USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > Annals of the First Presbyterian church of Cleveland, 1820-1895 > Part 14
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Dr. Sherman B. Canfield, for two years the pastor of the Church across the river, became the choice of the second Church, September, 1844, and the Church
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edifice of the disbanded Congregationalists, standing on the northwest corner of the Park, was purchased. For seven years the two Churches worshipped side by side. The Church building, a frame structure, was then sold to the Erie Street Baptist Church and by them removed to the corner of Erie and Ohio streets, where it now stands. The Second had, at this time, in the course of erection, the Church edifice that for twenty years graced Superior street, where the Crocker block now stands. The lecture room was occupied in 1851, the audience room in 1852; a chapel was added in 1870, and the Church was burned in 1876. This was followed by a removal to the cor- ner of Prospect street and Sterling avenue, where the present commodious structure, with every appliance for efficient Church work, valued at $140,000, Church and lot, was erected-begun in 1877 and dedicated in 1888.
The growth of the Second Church is also remark- able. By decades, in the first ten years, 356; in the second, 388; in the third, 468; in the fourth, 686; As might be inferred, this Church has enjoyed many seasons of gracious refreshing, of which the results are here indicated. The present membership is 908. This church has been exceedingly fortunate in its pas- torates. They have been few and strong. There are but four names in forty-eight years, Canfield, Eells, Hawks and Pomeroy. Dr. Canfield was a welcome accession to the evangelical strength of his day and a powerful ally of Dr. Aiken in the contentions of that time. Dr. Eells, remarkable for his oratorical gifts,
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was so beloved that a second pastorate was enjoyed by him, each of which, in turn, was sundered only by the imperative call of circumstances over which he had no control, and to the great sorrow of his people. Dr. Hawks is remembered as the affable Christian gentlemen, an earnest, capable preacher and a faith- ful pastor, now engaged as an instructor in the Springfield, Mass., college for lay workers. Dr. Charles S. Pomeroy*, the worthy successor of them all, holds the fort and directs the energies of what is now, in some respects, the strongest Presbyterian Church of the city.
The Second is also, though not by colonization, the mother of churches.
In 1855 the Mayflower Sunday School, which had been organized two years before, was adopted as a mission, and a building was erected on a lot given by Mr. Joseph Perkins, of the Third Church. Messrs. Handy, T. Dwight and Dan P. Eells, and Charles J. Dockstader were, successively, superintendents. Rev. Messrs. Little and Day preached and otherwise fos- tered this work, which issued April 18, 1872, in the Woodland Avenue Presbyterian Church of fifty-four members, twenty-three of whom were from Congrega- tional Churches, twenty-two from the Second, three, soon increased to eleven, from the First, three on pro- fession of faith. For a year and a half preparations had been going forward, a lot had been purchased and a chapel so far erected as to be ready for occupancy May 5 following, at a total cost of $27,208.13. The
*Dr. Pomeroy died, after a brief illness, Sept. 10th, 1894.
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first available funds towards this enterprise was a leg- acy of $1,000 from Mrs. Sarah C. Adams, for twenty years missionary among the Zulus. Other outside funds were helpful to the amount of $12,032.89. The Presbyterian Union of Cleveland, founded in 1869 to promote the work of Church Extension within this city, endorsed this enterprise at the beginning, but, from its organization, the Church had been self-sup- porting and free from debt. The Sunday School of this Church has long been the largest in the city, reaching, one year, a membership of 1623, an average of 1060, and adding to the Church, in all, 911. The membership in twenty years increased from 54 to 1141. From the beginning, 1135 have been received by profession, by certificate 770 ; a total of 1095.
It is not surprising that, with a growth so phe- nomenal, the original chapel should have been soon outgrown. The present Church edifice was dedicated November 17, 1878, at a cost of $26,369.85, of this, from without, $4,580. The old Sunday School build- ing was replaced by a new one-large and commo- dious-May 27, 1890, at a cost of $32,447.12. The records are so perfectly kept, that the growth, year by year, and a statement of all moneys contributed, are instantly available, and the grand total is: for church property, $86,025.10; expenses of Church, $141,285.44; benevolent account, $19,748,13; for Sunday School, $8,105.35 ; by Sunday School, $9,071,- 62 ; by auxiliary societies within the Church, $28,809 -a total of $296,559,60 ! of which about $16,672.89 was received from without. Such a record is rarely
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paralleled. There have been , four pastors, Rev. Messrs. E. P. Gardner, S. L. Blake, G. L. Spinning and Paul F. Sutphen, lately removed to Newark, N. J. -all good and faithful men; the latter entering into a rare opportunity prepared for him, and using it with consummate tact and ability, became too well known abroad to be left in peace, and, at this date-1893- a great field, held thus far with little competition, is pastorless .*
April 12, 1874, a union Sunday School was started on Willson avenue, in a chapel of wood, now the As- bury Methodist Church, at a cost of $1,350. Of the five trustrees three were Disciples, one Presbyterian and one Methodist. Mr. L. W. Bingham, of the First Presbyterian Church, was superintendent for three years, until called to another field occupied by his own Church. This chapel was bought by the Second Church, and Mr. Dan P. Eells became super- intendent from 1877-83. In 1881 there was enrolled 613. In March, 1882, a Church of forty-eight mem- bers, twenty-three from the Second Church, was or- ganized under the auspices of the Presbyterian union, which has grown to a present membership of 312- received from the beginning 435. In 1883-4 Mr. Eells secured the present site and generously erected a church at the corner of Willson and Lexington avenues, at a total cost of $37,000. Rev. C. T. Ches- ter became pastor May 14, 1882, and was succeeded, after an interregnum, by Rev. A. J. Waugh, April 1, 1890. It became independent of the Union January 1, 1892. Congregational expenses met by the
*Dr. Sutphen was for two years succeeded by Rev. C. L. Townsend, now Pastor in Orange, N. J., and he by Rev. R. G. Hutchings, D. D., now in charge.
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Church, during ten years, amount to $20,772, and benevolences to $2,668. This Church has occupied a somewhat limited field, but is doing a good work with a hopeful future.
Mr. T. Sterling Beckwith, an elder of the Second Church, died March 25, 1876, leaving by will, to the session of this Church, a certain property, the income of which was to be used in founding a Church, or Churches, to be known by his name. Such, in brief, was the moving cause of the Beckwith Presbyterian Church, on Fairmount street, organized with twenty- three members, four from the First, two from the Second, June 17, 1885, in a chapel ready for their use. The chapel, with the lot, cost $15,000. The Church has thriven under two pastorates, that of Rev., now Prof., Mattoon M. Curtis and that of the present pastor, Rev. James D. Williamson. Under the leadership of the latter the chapel has been superceded by a substantial edifice of stone at a total cost of $30,000. It has, from the first, been aided from the Beckwith fund, and signally from the Second Church in the erection of the new building ; some- what also by the old First. The present member- ship is 190, with a Sunday School of 230. Their contributions to the Boards of the Church, $2,972. Proximity to the colleges is a feature of special interest in the work of this Church, which now moves on to assured strength. These outgrowths of the Second Church, in the manner indicated, issu- ing in three Churches of noble history and influence, in no way drained its strength, the total of its mem-
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bership going into the new organizations, at the first, being under fifty.
Resuming the narrative of the First Church-six years later, March 25, 1850, as a result, in part at least, of the anti-slavery agitation, another Church of thirty members was formed, known for two years as the Free Presbyterian Church, but since then the Plymouth Congregational. This second attempt to found a Congregational Church was successful and be- came the forerunner of a succession which has cov- ered the city with a network of Churches.
It was about this time, February, 1851, that the first of many railroads made its entrance into Cleve- land from Columbus. It was a great event, bringing here, as it happened, over Sunday, a great many nota- ble men. They helped to fill the Church to hear Dr. Aiken's commemorative sermon, which has become historic. The text was fitting, the graphic word-pic- ture of Nahum : "The chariots rage in the streets, they jostle one against another in the broadways ; the appearance of them is like torches, they run like the lightning." -- Nahum 2:4.
But three years later, January 25, 1853, owing to the overcrowded condition of the old First, the Euclid Street, now the Euclid Avenue Presbyterian Church, was organized in the spirit of good will, with thirteen from the mother Church. Among them was the veteran Elisha Taylor, one of the founders of the First. In the spring of the year following, their chapel was completed, and Dr. Joseph B. Bittinger became pastor in the autumn. Through a long period
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of struggle and costly sacrifice this Church has come to its present strength and admirable equipment. Its first pastor was one of the most notable men in the ministry of Cleveland, and probably the best Bible student the city has ever had. Looking over the list of pastors, Bittinger, Monteith, Lyman who died at his post, Baldwin, Jeffers, Robertson, Davis, Sprecher, one recognizes in each characteristic traits of strength and usefulness, two of whom have passed on to their reward from the midst of their work for Christ and his Church. For a variety of reasons the pastorates have been short.
In the course of these forty years there have been frequent enlargements, even a rebuilding of portions of the church, at no inconsiderable cost. The original lot and church edifice cost $60,750, which has been improved upon almost continually, notably in 1883 at an expense of $15,000, issuing in 1892 in a new chapel with all modern conveniences, at a cost of $15,000. This Church-the only one of our order *- also has a beautiful parsonage, the gift of the lamented and philanthropic Joseph Perkins. The present member- ship is 467 ; the Sunday School numbers 300, and its benevolences the last ten years, average about $30,000, its current expenses, about $12,000.
The Case Avenue Church is the outgrowth of a Sunday School organized in a private house on the corner of Case and Cedar avenues, the first Sabbath of November, 1867, and taken under the care of the Euclid Avenue Church. In 1868 it was housed in a
*Calvary Church built a parsonage, 1894.
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wooden chapel on Sibley street. A Church, known as the Memorial Presbyterian Church-now Case Avenue-of thirty-five members, thirteen from the Euclid Avenue, was organized October 2, 1870, which a year later numbered seventy-seven. The brick chapel on Cedar avenue was erected in 1872, and the present commodious church edifice of stone, at a cost of $25,000, during 1880-81. The present member- ship is 480. The Rev. P. E. Kipp is the present pastor,* successfully following upon Rev. Messrs. Skinner, Horton and Ogden. The Church has had a healthy growth, from a Home Missionary Church under the Presbyterian Union for about three years, into self- support, and then, a helper of others. Statistics of moneys raised are not within reach. As a mission it had the ardent support of Dr. Lyman, who was not permitted to see the fruit of his planting.
In March, 1853, the "Executive Committee" of the Old School Presbyterian Church sent Fred T. Brown, D. D., to this city to inquire into the practicability of organizing a Church of that type. The report was favorable, and Dr. Brown gathered up from the Churches twenty-six members --- five from the Old First --- favorable to the movement. A Church was organ- ized January 2, 1856, that met for a time in Temper- ance Hall, Ontario street, then bought and occupied the old "Round Church," corner of Wood and Theresa streets. Dr. Brown was an able man, as was Dr. Raffensperger after him, but the Church was out of its latitude. It never prospered, even though at length
*Since succeeded by Rev. F. F. Kennedy.
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well located at the corner of Prospect and Huntington streets. It reached, in 1873, after twenty-one years, a membership of 123, and was finally dissolved April 16, 1875. The property was mortgaged to the Board of Church Erection.
The next step forward on the site of the old First was the erection of a new and large church edifice, at a cost of $60,000. It was pushed forward with unan- imity and entered with gladness August 12, 1855. But alas, within two years, March 7, 1857, nothing remained but the bare walls and a portion of the chapel. The fire had done its work. It was a day of great sadness. Of this event Dr. Aiken says : "At the time, it was considered a great calamity, and was deeply deplored, not only by this society but by the city, which, with its high towers and beautiful spire, was regarded as both useful and ornamental. But as some evils bring with them their own remedy, and some losses are not so real as apparent, so this, though at first quite overwhelming, has in more ways than one contributed to the unity, the pecuniary strength and prosperity of this congregation."*
An insurance of $30,000 enabled the society to rebuild, at once, except galleries and spire, and the new edifice was dedicated January 17, 1858. This same year, August 12, Dr. Wm. H. Goodrich became associate pastor with Dr. Aiken. Three years later, April, 1861, Dr. Aiken was made pastor emeritus, upon an annual stipend of $1,000. During his sole pastorate of twenty-three years, 880 united with this Church.
*Quarter Century Sermon.
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In 1859, the year after the re-building and Dr. Goodrich's coming, a mission was begun as a Sunday School in charge of Charles Noble, Esq., on St. Clair street, which grew into the North Church, in 1865, constituted of fifty-one members dismissed from the Old First. For a long time the Sunday School was the main feature, the teachers being drawn mostly from the mother Church, and to this day, almost with- out interruption, it has been superintended by some one of her members. For twelve years the Goodrich Society sustained the school at an annual expense of about $1,000, then gradually withdrew. Early removed to Aaron street, the first church edifice was built in 1886, chiefly by this congregation, at an expense of $10,000. This was during Mr. T. D. Crocker's superintendency, and for four years services were sustained by stated supplies, Messrs. Peck, Johnson and Shorts. The settled pastors were, from the first, the care of the Presbyterian Union. The quarters proved too small for the great Sunday School -for awhile the largest in the city-and the work was carried on to great disadvantage. Also the site proved not permanently the best; so, after much discussion and long waiting, a new one was chosen on the corner of Case avenue and Superior street, and a new edifice erected, at a cost-mainly, though somewhat assisted by members of the Second and Third Churches, with the aid of the First Church-of $25,000. From the first, the people of the mission, and then of the North Church, did what they could to help themselves ; but planted in the midst of a community of little wealth,
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it was imperative that the heavier burdens should be borne from without. The present site was occupied October 23, 1887, since which time the Church has been self-supporting and greatly prospered. It has been an incalculable blessing to the working people of that part of the city ; and outreaching eastward, a Sunday School of forty was opened January 5, 1890, in Bramleis Hall, Becker avenue, which speedily grew into a membership of 300, upwards. In connection with this mission, October 19, 1892, was organized the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church of ninety mem- bers-sixty-four from the North Church-and both Church and Sunday School were sheltered by the new brick and stone chapel at the corner of Wade Park avenue, December 4, 1892. The North Church has been aided in this mission by the Presbyterian Union, and the cost of the plant, $13,000, has, by under- standing with the Union, been largely borne by the Old First and Calvary. The pastor of the new enterprise is Rev. Charles L. Chalfant. This Church has its record to make, but it begins well. This leaves the North Church with a present membership-1893- of 730. It has raised an aggregate of moneys, $50,944. Beginning with 1870,following upon the stated supplies, for two years Dr. Anson Smythe was pastor elect, not consenting to be settled ; followed in 1872 by Rev. H. R. Hoisington-kindly remembered here-until 1880, when Rev. William Gaston took the helm, and still holds it, having received into the Church by profession of faith 783, by letter 340, in all 1123. Not quite 100 per year, a record quite unusual. In all this work he
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has been bravely seconded by Mr. S. P. Fenn, of the Old First, superintendent since 1879, and moving and executive spirit in building the new church. Dr. Goodrich's pastorate extended from 1858 to July 11, 1874, three years at the beginning as associate with Dr. Aiken, the last two years as senior pastor with Hiram C. Haydn. These two years were spent wholly abroad in the vain hope of restored health. He passed from earth in Lausanne, Switzerland, July 11, 1874. Dr. Aiken survived him, but for the most part, in shattered health, passing away January 1, 1879.
This period, 1858-74, was one of notable growth in the city and in the Churches. Beginning with one of the most remarkable and wide-spread of revivals, inclusive of the period of the Civil War and the era of prosperity that followed, this Church was favored in Dr. Goodrich, by a cultured, able, well balanced ministry, to which she responded in growth and useful- ness, in kindly regard for the poor through organiza- tions of his suggestion, and in fraternal relations with all other Churches of the city which he heartily fostered.
During his pastorate, in 1868, the church galleries were put in and the spire carried up; and in 1871, under the leadership of Hon. George H. Ely, a still greater improvement transformed the narrow chapel and parlors, of old, into the roomier ones on an enlarged site. These rooms were greatly enjoyed, but twenty years later they were overshadowed and dark- ened by adjacent buildings, and finally replaced by the
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still better improvement of a year ago, under the leadership of Superintendent Charles L. Kimball, which gave us our present chapel and its modern belongings.
Hiram C. Haydn was installed associate pastor with Dr. Goodrich at the close of August, 1872. It was the last Sabbath Dr. Goodrich ever spent with this Church. Fortunately for all concerned a veil was drawn between us and the years to follow. The period from 1872-80 was marked by no extraordinary changes. It was one of healthy growth at home, and in the North Church Mission.
A somewhat vigorous mission among the waifs of St. Clair street, near Dodge, under the lead of Mr. A. H. Potter and a faithful band of workers, was prose- cuted for two or three years. It was difficult mission work, pure and simple, and only this was contem- plated. There was no material for a self-supporting Church.
From 1877-80 Mr. B. F. Shuart, a layman of rare fitness for the work, began an afternoon service, known as the "Bible Class," and reached a large num- ber of people. Many of them were brought into the Church and became useful members. Mr. Shuart afterward became pastor of a Church in Billings, Montana. Retiring on account of ill health, he made, in that locality, a marked success in business. He was a typical lay-worker of the best class, and is so still.
The movement of these years, of most signifi-
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cance, was one inaugurated in an abandoned field on Euclid avenue, beyond Wilson, in a chapel originally built, and for several years occupied, as a Union Sun- day School. Members of several Churches, T. Dwight Eells, H. B. Tuttle and others, were for many years interested in it. The growth of Churches about and the death of some of its main stays led to its discon- tinuance. In November, 1878, the pastor of the First Church was invited to reopen and prosecute the work as a denominational mission. It was accepted as a call of Providence. Beginning with a weekly prayer meeting, a Sunday School of seventy-three --- soon growing to 250 --- was organized January 1, 1880, with Mr. L. W. Bingham for superintendent; the chapel was turned over to the First Church, a lot was bought at the corner of Euclid and East Madison avenues, the Chapel moved, Rollo Ogden called as assistant minister, and, on the first Sunday of July, Church services, followed by the communion and the reception of members, were begun. This was the beginning of what, since July 1, 1892, is the Calvary Presbyterian Church. For twelve years it was held as collegiate with the old First, sharing its ministry, oversight and generous co-oper- ation. During this period the new chapel of stone was first built, at a total cost of $21,000, and dedi- cated free of debt September 30, 1883. Till 1877 the little old wooden chapel stood in front, also, used for a primary Sunday School. An annex to the chapel was then built, at a cost of $5,000, and the relic of other days gave way to the foundation of the
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elegant new church which now occupies the corner. This edifice, begun in the autumn of 1887, was occu- pied for the first time January, 5, 1890, having cost the sum of $80,000. May 23, 1892, 306 members-since increased to 324-were dismissed to constitute the new Church. From the beginning, the First Church had, besides sharing its ministry, invested here, in permanent improvements, over $40,000. The local current expenses, from the beginning, had been almost wholly met by the Calvary constituency. This order held on its way till July last.
There is no better place than just here to speak of the Bolton avenue enterprise. This was an extension of the Collegiate System to a second branch of the First Church, at the corner of Bolton and Cedar avenues. It was begun in the spring of 1890, the lot purchased, the chapel built, paid for, and entered the last Sunday of December of that year, at a cost of about $15,000, wholly met, except furnishing, by the stronger congregations. This has been a flourishing enterprise from the beginning and meets a want of the thickly settled district south of Cedar avenue. Here, also, a Church is needed, and contemplated at once, at a cost, complete, of not less than $25,000. The chapel congregation is still a branch of the First Church, where perhaps 175-200 of her members worship. Since July they have had a minister of their own, Rev. R. A. George. The new Church edi- fice finished, it is not unlikely that another inde- pendent Church will at once be formed, and the
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mother of churches will be left alone to go on her way .*
From 1880-84 Dr. Arthur Mitchell, + now Secretary of the Foreign Board, was senior pastor. He took up the work of Dr. Haydn, laid down for a missionary secretaryship in New York, and from it, at the end of that period, went, himself; to a similar work at the call of the Presbyterian Board. The old Church was burned a second time January 5, 1884. This unset- tling event and Dr. Mitchell's ardent and intelligent zeal for missions, emphasized the call which was being pressed upon him to enter this field. These were years not to be forgotten by many who enjoyed his devoted and able ministry, and were led to share his enlarged views of Church life and work. He was seconded in his labors by Rev. Rollo Ogden, who be- came his son-in-law, and later by Rev. J. W. Simp- son, now president of Marietta College.
The old church, rebuilt at a cost of $35,000, ex- clusive of memorial windows, was made more at- tractive than ever, indeed one of the most attractive audience rooms in the city. Dr. Haydn was recalled to the pastorate, with Rev. Wilton Merle Smith, of Cazenovia, now Dr. Smith, of New York, as associate. Pastors and people entered the rejuvenated Church October, 1884, and the work of the collegiate pas- torate was resumed with courage and hope. A some-
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