USA > Pennsylvania > Lycoming County > Williamsport > Chronicles of Christ Church Parish, Williamsport, Pa., 1840-1896 > Part 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11
Soon after the beginning of Mr. Graff's rectorship ex- tensive alterations were made to the rectory, one of which was the addition of the part containing the study. These improve- ments cost $3,200.
The vested choir of boys and men was introduced with a special service of admission to the choir on Wednesday even- ing, March 28th, 1888, and sang its first service Easter even-
1 "Wadleigh Chapel," as "St. Mary's," became a separate parish in June, 1894. [Ed.]
63
MR. GRAFF'S RECTORSHIP
ing, April Ist. The roster of the choir showed the following names : Trebles-Dayton Runkle, Robert Gilmore, Jerry Blue, James A. Heller, John A. Hollyhead, Frederick Zahn, Robert H. Stead, Harry H. Ryder, Oliver Grove, Fred. A. Perley, Charles Heathcote, Harry Whitman, David Caldwell, George Zimmer, John S. Graff, and Robert L. Stead; Tenors -Messrs. Robert H. Munson, William Zahn, G. H. Parke, and A. P. Bishop; Basses-Messrs. J. H. Berkley, H. B. Woodruff, G. P. Crocker, and Newton Chatham.
Mr. Graff's warm-hearted sympathy with the sick and poor made his rectorship notable for kindly ministrations to all in affliction. The purchase of two lots in Wildwood Cem- etery and the gift of one in the old Washington Street Ceme- tery, known as "Christ Church lots," provided a burying place for the poor. A comfortable reclining chair for the sick was also added to the parish equipment.
The first year of Mr. Graff's plan of systematic offerings for missions, in the collection of which he was assisted by the "Missionary Staff" of women workers, yielded $392.69, almost the $400 he had hoped for. His plan was to "lump" the ob- jects together, and then to disburse the offerings as follows : Fifty per cent. to Diocesan Missions, 15 per cent. to Domestic Missions, 15 per cent. to Foreign Missions, and 5 per cent. each to Negro Missions, Indian Missions, the American Church Building Fund, and Theological Education.
Mr. Woodruff resigned the assistantship near the end of 1888, and the Rev. David Stuart Hamilton, a recent graduate of the General Theological Seminary, took his place the follow- ing June. Mr. Hamilton's salary was $600 at first, which was later raised to $800, and finally to $1,000, when he was called to the rectorship of Trinity Church, West Pittston, at $1,200. He was influenced to decline this call by petitions to have him stay in Williamsport, which were signed by 81 of St. Mary's people and 97 of St. John's. A few months later, however, he accepted a call to the rectorship of St. Paul's, Columbia, and terminated his connection with Christ Church November 16,
64
CHRONICLES OF CHRIST CHURCH PARISH
1890.1 Meantime he had been advanced to the priesthood by Bishop Rulison, in Christ Church, on April 27th, 1890. The sermon on this occasion was preached by Mr. Graff and the candidate presented by the Rev. E. J. Balsley. Confirmation and the Holy Communion were also administered at the same service.
During Mr. Graff's rectorship began the custom of having the winter session of the "Convocation," afterwards (1889) called "Archdeaconry," held alternately in Christ Church Parish and Trinity Parish. During this time also the Rev. J. M. Koehler began to make occasional visits to Williamsport for the purpose of holding services and social meetings for the deaf-mutes of the city and vicinity. In 1889 the Woman's Auxiliary, on account of the long distances in the Diocese, began to hold archidiaconal meetings, each Archdeaconry hav- ing its own Organizing Secretary. Mrs. Graff was the first Organizing Secretary of the Williamsport Archdeaconry.
A disastrous flood in June, 1889, did much damage to the church building and rectory, as throughout the lower parts of the city. It took a long time to recover from the effects of this calamity. The flood was so extensive that it impover- ished many families, seriously affected the fortunes and busi- ness prosperity of the most substantial citizens, and made no small number of the poor for some time dependent on the charity of other parts of the country. The Rev. Mr. Graff was a member of the Flood Relief Committee which handled and disbursed the moneys received from outside. The church building still shows the effects of the flood, and much of its furnishings had to be renewed. The organ also had to be re- paired, which was done by the organist, Mr. Hills.
A summary by the Rector in the parish paper of what had been accomplished within a few months after this calamity, is
1 Mr. Hamilton was succeeded by the Rev. Lansing Swan Hum- phrey, and the latter by Rev. Morris Washington Christman, on July 3, 1891. Mr. Christman's work at St. Mary's, which resulted in its becoming a separate parish, is recorded in the chapter, "Summary Notes; Wadleigh (St. Mary's) Chapel." [Ed.]
65
MR. GRAFF'S RECTORSHIP
very interesting. He says: "Vestry-room vastly improved ; Sunday School room been made one of the prettiest in the city ; infant school room newly furnished; tower vestibule en- tirely renovated and decorated; beautiful brass eagle-lectern given as a memorial, and an exquisite brass font-ewer, one of the most elegant in the country; a piano added to the guild room ; and altar-cloths and antependia, far in advance of those lost in the flood, have come or are coming to beautify the chancel," and he adds, with evident pride and gratification, "Verily a new life seems flowing through the parish veins." To these notes should also be added the fact that the church was re-carpeted by the Mothers' Meeting at a cost of about $300, and that the pews were re-cushioned from a fund col- lected for the purpose by Misses Helen Stiltz and Elizabeth Parsons.
The efficiency of the spiritual work of the year 1889-90 is indicated by the fact that the baptisms in the parish that year numbered over 100, and that 66 persons were confirmed in the Spring, divided among the several congregations as follows : Christ Church, 17; Wadleigh Chapel, 24; St. John's Chapel, 25.
A second freshet, May 20-21, 1894, fortunately less exten- sive than the one five years before, did some damage, however, and made the necessity of a new organ more imperative.
A Beneficial Association was organized during Mr. Graff's third year, which was intended especially for railroad men, mill men, laboring men, and, as the prospectus adds, "in fact, all classes." The initiation fee was 50c., the monthly dues 6oc., with the promise of $5.00 a week sick benefits. Free medical attendance was to be available at all times, funeral benefits were to be assessed and a reorganization ef- fected every year with a pro-rata return to the members of any surplus contained in the treasury. Any man between 16 and 50 was eligible for membership on producing a medical certificate of good health. The preliminary meeting was held November 8, 1889, and the association organized November 22, with 40 members. The officers were: President, the Rector, e.v- officio; first vice-president, Mr. A. P. Perley; second vice-
66
CHRONICLES OF CHRIST CHURCH PARISH
president, Mr. Aaron F. Fry; treasurer, Prof. Samuel Tran- seau ; financial secretary, Mr. C. V. Runkle; recording secre- tary, Mr. J. E. Colket; physicians, Drs. Louis Schneider and L. G. Baker. A year later, 80 per cent. of the old members, 68 in number, were re-elected.
In October, 1889, the Sunday School library numbered 300 books. Mr. C. LaRue Munson, who had become super- intendent of the Sunday School in 1882, served throughout this period and did much to stimulate interest in the study of the Church Catechism and other lessons by the gift of Prayer Books and other rewards of merit.
Constant interest in the Williamsport Hospital and Home for the Friendless was shown by the Rector and parishioners. As already noted, extensive alterations were made to the rec- tory in 1889. The guild hall, or parish house, was heated with steam in 1890, and carriage sheds were built on the rear of the church lot. Ventilators were put on the parish house in 1890. An artistic and substantial brass pulpit in memory of Dr. Hopkins, the work of Oscar Luetke, was erected in the church by popular subscription of the parishioners, in 1892, at a cost of nearly $575. A portrait executed by Mr. Charles Crawford was also hung in the parish house, where it still is. The choir-room was enlarged in 1891. St. John's Chapel was moved forward on its lot in 1890.
Chiefest of the material improvements which marked Mr. Graff's rectorship was the completion of the church tower at a cost of $5,300. The first gift towards this object was $100 in gold and came anonymously. Soon after it was announced that two members of the Vestry had agreed to give $500 apiece. Later on it came to be known that these two donors were the wardens, Messrs. Perkins and Brown. The tower was carried up in 1891 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the parish, 22 years after the building of the church and 12 years after its consecration. The last named event had marked the extinction of the debt incurred by its erection. As Mr. Graff said, the completion of the tower was "a fitting memorial of a half century's prosperity."
67
MR. GRAFF'S RECTORSHIP
The celebration of the semi-centennial anniversary was held with great rejoicing on Quinquagesima Sunday, Feb- ruary 8th, 1891. A reception was held on the evening before in the rectory to meet the Bishop of the Diocese (Dr. Howe) and Mrs. Howe, the Bishop of Maryland (Dr. Paret) and Mrs. Paret, and the Rev. George C. Foley, rector of Trinity Parish, and Mrs. Foley. It was attended by a large number of parishioners and other Churchmen and citizens of Wil- liamsport, notwithstanding the very stormy night. The morn- ing service at Trinity Church was given up the next day and the Rev. Mr. Foley and his people joined the clergy and people of Williamsport's mother-parish in their rejoicings. The services of the day were: Morning Prayer at 9:00 o'clock; sermon and Holy Communion at 10:30; union service of the three Sunday Schools of the parish at 3:00 P. M .; and a union service of the guilds of the parish in the evening at 7:00 o'clock.
The church was crowded for the morning service. In the procession were the vestries of Christ Church and Trinity Church, the choir, the reverend rectors of the two parishes, the assistant of Christ Church (the Rev. Mr. Humphrey), the general missionary of the Diocese (the Rev. S. P. Kelly), the Bishop of Maryland and the Bishop of the Diocese. The pro- cessional hymn was-
"O 'twas a joyful sound to hear Our tribes devoutly say- Up, Israel, to the temple haste, And keep your festal day."
Letters of regret for their absence were read from two former rectors, the Rev. Drs. Hopkins and Clemson, and from the Rev. Dr. Stone, Rector of Grace Church, Philadelphia, which had liberally fostered our Williamsport parish in its early days. Dr. Hopkins sent his blessing, and note was made that Dr. Clemson had entered into rest soon after pen- ning his letter.
After a brief congratulatory address had been made by the Bishop of the Diocese, the Bishop of Maryland preached a
68
CHRONICLES OF CHRIST CHURCH PARISH
strong, earnest sermon on the text: "As every man hath re- ceived the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God" (I Pet. 4:10). The hymn, "Now thank we all our God," was sung as the recessional.
The floral decoration of the church on this occasion was a notable feature, flowers having been sent from Philadelphia to grace the windows in memory of Chief Justice Lewis and Mr. F. C. Campbell. Mrs. Wiley, daughter of the former, and one of the first persons baptized in the parish, came from Bethlehem for the day; as did also from his home Mr. N. Ferree Lightner, son of the priest who began Church services in Williamsport.
Major James H. Perkins, who had been Vestry's Warden since 1867, died July 15, 1893. In 1894 Mr. Edgar Munson1 was elected by the Vestry as his successor.
1 Edgar Munson was born April 21, 1820, in Greenfield, Saratoga County, N. Y., of New England Puritan ancestry. He was educated in the common schools in the neighborhood and at academies at Manchester and Bennington, Vt. He entered mercantile life as a clerk at the age of 15, and became a partner in the firm of Merri- man, Munson & Company, at the age of 27. In 1854 he became finan- cially interested in lumber, and in 1864, in company with Col. S. W. Starkweather, purchased mills in Williamsport, to which place he removed in 1870. Mr. Munson at different times was a member of the firms of John R. Cook & Company, Slonaker, Howard & Com- pany, and Starkweather & Munson, a director and president of the Syracuse, Geneva and Corning Railroad, president of the West Branch Lumber Company, largely interested in the Kettle Creek Coal Mining Company, a director of the Lycoming Rubber Com- pany, president of the Williamsport National Bank and of the Citizens Water and Gas Company.
On June 15, 1852, he married Lucy Maria Curtis, by whom he had three sons, Cyrus LaRue, Robert H., and Edwin C. He was a member of Christ Church Vestry 1874-1901, and Vestry's Warden 1894-1901. His death occurred May 25, 1901.
His son Cyrus LaRue was elected to the Vestry during his lifetime, and since his death his grandson, Edgar Munson, has also been elected to that body.
A window to the memory of Mr. Munson and his wife was un- veiled on All Saints' Day, November, 1906. [Ed.]
69
MR. GRAFF'S RECTORSHIP
One noticeable feature of Mr. Graff's rectorship was the corporate attendance at service from time to time of various lodges, military organizations, etc., on special occasions of public worship: such as, for example, Reno Post, G. A. R .; . Baldwin Commandery, K. T .; the Twelfth Regiment, Penn- sylvania Volunteers, etc.
An industrial school was started at St. John's Chapel about March, 1889.
The parochial branch of the Woman's Auxiliary to the Board of Missions of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, organized during Dr. Hopkins's rectorship, has throughout its long history been an important agency of the parish in fostering interest in the Church's larger work, and in contributing to its support by gifts of money and valuable "missionary boxes" packed with useful articles designed to supplement the meagre stipends of missionary priests in various parts of our land, or to help maintain schools, orphan- ages, and hospitals in the mission field at home and abroad. The estimated value of the boxes sent from this parish proba- bly amounts to thousands of dollars. The grateful letters of the recipients of this bounty from time to time are a sufficient, as they are also often a most touching, reward for the thought and labor and sacrifice expended in the preparation of the boxes.
A Mothers' Meeting, held at first under the name of the "Woman's Evening Club," was started October 26, 1888, to give hard-working women a pleasant social evening with op- portunity for doing some "Church work," such as sewing and quilting, with which was combined a little reading and a short, bright service.
An interesting side-light on the faithful diligence of the clergy at this time is. afforded by the statement in the parish paper that they had eight appointments every Sunday and walked eight miles to fill them. Major Perkins and Dr. Saylor-Brown soon after put their horses and carriages at the disposal of the clergy on Sunday afternoon.
The Ministering Children's League was organized under
70
CHRONICLES OF CHRIST CHURCH PARISH
Miss Mary Smythe in May, 1890. Mrs. H. Packer provided the little girls with badges. The motto of the society was, "One kind deed every day." Some six months after their or- ganization Bishop Hare, of South Dakota, visited the parish, and the little girls became so interested in his Indian work that they decided to devote their efforts to aiding it, which they did.
On January 12, 1895, a fire in the parish house damaged the guild rooms and roof to the amount of nearly $1,700, which was covered by insurance.
It would be impossible in brief compass to do justice to the manifold and abundant activity of the various guilds and of individual parishioners during this period, under Mr. Graff's ceaseless and indefatigable leadership.
On May 5th, 1896, Mr. Graff's rectorship ended, and the Rev. W. H. Burbank soon after became locum tenens pending the election of a rector.
THE REV. EDWARD HENRY ECKEL RECTOR 1896-1905
MR. ECKEL'S RECTORSHIP.1 1896-1905.
MRS. CHRISTMAN SET APART AS DEACONESS-CONSECRATION AND D RENOVATION OF ST. JOHN'S-WORK IN AND THROUGHOUT THE PARISH.
The Rev. Edward Henry Eckel,2 to whose zeal and un- tiring energy Christ Church, Williamsport, is indebted for its interesting and painstaking history down to the beginning of his own rectorship, began his official connection with the parish on All Saints' Day, Sunday, November 1, 1896.
Immediately on Mr. Eckel's taking charge of the parish, the matter of repledging the whole parish for parochial ex-
1 This chapter has been contributed by Miss Mary Smythe. [Ed.]
2 The Rev. Edward Henry Eckel was born in New Orleans, La., November 5, 1862, and graduated from Rugby Academy, Wilming- ton, Del., 1880; B. A. from Delaware College, Newark, Del., 1886, and B. D. from the General Theological Seminary, N. Y. City, 1889. He was ordained deacon by Bishop Coleman, of Delaware, in Holy Trinity (Old Swedes') Church, Wilmington, June 16, 1889, and priest in St. James's Church, near Stanton, Del., May 28, 1890. He married Miss Anna Todd Reynolds, in St. Andrew's Church, Wilmington, Del., on June 27, 1889, by whom he has had three chil- dren, Edward Henry (1890), Elizabeth (1891) and Albert Reynolds (1895).
Mr. Eckel was rector of St. James's Church, near Stanton, St. James's Church, Newport, and St. Barnabas's Church, Marshallton, Del. (the last named founded by himself), 1889-1891; then of Trinity Church, West Pittston, Pa., 1891-1896, resigning in order to accept the rectorship of Christ Church, Williamsport, in 1896. In 1905 a call to the rectorship of Christ Church, St. Joseph, Mo., which he still holds, was tendered to and accepted by him.
He was founder and first president of the Church Students' Mis- sionary Association, 1888; member Joint Diocesan Lesson Com- mittee for Sunday Schools since about 1895; member General Committee of the Church Congress since about 1902; member of
71
72
CHRONICLES OF CHRIST CHURCH PARISH
penses was taken up, and, at the suggestion of the Rector, the individual payment of the Episcopal and Convention Fund Assessment. In March, 1897, over 475 notices of this assess- ment were sent out, so that all confirmed persons, rich and poor alike, might realize their relation to the Diocese and its
Advisory Committee of Church Students' Missionary Association since about 1904; provisional deputy to General Convention from Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, 1897 and 1901; deputy to General Convention from Diocese of Kansas City, 1907 and 1910, in former of which, member of Committee on the State of the Church; dele- gate from latter diocese to Missionary Council of the Sixth De- partment, 1906 and 1907, and to the Missionary Council of the "Department of the Southwest" (Seventh), 1908 and 1909; ap- pointed secretary of the last named department in 1909, but de- clined; appointed delegate to the Pan-Anglican Congress from the Diocese of Kansas City, 1908.
He was Examining Chaplain, Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, 1898-1905; member of Committee on the Increase of the Episcopal Endowment, 1901-1904, and chairman of Committee on same and on Organization of Diocese of Harrisburg, 1904; member of Com- mittee on Diocesan Apportionment, 1902-1903; nominee for Bish- opric of Harrisburg, 1904; member of Board of Missions, Diocese of Harrisburg, 1904; Dean of Northern Convocation, Diocese of Kansas City, since 1905; member of Standing Committee (Kansas City) since 1906; member Diocesan Missionary Board (Kansas City) since 1909; member Diocesan Committee on Constitution and Canons since 1906, and chairman of same since 1909.
He reorganized Pittston Library; organized Williamsport Bu- reau of Associated Charities (now defunct); was a deputy rep- resenting the city of Williamsport in National Conference of Charities and Corrections, N. Y. City, 1898 (?); a trustee The James V. Brown Library, Williamsport, 1904; is one of the organ- izers and directors of the Buchanan County (Mo.) Society for the Relief and Prevention of Tuberculosis, 1910; organized St. Luke's Mission, South St. Joseph, 1906, and is an active member of St. Joseph Ad Club. He is a member of the Masonic Fraternity and Elks; member of Benton Club, Country Club, and Lotus Club, of St. Joseph.
His eldest son, Edward Henry, Jr., who is a candidate for Holy Orders, has recently won the Rhodes Scholarship for the State of Missouri, and after three years at the State University will enter Oxford University this autumn (1910). [Ed.]
73
MR. ECKEL'S RECTORSHIP
Bishop. This work was done mainly by Miss Mabel Prior (now Mrs. Wilbur Sallada) and Mrs. W. H. Kilbourn.
During his first year Mr. Eckel made a systematic visita- tion of the parish, entering his visits on a card catalogue in- - vented by himself. In one set of cards the families are given alphabetically, with full information as to whether baptized or confirmed. Another set of cards gives the families by streets. This system is still in use and has proved of great value to the succeeding rector.
To the various guilds of the parish was added by Mr. Eckel, in 1897, the Visiting Committee, with Mrs. C. LaRue Munson as Directress, and Mrs. E. A. Christman as Visitor-at- large. The parish was divided into thirteen districts, co-ter- minous with the wards of the city. The duties of the com- mittee were threefold, embracing the systematic visitation of strangers, the sick and the poor. Members of the parish were asked to make reports to the Directress and district visitors were to make their reports to her.
An event of far-reaching importance, not only to the parish of Christ Church, but to the city of Williamsport as well, was the setting apart of Mrs. Eliza A. Christman as the first Deaconess of the parish, and the second in the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania. Her husband, the Rev. Morris W. Christman, Rector of St. Mary's, and a former curate of Christ Church, died August 28, 1896, after a brief illness, deeply mourned by his parishioners and throughout the city. His life was one of splendid promise suddenly cut off. Mrs. Christman had shared his labors to an unusual degree, and felt a desire to devote the rest of her life to the Church. After her husband's death she had returned to her family in Allentown. On January 28, 1897, she came to Williamsport to visit her friends, Mr. and Mrs. James S. Smythe. On learning of her desire to be a Deaconess, Mr. Eckel took up the matter with his usual enthusiasm, with the result that her visit of a few weeks ended in years of faithful service in the parish. She has also responded to many calls for help from the poor and distressed of the city.
74
CHRONICLES OF CHRIST CHURCH PARISH
She was set apart as Deaconess by Bishop Talbot, May 8, 1898, it being his first official act in the parish. What her work has been cannot be better told than in a letter from Mr. Eckel to the writer of this chapter :
My Dear Miss Smythe:
Although the record of Deaconess Christman's work belongs to the period of my rectorship, and therefore rightly falls into your hands for treatment, who are both her friend and mine, and will therefore do it justice, it will, nevertheless, I trust, be considered no impropriety on my part if I ask the privilege of saying a few words on the same subject.
I shall get directly at the point if I say at the outset that I thankfully acknowledge that no small part of the success of my ministry in Williamsport, in whatsoever degree it may have been successful, was due to Deaconess Christman's intelligent and loyal co-operation. I don't know how I could have got along without her, especially after the first year or two's experience of her helpful- ness. I have always said I would rather have had her for an as- sistant than any graduate of the deaconess training schools, be- cause she brought to her work not only the native qualities of practical common sense and good judgment, and of intelligent sym- pathy with the poor and distressed, but also the ripening and en- riching experience of a clergyman's wife. She had shared in the thoughts and labors of her husband, whose greatly lamented death had occurred in August of the year I became rector, and knew beforehand what it meant to be a deaconess, as few women with- out that experience can know. She had the knowledge of men and women-aye, and of little children, although never herself a mother-and that was worth more than a course in a training- school could give her. She studied and worked with me for a little more than a year before being formally set apart as a dea- coness, but I was persuaded myself, and had little difficulty in persuading the Bishop, that her several years' experience as the helpmeet of her husband in his work was easily the equivalent of the other one year of technical training required by the canon.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.