History of the city of Columbus, capital of Ohio, Volume I, Part 104

Author: Lee, Alfred Emory, 1838-; W. W. Munsell & Co
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York and Chicago : Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1202

USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > History of the city of Columbus, capital of Ohio, Volume I > Part 104

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cost of $2,100. Several churches, among them the First Congregational and First Presbyterian, fraternally tendered their rooms to the congregation until they should again be housed in their own apartments, but the trustees decided on renting Lyndon Hall, at the corner of Long and Fourth streets.

Within two weeks an option was taken on the lot at the corner of Broad and Fourth streets, at $32,000, for sixty days. The committee on location consisted of Colonel Charles Parrott, James Neil, Richard Jones and Frederick Weadon. After studying all the proposed sites this one was finally selected, not without strong disapproval on the part of many leading Methodists of the city. It was not until the following spring, April 12, 1884, that this lot, 128 feet on Broad Street by 187 feet on Fourth Street, was purchased by the trustees for $32,000 cash, from Peter Hayden and wife. On the following day the work of excavation began. The building committee consisted of George M. Peters, Emory Huff and Frederick Weadon. Seldom was a society in better condition to build, and wisely did they use their means. They received for their old property $62,500, for their insurance $10,500, from subscriptions $21,500, and from the Ladies' Aid Society $1,900, mak -- ing a total of $96,400. After repairing the old church, purchasing the lot and meeting other necessary expenses, they still had $59,600. The total cost from first to last of the present grand church edifice was $59,600.48. The corner stone was laid August 6, 1884, and the Sundayschool room was ready for occupancy in May following. July 26, 1885, the entire edifice was dedicated by Bishop Randolph S. Foster. The memorial tablet of Hannah Neil was transferred from the old church to its present position in the entrance way of the new one.

Returning to the pastors, Rev. H. C. Sexton diligently pushed the work of building anew and raised most of the subscriptions for the same, but in the sum- mer of 1884 he resigned his pastorate and returned by transfer to his native Con- ference. He left a membership at Wesley Chapel of 760. Rev. James S. Bitler, who had been doing evangelistic work, was appointed by presiding clder, J. T. Miller, to fill out the year. His labors were satisfactory, and the congregation not feeling like calling a new pastor into the old church, Rev. Mr. Bitler was appoint- ed at the session of the next Conference to serve another year, which he did acceptedly. Since that time he has acted as an evangelist, in which vocation he has been very successful. Rev. Mr. Sexton remained in the Troy Conference for two years and was then transferred to the Ohio Conference and was appointed to Walnut Street, Chillicothe. After serving three years there, and three more at Circleville, he was made presiding elder of the Columbus District in 1891, which position he is now filling most efficiently.

The first pastor of the new Wesley Chapel was Rev. A. N. Craft, D. D., who was transferred from the Erie Conference in 1885. He remained three years. Doctor Craft is a very fine sermonizer and scholar. At the end of his pastorate here he was transferred out of the Conference and has since been filling very important pulpits elsewhere. The next and present pastor is Rev. H. W. Bennett, D. D., who is serving his fifth year. He was transferred to the Ohio Conference from Bloomington, Illinois. Doctor Bennett read and practiced law before enter- ing the ministry. He has filled a fine line of appointments and has had remark-

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able success at Wesley Chapel. He is a strong preacher and well developed in all the requirements of a minister of the Gospel.

From 1862 to 1885 the Missionary contributions of Wesley Chapel averaged $1,000 per year. It is at this time a well organized, harmonious Church, furnish- ing Gospel privileges to thousands.

Third Street Church. - Originally Bigelow Chapel, this was the second offshoot of Town Street Church. In the spring of 1853, at Town Street's third Quarterly Conference, M. Halm moved that a committee of three be appointed to select a snitable location in the southeast part of the city for opening a Mission Sabbath- school and as a preaching place for the local ministers. There was much opposition

THIRD AVENUE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

to the motion on the ground that such a movement would militate against the build- ing of Town Street's new church and lead eventually to organizing a new society to the weakening of its membership. But the motion finally prevailed and the presiding elder, Rev. Uriah Heath, appointed J. Q. Lakin, M. Halm and John Fell as the committee on location. They selected the rooms above William F. Knoderer's wagonshop, on the southwest corner of Fourth and Friend streets. By removing the plastered partition between two rooms they had a hall 38 feet in length by 20 feet in width, accommodating 150 persons. The first session of the new school was held May 8, 1853, fortyfive being present. On the Wednesday evening follow- ing Joseph Fitzwater was elected superintendent, M. Halm assistant superintendent,

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James Jones secretary and E. H. Link librarian. Town Street Church assigned all the territory east of Fourth Street and south of Rich Street to this Mission School.

Owing to the heavy labors of Joseph A. Bruner as a pastor of Town Street, increased by the project of building, the officiary decided to secure as an assistant a zealous young preacher who had just come from the South, by name of Edward Maybee. He was employed for the remainder of the year, the expense being lightened by the preacher " boarding around," as he was a single man. Regular preaching was maintained in the new Sundayschool room from this time on, Brothers Maybee and Bruner frequently exchanging places. Town Street's fourth Quarterly Conference for this year resolved to ask the approaching Annual Conference to establish this new opening as a mission and appropriate one half of a single man's support to it, the church obligating itself to pay the remainder. The Conference at its next meeting, in Laneaster, complied with this request and Edward Maybee was appointed to the "Columbus City Mission." But at the first Quarterly Conference of Town Street for this year, the presiding elder decided that a selfsupporting charge, as Town Street was, could not receive a missionary appropriation, and that therefore this mission would have to be organized as a separate charge and rest upon its own resources. This decision caused a good deal of apprehension and feeling. Thenew Town Street Church was now begun. All had subscribed to its building, and for a portion of the member- ship now to be diverted to the organization of a new society seemed a most untimely fulfillment of the prediction of the " I-told-you-so's."

But this was what was done, and doubtless more good was accomplished in the end by having it thus. Presiding Elder Heath called these new workers together and organized them into a society consisting of about thirtyfive members, nearly all of whom were from Town Street. The " Missionary " pastor, Mr. Maybee, appointed the following persons as its first board of trustees : Absalom Cooper, Michael Halm, John Fell, Newton Gibbon, Elijah Glover, Benjamin Barnes and John Whitzell. This infant society, thrust thus unex- pectedly into existence, was very zealous in Gospel work from the first. Of a meeting held November 1, 1853, we find the following minute: "The Missionary reported that there are now three classes containing in all 46 members and probationers, and that it is desirable to have stewards appointed for the Mission, that they may secure the amount necessary for the boarding of the missionary the present year." The " Missionary " was also requested by this meeting to preach Sabbath afternoons ou the banks of the Canal, at some place selected by J. Fitzwater, as a committee for that purpose. Another committee was appointed to look out places in which to hold prayer meetings, and still another to secure if practicable a larger room for their worship, as the present place was becoming too small. The society unanimously requested that they be given a separate Quarterly Meeting, and this was held in January following in the German Methodist church. Ou February 1, 1854, a subscription was started for the building of a church, onethird of the money subscribed to be paid April 1, another third June 1, and the last third August 1. A lot was selected on the

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north side of Friend Street, between Third and Fourth streets, at the corner of Friend and Lazelle streets, and it was decided to erect a frame building 58 feet by 40 feet in dimensions. These energetic measures were actively put in opera- tion by the earnest pastor of the charge, assisted by his presiding elder, and they soon secured a subscription which warranted the trustees in proceeding to build- Accordingly, at a meeting held February 27, 1854, M. Ilalm, J. Q. Lakin and John Fell were appointed a building committee. The work was in due time begun and carried to a successful conclusion, Henry Doremus being the builder. The new church was dedicated July 15, 1854, by Bishop Thomas A. Morris, and named Bigelow Chapel, in honor of Russel Bigelow. The society met with some disheartening misfortunes. The church had cost them $2,200, besides its furnace, which cost $109 more. But the latter proved defective, and they had to put in another at a cost of $110. Their experience with their lot was still worse. After bargaining for it at $1,500, they sold off fifty feet of the west side for $800. But the title was not good, and it went to sale in petition for partition, the church owning but onethird interest in addition to the widow's dower. They were therefore obliged to buy it again or lose their building, and so they bid it in a second time at $1,470, but had not a dollar to secure it with. There were many to sympathize but few to help. By making a small payment, however, they secured an extension of time, and through a loan of $850, procured by Rev. Thomas Lee, in Covington, Kentucky, where he had gone to wait on his dying brother, the title was this time made good and a part of the lot was afterward sold off to meet the loan. Edward Maybee left 114 members, and was at the next Conference appointed to Spencer Chapel, Portsmouth, where in July following he was sud- denly seized with cholera and died in triumph, exclaiming, " Though God slay me yet will I trust in him."

We may remark here that J. Q. Lakin, who at this time was proprietor of a cabinetshop in Columbus, afterward entered the ministry and was for many years a member of the Ohio Conference. The second pastor of Bigelow Chapel was Joseph H. Creighton. He was a man of unusual pulpit power and came from a remarkably successful pastorate at Ironton. But at Bigelow he found a hard field, a small and poor membership, a heavy debt, and one of the hardest times in the history of the State for raising money. A few persons were converted. His allowanee was small and only partially paid. Some of his reminiscences may be properly admitted here. He says : " Michael Halm was then in his prime. As a classleader I never knew his equal. He would sing lustily and speak and weep and always make the class interesting and profitable. His class was so popular that strangers would sometimes unduly crowd the room. He was not only a good leader, but good all around. If ever a man could be called a pillar in a church, M. Halm was one. Mathew Westervelt joined us later in the year, and what is uncommon, he joined us because we were weak and needed help He came right past the strong churches to our little church, a rare occurrence. Though my congregation was made up chiefly of the poor and uneducated, yet I frequently had one hearer who was a noted man -James Russell, who built the greatest orrery ever constructed, far surpassing the one by Rittenhouse in England. Rus-

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sell was a genius in astronomy and mechanics. He built two planetariums, both destroyed by fire. The last one was sold for $10,000. Mr. Creighton left 80 mem - bers at the close of his year.

Thomas Lee was pastor during the years 1856 and 1857. He did very suc- cessful work in reducing the church debt. At the close of his second year he left a remnant of but $350 out of a debt which he found of over $2,000. During his pastorate the society averaged over 810 per member cach year in their contribu- tions to all purposes. Mr. Lee left 114 members. He was ardently loved by his people. He afterward belonged to the Cincinnati Conference and for many years had charge of the Cincinnati Union Bethel. He died March 10, 1891. In the fall of 1857 Lovett Taft was appointed pastor, remaining two years. The membership which until this time had never gotten beyond its original number, now grew to 178. During his first year the debt with which the church had so long and so heroically struggled was at last entirely liquidated. During his second year, after much deliberation on the part of the trustees, the society traded their church property for that of the Second Presbyterians on Third Street, near the corner of Friend, giving them 85,000 besides, payable onethird October 1, 1859, and onethird annually thereafter. The Presbyterians went from this church into their new stone building on Third Street, near State Street, and our congregation moved into their old church which became the new Bigelow Chapel. We find that they voted September 21, 1859, to put $250 in repairs on the basement and auditorium. Brother Taft, with his devoted wife, was one of the pastors who was destined to leave a bright and lasting name among Columbus Methodists. His work will appear in this history in connection with various other charges, as organizer and pastor. He was an earnest, winsome man of God, assisted by a wife in every way worthy of filling her position. Thomas H. Phillips became pastor in October, 1859. An interesting item from the Trustees' records of October 11, this year, throws light upon sundry matters: " Resolved that we give $100 per annum for a sexton to take charge of cleaning, warming and lighting the church, waiting on and seating the congregation, cutting all the wood and doing all other duties per- taining to the sextonship." The sexton lived in three rooms in the basement, for which he paid $60 per year. The Bigelow society took possession of the church on Third Street in November, 1859. Mr. Phillips was a talented and popular preacher, but a somewhat indiscreet man. He left a membership of 261.

The allowance to pastoral support was not large in those days; that of Rev. L. Taft is reported at "260 for table and fuel expenses : total amount $500." Rev. Mr. Phillips was allowed $360 for table and fuel expenses; what the total was is not stated. For his second year there are no specifications in his salary, but the allowance in bulk by the estimating committee was $700, which he generously moved to be amended to. 8650, and this was adopted by the Quar- terly Conference. The presiding elder's allo vance was $28 from this charge. Districts were then larger than now, and he was not expected to give every charge a Sabbath quarterly meeting, but they were held on week days as well. Small as the salaries were, there were often deficiencies in them, as is incidentally revealed. In the Quarterly Conference minutes we find an invitation from the Harrisburg

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Cirenit to this church " to attend their Camp Meeting at Union." The invitation was accepted, and " Stacey Taylor was appointed a committee of one to cooperate with them in the arrangements." And now Brother Absalom Cooper moves that " the committee be instructed to use his influence to prevent collections at Camp Meetings for preachers' deficiencies, if possible." The spirit of this motion prob- ably was : " We pay our pastor in full, and when we go to Camp Meeting we don't want to be dunned for yours."

Andrew B. See was the next pastor, being appointed in the fall of 1861, and serving two years. These were the dark days of the Civil War, and Columbus was a central recruiting station. Mr. See was a diffident but able man and of very pronounced patriotic sentiments. His church was attended by many soldiers and here many of them also joined the army of the Lord. This charge was now in the long continued toils of debtpaying again, caused by their change in property, but we cannot help admiring their faith and heroism in confronting such an under- taking. Money was scarce and times were hard, yet, in 1862, they actually reduced their debt from 83,323.37 to $1,298 27. The pastor's salary was this year $600, the contribution to missions, $80.51. Number in Sundayschool, 220. The next pastor was Albert G. Byers, serving from October, 1863, one year, and, after being reappointed for his second year in 1864, resigning to accept the appointment of Chaplain of the Ohio Penitentiary. This was his beginning of a long and use- ful career in connection with penal and benevolent institutions He was a path - etic and gifted speaker and died at his post in the fall of 1890. The presiding elder, Rev. George W. Brush, appointed David H. Moore to fill the vacancy occa- sioned by the resignation of Doctor Byers. He had just returned from the army. In this talented young man the church had a pastor who attracted attention afar as well as near. Ile was as spiritual as he was poetic. He left a membership of 402. His salary was $900, and the missionary contribution of the church $280. Doctor Moore afterwards became pastor of Wesley Chapel, this city, and filled various other leading pulpits of the State.

In the fall of 1865 John T. Miller was sent as pastor to Bigelow, remaining one year. This was a year of unfortunate division in the church, over the introduc- tion of an organ or melodeon into the Sundayschool. The pastor's influence was largely impaire I by the dissension, nevertheless he had a year of prosperity as is indicated by reporting 438 members and 8430 for missions. Mr. Miller is noted for his ready utterance as a speaker. He afterward served the Columbus District as presiding elder, and is at present the incumbent of the Zanesville District. Daniel Horlocker was appointed to Bigelow Chapel in October, 1866, remaining two years. He was both faithful and acceptable and his work, as will appear in con- nection with various other charges of this city, always to his praise. His first year's pastorate at Bigelow was a sort of golden age for that church. The church was at last paid for again and valued at $15,000. The pastor's salary was $1,100 and $310 for houserent. They paid $133 for support of the poor, gave $300 for church extension, 8200 for education, and $600 for missions. All the benevolences, the current expenses, and payment on church debt amounted to about 84,100 raised this year. Yet the membership is reported as one hundred less than the year

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before. His second year the salary was $1,200, as high as the church has ever paid, but the membership was scaled down to 279. For several years a desire had been manifested to procure a parsonage, but the time seemed not to have arrived till now. The trustees bought the parsonage lot in October, 1867. After par. tially paying for it, a subscription was started for building a parsonage. This was reported July, 1869, to be $2,785. A month later Michael Halm subscribed $2,000 more to this snm, making the amount sufficient to finish paying for the lot and to erect the house entire and make some changes in the church steps as part of the stipulation on which it was given. The work was then begun and carried to a rapid completion.

It was during the first year of John W. White's pastorate that the subscription was secured. He was the first pastor to occupy the parsonage, moving into it in the spring of his second year. The work was just about completed and paid for when a great calamity hefell the society. At about three o'clock Monday morn- ing, November 15, 1869, the church was discovered to be on fire. The flames had already gained such headway in the tall wooden spire and under the metallic roof that it was impossible to save the building. Only the walls were left standing ; all the contents of the church perished with it. A heavy snow had fallen a few nights before which prevented other buildings from being burned. The spire fell just over the northwest corner of the new parsonage, causing small damage. The entire loss was estimated at $15,000, on which there was $6,000 insurance. The fire doubtless originated from a defective flue in the northeast corner of the church where a fire broke out nineteen years before. It was precisely ten years, to the month, since this society had taken possession of their church until they were called to mourn its loss. But this people had come through too many hard strug- gles to quail before any reverse now. They went right on with their worship in the lectureroom of the Town Street Church, and took immediate steps for rebuild- ing. The first church did not extend to the pavement by quite a distance. Its audienceroom was reached by a broad flight of stairs from the pavement to the door, leading through a portico within four pillars. To rebuild on their former dimensions would cost $5,200; by remodeling and extending the front, $10,200. Brick at this time cost $10.20 per thousand. They resolved to adopt the latter plan. M. Halm was put in charge of the work. He gave it his attention by day and night. The ceiling of the lectureroom had been too low for comfort; it was elevated in the rebuilding. With such energy was the work pushed that by Feb- ruary the congregation were occupying the basement again. The entire building was finished by December, 1870, and on the eighteenth was dedicated by Doctor J. M. Reed, of Chicago. The reconstructed edifice cost nearly $13,000. George Bellows was the supervising architect. Once more this heroic society was on its feet, but with another heavy financial load to carry. John W. White continued as pastor, being the first to serve the extended term of three years. He was a man of fine imagination and was popular with the people.

James H. Gardner was appointed to the charge in the fall of 1871, continuing three years. The salary was restored to $1,200 and the debt reduced to about $3,000. Mr. Gardner is a devont and sympathetic preacher, still doing efficient

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work. He was followed in the fall of 1874 by James Kendall, who had been trans- ferred from the Cincinnati Conference. For six years past the membership had ranged from 206 to 270. A financial depression was upon the country, and the church in general felt it, as well as this society in particular. In their straits there was quite a spirit in favor of selling the parsonage property to liquidate their indebtedness. But wiser counsels prevailed and relief gradually came. It was this year that the name of the church was changed to "Third Street." Mr. Kendall remained but one year. Hle was a bachelor of advanced years but an extraordin- ary preacher.

In the fall of 1875 John Collins Jackson, Junior, was appointed to Third Street Church. There were two cousins of identically this same name, differing but a few years in age, who were now members of the Ohio Conference, and they were dis- tinguished by the younger assuming the "junior" suffix. This was his first charge and a great responsibility for one but twentyfive years of age. He continued three years, leaving a membership of 368. In the fall of 1878 Simeon D. Hutsinpiller was appointed pastor. He remained one year. After filling various other charges, two of which were in this city, Mr. Hutsinpiller was transferred to the Central Ohio Conference, and is at this writing pastor of St. Paul's, Toledo. George W. Burns was the next pastor of Third Street, serving one year. He remains one of the valuable men of this Conference. In the fall of 1880 Joseph H. Creighton became pastor the second time of this charge. He was followed a year later by Albert C. Riker who had three prosperous years. He reported 560 members. Mr. Riker is very zealous and aggressive. In the fall of 1887 he was transferred to Chattanooga where he is serving his fourth year. IIe is the son of the vener- able Rey Samuel C. Riker who has a clear record in this Conference. In the fall of 1884 T. Gilford Dickenson became pastor. He had three successful years. The church auditorium was beautifully repaired, and he left 470 members. Mr. Dicken- son is one of the progressive ministers of the Conference. Arthur E. Johnson became pastor in 1887, remaining two years. In May 1888, the basement was remodeled and enlarged for the Sundayschool. The floor was lowered and the room extended by removing the brick partition at the west end, taking in the adjacent room, and a neat one story room was built on the south side for the primary department, connected by folding doors. The whole was newly sealed, carpeted, seated with chairs and otherwise beautified. The entire cost was over $2,500. Mr. Johnson has fine abilities and is one of the rising young men in this Conference. He was followed in the fall of 1889 by Franklin McElfresh, who is now serving his second year with marked success. He is a son of Rev. Ben- jamin F. MeElfresh of the Ohio Conference and is a very scholarly young man. The church has now a membership of 450. Its only indebtedness, mostly covered by good subscriptions, is about $1,500 incurred two years ago in the remodeling of the lectureroom. The society is harmonious and retains an unusual amount of the oldtime Methodist fervor. It is still a people's church and is doing, as it always has done, great good in this eity. Reviewing its record we cannot conclude otherwise than that the establishment of this church, though opposed at the time, was of God. There are more Christians on earth and more saints in heaven than there would

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History of the city of Columbus, capital of Ohio, Volume I, Part 104

Author: Lee, Alfred Emory, 1838-; W. W. Munsell & Co Publication date: 1892 Publisher: New York and Chicago : Munsell & Co. Number of Pages: 1202

Author: Lee, Alfred Emory, 1838-; W. W. Munsell & Co
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York and Chicago : Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1202