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NYPL RESEARCH LIBRARIES 3 3433 08178912 9
HISTORY OF THE PARISH OF THE HOLY APOSTLES
1868 - 1918
1. Philadelphia-Churches, Protestant Episcopal- Holy Apostles
GD
THE GORDON LESTER FORD COLLECTION FROM EMILY E F. SKEEL. IN MEMORY OF ROSWELL SKEEL, JK. AND THEIR FOUR PARENTS
ISD (Philadelphia) Church
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2008 with funding from Microsoft Corporation
http://www.archive.org/details/historyofparisho00toop
CHURCH OF THE HOLY APOSTLES
-
History
of the
Parish of the Holy Apostles
Philadelphia
1868-1918
P
232597B
R
1943
L
CONTENTS
PAGE
FOREWORD
9
EARLY HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY APOSTLES 15
MR. GEORGE C. THOMAS
43
SUNDAY-SCHOOL OF THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY
APOSTLES
109
LATER HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY
APOSTLES
131
THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY
145
THE COOPER BATTALION HALL AND GYMNASIUM .. 163
THE MEMORIAL CHAPEL OF THE
HOLY COM-
MUNION
171
THE CHAPEL OF ST. SIMON THE CYRENIAN
189
THE CHAPEL OF THE MEDIATOR
201
MEMORIALS, LEGACIES AND GIFTS
227
3
م
-
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
L'. ANITA
ERRATA
Page 5. "Rt. Rev. Nathaniel S. Thomas," should be "Rt. Rev. Nathaniel S. Thomas, D.D."
Page 6. "Rev. William P. Pennington," should be "Rev. William P. Remington."
Page 60. Under "Minute of the Vestry," fourth and fifth lines should be transposed.
Page 69. The word "coulds," beginning the fifteenth line, should be "could."
Page 119. "Rev. Thomas Leslie Gossling, Rector of St. Matthew's Church, Philadelphia," should be "Rev. Thomas Leslie Gossling, Rector of St. Matthias' Church, Philadelphia."
Page 127. The word "they," beginning the second line of the verse of the hymn, should be "thy."
Page 134. On the third line, "2038 Christian Street," should be "2028 Christian Street."
Page 232. Under 1899, "house and lot 2038 Christian Street" is a duplicate entry.
Page 245. "Note," at the bottom of page, should appear at the bottom of page 246.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
FACING PAGE
FRONTISPIECE, CHURCH OF THE HOLY APOSTLES
RT. REV. PHILLIPS BROOKS, D.D. 16
REV. CHARLES D. COOPER, D.D. 18
FIRST BUILDING, CHURCH OF THE HOLY APOSTLES, 18
CHURCH OF THE HOLY APOSTLES AND SUNDAY- SCHOOL BUILDING 20
CHURCH OF THE HOLY APOSTLES, SUNDAY-SCHOOL BUILDING, AND THE PHILLIPS BROOKS PARISH HOUSE 20
REV. HENRY S. GETZ 30
REV. WILLIAM S. NEILL 30
RT. REV. NATHANIEL S. THOMAS 34
MR. WILLIAM R. CHAPMAN. 38
MR. GEORGE W. JACOBS. 38
MR. GEORGE C. THOMAS
43
MRS. GEORGE C. THOMAS 43
THE RICHARD NEWTON MEMORIAL SUNDAY-SCHOOL
AND ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.
56
INTERIOR OF THE RICHARD NEWTON MEMORIAL
BUILDING
62
5
FACING PAGE 75
TOWER, CHURCH OF THE HOLY APOSTLES.
THE GEORGE C. THOMAS MEMORIAL TABLET, CHURCH TOWER 76
MR. GEORGE C. THOMAS AND ONE OF HIS GRAND-
CHILDREN
104
SIX BOYS OF THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL WHO STUDIED FOR THE MINISTRY . 118
RT. REV. WILSON R. STEARLY, D.D.
132
RT. REV. WILLIAM T. CAPERS, D.D.
134
MR. GEORGE F. BISHOP AND CHOIR.
136
REV. WILLIAM T. CAPERS AND CHOIR IN CHANCEL, 138
REV. GEORGE HERBERT TOOP, D.D.
140
CHARLES D. COOPER BATTALION AND COOPER BAT- TALION HALL. 163
CHAPEL OF THE
HOLY
COMMUNION,
PARISH
HOUSE AND VICARAGE 171
REV. WILLIAM F. AYER 180
REV. WILLIAM P. PENNINGTON
180
REV. ALFRED R. BERKELEY
183
REV. HERBERT L. HANNAH.
183
FRAME CHURCH AND PARISH HOUSE, CHAPEL OF ST. SIMON THE CYRENIAN 189
NEW CHAPEL, ST. SIMON THE CYRENIAN
194
REV. JOHN R. LOGAN
194
6
4
FACING PAGE
INTERIOR OF THE NEW CHAPEL, ST. SIMON THE CYRENIAN 196
CHAPEL OF THE MEDIATOR (GEORGE C. THOMAS MEMORIAL)
201
OLD CHURCH OF THE MEDIATOR.
202
REV. SAMUEL E. APPLETON, D.D.
206
CHURCH OF THE RECONCILIATION
210
REV. H. MCKNIGHT MOORE
212
PARISH HOUSE, CHAPEL OF THE MEDIATOR
218
REV. PHILLIPS E. OSGOOD
220
7
FOREWORD
So many have had part in compiling the material which makes up this book that a word of explanation seems necessary.
In the spring of nineteen seventeen, in view of the approaching fiftieth anniversary, the rec- tor asked Mr. William G. Casner to prepare a brief history of the parish for serial printing in "The Monthly Message." Mr. Casner readily complied with the request, though it meant giv- ing much of his needed summer's rest to the task. To him, however, it was a labor of love, and the searching of old records and minutes, usually so wearisome, was to him a reliving of old scenes and a re-entering into old intimacies, very precious to him. For two months he worked, and in the fall the history was ready.
This was arranged in sections covering the Church of the Holy Apostles, the Sunday-school, Cooper Battalion Hall, the Chapel of the Holy Communion and the Chapel of St. Simon the Cyrenian. A history of the Chapel of the Medi- ator had been written by the rector for the dio- cesan "Church News" during the year before, and Mr. Casner did not consider it necessary to
9
go over that ground again. When the rector con- ceived the idea of enlarging the history (which for the purpose of the parish paper was neces- sarily brief) and having it published in book form for the fiftieth anniversary, he turned again to Mr. Casner, only to find him too occu- pied with his school duties to undertake the task. As there was no one else to do it, the rector crowded the preparation into his own over-busy Christmastide and the weeks that followed. There have been many necessary enlargements and connectives made to Mr. Casner's history to bring it up to book proportions. The chapter devoted to Mr. George C. Thomas is almost en- tirely new, and gathered from many sources, particularly the memorial number of "The Par- ish Intelligence."
In each case the vicar has added some small passages to that part of the history devoted to his particular chapel.
The many illustrations are necessary be- cause of the many buildings in the parish, and the many workers, past and present, engaged in the prosecution of its work. These, however, will add much to the value and attractiveness of the book. Again, to give credit where credit is due, we owe much to Mr. Casner for whatever of value the book may have for us, for without his labor of the past summer the book in its
10
present form could not have been issued, cer- tainly not at this time. It was comparatively easy to build upon his foundations and make the needful enlargements upon the work already done by him.
To Mr. George W. Jacobs we are indebted for much time and labor spent upon the physical details in the making of the book, and for some valuable suggestions as to its material. The Rev. William S. Neill has generously given of his time in correcting the copy. If the history is not so complete in some details as it might be, and if mistakes appear, it must be charged to the necessary haste of its preparation.
That the book may bring back the satisfac- tions and joys of old and dear associations to many and be a new bond of union to this whole great parish is the sincere hope of
THE RECTOR.
11
Early History of the Church of the Holy Apostles
EARLY HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY APOSTLES
Gather the people together, Men and women and children,
That they may hear, And that they may learn, And fear the Lord, your God.
-DEUTERONOMY 31:12
At the close of the Civil War in 1865, Phila- delphia experienced a building boom in the southwestern part of the city. At that time there were no street cars west of Fifteenth Street or south of Carpenter Street, but with the return of the soldiers from the Army and the resumption of normal, peaceful conditions the city grew rapidly, and the Church, mindful of the spiritual needs of the people and her oppor- tunity, erected churches wherever there was need. Out of these conditions was born the Church of the Holy Apostles.
.
The first Minute Book of the vestry of the Church of the Holy Apostles opens with the fol- lowing :-
"On the evening of November 20, 1867, the following named gentlemen met in the vestry-
15
room of the Church of the Holy Trinity for the purpose of discussing the advisability of com- mencing a new church enterprise in the south- western part of the city:
Rev. Phillips Brooks Rev. Samuel E. Appleton Mr. John Bohlen Mr. Charles Gibbons."
Other persons became interested and five more meetings were held at the house of Mr. John Bohlen, 1510 Walnut Street, now the Uni- versity Club, two of which Bishop Stevens at- tended.
Three parishes were primarily interested: The Church of the Holy Trinity, The Church of the Mediator and St. Luke's Church, but the lat- ter subsequently withdrew from the enterprise.
Before the church was organized, the piece of ground one hundred and forty-four feet on Christian Street and one hundred and twenty- nine feet eight and three-eighths inches on Twenty-first Street was purchased of Elizabeth Jones for $10,000, the site being selected by the Rev. Phillips Brooks, in connection with Mr. Lemuel Coffin, Warden of Holy Trinity.
At the meeting of December 21, 1867, three vestrymen were elected: Messrs Francis Hos- kins, Lemuel Coffin, and William P. Cresson. At
16
.
.
RT. REV. PHILLIPS BROOKS, D.D.
the meeting of January 7, 1868, nine additional vestrymen were elected: Messrs. John Bohlen, Charles Gibbons, Alfred M. Collins, George C. Thomas, Ezra Bowen and Lewis H. Redner from the Church of the Holy Trinity, and Messrs. George S. Fox, S. A. Rulon and Dr. Robert A. Huey from the Church of the Mediator. Of the original vestrymen, Dr. Robert Huey is the only one alive. Messrs. Redner and Thomas were ap- pointed wardens by the Rev. Phillips Brooks, "of a church which only existed on paper."
At this meeting the name was decided upon, the vote being :-
Church of the Holy Apostles 11
All Souls Church. 1
Christ Church, Christian Street 2
Emmanuel Church. 4
Efforts were made to obtain the temporary use of a schoolhouse in which to start. These failing, the Rev. Samuel E. Appleton obtained the consent of Tabor Presbyterian Church to permit the use of their chapel in which to begin the church services and meetings of the Sunday- school, in consideration of a rental of $20 per month, and on Sunday morning, January 26, 1868, a Sunday-school was organized, thirty- seven children being present, and in the evening the Rev. Phillips Brooks preached in the same
17
place to a large congregation. In view of the subsequent history of the great Sunday-school of this church, it seems quite prophetic that its first public ministry should have been to the children.
On February 25, 1868, the Rev. Charles D. Cooper, then rector of St. Philip's Church, Phil- adelphia, was elected rector of the Church of the
Church of the Holy Apostles, Philadelphia. The First Building, 1868-1873.
Holy Apostles. He did not assume official charge of the parish until September 6, 1868, because, having met with a great domestic sorrow in the loss of his wife, he was induced to travel abroad.
In October, 1868, services were held in a frame building at Twenty-first and Christian streets, the gift of Mr. John Rice, a former member of St. Philip's Church. This frame building had an interesting history. It was
18
REV. CHARLES D. COOPER, D.D.
used as a hospital during the war, and, when the church abandoned it, it was sold to Park Avenue M. E. Church for $200 to start their work and was subsequently used for a similar purpose by the Orthodox street M. E. Church, Frankford.
Dr. Cooper went abroad again, when he was granted a nine months' leave of absence to travel through the Holy Land with Dr. Richard New- ton in January, 1870.
On February 25, 1868, plans were furnished for the church by Messrs. Frazer, Furness and Hewitt. Mr. Hewitt was chosen as the achitect, and Messrs. Williams and McNichol awarded the contract in April of the same year for $39,450. The corner-stone was laid March 28, 1870, and the church first used on December 11, 1870. The Sunday-school continued to use the frame build- ing until February 16, 1873, when it moved into its own building adjoining the church.
A ground rent of $10,000 was paid off through the efforts of Dr. Cooper, and when the church building was occupied in 1870, a debt of $5000 remained. Considerable extra expense had been caused in the foundation work, because the lot had been a brick yard and the ground was filled in.
The usual experiences in financing a church built in a neighborhood where there were no
19
wealthy people residing were met with, and while the expedient of pew rents netted $2000 per annum as early as March, 1871, and the col- lections $500 additional, this was not enough to meet the running expenses, and at the request of the accounting warden, Mr. George C. Thomas, it was agreed to try the experiment of free pews for one year from January 1, 1872, and to meet the annual expenses by subscriptions payable at stated periods. But in March, 1873, the account- ing warden announced that the plan had proved a failure, and a return to the pew rent system was made on Easter Monday, 1873.
The membership in the church showed a steady growth, and on April 6, 1876, a class of 106 persons was confirmed, the largest in the history of the church. This class, it is interest- ing to note, followed the Moody and Sankey re- vival, held in Philadelphia, 1875, in the old Penn- sylvania Railroad freight building, 13th and Market Streets, which site is now occupied by the Wanamaker store.
Evidence of the "hard times" following the close of the Centennial Exposition is shown in a note in the vestry minutes, calling attention to the diminishing of pew rents on account of the pews and sittings being relinquished "because so many persons were out of work."
The financial condition of the church in
20
CHURCH AND SUNDAY-SCHOOL BUILDING
RREBRAG
CHURCH, SUNDAY-SCHOOL BUILDING AND THE PHILLIPS BROOKS PARISH HOUSE
1878 became so serious that the rector offered his resignation, "with the hope of relieving the situation," but the vestry "would entertain no thought of his severing relations with the church."
An appeal was made to the vestry of the Church of the Holy Trinity to take advantage of the presence in the city of Phillips Brooks on one of his visits from his new church in Boston, to take a collection for the Church of the Holy Apostles at that time. This was done and it netted $700, but it also brought a word of caution from the vestry of the Church of the Holy Trinity that "this would not be repeated."
In June of this year the Rev. Phillips Brooks offered to fresco the chancel of the church, which offer was accepted.
In February, 1882, Mrs. Thomas H. Powers, a friend of the rector, gave $5000, and other friends of his gave $5460 towards the debt on the church, thus clearing it of all indebtedness; and its consecration followed on Tuesday, April 25, 1882.
The city continued to expand in a south- westerly direction, and about the year 1885 the church began to feel that it should do for the new section what had been done for it in 1868, and with that in mind the Rev. Henry S. Getz, then assistant minister of the Church of the
21
Holy Apostles, in the Convocation of June, 1885, called attention to the need of missionary work in that field, and it was only a short time when the church had established a mission at Gray's Ferry Road and Carpenter Street, under the direct care of one who had been a member of the Sunday-school, Mr. Wm. F. Ayer, afterwards vicar of what became an important work at Twenty-seventh and Wharton Streets; the pres- ent Chapel of the Holy Communion being the outcome of this missionary effort.
On December 14, 1886, Dr. Cooper, who was then in his seventy-fourth year, requested that he be relieved of some of his duties and that they be assigned to his assistant, Mr. Getz, and that $500 per year be deducted from his salary and given to Mr. Getz. His letter closes with the fol- lowing typical words: "May our Blessed Lord keep our dear church in the old paths of evan- gelical truth and preserve us from the erroneous doctrines and pernicious novelties in public wor- ship, which are so sadly prevailing in certain quarters of our Protestant Episcopal Church."
The vestry complied with the request in so far as Mr. Getz was concerned, but declined to reduce Dr. Cooper's salary ; and another request of Dr. Cooper's of September 3, 1889, for a re- duction of salary and an increase for his assist-
22
ant was acted on in the same manner by the vestry.
In March, 1888, the beginning of the En- dowment Fund was made from the bequest of $300 from Mrs. Catharine Merrick.
By January, 1890, the communicant list had grown to 600.
It was in this year that committees of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, assisted by the church choir, began the singing at the City Mis- sion services at the Almshouse and Eastern Penitentiary during the summer, and continued this for several years.
On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of his ordination, Dr. Cooper preached the same sermon he had preached when he was ordained in Trinity Church, Geneva, N. Y., on the first Sunday in March, 1841, from the text: "God for- bid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ"; Galatians VI, 14. In com- memoration of this event the congregation and friends of the rector erected a pulpit, chancel rail and overhanging lamp-"all in brass and very handsome."
Dr. Cooper had previously, under date of February 2, 1891, asked that his resignation be accepted, since he was in his seventy-eighth year, and would soon complete fifty years of ministry, twenty-three of which had been with
23
the Church of the Holy Apostles, but the vestry again declined to accept the resignation, but raised the salary of the assistant to $1800 per year and increased his duties.
On the occasion of the services commemo- rative of the fiftieth anniversary of Dr. Cooper's ordination, Mr. George C. Thomas, the account- ing warden, said :-
"During this period the amount of money contributed for all purposes by both the church and the Chapel of the Holy Communion, congre- gations and Sunday-schools, reached the sum of over $350,000 (which does not include any con- tributions made by those not connected with this parish), of which at least $45,000 has been for charitable purposes outside our own work."
The communicant list of the church at that time numbered 883 and that of the chapel 104, and the annual report of 1892 stated that there was no debt of any kind on the buildings at Twenty-first and Christian Streets and Twenty- seventh and Wharton Streets, and they were valued at about $175,000.
On May 5, 1894, the vestry regretfully ac- cepted Dr. Cooper's resignation as rector, as he had passed his eighty-first birthday, and elected him Rector Emeritus.
Rev. Charles D. Cooper, D. D., was born
24
November 5, 1813, at Albany, N. Y. He was educated at Union College, Schenectady, N. Y., as an engineer. After practicing a few years he studied for the ministry and was ordained by Bishop DeLancey, March 17, 1841. His first charge was at Mt. Morris, N. Y. He then went to Wilkes-Barre, Pa., later Rochester, N. Y., and in 1850 to St. Philip's Church at Franklin and Vine Streets, this city, where he conducted a wonderful work for over eighteen years, at one time presenting a class of over two hundred candidates. When Phillips Brooks first came to Philadelphia to take charge of a nearby church, it was Dr. Cooper and his wife who made him welcome; and thus began a friendship broken only by death.
Dr. Cooper was a man of great strength of character, an earnest preacher, whose zeal and broad Christian charity made a strong impress not only on his parish, but on the church at large; his sturdiness and steadfastness bringing the blessing of a large circle of staunch, loyal friends.
A very intimate and beautiful friendship de- veloped between Dr. Cooper and Phillips Brooks. Dr. Allen, in his "Life of Phillips Brooks," says: -"Among all the clergy of Philadelphia, his heart went out from the first most strongly to Mr. Cooper. He was much at his house, and be-
25
fore long it became a fixed custom for him to go there every Sunday evening, after his service in church was over. He often spent the night, and lingered after breakfast the next morning. The warm heart and sober judgment of Mr. Cooper made him a valuable friend of Phillips Brooks, who in turn repaid his goodness by a singular devotion."
In the year 1869 the two friends entered into an arrangement for joint housekeeping, at 2026 Spruce Street, which lasted until Phillips Brooks left Philadelphia to accept the call to Trinity Church, Boston. Very frequently had they travelled together, both in America or abroad. After Phillips Brooks went to Boston the rela- tionship was kept up by means of constant cor- respondence and occasional visits. There is room here for only parts of a few of the letters which passed between them, but they will serve to show the spirit of all. Writing to his friend on March 2, 1882, accepting an invitation to preach at the consecration of the Church of the Holy Apostles, Phillips Brooks said :-
"Of course I'll preach at the Holy Apostles on the evening of the Second Sunday after Easter. That's half the fun of coming to Philadelphia. I am depend- ing immensely on my visit. When the services get a little thicker than usual I say to myself, in six weeks I shall be in Cooper's study. That cheers me up and I go on with the services again."
26
Just before one of his sailings for Europe he wrote :-
"While I am waiting for the carriage which is to take me to Europe, my last letter shall be to you. I got your kind letter yesterday, and it was like the benediction I was waiting for, the last blessing, which I had half hoped to get on board the Servia, at New York, but your dear old hand-writing is the next thing to it. What lots of good times we have had together! Race Street and the mountains and the lakes and Tyrol and Switzerland and Paris and Boston and Spruce Street for twenty years. And now it seems as if you ought to be going with me. Thank you, dear Cooper, for your long friendship and unfailing kindness. May God be good to you as you have been to me."
Writing to Phillips Brooks, acknowledging a birthday remembrance, Dr. Cooper said :-
"Thanks, heaps upon heaps of thanks, for remem- bering such an old fogy upon his birthday! Surely you have given such evidences of your love and affection that this beautiful etching was unnecessary; but as you have sent it I have given it the most conspicuous place in my study, and whenever I shall look at it I shall be reminded of your generous heart, and of the many years we have known each other, the happiness we have experienced, and never a ripple of discord between us. May God bless you, dear old fellow, and make your remaining years the best and happiest of your whole life.
"As for me, why, when the seventieth milestone is passed, there can't be many more on the road. Well, it doesn't matter much. I know in whom I have be-
27
lieved, and I am sure He will keep that which I have committed to Him against that day."
When the Bishopric of Pennsylvania was to the fore Phillips Brooks wrote to Dr. Cooper :-
"A paper to-day says that my name is mentioned. Cooper, if my name is really mentioned for the assis- tant bishopric, in caucus or convention, I authorize you and charge you to withdraw it absolutely by authority from me. Under no circumstances could I accept the place. This is absolute, and I rely on you. I shall be off somewhere in New Mexico when your election takes place and shall know nothing about it ; so I rely on you. I have written this to nobody else, and I rely entirely on you."
To this letter Dr. Cooper replied, declining to abide by his decision. He took the liberty of an old friend, who, in an emergency, demands compliance with his wishes, and stated the only condition on which he would allow him to say that he would not accept :-
"Unless you have made up your mind never to accept the office of Bishop, you must recede from your decision. If you have fully decided that you never will accept any diocese, why then you must reiterate your orders."
Dr. Brooks responded at once to this state- ment of the case :-
"No, my dear Cooper, it would be a delight to live in the same town with you again, and be once more together, as we were when we were boys, but I could
28
not be Bishop of Pennsylvania even for that. So you must withdraw my name absolutely if it is offered, for under no circumstances could I accept the office. Once more, I rely on you ! All blessings on you always."
After his election to the Bishopric of Massa- chusetts he wrote :-
"The bishops have more or less reluctantly con- sented and I am to be consecrated in Trinity, Boston, on the 14th of October. And you will come, won't you ? I know you do not like such things, but this is mine. And we have loved each other all these years, and it will make the episcopate sweeter and easier always to remember that your kindly face looked on at the cere- mony, and that your beloved voice joined in the pray- ers! I want you more than all the rest! I shall keep you a room under my own roof, and it is not likely I shall get you there again, for I must move into the old house where bishops live, on Chestnut Street, sometime this autumn.
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