USA > New York > Tompkins County > Ithaca > History of the First Presbyterian church of Ithaca, New York, during one hundred years : the anniversary exercises, January twenty-first to twenty-fourth, 1904 > Part 11
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3. Address by the President, Joseph Speed, M.D.
4. Annual Report, read by the Secretary, Mr. J. Perkins.
The following resolutions were adopted :
" Resolved, That the increasing prosperity of the cause of Sabbath Schools throughout the world, and the great interest manifested at present in this county for their promotion, calls for our warmest gratitude to Almighty God.
" Resolved, That we contemplate with peculiar interest the number of conversions reported from our Sabbath School the past year, and that this fact alone is sufficient to demonstrate the great advantages of this institution.
" Resolved, That the retrospect of the past, the review of the present, and the anticipations of the future successes of Sabbath Schools, are such as to afford the greatest encouragements to all engaged in their behalf, and the patriot, not less than the Christian, must view them with the deepest interest."
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hour of opening the School. They shall not leave their classes during the hours of School without giving notice to the superintendent." " No scholar will be permitted to bring any kind of fruit or nuts to eat in time of School."
Notwithstanding these stringent provisions in respect to the teachers, and others that the teachers themselves adopted in 1833, it was often difficult to secure " the attendance of an adequate number of regular and competent teachers."*
The methods of teaching differed from the modern way, in that every scholar was always expected to commit to memory a passage of scripture ; while Barnes' "Questions and Notes" were, for a considerable time at least, supplied to every teacher. Under the systemn adopted in the first year, the number of verses to be committed was restricted to twelve, and the public examination to which we have referred shows how thoroughly the work was done. But in 1848, it is stated that Julia Walker, a member of the School, had committed in one year, five thousand fourteen verses, an average of nearly one hundred each week.t
It was the great business of the Sabbath School in those days to convert its members. The names of those converted, or uniting with the Church, were carefully reported in the secretary's record.# Under date of February 24, 1833, we find this entry : "On account of the peculiar state of religious feeling in the School this morning, the lesson was omitted, and the teachers directed to inquire carefully into the state of feeling of every scholar of suf- ficient age to understand the subject of religion."
On the following Sunday, the secretary writes "about this time, two teachers and eleven scholars," mentioning them by name, " were hopefully converted from sin unto righteousness."
Mr. Harley S. Lord was superintendent at that time, serving for nine years, three times as long as any other superintendent of the period prior to Mr. McChain. One who remembers him well, says "Every little while, a
* This fact is alluded to in the report of 1842 as the cause of diminished attendance and lessened interest. The report of 1844, after an expression of appreciation for the good attend- ance of several teachers, adds : " The irregular attendance of other teachers, and the difficulty of procuring at all an adequate number of teachers for the scholars in attendance, has been a source of great perplexity, and is now exerting a disastrous influence upon the prosperity of the School." In a later report attention is called to the " want of male teachers."
t In 1855, Superintendent Zenas Parker reports that from eight to fourteen verses each Sab- bath have been pretty generally committed to memory. The practice of committing the lesson to memory was probably continued for about ten years after that.
# The record of Sunday, December 15th, 1833, states that two scholars, whose names were given, "who had been reported by their teachers as converted about this time, subsequently gave up the hope that they were converted."
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day would be set apart, when the lessons would be given up so that the teachers might spend the whole time in talking with their scholars on the subject of religion. These were very solemn Sundays. Occasionally the scholars were asked to stay after Sabbath School for a little prayer meeting, and classes were asked to pray by themselves. There was a good deal of praying in those days compared with now. My teacher often made me feel, that it wasn't safe to go out of the door without being reconciled to Christ."* It was the custom of Mr. Lord, as well as of Dr. Wisner, never to lose an opportunity to speak to children individually on the subject of personal religion. Even the children of those days, did not altogether enjoy it ; and many times they managed to keep out of the way of those good men, whom in very truth they loved and respected so much.
On March 1, 1835, the names of fifty-two scholars and four teachers are given, as persons who "about this time professed to embrace the Lord Jesus Christ." The list includes many names prominent in the history of the Church, one or more of whom still survive. The total number of conver- sions in 1835, as reported at the annual meeting, were sixty; in 1848 there were nineteen; in 1833, seventeen; in 1839, sixteen; in 1831, fifteen; in 1826, and in 1854, eight. In no other year, were there more than four ; and the records for many of the years contain the significant words "No con- versions."
The constitution adopted at the meeting for organization in 1826, con- tinued in force substantially unchanged for this entire period of thirty years. It provided that the concerns of the society should be managed by a board of five, consisting of the president, secretary, treasurer, one male and one female superintendent, all of whom were to be elected by the members at each annual meeting.t Here we have the basis of our present Sunday School council. There was also a visiting committee consisting of three male and three female members, "whose duty it shall be to visit such places in the village and its vicinity as will be likely to contain scholars ; to search them out, and invite them to attend School ; and one of whom shall also visit the School each Sabbath morning to encourage the teachers ; search out such
* Under date of December 24th, 1837, the secretary notes "Rev. William Wisner addressed the School, warning them that before the leaves put forth in the spring some of the scholars will die."
In 1846, the superintendent made some remarks "protesting strongly against visiting the circus which was in the place yesterday. He hoped that none of the children visited that place."
t An amendment to the constitution was adopted in 1847, under which scholars over eleven years of age were permitted to vote at the election of superintendents.
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scholars as are absent ; procure the names of such themselves; look them up during the week ; and also advise and assist the superintendents in any way they can." The president chosen was always the Pastor of the Presbyterian Church. The visiting committee was evidently an im- portant adjunct, and often included in its membership names which are prominent in the annals of the Church and of the city.
The library was, from the beginning, an important aid in the work of the School. A large portion of the receipts in the earlier years was expended for books. At the time of the third annual report, in 1829, the library already numbered two hundred eighty volumes, besides testaments and other books that were used in the teaching. In 1831, there were three hundred forty three volumes. It was frequently replenished with new books, and sometimes, as in 1839, the older books were given to neighboring Schools .*
The Penny Gazette, Youths' Temperance Advocate, Penny Preacher and American Messenger are among the papers that, at various times during this period, were furnished by the School and distributed to the scholars.
The incidental expenses, including the cost of the library, were at first paid principally from the annual membership dues of fifty cents, as fixed by the constitution. The total receipts of the first year were $38.39, of which the sum of $6.75 was disbursed for shoes. In 1828, and thereafter, a consider- able income was derived from collections taken at the monthly concerts, which were monthly meetings of prayer maintained for many years, in aid of the Sunday School. No collections from the scholars appear to have been taken, and no moneys appropriated for outside benevolences until 1835, when the School became interested in the Pawnee Indian Mission, with which Mr. and Mrs. Allis two of its former teachers were connected, and to which during the twelve years ending in 1846, a total of $249.67 was con- tributed.t
That there was a Dorcas Society in the early years, is shown by the treas- urer's report of 1829, in which we find the item : "Cash advanced to Dorcas society for shoes, $2.63."
At the annual meeting in 1851, Mr. John Rumsey, the secretary, reported that in the preceding month of April, an infant department for children had been established. It met in the church, and was under the charge of Mrs. C.
* In 1837, Mr. Ansel St. John made a donation to the School of seventy-four bound volumes and thirty-seven small unbound volumes, for which the School passed a resolution of thanks.
t For a statement of the amount of collections for benevolences each year, see statistical table of contributions of the Church, at end of volume.
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B. Wood and Miss Mary Williams. In 1853, Secretary Abram Carpenter, writing of this department, says " The constant attendance, close attention and good behavior of the scholars, testify to the good management of those having the charge of them." In 1854 the secretary laments the " want of a suitable place of meeting" as the one drawback to the prosperity of this department."*
In June, 1840, Rev. Mr. Hunt, a temperance lecturer, excited an unusual interest in temperance, through public addresses to the children of the vil- lage ; and in consequence, a brigade of the Cold Water Army was formed, in which the names of thirteen hundred and two children were enrolled. t The children of our own School were deeply interested and well represented. Mr. George D. Beers, who was himself a strong advocate of temperance, pre- sented to the School with appropriate remarks, the banner until recently in our possession, bearing the motto of the Army :
" We do not think We'll ever drink, Whiskey or gin, Brandy or rum, Or anything That'll make drunk come."
The celebration on the 4th day of July following reminds us of the observ- ance of the annual holiday in 1826. The Sabbath Schools of the village and vicinity " assembled in the morning in their respective places of worship, and from thence proceeded in procession " to the Presbyterian church, where an oration was delivered by the Rev. William C. Wisner. "From thence the Cold Water Army marched in regular column with their appropriate ban- ners unfurled, under the officers of the day, to a shaded eminence," where they partook of refreshments prepared by the ladies of the village. One who remembers the occasion, says "The Park seemed to be full of marching children."
Under date of August 2nd, 1846, we find the first notice of a Sunday School picnic. At that time a picnic was " held in the grove on the east
* The infant department met at that time in front of the pulpit. The boys sat on one side, the girls on the other. The workers were always more or less disturbed by people coming early to the church, to attend the service which followed the Sabbath School session. After a time the department was moved to the basement of the old session house, where it probably remained until the chapel was completed in 1864.
t Between the leaves of one of the old record books this relic in the form of a note, evidently received by officers of the society was found :
"Gentlemen, Sirs : This is to certify that I am willing you should take or admit aney or all of my children as members of your temporence society. John W. Osburn."
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side of the burying ground." The School went in procession from the session house. Nearly two hundred scholars, teachers and visitors attended. "Remarks were made by D. D. Spencer and M. C. Riggs." A picnic was held at the same place in the following year .*
That there was a feeling of common interest between the various Schools of the village, is shown by the union services so often held. I have men- tioned the fourth days of July in 1826 and in 1840, and the anniversary in 1827, when they all met together in the church. As early as 1836 there was a Sunday School convention at the Dutch church, to which our School marched in a body. Twenty-one years later a village Sunday School Associ- ation was formed, comprising two Methodist Schools, the Dutch Reformed, the Baptist and the Presbyterian Schools. The village was districted, as we have done occasionally in later times, and a part apportioned to eacli Church for visitation. The association held meetings on the first Monday in each month. In the same year the five Ithaca Schools, composing the Association, held a picnic together on the three cornered lot on Cayuga street, north of Cascadilla. This was in 1857, and properly comes within the second period of this history ; but is mentioned here, in order to connect it with the union exercises of the earlier years.
More or less outside work was carried on. About the year 1829, Mr. T. S. Williams started a Sabbath School at Fall Creek. For several years prior to 1850 the Bethel Sabbath School at the Inlet was carried on by teachers from the various Schools, just as in more recent times Mrs. Beebe has been aided by volunteer workers from all the Schools. Among those from our own School who taught at the Bethel, were Miss Harriet Williams and Mr. William R. Humphrey. An afternoon School for colored children was car- ried on for a time in the early '40's.
On the 19th of August, 1827, General Simeon DeWitt was present as a visitor. In December, 1835, and again in February, 1836, the school was addressed by Dr. Marcus Whitman and Mrs. Whitman; and in 1850 by Mr. William E. Dodge of New York.
And now for the personnel of the early workers. The first superintendent was Horace Hunt. Neither he, nor the three who next succeeded him,
* The custom of holding annual picnics does not appear to have been fully established until a much later date, for in October, 1853, the question of holding a " picnic festival " for that year was up for discussion and referred to a representative committee of six, which committee sub- sequently decided "that the expense in time, labor and money which would be necessary to carry out the plan proposed would be greater than the interests of the School demanded. In the place of the picnic an appropriation of $20 was made and applied to replenish our library with books."
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Jenkins, Bishop* and Carpenter, have so far as we know, any descendant now in connection with the Church or School. Then comes H. S. Walbridge, in 1830; followed by George P. Frost, Harley S. Lord, David D. Spencer, Joseph Esty, Marcus C. Riggs, Stephen Brewer, George Bartholomew and Zenas Parker; so bringing the record down to the election of George Mc- Chain in 1855. (See Appendix "A.") Mr. Ansel St. John was elected superintendent in 1834, but declined to serve.
Of all this number, Mr. Zenas Parker alone survives. He became super- intendent in 1852, and continued to hold the office until his departure for Corning in 1855.
The first " female superintendent " was Mrs. Rebecca Huntington Perkins, who continued to serve for more than five years, followed by Mrs. Jerusha Parker, the sister of Harley Lord, who with the exception of one year seems to have acted in that capacity for ten successive years. Next to these Mrs. Harriet Eddy served longest. The other names in the list are Mrs. Sarah Miller (1832), Miss Cantine (1841), Mrs. Joseph Robbins (1850), Mrs. E. S. Esty (1851), and Mrs. Zenas Parker (1853). Miss Prudence Hungerford was elected in 1854, and thereupon commenced a term of service which was to continue for twelve years.
The first secretary was Ben. S. Halsey, well remembered by many, who continued to hold the office until he was succeeded by W. P. Luce in 1830. Then came F. M. Camp, in 1841 ; followed by B. W. Arnold, M. C. Riggs and J. S. Tourtellot. In 1851, John Rumsey was secretary ; followed in 1853 by Abraham Carpenter, who continued until 1858.
In the list of treasurers and collectors, are the names of Ansel St. John, T. S. Williams, George W. Schuyler, Dr. Ingersoll and George McChain.
* Mr. Daniel L. Bishop, the third superintendent of the School, and who had been a member of the visiting committee from the beginning, lived at the southwest corner of the intersection of Geneva and Seneca streets and conducted a private bank for savings in an office on Geneva street, adjoining his residence. His daughter, Mary, married Mr. James Thompson, principal of the Ithaca Academy and brother-in-law of Judge Walbridge. Their daughter, Elizabeth, is the wife of Mr. John H. Converse of Philadelphia.
Mr. Bishop and Mr. Carpenter, his successor as superintendent of the Ithaca Sabbath School, became two of the first Elders of the Dutch Reformed Church of Ithaca in 1830.
The Half Century Book, published by the Congregational Church of Ithaca in 1879, contains the following : "Among the founders of the Church no one is remembered with more affection than Elder Bishop. Quiet and gentlemanly in manner, he won the respect and attachment of all who became acquainted with him. He wore the Christian graces with such a charm that others, who had little respect for religion, admired his consistent life. He was born in Lisbon, Conn. He came with his family to Ithaca at an early day in the history of our village and en- gaged in merchandise. After a few years he closed up his mercantile business and became connected with the old Cayuga and Susquehanna Railroad. He was an officer of the first Sav- ings Bank of Ithaca, which after his death went into liquidation."
LEADERS OF THE MUSIC
Mr. John Dix Mrs. Granger Hon. E. S. Esty Mr. E. C. Tichenor Miss Halsey Mr. H. F. Dann
Ira Tillotson (Meeting House)
THE ARCHITECTS James Renwick (Second Edifice)
J. Cleveland Cady (Present Edifiice)
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SOME LONG TIME TEACHERS IN THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
I-Miss Jane L, Hardy 2-Mrs. Mary Walbridge Page 3-Mrs. Elias Treman (died 1901) 4-Mrs. Caroline B. Wood 5-Miss Harriet N. Williams 6-Miss Mary E. Williams (died 1900) 7-Mrs. Laura W. Phillips
8-Mrs. Sarah Esty Wilgus 9-Mrs. Amelia Esty Stowell 10-Mrs. Louise Beers (Sumner) Finch 11-Mrs. Ellen Boardman Williams 12-Mrs. Win. F. Major 13-Mrs. G. W. Hoysradt (died 19co)
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Mr. Joseph Esty was a member of the first visiting committee, in which capacity he continued to act until 1846, when he was elected superintendent of the School. We find him later on serving on committees, taking the place of the absent superintendent and in other ways aiding in the work of the School. While he was still active, his daughter Mrs. Wilgus became a teacher in the School, in which capacity she still serves, a source of bless- ing and encouragement not only to the members of her class, but to all her co-workers as well.
Mrs. C. B. Wood, Mrs. Mary Hardy Williams, Mrs. Samuel Stoddard, Miss Harriet Williams, Mr. Uri Clark, Miss Elizabeth Breakey and Miss Jane L. Hardy, though not now actively connected, are still honorary members of the School in which they bore an active part in the work of earlier years.
In the list of teachers and officers, besides those already mentioned, appear almost from the beginning the names of Sherrill, Gere, Leonard, Frost, Hayt and Woodcock.
In 1827, Ben Johnson, long active in the School, was teaching a class in which were William R. Humphrey, Augustus Whiton, James Quigg and War- ren Ackley. Later on the names of James Schuyler, Charles E. Hardy, George Whiton, George D. Beers and D. C. Hazen, appear in the list of officers and committees. On the roll of scholars for 1826 and 1827, we find the familiar names of Beers, Dana, Hawkins, Phillips, Linn, At- water, Hillick, Higgins, and Torrey.
So far as I have been able to determine the earliest scholar, now surviving, is Peter VanHouter, who entered the Sunday School May 13, 1827, and who still lives in Ithaca. The brothers Samuel Parker and Henry W. Parker, who entered together on June Ioth, 1827, passed away in 1898 and 1903 respectively.
Through these names, and perhaps some others which I have failed to recall, we are still able to connect the past with the present.
PART TWO
THE "SABBATH SCHOOL," UNDER SUPERINTENDENT MCCHAIN.
1855-1876.
Mr. McChain was elected superintendent in December, 1855, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. Zenas Parker. In the early part of the year 1856, Mr. McChain was in Europe. Mr. Joseph Esty acted as
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superintendent in his absence, from February 10th to June 15th. Mr. Mc- Chain continued to hold the office until his resignation in June, 1876. His administration is notable because of the long period of years it covers, and because of the affection in which he was held by teachers and scholars. No one can read the annual reports which he submitted, and which are tran- scribed at length in the secretary's permanent record, without being im- pressed by the interest which he constantly manifests in the meinbers of the school as individuals, and also by his desire for their spiritual advancement. Matters of detail and general administration were to him of less importance ; but there was nothing that concerned any child or teacher of the School that did not receive his sympathetic interest. It was his custom in each annual report to give some account of the members of the School who had died dur- ing the year, and particularly as to the attitude and expressions of the departed in reference to the subject of religion. When these were helpful or suggestive, he found ways of deepening the impression upon the minds of all of the scholars. For instance, a hymn found precious in the dying hours of some beloved inember was made prominent in the exercises of the School. A short time before the death of Jennie Dunning, she impressively repeated the twenty-third Psalm. For twenty years, I am told, dating from this occasion, the twenty-third Psalm was chanted as a part of the closing exercises of the School.
Superintendent McChain took note of, and gave expression in his reports, to the great influences from without that were having their effect upon the Sunday School. In 1862 he says
" Amid the sound of war, and almost within hearing of the roar of battle, we are brought to another anniversary. In all of the thirty-six years of our existence as a Sabbath School, never has our country experienced such momentous times as the present."
He adds a few words in memory of Leonard Atwater, a former member of the School, who " prompt to answer the President's first call for volunteers, with thousands of others fills a soldier's grave under the soil of Virginia." In the same report he writes of Lieutenant A. E. Mather and Captain James Lewis, teachers in the School, and of John Barnard and Eugene M. Horton, members of the Bible class, who had gone forth in their country's service. In the report of 1863 the death of Horton, a victim to fever, while among his companions in arms, is noted. In 1864 the visit to the School of the former teachers Mather and Lewis,* both now bearing the rank and title of "Colonel ", is proudly mentioned. In the report of 1864 he says :
" We have suffered as during the previous two years from the effects of the dreadful war which is devastating a portion of our beloved land, and sending sorrow and mourning through
* See No. 18, page 64.
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its length and breadth. Quite recently the male portion of our School has been almost disor- ganized, by the draft made upon us of teachers and scholars who have gone with our company of the New York State guard ordered to Elmira, for the purpose of guarding the 12,000 rebel prisoners there confined."
The same report mentions "the loss of four of our most promising and efficient young men, who have left us for the purpose of pursuing a college course at New Haven."
The foundation of Cornell University is alluded to in the record of 1868, and again in 1869. In the report of the latter year, the superintendent says :
"The foundation here of a great institution of learning has brought in among us a large number of young men seeking for instruction from God's Holy Word. It becomes us to accept the responsibility which the providence of God has thus placed upon us, seeking with our most strenuous efforts the spiritual edification and sanctification of these sojourners in our midst. The future management of our School should be directed with strong expectation to this department of our work."
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