USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > Wilkes-Barre > A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania : from its first beginnings to the present time, including chapters of newly-discovered early Wyoming Valley history, together with many biographical sketches and much genealogical material. Volume IV > Part 10
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The occasion of Christmas, 1817, brought about the first open break be- tween local congregations. A century ago Christmas day awakened no antici- pations in the young and brought to their elders no idea of an interchange of evidences of good will. The idea of making it a religious holiday had its origin , from the earliest centuries, among the older churches in Europe, but was aban- doned by certain of the reformers, especially the Puritans, and filtered but slowly into the minds and practices of their followers in America.
... To the Congregationalist and Methodist tenants of the Square meeting house; the day meant merely a formal reference to the event. The Episcopalians had preserved some of the measure of cheer which always pervaded England at this season. In compliance with their ideas of brightening up the interior of the meeting house for a Christmas service, ladies of the latter congregation. under the leadership of Mrs. Samuel Bowman, wife of a then lay reader who was acting head of the local congregation in absence of a regular rector, trimmed the.pulpit and balcony with evergreens. This aroused the Puritanical ire of the Congregationalists in particular. The decorations were ordered to be taken down.
This request being refused on the part of the Episcopalians, the offending greenery was forcibly removed by professors of the sterner faith.
1855
The breach thus opened was never healed in the earlier existence of these two congregations. Worship, however, was continued in the old meeting house until December, 1821, when the Episcopalians determined to sell their rights in the building to the two remain- ing congregations and start in quest of an edifice of their own. Largely through efforts of Judge David Scott, sufficient funds were in hand by January 15th of the following year to purchase a lot on the site of the present splendid edifice and parish houses of St. Stephens, and contractors were invited to bid on what became the first strictly sec- tarian church building within the limits of Wilkes-Barré. A descrip- tion of the structure may be gath- OLD EPISCOPAL CHURCH (ERECTED 1824) ered from the reproduction of an old drawing published herewith.
The slow processes of construction, hampered, as might be imagined, by a lack of funds. delayed the completion of the building until early summer of 1824. On June 14th the church was consecrated by Bishop White.
When, in the year 1896, on a Christmas Eve, almost eighty years after the Yuletide dispute of 1817,* the third building erected on the site of the first was visited by a disastrous fire, Dr. Frederick C. Johnson, then editor of the Wilkes-Barre Record, wrote an interesting account of the history of the Epis- copal Church in Wyoming Valley. As no previous mention of this history has been made in these volumes, this painstaking effort is given at length in this Chapter as a merited portion of its narrative:
"St. Stephen's church has had an organized existence of seventy-five years. Rev. Bernard Page of the Church of England, ordained by the Lord Bishop of London for "Wyoming Parish, Pennsylvania," Aug. 24, 1772, was the first Protestant Episcopal minister to officiate in this section. Owing to the great political disturbances of that date, Mr. Page did not long remain in the valley, but retired to Virginia, where he ministered as assistant to Rev. Bryan, Lord Fairfax. No other minister of the Episcopal Church is known to have visited these parts until 1814, when that 'Apostle of the Northwest,' Rt. Rev. Jackson Kemper, D. D., held divine services in the old Wilkes-Barre Academy, and stirred up the church people of the village of Wilkes-Barré. The first baptism recorded was performed by him Dec. 8, 1814. Who officiated during the next three years cannot be learned. No definite steps were taken to organize a parish until Sept. 19, 1817, when the church people met together and elected the first vestry, applied for a charter, which was granted Oct. 17, 1817, and engaged the services of Rev. Richard Sharpe Mason, D. D. "Dr. Mason was succeeded by Rev. Dr. Phinney. His ministry here was brief, and no record exists of his work.
"In 1819, Rev. Manning R. Roche became the missionary at St. Stephen's. The Sunday School had been organized in 1818, by Hon. David Scott, the President Judge of the district, then the only male communicant of the church here, and the parish appears to have been prosperous. But Mr. Roche retired from the parish in 1820, and from the ministry in 1822. During the next two years, 1821-1822. the services were conducted by Samuel Bowman, a lay reader, whose con- nection with St. Stephen's is worthy of notice. Born in Wilkes-Barre, May 21, 1800, ordained deacon by Bishop White, Aug. 25, 1823, he was, after a successful ministry of thirty-five years, at Lancaster and Easton, elected Assistant Bishop of Pennsylvania and consecrated Aug. 25, 1858. He died in 1861.
"St. Stephen's parish was admitted to the convention, May 2, 1821.
"During the previous years her people had worshipped in the old frame building, 'Old Ship Zion,' which had been erected by the joint contributions of the various Christian bodies in the town.
*It might be mentioned, in proof of a wholly different spirit of cordiality existing between churches of a later period that, at the time of this fire, practically all the Catholic churches of the valley were placed at the disposal of Dr. Jone- for the conduct of services of his congregation on thefollowing Sunday, as was the Jewish synagogue and many edifice, of other Protestant churches.
1856
"It was determined, Dec. 27, 1821, to sell the right of St. Stephen's parish in this building, and to purchase a lot and erect a church.
"This edifice was a low frame building, painted white, with a gable end to the street, a flight of half a dozen steps leading up to a long porch.
"During a portion of 1823, the services were in charge of Rev. Samuel Sitgraves, who, in December of that year, was succeeded by Rev. Enoch Huntington, who remained until 1826. He was succeeded, in February, 1827, by Rev. James May, D. D. During the ten years' ministry of this godly man, the church in Wilkes-Barre from being a feeble missionary station, grew to be what it has ever since continued, one of the strongest and most effective parishes of the Epis- copal Church in this section of the diocese.
"Dr. May was succeeded, in 1837, by Rev. William James Clark, who remained until 1840, when Rev. Robert Bethel Claxton, S. T. D., entered upon the charge of the parish.
"After six years of zealous and faithful labor, he resigned, in 1846, to enter upon other important fields of duty.
"It was during Dr. Claxton's ministry (and in his judgment largely due to the faithful service of his predecessor, Dr. May,) that such men as Hon. John N. Conyngham, Hon. George W. Woodward, Volney L. Maxwell, DeWitt Clinton Loop and others of ability and influence, became active and zealous communicants.
"For six months after the departure of Dr. Claxton, the parish was in charge of Rev. Charles DeKay Cooper, D. D.
"Rev. George D. Miles took charge of the parish as rector, April 1, 1848. During the eigh- teen years of his earnest and active ministry, the parish was blessed with large successes. In 1852, the increase of the congregation was such as to demand enlarged accommodations. The church building, erected in 1822, was a frame structure of one story, with a tower at the northwest corner. The Sunday School met in a building a square distant.
"It was decided to erect an edifice of brick. In March, 1853, Rev. Mr. Miles preached his last sermon in the old edifice. The new building was erected by D. A. Fell, yet living, and had a capacity of 600. The first service was held in the basement on Christmas Day 1853.
"The building was consecrated April 19, 1855, by Bishop Alonzo Potter.
"Rev. R. H. Williamson succeeded Rev. Mr. Miles, in 1866, and remained until 1874, when he was deposed from the ministry. During 1874, the parish had the services of the late Rev. Chauncey Colton, D. D. On the second Sun- day in November, in that same year, the present rector, Henry L. Jones. S. T. D, took charge, and has served with the greatest acceptability ever since. During the last ten years he has declined calls to several metropolitan pulpits, and has, in more than one instance, withheld his name when he was so- licited to become a candidate for the bishopric. His ties are all one in Wilkes-Barre, and he would not willingly break them. From time to time the local work has gone on increasing until the parish of St. Stephen's became almost a diocese of itself, with Dr. Jones as bishop. He has had various assistants, the present ones being Rev. Horace E. Hayden, who has been here since 1879; Rev. Walter D. Johnson, who came in 1894, and is now in charge of Calvary Church; Rev. J. P. Ware, Plymouth, and Rev. Dr. D. W. Coxe, Nanticoke and Alden .*
Entertaining different doctrinal views schooled in theology of a different atmos- phere, it is small wonder that the two con- gregations which shared the privileges of "Old Ship Zion" were shortly to engage in further controversy.
The Congregationalists, superior in umbers and doubtless in influence, be- REV. HENRY L. JONES, D. D. gan to assert what was thought to be their due. As early as the fall of 1818,
*Owing to failing health, Dr. Jones sent in his resignation, June 4, 1914, to become effective upon completion of forty years of active service, November 1, 1914. The beloved rector did not live to round out the two score years of service, however, his death occurring June 17th, of that year, at Wilkes-Barre. The Rev. Frank William Sterrett, his assistant, was called to the vacancy thus created, and January 11, 1915, assumed the full duties of the rectorship. Under his administration, the church continued to increase in membership and influence. In 1923, the need for larger quarters to house the growing parish activities of the church became apparent, whereupon Mr. and Mrs. William H. Conyngham and their son William H. Conyngham 2d. presented to the church a commodious building, formerly oc- cupied by the Westmoreland Club, as a memorial to William L. Conyngham and Olivia Hilliard Conyngham, his wife. The latter building was joined to a new structure in the rear, finished in the same year and known as the Rev. Dr Henry L. Jone- Memorial, thus giving the church one of the most complete and best appointed parish houses in the State. Scarcely had this dedication occurred than announcement was made that Rev. Mr. Sterrett had been elected Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese of Bethlehem, thus necessitating his resignation. He was formally inducted into his new office with elaborate ceremonies in the church, on November 9, 1923, and later the Rev. F. L. Flinchbaugh, D. D., of Cincinnati, was called to the rectorship of St. Stephens.
1857
the following incident, of the strife then existing in connection with a warfare that gained more than local fame, is recorded in Pearce (p. 284) :
"About this time a dispute arose between the Presbyterians and Methodist Episcopalians, respecting the occupancy of the church in Wilkes-Barre, the former asserting their exclusive right, and the latter declaring it was a Union church, towards the construction of which they had liberally contributed.
" 'When Greeks joined Greeks, Then was the tug of war.'
"The Presbyterians held the keys, and the doors were locked against the invading Methodists. Committees were appointed by the outs, but the ins refused to confer. At length the followers of Wesley assembled in the court house, and resolved to enter the church at all hazards. They accordingly, with the approval of their pastor, the Rev. Morgan Sherman, appointed Joseph Slocum, Abraham Thomas, Daniel Collings, and others, a Committee to Storm the Lord's House. Mr. Slocum forced the windows with a crowbar, and Mr. Thomas, like Samp- son at Gaza, lifted the door from its hinges. The people entered the building, and, by direction of James McClintock, Esq., attorney for the Methodists, broke the locks from the pulpit and pew doors. Mr. Sherman then approached the sacred desk, and commenced the religious worship by giving out the hymn commencing,
" 'Equip me for the war, And teach my hands to fight.''
"In his opening prayer the minister thanked the Lord for many things, but particularly that they could 'worship under their own vine and fig tree, few daring to molest and none to make them afraid.' At the close of his discourse Mr. Sherman said, 'With the permission of Divine Providence, I will preach in this house again in two weeks from to-day.' Whereupon Oristus Collins, Esq., arose and said, 'At that time this church will be occupied by another congregation.' Mr. Sherman repeated his notice, and Mr. Collins repeated his reply, after which the benediction was pronounced, and the congregation quietly dispersed.
"On another occasion the Methodists entered the church, on Sunday morning, in advance of the Presbyterians. Just as the Rev. Benjamin Bidlack was about giving ont the first hymn, Matthias Hollenback, Esq., accompanied by the Rev. Mr. Tracy, a Presbyterian clergyman, entered the house, and walking a few steps up the aisle, thus addressed the preacher, 'What are you doing here?' 'Page 144, short metre,' said Mr. Bidlack. 'What is that you say?' inquired Mr. Hollenback. 'I say, page 144, short metre,' was the reply. Whereupon Mr. Hollenback and the Rev. Mr. Tracy retired from the church, while Mr. Bidlack proceeded with the religious exercises.
"A full detail of this religious war would be long and tedious. It was finally terminated by the sale of the Presbyterian interest in the building to the Methodists. They occupied it for a number of years, when it was sold to a company; and in 1857, it was taken down and removed."
By some form of truce, the terms of which are not referred to by news- papers of the time, nor by contemporaneous writers, the Methodist congregation, in the interests of peace, fitted up the second floor of the adjacent Court House for their use. One of the rare references in public prints to the whole matter is found in the Susquehanna Democrat on April 5, 1822, as follows:
"In the Borough of Wilkesbarre, they have a handsome and commodious Presbyterian Church. The second story of the Court House is conveniently fitted up for the purpose and is occupied as a place of worship by the Methodist Society. Clergymen of the Baptist Society occasionally preached in the Court room."
The early history of the Congregational church down to the pastorate of Rev. Art Hoyt, has been referred to in a previous chapter of this History.
The later affairs of the church were interestingly narrated by Sheldon Reynolds, Esq., under title of "A History of the First Presbyterian Church," published in pamphlet form, in 1899, a summary of which may well find space here:
"The year following Mr. Hoyt's departure (1818) Mr. Hutchins Taylor, a missionary of the New York Evangelical Society, was minister in charge. He assumed the duties with a view of permanent settlement, and near the close of his term he received a formal call to become the pastor of the Church, at a salary of $600. He declined the invitation, as he was to assume the same relation to the Kingston congregation, now about to form a new Church. The increase in the membership of the Church at this time, especially of the Kingston part of the congregation, through the preaching of Messrs. Taylor and Barrows, seemed to warrant a division of the con- gregation and the organization of another church. Other reasons also for a division were urged by the Kingston people. The Presbytery of the Susquehanna accordingly, March 2d, 1819 divided the Churches of Wilkes-Barre and Kingston, the members in Kingston constituting a separate Church, Mr. Hutchins Taylor becoming its first pastor. He was a devout, laborious and humble minister; his pastoral relations extended over a period of three years.
1858
"The Rev. Eleazer S. Barrows also preached occasionally during this time, 1817 to 1821. "The Rev. D. Moulton was stated supply 1819 and 1820, and in the following year he preached in Wilkes-Barre, Kingston and Newport. A much worn subscription paper bearing the familiar names of many in the congregation attests the fact that an carnest effort was made to pay Mr. Moulton for his services. He may have remained in this field of labor for a longer time .*
"During the period of five years succeeding 1817 there were added to the Church thirty- seven members and twenty-one were dismissed to unite with the Kingston Church.
"Early in the spring of 1818, the first Sunday School in Wilkes-Barre or in this vicinity, was established under the auspices of this Church by certain of its members. An incident worthy of remark relative to the establishment of this Sunday School is that on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the school, Hon. Oristus Collins, the superintendent in 1818, was present and de- livered an address on the organization and work of the school.
"Mr. Hutchins Taylor having severed his pastoral relations with the Church in Kingston, the two Churches again uniting, called, June 15, 1821, the Rev. Cyrus Gildersleeve. He accepted the call and continued in this charge until 1826 when he gave up his relations with the Church in Kingston, and thereafter, until the year 1829, was pastor of the Wilkes-Barre Church alone. He was succeeded in the Kingston Church by Rev. James Wood who had assisted him in his labors in the two Churches.
"Mr. Gildersleeve resigned in 1829, but continued for a time to preach in the vicinity as a mi sionary. Like his predecessors, Mr. Gildersleeve, in addition to his regular duties, was ac- customed to preach in Hanover, Newport, Pittston and other neighboring villages. During his pastorate there were two revivals of religion -one in 1822, when thirty members were re- ceived into the Church on profession, besides a number added to the Kingston Church; and another in 1826, when nearly fifty were united with the Church. Some of these, said Dr. Dorrance, were residents of Hanover, New- port, Pittston, Providence, etc., and became the foundation of separate Churches. The whole number added during Mr. Gildersleeve's iministry of eight years, was 129; on profes- sion ninety-five, by certificate thirty-four.
"This Church for a period of more than fifty years after its organization had been under the auspices of Yale College. Among the institutions of learning, Yale College was the chief representative of the Congrega- tional Church; inost of its ministers were edu - cated there; its traditions were preserved there; and its main support and strength were thence drawn.
"In 1829, the Rev. Nicholas Murrayt was called and accepted the pastorate of this Church. He had been educated at Williams College and had studied at the Princeton Theological Seminary. Through his in- strumentality the Church became Presby- erian in name as well as in government. Since this date Princeton College has exer- cised a like influence and borne the same re- FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Dedicated, 1833 lationship toward this Church that Yale Col- lege had established prior to this time. An unbroken succession of men, graduates in both the academical and theological departments of Princeton College, have for more than sixty years formed its pastorate.
"In August, 1829, the Churches of Wilkes-Barre and Kingston joined in a call to the Rev. Nicholas Murray. In the month of June, this year, Mr. Murray had accepted an appointment
*The following is a list of Ministers of the First Presbyterian Church : The Rev. Jacob Johnson, A. M ..
.1772-1790
The Rev. Nathaniel Thayer, D. D.
1791-1792
The Rev. Jabez Chadwick,
The Rev. James W. Woodward ;
The Rev. Ard Hoyt. . 1806-1817
The Rev. Hutchins Taylor (Missionary) 1817-1818
The Rev. D. Moulton (Supply) 1819-1820
The Rev. Cyrus Gildersleeve. 1821-1829
The Rev. Nicholas Murray, D D. 1829-1833
The Rev. John Dorrance. D. D 1833-1861
The Rev. Archibald A. Ilodge, D. D., LL. D. 1861-1864
The Rev. Samuel B. Dod, A. M. 1864-1868
The Rev. Francis B. Hodge, S. T. D 1869-1904
The Rev. Edward G. Fullerton, Ph. D., D D 1904-1910
The Rev. James M. Farr, D. D. 1911-1924
The Rev. Paul Silas Heath 1924-
Missionary Preachers.
fDr. Murray was born in Ireland, December 25, 1802; he was bred in the Roman Catholic faith, but after coming to this country he embraced the Protestant religion. He was educated at Williams College, graduating in 1826, and afterwards was graduated from the Princeton Theological Seminary in 1843; his alma mater conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity. After leaving Wilkes-Barré he continued in the pastorate of the Elizabeth Church until his death, February 4, 1861. He gained great reputation through his controversial letters to Bishop Hughes of the Roman Catholic Church, over the non de plume of "Kirwan."
1859
of a mission from the Board of Missions of the General Assembly to the borough of Wilkes- Barre, for two months. During this engagement, he became acquainted with the people and the field of labor, and when he received the call of the Churches he took time to deliberate. He looked upon the Church of Wilkes-Barre as in a inost distracted state There were two parties in it who differed on most subjects affecting the Church's welfare. After, however, prescribing certain conditions, one of which was 'that the Church of Wilkes-Barre become previous to my ordination, Presbyterian,' he accepted the call and was duly ordained and installed pastor of these Churches November 4, 1829. At a meeting of the Church and congregation held September 8, 1829, the change in the form of Church government was made in accordance with the condition stated.
'By his advice the congregation was induced to sell their interest in the old Church 'Ship Zion' to the Methodist congregation, and to build a Church more suited to their uses. The Church then built cost something more than $4,000 exclusive of the lot, which was the gift of the late Judge Matthias Hollenback. One thousand dollars were received from the Methodist congre- gation for the old meeting house and applied on the payment of the new Church building, S1,200 were raised by Mr. Murray from churches in other places, the rest was paid by this congregation excepting $650 which remained as a debt and burden on the Church for some years. The building was situated on Franklin street on the lot now occupied by the Osterhout Free library ; it contained sixty-two pews and had a seating capacity of about four hundred
"In his effort to secure the means to build this Church Dr. Murray visited other congre- gations; in making an appeal for aid to the First Presbyterian Church, of Elizabeth, N. J., the people were so impressed by his sermon that they soon afterwards, upon the resignation of their pastor, Dr. McDowell, called him to be their pastor. During Dr. Murray's pastorate here of less than four years there were received into the Church sixty-six, fifty on profession and sixteen by letter. The call of the First Presbyterian Church of Elizabeth, he accepted, and was installed in that charge on the 23d of June, 1833.
"Rev. John Dorrance* succeeded Dr. Murray in the pastorate and was installed August 22, 1833. On the same day the Church building, just referred to, was dedicated. Dr. Dorrance's relations to this community were somewhat different from those of liis predecessors; he was at home here and among his own people; his family had been resident here since the settlement of the place; his acquaintance with the people was general; he knew of their early struggles, their losses and their bereavements nearly as well as though he had had part in them. He was not de- pendent upon his salary for his support. He entered upon his mission with great earnestness and resolute purposes; his zeal in the work was strong and continuous; he strove to discharge his duty here as the pastor of this Church, and to so build up and invigorate it that its influence and power might be felt throughout this region in the upbuilding of other Churches and gathering together of many congregations. The Church became not only self-sustaining, but was able to lend aid to other communities, and help in the organization of other Churches.
*The following biography of Dr. Dorrance was written by Oscar Jewell Harvey and published in the Yearbook of the First Presbyterian Church 1915-1916.
The eighth pastor of this Church was the Rev. John Dorrance, D. D. who served it faithfully and well for twenty - eight years, until his death in 1861. He was a native of Wyoming Valley, being a grandson of Lieut. Col. George Dorrance (who fell at the battle of Wyoming, July 3, 1778), and was a great-grandson of the Rev. Samuel Dorrance of Voluntown, Windham County, Connecticut.
According to the best authorities the Dorrance ancestors of Samuel Dorrance were originally French Huguenots, who, driven from their native land by religious persecution, settled in Scotland, whence they emigrated to the North of Ireland at some time between 1666 and 1685-during the period of the persecution of the Covenanter, Samuel Dorrance was born in 1685, and having been graduated at Glasgow University was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Dumbarton in 1711. During the next few years he served as pastor of Churches in two or three different localities in Scotland, and then was settled over a Presbyterian Church in a village in the North of Ireland. There he remained until 1719, when, either in company with, or closely following, his brothers John and George Dorrance, he emi- grated to America.
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