USA > New York > Kings County > Brooklyn > History of the Wesley M.E. Church of Brooklyn, L.I. > Part 4
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The first quarterly conference was held on April 20, 1868, at the Tabernacle ; Rev. Heman Bangs, Presiding Elder, in the chair. Present, Rev. F. C. Hill, Bros. Titus, Currie, Jacobs, McCrossan, Beers, Bronson, Benson, Brower, Rogers, Smith, Lush, Moses, Munger and Aspinall. Bro. Moses was appointed Secretary. The usual questions being asked and answered, and no change in the Leaders and Stewards' Board being desired, the election of Bro. Moses as School Superintendent was approved, and the conference ad- journed with benediction, to meet again on July 20th.
The new election of Trustees which was ordered by the court was looked forward to with much interest ;
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HISTORY WESLEY M. E. CHURCH.
at length it came off, on Monday evening, May 18th, On motion Bros. Beasley and Brower were appointed Inspectors. The poll being opened, fifty-three persons voted, and, at its close, the result showed that Thos. P. Moses, Clark T. Bronson, and Geo. W. Lush were duly elected, and certificates to this effect, were given them by the Inspectors. At the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees, Clark T. Bronson was appointed Secre- tary, pro tem. The officers elected were Gilbert E. Currie, President ; Robert Benson, Treasurer, and T. P. Moses, Secretary. The next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees was held June the 8th. Present, Bros. Currie, Jacobs, McCrossan, Nostrand, Benson, Bronson, and Moses. The minutes of the former meeting were read and approved.
The following preamble and resolutions which were suggested and prepared by the President, on motion, were adopted, viz. :
"Whereas the Corporation known and entitled as 'The Trustees of Tompkins Avenue Methodist Epis- copal Church,' in the City of Brooklyn, N. Y ., pursuant to original purpose and design, when the proper period had arrived, that the church property, consisting of land, building, and all other appurtenances, should be duly set apart and religiously devoted for the use of regularly ordained Ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and believing that the time has now arrived when this purpose and design should be carried out, be it therefore
"Resolved, That the Trustees do hereby authorize and direct the President to take such measures as may be necessary for securing the insertion of the clause of the 'deed of settlement' prescribed in the Book of
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REV. F. C. HILL, PASTOR.
Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the Deed of Conveyance of said property, and as now held, owned, and belonging to the aforesaid Corporation ; be it further
" Resolved, That when the time arrives, that is, when the Building shall be ready for dedication to the service and worship of God, the Board of Trustees, or a ma- jority of the members, who may be present on that occasion, shall then and there publicly present in the presence of the members of the church and congrega- tion, the said Building, with parcel or parcels of land appertaining to the same, now and hereafter to be known as the 'Wesley M. E. Church' to the duly appointed and properly authorized officers of the New York East Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, for the use and service of its Ministers now and forever."
The reason for adopting these precautionary reso- lutions was, because there existed at the time a dis- position on the part of some of the disaffected party, to secure the building, as a free and independent place of worship, over which the Methodist Episcopal Church could exercise no authority nor control. The adoption of this measure tended to provoke increased hostility on the part of the disaffected party.
On motion it was resolved, "That the thanks of this Board be given to the Ladies' Union Aid Society for , its past services, and believing there was no further need of it, recommend that its meetings shall hereafter be discontinued, and the pastor be requested to desist from reading from the desk any notices relating to the same."
Bros. McCrossan and Jacobs protesting.
A Petition was presented by Bro. McCrossan pur-
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HISTORY WESLEY M. E. CHURCH.
porting to be signed by a number of members of the church remonstrating against the Rev. F. C. Hill occupying the pulpit of Tompkins Ave. M. E. Church. On motion the petition was laid upon the table. The motive which influenced the Trustees in desiring tie discontinuance of the Ladies' Union Aid Society was, in consequence of a well-founded impression, that the Society had been used to foment disunion and disaffec- tion among the official brethren, and, in fact, the organi- zation, as it was managed and conducted, had outlived its usefulness. The persons who were acting as Presi- dent, Vice-President, and Secretary, were in direct hostility to the pastor and those who sympathized with him.
About this time, some one or two of the disaffected party called upon Henry A. Rogers, the Contractor, and stated that it was hazardous for him to proceed further with the work on account of the trouble in the Board of Trustees and the difficulty there would be in raising funds to meet his demands for payment as they fell due. This interference had the effect intended, and for a time the work was actually sus- pended, and a workman's lien was served upon the President. In this dilemma, Robert Benson and Gil- bert E. Currie, waited upon Mr. Rogers, and explained to him the truc position of affairs ; as soon as he was informed, he agreed to proceed with the work, on their responsibility and security. The security desired was accordingly furnished ; the work was again commenced and prosecuted to completion.
At the following regular meeting of the Board, a resolution was adopted authorizing the Trustees to raise $3,500 by loan on bond and mortgage ; this was
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REV. F. C. HILL, PASTOR.
subsequently effected, by executing a bond and mort- gage in favor of Gertrude A. Brower, for said amount, at the usual rate of interest. A motion was sub- mitted regarding the propriety of fixing the rates for rent- ing the pews of the Church ; it was laid over for further consideration. Job Johnson tendered his resignation as Trustee. On motion it was accepted. A Committee was appointed to co-operate with the Pastor in making suitable arrangements for the Dedication of the New Building. Bros. Currie, Benson, and Nostrand were appointed such committee, after which the Board adjourned.
CHAPTER IV.
DEDICATION OF THE CHURCH.
In due course the services connected with the Dedi- cation were announced in the daily papers and from the pulpits of sister churches, in addition to which the following circular was prepared and addressed to the personal friends of the Pastor and Trustees, and to all who were supposed to be friendly to Church Extension Enterprise :
" WESLEY METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. DEDICATORY SERVICES.
TOMPKINS AVENUE, BROOKLYN, July 26, 1868. .
DEAR SIR :- You are cordially invited to attend the Dedication of the WESLEY M. E. CHURCH, corner of Tompkins and Willoughby Avenues, on Sunday, August 2d .; Bishop Janes will preach, and perform the Dedicatory Services, at half-past ten o'clock A. M., assisted by the venerable Rev. Heman Bangs, Presiding Elder of the District, and other eminent clergymen.
Rev. H. Mattison, D. D., of the Newark Conference, will preach at 7} o'clock in the evening.
Your presence on this occasion is most earnestly requested.
Fraternally yours,
FRANCIS C. HILL, Pastor.
GILBERT E. CURRIE, President of Board of Trustees."
THE DEDICATION OF WESLEY M. E. CHURCH.
According to announcement the Services came off at the time appointed; the weather being propitious a large
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THE DEDICATORY SERVICES.
attendance were present. The following are a few of the editorial notices which afterward appeared in the columns of the Brooklyn and New York papers.
From East Brooklyn Gazette, August, 1868.
The Dedication of Tompkins Avenue Wesley, M. E. Church by Bishop Janes, August 2d. The house at an early hour was filled with a fine and respectable audience. After the anthem, ' O Lord of hosts, hear my prayer,' the pastor, Rev. F. C. Hill, read a few sentences from the dedication service. The beautiful hymn, ' Great King of Glory Come,' was sung by the choir with a pathos and musical ardor, comporting with the charming words. The Bishop then offered a most feeling prayer, of praise and thanksgiving, that God had so kindly favored this people with so beautiful an edifice in which to worship the great and blessed God ; closing with the Lord's prayer. He then read lessons from 2d Chronicles, a portion of the sixth and seventh chapters. Second lesson was from the 10th of Hebrews. After singing, ' And will the Great Eternal God,' the Bishop gave out the text, Matthew v. 13. The sermon was an able and elaborate discourse, exhibiting deep thought, coupled with pure Christian experience, and showing most conclusively the power of grace, the power of God, by bis spirit in the life of the Christian, as compared with salt, having its saving influence in the community, when exhibited in its pure element which is Love. He did not lay all the charges of sin upon our office-holders, notwithstanding they swore upon the Bible, and then violated its doctrines, as all evangelical churches held that we were all sinners by nature, and more so by practice. . The Bible, he stated, had an influence in the family, even if not read. Its sacred pages had a power for their reverence. The banishing the Bible from our schools he spoke of as a great wrong. Our blessed Savior was a Propagandist ; one whose teachings were always pro- motive of good to all who seek him ; in ending, the bishop said there was safety only in Christ. The pastor, Rev. F. C. Hill, arose and said, let the trustees, come forward to present the church. When Gilbert E. Currie, Robert Benson, Thomas C. Nostrand, George L. Lush, Thomas P. Moses, Clark T. Bronson, and Hugh McCrossan, presented themselves before the altar, and the Presi- dent of the Board, Gilbert E. Currie, said, ' We present unto you
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HISTORY WESLEY M. E. CHURCH.
this building, to be dedicated, as a church, for the service and worship of Almighty God.' The Bishop then requested the con- gregation to stand, while he repeated the following declaration. Dearly beloved : It is meet and right, as we learn from the Scrip- tures, that houses erected for the public worship of God, should be especially set apart and dedicated to religious uses. For such a dedication, we are now assembled ; after which, the congregation kneeling, was requested to join the Bishop in the following prayer ' O most glorious Lord, we acknowledge that we are not worthy to offer unto thee anything belonging unto us ; yet we beseech thee, in thy great goodness, graciously to accept the dedication of this place to thy service, and to prosper this our undertaking ; receive the prayers and intercessions of all those servants who shall call upon thee in this house, and give them grace to prepare their hearts to serve thee with reverence and godly fear ; affect them with an awful apprehension of thy Divine Majesty, and a deep sense of their own unworthiness ; that with lowliness and devotion, and coming before thee with clean thoughts and pure hearts; with bodies unde- filed, and minds sanctified, they may always perform a service ac- ceptable to thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. º º
And grant, O Lord, we beseech thee, that here and else- where, thy ministers may be clothed with righteousness, and thy saints rejoice in thy salvation. And may we all, with thy people everywhere, grow up into a holy temple in the Lord, and be at last received into the glorious temple above ; the house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. And to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be glory and praise, world without end. Amen.' The services closed with the doxology and benediction. The cost of the church, and the five lots of ground were some $40,000, about $20,000 of which had been paid, and they now wanted to raise $5,000, something over $4,000 of which was raised by cash and subscription. The services having closed, the doxology was sung, and the benediction pronounced. At seven P. M., Rev. H. Mattison, D. D., from Jersey City, preached from Isaiah xii. 6. His remarks were impressive and urgent. The audience was very attentive, and by their liberal gifts, showed their appreciation of this House of God."
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THE DEDICATORY SERVICES
From the Brooklyn Union, August 3, 1868.
" DEDICATION OF THE WESLEY M. E. CHURCH.
" Yesterday the Wesley M. E. Church, on Willoughby and Tompkins Avenues, was dedicated by Bishop Janes, assisted by the pastor, the Rev. Francis C. Hill, in the absence of the Presiding Elder, the Rev. Heman Bangs. The congregation by which the edifice has been erected, was formerly a branch of the De Kalb Avenue M. E. Church, the first pastor of which was the Rev. Gad S. Gilbert. The present pastor is now in the third and last year of his service with the congregation, which, under his care, has in- creased and prospered, until now the membership numbers 115, the Sunday School 150 children, and the congregation large. The foundation of the new edifice was laid on the 25th of April last. The building itself is modern Gothic in style, with spire and semi- spire. The spire is 160 feet in height ; the building is 75 feet in length ; main width 55 feet, and extreme width 62 feet. The ground now occupied, and to be occupied by the addition of a par- sonage and chapel, is five city lots in extent, costing, with buildings complete, $50,000. The architects are Messrs. Mundell & Teckritz ; builder, Henry A. Rogers ; building committee, Messrs. Gilbert E. Currie and Robert Benson. The church was well filled during the dedicatory service, and the singing by the large choir in attendance was highly spoken of by those who were present."
From the New York Daily Tribune, August 3, 1868.
" The dedicatory services of the Wesley M. E. Church, situated on Tompkins Avenue, cor. Willoughby Avenue, were held yester- day morning, in the presence of a large congregation. The sermon was preached by Bishop Janes, from Matt., 5th chap., and 13th verse : 'Ye are the salt of the earth ; but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted.' In the absence of the venera- ble Elder Bangs, the Bishop was assisted by the Rev. H. Mattison, of New York, and the Rev. Francis C. Hill, the pastor. In ex- pounding the text, the Bishop said that the salt represented the Church of God, whose influence, efficacy, and power should be spread abroad, and prove a benefit and blessing to mankind. He expatiated at length on the good results of the labors of the con- gregation, and closed by invoking the benediction. The evening sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. Mattison. The choir was un-
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HISTORY WESLEY M. E. CHURCH.
der the direction of Prof. Vail, assisted by Mrs. Phillips as soprano This church is a branch of De Kalb Avenue Church. About March, 1865, five lots were purchased, and a temporary church was erected, in which the congregation worshipped with the Rev. Gad S. Gilbert as their pastor. The foundation of the present structure was laid, April 23, 1867. It is of the modern gothic style, 62 feet wide by 75 feet in depth, and has a spire 160 feet in height. The seats will accommodate about 800 persons. The cost of the building and grounds is about $42,000. The supervision of the work has been well managed by Messrs. Gilbert E. Currie and Robert Benson, the Building Committee. The architects are Mundell and Teckritz, and the builder, Mr. Henry A. Rogers, About $4,000 were yesterday raised by the congregation to defray the expenses of building."
From the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, August 3, 1868.
" DEDICATION OF A NEW METHODIST CHURCH-SERMON BY BISHOP JANES-THE CONSERVATIVE AND REFORMATORY INFLUENCES OF CHRISTIANITY.
" Yesterday morning the dedicatory services were held of a new Methodist Episcopal Church, on Tompkins and north-west corner of Willoughby Avenue, in the Twenty-first Ward. This neighbor- hood is rapidly increasing in population, and a number of the new residents being of the Methodist denomination, they formed a church, some three and a half years ago, of which the Rev. Gad S. Gilbert was appointed the pastor. Five lots of ground were secured on Tompkins Avenue, corner of Willoughby, and in a short time measures were taken for erecting, first, a temporary meeting room, in which the services have been held until the present time, and meanwhile a substantial and handsome church building was in progress, which is now completed and open for public worship. The total cost of the church and site was $40,000. One half of this sum had already been subscribed prior to the dedication. The new church is of wood, filled with brick to the roof, and has a lofty spire. It is built in the Gothic style, but with no un- necessary adornment. There are five lofty stained glass windows on each side, running well up to the roof, and giving light to the galleries as well as to the ground floor. The church will seat nearly 1,000 persons. The builder was Mr. Henry A. Rogers, and the architects, Messrs. Mundell & Teckritz, of this city. The
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THE DEDICATORY SERVICES.
Trustees and principal promoters of the church are : Gilbert E. Currie, Robert Benson, John M. Jacobs, Hugh McCrossan, Job Johnson, Thomas C. Nostrand, Thomas P. Moses, Clarke S. Bronson and George W. Lush.
" The congregation is already numerous, the body of the church and the front gallery being well filled yesterday. The Christian symbol of the Cross hung pendant in front of the preacher's desk, and was displayed in the stained glass work in the upper section of each of the windows. The furnishing of the church, and all the arrangements, have been carried out with nicety and taste, though without gaudy display. The usual dedicatory services of the M. E. Church was performed on the occasion, and an effort was made to raise, during the day, $5,000 toward the building fund. At the morning services, a large proportion of this amount was subscribed, in sums of $100 each."
In addition to the above, the reporter of the Eagle furnished a very elaborate report of Bishop Janes' sermon, from the text selected from St. Matthew's Gospel, v., 13 : " Ye are the salt of the earth ; ye are the light of the world," etc. The preacher commenced, by affirming the doctrine of "man's total inherent de- pravity, and the necessity of salvation from sin and change of nature. This regeneration could only be effected by the influences of Christianity. These in- fluences were two-fold ; conservatory and reformatory. Like salt, Christianity was to preserve the world from corruption ; like light, it was to vivify and illume the life of man." These two propositions the speaker de- monstrated with fervency, eloquence, and power.
It had been earnestly hoped, that on the completion and dedication of the Church, when the top-stone was put on with shouting, that this solemn and interesting occasion would prove to have been the means of re- storing a more Christian state of feeling among the disaffected brethren, and such as would tend to
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HISTORY WESLEY M. E. CHURCH.
diffuse peace and harmony all around. But these anticipations were doomed to be disappointed. Sev- eral of the official brethren refused, even to enter the sacred edifice on that day, or listen to the venerable Bishop who preached, and performed the dedicatory service. Surely, if ever there existed a season, more appropriate than another, for the exercise of Christian charity, one with another, that was the time and oc- casion for the practical illustration and hearty com- pliance with the injunction of the Apostle, where he says : "Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another ; love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous : not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing : but contrariwise blessing ; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing ;" or an earn- est application for that divine assistance which would enable them devoutly to breathe the prayer :
" Help us, to help each other, Lord ; Each other's cross to bear ; Let each his friendly aid afford, 1 And feel his brother's care. Oh, do not suffer us to part, The souls that here agree, But make us of one mind and heart, And keep us one in thee."
It was while contemplating such fraternal fellowship and union that caused the Royal Psalmist to exclaim : " Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity ! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard ; that went down to the skirts of his garments ; as the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion, for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life forevermore."
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THE DEDICATORY SERVICES.
The die had, however, been cast ; all hope of union and harmony was gone ; the resolution of separation had already been determined upon, and plans for its speedy accomplishment were all matured ; as we find in a number of the East Brooklyn Gazette, issued a few weeks after the dedication had taken place, the following announcement :
"-We learn that arrangements have been made for the forma- tion of a new church, to be called the Tompkins Square M. E. Church. The congregation have located themselves temporarily on the corner of Tompkins and Lafayette Avenues, where they have hired the floor of the house above the grocery store, which they have fitted up at an expense of several hundred dollars. This room was opened for worship for the first time on Sunday the 6th instant. There was preaching morning and evening, and in the afternoon a love feast was held. There was a good attendance during the day, and in the evening the room was crowded. The permanent location will be in the neighborhood of the junction of Tompkins and Green Avenues, where there will be erected immediately a building to cost from $3,000 to $5,000. It is hoped the new building will be occu- pied in two months. A pastor will soon be appointed by the presiding elder of the district."
The Gazette of the same date, contains the following complimentary notice in reference to the Wesley M. E. Church, and to the Juvenile Missionary Society con- nected with the Sabbath School :
"-Sunday, September 6th, will long be remembered by those who were present at the Wesley M. E. Church of Tompkins Ave- nue. In the morning the pastor, Rev. F. C. Hill, preached an excel- lent sermon, after which the sacrament of the Lord's Supper was administered, and seven members were received by Certificate. The morning services were concluded by baptisms. In the evening, was held the Monthly Anniversary of the Juvenile Missionary Society of the Wesley M. E. Church, of which G. E. Currie is President, and N. T. Beers, Jr., Secretary. The entire school was present, and pretty well filled the body of the church. The exercises commenced, by the
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HISTORY WESLEY M. E. CHURCH.
school singing a very appropriate hymn, and as the sweet melody filled the church, we could not but feel how great and glorious was the Missionary cause in which these dear children were so earnestly and soulfully employed. The melody ended, the pastor followed in a feeling prayer : and after more music by the School, Rev. F. C. Hill introduced Edwin Driggs, Esq., who discoursed eloquently on ' his trip to the Rocky Mountains.' Mr. Driggs was followed by Mr. H. Clarke, who spoke briefly but most entertainingly to the school, and interspersed his remarks by two or three well selected stories which greatly amused the little ones. The friends occupy- ing the pulpit and altar, were gentlemen well known in the good and glorious cause. Mr. Wm. Edsall, Mr. Wm. H. Wilson, and Rev. G. Barber. The monthly collections by the children during the past month, amounted to $48. A proposition made by the President of the Society to make the sum $100 was eagerly and warmly re- sponded to by those present. The congregation was large and very attentive, and the children were to be commended for their orderly and attentive manners. Their singing was as usual 'sweet and melodious,' and all returned home happy and pleased after the benediction was pronounced by Rev. G. Barber. Before the services were concluded, quite a number of boys and girls were the recipients of some very pretty books and medals for diligence in collecting missionary money and bringing in new scholars."
It would be wrong to deny the fact that the separa- tion of the friends who had left only a few years before De Kalb Avenue, in a body, should be so soon parted from each other, and that, too, upon grounds so much resembling those which induced them to make their former exodus, was a great misfortune, and one calcu- lated to do injury to all concerned. Not only were many of the promised subscriptions toward the new Church enterprise remaining unpaid, but the unhappy state of mind and bitter feeling, manifested in the con- duct of a few of the most prominent leaders, tended to destroy for a time the peace and harmony of both par- ties, and to cause outsiders to stand and wonder with
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