USA > New York > Columbia County > Hudson > Centennial celebration of the First Baptist Church, Hudson, N.Y., November 15th, 16th, and 17th, 1910 > Part 2
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).
Mr. Loomis resigned late in 1830, "to leave before the river closes," as, after that, New York was con- sidered almost inaccessible, a winter stage ride through the highlands not being accounted a pleasure trip. After the resignation of Mr. Loomis, the church was without a pastor for nearly a year ; but when they had no pulpit supply, they held a service on Sunday mornings, at which one of the brethern read a sermon.
The two succeeding years, under the pastoral care of the Rev. William Richards, who came to this Church directly from England, were a season of great rejoic- ing. There was constant and earnest prayer and ef-
-22-
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
fort for the salvation of souls. At one time there were prayer meetings at five in the morning. Several "four days" meetings were held, with the assistance of neigh- boring pastors. More than one hundred were baptized many of whom remained earnest and faithful witnesses for Christ in this and other churches.
The youths' meetings were well attended and mani- fested a spirit of earnest devotion. Four of the young men, who were active leaders in these meetings after- ward became faithful preachers of the gospel.
The Maternal Society, a band of mothers, who met regularly to pray for and with their children and to instruct them in the Scriptures, rejoiced in the addition to the Church of twenty-eight of their children.
A Sunday School was started by two of our mem- bers, which afterward grew into the North Bay Mission, which, under the fostering care of several of the churches of our city, was for many years a bless- ing to the community.
In 1832, our Athens members, thirty in number, withdrew, and, with four others, formed a Church in that village, which, however, continued to share the labors of our pastor.
In 1834, Rev. Israel Robords came, but remained little over a year. A four weeks' meeting was held in the fall and in the following spring one of three weeks in Claverack, each resulting in large ingatherings, there being ninety-three baptisms. $100 was given the next year to Domestic Missions, Father Peck's ap- peals in behalf of the Indians at Tonawanda arousing great interest in the Church and Sunday School.
The Articles of Faith and the Church Covenant were now revised and a copy given to each member.
Church discipline was strict in those early days. The members were furnished with tokens, to be put
-23-
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
on every collection plate after the communion, and every absence of three months was made a subject of inquiry. The sad recurrence of cases of discipline for intoxication and profanity reminds us that abstinence was not then looked for, but only a self-control, which, to the majority of men, is unattainable. Temperance societies were yet very few and some of those sus- pended for a season from Church privileges, for too frequent use of the cup, were among the most loved and most useful of the brethern, while the sisters were sometimes overtaken in the same fault. It was not until 1835, that the Church "resolved, henceforth to receive no person who drinks or vends ardent spirits."
The Church had for some time raised the salary of its pastor by assessing its members, but this having, as might be anticipated, caused much dissatisfaction, and given rise to many troubles, it was now voted that "the assessment roll be discontinued, and the sum be raised by voluntary contributions."
Another interregnum of over a year was followed by the two years pastorate of Rev. Moses Field, in which there is not much to record, except the found- ing of the American and Foreign Bible Society and the decision of our Church to make its Bible work auxiliary to that body. Mr. Field was a quiet, un- assuming, earnest Christian, whose labors were blessed to the peace and upbuilding of the Church, which received, with regret, his decision to leave them.
Rev. Mr. Gibbs immediately followed him. His salary was $600, $200 being pledged by the Athens Church. That year the church mourned the loss of Deacon Whiting, who had joined them by letter in 18II; and on the death of Deacon Brown in 1817, had been appointed to his place, which he had worthily filled for twenty-one years.
-24-
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
Charles Brown and his wife, whose names stood third and fourth on the Church roll, were called away in June, 1817, leaving five orphan children. Two daughters were baptized the preceding spring, and the oldest brother, a lad of thirteen, in October of that year. The sisters were useful members of the church, as long as they lived.
In 1838, the young brother, Edwin C. Brown, hav- ing been licensed by our Church, and having pursued a course of study at Hamilton, was ordained and went to Illinois, as a Home Missionary, our Juvenile Mis- sionary Society pledging his salary of $100. His brother, J. Newton Brown, now thirty-four years old, had already been eleven years in the ministry, and was now a Theological Professor at the Seminary in New Hampton, N. H. He came to the Council, and was appointed to give his brother the right hand of fellowship. Horace Spencer, pastor of the Church in Canaan, who had also been licensed by our Church, and whose wife was a sister of the Browns, was made Clerk of the Council.
The two vexed questions, of music and of women voting, were brought up at not infrequent intervals. In 1814, "dissatisfaction was expressed at the practice of singing without parcelling the lines," and at the same meeting "some of the sisters questioned the right of the male members being the only persons proper to decide." In 1822, it was voted that "a bass viol be permitted to be played in the meeting house, for the assistance of the singing in public worship," thereby giving great offence to a good sister, who thought it wrong to desecrate the sanctuary, by bring into it such an ungodly instrument. One pastor displaced Watts' Psalms and Hymns and introduced Rippon's selections. The next restored Watts. A third used
-25-
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
both, so that two different books were often required at one service. A fourth used Winchell's and Watts'. At a later period Watts' and Rippon's were bound to- gether, and were used until "The Psalmist" took the place.
At one time a singing master was "employed to lead in worship, and to teach the members the practice and principles of psalmody." Oftener the leader of the choir was simply thanked for his services, and was expected to use only such tunes as were approved by the Church. In 1825, fifteen new tunes were added to the list already in use.
The question of the women voting was several times considered and it was resolved that they have a right to vote, in receiving and excluding members, but the consideration of their right to vote, in calling a pastor was, as late as 1838, indefinitely postponed.
At this time the use of the meeting house was granted to an anti-slavery convention ; and the colored people, of whom there had been from time to time over forty on our Church roll, had the use of the con- ference room to hold meetings in, paying fifty cents each time. This privilege was afterward recalled, as their speakers taught them "doctrines contrary to our views of gospel truth."
The Rev. E. D. Towner became pastor in 1839, and early in the next year meetings were held every even- ing and many afternoons, for three weeks, the pastor being assisted by other ministers, of whom Rev. Isaac Wescott specially won the affection of the Church. That year there were seventy-six baptisms, over fifty being received the first Sunday in May, a day long re- membered by those who were present.
In 1840, Simeon S. Hatheway, a beloved deacon and clerk of the Church, having been called to his reward,
--- 26-
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
H. P. Skinner, who had already for a score of years been the glad servant of the Church, in its varied ac- tivities, was chosen to fill his place, and for another quarter of the century continued his labors of love among them.
The call to the pastorate had been renewed yearly, but the church, having learned from some sad ex- periences that this furnished an opportunity for the expression of differences, which might far better have remained unspoken, they now gave to Rev. T. G. Free- man, a call for an unlimited time. His period of ser- vice was also marked by a large ingathering. Rev. Lewis Raymond, well known for years, as an evange- list, whose field of labor extended as far west as Iowa, worked with the pastor. In 1843 the Church reported to the Association 275 members, the largest number it has ever claimed.
The meeting house needing repairs, the Female In- dustrial Society, led by Mrs. Freeman, the pastor's wife, "proposed to raise the funds necessary to alter and improve it." The trustees gladly accepted the offer and quite re-arranged the room. The places of the pulpit and the singers' seats (both much modern- ized) were exchanged, so that any one entering the room faced the minister instead of the congregation ; and the occupants of the pews could look off to the river and the mountains, and enjoy the beauties of the sunsets. The little shelves at the top of the pews, that had held the books were replacd by book-racks.
One Lord's Day-so the records always designate it-while the work was going on, Rev. Dr. Gossmian of the Reformed Church invited us to worship with them, our pastor to preach to the united congregation.
At the re-opening of the house, Mr. Freeman preached from the text: "Save now I beseech Thee,
-27-
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
O Lord; O Lord I beseech Thee, send now pros- perity."
The Industrial Society met their obligations, but, as is almost invariably the case, the expense exceeded the original estimates, and the conference room was mortgaged for $200.
Mrs. Freeman was one of the founders of our Orphan Asylum. The first two matrons belonged to this Church, and one of our members, who had noth- ing else to give, spent, for years, one day each week in mending for the children.
The pastorate of Rev. Leroy Church, extending over more than seven years, was the longest, with which we had been favored. It was a time rather of steady growth than of any marked changes. There was no ingather- ing so large as in the two previous pastorates, but baptisms were not infrequent, and a number of valu- able additions to the membership were made by letter. Among these, we mark Robert Roberts, who was soon chosen deacon, and afterward licensed to preach ; Major M. Bullock, and Marshall Van Hoesen, who were also made deacons; and William Apsey, all names long well known in our annals.
But the dismissals outnumbered those received and seem to indicate a changing population. Deacon Van, for twenty-three years the faithful and beloved super- intendent of the Sunday School, now removed to New Haven; and Horace G. Day, who, while pursuing his studies for the ministry, had given much time to the Church, superintending the Sunday School, conducting a teacher's Bible Class, leading the youth's prayer meeting, etc., was now called to his life-work, as pas- tor for fifty years, of the First Baptist church of Schenectady.
The Baptist church of Columbia County now sup-
-28-
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
ported Rev. Lyman Palmer, as a missionary in destitute parts of the country, our pastor and the church taking a hearty and helpful interest in his work. Mr. Palmer was afterwards sent by the Home Mission Society to Minneapolis and St. Paul, where he laid a good foundation for gospel work. The Sunday School still flourished, reporting in 1847, one hundred and eighty- seven scholars and twenty-nine teachers.
In 1857 a melodeon was procured to aid the choir. S. L. Magoun, then the chorister, though receiving no reward for his services but his own interest in the work, met its demands upon him for forty years, in the spirit of his reply to the remark made one stormy Sunday evening: "There will be no one out tonight," "There will be three, Mr. Church, Deacon Skinner and Mr. Magoun." In 1883, having sung one winter's night in his accustomed place, when morning dawned he had joined the Heavenly Choir. It may be mentioned that our thanks have been far too seldom spoken to his successors in leading our praises. Milo P. Moore and Joseph K. Casey.
With the growth of the town and of the Church, the conference room had fallen into disuse, the meet- ing house was far from convenient for the Sunday School; and the Hudson River Railroad now taking possession of the place, to which we had resorted for baptisms, a baptistry was greatly needed, All felt that to meet these varied needs, a new building was demanded.
The ladies, led by Mrs. Church, rose to the oc- casion and formed a society to start a building fund. They took orders for sewing or knitting, plain or fancy, each member doing the work which she could do best, and giving all receipts to the treasury. The money accumulated slowly but steadily. The Church
-29-
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
was soon spurred on by the decision of the city fathers to buy out our rights in the school house, ac- cording to the original contract. Ten years or more elapsed before the new house was dedicated. The only record we find of what the ladies accomplished is an extract from a letter of Miss Mary Gifford, in the early sixties.
"We had the annual meeting of the society yester- day. After paying $1,300 on the lot, and $127 for the covers to the cushions, we had on hand $758. Now, I am proud of our society. Don't you think it is real- ly marvelous-considering our means, or rather our want of means?" They might well be gratified, that they had contributed nearly $2,200 to the house, which was so much needed.
In 1851, chiefly through the efforts of Mr. Church, the Hudson Female Academy was established, and for nearly twenty years filled a large place in the Church and the community. The principal, Rev. J. B. Hague, played the Reed organ for our choir for years, and often supplied the pulpit in the absence of a pastor giving us sermons, which made the text more full of meaning ever after, to those who listened.
In the eight years following Mr. Church's leaving, there were three pastors.
A revival during the next pastorate, that of the Rev. G. W. Hervey, is memorable as a direct answer to prayer. Elizabeth Nash, a young Sunday School teacher (better known to us later, as Mrs. Marshall), with a heart stirred by the thought of the number in the school, who were regardless of the claims of Christ, called together a few of the teachers and of the older scholars, to pray for a spiritual awakening. At the first meeting of ten or twelve, one scholar called for a hymn, which expressed trust in Christ,
-30-
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
and, after the second meeting, another came to ask how she might find Him. One of the young men asked: "Why may not we join you?" Notice was given from the pulpit of a Sunday School prayer meet- ing. Forty young people filled Mrs. Van Buren's parlors, which had been cordially thrown open to them ; and three that night confessed, in simple words, their need of a Saviour and their resolve to follow Christ.
In the ensuing month a number were added to the Church, who, we had reason to trust, were saved. Among them was William S. Apsey, who early en- tered the ministry, and was for twenty-six years a loved and honored pastor in North Cambridge, Massa- chusetts, and nine years a member of the Executive Committee of the Missionary Union, and a Trustee of Newton Theological Seminary.
In 1856, John Stanton Gould, a member of the So- ciety of Friends and a great lover of the word of God, gave to our Sunday School a course of lectures, upon the Evidences of Christianity, by which (the letter to the Association record) "our school has been material- ly benefited." For the next five years Mr. Gould taught, in connection with our school, a Bible class, numbering from twenty to thirty, which enjoyed and profited by his clear and practical expositions of Scripture.
William B. Smith, our next pastor, was ordained here. Dr. Demarest of the Reformed Church, was in- vited to sit with the Council, and to give the charge to the candidate. Mr. Smith's labors were very ac- ceptable to the church, but his health soon failed, and Rev. William C. Ulyat took his place.
The need of a new house of worship had become constantly more pressing and Mr. Ulyat pushed to
-31-
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
completion the work of building and then left the new pulpit to be filled by Rev. G. W. Folwell.
The new building was dedicated in October, 1861, and in November, three were baptized in the new baptistry. One of the three, Mrs. Maria Miller, is still with us in heart, though long prevented by ill- ness from joining our assemblies.
The Church greatly enjoyed the new home, for which they had so long labored. Others were led by interest or curiosity to attend the services. The Civil war made every one feel that :
"Life is real, life is earnest."
Some came to pray for the absent, and some to hear what might be said of the affairs of the nation, and, notwithstanding the many who had "gone to the front," congregations were large and attentive.
Beside the general prayer meeting, there was a youth's meeting, a female prayer meeting and a monthly concert of prayer for missions, and all were well attended. The Sunday School gave $60 annually for the support of Moung Shway Nee, a native preach- er in Burma. Life during the war took a serious as- pect, that can hardly be conceived by one, who has not passed through the struggle.
The Church at this time presented a petition to the mayor, for the strict enforcement of the liquor laws.
In 1863, Margaret Hathaway, the last of the con- stituent members of the Church, was called to rest, at the age of eighty-nine, after a Christian life of seventy-five years. Twenty-four of her descendants have been members of this Church and two of her grand children were missionaries in Burma.
Our present senior deacon, R. B. Benedict, was elected to that office in 1864. In that year it was "voted that every regular member of the Church
-32-
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
present at our meetings shall have the privilege of voting on any subject, coming up for action."
For the next three years the Church was served by Rev. N. K. Bennett.
For the nine years from 1866 to 1875, the Sunday School never reported less than two hundred scholars. In 1867, the debt, which had been incurred in build- ing, was reduced to $300 and the benevolent contri- butions that year were $491. The next year the Sun- day School was reported as "never in a more prosper- ous condition," with 236 scholars and 23 teachers and officers and contributing to Missions $159.
For the third time in its history, the Church next ordained a new pastor, Rev. G. W. Clowe; and, as on a former occasion, the pastors of the Presbyterian and Reformed churches took part in the services, showing the Christian unity of feeling, which has always ex- isted among the churches of this city.
Of the remaining eight pastors there is no need that I now speak, particularly, as their memories are still cherished by those who enjoyed their ministry. Of the five still living, the Rev. J. M. Bruce has charge of the work of our Home Mission Society among the foreign population, especially among the Italians ; the Rev. W. J. Quincy is pastor of a young and growing Church in Schenectady ; Rev. L. J. Dean, D. D., for the twelve years since he left us, has ministered to the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church in Troy ; and Rev. A. B. Potter is pastor in Ballston Spa ; each still laboring faithfully for the Master in their several spheres. A throat trouble has laid Rev. L. A. Palmer aside from the ministry.
Of our present pastor, Rev. L. F. Requa, Jr., I will only say that he has the love and respect of the en- tire church and community, and will leave the account
-33-
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
of his work to be given, when time shall have set its seal upon it.
The new Church building had created a demand for an organ, which was accordingly purchased in 1869, and a few years later talk of enlarging the Sunday School room led to the purchase of the lot east of the church. A mortgage of five hundred was left on it, but was later donated to the Church by Mrs. French, the widow of the one who held it. Still later, the baptistry, which had proved very inconvenient, was remodeled; and at another time the water motor for the organ was renewed. The lights were at various times added to or improved, and after forty years use of the house, extensive repairs proved necessary and were made at an expense of a thousand dollars; the sums spent in permanent improvements in the last half of the century aggregating over five thousand dollars.
In 1882, weekly envelopes were adopted to raise the current expenses. Three times in the last quarter of the century, the joint efforts of pastors and people have freed us from debt. Mr. Bruce, in resigning, urged upon us the duty of meeting all financial obli- gations, with such success, that he left us with a small but very welcome balance in the treasury. Mr. Potter, fourteen years later, helped a committee to raise the six hundred necessary to again meet all claims; and last year, after ten years' interval, we again made up a deficiency. In all these efforts for improving our temporalities, the Pastoral Aid and the Helping Band have been truly worthy auxiliaries.
I fear that it must be owned that the Church has never done its full duty in regard to the support of its pastors. When Mr. Church left, in 1852, recognizing that his salary of four hundred dollars was entirely
-34-
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
inadequate, they gave to the next three pastors six hundred annually, and then, inspired by the new house, they raised it to eight hundred. The war came on, with its depreciation of the value of the currency and the consequent increased cost of living (flour cost- ing at one time eighteen dollars a barrel). With each new pastor two or three hundred were added to the salary, until in 1876, they gave the Rev. Mr. Wines eighteen hundred ; but after three years, a debt of nine hundred having accumulated, there was for sometime a decrease, corresponding to the former increases.
Our Church early took a wide interest in the spread of the gospel, aiding by money and prayers the various societies that were instituted to proclaim it abroad and at home, and welcoming those who brought tid- ings of its triumph. In 1825, they formed a Domestic Missionary Society, in 1830 made a special contribu- tion to the Mission in Burma, and in 1835, gave a hundred dollars to Home Missions. In 1841, they re- port a Foreign Missionary Society, two Domestic Mis- sions, a Bible Society, a Temperance Society and Edu- cation Society, and three monthly Concerts of Prayer, for various objects. The largest contribution to these societies, of which I find any authentic record, is $420 in 1882, and the smallest, $90 in 1896.
This Church entertained the Hudson River Associa- tion three times before the division of that body, and has three times since welcomed the Association North to its hospitality. Ten of our pastors have delivered the annual sermon before the delegates ; four served as clerks, at five different sessions, from 1819 to 1902; and Rev. Leroy Church and Rev. Dr. Dean were honored with the office of Moderator.
There have been, in all, nearly sixteen hundred names on our Church roll, of whom five hundred have
-35-
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
been dismissed by letter, three hundred have been, at various times and for different reasons, dropped from the list; many of them for prolonged absence without communicating with the Church. The present number is two hundred and fourteen, leaving, perhaps two hun- dred, with whom we "have walked to the House of God in company," who we trust are, though widely scattered still serving our common Master, in the various places, where Providence has fixed their homes.
Can I better close this account of the many changes which have marked the varied years, than with the closing prayer of our Church Covenant?
"And may the great Head of the Church vouchsafe unto us the aid of His gracious Spirit, that we may believe and rejoice in the excellence and power of divine truth, that we may walk in all the laws and or- dinances of the gospel blameless, and not only enjoy a name and a place in His Church on earth, but final- ly unite with the glorious church of the First-born, whose names are written in Heaven, in ascribing bless- ing and honor, might, majesty and dominion, to Him who sitteth on the Throne, and to the Lamb, forever, Amen."
.
-36-
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
Hastors of the Church Since Jta Organization.
Rev. Harvey Jenks
-
-
1812
Rev. James G. Ogilvie
-
1815
Rev. Avery Briggs
1816
Rev. Howard Malcom -
1820
Rev. Ebenezer Loomis
1827
Rev. William Richards
1831
Rev. Israel Robords
1834
Rev. Moses Field
1836
Rev. John W. Gibbs
1838
Rev. Erastus D. Towner
1839
Rev. Timothy G. Freeman
1842
Rev. Leroy Church
1845
Rev. George W. Hervey -
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.