USA > New York > Kings County > Brooklyn > History of the Wesley M.E. Church of Brooklyn, L.I. > Part 7
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Church, South Brooklyn, who was not altogether un- known to the brethren, having exchanged pulpits with Mr. Barnhart, and preached morning and evening at Tompkins Avenue M. E. Church during last summer.
Bro. Currie, on rising to move the adoption of the report, said that from the information he had received respecting Mr. Ford as a preacher and pastor, he be- lieved him to be a desirable minister to be invited to the charge. He grounded his approval and adoption of the report further, on account of what took place in the beginning of the year 1864, while he was a mem- ber of the Official Board of De Kalb Avenue M. E. Church. The Rev. C. B. Ford received the unanimous call of the Board then to become their pastor ; but from a combination of circumstances, over which Mr. Ford had no control, the Bishop and his Cabinet, sent him to another field of labor ; and the Rev. Gad Smith Gilbert was appointed in his stead, much against the desire and wishes of the majority of the brethren. If Mr. Ford, the speaker remarked, was a desirable pas- tor to call to De Kalb Avenue then, he considered that he was no less an acceptable one now to invite for Tompkins Avenue M. E. Church, and, therefore, moved the adoption of the report. The motion was seconded, and after a little further discussion, and some favor- able remarks by the Chairman, it was unanimously resolved, that the Rev. C. B. Ford be invited to become the pastor of Wesley M. E. Church, and that the Presiding Elder be requested to use his influ- ence, at the Conference, to secure his appointment ; and that the Committee be instructed to wait upon Mr. Ford and inform him respecting the action of this meet- ing, and extend to him an invitation, to become their
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preacher for the ensuing year. In pursuance of the foregoing resolution, the Committee waited upon Mr. Ford at the earliest convenience, and communicated to him the object of their visit, at the same time ex- tending to him the invitation of the official Board' to become the pastor of Wesley M. E. Church ; which was then and there accepted, subject to the action of the appointing power.
THE COMPLETION OF THE SCHOOL HOUSE OR CHAPEL .- The erection of the building was pushed forward with unremitting diligence and dispatch, so that by the first of March, although not quite finished or furnished, it was in a state of forwardness that it could be used without any inconvenience for holding the young ladies' fair and festival. The chapel was erected on the vacant lot on the rear of the church on Willoughby Avenue, measuring 33 feet wide by 60 feet deep, and built to harmonize in style with the church, modern gothic, pitched roof, arched windows and doors, and stained glass in the windows, and fan-light over the main en- trance. It is a substantially constructed frame and brick building, two stories high, the materials are the best and strongest that could be selected for the purpose. On entering the main entrance, and facing the door, is the lecture-room, where the Wednesday evening prayer meetings are held, and the Infant Class holds its ses- sions ; on the right hand side of the hall is a comforta- ble sized class-room, adjoining which there is a recess fitted up with wash-stand and water-closet, and a door- way that communicates with the church ; on the left hand side of the hall there is another good sized class- room. The rooms on this floor are carpeted throughout, and furnished with tables, cane-bottomed, black-walnut
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chairs, and movable settees. On the left of the hall, and near the door, are stairs leading up to the school-room proper, which is truly an elegant apartment thirty-two feet broad and sixty feet deep, running the entire length of the building, with high ceiling, lighted with large windows front and rear, and capable of seating from two hundred and fifty to three hundred persons. The reading desk and altar are situated at the front near the library and the harmonium. The gaseliers in this and the lecture-room on the first floor, are of the latest and most elegant pattern, and were furnished from the manufactory of Messrs. Fellows & Co., Williamsburg. The basement or cellar floor extends the whole length of the building, a portion of which is divided off, and is supplied with range, gas, and water, suitable on festival occasions to be used as a kitchen. This part of the arrangement, was devised and fitted up by Father Titus himself, by way of compliment to the ladies. The painting on the upper floor and hallway is artistically finished in imitation of oak and maple root panels, with black-walnut trimmings. The entire cost of the chapel, building, painting, and furnishing, amounted to a little over nine thousand dollars.
THE YOUNG LADIES' FAIR AND FESTIVAL .- While the officiary of the church, during the past three or four months, were interesting themselves and directing their energies to the erection of the new building, the members of the Ladies' Auxiliary Society were holding their weekly meetings and making exertions in collect- ing funds for the same object, the young people of the congregation were not idle, but busily engaged in so- liciting subscriptions and donations of money and goods from their friends, and those with whom they
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were in the habit of dealing, for the purpose of provid- ing a stock of articles likely to command a sale, from their fancy, ornamental, substantial, or useful charac- ter. Nor was the business of soliciting money and goods the only thing that engrossed their attention; they were also industriously employed mentally and physically, and taxed to their utmost capacity ; in planning, shaping, cutting, trimming, frilling, hem- ming, stitching, sewing, with willing hands and nim- ble fingers, in preparing, making up, and turning out a quantity of articles suitable to meet the wants and wishes of their numerous patrons. And from the multifarious and diversified collection, afterwards dis- played in quality, color, kind, shape, and pattern, their efforts proved remarkably successful.
Ladies' fairs, like other matter-of-fact business ad- ventures, it is not enough to have on hand, a large and well selected stock of goods to offer to the public, something more is wanted. It is necessary, in order to attract requisite attention, that the goods should be assorted, classified, arranged, spread out, and dis- played to the best possible advantage. To do this properly, not only requires a suitable place with ample accommodation, but tables, stalls, and booths must be erected, and so constructed, as to stand the pressure, and bear the weight during the continuance of the fair. The hall must be decorated and embellished with flags, ensigns, festoons, mottoes, pictures, trans- parencies, and evergreens. Besides all these, the re- freshment department must be arranged and put into order. Here is hard work and plenty of it to be done, and who's to do it? The ladies-ever fruitful in ex- pedients, have no fear of failing now ; they make their
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wants and wishes known, and forthwith Messrs. Luckey, Maxon, Booth, Cornell, gallantly respond, and come to their rescue ; and in the shortest space of time, the work is accomplished. Everything is ready, the agony of preparation is over, and the time and place are fixed. - Here is the announcement, and card of invitation :
" FAIR AND FESTIVAL OF THE
YOUNG PEOPLE OF WESLEY M. E. CHURCH, TOMPKINS AVE., COR., WILLOUGHBY, IN THE CHAPEL ADJOINING THE CHURCH, MARCH 25, 26, 27, AND 28, 1872, AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
SEASON TICKETS, 35 CENTS."
The school-room is the place selected for the fair, and the lecture-room is appropriated for refreshments, and both apartments are fitted up, arranged, and orna- mented for the occasion ; nothing has been left undone or neglected that could be done, in order to render the enterprise a success.
The opening night, Monday, March 25th, at length arrives ; the ladies are in their places, behind their various stalls and tables, looking with wistful eyes and smiling faces, ready to greet their friends and visitors and favor them with "jewel of bargains " at "extra- ordinarily low prices." The room is filled to over- flowing, just then a shout is heard from every quarter, " A Speech from Bro. Barnhart ! A Speech from Bro. Barnhart !" The pastor, crimson with blushes, mounts the rostrum, pushes his fingers rapidly through his auburn locks, complaisantly smiles, and shakes his head, proceeds to deliver a brief address appropriate
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HISTORY WESLEY M. E. CHURCH.
for the occasion, and concludes by declaring "the young people's fair and festival" open, and urging the audience to make speedy and liberal purchases of the fair and youthful traders, who were waiting impatiently to serve them.
It would be impossible, in the absence of any printed catalogue, to enumerate the articles that were prepared and sold by the ladies during the four days which the fair continued. Suffice it to say, there was no lack in quantity or quality, useful or ornamental, for young or old, male or female, rich or poor, the supply was equal to the demand, and a surplus was left over. The young ladies did their work well ; and the thanks of the officiary were presented to Misses Nostrand, Misses Lush, Misses Stanton, Misses Johnson, Misses Price, Misses Hegeman, Misses Moses, Misses Eden, Misses McCormick, Miss Elizabeth Aspinall, Miss Barnhart, Miss R. Thorpe, Miss Carrie Granger, Miss Susie Wil- licott, Miss Josie Hotaling, Miss Harriet Evens, Miss Ella Moore, Miss Tippins, Miss Chasty, Miss Mann, Miss S. R. Campsey, Miss Jennie Quackenbush, Miss Anne Cathcart, and others. The proceeds of the fair and festival netted something over four hundred dollars.
The chapel or school-house was formally opened with preaching by the pastor, on Sunday morning at half- past ten o'clock, A. M., April 7, 1872. There were no special dedicatory services held on the occasion. The weather was wet and stormy all day, and very few strangers were present.
The religious experience and condition of the So- ciety at this time was low and unsatisfactory, com- pared with what it had been in former periods of its history. It was painfully demonstrated and realized
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. that there may be considerable activity and zeal dis- played regarding temporal affairs, while a good deal of lukewarmness may characterize the spiritual condition of the membership. That concern and zeal for the one, should retard or impede the progress and develop- ment of the other, may appear paradoxical, and sug- gest the question, how should that be? It is not our business to inquire, but simply to record a fact in the history and experience of the Church. The Conference year had now come to a close. Thirteen members completed their probation during the year, and had been admitted into full membership ; and sixteen re- ceived by letter. The Conference report furnishes the following statistics, viz. :
Members, 181 ; probationers, 16 ; total, 197. Infants baptized, 10 ; adults, 9; total, 19.
Officers and teachers, 27 ; scholars, 250 ; total, 277. Average attendance of teachers and scholars, 185. Number of volumes in library, 450.
This report, compared with the preceding year, shows a small declension in each of the foregoing items, so that the removals had more than counter- balanced the additions to the membership during the year.
CHAPTER VII.
REV. CALVIN B. FORD, PASTOR.
THE FIRST YEAR OF HIS PASTORATE.
PURSUANT to notice, as prescribed by statute in such cases, the annual election of Trustees was held in the church, March 28th, 1872, between the hours of 8 and 9 o'clock, P. M., for the purpose of filling the places of Gilbert E. Curric, Jonathan Moore, and Wesley H. Potts, whose term of office was about to expirc.
The meeting was organized, by the election of two Inspectors ; and the poll was opened at the appointed hour ; at its close, when the votes were counted, the Clerk of the Board declared Bros. G. E. Currie, Thos. P. Moses, and W. H. Potts were duly elected Trustees for the term of three years.
The annual meeting of the Board was held on Mon- day evening, April 17, in the class-room of the chapel, for the purpose of disposing of unfinished business, and reorganizing by electing officers for the present year, Bro. Currie in the chair. The meeting was opened with prayer by Bro. Benson. Bros. Currie, Moses, and Potts presented their certificates of election, and the Treas- urer read and submitted his annual report, which was accepted. There being no unfinished business on hand, the Board proceeded to the election of officers, which resulted in the re-election of G. E. Currie, Presi- dent, Robert Benson, Treasurer, and T. P. Moses, Secre- tary. Bros. A. H. Saxton and W. II. Potts presented
-
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REV. CALVIN B. FORD, PASTOR.
their resignations as Trustees. On motion, it was re- solved, that the same be accepted.
The Stewards' and Leaders' Board at this period was constituted as follows : the Pastor, Rev. C. B. Ford, T. C. Nostrand, Robert Benson, Ancel Titus, Geo. W. Lush, C. T. Bronson, D. O. Miller, James Rogers, and D. W. McLean. The officers of the Sunday School were : D. W. McLean, Superintendent ; A. L. Brower, Assistant Superintendent ; James Rogers, Treasurer ; A. H. Saxton, Secretary ; David Maxon, Librarian ; Mrs. Hegeman, Female Superintendent ; Miss E. Mann, Teacher of Infant Class. Juvenile Missionary Society: W. H. Potts, President ; James Rogers, Secretary, and G. E. Currie, Treasurer.
THE INDUCTION OF THE NEW PASTOR .- The Rev. C. B. Ford, the newly appointed pastor, occupied the pulpit of the Wesley M. E. Church, on Sunday, April 21st, at 10} o'clock, A. M. As the services were advertised in the city papers, there was a better attendance than usual, of the members of the church and congregation, and many strangers were present on this interesting occasion. After the preliminary exercises of reading the scriptures, singing and prayer had been gone through, the pastor announced that his text, as the ground of his remarks, would be found in the fifth chapter of St. Paul's first epistle to the Thessalonians, at the 25th verse : "Brethren, pray for us,"-a very short one, but peculiarly appropriate for the occasion.
It is not our intention, to present an extended sketch of this discourse, as we have no phonographic report of it, nor have we been furnished with any notes by the pastor ; suffice it to say, however, that the exhortation of the Apostle, addressed to the Church at Thessalonica,
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to pray for those who had been set over them in the Lord-their spiritual teachers and guides-who were laboring night and day, in season and out of season, and praying without ceasing, that they might be strengthened in every good work,-that they might stand fast in the liberty with which Christ had made them free,-that they might perfect that which was lack- ing in their faith,-to increase and abound in their love to God, to each other, and toward all men,-that their hearts might be established in holiness before God, even our Father, so that they might be found unblama- ble at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints,-was clearly explained, and earnestly pressed home upon the minds and hearts of his hearers.
As the preacher proceeded with his discourse, he asked, if it were needful that the apostles-men like Paul, and Sylvanus, and Timotheus-should beseech and implore the brethren at Thessalonica, for their prayers, how much more necessary was it, for ministers of the Lord Jesus now-a-days, entering upon a new and untried field of labor-among a people with whom they were unacquainted, and to whom they were compara- tive strangers,-if these holy men of God-those re- nowned Christian heroes, required the prayers of the Church, how much more did they stand in need of the sympathy and prayers of the people, that their labor in word and doctrine might be blessed,-that it might be accompanied with power, and the demonstration of the Spirit,-that it might prove effectual to the pulling down of the strongholds of sin and Satan ; by alarming the ungodly, stirring up the careless, quickening the lukewarm, reclaiming the backslider, comforting the mourner, and building up the believers in their most
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holy faith ? Surely, indeed, ministers of the gospel re- quire the prayers of the faithful.
Again, if the fervent prayers of the righteous availeth much in behalf of the minister, in helping him to perform with success his public ministrations, they are certainly no less needful and beneficial for him, in the discharge of his more private and social duties ; as visiting the sick, the destitute, suffering and dying ; in the social means of grace, and in going from house to house, visiting the people. For the purpose of strength- ening his hand and encouraging his heart, the pastor needs and earnestly desires the sympathy, co-opera- tion and prayers of the brethren. As an incitement to a better, and more general performance of this duty- praying for the pastor-it ought to be remembered, that while they are thus imploring the Divine blessing upon him, they are at the same time placing themselves in a suitable position before God, by such a frame of mind, as to graciously fit themselves for receiving a baptism upon their own heads. In watering others, they get their own souls watered and refreshed in re- turn.
In closing this brief and very imperfect outline of the discourse, it is just to add, that it was delivered with great earnestness of feeling, considerable liberty and much unction ; and it was listened to with interest and attention, and we trust, also, with some degree of profit, by the congregation. After the doxology was sung and benediction pronounced, the official brethren, with many of the members, who had not been before introduced, gathered round the pastor, and, taking him by the hand, wished him God-speed in his new field of labor.
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HISTORY WESLEY M. E. CHURCH.
Mr. Ford visited the Sunday School in the afternoon, and delivered a brief and interesting address to the teachers and children. Subsequently, he not only be- came a visitor, but regular teacher, by taking charge of the Young Men's Bible Class, which position he con- tinued to hold for the space of two years.
In the evening of the same day, at half past 7 o'clock, Mr. Ford occupied the pulpit again. He selected for his theme the declaration of St. Paul, " For none of us liveth unto himself." The text may be found in the Epistle to the Romans, fourteenth chapter, and the first clause of the seventh verse. From these words, Mr. Ford preached an impressive, practical and instructive discourse.
In his introductory remarks, the preacher showed the unreasonableness and impracticability, as well as the impiety of attempting to live for oneself alone. All such attempts, on the part of man, were nothing short of open rebellion against the ordinances and designs of the Almighty,-a wicked perversion and violation of the principles of his physical, moral and intellectual na- turc, as well as a presumptive and sinful repudiation of the duties and obligations he owes his fellow-men. The teachings and deductions of natural and revealed religion unite in proclaiming this fundamental truth,- Man's responsibility and dependence upon God, as his Supreme Creator, Preserver, Benefactor and Governor ; and announces as emphatically, the co-relative doc- trine,-his subordinate dependence, upon his fellow- man ; and that, too, for the best and most benevo- lent of purposes, the gratification of his physical, social and intellectual wants and aspirations. Upon the existence and development of this natural reciprocity
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REV. CALVIN B. FORD, PASTOR.
law, man depends in an eminent degree, for the enjoy- ment of those immunities and blessings, which go to sustain and support the whole superstructure of civil society.
The introduction of the gospel of Christ was the most solemn, the grandest protest the world ever witnessed, against the tyrannical dominion of selfishness among the children of men ; while the gift of Christ to a rebel- lious, ruined race, as a sacrifice for their sins, was a stupendous miracle of mercy and boundless exhibition of infinite love, which ever called forth the astonishment of devils, the admiration of angels, or challenged the grati- tude and adoration of men. "God manifested in the flesh !"-Mystery of mysteries ! "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." "Herein is LOVE, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." We have here, not only a manifestation of the love of God, the Father, in the gift of His only begotten Son, but the love of God, the Son, in the offer- ing himself, as a vicarious sacrifice ; for he declares : " Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God." He gave himself as a ran- som. He had power to lay his life down, and power to take it up again. He was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Believers and followers of the Lord Jesus are not their own,-they have been bought with the price,- even his own most precious blood. The life which we now live should not be unto ourselves, but by faith on the Son of God, who gave himself for us. Hence the Apostle's declaration, "If we be dead with Christ, we be-
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lieve that we shall also live with him :" " for in that he died, he died unto sin once ; but in that he liveth, he liv- eth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it, in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of un- righteousness unto sin ; but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your mem- bers as instruments of righteousness unto God."
One of the surest evidences a Christian can evince of his entire consecration to God, is by an exhibition of his love to others. The command is not only to love one another-those of the " household of faith," but also "those that are without." We are to go out into the highway and byway, to seek out the ignorant, careless, wicked, wayward and wandering, and invite, yea, if need be, compel them, to come in that the "house might be filled," as all things are now ready. He who professes to be Christ's disciple, must, to the extent of his ability and opportunity which God hath given, strive to practice the precepts and follow the example of his adorable Master, who went about continually doing good. "For none of us liveth unto himself." As disciples of the Lord Jesus, there is no excuse for being loiterers in his vineyard. And as far as lieth in us, we are required to devote our time, talents, influence and means toward supporting and carrying forward the Redeemer's cause and kingdom in the carth ; by regular attendance upon the public and social means of grace ; by helping to sustain the services and ordinances of God's house ; by supporting the various religious and charitable institutions of the church, and in various other ways,
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striving to be good and faithful stewards, so that when the Master of the house cometh to reckon with his servants, we may hear the welcome plaudit, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me." "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world,"_" enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."
The discourse was thoroughly evangelical, and well calculated to incite his hearers to a livelier apprehension of their duties and obligations to God, and to stimulate them to increased diligence, activity and usefulness, in the church and in the world. These obligations were en- forced by the highest conceivable motives,-the glory of God, their own spiritual and eternal well-being and the salvation of the souls of their fellow-men.
A SPECIAL meeting of the Board of Trustees was con- vened in the class-room, Monday evening, April 22d, the President in the chair. The meeting, as usual, was opened with prayer.
On motion, it was resolved that the Board authorize a promissory note to be made, and discounted on the per- sonal responsibility of some of its members, for the sum of one thousand dollars, to pay off the indebtedness remaining on the new school-house.
On motion, it was further resolved to appoint Bro. W. Aspinall, sexton for the current year, at the salary of two hundred dollars per annum, and Mr. John E. Luckey as chorister, at a salary of two hundred dollars, and Miss Thorpe as organist, at seventy-five dollars per annum.
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