USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Honesdale > History of the First Presbyterian society of Honesdale > Part 26
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Hand was a trustee of the church and he was librarian of the Sunday school for many years. His wife lived to be 90 years old and was a highly respected woman. His son Horace is noted elsewhere. Mary became the wife of Miles L. Tracy and Alfred Hand became a resident of Scranton, Pa.
Hon. Alfred Hand was born at Honesdale March 25, 1835. He became a member of the Honesdale Presbyterian church January 11, 1852. He prepared for college in his native town and was graduated from Yale in 1857. He read law with Wil- liam & William H. Jessup at Montrose and was admitted to the bar November 21, 1859. He married one of Judge Jessup's daughters for his first wife and located in Scranton when there were but few lawyers in that city. Hand & Post were a lead- ing law firm for many years. He was elevated to the bench by appointment, March 4, 1879, and the following fall he was elected law judge of the Forty-fifth Judicial District and served from 1880 until 1887, when he served as Justice of the Supreme Court for a short time by appointment. Judge Hand has been an elder in the First Presbyterian church of Scranton since 1867. He was appointed on the first committee of Revision of the Confession of Faith and served on that committee for two years. He has been a member of General Assembly a number of times and has served on regular and special committees of importance. Mr. Hand is a leading citizen of Scranton and he and A. W. Dickson represent the quality of Honesdale church well in the elderships which they hold in the First Presbyterian church at Scranton, Pa. Judge Hand was elected Moderator of the Lackawanna Presbytery at its spring meeting in 1904. This is the first time in the history of the Lackawanna Presby- tery that a lay member was ever elected to that position. Judge Hand has a large family and one of his sons, Miles, resides in Honesdale.
Elder H. C. Hand had three sons, Charles W., Alfred C. and Henry.
Charles W. Hand was born in Honesdale October 22, 1856. He was a studious boy and was graduated at Phillips Academy,
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Andover, after which he read law with his two uncles, Judge Waller, of Honesdale, and Judge Hand, of Scranton, and at the latter place he was admitted to the bar. His uncle induced him to go to New York to look after the Davis lard oil business, a venture in which he was interested. He took a great interest in the business and soon became superintendent of the refinery. While thus employed he became an elder in Dr. Cuyler's, La- fayette Avenue, Presbyterian church. In 1898 the treasurer- ship of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions became vacant and Mr. Hand was induced to accept the position, which he still holds. The position is a very responsible and import- ant one, involving the receiving and paying out of about $1,000,- 000 annually. These disbursements go to all parts of the world and many supplies for missionaries have to be purchased by the treasurer, requiring judgment and care. He married Julia Ellmaker Waller, a daughter of Rev. David J. Waller, of Bloomsburg, Pa., and they have four interesting and intelligent daughters.
Rev. Alfred C. Hand was born at Honesdale June 19, 1959. He fitted for college at Williston Academy at Easthampton, Mass., and graduated from Yale in 1882. He taught in Willis- ton in 1883 and traveled in Europe in 1885, entering Union Theological Seminary that fall. He completed his studies and was licensed to preach by Lackawanna Presbytery at Hones- dale April 18, 1888, and on the 27th of June, that same year, he married Sara Lord Avery, of Mansfield, O. He received a call to the church of the Covenant at Buffalo, N. Y., and entered upon labors that were full of promise, but in a few months ill- ness compelled him to relinquish the pastorate. He traveled in Europe again and spent time in the pine woods of northern Michigan, being a lover of woods, streams and mountains he wrote, "Nature is good enough for me and most eloquent of God." Rev. Mr. Hoadley says of him, "There was something so attractive about his face and manner that it won all hearts." He wrote of his home to his brother Henry. "How much we owe to that Christian home, the gift of God to us. The joy
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seems to ever increase as the opportunity of the years sends us back to it." He died March 13, 1892, leaving his wife and one son Avery Chapman Hand. It was said of him the only sor- row he ever caused his friends was when he died. A noble young man he died in the hope of the Christian's reward.
Henry Hand the third son of Horace Hand took his brother Charles' place as superintendent of the oil business and he is a successful business man residing in New York. He is a deacon in the church in Brooklyn.
PRAYER MEETINGS AND YOUNG PEOPLES' MEETINGS. Prayer makes the darkened cloud withdraw; Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw, Gives exercise to faith and love, Brings every blessing from above.
-Cowper. And Montgomery sings:
Prayer is the soul's sincere desire, Uttered or unexpressed ; The motion of a hidden fire That trembles in the breast.
According to this definition all men pray, for all men have desires, wishes and hopes, and we are taught in the Bible that men ought always to pray and not to faint. To be permitted to intercede with the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, with the assurance that one's petitions will be heard and answered, if made in the right spirit, is the greatest privilege accorded to any human being. Among the things complained of in the. Declaration of Independence is that "the right of petition had been denied." Kings and rulers of the earth have often denied the right of petition, but the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe has never denied this great privilege to mankind. The Bible is full of promises that God will hear and answer sincere prayer. The original members of the church met at the house of Isaac P. Foster February 28, 1829, all of the nine being present, and resolved that the church hold a regular meeting in the after- noon or evening of the first Saturday of each month for the purpose of prayer and mutual conversation. This was the be- girning of the church prayer meetings, and as far as we have
CHAS. W. HAND REV. ALFRED C. HAND
HENRY W. DUNNING
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any records, prayer meetings have been held regularly by the church ever since. For years there have been weekly meetings in the lecture room and in the chapel. These meetings have been well attended; although many members never think of entering a prayer meeting, much less do they ever think of tak- ing any part in such meetings. In 1876, after a great revival in the church, a young people's prayer meeting was organized. This meeting was held on Wednesday nights and the regular lecture and church prayer meetings were held on Friday nights. In 1889 the Young People's Society was changed into a Society of Christian Endeavor which holds its meetings Sunday even- ings before the church service begins. The other churches in the borough also organized Young People's Societies, and in order to have one uniform night for prayer meetings throughout the churches in the town, the Presbyterians gave up their Friday night meeting and the Methodists their Thursday night meet- ing, and all the churches united on Wednesday night as prayer meeting night, and the church bells are rung on Wednesday evenings with as much regularity as they are on the Sabbath. Dr. Dunning claimed that he had forty members that he could call upon to lead in prayer in public, and the attendance at the prayer meetings of the church has always been good. The Christian Endeavor Society holds regular weekly prayer meet- ings, besides doing a large amount of other work through its various committees. It is to be hoped that the zeal of the church in sustaining its prayer meetings will never end. In its early history the congregation stood with bowed head during prayer but in recent years, since about 1879-80, the congrega- tion sit with bowed heads. The old form brought all to their feet. The new form does not always cause the listener to as- sume a very reverential attitude.
June 7, 1897, the regular monthly meeting of the session was held at Andrew Thompson's residence. Present, Rev. W. H. Swift, moderator, and Elders Hand, Ward, Bodie, Stocker, Thompson and Holmes, and by invitation Deacons Beers and Penwarden. After transacting other business the subject of
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adopting the psalter edition of the hymnal was discussed, and finally it was decided to adopt this edition of the hymnal, in order that the psalter might be used in the morning service. Prior to this there had been no psalter service in the church.
At a meeting held in the chapel parlor on the evening of December 27, 1905, the church, after a trial of thirty-five years of the rotary system of electing elders, by a unanimous vote decided to return to the system of electing elders and deacons for life.
Elder Reed had charge of supplying the communion table for a number of years, and when he died in 1879, Horace C. Hand and wife undertook that very necessary service, and they have performed it very acceptably ever since that time. The commissioner to the General Assembly at Winona, in 1898, reported that individual communion cups were used at the as- sembly. This led to considerable discussion in the session, in which it developed that the individual cup was favored from sanitary and other considerations. A committee was appointed to investigate and report cost of trays and cups. Finally, in April, 1901, H. C. Hand and his wife donated a communion service, consisting of six trays with forty glasses in each tray, together with holders for the glasses, fastened to the back of the pews. They also had a cupboard erected in the chapel for storing the service. In some city churches the deacons serve the communion, but that has never been the custom in Hones- dale. The deacon, is an expression common enough, however, as applied to elders. In the speech of the people it was Dea- con Foster, Deacon Reed and Deacon Darling, yet neither of them was ever a deacon in the church. The term deacon, as applied to elders, is undoubtedly a relic of Congregationalism, which remains to this day.
The Young People's Christian Society of the First Pres- byterian church of Honesdale was organized November 29, 1876. George F. Bentley was chairman and H. Scott Salmon was secretary of the organization meeting. At this meeting Andrew Thompson was elected president and John T. Ball was
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elected vice president, and H. S. Salmon secretary. The presi- dent appointed Messrs. Bentley, Reitenauer, Foster and Miss Clara T. Sutton a committee on constitution and by-laws. Thus was organized the first Young People's Society in Wayne county *. Other presidents were J. A. Bodie, J. T. Ball, Samuel J. Foster, H. S. Salmon; secretaries, W. L. Dunn, C. W. Hand, William Haley, John H. Torrey, William J. Ward; treasurers, H. S. Salmon, W. J. Ward, L. D. Spragle. About 1883 the old organization being in a disorganized condition, a reorgan- ization was effected and Rev. W. H Swift was elected president and L. D. Spragle secretary. In 1885 literature was distributed among the boatmen through the agency of the society and some charitably disposed women. Other presidents of the society were W. J. Gregory, H. S. Salmon, R. M. Stocker; secretaries, G. W. Lane, John Kuhbach, N. E. Hanse, C. H. Rockwell; M. L. Sherwood, treasurer. In 1889 the society was reorganized as a Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor and it con- tinues as such until the present time. The young people's societies in the church have been of great benefit to the young people of the church. The first societies were modeled after the society in Dr. Cuylers' church in Brooklyn, N. Y., and it had most of the best features of the society of Christian En- deavor. One of the presidents of the society in his annual report said: "The introduction of a system of repeating Script- ure, poetry and other gems, pertinent to the subjects considered, has greatly improved our prayer meetings. This system has been enforced through the adoption of the following resolution, to wit: 'I promise to attend the Wednesday night prayer meet- ings regularly when possible, and to take some part in the meeting, each time, when necessary-opportunity to determine necessity.' Thirty-eight of the members subscribed to the resolution and the president thought they had tried to carry it out according to its spirit and intent." The following have
*Andrew Thompson, and not J. T. Ball, should be mentioned as first president on page 18.
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been presidents of the Christian Endeavor Society: Rev. W. H. Swift, W. J. Ward, D. L. Hower, S. M. Decker, J. D. Ro- maine, Herman Harmes, Joseph A. Bodie, Jr. The church has organizations enough. Their success always depends upon the efficiency of each member.
MUSIC. O for a thousand tongues to sing My great Redeemer's praise ; The glories of my God and King, The wonders of his grace.
-- Wesley.
I will sing of mercy and judgment, unto Thee, O Lord will I sing. Psalm ci, 1.
Music has been considered a necessary part of worship in all ages, and the session early took measures to obtain good music for the church services. At their meeting, March 11, 1830, Daniel B. Wilcox and John Tyler were appointed choris- ters and Richard L. Seely and Simeon S. Chamberlain assist- ant choristers to manage the singing in the congregation.
In 1844 the session declined to accept T. H. R. Tracy's resignation as chorister and appointed R. L. Seely to communi- cate with him on the subject. Evidently Mr. Tracy had become discouraged and resolutions were passed by the session promis- ing encouragement to any suitable measures that should be taken to advance the cultivation of music in the congregation, and the chorister was requested to form an efficient choir by selecting such voices as he found qualified; and the subject of teaching the rudiments of music was commended to the congre- gation as one that needed their hearty cooperation.
In February, 1845, session accepted Mr. Tracy's resigna- tion and tendered him their thanks for leading the singing for many years. Mr. Cummings led the choir until he died in 1846, and T. H. R. Tracy was again appointed leader by the session. About this time Elizabeth Schofield, Eliza Wheeler and Eliza Lanterman, afterwards wife of William Wardwell, are remembered as being in the choir. The first instrumental music was a violincello played by Mr. Tracy. Prior to that the tun-
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ing fork was used to give the pitch and Mr. Tracy marked time with his hand. Mr. Littlewood organized a juvenile band about 1848, composed of H. M. Seely, Miles L. Tracy, Fred Kirtland, E. A. Penniman, James Knapp and W. H. Ham. About 1850 C. N. Todd came to Honesdale to assist B. B. Smith in his school. He was an accomplished musician and he organized the Alpine Glee Club. Miss Mary Foster, later Mrs. S. D. Ward, Miss Betsey Brush, afterwards Mrs. B. B. Smith, Eliza Chapman or Mrs. Stephen St. John, Horace Hand, H. A. Wood- house, Anna Foster, Eliza Kirtland, Lucena Reed, now Mrs. J. E. Richmond, Eliza Wheeler, Mary Wheeler, Mrs. Clark, E. B. Freeman and W. H. Ham, as flute player, are remembered about this time as being in the club and choir. This glee club gave some of the finest concerts that had been given up to that time in Honesdale and Mr. Todd took hold of the Presbyterian choir and brought it up to a higher state of efficiency than it had ever attained before. After he left it appears that Frederick L. Chapman, a brother of Mrs. Richmond's, was appointed choris- ter and Benjamin Baldwin is also remembered as chorister. H. W. Stone's daughters, Mary Hand and others sang in the choir. Miles L. Tracy and Henry M. Seely played, the one a flute, and the other a bass viol, for a short time. Mr. Ludwig played a little melodeon and Benjamin Baldwin played the organ awhile. Miss Hannah King, Jason Torrey and Henry Blandin played the melodeon for a number of years before they went into the new church. Henry Blandin occasionally played the pipe organ when Mrs. Kesler was unable to do so. Mr. Abbott was the first singing school teacher in Honesdale and Eliza Kirtland had the first piano and Marietta Blandin had the second piano in Honesdale. She also sang in the choir. Francis B. Penni- man, James R. Dickson, Julia Strong, Hattie Ingersoll and Mary J. Tracy were singers at one time. Mary P. Hand, Miles L. Tracy, Mrs. Richmond, Mrs. E. A. Penniman, Sarah Scott, E. A. Penniman, H. M. Seely, Emma Ward, J. E. Richmond and Mrs. Seely sang in the choir together for many years.
Miles L. Tracy led the singing for about twenty-five years,
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during that time H. M. Seely and Edward A. Penniman were bass, J. E. Richmond tenor, Mrs. Richmond and Mrs. Seely sopranos, Mrs. Penniman, Sarah Scott and Emma Ward altos. This choir rendered very acceptable music. Mrs. Kesler was the first organist with the pipe organ. After her health became impaired Mrs. Atkinson became the organist and her playing was very much appreciated.
At a meeting of the session held September 10, 1880, on motion of M. L. Tracy, Dr. Robinson's book, called "Sacred Songs for the Church and Choir," was adopted, then Mr. Tracy retired, and the following preamble and resolutions were adopted:
Whereas, A communication has been received by the ses- sion stating that the members of the choir have resigned and the choir has disbanded and whereas Mr. Tracy has tendered his resignation as chorister;
Resolved, That we express to the chorister and members of the choir our gratitude for their long and efficient service of song. We thank them for their uniform attendance at our ser- vices in the church, the social meetings, the Sabbath school and the house of mourning. We recall with gratitude their Chris- tian fidelity to us through many years, some of them while a generation has come and gone. We are thankful we shall not wholly lose their services in the future, as years go by may their voices with true devotion rise from pew or choir as God sees best.
Resolved, That we request Mr. Tracy to withdraw his resignation, to reorganize the choir, as in his judgment seems best, and continue in the position of chorister in the future as in the past.
Under this arrangement Mr. Tracy acted as precentor and led the congregation in singing, for a short time, then Mrs. Atkinson, the organist, in 1883 took direction and organized a choir consisting of Joseph A. Bodie and L. D. Spragle bass, Grace Foster and Lottie Wefferling sopranos, August Rehbein tenor, and Alice B. Tillou and Hattie Weston altos. Mrs.
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Atkinson introduced an occasional solo. When Mrs. Atkinson removed to Albany Miss Emma Ward became organist and J. A. Bodie became leader of the choir by appointment of the ses- sion December 5, 1885, and he did much to improve the sing- ing. Anthems and solos were more frequently sung. Among the solo singers who have given great satisfaction are Alice B. Rockwell, Blanche Kesler Grambs, Mrs. Walter A. Wood, Miss Florence Wood sopranos, Edith Swift, Anna Salmon altos. Others who have sung in the choir are Lottie Brown, Helen, Holmes, Kate Tracy, Kittie Torrey, Margaret Keeler, Howard Tracy, George Woodward, Maria Woods, Joseph A. Bodie, Jr., Miss E. Strongman, Blanche Wood, Fannie Brady, Anna Brown, Frank Jenkins, George A. Smith, Cora Keen, Jennie Schoon- over, Clara R. Torrey, Rebecca Thompson, Mrs. Dix, R. H. Brown, H. A. Tingley, Charles Bentley, Lizzie Bentley, Orra B. Hadsell, Henry Ackerman, F. A. Doyle, Johannes Gemre, Roy Wood, Josie Dittrich, Elaese Krantz, Florence Evans. Dr. E. W. Burns has assisted occasionally with a violin and C. T. Bentley with a flute. The preparation required from a choir is such that it should be sustained by the church. Since Mrs. Atkinson removed to Albany Emma C. Ward, now Mrs. W. H. Swift, has been organist, and as such she has served the church very faithfully. Music is an important part of worship and since the days when Miriam led the hosts of Israel in a song of triumph over the deliverance of the chosen people from the hands of the Egyptians, it has been employed in sounding the praises of the Lord of All. The psalmist says, "Sing unto the Lord a new song and his praises in the congregation of saints." * * Praise God in the sanctuary; praise him in the firmament of his power, * "praise him with stringed instruments and organs." Praise the Lord; for the Lord is good; sing praises unto his name for it is pleasant."
The singing of the church, like other features of worship, is under direct control of the session of the church. Since the time when Major Tracy, with tuning fork in hand, started the tunes until the present time, there has always been a volunteer
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choir, which has rendered acceptable service in conducting the singing, in which the congregation should join. The old-time singers had no assistance from organs but had to carry the tune without help. This method of singing developed independent singers, and some of the pioneers had melodious voices and their melody was not to be despised. The singing school teacher who taught young people to sing by note, developed many independent singers and some choirs, even in the country, were commended for the rich melody of their music. Doubt- less the old-time singing was much slower than the present rapid time music, but it was much more devotional. Many of the grand old hymns are prayers and all their sacredness is turned into sacrilege in the mouths of careless and indifferent singers; hence every church is deeply interested in the char- acter and make-up of its choir. The congregation of Hones- dale church is expected to join in the singing of the regular hymns because it is a part of the worship. Formerly all the note books containing the tunes were in the hands of the choir. Now the pews are supplied with hymns and tunes and all have an opportunity of joining their voices in songs of praise to God.
Jacob S. Davis, a surveyor and man of considerable genius and prominence in Wayne county, built the first pipe organ in the county. L. S. Collins remembers that it stood in the rear end of Jason Torrey's house at Bethany, years ago. Orlando Weed built the first pipe organ for the Episcopal church in Alanson Blood's cabinet shop about 1846. According to James H. Sutton's recollections, Allen Plum was leader of the first band in Honesdale. The other members were James H. Sut- ton, who played the clarionet and trombone, Mr. Maule, an old Scotch watchmaker, A. J. Bowers, the first hardware merchant, Joseph Delezenne, Charles Wallace, J. A. Arnold and Ezra Genung. They met in Captain Field's hotel to practice and expended $200 for an instructor, who came down from Bing- hamton, besides paying for their instruments. They made great preparations for a celebration that was to be held in
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Honesdale and played on the occasion. A collection was taken up for the band and eight dollars were raised. The leader was disgusted with this meager return for all his labor and the organization disbanded.
There is another kind of music that must not be forgotten, the music of the bells. Poets and musicians have been en- tranced by the music of bells and they have sung sweetly of their harmonious tones. The first bell in Honesdale was the Academy bell, now in use calling the children of the Graded school to their tasks. It has inscribed upon it "E. F. Force, New York, 1833." The Methodists had a bell a year or two after this date, and the Presbyterian church bell has cast upon it, "Meenely bells of Troy, N. Y., 1839." The address is still upon it, "J. B. Graves, Honesdale, Pa., by Cornel & Bidwell's line, by Rondout, N. Y.," which was the old Delaware & Hudson Canal freight line. All the Honesdale churches have bells and may their ringing never cease to call the people of Honesdale to their several places of devotion to render services of praise, thanksgiving and adoration to the Supreme Ruler of the Uni- verse. The town clock was placed in the belfry of the church about 1854-5, and when the present church was built the clock was placed in the steeple where its hammer strikes the old bell, tolling the time of the day and the silent watches of night, re- minding all that the sands of time are constantly falling, as the years roll by.
Members of the Presbyterian church and choir have as- sisted in sacred concerts and in the rendering of cantatas and oratorios. For a number of years a musical history club was maintained in the borough, composed of the singers and musi- cians from all the churches. This history club studied the lives of the old masters in music and rendered some very fine classical music during the years of its continuance. Recently the teach- ing of vocal music has been introduced into our public schools in the borough, in response to a demand of the public. The session of the Presbyterian church discussed the matter of in- troducing vocal music into our schools and passed resolutions
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