History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 53

Author: Andrews, Martin Register, 1842-; Hathaway, Seymour J
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1490

USA > Ohio > Washington County > Marietta > History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 53

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The church in which we meet, this morn- ing, is essentially the church which was built

and dedicated on that May day, 92 years ago. To be sure, it has been repaired many times and somewhat modified in its interior arrange- ments, and yet this church is in its architecture, structure and general arrangement the church which was planned and erected by the pioneers before the community had completed the sec- ond decade of its history. Tradition has credited Rev. Sammuel P. Robbins, the second pastor of the church, with the plans after which the church was constructed, but others have claimed, upon what seem to be good grounds, that Gen. Rufus Putnam was the originator of the plans. Henry Shipman, the father of H. B. Shipman, still living in Marietta, was the master builder, and much of the work was done by his own hands. The entire cost of the church, when completed for dedication. was $7.349.012. The half cent probably indi- cates the accuracy with which the accounts were kept.

From the best information I am able to ; gather at this day I conclude that the old high family pew with seats all around, such as were common in New England in an early day, were never in use in this church. The first pews were large rectangular pews with a door open- ing into the aisle. The original plan of seating was one center aisle extending from the front entrance toward the pulpit with narrower aisles on either side of the church, and a row of pews extending the whole length of the church against either side wall similar in con- struction to the body pews. Beyond the side doors on either side were a few pews facing the pulpit, standing at right angles to the pews in body of the house. The original pulpit was about on a level with the gallery and was reached by winding stairs from either side. The pulpit was lowered about two feet in 1836, and again in 1866 a platform was erected and the pulpit which has been in use up to the present time was put in. The original columns supporting the gallery and roof were square, covered with wood, somewhat ornamented and painted to give themt an attractive appearance. The singers had seats in the west gallery until the second organ was purchased in 1889, when they were removed to the rear of the platform.

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, MARIETTA. THE OLDEST CHURCH IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.)

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From the two towers the church early came to be known as the "Two Horned" church, and it is within the truth to say that there is no building standing in Marietta, or Ohio, or the five States which were carved from the original Northwest Territory, which for nearly a centitry has been so ek sely identified with the social. educational and religious interests of the community in which it stands as has this old church. It occupies a position entirely unique.

The fact that the pioneers were so slow in organizing à church and providing a meeting house has called forth surprise and conjecture. There were enough Christians here before the end of the first year to warrant the organiza- tion of a church, and this step had been con- templated by some of them before leaving their New England homes, and yet nearly a decade passed before the church was organized. It is also unquestionably true that there was wealth enough to provide for a church build- ing, and people enough to nearly fill it before the beginning of the 19th century, but two de- cades had passed before this church was dedi- cated. Other colonies coming later. and which were not so strong either financially or numerically, had organized a church and built a meeting house and so gained a historic pres- tige which belonged by right to the colony on the Muskingum. But I am persuaded that a careful study of the early records of the church and Society will discover the occasion of this delay in their unwillingness to bring any divisive influence into the community. The pioneers were tolerant to a fault. large majority of those who were profess- ing Chrisians had been members of Con- gregational churches in New England, but they did not desire to force their form of gov- ernment nor their peculiar beliefs upon those who were not of this way of thinking. The early doctrinal basis of the church was broad and tolerant and simple. The Society was formed to enable all those who could not or did not unite with the church, and who vet believed in the value and importance of re- ligious teaching to unite in supporting public worship and the ordinances of religion ; and

set it did not wholly accomplish its purpose, for when it became manifest that the Society proposed to do its work in connection with the First Church, a spirit of discontent broke out on the part of some who did not believe in the Congregational way. To insure peace and harmony, the Society proposed to support two religious teachers, and the pastor, Rev. Daniel Story, was asked to share his salary and the privileges and prerogatives of his office with another, although the stipulated cash salary was only $300 per year. But even this pro- posal and an honest effort to carry it out, did not bring peace, for in 1803. several persons withdrew and formed a Second Religious So- ciety and employed Rev. Stephen Linsley as a religious teacher. Soon after, a Presbyter- ian Church was organized, which continued a precarious existence for some years and then came to an end on the withdrawal of the pastor. Several persons belonging to this Second Re- ligious Society also forined a "Religious Meet- ing House Society" and began the erection of a brick building on Third street, below Greene, which was, however, never completed. It is safe to say that but for this unfortunate di- vision of sentiment and forces this building would have been erected several years earlier. But while there were several persons in this church during all the early years of its history who preferred the Presbyterian form of church government, yet it should be said to their credit that for the most part they put aside their preferences and worked loyally with the people of this church until 1865. when the growth of the town warranted their peaceable withdrawal and the organization of the Fourth Street Presbyterian Church, which has been a strong religious factor in the community, meeting the needs of those who prefer this form of govern- ment.

When the frame of the church was up and the building enclosed, the trustees of the So- ciety offered the pews for sale at public auc- tion, in order to raise funds to reimburse those who had advanced money and material for the building. A limit was placed on the value of the pews below which they could not be sold ; all pews below No. 78, on the lower floor. should

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not be sold for less than Szo, and no front pews in the gallery for less than $00. The pews were transferred to the purchaser in fee simple to have and to hold and to transmit to his heirs or assigns just as he would trans- fer any other real property. Copies of the deeds are vet extant. The pews were nearly all sold and for years were owned and trans- ferred as a house and lot would be. Gen Rufus Putnam, who was one of the most gen- erous givers toward building the meeting house, ommed about 30 pews at the time of his death, which were disposed of in his will along with other property.

Robbins, through her agent, John Prune, for $200. As late as 1848, the trustees were con- sidering the abvisability of selling pews in the gallery to members of the College faculty to raise money to repair the church. The weak- ness and inconvenience of the system of pew ownership was fully realized, but it was not until the year 1867, when the most thorough repairs were completed which have ever been undertaken up to the present time, that most of the pew owners were prevailed upon to sur- render their title to the pews in the house of the Lord, and the pews became practically frec, although many families continued to oc- cupy the same pews as before. It was a great victory when men were prevailed upon to sur- render the title to property in the house of God which they could rent out for a profit and transmit to others without regard to their in- terest in the progress of the Kingdom of Christ upon earth. The Society has never found it so necessary to raise money, whether for repairs on the church or for current ex- penses, as since the titles to the pews have come into the hands of the Society and all revenues are raised by voluntary contributions. The experience of this church has proven that a system of pew ownership and taxation is a failure as a means for raising revenues for carrying on the work of the Christian Church.

This plan was not peculiar to this church. and it may have been a financial necessity. but it proved here, as it proved everywhere, a source of weakness and a perpetual annoyance. Sometimes the pews came into the hands of outside parties who rented them as an invest- ment. Those who owned the pews were not always willing to contribute to the current ex- penses of the church, and the Society was com- pelled to apply to the Legislature for a change in the articles of incorporation granting them power to levy a tax upon the pews, which was granted in 1836, within certain restrictions. Again and again in the history of the Society, the trustees were compelled to impose a tax on the pews to pay for repairs on the church or provide against a deficit in In 1836, after the first general repairs on the church were completed, the Society voted to make the gallery seats belonging to the So- ciety free, and on motion of William R. Put- nam they were assigned as follows: The north gallery to the faculty and students in Marietta College, the south gallery to general use, while the seats abutting against the east walls were set apart for people of color, men in the north and women in the south gallery. This, it is believed, was the first movement for free seats in this church. current expenses. Sometimes those who held pews opposed strenuously all effort to levy a tax on the pews to provide for deficits in the current expenses. They were willing to sub- mit to taxation for necessary repairs, but not to provide for deficits in current expenses. Some years the trustees were not able to raise the pastor's salary when it was not more than $750 or $800 per year, and sometimes the de- ficit was permitted to run on year after year, and the records would seem to indicate that there have been times when the deficit was For thirteen years there was no provision for heating the church except by means of the small foot stoves such as were common in New England in an early day. There is no means of knowing whether people were staying away from church because of cold feet and the gen- charged up to the pastor's account. At times the price of pews was greatly inflated. In 1827 there was a record of a transaction whereby pew No. 18, which had come into the possession of the Society and which was appraised at $120, was sold to Mrs. Martha ' eral discomfort of the room, or whether the

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zeal of their hearts caused them to forget all bodily discomforts; but, in 1821, a meeting was called to provide the church with stoves and pipes. In 1822 two stoves were purchased and put in the church, but for want of chim- neys the pipes passes the whole length of the church under the gallery and passed out through the windows. Such an arrangement in modern times is regarded as indicating a lack of thrift.

The house has been repaired and slight alterations have been made at various times. The first general overhauling took place in 1836, at an expense of $1.768.64. and the business meeting at which arrangements and provisions were made for these alterations, was held on Christmas Day. 1835. This is a commentary on the way the fathers kept Christmas. The repairs and alterations made at this time consisted in putting in a vestibule and providing stairs and new slips in the gal- lery, changing the arrangement of pews, paint- ing the church within and without and putting on a new roof. In 1858, at the close of the first half century, the question was seriously considered whether the old church should be thoroughly repaired or a new one built, and the trustees were made a committee to con- sider and report upon this question. The com- mittee in due time rendered its report that the necessary repairs and alterations would cost $5,000. and that a new church suitable to the needs of the congregation would cost at least $12,000. But action was delayed owing to the discussion which arose concerning the question of securing the "Putnam Trust Fund" pews, and long before this was settled. the disturbed condition of the country and the outbreak of the Civil War absorbed the atten- tion of the people until 1865. when the mat- ter was again taken up in earnest, and a system of repairs was undertaken which continued through two seasons and was the most com- plete the old church has ever undergone. New windows with inside blinds were put in, the old pews with doors gave way to modern pews, the old high pulpit was removed and a recess was provided for the reconstructed pulpit, the side doors were removed to the rear of the church.

the galleries were reseated and the building was painted both outside and in, at a total cost of $5.105.40. This thorough renovating of the church, involving the most radical changes which have ever been made in the building it- self, prepared the way, also, for a decided change in methods and spirit, and most of the pew-holders were prevailed upon to relinquish their claim to ownership in the church pews as before indicated. Thus it ever is in the life of an institution that changes in the outward form and structure correspond to changes in the inner life and spirit. It is safe to say that this honored and sacred structure has not changed as much as the spirit and method of the generations who have worshiped here.

The only repairs of any importance besides those already mentioned were in 1880, when the interior was painted and frescoed, which with some other minor repairs cost about $810, and, in 1889, when the recess at the rear was enlarged to make room for the new organ and choir, the pulpit was pushed forward and seats were put in the front gallery, occupied up to this time by the choir, at a cost of $450. For the last 10 years very little has been expended in repairs, because the conviction was general that the next overhauling would of necessity be more thorough and complete than any the church has yet undergone. The total amount expended on the church in repairs and altera- tions, of which account has been kept, is $9.115.26, which added to the original cost of the church makes the total cost $10.464.29. a sum only one-third larger than we contem- plate for remodeling. This is, of course, ex- clusive of the cost of the chapel. organ and bell as well as the parsonage, which was purchased, i11 1874, at a cost of $8.000. The total amount of these extras is $13.833. which added to the cost of the church and alterations, makes a grand total of $30,207, which the property of this church has cost in the past century. The alterations and additions now contemplated will add fully $20,000 to this total, including the organ, and will give us a property richly worth the $50,000, which it will have cost.

One of the perplexing questions which early presented itself and which continued

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to annoy for many years, was the question of devoting a church to what were regarded as secular uses. Since nearly every one in the community had contributed some- thing to the cost of the church, and it was for years the one auditorium in the city capa- ble of accommodating large gatherings, the trustees were being constantly besieged by parties who desired to use it for lectures, con- certs and miscellaneous entertainments. There were times when there was scarcely a meeting of the trustees when this question did not come up. While ever seeking to be liberal to all worthy causes, the purpose of the trustees as expressed in various resolutions has been to exclude everything not in keeping with the spirit and purposes for which the church was erected.

But there is one institution which has ever been accorded the freest use of the church, viz., the College ; the founders of the College, and its early supporters were chiefly members of this church and Society. For years every public exercise of the College was held in this church. The six presidents, who have in turn presided over the destinies of the College, were here inducted into office: nearly if not quite every baccalaureate address has been de- livered from this pulpit, more than 50 genera- tions of students have here completed their course of study, received their degrees and gone forth to assume the duties of citizenship, and here many young men have made their first appearance on the public platform who have gone forth in later years to move men to action by their eloquent and well framed ap- peals. Probably more than 600 students have graduated from this platform and gone forth to find their place amid the world's great ac- tivities.

Postscript .- At a largely attended meeting of the church and Society held January 16, 1901, a decision was reached in favor of re- modeling and enlarging the present edifice in general harmony with the plans submitted by Payne & Gardner of Springfield, Massachus- etts. W. W. Mills. J. S. Simpson, J. E. Van- dervort, Howard W. Stanley and John Kaiser were elected a building committee with power

to raise the means of carrying out the work contemplated in the plans. This committee be- gan work immediately: more than $18,000 were raised or pledged for the work. The old house was raised, enlarged, and beautified and when completed there was placed in it, by the munificence of Mrs. W. W. Mills, an organ, the finest ever brought to this county. It was given as a memorial to her parents, Beman Gates and Mrs. Betsey Gates. In the week from January 12, to January 17, 1902, the new house was dedicated with thankful service. Two of the former pastors, Rev. Theron H. Hawks. D. D .. of Springfield, Massachusetts, and Rev. E. D. Dickinson, D. D., of Cincin- nati, the historians of the church, were present and added much to the interest of the exercises.

The Harmar Congregational Church.

On January 1, 1840, a little company of believers assembled in the Town Hall of the then village of Harmar, known as Marietta, west side, for the purpose of organizing a Con- gregational Church.

Rev. Joel H. Linsley, D. D., President of Marietta College, conducted the exercises and preached the sermon. The articles of confes- sion, which had been prepared and previously adopted by those intending to be members, were read by Rev. William Linsley and the covenant by Rev. James B. Walker.

The "constituting" prayer was offered by Rev. William Walker and the benediction pro- nounced by Rev. William Linsley. After the organization, a meeting of the church was held and the following officers elected,-Deacons, Douglas Putnam and Daniel P. Bosworth; clerk. Douglas Putnam.

The membership of the new church was made up of those who transferred their mem- bership from the following places: Marietta Congregational, 25: Warren Presbyterian, 5; Watertown Presbyterian, 2: Belpre Congrega- tional, 2: Sandusky Congregational, 1 ; Water- ford Cumberland Presbyterian, I.

For nearly eight years the church continued to worship in the Town Hall, when David Putnam donated a lot for both church and

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parsonage, the former being built in 1847. The dedication services of November 27th were conducted by Rev. Gideon Dana, then pastor and by Rev. William Wicks.

The first public worship was held in the new "Meeting House," Sunday, November 28,

In 1848 a new bell was purchased, the mon- ey being raised by concerts given by a quar- tette of young men from the College.

At various times the church has under- gone repairs and been enlarged .- when in 1868 under Rev. William Wakefield a lecture room was built and again in 1894. during the pastorate of Rev. Silas Smith, when a Sunday- school room was erected on the side of the building.

For some months after the organization of the church, the pulpit was supplied by Dr. Lins- ley when on May 4, 1842, Rev. Milo Hickock was ordained and installed as first pastor. By request of himself, the pastorate terminated April 8, 1844.

In October, 1845. Rev. Gideon Dana began his labors with the church but not until Janu- ary, 1847, was a call extended to him to be- come settled pastor. This was accepted, the in- stalling services occuring October 20th, the same year. The pastorate terminated March 1, 1850.

The summer following, Rev. David Gould accepted an invitation to supply the pulpit and a call was subsequently extended to him. He was installed pastor May 28th, the following year, and continued his labors until January 16, 1855. when health compelled him to cease work.

Within a week a call was extended to Rev. William Wakefield which was accepted the following March, and in April he began a long and fruitful pastorate. This pastorate of near- ly 17 years, which terminated February 20, 1872. is the longest in the history of the church

During the following November. Rev. Jo- sialı H. Jenkins began to labor with the church and continued until June 1. 1881.

In September. 1881. Rev. H. C. Haskell be- came the pastor and remained as such until September 1, 1887. It was during this time

Rev. Mr. Haskell was led to believe that his work was in the foreign field and at the termin- ation of the pastorate lie resumed missionary work in Bulgaria where he is working today.

On October Ist, the same year, Rev. D. F. Harris began a pastorate of five and one-half years, which terminated May 31, 1893. The pulpit was then supplied for some time by Prof. John Mills.

Rev. Silas Smith was called to the pastorate August 28, 1893. Ile labored energetically and as a result many members were added to the roll and the church throughout greatly strengthened and built up. It was during this pastorate the Sunday-school room adjoining the church was built. In the summer of 1895, Rev. Mr. Smith was stricken with typhoid fever and after a hard struggle the end came October Otlı.

In January of the following year, the church called Rev. Jonathan Smith who labored less than a year, closing work November, 1896.

Rev. Virgil Boyer accepted a call from the church and began a faithful pastorate April II, 1897. His work continued until August 7, 1901. when after a period of five months Rev. Lee J. Travis began work.

The Second Congregational Church of Mar- ietta Township

Was organized March 3, 1859, by Rev. V. G. Fry. During the summer of 1858, Rev. Mr. Fry had been preaching at the Presbyterian Church, Cedar Narrows Conge- gational Church. Stanleyville and Lynch Methodist Church. Upon invitation, he in- cluded School District No. 8, Marietta town- ship, in his appointments. In February. 1859, a protracted meeting was held in this church which resulted in the formation of the society with 24 members, 21 by profession and three by letter.

Rev. Mr. Fry acted as pastor until 1863, but having a wide field his visits were necessa- rily infrequent. Rev. John Noble was associated in the pastorate in 1873, and this church was supplied once each Sabbath. Rev. Mr. Noble was soon forced by ill health to resign the

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charge, and at the close of the year, Rev. Mr. Fry accepted a call to Lexington, Ohio, and the society was left without a pastor. Up to this time, there had been II additions to the membership. During 1864 and 1865 Rev. L. L. Fay and Prof. J. L. Mills preached oc- casionally. During 1866 Professor Mills preached regularly. During 1867 there was no pastor and the society maintamed a doubt- ful existence. In the winter of 1868, Rev. George Athey, of the United Brethren Church held an awakening revival in which the mem- bers of the Congregational Church joined. A flourishing United Brethren class was organ- izel, and both bodies worked together for nearly a year, when the United Brethren re- moved their services to Jennings' school house where they cultivated a much neglected field. J. H. Jenkins, then tutor in the College, preached for the Second Church once each Sabbath until 1872, when Rev. G. W. Wells became regular pastor in connection with the Little Muskingum Church and served until 1876. He was succeeded by Rev. Eugene S. Reed, who remained until 1880, when Rev. Mr. Wells was recalled.

A comfortable frame church was built in 1869. A Sunday-school has been maintained during the summer months, since the date of its organization.

At the present time there is no pastor for the church.

The Congregational Church of Lowell.

(This History was read before the Marietta Conference hy Deacon B. F. Dyar.)

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History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 53

Author: Andrews, Martin Register, 1842-; Hathaway, Seymour J Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1490

Author: Andrews, Martin Register, 1842-; Hathaway, Seymour J
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1490