articles of incorporation bear the signatures and approval of A. B. Woodward and James With- erell, judges; Charles Larned, attorney-general ; and Lewis Cass, governor of the Territory. The society was thus doubly legalized, for it was not only duly organized under the Act, but the articles received the specific and written endorsement of the governor and two of the three judges; and as the Governor and Judges then possessed legislative power, the articles had almost the force of a special enactment.
March 21, 1822, was named in the articles as the time for the first election of officers of the society, and on that date the following persons were elected
[559]
Constituto
The first Methodist Episcopal Society OFTHE CITY of
DETROIT .M
So all wwhom they Fitsants shall com Onow &i; that PLON whole names are hereunto subscribed, being dannnur of establishing a Methodist Espinafres Society in the City of Detroit, for the purpose of acquiring and enjoying the powers and nmunities of a Corporation, or body politie in law, according to an Act of the Scrumour and Suages of the Sonitory of Michigan, antilles" An Act to confer on Curtain associations the powers and immunites of corporation or Bodies politie in law? do therefore by these presents afsociale ourselves together for the Said purposes, by the name, Style, and title of Thefirst Methodist Episcopal Docity of the City of DFracf. that, and the article and conditions following , To post ?
Dec." The sais suboider an thin Scorpion, shall, according to the above write out be. come and be a Corporation of Body politico in law and in fact, to have come tinuance by the name, Style, and title of the First Methodist Episcopal Brity of the city of Detroit , and as such shall have full power and authority to make have an's use, one common deal with such device and inscription, as they hate dem proper , and the same to break alter or renow, at their pleasure and by the names Styti; and title aforesaid, be able anos capable in law to due and be sie; Iflead and be impleade ?; in any Court or courts , before any judge or judges , questions justices in all manner of suite , Complaints, fleas, causes, matters and demandy whatever, and all and every matter or thing to do, in as full and effective a manner as any other person or persons, Foodies politic or Corporate, within the Territory of Michigan may or can do: and shall be authorised and error power, to make rules, by- laws and ordinances, and to do every thing needful for the good grownment and support of sais Society. Provided that the sais by- laws rules and ordinances, or any of them be not repugnant to the Constitution and laws of the United States, orlo laws of the Suntory, or to the fremit instres ment upon which the sais Socity is foundes and establishes. as provided alig that the sais by- laws rules and Ordin ands Shall not extend to the difsolution of sais Society without the consent of all the members thereof .
SED:" The said Society and then sucesiones, by the name Ny to , and title aforesais, shall. be able ano capable in low , according to the terms and conditions of these fred to take receive an hoto all manner of Lands, Jonements, Fant, Antes, Fransa. Chaises and Heredu tamens, and any/ dum or jums of money, and any manner
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. Fac-simile, half size.
L560]
and portion of goods and chatter given and bequiathesunto thin, to to employos, disposed of , according to the object articles, and Conditions of this Instrument to By- laws of the said Society , or of the will and intention of the Donor : Frivideo . that the clean yearly Value , or income of the Mefrage , Houses, Lands and Janemet Frants, Amenities, or other Mereditamint , and real estate of the pain . Society and the interest of the money by theowlent , shall not exce to sum of two thousand find hundred Dollars.
Sec. Shewe Shall be elected annually nine crisis, on the this Monday es May . (a majority of whom shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of busing) a Dreamer and a Secretary who shall be governed in their duties by this isus Strument , and by the By- laws and ordinances of the Society .
Sec : . The society shall have authority to make by-laws and ordinances forregular ting the admission of new members to this Society; but no member shall be "eligible to the office of Juste , treasurer , or secretary , unless he be a member ins regular standing and Communion with the imethodist Episcopal church. Elect the officers who may be appointed by virtue of this constitution shall hold this offices until the this Monday in May , in each year and tilo others shall be appointed in their places.
Seat." All leeds, tiles, conveyance of all Lands, Elements and Herevitamins and of all goods and chattle , made to this society shall be given to the Jusies in time for the druety : ) and all deeds ; titles and conveyance of the like property from- the society, shall be given by the Printer , but no property of the Society shall be sote without their consent?
Sro: " The first Election of officers for the bounty shall be beto on the twenty first day" of March, one thousand Eight hundred and twenty two ; and Elections my be held at any time to Supply Vacancies , on public notices being quenous by the Juster , and a majority of members procent, at any auch mating or at any other meeting of the Society held pursuant to notice givewas aforesato, or at the annual Elections shall constitute a quorum for the briand acting of bizony
Sc. 8th St shall be competent for the society, at any meeting held puesavant to notice given by the Justus as apourrait, to ding such amount of tego notonly as they may dem expedient upon each and every member of the Brainly. Scythe Sho Fruity shall have power to chest Auch etter offers asany to
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION, PAGE 2.
L561]
:
demon muchany for the transaction of the business of 000 Decity Datos at the city of Devant the Twenty first day of March. In the year of war Lor one thousand eight hundred and Etwenty things
Seny Deano Hans- Champ Toph Manschette Panis. L. Rack.
William MCarty Joseph Huskcox Joseph C berlins William Hickcox James Aflote
- John Ranmuy JoseAnty Donald Hm RiGoodwin derand Noble
Jemalory beliebig an
I have person and icamento the aforegung enotimans BW Entertain no douth of the lawfulness of the objects articles and conditions theusifet- forth, um cinturones and do hereby certify the fame Timwant to the . Y latuto Swo Testimony whereas I Quero fes Muy reamed this 13 th may 1823
Chattarneds:
I have gamensee the foregoing Instrument, and consider it to be within The provisions of the Act of the Governor + Durages of This Territory: intillid" An A OF to confor on certain Apoioations The hours and immunity of Corporations, or bain hotelis in Law. Je
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION, PAGE 3.
L562]
563
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.
Michigan to wit;
I should greatly prefer the union of all protestants, under the name of evangelic churches, as adopted in Germany and Bugsin, at the third centurial anniversary, ktoben 91 t 1817 to the retew. tion of the existing sectarian distinctions. The of. - jects, however, and the articles con conditions, som forth and contained in this instrument, are, wo my opinion , lawful.
AB Woodward
One of the Judges in and over the Territory of Michigan, and Presiding Judge of The Supremes bout thevery.
Tuesday, May 14. 1822. ..
The preceding articles of of one strane will her recorded by the decet any of the Tane tory at the express of the application
detroit may 1%, 182.2
Lwl af Governo 8.3 the Ferry of Muchegan
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION, PAGE 4.
as trustees : Robert Abbott, Philip Warren, Jerry Dean, Edwin W. Goodwin, Seth L. Papineau, Robert P. Lewis, James Kapple, Timothy Murphy, and Joseph Donald.
At the next meeting, held October 30, 1822, it was
Resolved, That John Ramsay, John Farmer, B. F. H. Witherell and Israel Noble be appointed to supply the vacancy occasioned by the removal of Timothy Murphy, Joseph Donald, Seth L. Papineau, and Edwin W. Goodwin.
In September, 1822, Alfred Brunson and Samuel Baker were appointed to Detroit Circuit. Concern- ing his stay in Detroit, Dr. Brunson gives this account :
The house I rented had been occupied by the Indian black- smith, his shop answering for a stable. My wife had feared that
she would be afraid of the Indians, especially when I should not be at home. But she soon got bravely over it. The Indians, not knowing of the death of their blacksmith, came to the shop to get work done, but finding no smith, they came to the house or to the door to inquire for him, when my wife, by the best signs she could make, informed them of his death. Upon this they would step back in apparent deep distress, and sit on the wood- pile before the door, at a loss to know what to do. She, seeing their distress, and that they showed no disposition to molest her or the children, soon felt her sympathies for them roused up, and gave them food. This they received with so much apparent grati- tude, that she soon became attached to them, and they recipro- cated her feelings and made presents of brooms, baskets, and bowls wrought out of ash knots.
While here in Detroit I saw, what I have since seen more clearly exhibited, that the missionary spirit is the millennial spirit.
There was but one Protestant minister in the Territory besides myself and colleague ; he was a Presbyterian licentiate, and not being in orders himself, he requested me to give his little flock
564
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.
the Sacraments of the Lord's Supper and Baptism. To accom- modate him and them, as well as my own charge, I administered the Eucharist once a quarter, inviting them to attend, and bap- tized them and their children, when requested to do so.
In the missionary field we met as brethren, laborers with God in one common cause. No controversy between ourselves, on non-essential doctrines, and no seeking of the supremacy one over the other was apparently thought of ; but Christian cour- tesies, as of brethren in one common harvest-field, seemed to prevail. In this is plainly seen the spirit that will prevail in the millennium, when the watchmen of Zion will see eye to eye.
For the first three months that Mr. Brunson was here, he and Mr. Baker preached on alternate Sun- days at the Council House, and then the service was left entirely in charge of Mr. Brunson.
The next year the following notice appeared in the Gazette:
Ordered by the Trustees of the First M. E. Society of the city of Detroit, that the Secretary give notice, in the Detroit Gazette, that the trustees will receive proposals till the 25th of February for the furnishing to said society 80,000 good merchantable brick, to be delivered on the banks of some navigable water within a few miles of the city of Detroit, on or before the Ist of July next. And also proposals for the mason and carpenter work, to erect a brick church, of the dimensions of fifty feet in length by thirty- six in breadth, and twenty in height ; the proposals for the brick and stone work to be made separately.
All proposals to be delivered sealed to the Secretary.
JAMES L. REED, Secretary.
N. B .- The plan of the building may be seen at my store.
J. L. REED.
DETROIT, Feb. 6th, 1823.
Soon after, this notice appeared :
M. E. MEETING HOUSE .- The Trustees of the First M. E. Church of this city contemplate building a meeting house during the present season, of the dimensions of 50 by 36 feet, two stories high, with a suitable cupola. The funds necessary are to be raised by subscription, and we trust that the usual liberality of the citizens of Detroit will display itself on this occasion.
March 7th, 1823.
The next publication was as follows :
NOTICE is hereby given to those who have subscribed moneys, etc., for the erection of the Church of the First M. E. Society, of the city of Detroit, that the society are about to commence the erection of their church, and that the subscribers will shortly be called on to comply with the terms of their subscription.
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