USA > New York > Chautauqua County > Jamestown > History of the First Baptist Church of Jamestown, New York : 1827-1915 : organized as a branch church December 25th 1827 : organized as an independent body May 24th, 1832 > Part 4
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11
55
all-pervading change of heart, which came only af- ter a struggle under conviction, and brought an en- tire revolution in his fundamental ambitions and a soul-illuminating joy. It made all his talents avail- able. It inspired the oratory inherited from his German father, and made emphatic the Scotch fi- delity and carefulness inherited from his mother. At eighteen he joined the Southwark Baptist Church of Philadelphia. In 1853 he entered the college at Lewisburg, Pa., now the Bucknell Uni-
versity. While in college he was wise and econ- omical in the investment of his time and talents, and at graduation, when he stood at the head of his class, he could look back upon missions es- tablished and many weak churches strengthened during his student days. Modest and devoted to Christ, he took the weak mission in New York on Thirty-fourth Street, which became the Pilgrim Baptist Church, and there set the current of his helpful life toward the flood years in Christian achievement. He was called to the Strong Taber- nacle Church in Philadelphia in 1865, and for six years led the people there. For some years he was a regular contributor to the Sunday School Times, and was Associate Editor from 1876 to 1879. For two years he gave himself with most unselfish de- votion to the advocacy of the Sunday School cause. He was chairman of the National Sunday School Convention held in St. Louis in 1869, and was again honored by being elected to that office in Baltimore in 1875. He was afterward pastor of the South
56
L. B. PLUMMER Thirteenth Pastor
Baptist Church of Newark, N. J., then for two and one-half years pastor at Jamestown, N. Y., and for two years pastor of the Pilgrim Baptist Church of Philadelphia.
In 1890 he was called to be the associate pastor at the Baptist Temple in Philadelphia, where a great opportunity for doing the work he loved pre- sented itself. Upon him for fifteen years rested the duties of the pastoral work among a membership of nearly three thousand people, and in it he made himself a welcome friend and safe counselor."
Mrs. Peltz was a cultured woman of a delightful personality, and devoted to her husband and fam- ily, in which were five children. Jennie, the eldest daughter has already been named; Hamilton, the only son, was in the High School during the James- town pastorate. He has now been serving on the editorial staff of the New York Herald for several years. The other children were May, now Mrs. John E. Roberts of Philadelphia; Louise, now the wife of E. Warren Tully, M. D., also of Philadel- phia, and Florence, who married A. Somers Kap- pella. Mrs. Peltz died March 3, 1909, having sur- vived Dr. Peltz less than two years.
During the summer of 1880 the church was without a pastor. Rev. L. B. Plummer of Brook- lyn, N. Y., was recommended to the Advisory Com- mittee and responded to an invitation to preach. Subsequently he made an engagement with the church to become pastor for one year and entered upon his duties as the thirteenth pastor in Decem-
57
ber of that year and served until January 1, 1882. He was a ready and fluent speaker, and his sermons were characterized by freshness and originality of thought and expression. This, however, was Mr. Plummer's first pastorate and in addition to the usual difficulties of a first pastorate were added those of a successor to an able and experienced pas- tor like Dr. Peltz. So at the expiration of the ori- ginal agreement the relationship was allowed to terminate. From Jamestown Mr. Plummer went to Hampton, Iowa, and after serving two or three churches in that State, was settled over the Pres- byterian Church at Franklin Furnace, N. J., where he was serving in 1907, having left the Baptist Faith and connected himself with the followers of Calvin.
He was married to Miss Catherine Knapp a short time before coming to Jamestown, and his young wife, a modest, retiring but most excellent and amiable woman, was baptized into the fellowship of the Jamestown church.
58
F
A
RANSOM HARVEY Fourteenth Pastor "A disciple indeed, in whom is no guile"
CHAPTER V.
The Jubilee Celebration .- Rev. Ransom Harvey's Pastorate .- Deacon J. C. Breed .- John M. Grant .- Rev. A. E. Waffle's Pastorate .- The Stone Church .- The Munhall Meetings .- Nucleus of the Calvary Church .- Rev. Clarence Adams' Pastorate (1882-1895).
A FTER nearly two months of search for a pas- tor without result, the committee asked the president of Rochester Theological Semina- ry if he could recommend a graduate of that insti- tution for the place, and received the answer that Ransom Harvey, the most promising member of the class of 1881, would be a suitable man for the pulpit of the Jamestown church. Mr. Harvey came and preached a Sunday in March, 1882, and was unanimously called and soon installed as the fourteenth pastor of the church. It was his first pastorate and he was ordained in the Jamestown church May 23, 1882, and the next day, May 24, occurred the fiftieth anniversary, or Jubilee of the church, which was elaborately celebrated and at which time Rev. Harvey read the first history of the church ever prepared. It was written by him on information obtained from the records and from Deacon John Breed, Mrs. Jane Clark and Jerome Preston, all of whom were then living and present at the celebration. But for that account much of the early history of the church would have been lost.
Those who took a prominent part in the ordina- tion services, were Rev. A. H. Strong, D.D., of Rochester Theological Seminary; Rev. I. Child,
59
pastor at Frewsburg, N. Y .; Rev. C. B. Parsons, pastor at Dunkirk, N. Y .; Rev. M. McGregor, pas- tor at Fredonia, N. Y .; Rev. G. O. King, of Cleve- land, Ohio, a former pastor of the church.
At the anniversary services May 24, the morning session was devoted to the history of the church. At the afternoon session, ex-pastors, past and pres- ent members of the church and others, gave per- sonal reminiscences. Ex-Governor R. E. Fenton and Judge R. P. Marvin were among the speakers. The only former pastor present was Rev. G. O. King, though Reverends Chapin, Look, Kingsbury, Peltz and Plummer were still living. At the even- ing session Dr. Strong preached an able and in- structive sermon.
Dr. Harvey came to the church young in experi- ence and at a time most difficult and trying to a pastor. He succeeded, however, in guiding the spiritual ship through the breakers without accident or serious mistake, and left the church larger, by nearly one hundred members, and a stronger and more harmonious body than he found it. The ex- cellence of his work is well attested by the 208 ad- ditions to the membership, ninety-five of whom were baptized by him. His sermons were forceful, evangelistic and spiritual and calculated to move the thoughtful to an earnest consideration of the claims of the Christ upon them.
The Eumathetic Society, organized by Rev. Houghwout, having become defunct, a new society was organized known as the Adelphian Society,
60
composed of young people. From this society such members as exhibited sufficient interest and apti- tude were drafted as leaders of the young people's Sunday evening prayer meeting, which previously had been conducted by the same leader every week. In that way Dr. Harvey succeeded in starting a large number of young people in the habit of active, Christian service.
His pastorate was the beginning of a long series of years of uninterrupted growth and prosperity for the church. He organized a Sunday School in the old Buffalo Street School House, then standing on the present site of the Buffalo Street M. E. Church, which proved to be the foundation and be- ginning of that church organization. Dr. Harvey was also of assistance in organizing the Swedish Baptist Church, and when they erected their first church edifice, Dr. Harvey induced his church to purchase for them the lot on Institute Street, on which the building was erected, and which he as- sisted in dedicating when finished. After serving the church five years and six months Dr. Harvey resigned to the deep regret and sorrow of his peo- ple who made a determined effort to induce him to reconsider. The effort was, however, unavailing and on September 1, 1887, he transferred his labors to Poughkeepsie, N. Y., taking with him the love and esteem of all who knew him.
Ransom Harvey was born at Conesus, Living- ston County, N. Y., May 18, 1851. He was con- verted under the preaching of Rev. William Look,
61
and was graduated from Rochester University with the class of 1878, and from the Theological Semi- nary, class of 1881. In college he was a Phi-Beta- Kappa, and was considered the most promising preacher of his class. In August, 1881, he married Miss Emily C. Potter, a teacher in the Bingham- ton High School, who proved to be a most excel- lent pastor's wife. Of superior education and with experience as a teacher, she was of great assist- ance in the Sunday School and in pastoral and so- cial work as well. She was Professor of History in the LaGrange College from 1904 to 1910.
Dr. Harvey's subsequent pastorates were at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., 1887-1892; Third German- town Church of Philadelphia, Pa., 1892-1899; act- ing pastor Tenth Church, Philadelphia, during the summer of 1900. He then accepted the position of Dean of the Divinity School and Professor of The- ology and Church History, Shurtliff College, Upper Alton, Ill., 1901-1903 ; again in the pastorate at Ver- mont Street Church, Quincy, Ill., June 1903 to Sep- tember, 1904; head of Divinity Department and Professor of Theology, Bible and Philosophy, La- Grange College, Mo., September, 1904, and presi- dent of that institution since 191I.
Dr. Harvey was made a D. D. by Rochester Uni- versity in 1901. In all his pastorates Dr. Harvey has never called in an evangelist to aid him, but has succeeded by his own evangelistic methods in acquiring accessions to his church by baptism regu- larly during the whole year except the vacation
62
months. When in Jamestown he and his church joined in union meetings with Rev. Wilson, a brother-in-law of the lamented P. P. Bliss as evan- gelist, but he has succeeded best as his own evan- gelist. He has preached continuously nearly every Sunday ever since he entered the ministry either to his own church or to some out-lying church when teaching Theology.
Four of their five children were born to Dr. and Mrs. Harvey in the parsonage of the Jamestown church; Bessie Estelle, the church's representa- tive in the foreign mission field; Ransom, Jr., Jo- seph and Emily. Helen, the youngest, was born at Poughkeepsie. Dr. Harvey has succeeded in giving college training to each of his children, and all are teachers except Joseph, who has adopted the legal profession in which to work out his life's am- bitions.
Dr. Harvey's pastorate was saddened by the death of Deacon John C. Breed, the last of the con- stituent members of the church to pass away. Dea- con Breed was a descendent of Allen Breed who emigrated to this country and landed at Salem, Mass., in 1630 from the same ship that brought over Governor John Winthrop. He subsequently settled at Lynn, Mass., where many descendants now live. A grandson moved to Stonington, Conn., where Deacon Breed's father, Thomas, was born. Thomas subsequently moved to Schuyler- ville, Saratoga County, N. Y., and settled on a farm embraced in the Revolutionary Battlefield of
63
Saratoga, where John was born, April 4, 1804. It was probably at Schuylerville where he was con- verted and joined the Baptist church.
He came to Jamestown in the spring of 1821, having been preceded one year by his older brother William. Young John was then seventeen years old, and was probably the first Baptist to locate in the settlement. It has been said of him that he was the "finest specimen of sturdy, good looking, Christian manhood to be found in the whole region" at that time. Not finding a Baptist church in James- town, he joined the Busti church five miles away, but soon found Christian work to do at home in the Congregational church where he became the first superintendent of the first Sabbath School opened in the settlement. He was instrumental in organiz- ing a branch of the Busti church in Jamestown in 1827, and also assisted in establishing the independ- ent body in 1832, being one of its constituent mem- bers, and next to Elder Palmer, the most influential member. He was elected deacon in the new church soon after its organization and so continued until his death, December 6, 1886, a period of fifty-four years. John Breed was but twenty-eight years old when the church was organized, but his youthful energy was a power in starting it and keeping it going, while Elder Palmer, his senior by twenty- eight years, and more mature in experience and judgment, seems to have been the pilot who guided its course. He was, doubtless, the first superintend- ent of the Sabbath School opened by the Baptist
64
Church, and probably so continued for sixteen or seventeen years. He was a sincere, earnest and consistent Christian, modest, amiable and genial in disposition, but steadfast and true to the principles of justice and right. By reason of his long term as deacon, and of his character so appropriate to the office, he was known throughout the town as "Dea- con Breed."
For sixty-five years he lived a positive and active Christian in the city. At the fiftieth anniversary of the church, the "Jubilee Year," he was present and was the center of interest, being the only constitu- ent member then living. He celebrated the day by presenting to the church an elegant black walnut pulpit desk made entirely with his own hands.
Another faithful servant who departed this life during Dr. Harvey's pastorate was John M. Grant. He was of Scotch descent, a brother of Lewis Grant who was a prominent member of the Fre- donia Baptist Church. John engaged in the gro- cery business in Jamestown in which he continued to the time of his death in June, 1883. He was converted and united with the church during the great revival of 1857-8 under the pastorate of Rev. William Look, and at once became an active mem- ber, and as careful and painstaking in church mat- ters as in his business. He was for a short time trustee and also clerk of the church, but soon re- linquished these honors to others, but continued to give to his church unselfishly of his means, his ad- vice, which was always sound, and of his physical
65
strength. In the later years of his life he was crippled with rheumatism, but his sufferings never soured his kindly, genial nature.
Again the church took up the tiresome duty of securing a pastor and finally secured one after a year's time and on the third call. Several men were heard but only Rev. W. H. Delano, then of Connecticut and afterwards of Chicago, and Rev. Mr. Clatworthy of Illinois were called and both declined on specific grounds.
Rev. Albert E. Waffle of the Baptist Church of Bay City, Mich., was also heard as a candidate and after due consideration was invited to accept the pastorate, which he did, and on September 25, 1888, he became the fifteenth pastor. His pastorate ex- tended over a period of six years and six months, or until April 1, 1895.
Dr. Waffle was a man of more than average ability, and his sermons were scholarly and instruc- tive, logical in thought, clear and exact in state- ment, and commanded the attention of the listener and were calculated to interest the thoughtful. He organized and taught a men's class in the Sunday School where his exceptional ability as a teacher was clearly demonstrated. The class outlived his pastorate and regularly became a legacy to succeed- ing pastors.
In 1890, with the aid of some of the young peo- ple, he started a mission school at the Boatlanding, which steadily grew under the care and financial aid of the church for several years, and was event-
66
ALBERT E. WAFFLE Fifteenth Pastor "He gave some teachers-for the work of the ministry"
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH The Third Edifice Dedicated October 28, 1891
ually organized into the Calvary Baptist Church in 1902. Mrs. O. B. Butler and Newton Crissey were particularly constant in their labors and devoted to its welfare.
Dr. Waffle also reorganized the Young People's Society which had degenerated during the pastor- less period, and placed it upon a sure foundation, which has endured and enabled the society to ful- fill its mission in the general scheme of church ac- tivity.
The greatest undertaking from a business point of view, of Dr. Waffle's pastorate was the building of the stone church. The second church building had stood for thirty-three years and served its pur- pose very well, but finally became inadequate to the societies' needs. A subscription was started for the purpose of raising funds for a new building, but was not to become binding until $20,000 should be pledged. The committee did not succeed in secur- ing the amount and were about to give up in despair, when the happy thought came to Jerome Preston to write Mr. John D. Rockefeller for a subscription, which he did more in despair than hope. The unexpected, however, happened. The inclosed postage stamp brought back an answer in the form of a thousand dollar pledge and the com- mittee accepted it without once thinking that the money might be "tainted." With that addition the $20,000 was soon pledged and a building committee consisting of Jerome Preston, Dr. Waffle, J. H. Clark, M. H. Clark, Edward Shaver and D. C.
67
Breed, was appointed to take full charge of the work. S. R. Badgley of Cleveland, Ohio, was se- lected as the architect. The old building was sold to O. F. Price and torn down in 1890 and the new structure was erected on its site, after the lot had been cut down five or six feet and the stately old maple trees along the street line had been rooted out. On the advice of the architect that the build- ing he had planned would not cost to exceed $33,- 000, even if built of stone, his plan was accepted and Warsaw blue stone chosen as the material. But the structure did cost more. The cutting of the stone alone cost three times the difference be- tween the cost in brick and stone as given by the architect. The $20,000 subscribed was exhausted together with $15,000 in addition which the sub- scribers pledged on top of their first subscriptions, and then the property had to be mortgaged for $20,000 in order to pay all bills. The structure, therefore, with furnishings cost about $55,000.
Included in that sum was the fund raised by the members of the choir and others for a pipe organ. The fund was started, long before a new building was seriously considered, out of the proceeds of an excursion to Niagara Falls. The fund was placed at interest and augmented from time to time with the profits from socials and other schemes, one of the most notable of which was a concert given in the old church by Madam Belle Weaver Cole, while on a visit to her native city. Mrs. Levant Brown, a devout Presbyterian of blessed memory, added
68
fifty dollars as a memorial to her mother, Mrs. Samuel Barrett, who in life had been a member of the Baptist Church. When the new building was nearing completion, the fund amounted to about $800 and was paid over to Johnson Bros. of West- field, Mass., on the $2,500 purchase price of the or- gan.
Included in the above cost of the church is also the $800 raised by the Dorcas Society for carpets and curtains.
Other special gifts were the pulpit chairs present- ed by the Young People's Society, the carved oak pulpit desk given by W. J. Maddox, the communion table given by Mrs. Waffle, the side stands of oak and vases for flowers given by Mrs. Breed (former- ly Mrs. Houghwout), the mantle and grate for the pastor's study given by M. H. Clark and wife, and the mantle and grate for the ladies' parlor given by Mrs. Shaver. The members of the church as a body gave nobly, and many were the sacrifices made in the building of the structure. But the larg- est and most generous contributor of all, according to the Master's standard, was undoubtedly VanLu- ven VanGaasbeck. He was a man of modest de- meanor, of simple habits, of frugal living and of moderate means, but most anxious was he to erect for the use and glory of God, a temple whose beauty and splendor should be an honor to His name. He gave more than half of all his property for the build- ing in the first place and at his death it was found that he had given the remainder to aid in wiping out
69
the church debt, reserving only the use of same for his widow during her life.
Mr. VanGaasbeck was for many years a deacon of the church and was deeply interested in all its work. Becoming totally blind in old age he was compelled to retire from active work and soon after entered the twentieth century only to enter eternal rest.
The church was dedicated October 28, 1891. The dedicatory sermon was preached by Rev. Dr. L. M. S. Haynes of Troy, N. Y., who also took charge of the matter of raising the additional sub- scriptions. The ministers of the other churches of the town were also present and made felicitous re- marks. Rev. Henry Lindsey of the Presbyterian Church said, "We are all Baptists today." Rev. A. C. Ellis of the Methodist Church said, "That while the audience room seemed elastic enough in design, the church itself would doubtless prove rigid in doctrine." Rev. E. B. Burroughs of the Congregational Church brought the information that the Warsaw stone of which the church is con- structed was "Good Congregational stone."
During the building operations the church se- cured the use of the Opera House for public wor- ship until the Sunday School room was completed, and the Congregational brethren very kindly open- ed their parlors for mid-week prayer meetings.
Some of the furnishings of the old building, the church was loth to part with. Especially the pul- pit desk made by Deacon Breed and the pulpit
70
chairs. These were kept for some time after the stone church was completed, but finally recognizing the need of the new Calvary Church they were pre- sented to it, together with the old organ, and are now used in that church. The pews of the old church were sold to the Busti Baptist Church.
Soon after the church was dedicated, the Munhall revival meetings were conducted in it, participated in by the four denominations: Methodist, Presby- terian, Congregational and Baptist. The whole city was stirred and it proved to be the most productive in results, both as to number of converts and the deepening of the spiritual life of Christian people, of any revival held in the city for many years, ex- cept perhaps the meetings conducted by Rev. D. L. Moody.
The net spiritual results of Dr. Waffle's pastorate were two hundred seventy-six additions to the church membership, one hundred fifty of whom were baptized by him.
Albert E. Waffle was born about 1846 and was educated at Colgate University and Theological Seminary. His first pastorate was at New Bruns- wick, N. J., where he served seven years. He was then elected to a professorship in Lewisburg Col- lege, Pa., where he taught five years after which he became pastor at Bay City, Mich., then at James- town, 1888-1895, at Albion, N. Y., for about seven years, then at Woodstock, Canada, where his pas- torate closed about 1908. He then retired from pastoral work and returned to Albion to reside but
71
continued in the ministry, supplying and serving as temporary pastor for churches as circumstances re- quired. In that work he has been busily engaged, preaching nearly every Sabbath for several years.
During his pastorate in Jamestown he was hon- ored by Colgate University with the degree of Doc- tor of Divinity.
His ability as a writer was shown in the book, "The Sabbath Day and Its Observance," of which he was the author and for which he received a cash prize.
Dr. Waffle married Miss Mary Harvey, daughter of Rev. Dr. Harvey, professor of Theology in Col- gate University. She was a modest woman of high culture, of a lovely Christian character, and active in church affairs. While in Jamestown she taught a young ladies' Bible class and labored faithfully in the Dorcas and Missionary Societies.
The retiring pastor recommended for his succes- sor his former pupil, Rev. Frank Goodchild of Philadelphia, Pa., and he was invited to Jamestown and preached one Sunday which resulted in a call to the pastorate. But unfortunately for the church he received another call at the same time from a New York City church which he chose to accept, and where he has labored for fifteen years. The committee then selected three names from the list of thirty or more that had been offered for the va- cancy, and heard all before submitting them to a vote of the church, with the result that a majority vote could not be secured for any of them. That
72
CLARENCE ADAMS Sixteenth Pastor
experience taught the church a lesson and ever since then it has heard and disposed of a single can- didate at a time. Soon it became known that Dr. Clarence Adams of Franklin, Pa., might be induced to make a change and he was accordingly secured for a Sunday service with the result that a call was extended and accepted, and on October 1, 1895, he became the sixteenth pastor, engaging to serve the church for one year only. His pastorate was, how- ever, so satisfactory that the church would have been glad to continue the relation. But Dr. Adams chose to abide by the original agreement and at the end of the year he returned to the church in Cam- den, N. J., which he had previously served, and where he continued for about fourteen years, after which he transferred his labors to West Phila- delphia. At this time he is pastor again at Frank- lin, Pa.
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.