USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Dayton > History of Dayton, Ohio. With portraits and biographical sketches of some of its pioneer and prominent citizens Vol. 2 > Part 25
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the following resolution, adopted by the board of trustees of the Woman's Missionary Association of the United Brethren in Christ, at Western, Iowa, in 1881:
"Resolved, That the books be opened for voluntary contributions, and that when, in the judgment of the executive committee, a sufficient amount be secured, and one thousand subscribers be obtained, the exec- utive committee be authorized, in conjunction with a committee appointed by this body, to publish a paper or magazine in the interest of the Woman's Missionary Association of the United Brethren in Christ."
The first number of this paper appeared carly in December, 1881, bearing date January, 1882, with a subscription list of twelve hundred. By the time of the meeting of the board it had reached seventeen hundred, and from the beginning, it has paid all expenses of publishing and editing The publishing committee is composed of Mrs. Benjamin Marot, Mrs. L. K. Miller, and Mrs. L. R. Keister. Mrs. Keister has been the editor of the paper ever since it was established. Since 1888, Mrs. L. K. Miller has been assistant editor. It is issued from the United Brethren Publishing House. Its circulation is 2,800.
The Christian World was established in 1848, the first number of that paper being issued October 6th, of that year, the name at that time being The Western Missionary. This was, however, ouly a sample copy issued to aid in securing subscribers, about eight hundred . having been secured by the time the second number of the paper appeared, on January 15, 1849. Rev. Jeremiah H. Good, D. D., was the first editor of the Missionary, and served in that capacity until 1853. By the time of the annual meeting of the Synod in October, of the same year, the number of subscribers had reached fifteen hundred. The plan of publication of the paper was that it should appear semi-monthly so long as the number of subscribers was below eighteen hundred, but after that number had been secured it should be published weekly. The paper was published until October. 15, 1850, at Columbus, Ohio. It was then pub- lished at Tiflin, Ohio, until October 15, 1853, at which time Dr. Good resigned his editorship, and was succeeded by Rev. George W. Williard, D. D., the first number of the paper under his charge appearing November 10, 1853, at Columbus, Ohio, where he was engaged in pas- toral work. The paper was published at Columbus until October 25, 1855. From November 8, 1855, to January 1, 1867, it was published in Dayton, the editor having been called to the pastorate of the First Reformed Church of this city. Under Dr. Williard the paper was changed in January, 1865, from a semi-mouthly to a weekly, and other- wise improved and adapted to the wants of the Church. Dr. Williard
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HISTORY OF DAYTON.
resigned the editorship in 1866, upon being elected to the presidency of Heidelberg College. His resignation took effect January 1, 1867, and his successor, Rer. Theodore P. Bucher, who was elected ad interim by the board, entered upon his editorial labors January 1, 1867, and remained in the position until October 28, 1869. With the first issue of the paper in 1868, the name was changed to the Christian World, and its form to that of a quarto. During a part of 1867 it was published in Cincinnati, and during the whole of the next two years, the subscription list having reached about forty-two hundred. Rev. Samuel Mcase, D. D., having purchased the interest of Rev. Mr. Bucher, he was elected editor of the paper October 16, 1869, and assumed editorial management November 4th, following. The publication of the paper was continued at Cincin- nati until August 29, 1879, when it was transferred to Dayton, the first number being issued here September 5th. Iu November, 1879, the entire interest in the paper passed into the hands of George N. Whipp and George W. Shearer as publishers, but Dr. Mease, by private arrangement with the publishers, was retained as editor, in connection with an editorial committee, until the last week in March, 1880.
Rev. Isaac H. Reiter, D. D., having purchased Mr. Whipp's interest in the Christian World and Sunday-school publications, and having be- come associated as publisher with Mr. Shearer, under the firm name of Reiter & Shearer, was elected editor ad interim by the board March 15. 1880, and was unanimously elected permanent editor by the Ohio Synod at Columbiana in the following October. In the beginning of 1881, Rev. Edward Herbruck, having purchased a half interest in the paper, became associated with Dr. Reiter as assistant editor. On the 8th of February, 1882, Dr. Reiter sold his interest to Rev. Michael Loneks, and on the 14th of March resigned his position as editor, the resignation to take effect April 1st. This course was taken with a view to establishing a printing department under the control of a firm with the requisite means for carrying it on. The result of this step was the organization of the Reformed Publishing Company, a short history of which may be found in another part of this volume.
The Herald of Gospel Liberty was first published in 1808, the first number appearing September Ist of that year. It was published every other Thursday evening at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, by Elias Smith, at his house near Jeffrey Street; terms, one dollar per year, exclusive of postage. Daniel P. Drown was the publisher. October 27, 1808, it was published at. Mr. Smith's house in Back Street, and on July 21, 1809, at his house near Vaughan Street. On April 27, 1810, the place of publication was changed to Portland, Maine, and on July 5, 1811, to Philadelphia,
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THE PRESS.
Pennsylvania. It was taken back to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, February 14, 1814. Several other changes in the place of publication were made, but it would be tedious, if not unprofitable, to note all specifically, but in 1862 it was being published at Newburyport, Massa- chusetts, where it continued until January 4, 1868, when it was removed to Dayton, and then became the successor of the Gospel Herald, which under various fortunes had been published for many years, and which, on the 21st of December, 1867, ceased to exist. At the time the change was made, Rev. Henry Y. Rush, who had been for some time editing the Gospel Herald, became the editor of the Herald of Gospel Liberty, and was succeeded by Rev. N. Summerbell in Jannary, 1877. Rev. T. M. Me Whinney became editor August 10, 1878, and Rev. A. W. Coan in July 1, 1881, who retired March 25, 1885. Rev. Mr. Coan was succeeded by Rev. C. J. Jones, who had editorial charge until July 12, 1888, when he was succeeded by the present editor, Rev. J. P. Watson. The form and size of the paper have changed almost as frequently as the place of publication, the last change having taken place in the beginning of 1883. Each page is now 11x15 inches and contains three columns of matter, and each number of the paper contains sixteen pages. This is said to be the oldest religious paper in the United States, being now in its eighty-first year.
The Gospel Herald, mention of which was made above, first appeared October 2, 1843. It was devoted to the interests of the Christian denom. ination, and was published by the Ohio Christian Book Association, at New Carlisle, Ohio. The editorial committee consisted of Daniel Long, Matthew Gardner, and Amos Stevens. Volume III. commenced at. Springfield, Ohio, November 1, 1845, with Isaac N. Walter as editor. With the commencement of Volume VI., James Williamson was the editor with J. W. Marvin as associate editor. In May, 1856, this paper was published at Columbus, Ohio, with James Maple as editor, and Levi Purvianec and N. Summerbell as corresponding editors. Its place of publication was changed to Dayton, Ohio, May 7, 1859, and Elder John Ellis was then the editor. November 16, 1861, this paper became the Gospel Herald and Christian Banner, which name was carried one year, at the end of which time the Christian Banner was dropped and the name became again the Gospel Herald. Elder John Ellis remained editor until May, 1863, when he was succeeded by Elder E. W. Humphreys, who was succeeded by Elder Henry Y. Rush February 18, 1865, and who remained its editor until December 21, 1867, when the Gospel. Herald ceased to exist, and was succeeded by the Herald of Gospel Liberty.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Church History-First Presbyterian Church-Third Street Presbyterian Church-Park 1 Presbyterian Church -- Fourth Presbyterian Church-Memorial Presbyterian Church- United Presbyterian Church-First Regular Baptist Church-Wayne Street Baptist Church -- Linden Avenue Baptist Church-Zion Baptist Church-Grace Methodist Epis- copal Church - Raper Methodist Episcopal Church - Divisson Methodist Episcopal Church-Sears Street Methodist Episcopal Church-First German Methodist Episcopal Church-Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church-St. Paul's-Wesleyan-Christ Church -Ascension Chapol-First United Brethren-Second United Brethren-Third United Brethren-Summit Street United Brethren -- High Street United Brethren-Oak Street United Brethren-Broadway Christian-Brown Street Christian-Emmanuel Church . Evangelical Association-Wayne Avenue Evangelical Association-First Reformed -Second Reformed-Trinity Reformed-Hebrew Congregation-First English Luthe- ran-St. John's Evangelical Lutheran -- St. John's German Evangelical Lutheran-First Orthodox Congregational-The Catholic Churches-Dayton Ministerial Asssociation- General Boards of the United Brethren Church-Young Men's Christian Association -Woman's Christian Association,
THIE First Presbyterian Church, of the Presbytery of Washington, Synod
T of Kentucky, was organized in 1799. During the rest of that year, and the early part of the next, religious services were held in Dayton in the block house which had been built at the head of Main Street some time during the same year, in which the Presbytery above named was organized. In the same year, also, the initiatory steps were taken toward the erection of a meeting-house, which, when completed, stood on lot 134, at the corner of Main and Third streets. It stood on four short posts, one at each corner, which raised it about two feet from the ground. It was 18x20 feet in size, seven logs high, without chip-chinking, yellow clay daubing, and clap-board roof held down with weight-poles. It had rough slab flooring and log seats, and was thus in all respects a pioneer. log cabin meeting-house, even to the entire absence of windows. It was approached from the roadway, or Third Street, by a winding pathway through clumps of hazel bushes, which hid the little church from the passer-by on Main Street.
On the 14th of April, 1801, a petition was presented to the Wash- ington Presbytery, requesting that occasional supplies might be granted the little congregation, and in response to the petition, the Rev. James Kemper was appointed to preach one Sabbath. At this time there was also a log cabin meeting-house at Beavertown, which was occupied by the Beulah Church, by a New Light congregation, and perhaps by a Baptist congregation. The Beulah Church was supplied by the Rev.
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CHURCH HISTORY.
William Robinson, who lived about three miles east of Dayton, on Mad River. He also owned a mill, which he operated to accommodate his neighbors and to supply his own bread, during the week. On Sundays be preached to the Beulah and Dayton congregations, and also to others as opportunity presented or necessity required. The two churches, Benlah and Dayton, were then really but one congregation, and the former soon was dropped from the records, the Dayton Church only remaining. Here there were occasional supplies until the spring of 1804, when the Rev. James Welsh was called as the regular minister. Rev. Mr. Welsh remained for a period of eleven years, or until 1817, about the time of the completion of the second church building creeted by this congregation. A congregational meeting was held October 23, 1804, at which John Miller, Robert Edgar, David Reid, John MeCabe, and John Ewing were elected trustees. The little log meeting-house was used by the Presbyterians until 1805, and also by the Methodists occasionally, when it was sold for $22. In the meantime a subscription had been raised, amounting to $390, and the whole amount, $412, loaned to the county commissioners with which to build a courthouse, with the under- standing that the use of the new courthouse, when completed, should be permitted for religious services until the money was refunded. The courthouse stood on the corner of Main and Third streets, and was completed in 1806. While it was in process of crection the services of the church were held at various places, and from 1806 until 1817 in the courthouse. During this year the new brick church which had been in process of creetion for several years, was completed at the corner of Second and Ludlow streets. This building cost $5,794.123. It was a two-story briek, 42x50 feet, with a gallery on three sides of the room. It had two front doors on Ludlow Street, two entrances and one eross aisle. The pulpit was on the west side, was about eight feet high, and was approached by a flight of winding steps. On the lower floor were thirty-eight single and four double pews, and in the gallery were thirty- two pews. The precentor's desk was under the pulpit, and was entered from the cross aisle. A difficulty, however, sprang up as to the precentor's leading the singing from the position assigned him, and in 1821, the question having been referred to the trustees of the church, they, in order to settle the matter, resolved that the front seats, middle block in the gallery, should be reserved for the musicians, and that persons who were acquainted with the rules of singing have leave to occupy the seats. Some years afterward, the question arose as to the propriety of allowing the use of the base viol in church, which was at length settled by its use being permitted probationally.
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HISTORY OF DAYTON.
The pews of this new church were offered for sale October 4, 1817, and brought $2,980, and were occupied the Sunday following in public worship. The entire cost of the lot and the improvements upon it were $6,961 62. Thirteen years had elapsed since the movement for the ercetion of this building had been inaugurated, and its final comple- tion was hailed with proportionate delight.' Others who had only a general interest in the subject of religion, also shared with the members of the congregation the pleasures of the final completion of the building.
The resignation of Rev. Dr. Welsh, although desired by some, and was in fact caused by their opposition to him, was not altogether satis- factory to all. These latter wished him to continue on in the relation of pastor, and their feelings found expression in a call for a congregational meeting of all who desired the organization of a second Presbyterian church in Dayton. The meeting was held, and there being more than twenty members of the First Presbyterian Church present who were favorable to the organization of another church, it was resolved to constitute the meeting by the appointment of Dr. Welsh, moderator, and F. Gosney, secretary. Officers were then elected as follows: Henry L. Brown, Henry Robinson, and Andrew Hood, trustees, and F. Gosney, clerk. The meeting also directed that legal notification of the action of the meeting be filed with the recorder; and this being done, no further action was taken with reference to the organization of a second church at that time.
The church was incorporated April 6, 1812, with the following trustees: D. C. Cooper, John Ewing, Andrew Hood, J. II. Williams, John Miller, James Hanna, and William King, with Mr. MeChuire, treasurer, David Reid, clerk, and Matthew Patton, collector. Upon the final organization of the board, James Hanna was chosen chairman and John Ritchie clerk.
Up to the time of completing the first brick church building, the trustees of this church were as follows: John Miller, Robert Edgar, David Reid, John Ewing, John McCabe, D. C. Cooper, James Hanna, Andrew Hood, William King, J. HI. Williams, Hezekiah Robinson, Matthew Patton, James Steele, IJ. G. Phillips, Isaac G. Burnet, G. W. Smith, and David Lindsley; clerks, David Reid, Rev. James Welsh,. Benjamin Van Cleve, Job Haines, and James Steele; treasurers, W. McClure, Obadiah Conover, and John Folkerth; collectors, Matthew Patton, A. McFadden, R. Wilson, John King, Daniel Pierson, and A. Darst; elders, John MeKaig, John Ritchie, James Hanna, John Miller, and Robert Parks; pastor, Rev. James Welsh.
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CHURCH HISTORY.
Rev. Baekns Wilbur, a licentiate from New Jersey, visited and preached for this congregation several months during the summer and fall of 1817, and on August 13th received a call to become pastor of the church. Mr. Wilbur soon afterward paid a visit to New Jersey and did not return to Dayton until June, 1818. At this time he commenced his ministry and was installed August 27th. On the following Sunday he preached his first and only sermon for this church. The next Sunday he filled an appointment to preach for and administer the communion in the Second Presbyterian Church at Cincinnati. While in that city, he was taken sick and returned to Dayton, where he died on September 29, 1818, in the thirtieth year of his age. His remains were deposited in Wood- land Cemetery. From the commencement of his short ministry until his. deecase, fifty-one members were added to the church, and in 1819 there were ninety-four communicant members on the roll.
In December, 1818, the Rev. Abab Jenks was invited to preach for the congregation, and on February 2, 1820, the officers of the church were authorized to procure his settlement as pastor as soon as practicable at a salary of six hundred dollars per year. Mr. Jenks accepted the call, was installed pastor, and remained in that relation until the fall of 1821. During his ministry fifty-one members were added to the roll.
During the winter of 1822-1823 the Rev. William Graham preached for the congregation, and in March of the latter year he was elected pastor at a salary of four hundred dollars per year. On May 8th, follow .. ing, he was ordained and installed, and remained pastor until February 6, 1826. During his pastorate there were ninety-seven additions to the membership.
In September, 1827, the Rev. F. Putnam was requested to supply the pulpit for a time. In April, 1828, he was engaged as stated supply for one year at a salary of four hundred dollars. He remained until 1836. The entire number of additions to the membership during Mr. Putnam's ministry was three hundred and forty-two.
May 30, 1836, the Rev. James C. Barnes, of Kentucky, was invited to preach for the church one year as stated supply at a salary of eight hundred dollars. The call was accepted, and in March following he was requested to accept the pastorate. This call was also accepted, and he was installed April 28, 1839. He remained with the church until April, 1845, when a dissolution of the relation was granted. During his ministry four hundred and fourteen members were added to the roll.
The congregation was so prosperons under Rev. Mr. Barnes and increased so largely in membership that a new house of worship became a necessity, and subscriptions were authorized for the erection of a new
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HISTORY OF DAYTON.
building. The old house was taken down and a new one erected in its place at a cost of $14,213.08. The building was enclosed and the base- ment occupied for public worship for the first time October 26, 1839. On April 18, 1842, the trustees reported the completion and cost of the building, as stated above; that the appraised value of the seats was $16,080, and recommended that sale of the pews be made on the 30th, in accordance with the terms of subscription. At the sale forty-seven pews were sold for $12,011, and the main audience room was occupied for religious worship on the following Sunday. During the early part of Mr. Barnes' ministry there arose, in the Presbyterian Church, a controversy which finally resulted in the division of the church into the old and new school branches. The schism was, of course, felt in Dayton, and in 1838 the First Church contributed a colony to the new school branch. This colony consisted of about seventy-five members, with Peter Odlin and Dr. John Steele as leaders. This colony became the Second Presbyterian Church of Dayton. As was perfectly natural and as is usual in such cases, the seceding branch claimed an interest in the property of the parent church which gave rise to a serious disagreement. The difficulty was, however, amicably adjusted by the First Church paying to the Second fifteen hundred dollars. This compromise was brought about through the moderation and wisdom of Dr. Job Haines and Dr. John Steele. This sum was raised by individual subscription without touching the property of the corporation and without any acknowledgment by the trustees of corporators that the claim was a legal one.
The Rev. Mr. Barnes was succeeded in the pastorate of this church by the Rev. W. C. Anderson, D. D., who began his ministry February 1, 1846. Before the close of his pastorate there arose a very general senti- ment in favor of establishing a new colony in the eastern part of the city, and a committee was appointed for the purchase of a lot suitable for a house of worship for the new congregation. This committee consisted of Dr. Job Haines, Herbert S. Williams, and Henry L. Brown. This was in February, 1849, and about the same time Dr. Anderson's health became so much impaired by chronic throat trouble that the session readily assented to his proposition to make a tour of Europe, hoping that thereby his health might be fully restored. During his absence his place in the pulpit was filled by the Rev. F. T. Brown, of Madison, Indiana. Rev. Mr. Brown remained with the church until September 1st, when he accepted a call to another field of labor. Dr. Anderson returned from Europe about this time, but his throat trouble was not sufficiently relieved to permit of his remaining in the ministry, and he therefore resigned. He was afterward called to the presidency of Miami University, at Oxford,
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CHURCH HISTORY.
Ohio, which position he filled for several years. He served in other im- portant stations until his death, August 28, 1870.
The next pastor after Dr. Anderson was the Rev. Phineas D. Gurley, then of Indianapolis, who entered upon his ministry November 6, 1849. He remained with the church until January, 1854, when he accepted a call to what is now the New York Avenue Church, Washington, D. C. He remained in Washington until his death, which occurred September 30, 1868. In the second year of his pastorate in Dayton the question of the mission church in the eastern part of the city, brief mention of which has already been made, was again revived. When the time came for entering upon the work, twenty-three members of the First Church formed the colony, which was headed by Joseph Barnett, John F. Edgar, and John Morehouse. The church organized by this colony was called the Third Presbyterian Church. But, notwithstanding the formation of this new Presbyterian Church, the accession to the membership of the First Church during the pastorate of the Rev. Mr. Gurley was greater than in any preceding one in the history of the church.
The Rev. James II. Brooks, a recent graduate of Princeton Theo- logical Seminary, and a man of more than ordinary endowments, was elected pastor of the church April 20, 1854. Under his ministry the membership of the church grew largely, and in November, 1856, a new colony went out under the lead of William King, Sr., Herbert S. Williams, and Daniel Osborn, which was organized into a new church, ' the Fourth Presbyterian, now at the corner of Summit and Fifth streets. Notwithstanding this depletion, the First Church continued to grow, and the old building becoming too small, plans were considered for its enlarge- ment; but as the members were not in full accord regarding some of the suggestions of the architect, the improvements were not made. About the same time Dr. Brooks received a call from the First Church, St. Louis, and resigned his pastorate here, preaching his farewell sermon February 14, 1858.
Dr. Brookes was succeeded almost immediately by the Rev. Dr. Thomas E. Thomas, then of New Albany, Indiana, who, on the 12th of April, 1858, began what proved to be a remarkable pastorate in this church. Dr. Thomas was in many respects a remarkable man. The agitation of the slavery question at that time threatened not only the destruction of the government, but also the disruption of the church. It was becoming clear to the people of the slave-holding States, that the anti-slavery sentiment of the North was so strengthening and crystallizing that the further extension of the system into the territories of the United States must ultimately be prevented, and they well knew that the entire
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