USA > New York > Kings County > Brooklyn > Old Sands Street Methodist Episcopal Church, of Brooklyn, N.Y. : an illustrated centennial record, historical and biographical > Part 5
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9 So states Burdet Stryker, of Brooklyn.
CHAPTER V.
A RECORD OF TWENTY YEARS; 1827-1846.
AMUEL LUCKEY followed Thomas Burch as preach- er in charge of the Brooklyn circuit. In 1827 S. L. Stillman was his colleague; in 1828 Seymour Lan- don. The statistics show a steady increase in the member- ship, The Sabbath-school was especially prosperous. It was mentioned by Laban Clark in the New York Advocate in January, 1828, as the best conducted Sunday-school he had seen.
While Samuel Luckey was preacher in charge, the Young Men's Missionary Society of Brooklyn, auxilliary to the pa- rent Missionary Society, was organized. The author has no knowledge of the length of time it continued to flourish. Young people of both sexes were among its supporters. The pastor's daughter, Miss Ann Eliza Luckey, is said to have suggested the formation of the society. One of the original members writes; "She was so earnest that my five brothers, my sister and I all joined. Marsden Van Cott took an active part in organizing the society." The junior preacher, S. L. Stillman, was president, and the first anniversary was held March 19, 1828, in the York-street church. The chairman, after speaking of the insufficiency of worldly charity and benevolence, said:
The gospel alone can strike at the root of human misery. When once the gospel panacea has diffused its healing virtues through the souls of men, the mighty cure is wrought, the fountain head of the muddy strean: of moral pol- lution is dried up, and its turbid waters cease to flow. *** Hence, though it may be expedient to lend occasional aid to those minor institutions, it shouldl never be forgotten that to assist the gospel in its operation is the only effectu-
1 1.etter to the author by the widow of the Rev. John Luckey. Her father was the Rev. Christopher Rutherford, a local preacher in Sands-street church.
25
Historical Record.
al way to restrain the course of vice, instruct the ignorant, lift up the hunible poor, release the abject slave, and illuminate, and civilize, and evangelize, and save a ruined world.2
D. M. Reese, M .D. of New York also addressed the meeting.
Daniel Ostrander succeeded Laban Clark as presiding ei- der in 1828. A notable revival in the Sands-street church followed the Hempstead Harbor camp-meeting in 1829, the first year of the pastoral term of Noah Levings and James Covel, Jr. It commenced among the sailors of the U. S. navy in Brooklyn. A band of Methodists including several exhort- ers held service on shipboard. They were doubtless burning with zeal on their return from the camp-meeting. Thirty- five of the sailors joined class, and a goodly number gave in their names to the lieutenant to have their "grog stopped." Many were baptized on board the war ship.
During the following year J. N. Maffitt and D. Ostrander aided in extra meetings, and the altar was thronged with the penitents. It may cast a shade of reproof over the lax dis- cipline of our day to call attention to the fact that the church records of those times were often marked by the word ex- pelled. Here, likewise, is a suggestive record:
Simon Richardson, John Smith and Adam Seabury were appointed a stand- ing committee for one month to try delinquents, -Dec., 1830.
A change of pastors brought John C. Green and C. W. Carpenter to this charge in. 1831, and they were re-inforced by J. C. Tackaberry in 1832, after the formation of a new col- ony from the mother church. The Washington-street church and parsonage were erected in 1831, at a cost of about $24,000.3 For about four years Sands-street and Washington-street churches constituted one charge, being undivided in their financial interests, and under the same pastoral supervision.
Thomas Burch was appointed a second time to this charge in 1833 and 1834. His colleagues on the circuit were John Kennaday and John Luckey. There were four churches un- der their watch-care, including New Utrecht, and the mem- bership numbered more than a thousand.
The New York Conference for the first time held its ses- sion in Sands-street church in 1835. This year it was deemed
2 Christian Advocate and Journal, 1828.
3 J. W. Harper in Trustees' Record, 1843.
They were finished in IS32.
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Old Sands Street Church.
expedient to make a division of the church property. Pas- tors were appointed to the three churches severally, separate boards of trustees were elected, each church assuming a portion of the debt,4 and obtaining sole possession of the property which it occupied. Of the burial grounds on Con- cord-street and at Wallabout, each church held an undivided third. 5 For about three years, however, the several boards of trustees met in joint session. A committee was appointed by the joint board of trustees in 1836, consisting of one from cach church, to ascertain if ground suitable for a meeting- house could be obtained in the neighborhood of the resi- dences of Christopher Hempstead and Mrs. Mary Powers, [not far from Hanson Place, ] and upon what terms and con- ditions, and to report. The committee did nothing; but "a plot of ground, with building stones and a part of the neces- sary fixtures for a house of worship, was offered as a dona- tion by James E. Underhill through Mr. Ingles. This offer was declined by the board on account of the situation being too far from the settled part of the city, and because Mr. Under- hill required that the church should have a steeple.""
Bartholomew Creagh was the first to have pastoral charge in Sands-street after the division, and his allowance was $600 a year. In 1837 W. HI. Norris succeeded Mr. Creagh. Dur- ing his two years term the membership increased from 402 to,667. Fitch Reed was his successor for one year. The annual conference of 1839 was held in the Sands-street church. In 1840 Long Island was set off as a presiding elder's district, in charge of Stephen Martindale. . P. C. Oakley was appointed pastor of this church, and under his adminis- tration in 1841, the first regular board of stewards was elected. 7
In 1843, L. M. Vincent pastor, the membership was large- ly increased by a revival. It was at this time decided to de- molish the church building, and erect in its place a new and larger structure, the "old white church" being insufficient to
4 The entire indebtedness after Washington-street church was bunt, was $18,500. Sands-street became responsible for $5,500, York-street for $3,000 and Washington-street for $10.000.
5 Trustees Record, Washington-street church. 6 Trustees Record, 1836.
" Joseph Wesley Harper's statement in Trustees' Record Book, 1843.
S. E. Warren. Vn ..
Sands Street Methodist Episcopal Church, Brooklyn, N. Y., 188I.
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Ilistorical Record.
accommodate the crowds attending upon Mr. Vincent's min- istry. With intense emotion did the congregation, especially the older people, assemble for the last time in the doomed building, and listen to "the tearing down sermon" by the pastor. The senior members regarded the dear old church with an almost superstitious veneration. It had stood well- nigh forty years. From its high pulpit they had heard scores of honored ministers proclaim the word of life. Asbury and Dow and Summerfield and Bascom, and many pastors of the church, scarcely less eloquent or renowned, had preached there; and at its altars they had worshipped with the Garri- sons, Harpers, Kirks, Mosers and Merceins. The demoli- tion of the church was effected notwithstanding this pro- found regret, and on the 15th of January, 1844, a new brick church was dedicated. The preachers on that occasion we e Chas. Pitman and Nathan Bangs. On the following Sabba h Noah Levings and David M. Reese occupied the pulpit, and a subscription was taken, amounting to $1,400. $ The building was of Grecian architecture, eighty feet in length, and sixty feet in width. While the builders were at work on this edi- fice, the congregation worshipped in a hall on the corner of Fulton and Nassau streets. At the expiration of Mr. Vin- cent's first year in May, 1843, a resolution was adopted by the quarterly conference-nine against eight-condemning the practice of petitioning for particular preachers. In 1844 John J. Matthias was appointed to the district, and Hart F Pease to the station. Nathan Bangs was stationed here in 1846 with John C. Tackaberry. A parsonage was built that year. The entire outlay for buildings amounted by this time to $18,000, of which the church owed $10,coo.
The Sunday-school was conducted during these years with marked thoroughness and efficiency. On the following page is an exact copy of the certificate of membership presented to each scholar, the names and dates being inserted with a pen. Many of these certificates have been preserved.
In 1843 Moses F. Odell and Miss Esther Hollis, (now the widow of the Rev. William M'Allister,) organized the in- fant class with ten 'scholars.
8 Christian Advocate.
4
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Oid Sands Street Church.
SUNDAY-SCHOOL CERTIFICATE OF ADMISSION.
CHO
The Children walking in Wisdom's way.
Roll Book, No
admission to
having complied with the rules of . Sunday-school, attached to the
Church, in is this day enrolled as a member thereof, and is henceforth entitled to all its privileges.
Class,
May God guide and keep , and bless the instruction may here
Teacher,
receive, to the everlasting good of soul.
Superintendent,
IS
1
FARSONAGE AND SUNDAY SCHOOL BUILDING ON HIGH-ST.
CHAPTER VI.
A RECORD OF TEN YEARS; 1847-1856.
OHN B. MERWIN was pastor here with Nathan Bangs in 1847. On Saturday night, September 9, 1848, while Wm. II. Norris was preacher in charge, a fire swept over a considerable portion of Brooklyn, and the new church and parsonage were burned-insurance only about $1,200. Fortunately the walls of the church were found to be perfectly safe for rebuilding, and without waste of time this enterprising people, encouraged by their zealous pastor, proceeded to repair their loss. While doing this, they erected a building in the rear of the church, fronting on High-
Old Sands Street Church.
street, containing Sunday-school rooms and a lecture room, and connected with the main building by a department for class rooms, eighteen by sixty feet, and two stories high. The building committee consisted of David Coope, Warren Richmond, Nathaniel Bonnell, Jacob Brown, and John J. Studwell. This church was dedicated March 25, 1849, a dis- course being delivered by Dr. Stephen Olin. The Rev. T. W. Chadwick says that Dr. Olin's glorious sermon gave him a grand conception of the dignity of being a Christian.
The Sunday-school continued its career of prosperity. After the removal of its veteran founders, Robert Snow and Joseph Herbert, the leadership fell into the hands of men equally well qualified to superintend its affairs.
The following quotation from the minutes of a teachers' meeting of the Sands-street Sunday-school, held May 3, 1847, is a brief account of the origin of a remarkably successful Sunday-school missionary society:
On motion it was
Resolved, That a Juvenile Missionary Society be formed in this school; and that the officers of such society consist of a president, a vice-president, a seere- tary and a treasurer.
The meeting, on motion, proceeded to the election of said officers. Charles HI. Fellows was elected president , Joshua I. Gascoigne, vice-president; Gilbert H. Read, secretary; Egbert Acker, treasurer. On motion it was
Resolved, That each teacher select a scholar in his or her class, whose duty it shall be to collect funds in such class, and pay them to the treasurer.
An infant-class missionary society had previously been organized, and, as already narrated, a young men's missiona- ry society was in operation some twenty years antecedent to this date; but this was the beginning of the only permanent missionary organization connected with this church. The aggregate amount of money raised and paid into the genera! missionary treasury by this society is more than $50,000. It has also appropriated considerable sums to local missionary effort. A constitution was adopted July 19, 1847. Wm. Cartwright was made second vice-president; and the follow- ing persons were chosen the first board of managers: Ira Perego, Jr., James Cheetham, Horace N. Harrison, Benj. Haff, James Bogart, Wm. Marvin, Elisabeth E. Haff, Belinda Vanderveer, Josephine Curtis, Jane Vining, Mary Wads- worth, Harriet Oakley. A little later it was ordered that
31
Historical Record.
the last Sabbath in each monthi be set apart for missionary purposes. The first Sunday-school missionary festival was held in the Sunday-school room, December 25, 1849. The secretary made the following minute:
Brothers Kirk, Murphy, North and others addressed the meeting. Fifty dollars was collected. Thomas Kirk, Charles C. North, J. N. Judson, Wm. A. Walker and - Camp of Eighteenth-street, New York, were made life members of the Juvenile Missionary Society. The school then had a treat of good things, and the remainder was taken to the poor school at F -.
One of the "others" among the speakers to whom the secre- tary refers, was J. Wesley Harper. This was to him a double celebration, for he was born on Christmas day. So deeply moved was he that he asked Sup't Odell to allow hin to say a word. It was an unheard-of thing for him to address the children, and they listened with profound attention.
On Christmas day, 1854, certain features then quite novel, were introduced into the missionary celebration. It was a new departure, of which the following account is given:
The school was organized into fifty different societies, each having its own name and motto, and they collected about $680. The exercises in the church consisted of singing and addresses, and receiving the collections from the differ- ent societies [or classes]. After the school returned to the school-room, Super- intendent Odell gave the classes baskets and boxes of good things. Ole Bull was present, and dedicated a new violin to the school, in return for which he was made a life member of the Juvenile Missionary Society."
It can hardly fail to awaken pleasant recollections in the minds of many who were present on those occasions, to find here recorded the names of some of the classes. A few will serve as specimens: "Old Sands-street, the Homestead;" "Lenders to the Lord;" "Father Snow Society;" "Stockhold- ers in the never-failing Bank;" "Mrs. Ann Wilkins Society;" "Missionary Life and Trust Company." The mottoes, in most cases, were beautiful and appropriate passages of Scripture.
Events of ordinary interest which occurred during this comparatively recent period, need not be recorded here. The church flourished as in former years. The names of the eminent and worthy pastors during this decade, - Bangs, Merwin, Norris, Wood, Fox, Weed and Miley, -are in themselves unquestioned evidence that the spiritual inter- ests of the church were ably and faithfully administered.
CHAPTER VII.
A RECORD OF TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS; 1857-1984.
HE published statistics of Methodism previous to 1857, consisted solely of the number of names on the class books. Since that date more com- plete tabulated statistical reports have been printed; and from these has been compiled a summary of statistics of old Sands-street Church for the last quarter of a century. The number of deaths reported, 1857 to 1883, inclusive, is 124; (The church records, incomplete as they are, contain the names of more than two hundred persons who have fallen asleep in Jesus, while in fellowship with this church, since 1798.) Baptized since 1856-adults, 119, children, 247. Be- sides making liberal provision for the support of pastors, presiding elders, bishops and worn-out conference preach- ers-for repairs, supplies and other miscellaneous objects, this church has contributed since the statistics have been published, the following amounts, in round numbers :- to the Tract Society, $700; to the Sunday School Union, $ 700; to the American Bible Society, $3,000; to the Board of Edu- cation, $350; to the Freedmen's Aid Society, $400; to the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, $ 700; to the Board of Church Extension, $ 900; to the parent Missionary Society, $53,000; to various other missionary institutions, about $ 7,000; the whole being an average annual contribution of $ 2,500 for the last twenty-seven years. The collection for Church Extension reported in 1882, was the largest for that cause ever made by this church ;-- Chaplain M'Cabe had been there. The pastor, J. S. Breckinridge, conducted the services on Children's Day, 1882, and the amount then contributed for the cause of education surpassed all previous collections for that object. The names of the pastors during this latest period are as follows :- John Miley, John B. Hagany, B. II. Nadal, L. S. Wee l, Charles Fletcher, E. G. Andrews, A. II.
.
حار
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Historical Record.
Wyatt, G. De La Matyr, G. F. Kettell, F. P. Tower, George Taylor, Lindsay Parker, J. S. Breckinridge, L. R. Streeter; presiding elders, Buel Goodsell, Wm. HI. Norris, John Ken- naday, Daniel Curry, Benjamin Pillsbury, E. E. Griswold, T. G. Osborn, Charles Fletcher, A. S. Graves, G. F. Kettell, I. Simmons.
No portion of the history of this church is more remarka- ble, all things considered, than the record of the last few years. While some, if not most of the churches in "Old Brooklyn" struggled for existence, the old mother church maintained much of the vigor and the uniform prosperity of carlier days. Of necessity or of choice, from time to time many of the Sands-street people transferred their member- ship to other churches, but not a few resolved to stay and "hold the fort." Undismayed by the prospect of a speedy removal, they strove to improve the latest opportunities,' and make the last days of Sands-street Methodism worthy of the past.
The class leaders and the Sunday-school workers emu- lated the zeal and enterprise of the fathers. The anniver, saries were never more interesting. The Rev. Dr. Weed was present at the Christmas missionary festival, 1881. Having written a beautiful description of the decoration, and the ar- rangement of the children, he adds:
The Revs. D. Terry, A. S. Graves, J. E. Cookman, G. P. Mains, Lindsay Parker, and many of the well-known laymen of Brooklyn were in the congre- gation and on the platform. For nearly thirty consecutive years the Rev. Da- vid Terry, of the parent Missionary Society has been present at this Christmas festival, and opened the exercises with prayer. It was a great joy to many of his old friends to greet him once more. He was called upon to offer the opening prayer by Mr. S. S. Utter, the teacher of the'infant class, who, assist- ing the superintendent of the school, Mr. Wm. I. Preston, presided with ad- mirable tact over the services of the morning.
The call of the classes was intensified in interest by the splendid chorus singing by the entire school of the verse motto of the class called.
The motto of the young gents of the infant class is "The Young Guard;" that of the little misses, "Spring Flowers." A little fellow of four or five years, dressed in imiform, represented the boys; and a little girl of about the same age, was a symbol of spring flowers. They brought in from the class two hundred dollars.
To pastors and superintendents generally it may, we think, be a matter of very serious thought whether this way may not be the "better way." The
34
Oll Sands Street Church.
whole effort and enthusiasm of the congregation, Church and Sunday-school are concentrated upon this one day of the year for collecting and reporting missionary money. All are interested, and all are represented by their gifts - parents, children, grandchildren, all are there. Even little babes are brought up in their fathers' or mothers' arms, with gifts in their little hands for the mission cause. Without any large gifts from wealth, in a congregation and in the midst of a population representing what has come to be called the great middle class of society, Sands-street Church, through its Sunday-school, has for many years collected on this festival day for the mis- sionary work what it'collected on the day just passed, Dec. 26, 1881, namely, $ 2,000. 1
Brothers Weed and Terry supposed this to be the last Christmas missionary festival in Sands-street; it was, in- deed, their last; ere many months had gone, they were both translated to the Church above.
The Christian Advocate published the following addition- al notice of the work of the society during that vear:
The thirty-fifth anniversary of the Sunday-school Missionary Society of Sands-street Methodist Episcopal Church, the Rev. J. S. Breckinridge, pastor, was held April 6. The annual report, presented by D. B. Phillips, the secre- tary, showed that $2, 200 had been collected during the year, $100 of which was appropriated to the Howard Mission in New York, $150 to the Five Points Mission, in the same city, and $1, 800 to the Parent Society of the Methodis: Episcopal Church. A very interesting address was given on the occasion b: the Rev. Gideon Draper, D. D., on mission work in Sweden, and the pastor stated that the first conference held in Sweden was presided over by Bishop Andrews, a former pastor of Sands-street.
The most memorable of all the annual missionary fesu- vals was held Dec. 25, 1882. A large and beautiful painting of the "Old White Church" had been made from memory and was suspended on the wall in the rear of the palpit. 12 star of blazing gas jets was seen above the painting, and . either side were appropriate emblems.
A profusion of North Carolina hanging moss and floral baskets adorned the front of the galleries, and near the oi- gan a cluster of Sunday-school banners was displayed. Portraits of Robert Snow and Joseph Herbert were sus- pended in front of the gallery facing the pulpit, and be- tween them hung the beautiful banners of the infant class. .On elevated benches, behind the pulpit, reaching to the gar-
1 Christian Advocate, Jan. 12, 1882.
1827721
Historical Record. 35
leries, the children of the infant class were seated,-a lovely sight to behold. The Sunday-school occupied the front seats in the body of the church. The house was crowded to its utmost capacity, for the general belief that this would be their last opportunity to attend such a meeting in the old Sabbath home, had drawn thither a host of the former mem- bers and friends of the school. A. B. Thorn officiated as leader of the singing, in which teachers and scholars joined. Even David himself would have been satisfied with the number and variety of musical instruments accompany- ing their voices-organ, cornet, piano, piccolo and bells. Among the distinguished visitors were Henry Ward Beecher and his assistant, Mr. Halliday; ex-mayor Howell, ex-mayor Booth, ex-mayor Hunter, Edward Rowe and ex-alderman Whiting. Sam S. Utter presided. At 10:30 A. M. the exer- cises were opened with an appropriate song:
Ring out, O bells! right merrily, For Christmas time is here!
894
In place of the assistant secretary at the mission rooms, David Terry-absent for the first time in thirty years-John Parker, one of the Brooklyn pastors, offered prayer. The missionary offerings were then made in the usual manner. Some one had brought the old fire bucket which formerly belonged to "Poppy" Snow, and laid it on the platform. In this were deposited the offerings of the infant class, amount- ing to $250.
Mr. Beecher on being introduced, was greeted with applause. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle gave the following report of his address:
Ile said, as he remembered them the New England Congregationalists used to be big bugs. The Methodists had a hard time to get a hold in New Eng- land. They were not grand. When he went to Indiana, he found that things were reversed. There, said Mr. Beecher, the Methodists were on the top, and we were nowhere. The public sentiment of that State was in the hands of the Methodists. On the whole they were a nice sort of folks, and I came. to have a warm heart for them. They had the good sense to go out among the com- mon people, and they had a habit of exhibiting their feelings. I was a Presby- terian then, and I think very well of the Presbyterians. Their wells are deep, however, and they never iun over. The water is good, but we have to pump for it. The Methodists are like springs-they need no pumping;
-
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Old Sands Street Church.
their wells flow over. When I came to Brooklyn, it was my good fortune to fall into the society of the members of this very church, among whom was Broth- er Odell, whose school at that time was considered the best in Brooklyn. I af- terward gave some members to you, and that bound me to you; and some came to my prayer-meeting from this church. Brother Loper, who thought a man couldn't go to Heaven who wore a mustache or a goatee, used to come round; therefore it seems to me for various reasons, you could have gone farther and fared worse than having nie speak to you. [Applause. ] The warm-heartedness and fiery spirit of this church were always noticeable, and I would like to see some of this spirit to-day. You are going to leave this place that is consecrated. It is your purpose, I believe, to join forces and erect a great memorial church some where on the heights. I am sorry for it, and would recall to your minds in this connection the fable of the snail and the lobster shell. Beware of the devil of respectability; and don't be afraid to be common. My fear is that you will attempt to make a big, magnificent, popular church; my prayer is that God may defeat you. When you go, if you have any spare members, send them over to me, and I will take care of them. [ Loud applause. ]
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