USA > New York > Onondaga County > History of Onondaga County, New York > Part 40
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A considerable number of the membership of this church have been dismissed from time to time to form other Methodist Episcopal Churches in the city-such as the Centenary, University Avenue, Furman Street and Rose Hill Churches. The present number of members is 455, with a large and flourishing Sunday School.
The church edifice was rebuilt in 1869-'70 at a cost of $25,000, by extending the front 20 feet and building two towers. Also an addition at the rear end of 15 feet for organ and class rooms. It is now one of the most pleasant and commodious churches in the city.
FIRST WARD METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHI. - Quite early in the nineteenth century Salina was visited by Rev. Charles Giles, of the Old Genesee Conference, who, it is believed, preached the first Methodist sermon at " Salt Point " Preaching was occasionally had by passing itinerants, and at length a class was formed and a small chapel erected about the year 1829; which appears not to have been finished for many years, the society being weak and making very little progress prior to 1840, at which date they had the services for a few months of Ezra C. Squires, a young man holding a local preacher's license.
During the year 1840, Mr. Squires, having awakened some interest, the society petitioned the Black River Conference to send them a minister who should organize a " Station," and devote him- self wholly to their village as a pastor. The Con- ference being held at Pulaski in the summer, Bishop R. R. Roberts ordained Rev. Ebenezer Arnold and sent him to Salina, with instructions to organize, if practicable, the two villages, Salina and Geddes, into a pastoral charge. Mr. Arnold, after looking over the field, concluded to devote his whole attention to Salina. The society prospered under his ministry, becoming financially self-supporting ; the chapel was finished and furnished ; a comfortable parsonage placed at his disposal free of rent ; class and prayer meetings earnest and well attended ; and a quarterly conference established. In the space of one year a great change had been effected, so that Rev. Mr. Arnold left the parish in a well- organized and prosperous condition, from which it maintained a steady and vigorous growth.
In 1864 the corner stone of the present church edifice was laid, and the building was completed and dedicated in 1865. It is of brick, cost about $13,000 and will seat 500 people. The Parsonage is also a brick building, of moderate dimensions and rather plain appearance. The Trustees are A. Mc- Chesney, B C. Ross, T. Redhead, Hiram More-
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house, W. G. Richards, John E. Gumaer, Henry J. Patten, Alexander Hubbs and David Powers.
The following is the list of Pastors furnished by Rev. T. F. Clark : Rev. Ebenezer Arnold, Rev. I. N. Murdock, Rev. C. L. Dunning, Rev. P. S. Bennet, Rev. C. Giles, Rev. A. Robbins, Rev. B. Phillips, Rev. I. Turney, Rev. M. M. Rice, Rev. B. I. Deefendorf, Rev. D. Simons, Rev. O. C. Cole, Rev. D. Chidester, Rev. H. M. Church, Rev. S. Ball, Rev. J. A. Graves, Rev. T. B. Shepherd, Rev. W. Mason, Rev. O. A. Houghton, Rev. M. Wheeler, Rev. J. B. Foote, Rev. T. F. Clark, present Pastor.
CENTENARY METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. - The Centenary of American Methodism, which was fruitful in the inauguration of many new church movements in the denomination at large, was the beginning of a new era in the history of the Methodist-Episcopal church in Syracuse. The policy of colonization and expansion, deemed nec- essary in view of the location of the Syracuse Uni- versity in this city, was, during that year, adopted and acted upon. It was clearly foreseen that, if the Methodist denomination of the State of New York should undertake to found and conduct a University in Syracuse, the local church policy of the denomination assuming its guardianship, must itself be greatly liberalized and enlarged. Hence the colonization and enlargement of Episcopal Methodism in Syracuse, and the establishment of the University, had their inception together in the centenary year, and were undertaken and prosecuted by the same parties. The movement originated outside of the local churches, and for a time was carried on in opposition to their wishes and advice. At the Black River Conference, held in April, 1866, the presiding Bishop appointed Rev. Ebenezer Ar- nold to the Fifth Ward of Syracuse, with the view of establishing in that locality a Centenary Monu- mental Church of the Methodist Episcopal faith. We shall let Rev. Mr. Arnold describe the situa- tion at the time of his entrance upon the duties of his new charge.
" It was as bald and barren a charge as was ever spread upon white paper or read off by a bishop. But the very next day the appointee was on the spot and looking for some place to begin work. To and fro, right and left, over his crude field he wan- dered, watched and listened. No familiar face or voice greeted him. No one watched or waited for his arrival, or cared to know his voice. The next week he came on again with family and goods. * * Utterly failing to find a place to live in, in the Fifth Ward, he furnished a lodging room and joined the
pastor in a studio in the First Ward parsonage and found most of his dinners in the Onondaga House."
The next difficulty was to find a place to preach in. "There was no hall within or near the Fifth Ward, and only two chapels-one owned and fully occupied by the Protestant Episcopal Church ; the other owned by the Baptists and occupied part of the Sabbaths by a Young Men's Christian Asso- ciation Sunday School. This 'pastor' without a flock, wanted to occupy a hall in the center of the city, but the fear of awakening opposition among his own people decided against it, and the Baptist ' Hope Chapel' was hired for a part of each Sab- bath." The first funds contributed towards this church were three cents by a little boy and girl. As the preacher and some others were discuss- ing the question of finance at an evening meet- ing, " the excited audience was astonished to see a little boy (sitting alone) rise up and march resolutely to the speakers table and lay down two cents. 'What is that for, bub ?' asked the preach- er. 'That's for the church,' replied the boy. In- stantly a little girl from the other side came up and laid down onc cent, saying : 'That's for the church, too.' 'Well ! well!' said the preacher, 'we can no longer say we have no funds. The work is begun, and the Lord will provide for its completion." The audience went away profoundly impressed with the assured suc- cess of the enterprise.
Shortly after some half a dozen families con- cluded to enlist ; the Board of Missions of the State of New York granted $500 for the preacher's expenses ; July 16, the lot was purchased for the church by Rev. A. J. Phelps and Rev. Ebenezer Arnold, who had faith enough to pay their own money for it and take the deed in their own name, there being as yet no legal corporation to transact business. A subscription was immediately opened and five men subscribed $1,000, $750, $200, $200 and $100, respectively. Then came, by the aid of the united ministry, a large and successful meeting in the First Church ; then the First Ward Church came to the rescue; the Presiding Elder and Pastors pushed into the country for subscriptions ; and, to effect an organization, forty members of the First Church asked to be transferred to the new colony, to aid in forming the " Centenary Church." As name after name was slowly read over, the eyes of their pastor were filled with unbidden tears, but he brushed them aside, and kneeling together they joined their prayers for the out-goers and the new church which they were about to join.
" It was in a moderate-sized room in the second
.
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HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
story of Pike Block, January 6th, 1867. The great clock of American Methodism had just struck One Hundred. the first Sunday of the year one had reached high noon. Fifty persons, mostly young and middle-aged, stood up and covenanted together in Holy Church Fellowship one in name, one in purpose, and one in heart. Such was the material of the Centenary Church as thus organized, and of the congregation thereof, that a large Board of Trustees, a fine Quarterly Conference, a good Sunday School, able Prayer and Class Meetings, and Social Societies, were very soon in successful · operation.
A subscription of $13,000 being raised, the site purchased by the two clergymen was fixed upon, the foundation laid and the building rose rapidly, so that by the assembling of the Annual Conference in this city in April, 1867, the massive stone work was nearly completed and the corner stone was laid by Bishop Janes. The following year the church was finished and dedicated, the entire cost being about $37,000. It is a fine substantial brick building situated on West street near Onondaga.
The following ministers, in the order named, have been the Pastors of Centenary Church : Rev. Eben- ezer Arnold, the founder, one year; Rev. Elijah Horr, Jr., three years ; Rev. Jesse T Peck, now Bishop Peck, one year and a half, till his appointment as Bishop : Rev. Manley S. Hard, three and a half years ; Rev. A. C George, D. D., one and a half years, till transferred to West Virginia ; Prof. W. P. Codington, to fill vacancy ; Rev. Oscar A. Houghton, present Pastor.
Centenary is one of the most prosperous churches in the city. Membership, 450, and a large and active Sunday School.
Trustees-A. N. Palmer, President ; Henry W. Bannister, Clerk ; Thomas Talbot, Robert Patter- son, Edward Drake, Aaron Schemerhorn, S. A. Daniels, J. F. Pease, and E. F. Holden.
DELAWARE STREET M. E. CHURCH .- On the 16th of June, 1872, Rev. Ebenezer Arnold con- menced street preaching on the corners of Geddes, Delaware, Fulton and Davis streets. Mr. Arnold was then pastor of the Magnolia Street M. E. Church, which had been organized in 1869 and oc- cupied the hill north of the Idiot Asylum. Some half a dozen members of this church lived in that part of the city where he began preaching on the street corners. As a foundation for future opera- tions, it was a part of his plan to remove the church from the hill into the southwest part of the city, and unite the members with those which might be raised up in the new church locality. It was prac-
tically the dissolving of the old church and the or- ganization of a new one, and for the accomplish- ment of this result, street preaching and cottage meetings were to be depended upon. The former was kept up two seasons-the first on Geddes, the second on Seymour street-and cottage prayer and class meetings continued over a year. Meantime, a spacious church site had been selected, a payment made thereon of $1,400, and over 50 ornamental trees planted. The old church was re- moved from the hill and converted into a comforta- ble chapel on the rear part of the site, where meet- ings were held till the erection of the present church edifice in 1876.
The new society was also organized by the labors of Mr. Arnold in 1873, and with the members transferred from the old society, constituted about 40 in number. The new vine thus planted and grafted has grown with fresh and vigorous life. Once established in the new quarters, the pastor began to gather the fruits of his cottage and out door labors, in a congregation numbering 300 souls, with an average attendance of 200, and a Sunday School of about 100 members. Mr Arnold ac- complished this good work as pastor from June, 1872, to October, 1873.
The population in this portion of the city, requiring a larger place of meeting, the pres- ent church edifice was commenced in 1875, and dedicated in 1876. It is a plain substantial brick structure and cost about $12,000. This building is prospectively intended to be the rear of a larger and more elegant church edifice, which the future growth of the society will before many years call into requisition.
The present membership is 101, and the Sunday School, 200.
The following clergymen have been pastors of this church: Rev. M. Pierce, Rev. T. B. Shepherd, Rev. Robert Brewster, Rev. Ebenezer Arnold, Rev. U. S. Beebe and Rev. Edmund M. Mills, the pres- ent incumbent.
ROSE HILL. M. E. CHURCH .- In accordance with the general plan of Methodist Church exten- sion inaugurated during the Centenary year, Rose Hill, or the Fourth Ward of Syracuse, was made a field of missionary operations with a view to the establishment of a church. Rev. Ebenezer Ar- nold entered the field in October, 1873-a most unpromising field at that time, so far as any begin- ning or Methodist materials were concerned. No one desired a mission or asked for a preacher to come among them. There was no vacant hall or school house or even private dwelling accessible.
MARTIN'S BLOCK , COR. JEFFERSON & WARREN ST S.
RESIDENCE OF JOHN EASTWOOD, COR. SPRING & BEAR STS., SYRACUSE, N. Y.
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HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Out-door meetings were resorted to, and, as admis- sion could be gained to houses, prayer meetings were held with families. This went on for one year with scarcely a perceptible gain ; the leaven, how- ever, though hidden, was working in the masses. At the close of the second year a society of about a dozen and Sunday School had been formed and were meeting and holding prayer meetings in a barn loft, preaching still going on to the outside world in the open air. At the Conference this year Bishop Andrews recognized the work as a Confer- ence appointment.
During the year 1876, a stronger hold was gained upon public confidence ; the church increased to 20; a board of trustees was appointed ; a lot subscribed for a parsonage ; a small fund accumu- lated by contributions of worshipers laid upon the Bible ; and an open-air congregation of more steady, attentive and intelligent hearers. The year follow- ing a church site was bought, large enough for a church and chapel, $200 paid on it, and a neat chapel erected and half paid for. The congrega- tion this year numbered about 200, with an average attendance of 50, and a Quarterly Conference and Social Society were organized.
Such was the Rose Hill M. E. Church at the close of Rev. Mr. Arnold's labors, September, 1877. It is deemed on a solid and substantial foot- ing, and gives fair promise of future permanence and enlargement. The church is a wooden build- ing on Highland street, corner of Douglas, and cost, including two lots, $4,000. Present Pastor, Rev. George W. Peck.
Trustees-E. H. Wormwood, E. A. Huntington, George E. Marsh, Dwight Arnold, Joseph Draw- bridge, Frank Frey and Mr. Dillenbeck.
FURMAN STREET M. E. CHURCH-The move- ment resulting in this church was begun in Dan- forth (a suburb of the city) April 20, 1870, by Rev. Ebenezer Arnold. Mr. Arnold continued his labors till November of that year. In 1871 a Mis- sion and Sunday School were organized by Rev. Jesse T. Peck, D. D., while pastor of the Centen- ary Church, and they were included in the Quar- terly Conference of that body. In 1874 the Mis- sion became a separate charge, and has since been regularly supplied by the Conference. For the past two years Prof. Charles W. Bennett, of the Uni- versity, has been pastor, and was preceded by Rev. M. J. Wells. The church has a comfortable wooden edifice and is maintaining a steady growth.
UNIVERSITY AVENUE M. E. CHURCH .- Located on the corner of University Avenue and East Gen- esee street. This society was organized as a branch
of the Ist M. E. Church, in 1867, with a member- ship of nine, holding their earlier meetings in pri- vate residences.
In 1868, a small chapel was erected on the corner of Chestnut and Fayette streets, and in the latter part of that year the society, having in the mean- time increased to a membership of thirty, was or- ganized as a separate charge. Rev. C. P. Lyford was appointed pastor while yet officiating as pastor of the ist M. E. Church. In 1869, Rev. T. B. Shepherd was appointed pastor. While under his charge the meetings were held in Seager Hall. It was during his pastorate that the lot upon which the present church edifice stands was purchased. Rev. C. P. Lyford was the next in charge, being appointed in 1870. During his ministrations a temporary chapel was erected on the church lot and the present building so far completed as to enable the congregation to hold religious service in the basement of the same. The membership had in- creased at this time to one hundred and fifty. In 1872 Rev. J. T. Gracy was appointed pastor, and in December of that year the church was dedicated. His successor was Rev. D. W. C. Huntington, ap- pointed in 1873, who was followed in 1876 by Rev. Theron Cooper the present pastor. Rev. A. J. Phelps was the Presiding Elder during the organi- zation of the church and labored efficiently to ad- vance its welfare. The present church was erected at a cost of $50,000.
The present officers are Rev. D. W. Bristol, D. D., Presiding Elder ; Rev. Theron Cooper, pastor ; J. S. Atwell, S. S. Supt .; J. S. Atwell, (term expires in 1878,) J. R. French, (1878,) H. Whitmarsh, (1878,) Thomas Talbot, Jr., (1879.) Charles C. Brown, (1879,) Cyrus C. Warner, (1879,) John P. Griffin, (1880,) E. C. Curtis, (1880,) P. H. Curtis, (1880,) Board of Trustees. The present number of members (Dec., 1877,) is three hundred and sixty- five ; Probationers thirty. Making a total of three hundred and ninety-five.
WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH .- On the 2d of May, 1843, in the basement of the First Metho- dist Episcopal Church, was held the first meeting for the purpose of organizing the Wesleyan Metho- dist Church of Syracuse. The organization was perfected this same evening with the following named gentlemen among its members, viz : A. F. Green, Dr. A. Bliss, Arthur Hughes, H. I. Fritcher, Charles Merrick, M. Merrick, P. W. Rice, James Connell, and James White.
In 1845, a House of Worship was built on the corner of Onondaga and Jefferson streets at a cost of $2,500, the material used in its construction
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HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
being brick. This edifice has since been enlarged and recently repaired. The following is a list of Pastors with their terms of service: Luther Lee, D. D., one year ; P. R. Sawyer, one year ; B. Rider, three years ; P. M. Way, one year ; Mar- shall Frink, two years ; Samuel Salisbury. three years ; Luther Lee, two years ; D. B. Douglass, one year ; Samuel Salisbury, two or three years ; J. P. Betker, four years; A. S. Witeman, four years ; T. H. Keniston, two years, ( Rev. Mr. Ken- iston died during the last year of his pastorate) ; S. H. Foster, four years, succeeded by the present Pastor, Rev. N. E. Jenkins, whose pastorate commenced May Ist, 1877. The following named gentlemen have also served the church at intervals : Cyrus Prindle, D. D., L. C. Matlack, Adam Crooks and H. B. Knight. Among the noted divines that have been connected with this church may be mentioned Rev. Luther Lee, D. D., the noted theologian, Rev. Cyrus Prindle, D. D, and Rev. Adam Crooks, since deceased, all men of very marked ability. The present membership numbers 160. Attendance at Sunday School about 100.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH, (Colored ) -- This church was organized on Salina street, where the present salt office is situated, March 2, 1837. It was originally composed of about fifteen persons, among whom were Rev. W. H. Jenkins, Mrs. Gariner and Frederick Jackson. The edifice was purchased March 20, 1837, for about $100. The first Trustees were Richard Wandal, Frederick Jackson, Prince Jackson, Francis Jackson and Am- brose Dumbar.
Rev. Thomas James, Rev. John Tappen, Rev. Demmes Kennedy, and Rev. J. W. Loguen were pastors of this church. Mr. Loguen, well known as an earnest anti-slavery advocate, and a man of acknowledged ability, came to Syracuse in 1841. In June, 1868, Mr. Loguen was elected Bishop of the African Methodist Zion Church, in the city of Washington, D. C., and was Presiding Bishop till 1872, in June of which year he was reelected Bishop, and held the office at the time of his death, Sep- tember 30, 1872.
CATHOLIC CHURCHES.
ST. MARY'S CHURCH (first Roman Catholic in the village of Syracuse) was organized on Christmas Day, 1842. There were then but few scattering Catholic families in the village. The first church building was purchased of the Protestant Episcopal Society -- St. Paul's -- and removed to Montgomery street, corner of Madison. It was enlarged and improved in 1848. Rev. Michael Haes was the first pastor,
and continued in that relation till his death in 1859. He was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. Dr. James A. O'Hara, who assumed charge of the church on the 4th of July. 1859. Doctor O'Hara has had a long and very successful pastorate, hav- ing ministered to his church over eighteen years, during which the influence of both pastor and people has become widely felt in the educational and charitable interests of the city.
In 1852, under the ministry of Rev. Father Haes, the congregation of St. Mary's became very large, and shortly after undertook the erection of the Church of St. John the Evangelist, on the corner of Willow and Pearl streets. Through the aid of Hon. Dennis McCarthy, Cornelius Lynch and others, the church was finished and occupied in 1854.
In 18 -- , Father Haes introduced the Sisters of Charity, three of whom came and opened a school in the basement of St. Mary's Church. The Sisters have now three schools under the auspices of the St. Vincent de Paul's Society, viz : The St. Vincent de Paul Orphan Asylum and School, situ- ated on Madison street, and the Orphan Asylum for Boys and Home for Old and Infirm People of both sexes, situated in the town of Geddes.
The building of the Orphan Asylum and School is of brick, 270 feet long by 50 feet in width, three stories and basement, and cost $125,000. The school has 12 teachers, 150 orphans, and 300 day scholars.
The school in the country is situated on the Split Rock road just beyond the city limits in the town of Geddes. The site was purchased by An- drew Lynch for Rev. Dr. James A. O'Hara, in 1867, who started it as an industrial school for boys, un- der the management of the Christian Brothers, in which character it was continued about two years. During the absence of Dr. O'Hara in Europe, the Brothers abandoned it, and the school was closed. About the year 1872, Messrs. Thomas Mccarthy, Patrick Phelan and Timothy Sullivan, of the Gen- eral Conference of the St. Vincent de Paul So- ciety, rëestablished the institution under the man- agement of the Sisters of Charity, as a Home for the old and feeble of both sexes and an Orphan Asylum for boys. It is managed by 10 Sisters, and contains about 100 orphan boys and 40 aged and feeble persons. There is a farm of 60 acres which is worked by the inmates. The building is 140 feet long by 60 feet wide, and three stories above the basement.
Both these institutions are very prosperous and are outgrowths of St. Mary's Church.
The new Church building of St. Mary's is in
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HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
process of erection. In 1874, Rev. Dr. O'Hara purchased of Hon. Peter Burns a prominent site for a new church, on the corner of Montgomery and Jefferson streets, consisting of four lots, on which he is now erecting a church of Onondaga gray limestone. The walls are partially erected, and when completed with its chapels and pastoral residence, will cost $250,000. It will be the finest piece of masonry in the United States, and in one of the finest situations, being at the intersection of six streets. Should the building be finished in har- mony with the exterior structure (and such is the design) it will certainly be one of the most substan- tial and elegant church edifices in the whole country.
CHURCH OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST .- This church is an out-growth of St. Mary's Church, of this city. In 1852, the congregation of St. Mary's had out-grown its accommodations in the old church, and Bishop McClosky delegated Rev. John Mc- Menony, Assistant Pastor of St. Mary's, to begin the erection of the Church of St. John the Evangelist, on the corner of Lock and Willow streets. The building was finished and opened in 1854. Rev. John McMenony was appointed Pastor, and officiated till 1868, when he was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Guerdet, the present Pastor. The parish is a large one, numbering about three thous- and people, and Rev. Mr. Guerdet is assisted in the pastoral charge by Rev. Mr. O'Connor. The church is an elegant and substantial brick building, with seating capacity for 1,500 persons, and cost about $60,000. There is a school connected with it, which was founded by Rev. Mr. McMenony and is under the management of the Christian Brothers.
CHURCH OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST .- The Church of St. John the Baptist is situated in the First Ward. The first church edifice of this parish (now used as a school house) was commenced and enclosed in 1829 by the exertions of Thomas Mccarthy and James Lynch, and a few Roman Catholics, together with the liberal donations of their Protestant fellow- citizens in the villages of Salina and Syracuse, and by collections made by Messrs. McCarthy and Lynch from their friends in Utica, Albany and New York. Rt. Rev. John Dubois was then Bishop of the Diocese of New York, and for the two succeed- ing years, the congregation being small, was visited by clergymen only once a month. The first resi- dent clergyman who officiated in the church was Rev. Francis Donahue, who was pastor for about six years, and was succeeded by Fathers Balfe and Drummond, who in turn gave place to Rev. James O'Donnell, who remained in charge of the church
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