History of the city of Columbus, capital of Ohio, Volume II, Part 92

Author: Lee, Alfred Emory, 1838-; W. W. Munsell & Co
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York and Chicago : Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1196

USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > History of the city of Columbus, capital of Ohio, Volume II > Part 92

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Although the church was now in its own building, it did not thrive to that extent which had been expected. This was partly due to personal dissensions among the members. It was in the fall of 1833 that a number of Welsh Baptists organized a church under the leadership of Rev. John Harris, who had recently come from Newport, England. Mr. Harris preached at first entirely in Welsh, but afterwards, in recognition of the number of English-speaking Baptists who had come to them, sermons were occasionally delivered in the English tongue. Both the English church under Rev. Mr. Jeffries and the Welsh church under Rev. Mr. Harris, were weak. They felt the need of the strength which comes of union, and in the fall of 1834, prominent members of each organization met at the house of Rev. Mr. Harris and decided to ask the American Baptist Home Mis- sionary Society to send to Columbus a preacher under whom the two churches could consolidate. The society responded favorably and, in June, 1835, Rev. T. R. Cressy arrived in Columbus to begin work on the new basis. There was still some indisposition on the part of some of Mr. Jeffries's church to consent to the proposed union, but those who had decided on that course went boldly ahead and were on the point of organizing separately when the members of Rev. Mr. Jeffries's church met and voted that to hold out further was useless. That meet- ing was held August 1, 1835. The record states that "on a representation being made to the church by Elder Jeffries of the agreement made with certain of the Baptist brethren in Columbus who expected this day to have been constituted into a church, the church voted that, if said brethren choose to attend this even - ing and join this church, according to that agreement, they will be received." Elders Drake and Carr, of Granville, were appointed to inform the others of the church's action. There is nothing to show what the precise terms of this agree- ment were, but the principal feature was the retirement of both Rev. Mr. Jeffries and Rev. Mr. Harris, and the union of the Baptists in the old house of worship under the pastorate of Rev. T. R. Cressy.

The proposed meeting of that evening (August 1, 1835) was held. The union under the agreement was approved by all and the following named persons who would have constituted the new church were received as members of the old : Rev. John Harris, Mrs. Mary Harris, E. Davis, Mrs. Elizabeth Rees, Mrs. Eliza- beth Williams, Rufus Bixby, Mrs. Lucy Bixby, Tunis Peters, Mrs. Nancy Blake, William Richards, Mrs. Mary Richards, John B. Wheaton, Joseph West, Miss Dinah Davis, Mrs. Sally Weaver and Mrs. Jane Roberts. An invitation was unanimously extended to Elder Jeffries to retain his membership with the church, but it was deelined and then a letter of dismission was unanimously voted to him. John B. Wheaton was clerk of this memorable meeting and was subsequently chosen clerk of the church, a position which he occupied without interruption for nine years. For his excellent care in recording the proceedings of the

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church in that vital period, the Columbus Baptists of today are greatly indebted to him.

Writing in 1837 of the events just described, Elder Jacob Drake, who was a member of the council that instituted the church in 1824, and who also played a prominent part in the consolidation of 1835, says : " It soon became evident to the discerning and attentive, who were deeply interested in the Baptist cause in the metropolis of the State, that however pious or zealous Brother Jeffries might be, it was vain to bope that our doctrinal sentiments and peculiarities could ever successfully compete with the Pedobaptists, under the ministry of Brother Jef- fries. Baptists were continually coming into the city who kept themselves aloof from the church. The Welsh Baptists formed a little church separately, but neither did this succeed. What can or shall be done ? was the leading ques- tion. After considerable anxiety and delay, Brother Cressy, from Massachusetts, came on in 1835, under the patronage of the A. B. H. M. Society. In a little time it was thought advisable to form a second church in the city. A council was called for that purpose when, after mature deliberation, it was decided that cer- tain propositions by Brother Jeffries should be complied with, by which Brother Cressy and the members with him came into possession of the meetinghouse, together with all the members of the old church that were willing to come under the pastoral care and administration of Brother Cressy. Brother Jeffries took his letter of recommendation and dismission, and the cause, under Brother Cressy's labors, has prospered and is prospering."

A change of location and the erection of a new church building occupied the attention of the church soon after its reorganization. A committee to choose a site and present a plan for the building was appointed as follows: Rev. T. R. Cressy, R. Bixby, Tunis Peters, Isaac Cool and Ira Grover. On October 9, 1835, they reported two sites, one at the corner of Town and Third and the other at the corner of Rich and Third streets, their preference being for the first named. Plans for the building and for raising the necessary money were also then presented. The lot on the northwest corner of Rich and Third streets was, however, chosen. This site was then in the outskirts of the town and was, together with adjoining lots, enclosed with a rail fence of black walnut and devoted to the raising of corn and potatoes.

A building committee composed of John Harris, Rufus Bixby, Thomas Worth- ington, J. B Wheaton, Isaac Cool, Ira Grover and Jonathan L. Peters was appointed. Rev. T. R. Cressy was granted a leave of absence and went East to make a small loan to aid the church in its building project. He succeeded in mak- ing arrangements with a number of men in the East by which they were to invest $4,000 in Western land to be chosen by Mr. Cressy. In addition to that amount they were to advance 10 per cent. or $400 to be used in erecting the Baptist Church here. At the expiration of a year, the land thus purchased was to be sold or appraised and from the amount of such sale or appraisement, the whole amount of money advanced with lawful interest added, was to be deducted and onethird of the residue was to be paid to Mr. Cressy for the benefit of the Baptist Church of Columbus, with the distinct understanding and agreement that the said church should pay over the same in equal instalments, in two, three and four years thereafter, to T. R. Green, William Winterton and C. Roberts, to be by them invested and employed at their discretion for the erection of Baptist meeting- houses in the valley of the Mississippi. This rather complicated financial arrangement was endorsed by the church and the responsibilities assumed by the same.

The work of erecting the building was begun, but the financial resources were insufficient to justify the completion of the structure and it was decided that the basement room only should then be completed. This course was pursued and

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the first service was held in the lower room of the new structure, April 4, 1837. It was the annual business meeting at which officers were elected. The church worshiped in the basement for three and a half years, and when the building was completed according to the original plans in 1840 it had cost $14,000. Rev. Mr. Cressy's pastorate, which extended over a period of seven years, was most success- ful. One hundred and thirty members were added to the church during the first year of his ministration. In 1840, the membership was 203 and in 1842, when he resigned, it was 210. During his pastorate, the unfortunate differences between the church and Elder Jeffries were continued and were several times the subject of consideration at business meetings. Elder Jeffries associated with himself a few others and organized a church, but it was denied recognition as a regular Baptist Church and apparently soon expired.

The first step toward the separation of the colored from the white Baptists was made early in June, 1834, when it was voted " that the colored brethren have liberty to be set off as a branch of this church and transact business for them- selves except in the final reception or exclusion of members, which must be done by this church." The organization of the colored branch, thus authorized, did not take place until January 7, 1836, when a committee consisting of Messrs. Peters, Harris, Bixby, Wheaton and Smith, Revs. Fields and Cressy, met in the capacity of a church council. Messrs. Nickens and Watkins, of Cincinnati, and Elder Jeffries were invited to seats in the council. The colored Baptists reported that they had chosen Rev. Ezekiel Fields as pastor and Pleasant Litchfield as deacon. The liberties granted to the branch were explained, the choice of pastor and deacon was approved and the branch was formally recognized. Rev. Mr. Nickens delivered the charge to church and pastor and the council adjourned. On October 18, 1839, this organization was, by vote of the First Baptist Church, granted an independent existence. It lives today as the Second Baptist Church.

Rev. T. R. Cressy's pastorate continued until September 8, 1842. He died in Iowa City, August, 1869, after a long and faithful service as missionary and pas- tor. The church was without a pastor until July 25, 1843, when Rev. Daniel Eldridge was called and accepted. His service continued withont special incident until April 14, 1846. The records show that the church was in financial straits ; it was difficult to raise the 8600 salary of the pastor and when he resigned, the latter was a creditor of the church, not only for a part of his salary, but also for money loaned. This indebtedness was cleared up and the church continued with - out a pastor until January 3, 1847, when a call was extended to Rev. D. B Cheney, of Norwich, Connecticut. He accepted and assumed his duties in the following April. The American Baptist Home Missionary Society had been appealed to and had responded with a subscription of $300 to the pastor's salary for the first year and an allowance of $75 for the pastor's traveling expenses from Norwich, Con- necticut. This annual aid was continued until April, 1852, when the church, with thanks to the Home Mission Society, relinquished the assistance and set out on a career of self-support. Owing to ill-health, Rev. Mr. Cheney resigned the pastorate, October 12, 1852, and his resignation was regretfully accepted by the church in resolutions which recorded the appreciation of his " successful efforts to promote the temporal and spiritual prosperity of this church." Rev. Mr. Cheney subsequently held a pastorate in Boston.

On November 7, 1852, a call to the pastorate was extended to Rev. Henry Davis, of New York, who entered on the discharge of his duties in February, 1853, but resigned March 5, 1858. Rev. Mr. Davis's pastorate was marked by dissen- sions which culminated the week following the pastor's resignation in the request of fiftyseven members to be dismissed for the purpose of organizing a new church. The request was granted and on May 12, 1858, the following persons were dis- missed for the purpose named : Rev. O. Allen, Mrs. A. J. Allen, Amelia A. Allen,

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Georgiana Allen, Amelia Case, William Field, Mrs. S. A. Field, Thomas G. Field, George B. Field, Mary Roth, Rev. F. Stanley, Mrs. Mary Stanley, Joshua Vanee, Mrs. Harriet Vance, Henry Howson, Sarah Howson, -Mr. E. M. Wheaton, Mrs. Elizabeth Wheaton, John B. Wheaton, Elvira Williams, Hannah E. Say, Anna Say, O. P. Hines, Mrs. Mary Hines, Rev. Henry Davis, Mrs. E. H. Davis, Joseph Hall, Mary Hall, Frederick Halley, Mrs. Sarah Halley, John Bagshaw, Mrs. Jane Bagshaw, Bryant Headley, Mrs. E. B. Headley, Elizabeth Syfert, James King, James Stevens, Rachel Crawford, James Scott, Virginia Scott, John Moccabce,

RUSSELL STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.

Ruth Moccabee, Margaret Moccabee, Mary Jane Moccabec, Ann MeElhaney, Sarah E. Everett, Israel Lyon, Theodosia Lyon, Charlotte Rakestraw, Josephine Rake- straw, Elizabeth Peckham, Dolly Chambers, W. W. Warner, Elizabeth A. Warner, Lovilia Ackerman and J. N. Farmer. These, with the single addition of Mrs. Sarah S. Hapgood, who had not been a member of the First Baptist Church, organi- zed the Central Baptist Church which sustained a feeble existence only for about three years. Services were first held in the chapel of Starling Medieal College, but in November of the same year, the old High School building on Town street

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between Fitth and Sixth streets, was rented and worship seems to have been held there until the abandonment of the effort. Rev. John Burke was the first pastor and was succeeded by Rev. O. Allen, the latter serving without salary. The fail- ure of the effort is thus accounted for by the Rev. Thomas G. Field, who was church clerk : " A perfect procession of removals from the city, with several serious inroads by death, rapidly reduced our numbers to decimation. A deplorable begin- ning led on to a disastrous ending, in which the very flower of the Baptist force seemed to be sacrificed for naught." After the Central Baptist Church had dis- banded, those who remained in the city returned separately to the parent church.

Rev. Henry Davis on retiring from the pastorate in 1858, reentered the Home Mission work in which he had been before engaged ; subsequently became pastor of the Baptist church in Rock Island, Ills., and died there in Angust, 1869. He was succeeded in the pastorate here by Rev. D. A. Randall, at first only by tem- porary arrangement. On April 3, 1859, Doctor Randall was formally invited to the pastorate, accepted and served till July, 1865, during which time he made a trip to the Holy Land. During his pastorate, too, the church building was repaired to a considerable extent under his supervision and as a result of his untiring energy. Doetor Randall's resignation as pastor was formally presented to the church April 12, 1865, but was not accepted till several months later.

In 1866, Rev. G. S. Chase was invited to the pastorate and accepted July 24, that year. He resigned December 7, 1867, his communication to the church indi- cating that he believed his work here a failure. The church building had, how- ever, been renovated at a cost of $1,000, and the membership had not diminished. Complimentary resolutions were passed by the church in accepting the resigna- tion. Rev. J. W. Osborn was the next pastor, serving from February 27, 1868, to June, 1871. The church was again repaired at a cost of about $8,000 in 1869-70. The remodeled audienceroom was dedicated Sunday, June 12, 1870. Rev. Mr. Osborn's pastorate was marked by the first successful mission effort - that on the North Side. The mother church contributed laborers and financial support, and assumed guardianship of the Sundayschool which a committee established, until it grew to be the Russell Street Baptist Church.

From June, 1871, the church was without a pastor until August 14, 1872, when a unanimous call was extended to Rev. I. F. Stidham, of Philadelphia. Rev. Mr. Stidham began his duties in the following October. The first year of his pastorate was marked by a revival which brought many additions to the member- ship. The church flourished, the mission effort on the North Side was prosecuted with vigor, and on January 19, 1881, thirtyeight members were dismissed to organize the new church. The mission work on Twentieth Street, and afterwards on Mt. Vernon Avenue, flourished and gave promise of a similar issue. In 1884, however, after a pastorate of twelve years, Rev. Mr. Stidham, feeling that a change might increase the efficiency of both pastor and people, tendered his resignation to accept a call to the First Baptist Church of Cincinnati. The resignation was regretfully accepted and highly commendatory resolutions regarding the retiring pastor and his work were passed by the church. Rev. Ira J. Bailey was pastor of the church from March 1, 1885, to July 18, 1886, when he was compelled by ill- health to resign. It was during his pastorate, in the latter part of August, 1885, that eighteen persons were dismissed from the membership to organize the Hildreth Baptist Church, the outgrowth of the Twentieth Street mission work. Rev. Mr. Bailey died of consumption soon after leaving his work in this city, Rev. George B. Simons was pastor from November 1, 1886, until October, 1890, when he resigned and accepted a call to Zanesville. The following month, the present pastor, Rev. B. F. Patt, began his labors Under his direction, the condi- tion of the church, both temporally and spiritually, has been improved. One of the first things to which he turned his attention was the liquidation of the debt

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created by repairs on the church building in 1885 and 1889. As a result the church is now absolutely free from debt and is contributing more money to the various branches of religious work than it ever did. Successful mission work has been prosecuted on Parsons Avenue near Livingston Avenue, and on Ohio Avenue, near Oak Street. A lot has been purchased and a house of worship will soon be erected for the accommodation of the former.

The Predestinarian branch of the Baptist Church had a weak though some- what protraeted existence in this city. Tunis Peters was the leader of the move- ment. He was one of those who were instrumental in bringing Rev. T. R. Cressy to this city as the pastor of the Regular Baptist Church in 1833, but a few years afterward became alienated from that church and in common with others who believed in an uneducated ministry and a full reliance on the Spirit without resort to what were characterized as purely human agencies, began late in the thirties holding meetings in a building on the site of the old South High Street enginehouse. About 1840, Tunis Peters erected a building on the northeast corner of Scioto and Mound streets which served both as a residence and a church-a dwelling with a large hall on the second floor. There be and his associates in belief worshiped until his death in 1855. The services were conducted by him and such ministers as could be secured for occasional duty. Rev. Mr. Davis and Tunis Peters, a nephew of the other bearing the same name, preached. The elder Tunis Peters, at his death, sought to will the use of the room to the church which he had established, but the wording was faulty and the bequest was lost to them. The membership appears to have been large at no time, it being fourteen in 1855 and fifteen in 1856. The last ministers to preach to the church, so far as information ean be obtained, were : Rev. Mr. Klipstine, of Virginia, in 1854; Tunis Peters and A. W. Taylor, in 1855, and Tunis Peters, in 1856. The church soon afterwards lost its organiza- tion and the building has long since been torn down.

The earliest work done by the Baptists in the northern portion of the city was in 1866 when Thomas Humphreys, Henry Field and Miss Lou Bowman began holding Sundayschool in the old frame depot. They conducted the school about a year when the departure of Mr. Humphreys from the city and other circum- stances made necessary a change and the work was surrendered to the Presbyte- rians who prosecuted it successfully. Three years after the termination of this effort, or in 1870, the First Baptist Church appointed a committee consisting of B. J. Loomis, Lanson G. Curtis and William Wallace to locate a mission on the North Side. They, in connection with others, prominent among whom were Charles R. Dunbar and John Evans, established a Sundayschool at the home of William Wallace on Summit Street. Mr. Dunbar was the first superintendent and B. J Loomis was assistant. The school grew and in October, 1870, was removed to a room in the Courtright block on North lfigh Street. Mr. Loomis became the superintendent and continued, as he had been from the first, to be the principal moving spirit. He gave his time, energy and money whenever and wherever there was need. In the spring of 1871 it was decided to buy a lot, and the late Rev. Dr. D. A. Randall and Mr. B. J. Loomis chose a lot on Russell Street, just east of High. It was bought for $800 in the name of the Trustees of the First Baptist Church. One third was paid down, of which Rev. D. A. Randall sub- scribed $100, Mr. Abel Hildreth $100 and various smaller contributors made up the remaining $66. The notes for the unpaid balance were signed by the trus- tees of the First Baptist Church, viz. : L. L. Smith, A. Hildreth, B. J. Loomis, J. M. Wheaton, C. E. Batterson, L. D. Myers and E. W. Simmons. A frame structure was immediately erected at a cost of $1,200 which was subscribed in small amounts by a great many persons. Services in the new structure were begun in June, 1871. An effort was made in September of that year to organize an independent church, but it was thought inadvisable and the mission

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work was continued until January 19, 1881, when the following persons were dismissed from the membership of the First Baptist Church for the purpose of organizing the North (now Russell Street) Baptist Church : John J. Evans, Harriet E. Evans, Mrs. W. M. Powell, Harriet S. Carter, Joseph Woodward, Mrs. E. A. Woodward, Miss Lovina Zinn, Thomas Humphreys, Mrs. L. F. Hudson, W. E. Downey, Mrs. S. M. Babbitt, A. P. Babbitt, A. C. Zinn, Mrs. A. C. Zinn, Rosa Baker, Emma M. Boyle, Mrs. Emma Denune, David Davis, Mrs. David Davis, Mrs. Say, Emma L. Northcutt, Leah Thomas, Anda Morin, A. T. Stevens, John S. Roberts, William J. Evans, E. O. Spring, Helen G. Spring, Ann Richards, Lizzie Thomas, Mrs. A. H. Ellwell, Mrs. Elizabeth Wallace, Lizzie Wallace, Jessie Jones, Kate Whorley, Mrs. Nancy A. Woolard, Sarah E. Northcutt, Edward Evans and Josie L. Downey.

Other Baptists in that section of the city joined these and the church was organized January 24, 1881. The first officers were: Deacons, John J. Evans, William Downey, Thomas Humphreys ; trustees, Nathan Wright, John S. Roberts, William D. Maddox, William Downey, Thomas Humphreys ; clerk, A. T. Stevens ; treasurer, C. F. Hecker. The council for the recognition of the new church met July 19, 1881, the delegates being Rev. A. Owens and Rev. H. L. Gear, Granville ; Rev. A. W. Yale, Alexandria ; Rev. J. V. K. Seeley, Sunbury ; Rev. I. F. Stidham and E. T. Rawson, of the First Church, Columbus. The first pastor of the church was Rev. A. L. Jordan who resigned in November, 1882, and was succeeded by Rev. Frank G. McFarlan. During the latter's pastorate, in 1884, the work of erecting the present handsome edifice was begun. The building committee was composed of the following : Thomas Humphreys, chairman ; Harriet S. Carter, treasurer ; John J. Evans, C. Westerman, E. A. Littell and Mrs. Maria Heekler. Under the ener- getic direction of this committee, the work was prosecuted in the face of many difficulties ; the original frame structure was moved to the rear of the lot and a building costing in money and contributed labor and material not less than $15,000 was erected. Rev. P. J. Ward succeeded Mr. McFarlan in the pastorate in 1888 and served until 1891, when he resigned to accept a call to a church in Southern Ohio. The present pastor is Rev. J. L. Smith.

The Hildreth Baptist Church had its origin in a Sabbathschool effort begun in 1870 by a number of members of the First Baptist Church in a little brick schoolhouse north of the site of the present church structure. Prominent among these workers were Mrs. Abel Hildreth, Mr. and Mrs. R. R. Hooper and Mrs. Wil- liam Field. Mr. Hooper was superintendent of the Sabbathschool and the ladies were teachers. The effort was persistent in the face of many adversities and although little progress was made for several years, the workers were encouraged. The neighborhood was continually growing more populous, and a few Baptists were moving into the territory to help in the work which had been begun by those who had to go out from the city every Sunday afternoon for the service. In 1884, Mr. and Mrs. Charles MeLeod moved to the city from Central College, Ohio. and built a storeroom and residence on Mt. Vernon Avenue near Eighteenth Street. They were strong Baptists and willingly gave their aid to the struggling Sabbathschool. Mr. and Mrs. C. M. Roberts, members of the First Baptist Church, had also moved into the neighborhood and they, too, gave needed assistance. The meeting-place of the Sabbathschool was changed from the schoolhouse on Twentieth Street to the room over Mr. McLeod's store; Mr. Roberts was chosen superintendent and the work took on new vitality. The talk of a church building which had been indulged in for some time received a new impetus from the prop- osition of Mr. Abel Hildreth to erect such a structure on a lot owned by him at the corner of Twentieth and Atcheson streets. He carried out his proposition and erected a handsome brick church, which, together with the lot, he gave to the First Baptist Church in trust for the Hildreth Baptist Church and to be trans-

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History of the city of Columbus, capital of Ohio, Volume II, Part 92

Author: Lee, Alfred Emory, 1838-; W. W. Munsell & Co Publication date: 1892 Publisher: New York and Chicago : Munsell & Co. Number of Pages: 1196

Author: Lee, Alfred Emory, 1838-; W. W. Munsell & Co
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York and Chicago : Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1196