USA > New York > Erie County > Buffalo > Manual, catalogue and history of the Lafayette St. Presbyterian Church of Buffalo, N.Y. > Part 9
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Aug. 20, 1864.
Hendricks, Miss Mary. Sept. 29, 1873.
Henry, Mrs. Maria T.
Henry, Miss Emma Louisa
Higgins, Alfred W. Higgins, Arthur S.
Feb. 13, 1870. June II, 1867.
Hill, Miss Sophia
Hoole, Henry B. S. Lost off Cape Horn.
House, Mrs. Julia
Oct. 22, 1854.
House, Mrs. Sarah A.
Aug. 18, 1870.
Howard, Mrs. Helen
Wives of . May 2, 1846.
Howard, Mrs. Maria Louisa
Geo. Howard S March 30, 1851.
Howard, Mrs. Irene.
Howell, Mrs. John. Sept. 1854.
Johnston, Mrs. A. M.
Jan. 9, 1875.
·
.
.
.
Gowans, Mrs. Peter.
83
LAFAYETTE STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
TIME OF DECEASE.
Kellogg, Samuel S ..
At Fair Oaks, 1862.
Kelso, Miss Margaret. Aug. 30, 1873.
Kibbe, Mrs. Serena I867. Kibbe, Isaac.
Nov. 25, 1873.
Kimball, Lovel
Knight, Mrs. W. M. Oct. 15, 1873. .
Lapp, Mrs. Sarah July II, 1875.
Lee, James P.
I869.
Lee, Mrs. M. T. Jan. 29, 1854.
Lee, Miss Louisa P. At Allen's Grove, Wis., 1873.
Leland, B. P
July 4, 1874.
Littlefield, Mrs. Sophia.
1852.
Livingston, Thomas, Jr. ¿
Livingston, Mrs. S
Lowe, Miss Anna E.
Feb. 7, 1857.
Marvin, Julius A.
Mason, Mrs. Frank B. Aug. 29, 1874.
Mathews, Mrs. Clarinda
Mathews, Miss Mary N. (Mrs. Montague). . Nov. 1870.
McComb, Mrs. Elizabeth ..
McCready, Miss Jane
Sept. 20, 1861.
McCready, Richard R ..
April 9, 1860.
Mills, Miss Louisa M.
Mills, Miss Caroline E.
Mitchell, George B.
1870.
Moore, Miss Helen C.
Newland, William
1860.
Otto, Mrs. Phœbe.
June 1, 1867.
Palmer, N. B. )
Palmer, Mrs.
. Jan. 5, 1859.
Parker, Andrew. Elder ¿ May 23, 1873.
Parker, Mrs. Andrew
Dec. 22, 1863.
Parks, Mrs. Mary E.
Peck, Mrs. Sarah
Platt, James B. March, 1874.
Porter, Samuel At Albion, Feb. 22, 1874.
Price, Mrs. Margaret At Livonia, 1870.
Price, Miss Olivia M. At Livonia, 1861.
Pride, Mrs. Marietta. At Alden, March 16, 1853.
Putnam, Mrs. Eliza R. At Worcester, Mass., 1873 .
Radley, Miss Mary Jane
Richardson, Elijah K. In Michigan, Feb. 1866.
Root, Edward .
Royce, Mrs. Dr. P. A.
Schermerhorn, Miss Hannah 1857.
Schermerhorn, Mrs. Maria 1857.
Scott, Mrs. Henrietta M. I866.
Scott, Miss Mary R ...
Nov. 24, 1875.
Sears, Selim. (Elder)
March 22, 1867.
Selden, Mrs. Phobe.
84 LAFAYETTE STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
TIME OF DECEASE.
Searls, Miss Fannie E. (Mrs. Wells)
Semon, Mrs. J. S.
Seymour, Benj. F.
Shoecraft, Mrs. Elizabeth.
.. Jan. 29, 1866.
Shumway, Mrs. Maria A .. April 20, 1876.
Sikes, Samuel D. (Elder)
Feb. 13, 1875.
Spencer, Mrs. Rosette B.
St. John, Mary Ann .
Feb. 19, 1872.
Sweet, James
Stone, Jesse
1857.
Stone, Mrs. Kezia
I858.
Teller, Mrs. Sarah C .. 1866 or 1867.
Templeton, Isabella M. I863.
Thomas, Mrs. Wealthy C.
May 8, 1875:
Townsend, Robert E. I849.
Tuton, Mrs. Elizabeth
. Jan. 6, 1869.
Van Buren, Mrs. James May 15, 1856.
Van Buren, Miss Frances A. Oct. 7, 1864.
Vaux, Miss Martha Jane. Oct. 1863.
Vine, Miss Fannie L. (Mrs. Geo. W. Dunbar) Dec. 3, 1873.
Wade, James Jan. 7, 1866.
Wade, Mrs. J. Aug. 12, 1858.
Wade, John. In the army, Virginia, 1863.
Wade, Mrs. 1862 or 1863.
Wade, James R.
Walker, Mrs. J. W. (Miss Tillie Bingham)
Dec. II, 1864.
Waters, John D.
Waters, Mrs.
Weed, Elias
White, Mrs. Wealthy M. Aug. 8, 1864.
Sept. 19, 1857.
White, Mrs. I. J ..
Whitney, Mrs. Alcie. (Mrs. M. A.)
Jan. 22, 1874.
Whittet, Joseph
I869.
Woodward, James Sheldon
Oct. 24, 1854.
Woodworth, Miss Maria M.
1
Studdiford, Mrs. William V.
THE HISTORY
OF THE
LAFAYETTE ST. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
AND CONGREGATION
OF
BUFFALO, N. Y.
FOR THIRTY-ONE YEARS.
"To write history is one fashion of getting rid of the past."-GOETHE.
"Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those which are before .- PHIL. iii: 13.
HISTORICAL SERMON.
I SAMUEL, VII. 12.
" Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us."
A CHURCH has a history, like any other society, but as it is (if it be a true Church) a divine, a spiritual society, it has a divine ele- ment in its history, and this is the chief element. We beg the indulgence of all who do not accept this idea, to the peculiar style of our history, as it will recognize and set forth this divine element chiefly and primarily.
It would be no pleasure for us to record this history, if it did not disclose the divine agency as chief and primal; while not ignoring the generous and faithful instrumentality of human hearts and hands.
We believe that from God, "all holy desires, all good counsels and all just works do proceed," and though such desires, counsels and works are wrought in human hearts, and illustrated in human lives, yet God is the source and supporter of them all.
We believe that all true Christian labors are "begun, continued and ended " in God; that in all true service and offerings, we only give Him of His own, for "of Him, and to Him, and through Him are all things," and to Him belongs all the glory; and it may be a commendation of such a view of a Church's history that it will ascribe the chief honor of anything which has been done, not to men, but to God.
We adopt, therefore, as the motto of each section of our history,
HITHERTO HATH THE LORD HELPED US."
And we acknowledge the kind and helpful providence of God in all the external circumstances of our history. These were at the first extremely depressing and untoward.
Our First Service.
In the "Buffalo Commercial Advertiser" of Saturday afternoon, June 7, 1845, there appeared the following brief notice:
"There will be preaching by Rev. Grosvenor W. Heacock in the Park Church to-morrow (Sunday)."
.
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MANUAL OF THE
There was then no long column of religious notices such as there is now in the Saturday dailies, and the advertisement I have quoted found a very secluded and solitary place for itself, just under the column of "Marine Intelligence." The notice thus quoted, beyond a doubt, indicates the first preaching service in this place in connec- tion with the establishment of the present congregation.
This small, dust-worn and ancient-looking manuscript,* must have put in an appearance at one of the services of that day, morning or afternoon, for it is endorsed, "Preached-Park-June 8, 1845." It is entitled, "Reward." The text is Hebrews, xi. 26, "For he had respect unto the recompense of the reward."
We made no note of any of the particulars of the day. Had the thought occurred to us, amid the timid hopes of our beginning, that nearly a third of a century would find us yet here, it would have been a pleasure to put down many of the names, as well as the number of the small congregation that gathered that day to inaugurate our inex- perienced ministry in connection with this enterprise.
A gentleman led the choir whose kind words of encourage- ment, lent cheer to my commencing ministry; while his taste and enthusiasm gave inspiration and beauty to the service of song in the sanctuary. I need scarcely say that I refer to the late Emory Taunt, whose name was familiar and honored for so many years in the musical circles of this city.
I remember that I was then within two months of my twenty-fourth birthday.
CHAPTER I.
OUR CHURCH EDIFICES.
There may, possibly, be eight or ten persons present who can recall our
First Edifice.
It was, as to its interior, a small, old and gloomy church building, with high, stiff-looking pews, somber walls, and a heavy gallery, run- ning along the south side of the church, over the vestibule, and giving the almost square room a still more square and angular appear- ance. Its great white pulpit was lifted like a huge barricade against
* The speaker here exhibited a manuscript sermon to the congregation.
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LAFAYETTE STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
the north wall. (Pulpit architecture has certainly declined since that day.) The structure was vast and ponderous, with a double line of breastworks on either flank. It was a regular redoubt.
The exterior of the building was no more attractive than its interior; and around it had gathered the wrecks of two or three pre- vious Church failures. We began to build, not indeed on another man's foundations, but amid the fallen ruins of another's labors, under which lay also, the debris of other wrecks. We were small in numbers; we had but little wealth; we abounded only in disastrous and uncomfortable memories; we must meet the prejudices of men who had failed in what we were about to undertake.
We had plenty of sympathy, but it was not of the kind which inspires, it was condolence. It was enough to sink us and altogether, in these aspects, it was a very, very forlorn hope. As we think of these untoward circumstances of our beginning, we cannot but acknowledge the special favor of God.
To some of us, He gave the elastic hopefulness of youth; to others, the courage and cheer of the young in heart; as they drank in the inspiration of a lowly, loving and unostentatious work for Christ. We could fare no worse than those who had gone before us. We could not make a great failure, for there was not enough of us to accomplish any such result. Venturing generally on the motto, "He that's down need fear no fall," we began our progress in a very quiet way, and followed on as God in His goodness opened that way before us.
Why We. Commenced Here.
You may ask why we commenced here in such circumstances? By all ordinary rules it was a mistake. Dr. Beecher once said in my hearing, that, "no Church enterprise ought to be undertaken in a city, without enough both of men and means to give it from the first, some power and hold upon the public confidence." In this respect we were years in gaining the point from which we should have started. And yet I am glad, on the whole that we made the venture, for the case was exceptional, and if we had not contravened the ordinary laws of prudence, we should not have made a beginning here at all. The work which God has enabled us to do here, be the same more or less, would in all human probability have been undone. This cen- tral locality for a church would have been abandoned.
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MANUAL OF THE
General Considerations.
Some of the general considerations which impelled us in our enter- prise were these. This spot had already been occupied by a Christian congregation, and it seemed a pity to abandon it. This locality had also been the scene of precious revivals of religion, in which many had been brought to the Christian life, who were faithful and useful as Christians, among the Churches of the city. Perhaps a modest sense of my own claims in the way of a pulpit, may have reconciled us more easily to the humble circumstances of our beginning. Besides, the project of my undertaking the care of some congregation in the city, had been for some time privately mooted, and I was anxious to be at work. And, perhaps in addition to all else, some of that same weakness of local attachment which binds me to this hour, to the city of my nativity, may have influenced me in my first action.
The edifice which we first occupied was built and dedicated as a Free Church in the year 1833; and it strengthens our gratitude, as well as our confidence before God, to remember that our present enterprise has been continued in comfortable and growing existence, for a term of years, nearly treble the length of that occupied by the three enterprises which had preceded it. The united years of their continuance were only twelve, beginning with 1833 and ending with 1845. We are here, by God's favor, for nearly three times twelve. We may begin therefore, to breathe somewhat more freely, and may hope that this Church has long since attained its majority, and is to go forward, under God, to do for many years the full work of a Christian manhood.
The Fire.
On Sabbath morning, the eleventh of March, 1850, the old edifice, in which we had experienced such doubtful fortunes, was burned up. A flying brand from the American Block (Main street, west side, between Court and Eagle streets, which has once since been the scene of a sad and memorable conflagration), borne by a violent wind across the Park, lodged in the cornice of the church. It was impos- sible, without great peril, to reach the spot where it had lodged. The firemen were worn out by their night-long battle with the flames; the water of the reservoirs was exhausted. In a few moments the whole house was in a blaze. The wind, which had risen to a tempest, danced and roared and rollicked with the flames in furious sport.
93
LAFAYETTE STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
In half an hour the little old sanctuary was purified by fire. The tongue of flame had licked out the prejudices which years had accumulated.
I recall the friendly presence of John B. Gough, as I stood watch- ing the holocaust from the Park, who had been drawn out by the excitement of the fire; and I wonder if some of those sweeping bursts of eloquence, which we have since heard from him, may not have been inspired by the wild fury of the flame and tempest of that night.
The blaze of our burning church, I supposed, was a torch to light my feet to some other field of labor, and had our policy of insurance really expired a few days before, as some of us feared it had, the whole enterprise would doubtless have vanished in the flame and smoke of that March morning.
Insured and Enfeoffed.
But the insurance money, with a few hundred dollars added to it, completed the purchase money of the land. We thus became, as a body corporate, possessed of real estate, a most important item, by the way, in the history of any religious enterprise.
Our Second Edifice.
After some deliberation it was resolved to rebuild the church on the old walls, which were pronounced unhurt by the fire.
The cost of rebuilding was about nine thousand dollars, a modest sum, certainly, but large for us. We raised six thousand dollars of this amount by subscription among ourselves-two of our members giving $2,500 of this sum (one $1,500, the other $1,000). Both of these gentlemen have been dead these many years, but the memories of both are still held in a filial and reverent affection, which the years only serve to deepen in my heart. We also raised outside of our congregation, several hundred dollars, through the indefatigable efforts of that most faithful and unwearied of men, Deacon Abner Bryant, the best gift our Mother-Church gave to us. If it is any- thing to these sainted spirits that we yet continue to hold forth in the ordinances of this sanctuary the grace and faith of that dear name, the name of Christ, which is above every name, which they loved, and in which they trusted, we gladly and gratefully give them this joy to-day !
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MANUAL OF THE
Thus, from discouraged and undiscouraged friends out of the con- gregation, and by generous subscriptions within, the above-named amount of six thousand dollars was made up, leaving a debt of three thousand upon the church when it was finished.
We were greatly aided by the liberality of our builders, both of whom were Elders in the Church, one of whom, Mr. Selim Sears (deceased in 1867), still lives in the grateful memories not only of this congregation, but also of this community. The other, Mr. Seth Clark (deceased in 1875), leaves us the memory of a sorrow too deep for utterance.
By such efforts during the course of the next two years, our church was rebuilt, the congregation, during that interval, under great incon- veniences, meeting for a part of the time in the small church edifice on Washington street, below Eagle; afterwards at McArthur's saloon, a little summer building opening on Washington street, west side, just above Eagle; and, yet later, in our new basement lecture-room. Our numbers were very small at this time, though our prospects were more cheering from the spirit of life and enterprise which the effort to build a new edifice had awakened. The building was completed and dedicated in the winter of 1851-2. The dedicatory discourse was preached by S. M. Hopkins, D. D., of Auburn Theological Seminary, whose vigorous pen, on this occasion excelled itself. Our obligations to the same pen were increased, when on our entering this present edifice, it contributed the noble measures of a Dedica- tory Hymn striking full accord with those sentiments of universal humanity, honor and charity towards all men, which our reverence for God, and our faith in the incarnate mission of His Son, had most nurtured in our hearts. (See A, of General Index.)
The edifice externally was not very sightly, but the interior- though its capacity was not great-was as cosy and pleasant an audi- ence room as we shall easily find. The Church filled up, and the congregation became all the house could comfortably hold. In the winter of 1852-3, provision was made for the paying off of the entire debt remaining on the building; and our circumstances became as prosperous as any Church of equal dimensions could hope for.
Our Third Edifice.
From time to time, as the years went on, the question of an enlarged edifice began to be agitated, for it was felt that, in order reasonably to provide for the permanency of our Church enterprise, it
.
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LAFAYETTE STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
was necessary that it should have enlarged dimensions. Such enlargement was not only needful in order to enlarged usefulness, but a congregation must have size and numbers, up to a certain measure, in a large and growing community, in order that the vigor of its life and strength be not repressed by the burdens which it must necessarily carry in fulfilling its work in such a community.
While such convictions were ripening, it was found that of the eighty pews on the main floor of this house, all of which were taken, thirty-three were occupied by two or more families or parts of fami- lies. This seemed to indicate that enlargement was needed for the healthy growth of the congregation, but the undertaking seemed too great for us, and I do not think we should have ventured upon it had not other circumstances pressed the matter very urgently upon us.
The pulpit of the North Church in this city had become vacant. The people of that Church knew of our discussions with reference to the building of a new edifice. Our ability, as a congregation, to carry out such a project, was seriously questioned on all hands. In our mutual fears, for the brethren of our sister Church felt some of the anxieties of a people destitute of a pastor, we were drawn into some incipient measures for the uniting of the two congregations under one pastorate. Without sufficient deliberation a call was made by that Church to the pastor of this, with the intention of uniting the two, but Presbytery intervened, disapproving the measure, and indi- cated that it was the duty of this congregation to go forward and enlarge the church edifice. No one, at this day, will question the justice or wisdom of that decision for all the parties concerned.
Just as the heaviest sorrow of my life had fallen upon me, and when I could hardly have continued the accustomed labors of my pulpit, a welcome rest was afforded me by the commencement of the work of taking down the building we had occupied for nearly eleven years. This was in June, 1862, seventeen years to a month from the beginning of my ministry here. An additional piece of land was bought, forty feet front on Washington street, running along the rear of our old lot, one hundred and ten feet deep, and the work of build- ing this pleasant edifice, and its equally pleasant chapel, was begun.
After a few weeks of interruption of our Sabbath services, they were resumed in the church edifice on Niagara Square, now occupied by the congregation of the Free Baptists. In the fall, we accepted the invitation of Dr. Lord's congregation to unite our Sabbath services with theirs until our new house should be ready. Early in 1863 we
*
96
MANUAL OF THE
entered the chapel connected with this building, and in October of the same year dedicated this church edifice, Rev. Dr. P. H. Fowler, of Utica, preaching the dedication sermon.
We were under many apprehensions as to the filling up of this church, but all the seats were almost immediately rented or sold, and the congregation has generally maintained the increase it then gained. In all the history of this chapter of our church edifices, we have reason to acknowledge the favor of God in giving courage and activity to the congregation to accomplish what it has in this direction.
" Hitherto hath the Lord helped us."
CHAPTER II.
HISTORY OF THE SOCIETY.
On the first Sabbath of my ministrations here, a congregation of some one hundred and fifty or two hundred persons were present. But we were without either legal or ecclesiastical organization. I was in the pulpit, in God's good providence, of my own will, and by the tacit consent of the people.
On the thirteenth of the next month, July, 1845, a society was legally constituted, under the title of "The Park Church Society," by the election of nine trustees. The names of these gentlemen may be found on the third page of this volume. The board was organ- ized August 1, 1845, by the election of Reuben B. Heacock, Presi- dent; N. B. Palmer, Treasurer; George R. Kibbe, Clerk. Only two members of this first Board of Trustees are now living, and neither of them is any longer connected with the Church or congregation.
On the twenty-first of October, 1845, the name was changed, by unanimous vote, to that of "Lafayette Street Church Society."
From the first, forty-three different gentlemen have served the con- gregation in this responsible and honorable office (pp. 4, 5, 6). And it is a testimony to the wisdom and fidelity with which, during all these years, they have managed their trust, and as well, also, to the liberality of the congregation, and the favoring providence of God, that this congregation, which commenced with scarcely a dollar in its hands, holds now a property worth, I think I may safely say, more than fifty thousand dollars over and above all its present liabilities.
97
LAFAYETTE STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. ·
In view of this, we may surely say, "Hitherto the Lord hath helped us." In addition to the church property, the trustees also hold, for the congregation, the fine chapel and lot on Milnor street occupied by our flourishing Mission Sabbath School-a property which cannot have cost the society less than from seven to eight thousand dollars for the land and building.
The cost of our different church edifices, of the additional land required for our enlargement, and for the Mission lot and chapel and its late enlargement, and an average of the annual congregational expenses for the thirty-one years which we close to-day cannot be less, in its sum total, than one hundred thousand dollars, which God has enabled and inclined this congregation to give for the establish- ment and perpetuation, for nearly the years of a generation, of the institutions and ordinances of His truth and Gospel, His Sanctuary and His Sabbath in this place; and this sum has been given in addi- tion to other sums, more than half as large in their total, for Evan- elical, Christian and humane purposes, outside of the congregation. (See I, General Index.) In view of all this, we may again gratefully say, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." But,
2d. The favor of God has been extended toward us in our spiritual history, which will now be given in
CHAPTER III.
THE HISTORY OF THE ORGANIZATION AND GROWTH OF THE CHURCH.
On Thursday evening, the sixteenth of October, 1845, nearly five months after I commenced preaching here, the Church, which still worships here, was organized on this spot. For more than four years of Sabbaths, therefore, have we observed the worship and ordinances of a Christian Church, in this locality. The history and influence of a Church is usually gentle and silent, like the leaven or the dew. It tells, for the most part, gently on the world. It tells silently upon Heaven. You will not expect, therefore, remarkable incidents. The life and growth of a true Church is, in the highest sense, the work of God. The life of a plant or shrub is also His work; but that communion of faith, hope and love, which in Christ, is the secret bond and vital element in the growth of a true Church, this is nourished out of the very heart of God, and is the fruit of His
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MANUAL OF THE
most tender and loving culture. Of the three ministers, who con- stituted the Committee of Presbytery to organize this Church, two are deceased, the Rev. Messrs. Todd and Orton. The Rev. Dr. Gillett is still living. The Church was composed of thirty members at its organization ; of these, fifteen were men and fifteen women. Of the fifteen male members six have been dismissed to other Churches, seven are deceased, and two, only, are now members, Mr. Edward Bristol and Mr. Samuel J. Field. Of the fifteen females, nine are deceased, four have been dismissed to other Churches, and two remain, viz .: Mrs. Mary J. Field and Mrs. Abby H. Trowbridge. The first Elders elected were, Abner Bryant and Dwight Needham. As soon as the organization was completed, a call was put into my hands to become the pastor of the little flock, at the nominal salary of six hundred dollars. The call was accepted. The Synod of Gen- esee was in session in this city at this time. The Presbytery of Buffalo, therefore, to which the Church belonged (they having con- stituted it by a commission from their body), proceeded, on the next Sabbath afternoon, to the services of my ordination and installation.
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