USA > Ohio > Logan County > Bellefontaine > History of the First Presbyterian Church of Bellefontaine, Ohio, and addresses delivered at the celebration of the thirty-fifth anniversary of the pastorate of the Reverend George L. Kalb, D.D > Part 11
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I have very little information in regard to the pastors of the Second church, and am indebted to Governor Marquis for what I have. The church was organized in 1836 by Presbytery. Rev. Jno. A. Meeks served this church either as pastor or stated supply from about 1837 to 1839. Rev. Jno. L. Belleville from about 1839 to 1847 Rev. David K. Polk from 1847 to 1849, at about which time the Second church ceased to exist. I have no history of conse- quence of these ministers. I think Rev. Mr. Meeks preached at Spring Hill and West Liberty occasionally, and finally took charge of a Congregational church in Findlay. I had no personal acquaint- ance with Rev. Mr. Belleville, but know that he was considered a talented man, and as he lived during the controversial period, he was often engaged in defending his own views, which were suffic- iently pronounced to satisfy almost any Calvinist. Mr. Belleville came from Montgomery county to this place, and after the close of his ministry here returned to that county and died in Dayton some years since at an advanced age.
The Reverend Joseph Stevenson, one of the pioneers of Logan county, may also be considered the father of Presbyterianism in this part of the country. He was born in Hagerstown, Maryland, March 25, 1779, and died February 24, 1865, at Bellefontaine, Ohio. "Losing his father when he was but five years of age, he was brought up, in part, in the family of his stepfather, Judge Edgar. At the age of fifteen he was apprenticed for four and one-half years and learned the smith trade in Beaver county, Pennsylvania. Having finished his apprenticeship he set up shop for himself in 1800, near Greensburg, Beaver county, Pennsylvania." He contin- ued for nearly three years in business and was greatly prospered, when, it is said, severe affliction overtook him and turned his thoughts entirely to his soul's welfare and his mind to the question of preparing for the ministry. As was common in that day the young student, early in the course of his studies, married, so, in 1804, Mr. Stevenson wedded the daughter of Rev. Thomas Mar- quis, of Cross Creek, Washington county, Pennsylvania, and remov- ed to Canonsburg, where, after three years, he completed his liter- ary studies. He spent nearly two years in the study of theology with Rev. Thomas Marquis. October 15, 1808, he was licensed to
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preach the gospel, and immediately entered upon his work in Three Ridges and Forks of Wheeling. In 1812 each church was able to employ the full time of a pastor, and he confined his labors to Three Ridges, or West Alexander. From 1808 to 1825 he con- tinued to minister to this people, though spending many months in various missionary tours North and West in establishing and revisiting a missionary station among the Ottawa Indians on the Maumee. About this time, 1825, "he resolved to leave the peo- ple of his charge for their good, but there is abundant evidence," says his biographer, "that the church did not agree with him in this." Having come into possession of a large tract of land in Logan county, O., "without much desire and labor on his part," as his memoranda says, where there was little Presbyterian influence, and having means to support his family for a time, he resolved to move to that county, and become a self-sustaining missionary. It was in 1825 when he settled upon his land, one and one-half miles north of Bellefontaine, which was his home until he went to the better country.
When Mr. Stevenson reached Logan county, the five counties of which it was the center were without a Presbyterian minister. As soon as a cabin was constructed to shelter his family, he estab- lished for himself a circuit of thirteen preaching places to be reached and ministered unto every five weeks. This work he con- tinued for above two years, in the meantime forming churches as God gave him adherents. By degrees the circle of his work was narrowed, at length being confined to the Bellefontaine church.
In 1844, the thirty-sixth year of his active ministry, the sixty- fifth year of his life, he resigned his charge and devoted himself to good doing and the care of his invalid wife, who died July 25, 1849. The remaining sixteen years of his life were spent in attending ecclesiastical and missionary meetings, visiting his children, strengthening the churches and in preaching as strength permitted. In his seventy-sixth year he canvassed Logan county in the interests of the American Bible Society. To show the true piety of "Father" Stevenson, I copy this record which he made on his eighty-first birthday. "I am free from pain and have no disease which threatens my life, but the infirmities of age admonishı me that my end cannot be distant. My life here is infinitely bet- ter than I deserve, but to be with Jesus, whom I have endeavored to serve for fifty-seven years, would be far better. It is niy inces-
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sant desire to live without sin. When I lay down this body I shall be done with sin forever. Glorious hope! Who would not die to realize it? I would not live alway in this sinning state- would love to be restored to the image of my Maker, God, and serve him perfectly forever." Here we have the key to his spirit- life; and he was so imbued with the indwelling of the Spirit; so conformed to Christ that he fulfilled the injunction of the Savior- harmless as a dove-at the same time being eminently wise. It is hardly necessary, after saying this, to inform you that he made the Golden Rule his standard of action in all his dealings, and was just to all. He was benevolent, and it is said that toward the end of his life gave away one-fifth of his income. Intellectually, he was far above the ordinary-a good preacher. Spiritually, as near perfection as any man I ever knew.
Rev. George Gregg served this church from 1844 to 1854, or about ten years. I was, during that time, living in West Liberty, and I heard him preach there and at Spring Hill, but my acquaint- ance with him was limited. He was a sound theologian, and to me a fairly attractive speaker, and from what I have learned he was highly esteemed as a man, a pastor and a christian. How successful his ministry was I am not informed. His tragic deatlı was much lamented, he having died of smallpox. He was opposed to vaccination, from what cause I do not know, but my impression is he was conscienciously opposed to it. He was therefore unpro- tected, and thus fell a victim to his own mistake. Two or three years since the writer published in a medical journal an article en- titled "Variola and Vaccina," reminiscences and observations, and from it makes this extract :-- "About the middle of December, 1854, I visited a gentleman in Bellefontaine, pastor of one of the churches there, reported to have smallpox. He was extremely ill with the confluent form, and his condition about hopeless. During the examination he threw his long postulated arm about my neck and held my face to his for some little time in a vain effort to tell me something, but his throat was so blocked with the eruption he could not articulate so as to be understood." This I regretted, as it is likely lie wished to give a reason of his being in his present deplorable condition. He died very shortly after. During his ministry here the old Presbyterian church on North Main street was built. He also built the large frame house on East Sandusky avenue in which he died, now owned by Elder J. D. Mclaughlin.
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Upon the whole I infer that his ministry was very successful. He was a most energetic man, a great worker not despising manual labor, but always ready to lend a helping hand on every proper occasion. He left a wife and several children.
Rev. E. B. Raffensperger was pastor of the First Presbyterian church of Bellefontaine from 1854 to 1859, and came from Urbana to this church. I first became acquainted with him in the spring of 1856. I know nothing of his antecedents, where born or wliere educated. He was a man of ability, and an impressive pulpit ora- tor. During his ministry here there were a number of revivals, and one in which a large number of converts were added to the church. He was indeed a good revivalist; and was fearless in denouncing wrong-doing from the pulpit. I remember a notable instance in which a popular superintendent of the public schools had been guilty of an immoral act and was denounced in very strong language-and Mr. Raffensperger had the command of that when he wished to use it. This course made some enemies, mostly outside the church, but unfortunately he had some in the church, or who claimed to be in it. As has been said his former pastorate was in Urbana, and the opposition he had in that place seemed to have been transferred to this; so clergymen had better, when they change locations, make them more than 18 miles apart. After be- coming a member of the Session I called upon one of these op- ponents in order to reconcile differences, and my recollection is that the main trouble was something that occurred at Urbana, and here I may say a good deal of the opposition to ministers amounts to about as much as the old saw:
"I don't like you, Dr. Fell,
The reason why I cannot tell, But I don't like you, Dr. Fell."
Mr. Raffensperger was an enthusiastic man and full of energy in his undertakings. Notwithstanding there were some troubles in the church, the number of members continued to increase, while the finances decreased or it became more difficult to raise the funds to pay the minister's salary. There were frequent consul- tations between the pastor and Session; and I remember one all night session when I did not get home until daylight in the morning. And finally some opposition arose in the Session especially in one inember; so that at the spring meeting of Presbytery at Troy, O., where I was a inember, he resigned his pastorate. Now after this long lapse of time I scarcely feel that he was well treated. But I
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trust he has gone to the place where all is love, joy and peace and where the turmoil of this world is unknown.
George P. Bergen was stated supply of this church from 1859 to 1863, four years. He was born in New Jersey, but had lived in Kentucky and was probably educated there. He went from that state to western Iowa and from there came here. He was a ready, pleasant speaker, a good pastor and popular, esteemed as a christian gentleman, and by the way, it is hard to conceive that any true, intelligent christian can be otherwise. His charge was during the early and stormy period of the war. He and I were in attendance at the spring meeting of Presbytery at West Liberty when the news came that Fort Sumpter had been fired upon; yet notwithstanding the wonderful war excitement of the time there were many additions to the church, though no general revival as far as I now remember. His remaining so long as stated supply was rather unusual, but there were some members of the Ses- sion and perhaps others, who deemed it unwise to have him installed as pastor. No one doubted that he was doing the best he could for the interest of the church and the cause of Christ, and it must be said that when he left his charge he had very many warm friends, for he was a lovable man and the parting was hard.
After leaving here he emigrated to the State of Iowa, where he engaged in teaching in connection with ministerial work. He died in that state in 1875, leaving a wife, now deceased, and four children-three sons and one daugher. The oldest son, Paul, is a missionary in China. One son is a physician in Chicago, the other a professor in some institution in Elgin, Ill. The daughter is married, but her residence is unknown.
Last, but not least in my esteem, I refer to Rev. R. H. Holly- day, who labored with Rev. Mr. Stevenson for six months in the interests of the First church of Bellefontaine, and being with such a man was worth as much to him as six months training in a theological school. I did not know him here but after he took charge of the infant church at West Liberty we became well acquainted. He labored faithfully there in the cause of Christ and in the interests of the feeble church, the services being held in an old still house. In our young manhood we became fast friends, although I was not a member of his church. I stood by his side when he was married to his life companion, at the house of Robert Patterson, one and one-half miles south of town, near the West
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Liberty pike. This was in 1842. Again in 1892, just 50 years afterward, I was at his side at the second wedding-the golden one-at Findlay. Strange as it may seem, I think we did not ineet more than two or three times during that long period. He did not stay long at West Liberty after his marriage, but removed to Find- lay, and entered, as I understand, upon the active duties of his ministry in that place and surrounding country. He has done much in these years for the moral and spiritual welfare of that community, and many souls will be ready to rise up and call him blessed. And after we have crossed the river, which cannot be very distant, may we ineet and renew our friendship and love in the peaceful kingdom of our God.
CHILDREN OF THE CHURCH, MINISTERS AND MISSIONARIES.
BY MRS. S. A. BUCHANAN.
Of the children of this church who have become ministers or missionaries, we find that there are seven ministers and one home* missionary. Three of the ministers have already been honored with the title of Doctor of Divinity, and doubtless others will be as time proves their merit. It is worthy of note that three of the seven ministers and the home missionary are all decendants of the Rev. Joseph Stevenson.
The very brief time in which this paper had to be prepared prevented the collecting of data that would make an interesting sketch of the life of each person in the list; such, however, as could be gathered on the spur of the moment will be given. It should be further stated that the brief mention made of some is not because they have less merit than the others, but because ful- ler information was not available.
The ministers approximately in their chronological order are as follows :- Rev. John McMillen Stevenson, D. D., was the second son of Rev. Joseph and Sarah Marquis Stevenson, born May 14th, 1812; entered Miami University in September, 1832; graduated from Jefferson College in 1836; was a student at Lane Theological Seminary, and licensed by Presbytery of Richland, Ohio, in 1840. His first pastorate was at Troy, Ohio. He is now Corresponding Secretary of American Tract Society.
Joseph Hover Stevenson, D. D., eldest son of Thomas Mar
*See chapter Ministers and Missionaries.
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quis and Judith Hover Stevenson, graduated from Miami Univer- sity in 1859; was licensed by Sidney Presbytery in 1863; studied theology at Allegheny Seminary, and was ordained at Browns- ville, Pennsylvania, his first charge, in 1864.
Salmon Coles Faris, D. D., son of John and Ann Morrison Faris, graduated at Washington, Pennsylvania; entered the min- istry about 1862, at Buchanan, Virginia.
Rev. Robert P. Shaw was a son of Rev. Joseph and Naomi Shaw. His first charge was in Chester county, Pennsylvania; is now located at Tacoma, Washington.
Rev. J. G. Grabiel, after preparatory course in Ohio Western University, attended Lane Theological Seminary; is now located at West Bay City, Michigan.
Rev. Virgil L. Grabiel followed the same course of education; is now in Illinois.
Rev. Robert Scott Stevenson, seventh son of Joseph and Mar- garet Ann Kerr Stevenson, graduated from Indiana State Univer- sity at Bloomington, Indiana; was a theological student at Prince- ton and McCormick. His first charge was at Madison, South Da- kota, and he is now located at Carmi, Illinois.
Mrs. Mattie Susan Fehl, (best known among us as Mattie Byers) daughter of John Wilson and Mary Jane Oatman Byers; after graduated from the Bellefontaine High School in 1878 went as a home missionary in 1887 to Box Elder, Utah. After three years of faithful and efficient service in this field she was compelled to give up her work and return home on account of her mother's serious illness, which ended in death. She married Mr. John M. Fehl and is now living in Carthage, Missouri. Her field of labor as missionary was under the charge of Rev. Mr. Gillespie, who was often absent from his pulpit on Sabbath. Upon the earn- est request of many of the congregation, Mrs. Fehl, frequently, in the absence of the pastor, conducted public services and preached effective sermons. Her services in this way were very much appre- ciated by the pastor, and when he was a delegate to the General Assembly he spoke in favor of licensing women as preachers and said: "A lady is now filling my pulpit when I am away from home and she draws a much larger attendance than I can."
To sonie it may seem that seven ministers and one home miss- ionary is a small out-put for so large a congregation. If any apology be needed for the small number we would call attention to the very
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large quality. This brings up a pliase of church work that is of deepest interest, not only to this church, but to all christians, that is the supply and demand for ministers and missionaries. Truly it may be said that the harvest is great but the laborers are few; the laborers, however, of which there is such great lack, are of the common, every day kind, who are willing to make self sacrifices and perform the humble duties which will make better and hap- pier the homes and neighborhoods in which they live. Of such laborers there can never be too many or the field overcrowded, and while we have not turned out many ministers and but one mission- ary, we have great pleasure and comfort in the fact that we have a strong church of useful every day workers.
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. BY JOHN E. WEST.
The children of the church is the euphoneous subject of the Sunday-school, and more especially of the Sunday-school of the First Presbyterian church of Bellefontaine, Ohio.
As far back as 1826 a Union Sunday-school was organized in the then village, which continued its existence until sometime in the thirties. The Presbyterian Sunday-school was organized un- der the pastorate of Rev. Joseph Stevenson, and the superintend- ency of Robert Patterson, the father of our townsman, Edward Patterson. Robert Patterson was succeeded by Joshua Robb and he by J. D. Campbell, who was known by all and familiarly called Jimmie Campbell. Campbell was succeeded by William G. Ken- nedy, whose widow still survives him.
From its organization until the pastorate of Rev. Mr. Gregg, the school continued without interruption. During Mr. Gregg's administration, as recalled by "Aunt" Jane McCormick, the Sun- day-school, as such, was discontinued, and Mr. Gregg taught a large and interesting Bible class on Wednesday evenings. Just at what time the meetings of the school on Sunday were again com- inenced, I have not been able to learn definitely, but most prob- ably during the pastorate of Rev. Mr. Raffensperger, since which time it has continued uninterruptedly.
Those who have been charged with its management and have served as its superintendents since its resurrection, embrace, if not all, nearly all of the following named persons :- Rev. G. L. Kalb,
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who was superintendent for one year in the little brick church on North Main street, when the sessions of the school were held in the afternoon; Rev. Joseph Shaw, who went to his rest more than a quarter of a century ago; E. Durkee, Dr. A. Fulton, Judge Ezra Bennett, loved by all; John A. McIlvaine and the saintly William McColloch, all of whom have since been called to their reward; J. Q. A. Campbell, D. J. Miller, Pogue Stevenson, R. H. St. John, J. D. Mclaughlin, G. M. Stevenson, S. A. Buchanan and John E. West, of whom those who are residents of Bellefontaine are still actively engaged in Sunday-school work either as officers, teachers or scholars.
Did time and opportunity afford, it would be a pleasure to recall the names and memories of those who gave of their time and talents in the other departments of the school in discharging the duties of secretary, treasurer, librarian, chorister and organist, and especially of those godly persons who devoted the best years of their life in teaching the word of God. May I not mention A. Galbreath, John M. Riddle as treasurer; Edward Patterson as librarian; W. A. Ogden and Pogue Stevenson as choristers, and some of the teachers whom I associate with my earliest recollections :- Rev. Joseph Shaw, David Niven, Dr. Fulton, Judge Bennett, Will- iam McColloch, John McIlvaine, as well as J. Q. A. Campbell and J. D. McLaughlin, Mrs. Robert McCracken, Miss Lou McCracken, Miss Jennie Kerr, Mrs. Cunningham Smith, Mrs. Margaret Rid- dle and Miss Emma Byers.
Who can estimate the influences that these persons, as well as the many others who names cannot now be mentioned, have con- tributed toward the moulding of the lives and characters of the members of this church and community, and also of the hundreds of persons who have gone out from among us in the years that have gone?
Within the pastorate of Dr. Kalb many changes have taken place in Sunday-school methods, none more important nor more beneficial than the introduction of the uniform lesson system. As late as 1872 each superintendent or teacher made such selection of a lesson as he or she pleased, and frequently no two schools or classes were studying the sante Scripture; there were not, nor could there be such things as lesson helps. Since 1872 when the first international lesson committee was appointed and an effort made to introduce a uniformity of lessons throughout all the Sun-
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day-schools, we have been and are now using the uniform lesson system, and with its leaflets, monthlies, junior and senior quarter- lies, Peubolet's notes and church papers; these not only bearing upon the same Scripture, but especially prepared and arranged for primary, intermediate and senior departments respectively.
This introduction of the uniform lesson system has awakened new interest in the Sunday-school work and justly so. Its adoption by almost every denomination, has called forth the most profound research, the greatest investigations and the most approved and acceptable interpretation of the text by the best thinkers and writers of the world. The acceptance of the same general views regarding the doctrine and interpretations to be given the lessons as sanctioned and set forth by the authorities of the various churches, has done and is doing more to accomplish that which has been the desire of every true christian, the sweeping away of unnecessary denominational barriers, the unifying of the Christian Army and its concentration against the common enemy, than any other agency of the church. The love of light, the desire to obtain every new idea upon the subject under investigation, and the eagerness to study the lesson from other and from interdenomi- national stand-points, has vivified the press of two hemispheres. All the investigations that modern research can present, all explana- tions, illustrations and amplifications that the literatures can sug- gest are furnished to the Sunday-schools of today and are within the reach of every member of our schools. As a result we have better prepared teachers and a larger number of scholars studying God's word than ever before. A school of two hundred and fifty members, including nine officers and twenty-six teachers, all studying the same portion of the Scripture, in connection with the other schools of the city doing the same thing, is a power for good in a community that cannot be estimated.
Does it pay? Yes, yes. Have our labors and the labors of all those who have gone before been in vain? No, no. Look about us. Let us ask ourselves the question, how many of those who are numbered among the members of this congregation would have been brought to a saving knowledge of the Lord, Jesus Christ, if it had not been for the early training received by them in the Sun- day-school of this or of some other church?
Have you forgotten-can we ever forget, the scenes of Easter Sunday in 1897, and that of last winter when here about this altar
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he who had so lovingly and tenderly watched over and prayed over your children and my children as he had over you ard over me in years before, received into this fold and into full commun- ion the little ones, the lambs of the flock, the children of the church.
In the thirty-five years of his pastorate, of the most of which I can bear witness, he whose anniversary we celebrate today, per- sonally watched the growth and development of the Sunday- school, ever on the alert to correct any false doctrine, attending its sessions with a regularity that was interrupted only by sickness or absence from home; substituting both for superintendent and chorister, as necessity required, never carried away by any new fad, always encouraging and supporting that which would contrib- ute to the upbuilding of the school, and never interfering with or usurping the functions of the various officers of the school. In a word throughout his entire pastorate, Dr. Kalb has always and at all times been the pastor of the school.
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