Encyclopedia of the history of Missouri, a compendium of history and biography for ready reference, Vol. II, Part 18

Author: Conard, Howard Louis, ed. 1n
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: New York, Louisville [etc.] The Southern history company, Haldeman, Conard & co., proprietors
Number of Pages: 800

USA > Missouri > Encyclopedia of the history of Missouri, a compendium of history and biography for ready reference, Vol. II > Part 18

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The American Home Missionary Society. too, was originally formed by union of the denominations with a view to prevent rival- ries in forming churches in newly settled

places ; but in 1837-8 the division in the Pres- byterian Church occurred, and the old school repudiated the plan of union and formed its own boards of mission, leaving the new school to appeal to the Congregationalists to continue to support them and their churches as they were most in accord with the preva- lent New England theology. Some trials, as of Lyman Beecher and Albert Barnes, inten- sified this appeal for co-operation, and Lane Theological Seminary and several colleges became new-school Presbyterian, yet were largely supported by Congregationalists on this ground, while they ought to have been or distinctly to have remained Congrega- tional. Union Seminary, New York, later was supposed to be formed on that kind of union and drew its professors from New Eng- land, but required them to pledge themselves to support the Presbyterian Church, and stu- dents followed them without noticing or knowing that pledge.

In St. Louis, Congregationalists com- ing from New England were thus drawn into the new-school churches, as agreeing with the doctrines they had heard preached in New England, and the conservative High-Calvin- ists were induced to attend and support the old-school church for its orthodoxy, and thus both classes found homes in the Presby- terian Church instead of earlier forming Con- gregational. It was much easier, also, and more attractive in coming to a city as stran- gers to go into a church well organized and ministered to, with fine building and all con- veniences, than to organize a new church even of their own choice. Business alliances and dependencies also added to these induce- ments. Then, too. the first church in St. Louis claiming the Congregational name and Congregational polity was Unitarian in doc- trine. It was formed in 1835, built a fine edi- fice, had an attractive and highly educated pastor, drew to itself Eastern people who de- sired intellectual and refining attractions such as they had been accustomed to, though the doctrines were not quite what they had heard in the true Congregational Churches of New England ; and this produced popular prejudice against the name Congregational- ists on the part of those who did not know the distinction between the evangelical Con- gregationalists and the Unitarians. This prejudice was fostered by some even who ought to have known better, and yet who

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN ST. LOUIS.

charged in public that the Congregationalists were not only not evangelical, but were even erratic and fanatical, when as a matter of fact the Congregational preachers and church members from the Congregational Church East were forming the bone and sinew of the earliest Protestant Christian life of St. Louis. This also pertained quite extensively to the whole West.

But for the reasons assigned, and perhaps others not spoken of, it came to be a fact that Congregationalism was slow in forming churches in the West generally; especially was this true in Missouri and the Southwest ; for, let us note, there were in Illinois nearly 100 churches, in Iowa over fifty, in Wisconsin fifty, in Minnesota five ministering mission- aries with a few churches, in Oregon two missionaries and a few churches, in newly ad- mitted California five, before any were started in St. Louis. No doubt also the institution of slavery and the popular sentiments con- nected with it held the State and the city against any church distinctively anti-slavery, especially against a denomination largely Northern and "Yankee." The murder of Lovejoy, son of a Congregational minister, in Alton, after he and his printing press and paper had been suppressed in St. Louis; the driving out of Missouri of Rev. David Nelson, who wrote "The Shining Shore," suggested in the hour of danger by the lights across the Mississippi River; the driving away at night of the first pastor at Kidder, and other his- torical incidents, are illustrations of this feel- ing, and were warnings against certain move- ments in favor of more freedom and a church that preached equal rights and privileges for all men before the law. This troubled the Home Missionary Society severely and made a divided sentiment among its supporters, and led eventually to its withdrawing aid from churches where members held slaves, and finally was the occasion of alienation of some from the society. Congregationalists had al- ways found difficulty in the South from this cause ever since its first ministers were driven out of Virginia, and its few churches in the other Southern States were isolated. It was for these reasons a matter of latitude and lon- gittde that our churches were late in starting in St. Louis.

But how came Congregationalism to start at all there? The reason was this: Under the providence of God the time came at last

for the assertion of religious freedom. Like many other steps of progress in the develop- ment of the history of the world, or "in the evolution of society," this was part of a great movement, and God had His agents for the work. The plan of union between Congre- gationalists and Presbyterians had become irksome to many Presbyterians, for it infused into their churches more ideas of religious freedom and popular choice than their system was fitted for. Moreover, the Presbyterian Church had become divided, not only on the plan of union, but also on some doctrinal points ; and so the Congregationalists, who had yielded up in the union some two thou- sand churches in various parts of our country, began to awaken anew to the scriptural and historical strength of their position. Their growing power in New England encouraged them to trust elsewhere the solid, simple, sta- ble scriptural polity of their church, both as an evangelizing and organizing agency, and the renaissance of Congregationalism had begun. A new era had begun for the denomi- nation in New York, in New Jersey, in Penn- sylvania, and under pioneers like Rev. Mr. Pierce in Michigan and in Ohio, where espe- cially the introduction of the "State Confer- ence" introduced an era of unity and progress. The Presbyterian Church itself, by its with- drawal from Congregationalism, sometimes on theological and sometimes on political grounds, also tended to promote Congrega- tional independency. For example, "the ex- cision of forty-two members of the First Presbyterian Church of Chicago in 1851 be- cause of their attitude toward a pro-slavery General Assembly led to the formation of the First Congregational Church of that city and to the recreation of the denomination throughout the State." In Wisconsin, also, the Presbyterian and Congregational Con- vention organized in 1840 a "plan of union with modern improvements." This was operated in good faith for a while and with harmony; but the Presbyterian Church with- drew and left the convention to the Congre- gationalists, who, with their 200 churches and their Beloit College, "one of the best col- legiate institutions in the West," founded in 1847, and Ripon College, founded in 1863, to- gether with other institutions and organiza- tions, are now making good proof of the power of their polity.

We note, too, this fact: In 1846 a con-

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN ST. LOUIS.

vention met in Michigan City, Indiana, and called upon the Congregationalists of the whole land to declare their rights, stand by the principles and adhere to the doctrines and polity of the New England fathers. This gave confidence to churches in the West and in the East and brought Congregationalists to see the value of their system and the im- portance of sustaining it. This new move- ment in Congregationalism removed local prejudices, promoted enlargement, prepared the way for the convention in Albany in 1852, for the Congregational Union, which became the Church Building Society, and finally for the National Councils at Boston in 1865, Oberlin 1871, and which now meet trien- nially.

Congregational history west of the Missis- sippi belongs chiefly to what has been called "the period of renaissance." Home mission- ary labor began in Iowa in 1835; the Ameri- can Board entered Minnesota in 1835 as a missionary field, but the American Home Missionary Society began work there in 1834. When the great struggle was impending between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery par- ties, in 1854, Kansas was entered by Congre- gationalism; but, strange to say, it had pushed its way through to the Pacific Coast as early as 1849. Oregon for men like Mar- cus Whitman was a foreign missionary field. before it was a home missionary field. The heroic achievements and massacre of Dr. Whitman are known everywhere. The great West beyond the Mississippi Valley and be- yond the Rocky Mountains-the great new West-felt the power of the Congregational Church in this new majesty of movement. The State of Missouri, and especially St. Louis, could not entirely shut out this for- ward movement for greater religious freedom any more than it could bar out immigration from the Northeast. A church had been formed at Arcadia, but had ceased to exist by removal of its members. Into St. Louis the movement came thus: The Third Presby- terian Church had Rev. Henry M. Field as pastor, and had received from him ideas of freedom and the free air which he and many of them had breathed in the East, at the home of his father, as minister at Stockbridge, Mas- sachusetts; at Williams College and Yale Seminary. When he returned to New York and to a Congregational pastorate in Mas- sachusetts they called Professor T. M. Post

from Jacksonville, Illinois, as pastor. He declined at first, but finally yielded to the solicitations of Dr. Reuben Knox, who went to Jacksonville to induce him to come. Others joined their requests with Dr. Knox, and Professor Post con- sented to come for four years if he could be assured of the privilege of free expression of his opinion on slavery and other subjects. It was represented to him that he would soften sectarian animosities. Dr. Post came to St. Louis ; he was wise and judicious and his people loved him ; but when his four years expired he returned to his loved Jacksonville. It is evident that Dr. Post's ministry changed the sentiment of that Third Presbyterian Church, and the greater portion of that church were not satisfied to remain longer under the bond in which they had been held. More than two-thirds majority voted to form a Congregational Church, bought out the other pew-holders and called Professor Post to their pastorate. Their church building was on Sixth Street, near Franklin, then a desirable location for families. They com- pleted arrangements in 1851. Several gentle- men of public spirit invited Dr. Post to explain to them the system of Congregation- alism, which he did in a lecture, January II, 1852, defending it from Scripture, reason and history, and raising the question, "Do not her character and history and the number of her sons here demand that she should have at least one church here in the heart of this great American domain, of which she has been so primordial and mighty an architect?" As a result of all these influences the First Congregational Church of St. Louis was or- ganized March 14, 1852, with twenty-five members. Here, then, the root, long and deeply First Church. growing, reached the sur- face as a visible shoot to grow into a wide- spreading tree, and henceforth we have definite data to guide us. At its origin this church had a Sunday school of twenty-four teachers, 130 pupils. It first appeared in the Year Book of 1856 with the Illinois Associa- tion as having 132 members. Prominent and powerful men in larger proportion than usual were early connected with the church and society, yet they had a hard struggle for years. Their location was rendered unfavor- able by growth of business and other causes. With view to new location, $20,000 had been

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN ST. LOUIS.

subscribed at starting, and in a compara- tively few years they had purchased land on Locust and Tenth Streets for $13,000, built a chapel, and afterward a church costing $55,000, which was dedicated March 4, 1860. To see how these men struggled, note the fact that they had on their house of worship a heavy debt, on which they made at different times payments of greater or less sums, and finally in 1863 they discharged the whole debt by the payment of $40,000, $10,000 of which had been raised at one meeting.

During these years of the life of the First Church, the State and city were overshadowed by slavery. The excitement on the subject was intense ; political animosities were fierce, ending in the great war which involved the whole country from 1861 to 1865; but the struggle was early concentrated in St. Louis, and these men of. the First Church were in the midst of it. The name they chose, to pre- vent any confusion with the First Unitarian, was "The First Trinitarian Congregational Church." Its affinities were with the evan- gelical churches of all names, and its pastor ever maintained friendly relations with all churches and people, but for over fourteen years it stood ecclesiastically alone in the city, and most of that time alone in the State. For associational connection it belonged to the Southern Illinois Association, which met four times with it, till in 1865 eighteen churches had been gathered in Missouri, sufficient to form an association of their own. These or- ganizations were chiefly in the northern por- tion of Missouri ; nevertheless, in April, 1866, the pastor joined this association of Congre- gational Churches in his own State and severed his connection with the Southern Illi- nois Association, to their mutual regret. The pastor and church were interested in the progress of the denomination. In its first year of existence they sent $100 to the Al- bany Convention fund for aiding feeble churches in building houses of worship. That convention voted $3,000 to Missouri, but there were then no churches to require it. Dr. Post was the vice president of the Con- gregational Union from its origin in 1853, attended and addressed its meeting in New York in 1854, wrote an account of the begin- ning of Congregationalism in Missouri for the first Year Book in 1854, and continued to be active in all the movements of the denomi- nation through all the thirty years of his pas-

torate. The church was always liberal in giving to the various causes of benevolence, education and general good. They aided the college started in Kidder, which was sup- planted by Drury, to which also they have given largely. They have also given to the Chicago Theological Seminary, to which Dr. Post lectured, and to many other causes. The time came for a new location. A chapel, originally for a Sunday school, had been built on Delmar Boulevard, near Grand Avenue. It had been first occupied in February, 1879. The growth of business, however, having driven those families that had worshiped in the first house from the locality, the church was eventually forced to sell that building downtown and make a church home in the new location, two miles west. But Dr. Post had grown in years, and, feeling unable to perform the extra duties involved in the charge, he resigned, but by his people, who loved him, was chosen pastor emeritus. This relation continued till his death, the last day of 1886. Rev. James E. Merrill came as pas- tor in 1882, had part in the building and dedi- cation, in 1885, of the stately stone building in which they now worship, costing $103,000. Called to Portland, Maine, Mr. Merrill was dismissed November 18, 1889. Rev. J. H. George, D. D., was pastor from 1891 until a council released him, July 26, 1897, to the regret of all, to accept an invitation to the Congregational College in Montreal, Canada. In forty-five years the church had had but three pastors, and all of them able men.

Thus far we have followed the single trunk, the only church for fourteen years of our faith and polity in St. Louis ; but in 1866 two vigorous branches grew out of that trunk. It was necessary that the parent trunk attain considerable strength, else the branches would have been too slender, or would have enfeebled the parent. We now come to those flourishing branches. In following the first enterprise in church extension we find that a thriving community had sprung up at Webster Groves desiring a church convenient and congenial in their own place. A sister denomination was asked to start a church, but declined lest it should weaken another of their order some distance away. Then the Congregationalists met the need, organized a church January 31, 1866, consisting of ten from the First Church, some of their best, and afterward others from other denomina-

Vol. II-7

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN ST. LOUIS.

tions. This little band erected a substantial building of stone in 1870, since enlarged with more rooms. This has been a noble, active, generous body of Christian workers. Its pul- pit has been filled by Revs. H. M. Grant, 1866; J. Cruikshank, 1871; R. M. Sargent, 1875, some months; R. Kerr, L. S. Hand, 1881; E. B. Burrows, 1883; J. W. Sutherland, D. D., 1889; C. L. Kloss, 1898.

The second epoch in church extension came on this wise: The First Church had maintained a Sunday school since 1853, the year after its own formation, in what was then the western portion of the city. The school was started by Rev. F. A. Armstrong in a house on Garrison Avenue and Morgan Street. It was supported about fourteen years by Mr. S. M. Edgell, who had erected a building for its use on Morgan Street, near Garrison Avenue. In the summer of 1866 its was proposed to organize a church as the natural development of the Sunday school. . This part of the city had become the central residence part, and was fast filling with fam- ilies most congenial to Congregationalism. They were largely from the Eastern States, most wealthy and cultured, many of them re- ligious, and ready to take up the responsi- bilities and duties and privileges of church life. Land was presented by Messrs. S. M. Edgell and James E. Kaime, on the corner of Washington and Ewing Avenues, a chapel was erected, and the church was organized at the house of Mr. Wm. Colcord, December 5, 1866, recognized by council December 22d and 23d, and the building dedicated to the worship of God. The church took its name, Pilgrim, from the Sunday school and in memory of the Pilgrim Fathers, on the anni- versary of whose landing Pilgrim Church. at Plymouth the church was recognized by coun- cil and the house of worship dedicated. For- ty-five members organized, thirty-six of whom came by letter from the First. Others were rapidly added till Pilgrim became the largest Congregational Church in this part of our country. It had a most favorable location in a rapidly growing community, easily accessible from all directions ; its mem- bers were able in every department, liberal and consecrated workers. The organization, especially when established under the minis- try of Dr. Goodell, was full of enthusiasm and hope ; the kings of business brought their

gold and silver into it, and it concentrated in itself a great power for benevolence in the city and State and whole Southwest. Pil- grim's days were also marked by the laying of the corner stone for the main edifice, December 21, 1867, and the building was ded- icated December 22, 1872; the brick chapel was rebuilt with a stone front and an added story in 1873; the spire was finished in 1876, and the chime of bells, the gift of Dr. R. W. Oliphant, of the First Church, were put in the belfry in December, and the clock in the tower was the gift of Mrs. E. F. Goodell in honor of her father, Governor E. Fairbanks, of Vermont. Other improvements were added and debts were paid up at various dates, making the cost of the building $156,- 973. The pastors have been, Rev. John Monteith, Jr., November 1, 1866, to March 15, 1869; Rev. W. Carlos Martin, June 24, 1869, to September 1, 1871; Rev. H. C. Hay- den, for some months; Rev. C. L. Goodell, D. D., November 27, 1872, installed June 5, 1873, died February 1, 1886; Rev. H. A. Stimson, D. D., September 23, 1886, installed October 28, 1886, dismissed March 20, 1893; Rev. M. Burnham, D. D., June 4, 1894. The grand work of this great church goes on. Since its organization in 1866, to the annual report at the beginning of 1898, it has re- ceived into its membership by letter 1,132, and on profession of faith 1,134; it has raised for church building and its own current ex- penses nearly a half million dollars, and for benevolences a half million or more. It included at its last annual report nearly one- fourth of the entire Congregational mem- bership in the city-850 out of some 3,600- and it continues in its work; and, though a change in the center of the residence district has occurred, and other churches have grown up, the population within its reach, in the lo- cality and by the increasing electric car lines, is greater than ever before.

But Pilgrim Church remained not long alone, for in 1869 two branches grew out to the northwest.

December 22, 1867, the young people of Pilgrim Church started a mission Sabbath school on Third Church. Grand Avenue and Lucky Street. The next year a chapel was built on Boston Street, near Grand, dedicated June 13, 1869. March 15, 1869, the Mayflower Church, of eighty-one members, was organ-

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN ST. LOUIS.

ized, with Rev. John Monteith, Jr., as pastor, followed by Revs. E. P. Powell, 1871 ; W. S. Peterson, 1874, under whom the church re- ported itself "independent," i. e., not belong- ing to the association. Rev. Wm. Twining, a member of the church, supplied for some months. Rev. Theodore Clifton came in 1875 ; Wm. C. Stiles, 1884; George H. Grannis, 1886, and W. W. Willard, 1893. Having moved their building for better location to Francis Street, in 1877, December 19th they rededicated it and adopted the Fair Ground mission. Finding their location not attrac- tive, in 1882 they purchased for $12,000 a very fine corner at Grand and Page Avenues, with a house for a parsonage on one side ; they moved again, and afterward erected a brick chapel on Grand Avenue, and for a time increased and prospered greatly. Their membership reached 242, and Sunday school 578, families 165, benevolences $479. But the population of the vicinity changed, many of their own families removed to a distance, a debt encumbered their fine property, and in the summer of 1895 they sold their property to a German Church from downtown for $35,000, which enabled them to pay their in- debtedness and carry about $22,000 to a union enterprise with Aubert Place Church. They reported a membership then of 185; families, 125; Sunday school, 220; benev- olences, $456. They had maintained through varied changes a church life for over twenty- six years ; had received many members, and seen numerous conversions and confessions of faith in Christ. Rev. Harry C. Vrooman is the present pastor of the new union organiza- tion, which has adopted the name of "The Fountain Park Church."

Again a mission Sunday school was started in what was called Elle- Plymouth Church. ardville, then an outlying northwestern suburb of St. Louis, and Rev. W. Porteus, city mission- ary, sought help for it. Mr. Wm. Colcord, of Pilgrim, took hold of the enterprise in 1868, devoting to it about six years in time and $3,000, it was estimated, in money. Land was given and a building erected on Belle Glade Avenue, many contributing for this, Pilgrim Church giving $950; the Congregational Un- ion, $1,770, at two different times; and a church of eleven members, with seventy-five in the Sunday school, was organized July 31,

1869, over which Rev. W. H. Warren was pastor. He was followed by Revs. W. Per- kins, 1873; W. B. Millard, 1874; John E. Wheeler, 1875; James H. Harwood, 1877; James A. Adams, 1880; Charles R. Hyde, 1886; Allen Hastings, 1891, and J. Scott Carr, 1895. The church has kept on, having its varied struggles and victories, sometimes sus- taining Sunday schools in its vicinity and mis- sion services at other points besides its reg- ular work in its own home. The population around it grew rapidly for some time, a popu- lation chiefly of Americans; then other nationalities came into the locality. The membership of the church rose to 205; the Sunday school nominally to 540, which prob- ably included mission work ; the benevolences to $256. Several other churches of different denominations have been formed near it, yet the church maintains its position. In 1889 it had paid back to the Church Building So- ciety $56 of the $1,770 it had received from them. This church has a field of some prom- ise immediately about it and increasing op- portunities to the north.

After these two churches were started, in 1869, there was a delay before beginning any more, and during that delay the churches al- ready planted were growing in their own lines of work and membership. Not until 1875 have we record of a new work. What was called The Southern Mission Church was reported that year in the Year Book (Congre- gational), with eighty-five members and a very large Sunday school; but no pastor's name was given; no further account of the church is found. Whether the enterprise was merged in some other enterprise is not re- corded.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Encyclopedia of the history of Missouri, a compendium of history and biography for ready reference, Vol. II, Part 18

Author: Conard, Howard Louis, ed. 1n Publication date: 1901 Publisher: New York, Louisville [etc.] The Southern history company, Haldeman, Conard & co., proprietors Number of Pages: 800

Author: Conard, Howard Louis, ed. 1n
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: New York, Louisville [etc.] The Southern history company, Haldeman, Conard & co., proprietors
Number of Pages: 800