USA > Ohio > Stark County > Canton > History of the First Reformed Church, Canton, Ohio > Part 13
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After closing his labors with the First Church, Rev. Strassner immediately began preaching in the old United Brethren Church* on Thirteenth Street, S.E. St. John's Clas- sis gave permission to organize a new congregation at the annu- al meeting held May 12-14, with the proviso, however, that "The congregation to be founded must be located at a distance of not less than a mile from the First Church, and must not interfere with said Church." Under this authorization, a mis- sion was organized in March, 1897. The mission prospered, and in about two years decided to secure a church-home of its own. Lots were bought at the corner of Market Street and Thirteenth S. E., and a neat little church was erected. The church and lots cost $5000, of which amount $3000 had been secured by the day of dedication. The church was dedicated on December 3, 1899. Rev. F. C. Nau and Rev. F. Mayer, D.D., of Youngstown, delivered the dedicatory sermons. At this service, Dr. Strassner said, "Three years ago we did not have a Bible and now we have a church of our own. Our children can eat of the fruit of the tree we have planted, and only the future will reveal the good that will be brought forth."
* This church is now used by the St. Paul's African Methodist Episcopal congregation as their place of worship.
GRACE REFORMED CHURCH South Market Street and Thirteenth
LIFE AND PASTORATE OF REV. F. STRASSNER, D.D. 145
At first the new church was known as the South Market Street Reformed Church ; later the name was changed to Grace Reformed Church.
Dr. Strassner continued his labors until 1906. The church was improved and paid for, and the membership in- creased to over one hundred. After preaching more than half a century, he retired from the active ministry and spent his last years with his children. During the last months of his life, he was very feeble and helpless. The Lord called his faith- ful servant home on June 24, 1911.
During a large part of his ministry Dr. Strassner was also active with his pen, contributing frequently to the Church pa- pers and periodicals. He also edited a parish paper for a num- ber of years, while pastor of the Orrville charge. In 1873 he issued a little book of "Devotions for children." From this book of prayers two brief extracts will be given. The first is a morning prayer to be used "when entering on the duties of the day."
"O Lord, let the Spirit of Jesus abide in me that I may work while it is day : the night cometh, when no man can work. Help me to fear Thee and keep Thy commandments ; to watch and pray that I enter not into temptation; O gracious God, the Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Defend me by Thy power; guard me against sin and error; and so order the events of this day, and so sanctify my thoughts and deeds that they may promote Thy glory, and the welfare of my fel- low men, through Jesus Christ, my Saviour."
The second extract is a part of the prayer for Sunday evening: "Forgive, I entreat Thee, O heavenly Father, all my sins and shortcomings of this day, the coldness of my devo- tions, the dullness of my prayers, the distractions of my thoughts. Write Thy law in my heart, and enable me to show by a holy, unblamable and useful life, that I have not enjoyed Thy Sabbaths in vain. Thus prepare me more and more for the enjoyment of the eternal Sabbath which knows no setting sun." Amen.
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CHAPTER XX
THE PASTORATE OF REV. FREDERICK C. NAU
R EV. Frederick C. Nau and the writer were classmates for four years at Calvin College, Cleveland, Ohio, graduating together in 1893, and have maintained a close friendship through the years. Rev. Nau, therefore, very willingly con- sented to describe the events of his own pastorate for this his- tory. The story will be given in his own words, without any changes, except the insertion of some additional matter which will be included in brackets in the body of the text.
Rev. F. C. Nau was born in Columbus, Ohio, December 2, 1871, where his father was principal of the German High School. His education was begun under the guidance of his father, and continued in the public schools at Mt. Eaton, Gal- ion, and New Bavaria, in Ohio, where his father, who had given up his career as pedagogue, had been serving the Re- formed congregations. Of his experiences as a youth at New Bavaria, Rev. Nau writes in a serio-comic vein as follows: "I, the oldest son, was hostler, woodchopper and manager of about two acres of Henry County muckland. My chief am- bition was to excell as a corn-cutter and husker. I always earned one dollar per day and board, for threshing, binding wheat, carrying sheaves, cutting or husking corn in that prim- itive land. I attended country school, walking to school through the woods in deep snow, and slush or mud, for one and one-half miles each morning. I was janitor of the school one whole winter. I opened the schoolhouse, built the wood-fire, swept the schoolroom every day, and received the princely sum of five cents a day. I was the most energetic kid in that section. I could lick anything that came along; that is, any- thing within size and reason.
"One Saturday evening, August, 1887, when I, the ebul- lient youth, returned home from the cornfield, my father put the quietus on my rural and pugilistic proclivities by solemnly
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announcing to me that he and mother had decreed, that the next week I should go to Calvin College. I started out with a new trunk and a suit that cost seven dollars. My career there was uneventful."
After a year spent in Calvin College, Mr. Nau interrupt- ed his college work to teach a district-school in Henry County during the winter (1888-9). That fall he was glad to go back to college again, and graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, in June, 1893. During his college career he gave evi- dence of possessing exceptional intellectual abilities, and ex- celled especially as a speaker and debater. In the fall of 1893, he entered the Heidelberg Theological Seminary at Tiffin, Ohio, taking the full course and graduating in May, 1896. The sub- sequent events we will let Rev. Nau describe in his own words.
"In the summer of 1896, Frederick C. Nau had just com- pleted his theological studies at Heidelberg Seminary, Tiffin, Ohio, when the Jerusalem's German Reformed Church of Can- ton, O., which had become vacant through the resignation of the Rev'd Frederick Strassner, D.D., wrote to Tiffin, request- ing Dr. John H. Peters, President of the University, to recom- mend as a temporary supply a student, who could preach both German and English. Dr. Peters referred the consistory to Frederick C. Nau, who had graduated from the Seminary a few weeks before, had been licensed to preach by Erie Classis at its last meeting, held on Kelley's Island, and who was still residing at Tiffin. He supplied the pulpit for three Sundays, when he was nominated by the consistory, and at an election, held on Sunday morning, June 21, 1896, was unanimously chosen by the congregation to be its pastor. He accepted the call sent him, and arrangements were at once made by St. John's Classis for his ordination and installation. A special meeting of Classis was called and held in the old frame school house of this church, on the afternoon of the last Thursday in July. The call to the new pastor was approved, he was received into Classis and a committee, consisting of Rev. A. G. Lohmann, Rev. John H. Rust, D.D., and Rev. John H. Beck, was appoint- ed to ordain and install him at a service to be held in the
.
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church that same evening. Rev. Lohmann preached the ser- mon and the other members of the committee conducted the ordination and installation services. Prayer was offered by Rev. Henry Nau, father of the newly-elected pastor.
"This new pastorate began most auspiciously .* The peo- ple were united and manifested a will to work.
"In September of 1896, the pastor was united in marriage with Miss Engelina C. Cantieny, of Lima, O. Mrs. Nau be- came an earnest worker in the church, being active in the Sun- day School, in Christian Endeavor, and the Missionary Society. She organized and taught a large young ladies' Bible Class. [Two daughters were born to Rev. and Mrs. Nau while in Canton, namely Catherine Lodwina and Dorothea.]
"Early in 1897, the question of building an addition to the church, for Sunday School purposes, was considered, and the consistory was authorized by the congregation to begin the raising of a building fund. To enable the church to borrow needed moneys to carry forward the building operations, action was taken to have the church legally incorporated. This was done, June 30, 1897, and the old name 'Jerusalem's German Reformed Church' was changed to 'The First German Re- formed Church of Canton, Ohio.'
"On the 17th of April, 1898, the congregation voted to build a large addition to the west side of the church. On July 27, the contracts were let. Mr. George Whike received the contract for general construction, Mr. Martin Weiler for the stone work, and Mr. L. B. Hartung for heating and lighting. [The building committee originally appointed consisted of Phil. Weber, Chas. Seeman, Carl Spanagel, Henry Rupp, Jacob Schwingel, Martin Weiler, and L. B. Hartung. A few weeks later the committee was enlarged so as to include the entire consistory and the trustees. Chas. Seeman was made chair- man and Phil. H. Weber, the secretary of the complete commit- tee.]
* The first sermons which Rev. Nau preached in Canton were on the following texts : for the German sermon, John 10: 9; for the Eng- lish, Matth. 6 : 33.
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THE PASTORATE OF REV. FREDERICK C. NAU
"During the course of construction of the new building, services were held in the old Narwold Candy factory on Ma- honing Street, which had become vacant shortly before this time, and was generously offered to the congregation, by the Narwold brothers, for the holding of services until the com- pletion of the new building.
"The new building was completed and dedicated in Jan- uary, 1899. The dedicatory services were held on Sunday, January 22. [The Church was beautifully decorated for the event. The pulpit platform was almost hidden by palms, lilies and other plants. At the rear suspended from the walls were two large flags of our country.]
"The German sermon was preached in the morning, by Dr. H. J. Ruetenik, of Cleveland, president of Calvin College, and the English sermon, in the evening, by Dr. John H. Prugh, of Grace Reformed Church of Pittsburgh, Pa. [Dr. Ruetenik chose for his subject, 'The Foundation of the Church'; Dr. Prugh, 'The Mission of the Church.'] Rev. S. E. Neikirk, of Wooster, Ohio, made the appeal for special contributions. These amounted to about $1300 for the day. There was a fellowship meeting in the afternoon, when a number of city pastors brought greetings from their congregations. The cost of the new building, including the carpeting and frescoing of the old church, the furnishing of the basement later, and the numerous other improvements, amounted to about $18,000. [The entire cost of the new building alone was about $12,000; the remainder was expended for extensive repairs on the old building and the items given above. A debt of $5000.00 re- mained on the day of dedication. The Sunday School room and the church auditorium at that time were separated by great rolling doors; but these persistently refused to work satisfac- torily and had to be torn out a few years later. The basement was fitted up only as a social and dining hall, and was not arranged for Sunday School purposes until 1905.]
"The fine memorial windows were placed in the church at this time by the Frauenverein and some of the families of the congregation. [These were presented as follows: North side,
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FIRST REFORMED CHURCH, CANTON, O.
by Mr. and Mrs. John Obergefell; east side, by Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Arnold, Mrs. Anna Behmer, Frauenverein, memory of Rebecca Rupp; south side, Mr. and Mrs. Dan Paar, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Schwingel, Mrs. Mary Ohliger, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Hexamer.]
"All of these changes proved of benefit to the congregation. The results justified the expenditure of the moneys. The ap- pearance of the new church was a marked improvement over the old. The fronts of the two buildings were matched, and the west plot of ground, occupied only by the little frame school house was covered by a fine brick structure. The new building was planned chiefly for work. The fifteen class- rooms and the entire arrangement, made for more effective teaching and greater efficiency in general. The present large, flourishing Sunday School is due largely to two factors: the modern Sunday School building and equipment, and the selec- tion of a young man (William Daberko) for superintendent, who possesses marked talents and qualifications for this work. He knows how to co-operate with pastor and consistory ; how to select competent teachers and work with them, how to organize and inspire the school and make wise use of the ma- terial equipment at hand.
[A few weeks after the dedication of the remodelled building certain aggravating defects began to disclose them- selves. The roof persisted in leaking and staining the new frescoing; the rolling doors between the two auditoriums showed a pernicious habit of bulging and balking at most inop- portune moments, the pews stuck to the worshipers and re- fused to let go, and the heating plant did not behave as a church institution ought. This all required extra exertion and expense for the consistory.]
"The old frame school house, which for twenty years un- der Dr. Peter Herbruck's pastorate, had served the purposes of a German parochial school, was sold for $100, and removed from the church grounds. Before the erection of the new Sunday School structure, this schoolhouse was used by the
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THE PASTORATE OF REV. FREDERICK C. NAU
Primary Department of the Sunday School, and for the usual social and business meetings of the church.
[On June 4, 1899, the congregation deeded to the city of Canton, a strip of land six feet wide, running the entire length of the lot on the west side, to be used only for sidewalk pur- poses, provided the city bear all the expenses connected with the laying of the walk and completing the improvements con- templated.]
"In the year 1900, the large churchyard back of the church which had been a cemetery from the earliest times of the con- gregation's history, was graded and terraced. This was made necessary by an unfortunate occurrence. When the contractor began work on the new basement, he instructed his men to dump the excavated ground on the church yard. The old grave stones were laid flat on the graves and the whole ceme- tery was covered with the new ground about three feet deep. This was done without instructions from the consistory and while the pastor was absent from the city. It was all done so suddenly and speedily, that there was no chance to prevent it. It was a disappointment to the people, and the only way of making even partial reparation, was by grading and terracing the grounds. The old tomb-stone of the Rev. Benjamin Faust, the predecessor of Dr. Herbruck, because of its historic value, ought to be dug up and erected again at some future day. It lies immediately back of the rear door of the Sunday School. [The body of Rev. Benj. Faust, however, had been removed many years before and only the stone was left to mark the former site of the grave.]
"The growing work of the church at this time suggested the idea of increasing the number of members of the consis- tory. This was done at a congregational meeting, held Decem- ber 28, 1900, when the number was increased from twelve to eighteen.
"For some time there was a desire prevalent among the younger women of the church for a second woman's organiza- tion. The 'Frauenverein' was large and flourishing and doing a splendid work, but there were many younger women in the
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FIRST REFORMED CHURCH, CANTON, O.
congregation, who were not affiliated with this society. This fact prompted the organization of the 'Woman's Missionary Society.' The pastor invited those who favored a missionary society to meet on a Sunday afternoon of January, 1902. Seventeen came out for the meeting, which was held in the Primary room of the Sunday School, and after a brief discus- sion, an organization was effected. This was the first English Woman's Missionary Society of Central Synod.
"During this year (1902) the question of installing the Individual Communion Service came up for consideration. There were arguments pro and con. Many of the devout German members could not conscientiously vote for the new way. It was therefore decided to use both services, the old historic service with the common cup, in the morning of com- munion Sunday, and the individual cups in the evening. This arrangement gave general satisfaction.
"In the year 1906 the new organ was purchased. Andrew Carnegie gave $1500, one-half of the cost. The heirs of Elder Henry Rupp contributed $1000 out of his estate, and the con- gregation raised $500. This organ constantly reminds the congregation of one of its most devoted and faithful members, Elder Henry Rupp. His death occurred on Sunday morning, January 15, 1905, shortly after he had partaken of the Lord's Supper. He was hastening up the hill, at the public square, to get the Canton-Akron interurban car to take him to his home along the New Berlin road when he suddenly fell to the sidewalk. He was carried into a near by store in an uncon- scious state. When the pastor arrived a few minutes later, he was shocked to see the beloved elder dead. He passed away with the joy and peace of the Holy Communion in his heart. As Mr. Rupp was a widower and without children, the only heirs being his brother John and his two sisters, they were asked to give $1000 toward the new pipe organ, which they very willingly did. The organ is therefore called 'The Rupp Memorial Organ.' At the dedicatory services held on Sunday, January 26, 1906, the morning sermon was preached by Rev. John H. Bosch, of Ft. Wayne, Ind., and the evening
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THE PASTORATE OF REV. FREDERICK C. NAU
sermon by Rev. S. E. Neikirk of Wooster. [Rev. Bosch preached on Psalm 150, and Rev. Neikirk chose Rev. 5: 9, 'And they sung a new song.'] This new instrument was great- ly needed. The old tracker-action organ was small and after forty years of constant service was quite well worn out. The new organ has two manuals, tubular-pneumatic action, twenty- two speaking stops and 1200 pipes. At the beginning of Rev. Nau's pastorate, Mr. L. A. Clewell, who had been the efficient and faithful organist for many years, resigned. Mr. Harry Ballard become his successor and served throughout this pas- torate and far into the next.
[In the fall of 1904 the Sunday School offered to com- plete the basement and fit it up for Sunday School purposes, and pay all the expenses. The congregation gladly gave its permission and the work was completed during 1905 at a total expense of $1648. The primary department of the Sunday School was then assigned to the new rooms, which relieved the congested condition upstairs that had greatly handicapped the growth of the school. In the course of three years the Sun- day School paid off the entire expense of this improvement.]
"During the year 1906, the last payment on the debt in- curred by the building of the Sunday-School addition was made and the church was free at last. But another small debt was incurred immediately after the liquidation of the mortgage in- debtedness. The church needed to be frescoed again and other improvements made. The cost of these improvements amount- ed to $1276.
"The language question was discussed frequently, frankly and seriously in this congregation for many years. This is the one difficult problem to solve in a German-English church. It must be said, to the credit of the people of The First German Reformed Church, that at no time did they allow the German- English question to cause serious dissensions among the peo- ple. The membership wanted that arrangement of the two languages, which would be for the general welfare of the whole congregation, and whenever a vote had been taken the minor- ity, in the true American spirit always yielded to the majority
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FIRST REFORMED CHURCH, CANTON, O.
vote. The Sunday School and evening services were made English during the two preceding pastorates. In 1907, by a vote of 270 to 116, taken on Sunday morning, July 6, it was decided to hold English morning services every alternate Sun- day. This vote was taken shortly after Rev. Nau had resigned and was preparing to leave for a new field of labor.
"Having for some time had a desire to go East, and hav- ing within a year, received two calls from the eastern section of our Church, one from the First Reformed Church of Leba- non, Pa., and another from St. Mark's Church of Easton, Pa., Rev. Nau decided to accept the call from Easton. According- ly he presented his resignation to this congregation on Sunday morning, June 6, 1907, just eleven years after preaching his first sermon in Canton. He closed his pastorate the last Sun- day in July, and preached his initial sermon in Easton the first Sunday in August, 1907.
"During this period of eleven years the membership of the congregation increased from 524 to over 1000. There were 444 baptisms, 405 confirmations, and over 400 accessions by certificate and reprofession of faith. Did they all remain true to their church? Alas, not all! The sad fact remains in our modern churches, that so many of those who unite with the churches do not continue faithful to the end. But it has always been so. It is not easy to keep the faith and conserve the spir- itual life.
"The one who had the honor of serving this congregation for eleven years, can never forget what this church did for him. It gave him his first opportunity in the Christian ministry. It dealt with him most kindly and generously throughout his pas- torate. He will always hold the dear old church of Canton in grateful remembrance. Every hour of the day he is reminded of the old friends by the gold watch he carries in his pocket, which is a beautiful Christmas gift from this congregation. It is now a good many years old, but it is just as bright and true, as it was on that hallowed Christmas night, when it was pre- sented to him."
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[Since leaving Canton, Rev. Nau has served St. Mark's Church, Easton, Pa., for two years, and St. Mark's, Reading, Pa., for seven years. Since June, 1916, he is serving Grace Church, Pittsburgh.
Wherever he has served the membership of his congrega- tions has very materially increased, and he has made for him- self an enviable reputation as a clear and forceful speaker with a helpful and inspiring message.
In the First Reformed Church in Canton, a large circle of sincere friends holds his name in grateful remembrance.
Rev. Nau has also served the church at large by acting as president of Reading Classis, member of the Sunday School Board of General Synod, and delegate to General Synod. He has also contributed occasional articles to the church papers, the Reformed Church Review and other periodicals.]
CHAPTER XXI
THE CONSTITUTION AND THE INCORPORATION
[N 1810 when the Reformed and the Lutheran congrega-
tions decided to begin the erection of a little chapel on the site which Bezaleel Wells had dedicated "for a house of worship," they adopted certain agreements which were to reg- ulate their mutual relations. Twelve years later when a new site was about to be purchased the two congregations adopted "Articles of Union and Agreement," which were to regulate all matters concerning the joint ownership of the property and the rights of each congregation. During this period the two congregations had one church record in common. Unfortu- nately this book, which contained the invaluable account of the beginnings of the congregations and these "Articles of Union and Agreement," has been lost. A most diligent search in the records and archives of the Stark County Courthouse also failed to discover any trace of them.
Isolated references to these "agreements" which are found in the history of our congregation, disclose that they contained several most interesting features which should be emphasized. Thus, the members of each congregation had the right to vote for the officers of the other congregation also; and in the call- ing of a new minister by either congregation, the members of both were allowed to vote. Furthermore, the pastor of each congregation regularly gave catechetical instruction to the youth of both congregations together, at such times when the other pastor was serving in some other section of the vast par- ish, which was being served in common. On the days of con- firmation either pastor would confirm the catechumens as "Re- formed," or "Lutherans" according to their preference.
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