USA > Ohio > Washington County > Marietta > A century of church life. A history of the First Congregational church of Marietta, Ohio, with an introduction by Rev. John W. Simpson > Part 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20
To this communication twenty-four names were signed, to which another was afterward added. These twenty-five persons, with twelve others, were organized into the Harmar Congrega- tional Church, January 1st, 1840. Among the original members was Rev. Joel H. Linsley, D. D., President of Marietta College, who supplied the pulpit for some time, and later they were sup- plied by Rev. Samuel P. Robbins, a returned missionary. So that it was two years before the first pastor was installed. The succession of pastors has been as follows :
Rev. Milo J. Hickok, from May 4th, 1842, till April 8th, 1844. Rev. Gideon Dana, from April 2d, 1845, till March 8th, 1850. Rev. David Gould, from Jan. 11th, 1850, till Jan. 16th, 1855. Rev. Wm. Wakefield, from April 15th, 1855, till July 1, 1872. Rev. J. H. Jenkins, from Nov. 1st, 1872, till May 7th, 1881. Rev. H. C. Haskell, from Sept. 3d, 1881, till Sept. 1st, 1887. Rev. D. F. Harris, from Sept. 20th, 1887, till June 1st, 1893. Rev. Silas Smith, from Sept., 1893, to his death, Oct. 6th, 1895. Rev. Jonathan G. Smith, from Jan., 1896-
87
The church worshipped for nearly eight years in the Town Hall. November 27th, 1847, they dedicated a comfortable house of worship. This house was repaired and a chapel added in 1866. It was again repaired in 1892, when a new belfry was added, the floor raised, and the audience room re-seated. A commodious Sunday School room was built in 1894.
This church, though weakened from time to time by removals, has been flourishing from the first. In addition to its home Sunday School, it has usually maintained one or more branch schools. It has been blessed with several seasons of revival. The church has always been harmonious, and has worked in unity with the First church in sustaining Marietta College, and the weaker churches of Marietta Conference. It has also been a generous contributor to benevolent objects.
It seems proper here to give a brief mention of one who was a pillar in this church for more than half a century. Bro. Douglas Putnam was born in Marietta, April 7th, 1806, the 18th anniversary of the arrival of the pioneers of Ohio. So that Marietta and Mr. Putnam celebrated the same birthday. He united with the First church in 1827, and was elected clerk and deacon in 1832. He held both these offices acceptably for eight years, or until he and others were dismissed to organize the Harmar church, of which he was chosen deacon, and held that office continuously until his death, a period of fifty-five years. During all this time he was active in Christian work, and the largest contributor to the funds of the church.
He was for many years a corporate member of the American Board, and a generous contributor to this and other missionary boards. His private gifts were almost constant. A worthy ob- ject was seldom presented to him in vain. One who had long known him intimately, said to the writer that he thought Mr. Putnam's gifts averaged at least $2,000 annually for half a cen- tury. He was clerk of the first meeting of citizens to consider the matter of establishing a college in Marietta; and clerk of the Board of Trustees of Marietta College from its origin to the time of his death, and one of the largest contributors to its funds. Many students have reason for gratitude to him for timely aid in paying term bills. All the diplomas given by the
88
College, until and including 1894, bore his signiature. "The memory of the just is blessed."
MARIETTA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. (o. s.)
As early as 1803 a Presbyterian, Rev. Stephen Lindley, located in Marietta and established preaching. A house of worship was erected and services sustained for several years, but we can find no evidence that a church was organized at that time. This enterprise was abandoned about 1816. There were for many years members in the church who preferred the Presbyterian polity, (see page 51), and November 6th, 1841, nine members were dismissed to be organized into a Presbyterian church, (Old School). This church continued to maintain services for sev- eral years. They built a house of worship on Third street, now occupied by the African Methodist Church. This church, after a few years, was abandoned, but the organization still exists as the Beech Grove Presbyterian Church, situated on the Little Muskingum, about six miles from the city.
LITTLE MUSKINGUM.
April 13th, 1843, twelve members of the First Church, living near the Little Muskingum river, in Marietta township, resolved that it was expedient to organize a Congregational church in their neighborhood. These members were dismissed from the First Church, April 13th, and two days later, April 15th, they were organized into the Little Muskingum Congregational Church, by a council composed of representatives from the First and Harmar churches. Two weeks later fourteen others were received into this church on confession of faith. Rev. Levi L. Fay, the first pastor of this church, commenced labor October 20th of the same year. He continued his labors for fifteen years, at the same time preaching for the church in Lawrence. Since the close of Mr. Fay's labors the church has been supplied by Rev. G. V. Fry, Prof. J. L. Mills, Rev. J. H. Jenkins, Rev. Geo. W. Wells, Rev. Eugene B. Reed, Rev. H. J. Taylor, Rev. R. G. Beynon and Rev. C. B. Shear. They have also been temporarily supplied from time to time by students from Marietta College. This church worshipped for nine or ten years in a school-house. About 1852 they dedicated the
Brother Douglas Putnam.
89
present house of worship. At the time this church was organ- ized there was a mill at this point, and as it was the first mill- dam on the Little Muskingum, many flatboats were loaded here for the Ohio river trade. All this is now changed and this church has been much reduced both by deaths and removals. It is still a vigorous country church and doing much good in the community. They sustain an interesting Sunday School and regular services. A very interesting semi-centennial cele- bration was held here in connection with the meeting of Mari- etta Conference, April 30th, 1893.
STANLEYVILLE.
May 26th, 1851, five persons living in Fearing township were dismissed from the First church and these were soon organized into the Fearing (now Stanleyville) Congregational Church. Within three months fifteen were added to this church. They succeeded to a house of worship which was owned by the Fear- ing Religious Society, and which several years before had been occupied by the Salem and Fearing Presbyterian church, which had become extinct. The Stanleyville church inaugu- rated regular services and for many years was a prosperous country church. The succession of ministers has been as fol- lows :
Rev. G. V. Fry, 1851 to 1861.
Rev. Levi L. Fay, 1862 to 1877.
Rev. L. Riddall, 1877 to 1880.
Rev. C. S. Irwin, 1881.
Rev. M. P. Jones, 1882.
Rev. R. R. Lloyd, 1883.
Rev. C. B. Shear, 1892 to 1896.
For several years the church was supplied by students, and the pastor and members of Marietta First Church. In Novem- ber, 1892, Rev. C. B. Shear commenced to supply the church regularly. The Sunday School has continued during these years and has been productive of good. In September, 1871, twenty-nine were dismissed from the church and organized as the Congregational Church of Cedar Narrows. This church was flourishing for several years but is now nearly extinct. Stan- leyville church has furnished one foreign missionary, Rev. C.
90
S. Stanley, of the North China Mission, of the American Board.
FOURTH STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, MARIETTA.
It was natural that a church in this locality would frequently receive members from Presbyterian churches, and as the church increased there was a considerable number who were in har- mony with the church but preferred the Presbyterian form of organization. The members of the church were very much interested in the prosperity of Marietta College and a consider- able part of the natural constituency of that institution was Presbyterian. It was found that certain parents hesitated about sending their sons here because there was no church of that order in the city. This matter was carefully considered both by the friends of the College and by the church, and at a church meeting August 14th, 1865, the following communication was laid before the church :
"We, the undersigned, members of the First Congregational Church of Marietta, believing that the cause of Christ will be promoted by the establishing of a New School Presbyterian church in this city, respectfully ask letters of dismission and recommendation to unite in the formation of such a church. We would take this opportunity to express our continued love for our brethren and our pastor, with whom we have been so long associated, and solicit prayers that God may bless us in our undertaking and use it for the promotion of his glory."
To this forty-three names were signed and by vote of the church these were dismissed as they requested and a few days later three others, making forty-six in all. August 27th these persons, with eight others, were constituted the Fourth Street Presbyterian Church of Marietta. This removed a large num- ber of the active members, but the most fraternal relations existed between the two organizations.
A lot was soon secured and the work of constructing a house of worship was entered upon. In this work the members of the First Church rendered substantial sympathy and aid, and did all in their power for the success of the new organization. January 28th, 1866, the house was dedicated and the first pas- tor, Rev. H. W. Ballantine, was installed April 15th of the same year. He resigned April 16th, 1869, and Rev. William Addy was installed May 13th, 1870, and continued in that office until
91
his death, December 21st, 1891. The present pastor, Rev. W. E. Roe, was installed June 23d, 1892. This church is now strong and influential.
RAINBOW BRANCH.
For several years a flourishing Sunday School and Christian Endeavor Society were sustained in the Rainbow District, prin- cipally by members of the First Church. The school-house is near the little cemetery where the body of the pioneer Sunday School worker of Ohio, Mrs. Mary Bird Lake, was laid to rest a century ago. The school has adopted the name of the Mary Lake Sunday School, and a part of their Children's Day exer- cise consists of decorating her grave with flowers. This neigh- borhood is somewhat removed from church privileges but occasional services were held, conducted by members of the First Church or by students from Marietta College. June 14th, 1896, the pastor and Bro. J. E. Van Dervoort, a representative from that church, aided them in organizing the Rainbow Branch of the First Church, which now consists of seventeen members. This branch has an organic connection with the parent church, but is competent to receive and dismiss members and transact all its own ordinary business. The list of members is as follows : Rena Cline, Mary E. Stacy,
B. F. Dyar,
Mrs. Lizzie F. Stacy,
Mrs. B. F. Dyar,
Mrs. M. A. Tidd,
Matthew Dyar,
Gustavus A. Wood,
Mrs. Matthew Dyar,
Mrs. Lillian T. Wood,
Eva Dyar,
Jessie Wood,
Mrs. E. K. Dyar,
Cornelia M. Wood,
Mrs. Annie Pape, Mrs. Lina Wagner.
Lillian Gay Stacy,
In 1847, Dr. Simeon Hart located as a practicing physician near the mouth of the Little Muskingum river. At that time there were no religious services in the neighborhood and some of the inhabitants boasted that they had no Sabbath. Mrs. Lydia M. Hart, previously a teacher and in after years Matron of the Children's Home, observing the religious destitution, planned to give religious instruction to the children. She secured permission from the proper authorities and organized a Sunday School in the log school house, which with the help of
92
her husband was continued for some years. Through their influence the pastor of the First Church and members of the College faculty were secured to hold occasional services there. Prayer meetings were also held from house to house, which re- sulted in several hopeful conversions and a marked change in the moral condition of the neighborhood. As a result of these beginnings what is now known as the Sand Hill Methodist Church was organized, a vigorous country church which is still doing good work. Though this cannot properly be called a colony from the First Church, Dr. and Mrs. Hart were esteemed members of that church and their work is worthy of mention here.
By the organization of these colonies about one hundred and fifty valuable members have been removed from the parent church, but the church has received blessings even in this sac- rifice and others have been raised up to take the place of those removed. The church has always cherished a tender relation of fellowship for all these colonies and in some cases continued for a considerable time to contribute to their needs. Although some of these churches have been much reduced, the present membership of the parent church and colonies is more than twelve hundred. For the last half century Marietta has also been the seat of Marietta College and many of the young men educated here have belonged to this church or congregation. The number of persons who have been connected with this church for a time and then removed to become active members of other churches is several times as large as those who have gone out to form these colonies, and many of these laid the foundation of Christian character here. There are probably but few states in the Union which have not felt the power for good of this church and some who have gone out from us have become missionaries to the heathen. There are few pulpits in our land outside our large cities which have been more influen- tial during the century past than that of this church. We hope this good work has only begun and that this church may be a brighter light in the years to come than it has been in the past. As our Master, the Great Head of the church, pleased not him- self, so it is the work of a Christian church to find its chief object and delight in doing good.
-
93
It will be observed by reference to these sketches that three of the leading Presbyterian churches of Washington county, without which Presbyterianism would hardly have an existence here, are branches of the First Church and were organized as Pres- byterian churches on account of the broad and unsectarian char- acter of this church. Here is an exemplification of the words of Dr. Thomas Wickes, quoted on page 54. While both these branches of the church have acted in good faith and are anxious to promote the cause of Christ, we must express the conviction that if the early members of this church had so emphasized their Scriptural polity as to have built up one stronger instead of two weak ecclesiastical organizations, the cause of evangelical religion as represented by these denominations would have taken deeper root here than it has done ..
CHAPTER VIII. THE CONNECTION OF THE FIRST CHURCH WITH THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
The connection of this church with the Sunday School work commenced before the organization of the church, and embraces the first Sunday School in Ohio, and one of the first in the country for purely religious instruction. Among the early set- tlers of Marietta, was Mrs. Mary (Bird) Lake, wife of Ar- chibald Lake. During the war of the Revolution, Mrs. Lake was matron of the general hospitals at Fishkill and New Windsor, and at one time she received the thanks of Gen. Washington for the tender, vigilant and unremitting care of the sick soldiers. Mrs. Lake came to Marietta with her family in 1789. Her ex- perience as a nurse rendered her services very valuable in the colony where the small pox broke out soon after her arrival. She was a devoted Christian, and a lover of children, of whom she had brought up eight in her own family. After the settlers had been driven into the block house by the breaking out of the Indian war in the spring of 1791, she conceived the plan of gathering the children for religious instruction on Sunday after- noon.
It is not necessary to suppose that Mrs. Lake had heard of the Sunday Schools of Robert Raikes, established ten years be- fore. Her work was prompted by the love of her warm Chris- tian heart. Dr. S. P. Hildreth says the school was established in the single and only room occupied by the family, where each Sunday afternoon she taught the children lessons from the Scriptures, and from the Westminster Catechism. The seats for the children were rude and simple, and one of the scholars, then a boy of four years, used to relate that his seat was a bag of meal. Mrs. Nancy (Allison) Frost lived more than one hundred years
95
after the organization of this school. She died at Lowell, Ohio, February 15th, 1892, aged one hundred and seven years and four months. She gave the writer a very intelligent account of Mrs. Lake and her school. She was a pupil in this school, and said that, according to her recollection, it was held in the public room in the northwest block house, and Dr. Hildreth says the same at the close of his article, although earlier in the article he located it in her living room. Combining the two accounts, we conclude that the school was commenced in Mrs. Lake's room, and afterwards transferred to the public room.
This school was continued for about four years, or until the close of the Indian war, in 1795, when Mrs. Lake removed with her family to a farm on the banks of the Muskingum river, near Rainbow, where she died the following year, April 27th, 1796, aged sixty-eight years. In 1889 the Sunday Schools of Wash- ington county erected a marble monument at her grave, but her labor of love is her best monument. Eternity alone will reveal the full extent of her influence. The one hundredth anniversa- ry of the organization of this school was celebrated by holding the annual meeting of the Ohio Sunday School Association at Marietta, June 2d, 3d and 4th, 1891. On the evening of June 4th a large delegation went to Rainbow by train, and about sunset these Sunday School workers stood around that grave with peculiar emotions of gratitude for Mary Lake and her work. An original centennial ode was sung, and prayer offered by the venerable B. W. Chidlaw, D. D., a Sunday School worker for more than fifty years. One verse of the hymn "Shall we gather at the river," was sung, and the company re- turned to the Convention. Those who were present will not soon forget that scene. The question was in many minds whether the spirit of the departed one was a witness of that gathering.
Mrs. Lake and her school deserves special and honorable no- tice, not only because this was the first school in the Northwest Territory, but also because it was born of a desire to seize the golden hours of youth to instill Bible truth into the mind. For twenty years following the school of Mrs. Lake the growth of Sunday Schools in this country was slow. It was also a period of transition from secular to religious instruction. Most of the
96
earlier schools, like that of Mrs. Lake, were individual rather than church schools. Several schools were organized in New England in the early part of the present century, and a few at- tempts were made to organize such schools in Ohio. Gen. Rufus Putnam became very much interested in the account of these schools.
About the same time Mr. David Putnam became acquainted with this form of work on a visit to the east. In the year 1817 this church resolved to enter upon Sunday School work, and it was decided that it should be done by the Moral Society which had been organized in 1814. May 10th, 1817, this society or- ganized three schools, one in the Muskingum Academy, under the care of Mr. Elisha Huntington; one in Buell's school room at the Point, under the care of Mr. William Slocomb; and one at Point Harmar, under the care of Dr. John Cotton.
These schools were held at different hours and some children attended more than one. A scholar who walked several miles from the country to attend these schools, related that he used to come barefooted with his shoes in his hand until arriving near the school, when the shoes were put on to wear at church and Sunday School, and again removed as soon as he was out of town on his way home. This was not an uncommon practice in those days, when shoes were costly luxuries for the poor. The reasons given by the Moral Society for establishing these schools, was that the children were accustomed to gather at the rivers on Sunday for fishing, swimming and sailing. A com- mittee called upon all the families in the community, and in- vited to the school "children, male and female, adults and peo- ple of color." They found considerable opposition, as they said, "arising from ignorance, prejudice and influence." They say in their report at the end of the season, "Those who de- clined to attend this school, either forbore their accustomed amusements on Sunday, or retreated from public view to escape the disgrace which they seemed conscious would attach to them for neglecting the benefits offered."
In these schools volunteer teachers were employed for a certain number of weeks, when others took their places. It was not until two years later that teachers continued through the sea-
Interior of Chapel.
97
son. The first summer the schools continued twenty weeks, and the learners were employed in reading the Scriptures, com- mitting portions to memory, and in such other lessons as are usually taught in such institutions. In the report of the schools for the second season (1818,) we find that 45,784 verses had been committed to memory. The largest number by one schol- ar was 3,517. The spirit of the young people was by this time aroused, and they entered upon the school in the spring of 1819, prepared for new contests and victories. During that season 107,617 verses were committed, equal to memorizing the whole Bible nearly three and one-half times. One scholar committed 11,648 verses, or more than one-third of the Bible; and another 7,238 verses. In the report of the school for that year we find the following language :
"A fact to which the committee allude and which has been demonstrated in every case, without exception, is that the chil- dren who have attended the Sunday School, and have been in the practice of committing to memory large portions of Script- ure and other things there taught, have learned double the quan- tity in the week day schools in all those branches which depend upon the memory."
I will give another quotation from the report for the year 1819, which will show that although they lived on the border of a slave state, the settlers were true to the spirit of the ordi- nance of 1787 :
"The schools this season, as in the past, have been composed of adults and children, male and female, white and black. The committee know that objections have been made to such a mot- ley assembly, and by some that people of color ought to be kept distinct from the whites. The committee, in justification of the course pursued, would observe that imposition is not to be practiced, nor inconsistency in conduct inculcated in the minds of children with impunity. We boast of the Constitu- tion of our government in its liberality in considering all men in their rights. The Scriptures teach that all mankind are, or ought to be, brethren. The grave will soon place us all on a level. If it is the business of a Sunday School to teach the ig- norant that they are all born sinners, whether the color of the skin be white or black, that all have souls to be saved, that all our thoughts and actions in this life of probation, are to be scrutinized and approved or disapproved by God at the day of
98
judgment, that there is a future state of happiness or misery, that we are all destined to exist throughout the endless ages of eternity, whether we will or not, that on the day of judg- ment our lot is to be decided for eternity, that God is no re- specter of persons, and that our future happiness or misery will depend on our conduct in this life; to suffer a white boy to deduce an opinion that we make a distinction of color, that a white is better than a black person, or that the latter are of a different species from ourselves, would contradict these prin- ciples."
When we consider that many of these persons were slaves from Virginia, and that slavery was considered by many as an institution which had the sanction of the Scriptures, these are strong and significant words. In the summer of 1818, Miss Hannah Matthews, a cripple, who gained her livelihood with her needle, and lived about six miles up the Muskingum, gathered about twenty children in her own house to teach them the Scriptures, and Miss Sophia Barker, living on the opposite side of the river, taught about the same number of children in her home. We have already mentioned the interest felt by Gen. Rufus Putnam, then nearly eighty years of age, in the organi- zation of these schools. Dr. Hildreth relates that after hearing of the Sunday Schools of New England, he related to a friend a dream he had. He thought he stood at a window in a large public building, and saw a large procession of children neatly clad approaching with music. He asked the bystanders the meaning of the procession, and was told that these were the children of the Sunday School. At the close of the schools, September 30th, 1818, the superintendent, teachers and about one hundred and fifty scholars met at the Academy and marched in procession to the banks of the Muskingum, and then to the church, where an address was delivered by Rev. S. P. Robbins, the pastor, with other appropriate exercises. As the procession entered the church, Gen. Putnam stood at the window observing them. He remarked to a friend as the tears rolled down his cheeks, "Here is the fulfillment of my dream."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.