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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02739 3377
Gc 974.802 P53fo Ford, Harry Pringle. A history of the Harriet Hollond Memorial
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Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center
http://www.archive.org/details/historyofharriet00ford
HOLLOND MEMORIAL CHURCH
A HISTORY
OF THE
HARRIET HOLLOND
MEMORIAL
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
OF
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
BY
HARRY PRINGLE FORD
PHILADELPHIA
CASTLE & HEILMAN PRINTERS 27 NORTH SECOND ST. 1899
Allen County Public Library 900 Webster Street PO Box 2270 Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270
BLESSED BE THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO HATH BLESSED US WITH ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS.
-EPHESIANS 1: 3.
TO THE CHRISTIAN MEN AND WOMEN WHOSE FAITHFULNESS IN THE PAST HAS MADE OUR BELOVED CHURCH WHAT IT NOW IS; TO THOSE WHO IN THE PRESENT ARE STRIVING WITH UNWAVERING DEVOTION TO INCREASE ITS USEFULNESS ; AND TO ALL WHO IN THE FUTURE SHALL AID IN ITS DIVINE MISSION OF SAVING SOULS, THIS VOLUME IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED.
The Golden Age lies onward, not behind. The pathway through the Past has led us up. The pathway through the Future will lead on And higher. *
If we but fight the wrong, and keep the faith, And battle for the Future, all mankind Will bless us in the days that are to come.
-JAMES A. EDGERTON.
CONTENTS
The Moyamensing Mission, 1 A Personal Reminiscence, 10
The Moyamensing Church,
13
A Critical Period,
23
The New Life,
27
Inspiration, .
32
The Hollond Chapel,
34
Faith Mission,
53
A Pastor's Recollections,
59
Hollond Church Organized,
67
The Building Fund,
80
The New Building,
88
Development, .
118
Old Leaders and New,
125
The Sunday-School,
144
Church Organizations,
158
Biographical Sketches.
188
Charter,
255
The Old Tenth Church,
266
The Present Tenth Church,
275
NOTE
The story of the inception and development of the Hollond Memorial Church is here told for the simple purpose of perpetuating the record of a noble work for the Master. The hope is expressed that it will incite to higher spiritual usefulness all who read its pages.
A great field is about us: a great duty calls us. Let us go onward !
H. P. F.
Philadelphia, Pa.,
December 1899.
THE MOYAMENSING MISSION
The Moyamensing Mission School, of which the Hollond Memorial Church is the outgrowth, was organized by members of the old Tenth Presbyterian Church, and first met in a small hall on Christian street, near Tenth. The Rev. A. P. Happer, D. D., who was afterwards known throughout the entire Presbyterian Church by his nearly fifty years of missionary service in China and who died in Wooster, Ohio, October 27, 1894, at the age of 76, was one of the first superintendents. In a letter dated October 17, 1893, Dr. Happer wrote: "In November, 1842, at the request of the teachers, I commenced the duties of superin- tendent. The hall in which we met was used on week-days for all kinds of secular purposes, often till late on Saturday nights. Some of the teachers had to go on Sunday before school- time to clean it up, and get it ready for the scholars ; and then had to go through the streets to gather in the children."
Dr. Happer mentioned William H. Mitchell John McArthur and family, Daniel Mallery,
2
THE MOVAMENSING MISSION
"the indefatigable visitor and worker," and Thomas Jones, as being his early associates in the work. John Culbert was one of the first and most active workers, and his daughter Elizabeth, now Mrs. Williams, attended the first session as a scholar. Paul T. Jones was also an able helper.
The school continued to meet in the hall, which was at that time on the southern out- skirts of the city, for about three years, and then was removed to a public room opposite. Shortly after, it was again removed to the sec- ond floor of a fire hose-house, occupied by the Native American Hose Company, on the south side of Carpenter street, below Tenth. The neighborhood was a most unpleasant one, as men and boys frequently congregated on the open lots and fought along the streets.
In 1847, Mr. Maurice A. Wurts was elected to the superintendency, several persons having filled that position subsequent to the resigna- tion of Dr. Happer. Mr. Wurts conducted the school with signal ability for eleven years, and was quite as strong a factor in its success as Mr. Morris and Mr. Ogden afterwards be- came. It numbered less than sixty scholars when he became the leader, and the room in which it met was not only cheerless, but almost destitute of furniture-unless plain board benches could be so called. He succeeded,
3
THE MOYAMENSING MISSION
however, in securing a large and efficient force of teachers, and soon after a building costing $1,800 was erected on Carpenter street, adjoin- ing the hose-house. It was dedicated in June, 1848. A parish school, numbering at times as many as one hundred scholars, was formed and maintained for several years. Miss Mar- garet Thompson, (now Mrs. Mason), was the first principal. In 1849, Miss Elizabeth N. Brown became interested in the work and taught a girls' Bible class for some three years. She was then appointed assistant superintend- ent, and held that position until 1865. By her untiring efforts in visiting the scholars in their homes and the interest she took in the families connected with the school, she did much to promote its general prosperity. Two rooms were added to the rear of the main building in 1854, at a cost of $1,100. At that time the names of 232 scholars were on the roll. The largest attendance during the year was 226, and the average attendance 166. The collections amounted to $80.51. The library numbered 700 volumes.
In May, 1854, Mr. Wurts thus writes: " The school will compare favorably with other Sabbath-schools in regard to punctuality, order and progress. The scholars come not by com- pulsion, but from love of the school. We have ascertained in several instances in visiting
4
THE MOYAMENSING MISSION
that the greatest punishment their parents can impose, is to refuse them permission to attend. Our semi-monthly examinations show com- mendable progress in the study of the Cate- chism.
"Only a few years ago, many who now compose our number, were to be found in the street on the Sabbath, ignorant, ill-clad, and ill-behaved; they are now respectful and obe- dient, well-clothed and cleanly, and in their appearance and deportment will compare most favorably with those ordinarily seen in a regu- lar church Sunday-school Above all, they have received, and are receiving, much in- struction, and we trust it will yet be seen that the efforts put forth have been the means, un- der God, of bringing many from nature's darkness to the marvelous light of the Gospel. In a word, we think a great work has been al- ready accomplished, and that much is still being done for the spiritual and temporal good of this entire neighborhood through the instrin- mentality of the enterprise which the liberality and countenance of the Tenth Church have so long sustained."
At that time the officers of the school were : Maurice A. Wurts, superintendent ; William L. Mactier, vice-superintendent ; William Ma- son and James McAllister, librarians ; Charles W. Leavitt, secretary. The teachers were
5
THE MOYAMENSING MISSION
Messrs. H. M. Olmstead, John Mason, Ed- ward Orne, William L. Hildeburn, William L. Mactier, Jared Craig, Robert Nichol, John A. McAllister, John W. Reed, Wilson Dunton, John H. Brown, John Wescott, Mrs. Ellen Reynolds, and Misses Margaret Thompson, El- len Thompson, Elizabeth N. Brown, Harriette Wurts, Elizabeth Grier, C. D. Mclaughlin, Sarah Taylor, E. L. Dickinson, Mary Young, Lydia S. Penrose, Mary Brown, Mary Briscoe, Mary Linnard, Emily Leavitt, Agnes M. Goertner (lost at sea on a French steamer), and Miss McFetrick. Mr. Samuel H. Fulton succeeded Mr. Wurts as superintendent.
From 1855 to 1862, the school attained its greatest early prosperity, numbering at one time nearly six hundred scholars. A spirit of generosity was inculcated and the children were encouraged to aid in the furtherance of outside benevolences. For many years a por- tion of the collections was devoted to the support of a boy in China, Ah Chung, who received the name of Mitchell Wurts (after two of our superintendents). He was adopted by Dr. Happer, and afterwards became an assistant in the medical work. A case of surgical instru- ments was presented to him by our school. Dr. Happer's letters relative to him were al- ways listened to with intense interest by the scholars. He was baptized and married in the
6
THE MOYAMENSING MISSION
same year, 1854. His was the first Christian marriage in Canton. He became the father of several children, one of whom was educated in America by the Chinese government.
On the 27th of October, 1856, Dr. Board- man, pastor of the Tenth Church, wrote the following letter to the Rev. Willard M. Rice, D. D., who had been for sixteen years propri- etor and principal of a classical school at the south-east corner of Ninth and Arch streets, and who had also been actively engaged in church and Sunday-school work:
" MY DEAR SIR:
"The teachers of our mission school on Car- penter street, below roth, wish to secure the services of a minister or licentiate to preach there and do the work of an evangelist. I do not know whether it would suit you to labor there, or whether your gifts and style of preaching would suit the place. But with an excellent building erected for the purpose (the property of my church), a very flourishing school, with an efficient corps of teachers, and a prosperous neighborhood, the field is really one of much promise.
"It has occurred to me that it might be agree- able to you to preach there on some Sabbath evening; and, if so, I beg to ask whether you could go on next Sabbath week, the 9th proximo? As they have no preaching there ordinarily, the arrangement should be made the Sabbath before."
Dr. Rice visited the school on November 2d,
REV. WILLARD M. RICE, D. D.
7
THE MOYAMENSING MISSION
and, after an interview with the officers and teachers, accepted the invitation to hold serv- ice on the 9th. He took for his text John 6: 37. "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." Many of the teachers, schol- ars and parents were present, making in all a congregation of one hundred and seventy-five.
On the 17th of November Dr. Boardman thus wrote to Dr. Rice:
"It has given me much pleasure to learn how acceptable your ministrations have been to the people at our Moyamensing mission."
Dr. Rice engaged to labor as an evangelist in the neighborhood, especially among the families connected with the Sabbath-school. Services were held every Sabbath evening, and four afternoons each week were spent in visiting the families whose children were con- nected with the school. Maurice A. Wurts, the superintendent, was a very earnest, devo- ted Christian. He was greatly beloved by the teachers and scholars of the mission. He af- terwards became an elder in the Woodland Church, and was for many years missionary secretary of the American Sunday-school Union. Miss Brown, who is still living, was also devotedly attached to the work. In 1865 she went to Bethany school where she has since labored with great fidelity and success. A more faithful company of Sab-
8
THE MOYAMENSING MISSION
bath-school teachers could not be found. Messrs. Wurts, Fulton, Hoyt, McMillan, Mason, Craig, Leavitt, Balbirnie, and the Misses Penrose, Grier, Mary and Fanny Brown, McArthur, Hazzard, and Mrs. Fulton, assisted in carrying on the work of visitation. The enthusiastic interest of Mr. Charles Bal- birnie was specially helpful at this time.
During Dr. Rice's seven years' connection with the work a large Bible class was taught at different times by Mr. McMillan, Peter Walker, Dr. J. G. Kerr, now, and for more than forty years, a medical missionary in China, and Mr. F. A. Packard, the corresponding secretary of the American Sunday-school Union. Every Saturday afternoon during the winter season a sewing school was conducted by the lady teachers, and much help was thus rendered in supplying clothes to the needy. The spirit of Christ was in all the work.
During the winter of 1856-7, there were much suffering and want among the poor fami- lies connected with the mission, which the teachers did much to relieve. Dr. Rice at- tended every session of the school-often teaching when teachers were absent. The teachers, however, were remarkably regular and prompt in their attendance. Nearly all of them were members of the Tenth Church and lived at a considerable distance from the
9
THE MOYAMENSING MISSION
school. Some, however, were members of other churches, among them being Miss Agnes Ashman, (who died Feb. 12th, 1897). She was a sister of Judge Ashman, and a member of a Baptist church. She gave devoted serv- ice to the school in the Infant Department.
The pastor and session of the Tenth Church were uniformly friendly, and were deeply in- terested in the welfare of the mission. Every year a Christmas festival was held, which was attended in crowds by the children and by the friends and supporters of the school in the Tenth Church. It was a red-letter day with all; as were also the anniversary days, which were celebrated every spring in the Tenth Church.
Very frequently during the first two winters the water in the gas-meter would be found frozen when the room was to be lighted. Very often Dr. Rice would have to borrow a kettle of hot water from a neighboring house to thaw the ice. He was then living some three miles from the field. One snowy winter night he and his son (who afterwards became a surgeon in the U. S. Navy, and died at sea on the man-of-war "Ossipee," July 13th, 1868), walked (there being no cars) down to the mission, thawed out the meter, and held service. The thermometer was down almost to zero. Only five other persons were present.
A PERSONAL REMINISCENCE
W. D. Hoyt, M. D., of Rome, Ga, one of the first elders of the old Moyamensing Church and a teacher in the school, in a letter written in January, 1899, thus describes this period:
" I do not remember in what year I first became connected with Moyamensing Sunday- school. It was during Mr. Wurts' superin- tendency, and in response to an appeal made by Dr. Boardman for teachers, that I offered myself and was accepted. The school seemed to be in a flourishing condition, the attend- ance being quite large. It was then occupy- ing the building on Carpenter street. I was given a class of eight or ten boys-pretty rough little fellows, full of fun and mischief. There were considerable poverty and want in the neighborhood, and there were many bar- rooms. The people generally belonged to the laboring classes, and were in need of the up- lifting power of applied Christianity.
" I have a distinct recollection of the violent abuse I received from the infidel father of one of my boys. The boy had been absent from Sunday-school, and I had called on him in
W. D. HOYT, M. D.
II
A PERSONAL REMINISCENCE
consequence. The father came in whilst I was there, and proceeded to open the vials of his abuse upon me. His wife was much afraid that he would strike me as he threatened to do. I thought it was my duty to take the abuse, but had mentally drawn the line at a blow- and I was pretty well up in boxing. How- ever, he did not strike me.
"I recollect the earnest discussion we had when it was proposed to organize a church. I was solicited to become an elder. I was quite young and hesitated on that account; but it was presented to me so strongly as a matter of duty that I had to consent. The church was accordingly organized in 1858, Dr. W. M. Rice being the pastor and Mr. Samuel H. Fulton and I the two elders. At the time it was proposed to organize a church the neighborhood was thoroughly canvassed, but there was found to be only a very small sprinkling of Protestants. Whether it was from an anti-Protestant feeling or the natural perversity of boys, I know not, but it was not at all unusual to have our evening services dis- turbed by the throwing of stones at the build- ing. I recollect on one occasion, when the stone-throwing was particularly violent, my making a sally and chasing the fleeing boys across some vacant lots; my capturing a little fellow and threatening to take him into the
12
A PERSONAL REMINISCENCE
church, and finally releasing him at his frightened pleadings. I think this episode had a good effect in stopping the stone-throw- ing. Dr. Rice did not seem much disturbed by such occurrences, but continued his sermons uninterruptedly.
"We had preaching morning and evening on Sunday, Sunday-school in the afternoon, and prayer-meeting Wednesday evening. There was a gradual growth and development in the church. I remained with it until 1861, when anticipations of the war led me to arrange to come South to my own people. I have been in Philadelphia only once since, and regret very much that I did not re-visit the church on that occasion. Should I chance to visit it again, I shall certainly go to the Hollond Me- morial Church, and endeavor to absorb some of the enthusiasm and zeal with which it seems to be so fully imbued. Let me extend to you my hearty congratulations for the achievements of the past, and my best wishes for your contin- ued success in turning many souls to right- eousness. May the labors of the pastors, su- perintendents and teachers be crowned with God's richest blessings! "
THE MOYAMENSING CHURCH
It had long been a cherished wish of the teachers that the school should develop into a church. Many of the pupils, and some of the parents, had become hopeful Christians and had united with various churches.
The attendance on the services during the first winter of Dr. Rice's labors (1856), aver- aged 125; it afterwards became much larger. Morning services were not held until the spring of 1858. The church was organized October IIth, 1858, with twenty-nine members. The installation service of Dr. Rice as pastor was held in the Tenth Church, October 18th, and the sermon preached on that occasion by Dr. W. P. Breed was afterwards published in tract form by the Presbyterian Board of Publica- tion. Dr. John McDowell delivered the charge to the pastor and Dr. Henry A. Boardman the charge to the people. Samuel H. Fulton and William D. Hoyt, M. D., were the first elders.
The number at the organization was 29; nine months later (June, 1859), the member- ship had increased to 42, and consisted of the
14
THE MOYAMENSING CHURCH
following persons : Charles Balbirnie, Mrs. Margaret Balbirnie, Mrs. Elizabeth E. Basse- ter, Mrs. Charlotte Broomell, Miss Elizabeth N. Brown, Thomas Bryan, Mrs. Elizabeth Bryan, Jared Craig, Mrs. Ann Craig, Mrs. Nancy Cunningham, Miss Ellen N. Dickinson, Mrs. Catharine Duffy, Samuel H. Fulton, Mrs. Margaret Fulton, Mrs. Jessie Goodsman, Miss Mary J. Gowen, William D. Hoyt, Mrs. Eliza Kerr, Mrs. Gracie Keyser, Charles W. Leavitt, Mrs. Susannah C. Lewis, Miss Marga- ret Mahood, John Mason, Mrs. Margaret R. Mason, Mrs Elizabeth McCormick, Miss Eliza McCormick, James McFarland, Mrs. Sarah McFarland, Samuel McMullen, Miss Sarah McMullen, Miss Margaret J. McMullin, Miss Mary E. McMullin, Miss Mary McWil- liam, Miss Catharine C. Mink, Mrs. Margaret Preston, Mrs. Elizabeth M. Rice, John M. Rice, Mrs. Margaret Rivell, Miss Elizabeth Rivell, Miss Isabella Smith, Mrs. Margaret Taylor, Mrs. Anna C. Thompson, Robert Vincent.
There were 180 male scholars, 249 female scholars, 14 male teachers and 16 female teachers-making a total Sunday-school mem- bership of 459.
The pastor held monthly afternoon meetings for the training and instruction of those who were considering the question of uniting with
15
THE MOYAMENSING CHURCH
the church. Much good resulted from this loving and painstaking attention.
Dr. Rice continued in charge of the church until October 15th, 1863. During his efficient ministry the church at one time numbered 1 10 members. When he resigned, the congrega- tion passed very complimentary resolutions relative to his "untiring zeal and faithful ministry; " and the session of the Tenth Church put on record "their deep sense of the fidelity, ability, and unsparing labor with which their esteemed brother had discharged the duties of his pastorate, and their gratitude to God for the blessings which had attended his efforts."
After the departure of Dr. Rice, the school rapidly decreased in membership. The ques- tion of continuing the church was raised, and a committee appointed by Presbytery to inves- tigate the matter made the following report :
" It is not believed by your committee that it would be either right or expedient for Pres- bytery to permit this church to remain in its present condition. It is without a pastor ; its income is small; and those who have for years been working for its increase and upbuilding are becoming discouraged. If it remains in its present unprogressive state it must necessarily decline and speedily become extinct. In this state of the case, but two methods, in the judgment of your committee, remain open :
16
THE MOYAMENSING CHURCH
" First. The church may be dissolved, and its members distributed to adjacent churches. There will then nothing remain but a mission school of the Tenth Church, to be supported and controlled by that church. The responsi- bility of the Presbytery in the matter will have wholly ceased.
" Second. The Presbytery may continue the organization, and take measures to give it increased efficiency, and augment its power for doing good."
The report then gives in detail the difficul- ties in the way of adopting the latter course: the narrow street in which the church is situ- ated ; the chances of little or no improvement in the neighborhood ; the unsuitability of the present building for church purposes, and the location of an attractive Presbyterian church of the New School Branch within three squares (Ninth and Wharton streets), with a flourish- ing school, against which it would seem almost
hopeless to compete. To escape these disad- vantages, the committee suggests that the church be removed to another neighborhood and assisted in the erection of a suitable build- ing; and, further, that the location selected be to the south and east of Broad street and Washington avenue. The report thus con- tinues :
"The question which is thus raised might
17
THE MOYAMENSING CHURCH
be easily settled if the Moyamensing Church and its property were wholly under the control of the Presbytery, but this is not the case. The Tenth Presbyterian Church originated the Moyamensing Church by establishing there a mission Sabbath-school, and by nobly and generously supporting the church after its organization. Some of the members of that church are trustees of the Moyamensing Church, and hold the titles of that property in their names. The Presbytery, therefore, can do nothing without a full and fraternal consultation with the pastor and session of the Tenth Church, and with those gentlemen of that church who hold the legal title to the church building of the Moyamensing Church. In order that this may be accomplished, your committee would respectfully suggest the pas- sage of the following resolution :
" Resolved : That a copy of this report be transmitted to the session of the Tenth Church and that the session be requested to furnish Presbytery at an early date with a statement of their views and wishes in regard to the mat- ter submitted in this report."
In a paper dated October 1, 1864, written by Dr. Boardman, the session of the Tenth Church thus makes answer :
" The session of the Tenth Church, having duly considered the paper referred to them
18
THE MOYAMENSING CHURCH
by the Presbytery of Philadelphia, respectfully submits the following reply :
"It is now twenty-two years since the Tenth Church established a mission school in Moyamensing ; and six years since a church was organized there. In both its forms, as a school and as a church, the enterprise was blessed of God. We believe it will be be said of many ransomed sinners at the last day, ' This and that man was born there.'
" Under the ministry of a faithful and labo- rious pastor, aided by a most efficient corps of teachers, an interesting church was collected, comprising a very goodly number of active, working Christians. It became apparent. how- ever, to all concerned, that the neighborhood was one in which no self-supporting church could be built up, and that the utmost ex- ertions of all engaged in the effort would be requisite to maintain the status of the congre- gation already secured. By the course of events, several of the most zealous and in- fluential of the Christian men, who, without (in some cases), becoming communicants there, had given their time and labors to the enterprise, were obliged to remove to other and distant churches. After this, the school sustained a serious loss in the withdrawal of several of the stated teachers ; and finally, their excellent pastor felt it to be his duty to
19
THE MOYAMENSING CHURCH
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