USA > New York > Wyoming County > Warsaw > History of the centennial celebration : Warsaw, Wyoming County, New York, June 28-July 2, 1903 : 1803-1903 > Part 3
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Mrs. Mary Frank Miller is the grand-daughter of one of the first pew holders of the church, Dr. Augustus Frank.
On the Board of Trustees are two grandsons of elders, Mr. Buxton and Mr. Whitlock, and the son of an elder, E. T. Montgomery.
The present organist, Miss Nellie Fargo, is a great grand-daughter of Nehemiah Fargo, who was one of the first pew owners of the church.
On the Board of Deacons is the son of an elder, Mr. S. M. Fisher, and a grandson of that same elder, Mr. Addison Fisher, is our treasurer. And throughout the work of the church many are active who are more or less closely related to those who have gone before. The God of the everlasting covenant has often been manifested among you.
Among the faithful members of this church have been several widely known outside the limits of their own com- munity. Among them two deserve especial mention; The Hon. Andrew W. Young and Hon. Augustus Frank. Mr. Young, who was active and prominent in the church from an early age, by his intellectual and literary ability won a permanent place among the thoughtful writers of our country. His book on Civil Government is still a recog- nized authority. He was a man of sturdy piety and of solid character and attractive personality. Mr. Frank was a trustee of the church for forty-five years. Ilis term began when he was a very young man and continued to the time of his death in 1895. He was a Member of Congress for three terms during the war period and rend- ered much faithful and patriotic service. He was twice delegate-at-large to Constitutional Conventions, and con-
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spicuous in its advocacy of moral reforms. His large public services, however, were scarcely equalled by his usefulness as a private citizen and a member of the church. His personal life was marked by earnest devotion, great generosity and genial kindness.
The memory of such men of whom this church has happily had not a few, is worth much to the generation following ;
It is our joy that some of those who have been iden- tified with the life of the church for so many years are with us still. Among these are, Mr. John W. Montgomery, whose voice in prayer-meeting is a benediction from one week's end to another;
Mr. H. A. Dudley, the youngest man of his years in the Presbyterian church ;
Mrs. Lucy M. Fisher, who is identified with many years of service in church and Sunday School;
Mrs. Cameron who is so faithful in all her duties;
Mrs. J. E. Ketchum, who is such an enthusiastic and devoted friend to all her pastors ;
Mrs. Ruth Cleveland, the oldest living member of the church, dating her connection with the church from about 1826, who remains in as serene and winsome an old age as could be imagined. All these a perpetual invi- tation ;
Come, grow old along with me,
The best is yet to be,
The last of life for which the first was made.
Our times are in His hands who said
A whole I planned,
Youth sees but half,
Trust all, nor be afraid.
This church has been signally blessed by having minis- ters and ministers' families in the congregation. The Rev. John Reid, a devout and able man was a respected and helpful member of the congregation. He is re- membered with especial affection for his teaching in the Bible Class.
The Rev. W. D. Mckinley, who has been one of you since 1882, is spending the serene and kindly afternoon of
1
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his life with us, a most inspiring and helpful friend to the pastor and a guide and counselor to many in the congregation, especially the boys whom he has gathered into a Bible class and upon whom he lavishes so much thought and affection. May he be long spared to us and find the promise true "At evening time it shall be light. "
And Mrs. Nassau, who made during so many years what Dr. Nassau called his "precious home," and who has been friend and mother to so many among you. We call down blessings upon her here today ! If ever young ministers attempting to follow in the hallowed footsteps of a great man, had a true and more loyal friend, they must be counted among the fortunate of earth.
And here we pause. And of Zion it shall be said, this and that man was born in her. Isn't this just what you are saying today? Many of these lists are simply names to some of us, who have been here so short a time; but to others they are more than mere names. The name calls up face, figure and personality, now and then a beloved one whom the heart follows wistfully into the unseen world. Time turns backward in its flight and the men and women of the long ago are with us again. To- day some of you are in the old church with its high galleries, north, west and south. You do not see this beautiful organ; the little instrument that the first leader of the choir carried on Sunday mornings, under his arm, furnishes the music. You hear other voices than ours, and other faces smile back into yours. Strong men and noble, saintly women they were, not faultless, but genu- ine and aspiring.
Deacon Munger, Judge Comstock, the Fishers, Samnel 1st and 2d and Dean; the Franks, father and son, the Millers, the Youngs, Peter and Andrew; the Whitlocks, the Fosters, the Buxtons, father and son; Tanners; Silli- mans, the Pattersons and others more recent, but not less dear.
And the noble army of mothers in Israel, Mrs. Mun- ger, Mrs. Juliann Buxton, Mrs. Jane Frank, Mrs. Lois Miller, Mrs. Marilla Gould, Mrs. Ardelissa Crocker, and a host of others, whom you will recall.
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Of Zion it shall be said, that such and such a one was born in her. And this is Zion's Glory, that such men and women were born in her. Her title to fame, her claim to honor is that by her teaching, her hopes and inspirations she gave such characters to the world. For this shall men honor her and for this the Highest Himself shall establish her.
F
METHODIST CHURCH
Address by John B. Smallwood, Sunday, June 28, 1903
It would seem an easy task to write in outline the history of an individual or of an association of indi- viduals. Especially does this seem true when we think how we are all given to history. We all like to talk, and to tell something we have done or said, have seen or heard. Can the life that has required seventy-five years to live, be told in the brief time of a half hour? Can the united lives of hundreds, lived the same length of time, their private life and their public life, be squeezed into the same brief time ?
As events pass in review before us, memory seizes them, changes them to crystalline forms, and stores them away for future use, and these crystals are history. Each of us has his own crystallization, differing in detail from every other, all true, yet not all together will they tell the whole truth.
The history of a church is the history of the invisible as well as a visible church. To write of a church, gilded it may be, and hung with votive offering, were worse than useless, did we omit the lives that had been lived, the burdens that had been borne, and the faith that had triumphed. Has the church made home purer, has it dig- nified labor with its approval, has it cultivated the old homely virtues, has it done its part in suppressing the old homely vices, has it been in labors abundant, has it fought the good fight; above all, has it ever borne about that mantle of charity which covers a multitude of sins? These are questions to be answered in the history of a church.
But what necessity was there for the Methodist denom- ination ? Already there was a "Union Society " and church. The Methodist church, born in England's great University at Oxford, inheriting the confession of faith of the established church, of what use would it be in the
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wilds of this new world? It doubtless commended itself to many by its ease of access, its doors standing open with this inscription: "Whosoever will let him Come," and the invitation to its communion by "Ye who do truly and heartily repent of your sins, and intend to lead a new life, draw near." Methodism offered, not so much a creed, as a life. and it the life that was of value. So it had its work to do, and as the work was worthy, there was sufficient apology for its being.
Some might think that the history of a church reach- ing back four score years might reveal many new things in morals and even in religion itself. Never in the world's history have there been such eventful years as the ones just behind us. Discoveries and inventions of astounding importance and almost beyond belief. Why has Christian- ity nothing new to offer? Effort enough has been made. The Rock on which the church stands has been battered persistently that it might throw off more light. Has any one discovered a new virtue, or invented one? Has any one driven out a single vice? There was a work to be done, and Divinity set about the task. When humanity undertakes a work, there may be mistakes, there may be incompleteness. At the very last of His work, Christ was heard to exclaim, "It is finished." He announced the work complete. As such nothing can ever be added to it, nothing taken from it.
And as the Master left His Royal abode, laid aside His princely crown and insignia of office, and came to a poor man's home, a poor man's fare, and a poor man's work, thus getting at the substratum of human life and experience, where He could extend His arms beneath all humanity, and by an all-embracing love and an over mastering strength, raise all from darkness into the light, and from the powers of darkness into liberty and peace and safety ;- so the work of this church, during all these years has been "to rescue the perishing," to minister to the sick, "to comfort all who mourn," to reach a helping hand to the needy, to bear one another's burdens, to seek and to save those who had wandered in the journey and were lost. As a church, it has ever recognized the value of a human soul, of any color or condition. First, be-
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canse it was imperishable; second, because of the mar- velous price paid for its ransom. It has ever been aware of the dangers attending and surrounding the soul of man, and at the same time, felt a confidence and a joy as it published and recommended a sure relief for them. It has been a working church and has shown its faith by its works.
Always caring for its children in its homes and in its Sunday School, it has ever welcomed the stranger within its gates, and has made many great and pro- tracted efforts to save men from their sins.
It has long lived in peace and harmony with its neighbors, and both grants and receives that respect and consideration which pertain to Christian charity. Aside from money raised for church building and repairs, dur- ing the last thirty-nine years $54,457 have been raised and paid for church purposes, and during the first forty years of the church's history the amount is about $36,392.
Now, taking the time into consideration these are not great sums, but it must be remembered that this church has never been a wealthy church, has never given of its abundance, but always of its need. Almost every dollar has been stamped repeatedly with self-denial.
Among the membership of the church might always be found a few self-sacrificing men, who baring their breasts to every storm, stood, year by year, like granite pillars bearing the church upon their shoulders. And during all the long years, by the side of these men has stood a band of noble women, loving the church and all its interests, in labors abundant, in devotion unsur- passed, in undaunted courage sublime ! As your very im- perfect historian of a great work always going forward, I bow my intelligence and my heart, in acknowledge- ment of the great worth of the women, past and present of this Methodist Episcopal church.
The majority of the membership of the church have long since presented their credentials at the beautiful gate of the temple made withont hands, and have joined the church triumphant, but the purity and beauty and
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sweetness of their lives still linger in our homes and about the sanctuary of God.
"Ever the workmen change, Ever the work goes on."
On the church of the future, I quote Rev. J. B. Went- worth, from his great sermon on "The Philosophy of Meth- odism. "At once the offspring and heir of all the fruits of the past movements of churchly and Christian development, and vitalized and actuated with impulses having their source in the love of God in the soul, we cannot doubt that it will continue to use all the methods and appli- ances of active gospel benevolence, until the whole family of man shall be redeemed and saved."
It is said that the first Methodist preachers in Warsaw were Cyrus Story, Joseph Gatchell and James Mitchell, as early as 1805 and 1806, and before a church was or- ganized. In 1809, William Brown and John Kimberlin or- ganized a Methodist Society and Simeon Hovey was ap- pointed the first class leader. Shortly afterwards Josiah Hovey and Shubael Morris were appointed leaders, and the meetings were held in their respective houses, Mr. Hovey's in the north part of the town and Mr. Morris' in the south part. Among the early members of the church were Josiah Hovey, Jr., Simeon Hovey, John and Shubael Morris, Elam and Anson A. Perkins. Solo- mon Morris, Sr., Carl W. Flower, Simeon Gibson, and their wives; Mrs. Josiah Hovey, Sr., Moses Perkins, Joseph Miller, Lyman Parker, Mrs. N. Park, Mrs. Simeon R. Glazier and Mrs. Daniel Knapp. The Methodist Society was not legally organized until about the year 1820, at the time of the proclamation of Panl Busti, general agent of the Holland Land Company, announcing that in every township six miles square, with a legally organized church and society, such society should be entitled to 100 acres of land.
The First Methodist Episcopal Society of Warsaw was accordingly organized in compliance with the requirements of the act of the legislature, and the papers were recorded in the ofilce of the county clerk. The land was divided equally between the Methodist Church and the Presbyte- rian, which had been previously organized. The first
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trustees of the Methodist Church were Simeon Hovey, Chester Hurd, John Morris, Anson A. Perkins, Nathan B. Miller, Lyman Parker, Josiah Hovey, Roderick Chapin, Jr., and Eleazar Smith. The first house of worship was built in 1824 at the "corners," three quarters of a mile north of the center of the village. In 1835 it was re- moved to the place where the present church now stauds. In 1853, to make room for a new and larger one, it was sold to Rev. J. W. Hines, and by him removed to the south side of Buffalo street, near the bridge, to be fitted up for dwellings,
The new church which was completed in 1854 was thor- oughly repainted and refitted in 1868 at an expense of about $1,300. The present handsome brick structure was built during the pastorate of Rev. E. J. Whitney and was dedicated March 9, 1902,
During the thirty seven years just passed, the average membership of the church has been one hundred and eighty-six. The lowest membership was in 1879, the highest in 1886. And it may be recorded that as pastors of the church have been energetic and faithful in their work, the church has prospered, financially, intellectually and spiritually, and farther, it may be remarked, time has demonstrated the fact that the best things to preach and to practice are human needs and the ability to sup- ply them, the requirements of the gospel and the re- wards of faithful living. There have been many and valuable revivals of religion during the years, resulting in large additions to the church, nor is it strange to re- ceive members at any time.
The church has had the following pastors since 1864: Revs. J. II. Bayliss, R. C. Welch, H. H. Lyman, M. II. Rice, O. S. Chamberlayne, E. T. Green, D. Leiseu- ring, J. T. Brownell, J. A. Copeland, T. Cardus, W. S. Tuttle, T. E. Bell, Samuel McGerald, G. E. Ackerman, M. C. Dean, C. B. Sparrow, R. C. Brownlee, I. N. Dalby, E. C. Dodge, E. J. Whitney and F. W. Berlin.
Soldiers in the Civil war of 1861-65 who were mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church ;
REV. J. A. COPELAND-Pastor of this church 1875-6. Date of enlistment not known.
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REV. T. E. BELL-Enlisted May, 1861, 21st N. Y. Dis- charged May 18, 1863. Pastor 1879-80-81.
REV. C. B. SPARROW-Pastor 1888-89-90. Enlisted May, 1861, 2d Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Re-enlisted in the field. Discharged 1865.
FRANCIS LYNCH-Enlisted August 30, 1864, 50th N. Y. Engineers. Discharged June 13, 1865. Died May 19. 1901.
CHESTER M. RICHARDS-Enlisted February 14th, 1864, 9th N. Y. Heavy Artillery. Discharged July 17, 1865. Died 1892.
MILTON HURLBURT-Enlisted June 1, 1864, 8th N. Y. Artillery. Discharged 1865. Living at Grand Rapids, Michigan.
W. B. HUTTON-Enlisted Sept. 8, 1861, 5th N. Y. Cav- alry. Discharged November 20, 1864.
GIDEON JENKINS-Enlisted May, 1861, 17th N. Y. Infant- ry. Discharged November, 1861.
JASON JOHNSON-Enlisted May, 1861, 17th N. Y., Infant- ry. Died at Alexandria.
ALEXANDER MURRAY-Enlisted 1860, U. S. Battleship Cumberland. Discharged 1863.
WILSON AGAR-Enlisted September 16, 1861, 12th Illinois Cavalry. Re-enlisted on the field February 28, 1864. Finally discharged May 29, 1866, at Houston, Texas.
HENRY BIXBY-Enlisted September 4, 1863, 76th Penn- sylvania. Discharged May 24, 1865.
LUTHER SPENCER-Enlisted July 21, 1862, 8th N. Y. Artillery. Discharged June 21, 1865.
L. DUANE MAPES-Enlisted December 2, 1863, 8th N. Y. Heavy Artillery. Discharged May 12, 1864. Died February 9, 1890 at Warsaw.
EUGENE EDSON-Enlisted May 18, 1861, 17th N. Y. Infantry.
PAUL P. DRAPER-Enlisted August, 1862, 1st N. Y. Dra- goons. Discharged June 30, 1865.
FRANK II. JOHNSON-Enlisted May 1861, 17th N. Y. In- fantry. Served two years. Died in Warsaw, March 13, 1899.
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EDWARD E. LEMON-Enlisted October, 1861, 9th N. Y. Cavalry. Discharged April 10, 1862. Died at Warsaw. AUGUSTUS PARKER-Enlisted September 1861, 9th N. Y. Cavalry. Discharged April 8, 1862. Living in the West. WILBUR SNYDER-Enlisted May, 1861. 17th N. Y. In- fantry. Died at Alexandria, Virginia.
J. A. STOWE-Enlisted August, 1862. 136th N. Y. In- fantry. Discharged, May, 1865.
ALFRED HOYT- Enlisted December 20, 1863. 8th N. Y. Artillery. Discharged June 18, 1865. Living in Kansas.
H. W. BURLINGAME-Enlisted October 10, 1861. Wads- worth Guards, 104th Regiment, N. Y. Infantry. Re-en- listed on the field February 28, 1864. Discharged July 29, 1865.
EDGAR A. DAY-Enlisted June 6, 1862. 1st N. Y. Dra- goons. Discharged July 5, 1865. Died August 23, 1894.
JOHN DUGGAN-Enlisted May 7, 1861. 21st Infantry. Re-enlisted February 24, 1864. 1st N. Y. Dragoons. Dis- charged June 30, 1865. Died September 6, 1876.
CHARLES H. CROCKER-Enlisted August 11, 1862. 1st N. Y. Dragoons. Discharged June 30, 1865.
CLINTON PAUL-Enlisted April 1861. 83d N. Y. Dis- charged July 11, 1863.
EARL THOMPSON-Enlisted March 31, 1864. 4th Wis- consin Cavalry. Discharged August 22, 1865.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
Sermon by Rev. H. E. Gurney, Sunday, June 28, 1903
"One Generation Shall Praise Thy Works to Another." Psalms 145-4.
Ever since God's chosen people were disciplined into a nation at the foot of Mount Sinai; ever since laws were given for their direction and control, there have been feasts, jnbilees, memorials, and "set times," when impor- tant events have been commemorated, and this same spirit has come down through the ages, until today Nations, States, Counties, Towns, Communities, and Families are pleased to keep alive the memory of those events that have touched their life, and thus "One generation shall praise thy works to another."
The celebration upon which we enter this day, is to be one of cordial greetings, mutual congratulations, the renewing and extending of acquaintance and friendship, a real feast of pleasure, in short a "joy forever." Yet the promoters of this celebration, which commemorates the first settlement of the town of Warsaw, have had in mind the emphasizing of those historical incidents, per- sonal, civic and religious, that when your children shail ask their fathers, in time to come, what mean these things, the records of this Centennial anniversary will contribute to the answer; and to this end the Congregational Church of Warsaw is pleased to add its quota, by furnishing a brief historical sketch of its career.
In preparing this sketch, I wish to acknowledge my indebtedness to my predecessor, the Rev. W. A. Hobbs, for his kindness in furnishing so many of the historical facts and incidents, as related by him at the Semi-Cen- tennial celebration of the church in 1890.
I appreciate the delicacy and difficulty of my task; to write the history of an individual life is difficult, but to write a satisfactory history of a church, composed
WARSAW EN FETE
!
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of many individuals, is all but impossible, for it must needs be a story of the acts of men and women, labor- ing together with God, for the extension of Ilis most blessed and glorious kingdom among men.
In order to make this necessarily brief outline as complete as possible, I must go back of the date of the organization of this church, to within five years of the settlement of Warsaw, namely, the year 1808, which year was the "Bethlehem" of Congregationalism in Warsaw, while the year 1840 was its "Nazareth".
July 14, 1808 "The First Congregational Church of Warsaw" was organized with ten members, and thus as a denomination we go back to the beginning of church organization in this region, for this was the first church organized upon the Holland Purchase. Five years later this " little flock in the wilderness" became incorporated under the name of the "Warsaw Union Society " and continued so for nearly two decades, "walking in the fear of the Lord." In the early days of our history a union church was not an unusual thing. Presbyterian- ism and Congregationalism have ever sustained intimate relations with each other; with slight modifications their confessions of faith have been similar. In the main, their differences have been those of polity, rather than doctrine.
The Congregationalists werc early in New England, and at the beginning of the last century were a numerous body. The Presbyterians were occupying the eastern portions of New York and Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey. In those early days it was thought that generations would come and go before Western New York would be other than missionary territory, and for the most successful prosecution of missionary work therein, the Presbyterians and Congregationalists entered into a "plan of union " in 1801. The plan was wise, unselfish, eminently christian, and continued for more than fifty years. During this period, however, the Congregational- ists lost many churches by the process of absorption.
There was nothing uncommon in the condition of things in the pioneer church in Warsaw; it simply went the way of many others, that were originally Congregational, and in 1829 became wholly identified with the Presbyte-
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HISTORY OF THE
rians, and it might have continued as one body to this day, had not two causes arisen to divide the membership. The chief one was the doctrinal controversy between those known as the old and the new school men. It was a controversial age, the spirit of argument, was in the air, but this controversy did not array Presbyterians and Con- gregationalists against each other, it affected members of both denominations, so that Presbyterians and Congrega- tionalists were disputing with Congregationalists and Pres- byterians. The other cause was one of inheritance A considerable number of the members were descendants of New England Congregationalists, and it was not unnatu- ral that they should prefer the polity of their fathers, so the time came when thirty-nine of the members be- lieving that the best way to "keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" was in separation, made requests for dismissal with the view of organizing another church, which organization was effected February 16, 1840, in a small building used as a school room, then standing over the old mill race on the south side of Buffalo Street, a little west of the present Post Office block.
At the meeting for organization the Rev. Samuel Gris- wold of Perry Center was chosen moderator, and thirty- four persons constituted the new church, as follows: Joshua H. Darling, Peter Young, Ferdinand C. D. McKay, William F. Woodward, Isaac C. Bronson, Levi L. Martin, Henry Woodward, Willard Chapin, Robert Barnett, Lewis E. Walker, Robert Chapin, Arthur Kinney, Mrs. Abigail Walker, Mrs. L. Adelia Young, Mrs. Charlotte Woodward, Mrs. Lucretia Darling, Miss Adeline Sheldon, Miss Caroline C. Sheldon, Mrs. Lucia Darling, Mrs. Anna Woodward, Miss Roxie Rice, Miss Charlotte Woodward, Miss Marie Woodward, Miss Calista Bronson, Miss Mary Walker, Miss Rebecca Chapin, Mrs. Anna Kinney, Mrs. Polly Luce, Mrs. Margaret Fiero, Mrs. Charlotte T. Sheldon; of these. many "are fallen asleep". In fact, but two are now living ; Deacon L. E. Walker and Mrs. Mary Walker Cowgill.
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