USA > New York > New York City > History of St. Stephen's parish in the city of New York, 1805-1905 > Part 3
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Other churches followed the example of St. John's Chapel, and built a Sunday School gallery. This gal- lery in St. Stephen's is described later on, by a former superintendent. In St. Thomas' Church a gallery for "black" Sunday-school children was built, against the west wall, above the pulpit, in full view of the con- gregation.
The illustration of the improved church edifice is given on opposite page. This is as it appeared in 1837, and until it was demolished in 1866. The street had been graded and paved, and the sidewalk lowered, so that a stone wall had to be built to support the iron railing, and stone steps were necessary to reach the entrance. The tower was improved by the addition of an ornamental railing. A wooden cupola was added, pierced by six windows, and surmounted by a graceful * History of the Parish of Trinity Church, Dix. Vol. III, p. 448.
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3 HISTORY OF ST. STEPHEN'S PARISH.
spire, which was capped by a gilt ball and vane; for the cross on the spire, now so universal, was in those days confined to Roman Catholic churches.
Towards the building of the church and sustaining the parish work the corporation of Trinity Parish, with its well known generosity, gave considerable finan- cial assistance.
It was estimated that the building alone would cost about $4,650.00. The lots cost $3,750.00, but were not paid for, as already stated, until eighteen years after.
From the records of the corporation of Trinity Church we learn that on May 8, 1806, it was resolved "that ten thousand dollars be transferred to St. Steph- en's Church, and that the Committee on leases designate the proper lots to be so transferred."
On the fourteenth of November, the Committee re- ported, designating "one lot in Greenwich Street, and two on Warren Street;" and their action was approved.
The deed of the above property was given June 8, 1810; the consideration being one dollar. This deed was recorded December 14, 1826, in Liber 211, of Con- veyances, page 492.
The record is as follows: "In the First Ward of the City, lot No. 15, bounded on the west by Greenwich Street, east by lot No. 14, south by lot No. 16 (as num- bered on the city map), the north side being 113 feet, and the south side 111 feet, and the breadth of the lot back and front 25 feet."
"Also two lots in the Fifth Ward of the City of New York situated on Warren Street, numbered No. 329 and
37
THE FIRST CHURCH.
No. 333 on said map, bounded on the south by lots No. 343 and No. 344, east by lot No. 328, west by lot No. 331 ; the length being 75 feet, and each lot, front and rear, being 25 feet."
In addition to the above generous gift of real estate (which through all these years past has been the main- stay of St. Stephen's, and has saved it from extinction), assistance in money was freely given by Trinity Parish ; as the following records show :
1805-To build the Church $ 3,000.00
1806-Real estate 10,000.00
1807-Bonds and cash 7,192.00
1813-Donation 250.00
1813-Donation to Rector 250.00
1814-To Rev. Mr. Feltus (allowance) . 250.00
1819-Annual allowance of $600 to November, 1842.
1829-Donation 1,500.00
1831-Donation
500.00
1842-Annual allowance of $300.00 to 1846.
1847-Annual allowance of $500.00.
Trinity Corporation also gave to St. Stephen's Par- ish a burial plot in Trinity Cemetery ; as shown by the following extract from the minutes of the vestry of that Church, March 8th, 1852:
"Ordered that lot 791 E. in westerly division of Trinity Cemetery, be granted to the Rector, Wardens and Vestrymen of the Church of St. Stephen in the City of New York, for the use of their Rector and his successors in office for the time being, in lieu of lot 791 D. ordered to be granted to that Church on the
38 HISTORY OF ST. STEPHEN'S PARISH.
eighth of December last; and that the Comptroller and Clerk execute a proper deed therefor under the Cor- porate seal."
Trinity Cemetery extends from the west side of Am- sterdam Avenue to the Hudson River, between 153rd and 155th Streets.
The new parish had a hard struggle to maintain itself, and they found themselves so greatly in debt at the end of two years that they were obliged to turn to their fostering mother for aid.
Under date of September 3rd, 1807, a petition signed by George Strebeck, Rector ; Cornelius Schuyler, War- den, and William Lang, Secretary, was addressed to the corporation of Trinity Church asking money to pay their debts, also stating that John Walker, the. mason who built the church, was threatening suit for his claim of $1,600.00.
Enclosed was a statement from the treasurer show- ing monies received and paid out, leaving a deficit of $10,942.03.
The annual rental of pews amounted to $603.75 and Sunday collections $227.00. They had on hand only $315.81 for contingent expenses, leaving but a small balance for the rector.
The petitioners asked for financial help either (1) by the granting of a further gratuity, or (2) by advanc- ing the amount of their debt, to be repaid, or (3) by selling the donation which they were pleased some time since to set apart for them.
In December the Committee of Leases of Trinity Corporation reported "that from a statement herewith
1
39
THE FIRST CHURCH.
furnished the Committee, it appears that St. Stephen's Church is indebted to sundry persons in the sum of $10,942.03.
This is the balance sheet :
Dr.
To building the church, and ground cost .. . $16,656.77 Interest not paid 740.76
$17.397.53
Credit.
By Income, subscriptions among ourselves
and others
$ 3,455.50
Donation from Trinity 3,000.00
Deficit
10,942.03
$17.397.53
"From this exhibit of affairs of St. Stephen's Church, your Committee are of the opinion that it would be advisable to grant them further effectual aid, as with- out such assistance (from the inability of the members of the Church, they being not wealthy) it is not likely they will ever be able to extricate themselves from their difficulties, but on the contrary that their embarrass- ments will multiply upon them."
The Committee therefore recommended a donation of $7,192.00, payable partly in cash and partly in bonds.
This recommendation was approved and the petition of St. Stephen's parish for aid was granted; Trinity
40 HISTORY OF ST. STEPHEN'S PARISH.
Church giving them the following bonds and mort- gages :
Peter Fenton's bond and mortgage with in-
terest .$3,210.00
Isaac Coddington 1,100.00
William Maxwell 308.00
John Requa 495.00
Hugh Gaine 922.00
Cash to make up the balance 1,157.00
$7,192.00
This gift of Trinity Church was in accordance with the generous policy which she always pursued towards newly founded parishes, not only in this city, but throughout the diocese; and many a flourishing church of today owes its salvation at a critical moment to the liberal gifts of Trinity.
Richard Channing Moore.
The Second Rector: Reb. R. C. Moore. 1809-1814
HE Rev. Richard Channing Moore was the second rector of St. Stephen's, having been chosen April 30th, 1809. He accepted the election on June 2d, and was instituted October 6th, 1809. Mr. Moore was born in New York City August 21st, 1762. His father, John Moore, was a merchant, and a member of the Provincial Assembly. The son received a classical education under Professor Leslie of King's College. Although prepared, at the age of sixteen, for admission to college, the disturbed condi- tion of affairs in the city incident to the war had caused the college to be closed. Young Moore therefore went with his father's family to the old country seat at West Point, on the Hudson, where he remained for a period of eighteen months. Upon his return to New York City he took up the study of medicine, under Doctor Bailey, a distinguished physician and surgeon of that day. Having completed his studies, Dr. Moore established himself in New York as a practitioner of medicine. Soon after this he removed to the eastern part of Long Island. In 1784 he married Miss Christian Jones, of New York. Shortly after his marriage he relinquished the practice of medicine in order to become
41
42 HISTORY OF ST. STEPHEN'S PARISH.
a candidate for Holy Orders. Accordingly, after due preparation under his rector, he was ordained deacon in St. George's Chapel, Beekman Street, July 15th, 1787, by the Rt. Rev. Samuel Provoost, the first Bishop of the diocese (who had been consecrated on February 4th preceding by the Archbishop of Canterbury). The ordination of Dr. Moore was the first which ever took place in the diocese of New York. At that time there were only six clergymen in the diocese. The same Bishop admitted Dr. Moore to priest's orders in St. George's Chapel in September, 1787, and appointed him to the charge of Grace Church, Rye, Westchester Coun- ty. After having been there for two years he accepted a call to become rector of St. Andrew's Parish, Rich- mond, Staten Island, and began his labors there in Oc- tober, 1789. In addition to regular pastoral work in Richmond, he officiated in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and also taught school for ten years. His wife died in April, 1796, leaving a son eight years of age, and two daughters, Christine and Eliza. The son, David, succeeded his father, in 1809, as rector of the Staten Island church.
Dr. Moore, on March 23d, 1797, took for his second wife Miss Sarah Mersereau, one of his parishioners, by whom he had six children-four daughters and two sons. Mrs. Moore died in August, 1824.
Dartmouth College, in 1805, conferred upon him the degree of Doctor in Divinity. In 1808 Dr. Moore rep- resented the diocese of New York in General Convention, held in Baltimore, and his name appears in the Journal as chairman of the Committee on Hymnology.
43
THE SECOND RECTOR.
Dr. Moore began his work in St. Stephen's in October, 1809, and it is an evidence of his earnest ministerial labor and popularity that after he had been rector but one year, on September 16th, 1810, he presented eighty- two candidates to the Bishop for confirmation ; and the congregation of St. Stephen's had so largely increased in numbers that it was in contemplation to build another church, as a chapel of ease, to accommodate those who were unable to obtain sittings in St. Stephen's. Mr. George Warner, a warm friend, and an enthusiastic supporter of the rector, headed a subscription list; and a petition was sent to the vestry, asking their consent to, and co-operation in, the enterprise. The vestry were, however, not enthusiastic in the matter, and the project fell through.
Bishop Henshaw (first Bishop of Rhode Island), a lifelong friend of Dr. Moore, in his " Memoirs of the Bishop of Virginia," says, with reference to the condi- tion of affairs in St. Stephen's Parish at the time Dr. Moore became rector: " It presented a forbidding and unpromising field to all, except a man of God exercising full reliance upon the promises of Him who is able from stones, 'to raise up children unto Abraham.' There were not more than thirty families connected with the congregation ; and out of these there were but twenty who knelt as communicants at the Lord's Table. Such were the discouraging conditions under which Dr. Moore entered upon his new charge. But he ' despised not the day of small things,' and the Lord, who had placed him there, gave him such favor in the eyes of the people that
44 HISTORY OF ST. STEPHEN'S PARISH.
his congregation rapidly increased, and his whole min- isterial career in New York was one of uninterrupted prosperity and success.
"At the period of which we write there were very few of the Episcopal clergy in the United States who ever held any other services than the public worship of the church, on the Lord's Day, and on some of the greater festivals. The few who had lectures and prayer- meetings in unconsecrated places were viewed with an eye of suspicion, and were subject to evil reports, as being regardless of rubrics and canons, if not utterly disaffected towards the worship and principles of the church at whose altars they served. So decided and strong was the opposition to the rector of St. Stephen's, on this score, that he was compelled to throw himself under the protection of Bishop Benjamin Moore, then the acting Bishop of New York, and said to him: ‘If you will take the responsibility of saying I shall have no prayer-meetings, I will give them up.' The Bishop replied: 'Sir, I will do no such thing.' 'Then, sir,' said Dr. Moore, 'neither will I.' And from that time he continued his meetings with less difficulty."
Speaking of these meetings, which gave offense to many, because they were not recognized by the canons of the church, Dr. Moore said: "I encounter much reproach and opposition from some of my brethren on account of these meetings. But they are neither incon- sistent with the principles, nor prohibited by the canons of the Church. And, although some condemn them as irregular and Methodistical, I can not, as a minister of Christ, desirous of the salvation of souls, give them up.
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THE SECOND RECTOR.
For I know that God's blessing is upon them. They are the nurseries of my communion."
Although Dr. Moore was a friend and an advocate of religious revivals, in the rational sense of the word, he was by no means a radical or an extremist, and looked with suspicion upon the means used to " get up a re- vival," as then practised by many of the sects.
Concerning the condition of the church in New York, at the time when Dr. Moore became rector of St. Ste- phen's, Dr. Henshaw says, " the majority of the clergy were, perhaps, more orderly than zealous, more orthodox than evangelical, more distinguished for attachment to the ritual of the Church than for a fervent and edifying mode of performing it, more intent upon guarding their folds against the inroads of enthusiasm than upon the conversion of sinners and the making of aggressive movements upon the world.
" The spirit of Dr. Moore's ministry, the measures he prosecuted for the spiritual edification of his people, and his style of preaching (whether right or wrong, about which there will be various opinions), were un- doubtedly different from those most prevalent among his clerical brethren in that city."
Bishop Perry characterizes Dr. Moore as " a man of purity of life, clear and decided in his views of evangeli- cal truth."
He is classed with those distinguished leaders of our church's history, McIlvaine, Henshaw, Hopkins, Johns, Bedell, and Tyng, " who gave to the Evangelical party strength and brilliancy and influence rarely excelled."
The Rev. Dr. Turner, writing of Dr. Moore, says
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HISTORY OF ST. STEPHEN'S PARISH.
that in 1810 he preached a sermon in St. Paul's Church, Philadelphia, wherein he earnestly presented the benefits which would accrue to the Church "from the establish- ment of some school in which instruction in the Scrip- tures and theology in general, with suitable prepara- tion for the ministry might be obtained." Together with Bishop Hobart he labored earnestly for the estab- lishment of such a "Theological Grammar School." This was the beginning of a movement which resulted, years afterwards, in the establishment of the General Theological Seminary, by the General Convention.
Cloud and sunshine seems ever to have marked the progress of the parish. Whilst spiritual affairs under Dr. Moore were most encouraging, the congregation had to struggle against debt.
On April 8th, 1812, the Vestry determined to lay their troubles before Trinity Corporation, and ask its assistance. Aside from the statement of financial af- fairs which it gives, this Memorial is interesting as showing the class of people composing the parish. We quote :
"Your Memorialists would further state that their congregation is composed generally of persons from the middling and poorer classes of society. Their mite, 'tis true, is freely bestowed. But that mite is not suf- ficient to pay the ordinary expenses of the Church. Under such circumstances a sale of pews at public auc- tion, your Memorialists think, would be highly inex- pedient. They would be wholly monopolized by the wealthy part of this community, while many, very many, poor but good and pious persons would be driven from the dropping of the Sanctuary."
47
THE SECOND RECTOR.
In December the clerk of the Vestry of St. Stephen's was requested to write to Trinity Corporation on the subject of their Memorial of April 8th. The following is the letter :
"David M. Clarkson, Esq.,
"Sir: By a resolution of the Board of St. Stephen's Church at their last meeting, twenty-first instant, I am requested as Clerk of that Board to bring a statement of the Imbarisments, and the causes of such Imbaris- ments of the said Church before you, as Chairman of a Committee to whom was referred our Petition Directed to the Corporation of Trinity Church, which you will please lay before them. Although Trinity Church has contributed much to the Relief of St. Stephen's Church, Still, there situation being such, we have been obliged to Petition again, which is now before your Committee. Sir, When the Present Rector of that Church was called their was many debts against the Church standing, which has since been paid; there was Eleven Hundred Dollars back sallery due the former Rector, which has also been Paid; about five hundred dollars to put in Order for the Preservation of the Church; there was a bond due Cornelius Ray, Esq., for the ground which the Church stands on ; having no burying ground, was obliged to purchase a spot for that purpose, which cost about Thirty-five Hundred Dollars. We have had the Church insured; we have had the Streets to pave, and the Sidewalks to Flag on both sides of the Church, all of which cost a considerable sum of money, was obliged to augment our debt with Mr. Ray and take up others.
48 HISTORY OF ST. STEPHEN'S PARISH.
The Institution now owes about Eleven Thousand Dol- lars, and with Greatest Prudence and Economy can not meet it. Sir, the Interest of that money and the Sallery paid to our Rector, which is Seventeen Hun- dred and Fifty Dollars per annum, also one hundred dollars to the clerk of the Church, one hundred and twenty dollars to the Sexton, the Income being insufi- sient to meet these Demands we are anuly Obliged to Ogment our Debt.
"Sir, under these circumstances we hope you will take our case and make us as favorable Report as Pos- sible.
"I am with Great Respect Your Friend & Humble Servant,
"JOHN DRAKE,
"Clerk of the Corp. of St. Stephen's Church."
"23 December 1812
New York."
In response to this appeal Trinity Corporation on February 1, 1813, granted " To St. Stephen's Church a donation of $250 for one year commencing on the 1st day of January towards the support of the Rector, and a further donation of $250 for the same year to be applied towards the payment of the annual demands of the Church."
A review of Dr. Moore's ministry in St. Stephen's would not be complete without reference to Mr. George Warner, a faithful layman, and a zealous Christian gentleman, who was an earnest supporter of the rector in all his pastoral work. Of him Dr. Moore writes: " For five years he was my affectionate companion and
49
THE SECOND RECTOR.
kind parishioner. I have always thought that much of the success which attended my labors at St. Stephen's was owing to the efforts of my departed friend. We would walk from one end of the city to the other, visiting the sick, praying with the afflicted, and exhorting those in health to seek the Lord, and never did I hear him say he was fatigued. When indisposed myself, and under these circumstances incapable of visiting the children of sorrow, I would send the applicant to George Warner, and satisfy myself that the object would be as fully answered as if I had attended in person."
Mr. Warner was a man of fortune and was highly esteemed for his integrity, and held high offices in the city and the state. He devoted his wealth and influence and personal labors to the cause of piety and the Church, and was fond of extemporaneous prayer in social meet- ings, which he was always eager to conduct. He was a constant visitor among the sick and afflicted, and as a layman he was self-denying, benevolent, and burning with zeal; so that the rector believed that he had more assistance from him in his parish work, than would have resulted from a curate or an assistant minister.
It was these " Society Meetings," conducted by Mr. Warner and the rector, without the use of the Church's form of prayer and ritual, which gave offence to Church- men of the opposite school.
Under Dr. Moore's ministry the Lord's work was greatly blessed, and prospered; and the loss to St. Stephen's Parish when he resigned his charge was se- verely felt.
The influence which he had exerted over its members
50 HISTORY OF ST. STEPHEN'S PARISH.
for a space of five years, his devotion to the sick and afflicted and his genial presence on all occasions of re- joicing, left a deep impress upon the parish.
But the Lord had a larger field of labor for this faithful servant. At this time the diocese of Virginia, from many causes, was in a very deplorable spiritual condition. It required a man of eminent ability and Godly spirit to stem the tide of infidelity and indiffer- ence to sacred things, and to win back, by gentle means, both clergy and laity to the support of the church's ritual and teachings. As indicating the low tide of religion at that time, we may note the fact that its diocesan convention had not met for seven years.
In May, 1814, when the Virginia Convention did finally meet, it was made known that Dr. Moore had received and accepted a call to become rector of the Monumental Church in Richmond; whereupon the Con- vention proceeded to the election of a Bishop, and every vote, save one, was cast for Dr. Moore. At this time there were but four active Bishops in the United States.
On May 18th, 1814, Dr. Moore was consecrated in St. James' Church, Philadelphia, by Bishop White, as- sisted by Bishops Hobart, Griswold, and Dehon. On May 24th, 1814, he resigned the rectorship of St. Ste- phen's Parish.
Bishop Meade says that on the occasion of his nomi- nation for the bishopric of Virginia, " some objections were privately made to Dr. Moore. It was said that Bishop Hobart had complaints against him for some irregularities in carrying on the work of the ministry, and that he was somewhat Methodistical. It so happen-
.
Rt. Rev. Richard Channing Moore. (Second Bishop of Virginia.)
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THE SECOND RECTOR.
ed, however, that Bishop Hobart had written a most favorable letter concerning Dr. Moore to some one pres- ent, which, being shown, all opposition was silenced, and he was unanimously elected Bishop of the Diocese of Virginia."
During Dr. Moore's rectorate of St. Stephen's, we find no published report of his official acts in the Con- vention journals. From the old parish register (begin- ning September 4th, 1809, previous pages missing), we learn that Dr. Moore baptized 382 children, and 42 adults, making a total of 424.
The diocese of Virginia may well bless St. Stephen's for parting with so wise and noble a man to become its Bishop. The trials he experienced in the work of a great city parish were lessons by which he profited in his arduous labors among a people who had become careless and indifferent to the demands of religion. Religious life revived under his godly administrations, and Vir- ginia made haste to redeem the position she had once held in the Church's work. For twenty-seven years Bishop Moore labored among the people unsparingly.
On November 11th, 1841, the good Bishop obeyed the Master's call to " go up higher." He died in Lynch- burg, while on a visitation to the parish there, and was buried in Richmond. Upon the monument erected over his remains, by the vestry of his parish, is this testimony to his labors: " In the Convention that called him to the Episcopate, there were only seven members. At the time of his death there were ninety-five clergy in the diocese of Virginia."
Parish Records.
HE early parish records were very loosely kept. The earliest register in the possession of the vestry bears date 1809, and begins with a record of Dr. Moore's official acts. From June 4th, 1809, to June 5th, 1814, Dr. Moore baptized 382 chil- dren and 42 adults. There is no record of Mr. Stre- beck's official acts, but we gather from his reports to the Diocesan Convention the record given in the ap- pendix, extending from May, 1805, to April, 1809.
It seems surprising that a man of Dr. Moore's pre- sumable care, and known faithfulness in discharge of the work of the parish, should not have realized the im- portance of accurate detail in the matter of public re- cords. In the main his register is regularly kept, but details of importance are lacking.
For instance, in the record of baptisms, we find an entry, October 1st, 1809: " Baptized two black chil- dren." September 7: " Baptized Thomas Jefferson, son of James Dobbin," but who the mother was is not record- ed; neither is there any date of birth.
Later on we have recorded the baptism of "Mary, William and Urania, children of Urania Potter; " but whilst in this instance all credit is given to the mother, the father seems to have been overlooked.
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