USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > Annals of the First Presbyterian church of Cleveland, 1820-1895 > Part 9
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In these days of modern improvements in churches as in homes, it is not easy to recall the emptiness and cheerlessness of church rooms, or the disadvantage at
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which much of our work was formerly done. In this connection, we are reminded of the sexton, who for more than thirty years served this church and its societies, with a fidelity to its ministers and its mem- bers, that made him the personal friend of all. The great doors, which for so many Sabbath mornings he had swung back, were to him as the very gateway to Heaven, and the good men who through all these years stood in this pulpit, he served, as prophet, priest and king. This church was to him a temple, and its humblest duties honored him. Faithful John Heard ! We write your name within our book as one worthy to be remembered.
The history of this Society is so inwrought with that of this church, that we may not separate their records. We must hasten past the years so fraught with interest to all, nor may we dwell upon those days of trial, when around our shrouded altar we knelt, a stricken band. I do not need to recite here the bitter- ness of the year of 1874, in whose report I find these touching words: "In the noon of summer, we knew that our beloved pastor had heard a voice from above, stronger and sweeter than our tears and pleadings, and so we have walked in shadow all the year." Not yet can we write or speak of that sorrow. Nor does the anguish of that day fade from our memory, when there flashed across the ocean the terrible news that Dr. Goodrich was dead. He had sought by a season of entire rest from pastoral labor, and in the diversion of foreign travel, to restore his overtaxed energies, and we his people had consented to the separation,
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cheered by the bright hope of his early return. Oh day of tears ! when he was borne a silent guest to the altar at which he had so often ministered. We were indeed bereaved, but not desolate. Our very love for the pastor, strengthened our love for the work he had commended to us, and so we wrought on in tears, but in zeal. Already had his impaired health warned him to supplement his strength by assistance, and another, who walked with God, came into our plans, our inter- ests, and-we write it in thankfulness-in due time our hearts. It was in 1872, that Dr. Haydn first officiated in this pulpit. It was in 1874, that he took up the work which had dropped from the powerless hand of his friend and co-worker.
Through the years that have followed, Dr. Haydn has been the counsellor on whom we have leaned. Coming by direct providence, into a place which was not surely of his own seeking, he took the sacred trust in no spirit of self-sufficiency, but as one who should say, "necessity is laid upon me." He knew the ardor of this people's love for the men whom he suc- ceeded, and he shared our overwhelming sorrow in their loss. A sweeter tribute we cannot bring to him than this fact, he comforted us. Of a nature warmly sympathetic, he carried the burdens of the many. The two societies on which he learned to rely, found through him, enlarged spheres for their ministrations."
Since these words were written, fourteen years have passed, years of unwearied work by the faithful members of this society. Many have passed on before
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us to their reward, whither their works do follow them; while we who have been left behind, have gazed wist- fully along the shining path where they have vanished from our sight, and have almost seemed to hear the welcome words, "Come, ye blessed ! for I was naked and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me. * * Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the last of these, ye have done it unto me." How many hearts here present will respond to the names of Miss Sarah Fitch, Mrs. A. G. Colwell, Mrs. Andrews, Mrs. Thome, Mrs. Foot, Mrs. Williamson, Mrs. A. H. Potter, Mrs. Starkweather. Let us keep their memory green.
January 5th, 1884, our house of worship was again laid desolate by fire. The injury to the chapel was not so great but that a few weeks would suffice to render it habitable; but though the walls of the church endured the fire as they had before done, the interior was a wreck. A long and rather exciting struggle ensued between those who desired the removal of the church to an up-town location, and those who religiously believed that her sphere of duty and centre of influence lay in this part of the city. In the first meeting of the two ladies' societies, a joint meeting held in the house of one of the members, soon after the fire, a vote was taken to ascertain the feeling of those present on this subject, which was nineteen to four in favor of rebuilding on the old site. On April 4th, they again met in the chapel. In the interim regular meetings had been held in the houses of the members, and work had gone on as usual.
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Other noteworthy events in our record, such as the change in the time of the annual meeting from Jan- uary to April, in 1887; the release of the expenses of the Sunday School, which the Goodrich Society assumed in 1887, and the various and unexpected demands upon our diminishing income, may be passed with brief mention. Our sister society in Calvary church, took from our working as well as our financial strength ; and later, Bolton church, and even Winder- mere chapel, have taken away some more of our members. We bid them God speed in their new fields of labor, but it is not easy to fill their places here.
This society has received and expended, since 1885, the sum of $9,336. (The records of 1881-1885 are lost.) Our income is still derived from the regular monthly contributions of the members, paid on the third Sunday of every month, and one-half of the general offering received on the same day. With this, and some few gifts in addition, it bears all the expenses of the yearly house-cleaning of the church and chapel; sends out two "missionary boxes" yearly ; supports a missionary nurse in the church district ; gives two or three pastor's receptions every winter, and provides a very large number of garments and articles of bed- ding for the poor and the sick under its care.
This is a brief resume of the work of the Ladies' Society. It is said that Dr. Aiken used to call it his "right hand." We hope that it may long be a helping hand.
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THE OUTER CIRCLE-MISSIONS. 1833 -- 1895.
MRS. E. C. HIGBEE.
"What hath God wrought ?"
There shall be a handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon. Ps. 72".16.
Sixty-two years ago-1833-the first Missionary society in the Old Stone Church, indeed, the first in the city, was organized.
A young man, Rev. Mr. Hutchings, had been called the year previous to become pastor of the church, who, with his young wife was already under appointment to go to Ceylon.
His own interest in missions led him to talk to the ladies of his charge, and soon a society was formed consisting of fifteen or twenty from fourteen to eighteen years of age. Its first directress was Miss Sarah Van Tine, who afterwards went to Natal, Africa, as Mrs. Adams. Her name is still held in loving memory by a band of young girls in Woodland Ave- nue church whose society bears her name.
Mrs. Hutchings, the pastor's wife, was secretary, and Miss Long, now Mrs. Mary Severance, was treasurer.
Mr. and Mrs. Hutchings entered upon their mis- sion work in Ceylon the latter part of the same year, but the influence of their short sojourn in the church was to bear fruit later.
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As time passed, and other churches were formed the missionary spirit was sustained and strengthened not only by the efforts and prayers of the women, but by the encouragement and co-operation of the pastors of those churches. Many who are present will remember the helpful encouragement which came from Drs. Aiken and Goodrich in all missionary effort. There was one parent society composed of women from the various churches, who met from house to house every fortnight, and while busy fingers prepared missionary outfits, or an occasional box of clothing for children in the native schools, missionary letters were read.
None of the beautiful missionary magazines with which we are now favored were in existence then, and the letters were few and far between. At the close the mites were gathered, and a substantial tea was served at which several of the pastors were often present.
Mrs. Gaylord, Mrs. Starkweather, Mrs. Weddell, Mrs. Kelsey, Mrs. Severance, Mrs. John A. Foot, and others whose names will readily occur to many of us, were ever ready, with true christian hospitality, to welcome the society to their homes.
To Mrs. Mary Severance, probably the only sur- vivor of this first band of young girls, I am indebted for this brief sketch. She says, "Those were days of small things," but who can estimate the good accom- plished by Mr. and Mrs. Hutchings in their ten years in Ceylon? And are we ready to enter into the spirit of self-sacrifice which actuated Mrs. Adams in her
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work for the boys at Natal? Mrs. Parsons was married, and went out from the home of Mrs. D. S. Shepherd, to labor with her husband in Armenia.
After years of faithful labor, Mr. Parsons was cruelly murdered while resting with his son under the shade of a tree. The wife and two daughters, rising from their sorrow, still pursued the missionary work, and of these two daughters whom this society helped to educate, one is still engaged in missionary work in Harpoot, Turkey, and the other in China.
The society also prepared the outfit of Mrs. Birrill, who went as a bride from the home of Mrs. Henry Harvey more than forty years ago. The few who gathered at our September meeting had the rare pleasure of looking upon her sweet face, and hearing her tell how the gospel is helping to elevate our sisters in India.
She is about to return to the two daughters who are doing faithful missionary work in the land of their adoption.
It was my pleasure, fully twenty five years ago, to be present at one of these parlor gatherings, and my mind is filled with sweet memories of those sainted women who wrought so faithfully and so well, and I can fully sympathize with the thought of Mrs. Stark- weather, who said they were the most blessed meet- ings she ever attended.
But with the changes incident to the growth of a large city this pleasant social relation could not con- tinue-churches were springing up in remote parts of the city, and distances becoming so great that the old
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order of things must pass away. Three years previous to this time, at the suggestion of the General Assem- bly, Woman's Boards had been formed in different cities; and in 1873 a Presbyterial society was formed among us as a branch of the Woman's Board of Phil- adelphia. I find in the early records of this society the following: "In accordance with notice a meeting was held in the parlors of the First Presbyterian Church, Sept. 8, 1873, for the purpose of organizing a Woman's Foreign Missionary Society in said church, auxilliary to the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Presbytery of Cleveland."
Of the committe to draft a constitution for this new society Miss Sarah Fitch was made chairman, and Mrs. Mary Williamson secretary, and the following officers were elected: Mrs. H. C. Haydn, President; Mrs. Peter Hitchcock and Mrs. Henry Kelley, Vice Presidents; Mrs. Proctor Thayer, Secretary, and Mrs. John A. Foot, Treasurer. Of these officers Mrs. Haydn occupied the position of president seven years; Mrs. Thayer the secretaryship eight years, and Mrs. Foot was treasurer fourteen years; indeed, almost until summoned to leave us for the rich reward which came to her. Ever filled with loving thought for those around her, her heart was large enough to take in the whole world for whom she was ready to make any sacrifice. Of dear Miss Fitch, whose presence was always a benediction in our missionary gatherings, how often it was recorded, "She closed the meeting with prayer."
Our society has always manifested a warm and
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prayerful interest in the missionaries adopted by the Presbyterial Society.
Miss Sellers, who was given a farewell reception in 1874, and in whose missionary outfit our ladies were interested, went out to China with a heart filled with loving zeal, and an earnest purpose to spend her life for the uplifting of that people, but after a brief term of service ill health obliged her to return to this country. Miss Dascomb and Miss Kuhl, for some years our adopted missionaries, have for more than twenty years been doing faithful and aggressive work among the girls of Brazil, counting not their life dear unto them that they might win these girls as jewels for Christ. Though Miss Dascomb has been trans- ferred to the care of another society we still follow her with loving interest. Of their school at Carytiba, Brazil, it is said: "The first term of 1894 opened with 121 pupils. The presence of this school has infused new life into the churches of the state." Miss Fullerton, of Woodstock, India, and Miss Belle Marsh, of Japan, were for some time objects of our special regard.
Mrs. Bessie Nelson Eddy, daughter of Dr. Nelson, the able editor of the Church at Home and Abroad, and Mrs. Mary Schauffler Labaree, daughter of Dr. Schauffler, who is doing such a noble work among the Bohemians of our own city, now claim our loving and prayerful interest.
Mrs. Eddy writes us frequently from her Syrian home, where she adds to the duties of a christian mother in a christian home those of a missionary's wife, taking long journeys with her husband to the
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native villages, where the women gather around her, eager to learn how to become better wives, mothers and daughters.
Mrs. Mary Schauffler Labaree is comparatively new to the missionary work in Persia, but with grand parents and parents all missionaries, she cannot fail to have the real missionary spirit. She writes: "I wish that I might be present at one of your missionary meetings. What good it would do me to hear one of the dear old hymns sung by a large body of chris- tians who had gathered with one aim and spirit, and all on the same key." She says: "I cannot yet get used to seeing my household possessions go sauntering along the road on the backs of donkeys. There is something indescribably droll in seeing a mattress fastened to each side, and perhaps a chair or two perched on top, a heavy rain perhaps adding to the discomfort," but through it all she is glad that she is in Persia.
A truly missionary spirit seems from the first to have hovered over our church, and quite a number have gone out from us to distant lands. Miss Hattie Noyes, once a member, and a teacher in our public schools, has with a brother and sister labored many years in Canton, China.
Sweet and precious memories cluster round the going out to China of Mrs. Laughlin, once our Annie Johnson. The sound of her sweet voice as she sang those consecration hymns still lingers with us. She gave herself joyfully to the women of China, and endeared herself to them during the three short years
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she was permitted to live among them, before the Saviour called her home. Of her, our sainted Dr. Mitchell wrote: "Yet a thousand times over, Annie has not lived in vain. Three hundred million souls are living and dying in China without a ray of light to break their gloom. Annie pitied them while she lived with a Christ-like love."
We linger in loving remembrance over the few brief years of Dr. Mitchell's ministry among us, and we love to think of the earnest missionary spirit which pervaded the entire family, calling one for a brief period to Mexico, another daughter waiting year after year, with eager longing for sufficient health to take up missionary work, until, at the 25th anniversary of the Philadelphia Board last April she stood among the group of missionaries pledged to the school at Wood- stock, India.
None who listened to him can ever forget the earnest pleadings of the now sainted Dr. Mitchell for missions, his own unselfish life bearing testimony to his earnestness.
There are those present who in words far more fitting than mine could speak of the work that Miss Fanny Goodrich is doing among the mountain whites at Asheville, N. C. Going out from a home of the utmost refinement and culture, and with no remunera- tion save the approval of her divine Lord and Master, she has made for herself and a lady companion a sim- ple though tasteful home, where she lives among the people, teaching them to make for themselves just such homes, while learning to love her Saviour.
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Mrs. A. H. Potter was closely identified with our missionary society from its formation in 1873, and was rarely absent from its meetings, and her exactness in little as well as great things, qualified her for the posi- tion of Presbyterial Treasurer, which she occupied from the beginning until the time of her translation, on New Year's morn, 1894.
When the work of Home Missions became a neces- sary part of our society, a new organization was formed, with a separate president at its head, the meetings alternating with the Foreign Society.
Mrs. A. A. Thome performed the duties of this office most acceptably for a time, until the two socie- ties were united under one head, dividing the time of each session equally between the two subjects. This earnest and faithful worker has also gone to her re- ward with the record of a well-spent life behind her. I cannot forbear to mention the going out from our midst of several of our most earnest workers, called for by the formation of Calvary Society. For several years we held pleasant interchange of services at each place of worship, until Calvary became independent; and it was with feelings of deepest regret that we severed the relation which had been so tender and sweet.
We must not forget that the children of our church have had a share in the grand missionary work. It is recorded that in 1875 a society of boys was organized by Miss Mary Goodrich. This society was called "The Young Missionaries." This was one of the many works for the Master which she laid down when he called her to himself. I quote a few loving
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words in her memory: "Be it written in your ten- derest words, within the annals of 1875, that dear, loving, prayerful, zealous Mary Goodrich vanished from our sight, because she was more fit for Heaven than earth-but record this as the legacy with which we are comforted-her beautiful example which is immortal; write too, upon the page sacred to her memory, 'we loved her.'" During the same year her sister, Miss Fanny Goodrich, formed a girls missionary society known as Helping Hands, afterward bearing the name of The Girls' Missionary Society, and now known as The Haydn Circle, whose members are helping to swell the funds of our treasury, while at the same time they are learning what the gospel is doing in foreign lands. The Willing Workers' Band was organized in 1887, under the leadership of Miss Spencer, now Mrs. Henry Freeman. A large number of boys and girls were instructed in missions, while the little girls were at the same time being taught to sew.
The Sarah Fitch Band, organized in 1883, and named in honor of her who for so many years presided over the infant department of the Sabbath School, was composed of little girls from the Sunday School whose birthday offerings and busy fingers helped to swell the treasury.
As one of the results of this band a beautiful silk quilt was made, and sent to Mrs. Labaree, our mis- sionary in Persia, with a list of the names of the youthful donors.
We cannot estimate the value of our work for
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Christ all these years, but we know that the stream cannot rise higher than the fountain, so in our retro- spect let us see what is the story of the present society whose 25th anniversary occurred at Philadelphia last April, and of which we are one of the little rills.
More than fifty Presbyterial societies are now under the care of this Board, whose object is the pay- ment of scholarships, the erection of school buildings, homes for missionaries, hospitals, schools for mission- ary children, aid in printing in the native tongue, and medical missions, and for all this work since the organ- ization of this society the advance has been from $5,244 raised the first year to $145,603.90 in 1894, making a total of $2,540,149.44. As a Home Mission- ary Society we also try to bear our part in the work given to the women of our church in the support of schools and scholarships among the Freedmen, the mountain whites, the mixed populations of the frontier, the Indians, and the Alaskans-our Ohio synodical society giving last year $21,000 toward the support of this work. Of this sum the Woman's Home Missionary Society of this church gave $1,155.75. Our special work in Home Missions has been to aid in the support of Mrs. Mattoon, a teacher in the College Institute in Asheville, N. C., and several scholarships among the mountain whites, and a room in the Mary Holmes Seminary in memory of Mrs. John A. Foot, this to be renewed when the Seminary, which was burned, is rebuilt.
Though we may not be able to give in figures the amount of money flowing into these different channels,
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who can estimate the results in souls saved, and in lives made brighter and happier, and in the influence for good which is spread abroad both in our own, and in foreign lands.
LEAVES FROM THE ANNALS OF THE GOODRICH SOCIETY.
MRS. SAMUEL MATHER.
It was "In accordance with the request of the pastor" that "the young ladies of the First Presby- terian congregation met in the church parlors on the afternoon of the 18th of January, 1868, and were addressed by him with reference to the growing neces- sities of Christian labor, and the part in our church work which it might be possible for them to take."
If a half dozen of the women who were Dr. Good rich's "young ladies" could sit down together and chat about those times we should get at the spirit that moved this society at its beginning far better than by any bare statement of facts concerning it.
But it has been a pleasant and interesting task to go over the records. I had felt that I was to delve into the annals of antiquity and it is a surprise to find how many of us are alive to recall those days ; and when I notice that most of the founders are still wear
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ing shirt waists and sailor hats I realize that we did not exist seventy-five years ago. The first pages are in the pretty penmanship of Miss Carrie Bingham. This is the list of the Board of Managers elected in January, 1868: Mrs. E. W. Livermore, President; Mrs. Peter M. Hitchcock, Vice President; Miss Carrie E. Bingham, Secretary; Miss Helen Corning, Treas- urer. Directors: Miss Florence Wick, Miss Harriet Sackrider, Miss Fannie Backus, Miss Mary Hutchinson, Mrs. J. V. Painter, Miss H. A. Hurlbut, Mrs. H. D. Sizer, Mrs. L. Stedman, Mrs. J. H. DeWitt, Mrs. J. L. Talbot, Miss Lily Barstow, Miss Marion Clark.
The second article of the Constitution says that "The object of the Society shall be to take such share of the Christian labor belonging to this church as properly falls to the younger members of the congre- gation, and to promote the better acquaintance and common benefit of all who worship in this place."
The Constitution speaks of "Christian labor" and there are graceful allusions in these minutes to "arduous work" and "duties faithfully performed," and yet much of the energies of the Society seem to have been expended in promoting the amenities of life; its really serious business was to make people happy, in all sorts of ways. After all, is there a higher mission than this ?
The object of the organization is expressed in rather general terms, but the managers at once voted to appropriate two-thirds of the funds for the benefit of the Mission on Merchant street, this amount to be added to at the discretion of the Society. Sewing
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meetings were started also to make garments for the poor of the church.
In those days the "Sewing Society" still kept its charm, at least this one did. We did not go from a cold sense of duty; it really was not dull business to hem unbleached muslin or make checked aprons. The record over and over again mentions "about thirty members present," "not quite so many as usual because of the severe weather," "about forty present." Always there was reading aloud during the working hours. Is it the sewing machine that prevents that now ? Have any of us forgotten the reading of "King Rene's Daughter ?" And pleasant memories are brought up when we note in the minutes, "Miss Spencer was very happy in her selection of reading, and a good deal of sewing was accomplished." One of the members of the first Reading Committee was Miss Flora Payne.
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