USA > Pennsylvania > Philadelphia County > Philadelphia > History of the Parish of the Holy Apostles, Philadelphia : 1868-1918 > Part 7
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"As we cannot withhold America's flag from its influence upon the world and have it remain America's flag, so if Christ be to us what our Christian faith affirms, the withholding of Him from the peoples of the earth is a gross form of selfishness and wrong.
"The cross means moral renewing, civilizing power,
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enlightened thought, and holy life, and we withhold it from others at the cost of its reality to us.
"The cross is a trust, 'Vested in the Church for the benefit of the whole world and the human race.' We are trustees, and as such must administer our trust or be adjudged recreant.
"The Sunday-school of Holy Apostles has long since passed the point of argument about missions, and has entered into understanding of the grace of giving. As Philadelphia has always been first and foremost an American city, and first and foremost in her patriotism, so Holy Apostles Sunday-school is first and foremost in championship of the cross, and that without compul- sion, but rather in a glad and simple expression of faith, which it has learned by the cross means giving. It establishes leading for all the Church, in doing what it can to hold the cross in honor and to bring humanity to redemption through its power.
"The flag for liberty and the cross for love, these twain together are working God's purpose out. Let us yield ourselves to the beneficent influences of both in a grace of giving which knows no keeping back."
The following about the school is quoted from the "American Church Sunday-school Magazine," and is from the pen of a Southern clergyman :-
"Having occasion to be in Philadelphia during the first week in November I gave myself the pleasure of attending the teachers' meeting on Friday evening and the Sunday-school the following Sunday afternoon. First let us take the teachers' meeting. It was indeed a great pleasure to me to see such a fine body of men and women come together to be taught, in order that they might be able to teach others more efficiently. The
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earnest, intelligent and consecrated layman, Mr. Geo. C. Thomas, who is superintendent of this Sunday-school, played the organ, read the prayers and delivered a thoroughly prepared and excellent lecture on the lesson for the following Sunday. While I sat there and listened I could but wonder how a man of his vast busi- ness interests and enterprise could find time to prepare and deliver so thorough an address. But after reflect- ing upon the spirit of the address I concluded that Mr. Thomas had not found time to do these things, but had made it, and the silent prayer went up that we might have more such laymen in all our parishes and missions. If there were many instead of so few among our laity who see their opportunity, realize their power, utilize their talents, how the church of the living God would go on her way enlarging, progressing and rejoicing!
"On Sunday afternoon I went to see the teachers and scholars at work, and it was beautiful as well as inspiring to see the teachers so full of their subject and of enthusiasm for their work, and to see how wide awake and interested the scholars all appeared to be. After the lessons had been taught and the curtains rolled up, we found ourselves in the presence of 1200 to 1400 children and scholars who were brought together for the closing exercises.
"The day of my visit happened to be the Sunday after All Saints' Day, and was observed as the 'Memo- rial Day' of this Sunday-school. On this occasion the names of all departed members of the Sunday-school are read and immediately afterward an appropriate hymn is sung and short address made by the rector. It is all very beautiful and impressive, and presents a fine illustration of the doctrine of 'the Communion of Saints.'
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"After reading out the list of the departed teachers and scholars, the superintendent sat down by me and said :-- 'I tell you, that takes the stuffing out of me. I knew them every one.' And I thought to myself: 'Yes, that takes the stuffing out of you, because the real stuff is in you.' And I saw at least one very powerful element in the success of this splendid Sunday-school- the real, downright human, personal interest in all, on the part of the superintendent, and we doubt not this same spirit pervades the teachers too.
"And, in my judgment, it is the only thoroughly true spirit for Sunday-school work. There were a great many more suggestive features in this service, and the whole method of conducting the Sunday-school, but I have said about enough for a morning comment. So abundantly was I rewarded for making this visit, that I would advise others to follow my example whenever they visit Philadelphia."
Following is the Sunday-school staff and teaching force at the time of the fiftieth anni- versary of the parish :-
SUNDAY-SCHOOL Superintendent-The Rector. Assistant Superintendents- Rev. William S. Neill, Miss Mary A. Warwick. Secretary-Mr. Joseph L. Bailey. Treasurer-Mr. Joseph Henry. Librarian-Mr. J. Lewis Smith. Beginners' Department- Miss Mabel B. Hall, Miss Mary Orr. Primary Department-Mrs. J. Lewis Smith. Mrs. John Borden.
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Intermediate Department-Miss Lillian Wallace Miss Margaret M. Jacobs Miss Edith Anderson
Sunday-school Association- Mr. James Flood, Jr., Secretary. Sunday-school Council- Mr. Joseph L. Bailey, Secretary. Teachers Bible Classes.
A. Deaconess Brookman
O. Mr. McIntyre
B. Mr. Neill
P. Mr. Burt
C. Mr. Weeks
Q. Mr. Neibergall
D. Mrs. Anderson R. Mr. Jacobs
E. Mrs. Cobb
S. Miss Satterfield
F. Mrs. McIntyre
T. Miss Gloster
G. Miss Patton
U. Mrs. Gray
H. Mrs. Wall
V. Miss Wilkinson
I. Miss Rosalie Smith
W. Mr. Wright
J. Miss Clara W. Smith
X. Mr. Bishop
K. Miss Warwick
Y. Mr. Flood
L. Mrs. Thomas
Z. Miss Holson
M. Miss Dupuy
Senior School.
1. Miss Dunbar 13. Miss Louise Hall
2. Mr. Anderson
14. Mrs. Deaver
3. Miss Burt
15. Miss Dugdale
4. Mr. Burgess
16. Miss Ormsbee
5. Miss Macpherson
18. Miss Knight
6. Mr. Hamill
20. Mr. Werner
7. Miss MacFarland
8. Mr. Oberhuber
9. Miss Dunegan
23. Miss Marshall
11. Miss Woodle 24. Mr. Casner
12. Miss Gamble
21. Miss Van Vranken
22. Miss Gilbert
25. Miss Carmint
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26. Mr. F. M. McIntyre
27. Miss Devine
28. Mr. Winterstein
29. Miss Confer
31. Miss Whiteside
33. Miss Grace Hall
35. Miss Anna Dunegan
37. Miss Wilson
39. Miss Bishop
Among the oldest teachers in the Sunday- school are Miss Rosalie D. Smith, Mrs. George C. Thomas and Mrs. J. Lewis Smith, who have been in the work almost if not quite from the begin- ning. To these names should be added that of William R. Chapman, who has but lately given up his class.
The school is not so large now as it was.
The colored people are more and more claiming the neighborhood as theirs until now they represent about seventy-five per cent. of the people about the church.
But yet it is a great school, and still is it the leader of all the schools of our Church in its splendid missionary offerings, and still does there dwell within it a certain altruistic spirit not found elsewhere, at least in such measure.
It is the spirit of its great superintendent still carrying on his beneficent mission, multi- plied in many lives. The spirit expressed in H. Bonar's lines :-
"Go, labor on! spend and be spent! They joy to do the Master's will;
It is the way the Master went; Should not the servant tread it still ?
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Toil on! faint not! keep watch and pray! Be wise the erring soul to win! Go forth into the world's highway! Compel the wanderer to come in!"
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Later History of the Church of the Holy Apostles
LATER HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY APOSTLES
On May 16, 1909, the Rev. Samuel E. Ap- pleton, D. D., departed this life. He had been rector of the Church of the Mediator for forty- five years, and for the last five years of his life he was the associate rector of the Church of the Holy Apostles.
His was a delightful personality. His loving nature reached out to all who came with- in his sphere, and he ever felt the responsibili- ty for the souls committed to his keeping. He was in a peculiar way a pastor. It was his oft- expressed delight to think that after his old church had to abandon its work, he had been permitted to minister in the church which he had helped to bring into being and which con- tained so many of his old parishioners and friends.
Truly the year 1909 was one of sad partings. The brilliant, scholarly and much beloved rector was elected to a bishopric. The steady, reliable, conscientious and consecrated assistant minis- ter resigned to enter another field. Then came the death of the one who had been the great lead-
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ing layman, and who had been a great leader from the beginning of the parish, and finally the dear old associate rector entered into rest.
A new era now set in. Bereft of its old leaders, the whole parish seemed to feel that a great responsibility had been laid upon it, and splendid was the response. Happy it was, in- deed, that its care fell into the hands of such a thorough man of affairs as the Rev. Wilson R. Stearly, who was elected rector on September 25, 1909, and came to the parish in October 1st of the same year. By the laws governing the election of the clergy to the staff of the Church of the Holy Apostles, nomination (which is equivalent to election) must be made one month before the actual election occurs. This accounts for the short length of time between Mr. Stearly's election and his assumption of the rectorship. He was born in Philadelphia and graduated from the Central High School in the Class of 1886. At first a member of the Heidel- berg Reformed Church, and a pastor of a church of that communion, in Cleveland, Ohio, he later joined the Protestant Episcopal Church and was ordained to the ministry in 1900. Always inter- ested in Sunday-school work, he at once took charge of the Sunday-school as a part of his work as rector. Nothing in the numerous de- tails of business management, caused by the
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DLP
RT. REV. WILSON R. STEARLY, D.D.
financial difficulties of the changing conditions, was neglected or mismanaged. Skillfully were the new adjustments made; and rarely indeed is such marked administrative ability, scholarly attainments, great eloquence and a delightful personality found in one man ; and all these were used unstintedly and unselfishly for the cause of the Master.
The Rev. Edward J. Owen was elected assistant minister on December 8, 1909, but his promotion to a large and responsible work came to him in a little more than a year, when on February 15, 1911, he accepted the rectorship of St. John's Church, Sharon, Pa.
On March 8, 1911, the vestry voted to begin the erection of a place of worship for the Chapel of St. Simon the Cyrenian, but actual work was not begun until after Mr. Stearly had left Holy Apostles. At the same meeting the Rev. Joseph H. Earp, who had done unusual and splendid work at Downingtown, Pa., was elected assistant. to the rector, and he remained with the church until he, too, was asked to take up more responsible work as rector of the Memo- rial Church of St. Paul's, Fifteenth and Porter Streets, where he continues to fullfil the duties of a large and successful ministry.
A close revision of the communicant list in May, 1911, resulted in the removal of 538 names,
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reducing the number to 1500; the Sunday-school numbering 1365.
In October, 1911, the properties, 2038 Chris- tian Street and 2035 Montrose Street, which had been used as a part of the parish buildings, through the kindness of Mr. George C. Thomas, were purchased by the church, and at the same time the house at 2051 Christian Street, used under similar conditions as the home of the assistant minister, was also purchased.
On May 12, 1914, the vestry, through the generosity of Mrs. George C. Thomas, author- ized the purchase of a vicarage for the Chapel of St. Simon the Cyrenian, and subsequently the house at 1408 South 22nd Street was bought for that purpose.
On July 5, 1912, the Rev. Wilson R. Stearly offered his resignation, to date from Septem- ber 30, 1912, as he had accepted the call from the parish of St. Luke, Montclair, N. J. Subse- quently he became Bishop Suffragan, and then Bishop Coadjutor of Newark, N. J.
The Rev. Wm. T. Capers, of Lexington, Ky., was elected Rector on October 28, 1912, and began his ministry in the parish on Thanksgiv- ing Day, November 28, 1912. Mr. Capers, who is a son of the late Bishop Ellison Capers, of South Carolina, who had also served as a Briga- dier General in the Army of the Confederacy,
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RT. REV. WILLIAM T. CAPERS, D.D.
was Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Lexing- ton, Ky., and was born at Greenville, S. C., August 9, 1867. He was educated at the South Carolina College and Furman University; was in business from 1887 to 1890; entered the Theo- logical Seminary of Virginia and graduated in 1894. He has figured largely in the civic and social life of the cities in the south, in which he has had charge of churches.
Another deaconess came to the church on October 1, 1912, when Deaconess Helen S. Brookman began her ministrations. A woman of rare ability and tact, with a versatility that is remarkable, she has made a place for herself that it would be difficult to fill.
An innovation which proved to be much liked was introduced by Mr. Capers, in the hold- ing of Gospel Services in Cooper Hall, on Sun- day evenings during Lent, the congregations numbering between 500 and 600; the last of the series having an attendance of 715.
Much attention has always been given to the music, particular attention being paid to the co- operation of the congregation to secure hearty, congregational worship, the choir being volun- tary and recruited mostly from the large Sun- day-school. Boys' voices were combined with the mixed voices of men and women, and the choir was vested for the first time on February
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10, 1897. Some years later the boys were drop- ped from the choir. The work of this voluntary choir has been another evidence of the loyalty of the people of the parish, which is one of its chief glories. A pleasing incident in this connec- tion was the recognition of the long services of the choirmaster, Mr. George F. Bishop, who, after thirty years of service, was, in April, 1913, made choirmaster emeritus.
In the early years of the parish, Miss Jennie S. Bond, a scholar in the Sunday-school, devel- oped a talent for the organ, and through the interest and kindness of Mr. Thomas studied the instrument under experienced instruction and assisted in the services. Later the entire respon- sibility of the position devolved on Miss Bond, as Mr. Thomas, through multitudinous duties, was obliged to gradually withdraw from the work. In 1904 Miss Bond resigned as church organist, but continued to play in the Sunday-school and weekday services, until November, 1913.
Miss May Porter began her career as or- ganist in the Church of the Holy Apostles. At an early age she played in the Primary Depart- ment, later on in the Sunday-school, and finally, encouraged by the confidence of the late Mr. George C. Thomas in her ability, she acted in the capacity of associate organist from 1890 to 1904. She was then offered the position of or-
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MR. GEORGE F. BISHOP AND CHOIR
ganist of the church, which she filled until May, 1913. Upon the resignation of the choirmaster, Mr. George F. Bishop, she assumed the office of organist and director of the choir until June, 1913. For four years she wielded the baton for the Al-Alamoth chorus, and organized a Young Men's Glee Club of thirty voices, the direct out- come of a chorus of seventy-five voices, which sang the Lenten services conducted by Bishop Capers in Cooper Battalion Hall, in the spring of 1913.
In June, 1913, Mr. F. Lyman Wheeler was elected choirmaster and organist. At the time of of his election he was choirmaster of Christ Church Cathedral, Lexington, Kentucky. He brought to his work at the Church of the Holy Apostles a high degree of musical efficiency. Under his capable leadership the choir has be- come known as one of the best in the city. One would go far to find a choir more faithful to and interested in its work. And this is the more praiseworthy insomuch as most of its members give their services.
In October, 1913, Mr. Capers was elected Missionary Bishop of Spokane, Washington, but declined the office. For the second time within a month he was elected to a bishopric, the second call being to the Diocese of West Texas, as Bishop Coadjutor, which latter he accepted, tak-
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ing his departure on May 1, 1914. The congre- gation presented him with his Episcopal Robes.
Mr. Capers was not with the parish long enough to materially affect its history. When he left the communicants numbered 1541 and the Sunday-school 1144, while the parish numbered 2919 communicants and the parish Sunday- schools 2649.
On May 1, 1914, the Rev. George Herbert Toop, rector of St. Luke's Church, Beacon-on- Hudson, N. Y., began his work as rector of the church. Born in Wiltshire, England, he came to America when eight years of age. His boyhood was spent in Rockville, Conn., and Providence, R. I. After his studies in the public school he entered St. Stephen's College, Annandale, N. Y., and was later graduated from the Berkeley Divinity School, Middletown, Conn. He had been engaged in business for a few years before en- tering college. In June, 1915, St. Stephen's Col- lege conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity.
On November 9, 1914, the Rev. Dallas Eyre Buzby joined the staff of the church as assistant to the rector. On September 1, 1917, he accepted the rectorship of St. Mary's Church, Haddon Heights, N. J. He had made many friends and was particularly successful in his pastoral visita- tions.
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REV. WILLIAM T. CAPERS AND CHOIR IN CHANCEL
Upon the invitation of the rector, members from the following churches in the 30th Ward met in Cooper Hall, November 9, 1914, for a Men's Mass Meeting: Presbyterian-Bethany, Fourth United, South Western, Tabor, Eighth United, Seventh Reformed; Methodist Episco- pal-Broad Street, Christian Street; Episcopal- Ascension, Holy Apostles; "For co-operative work in neighborhood improvement." Among the speakers were Hon. John Wanamaker, Edw. J. Cattell and Wm. McCoach.
A Missionary Mission, conducted by the Rev. R. W. Patton, of the Province of Sewanee, was begun on March 14, 1915, lasting all week and concluding with an every-member canvass on Sunday, which produced excellent results. Old affiliations with the parish were renewed and many new pledges for the support of the parish and its missionary traditions were ob- tained. In 1916 a Mission was held at the Church of the Holy Apostles as a part of the nation-wide "Preaching Mission," through which many names were brought in for baptism and con- firmation. The Rev. Ernest de F. Miel, D. D., rec- tor of Trinity Church, Hartford, Connecticut, being the Missioner.
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ORGANIZATIONS IN 1917
VESTRY
Rector's Warden, William R. Chapman, Accounting Warden, George W. Jacobs, Secretary of the Vestry, Alfred M. Gray,
William R. Chapman, J. Lewis Smith, George W. Jacobs, William G. Casner, Alfred M. Gray, William A. Huey, Jerome S. Cross, Joseph A. Perkins, William R. Chapman, Jr., William H. Funston, Robert P. Shick, Joseph L. Bailey.
Ushers' Association. Parish Association. Sunday-school Council. Chancel Guild.
Church Periodical Club.
Mothers' Meeting.
White Cross Society-(Temperance).
Woman's Auxiliary-Junior Auxiliary No. 1 (Girls) ; Junior Auxiliary No. 2 (Girls) ; Junior Auxil- iary (Boys) ; Babies' Branch. Young Women's Guild.
Sisterhood of St. Mary of Bethany.
Dorcas Guild.
Women's Beneficial Association.
Busy Bees. Men's Beneficial.
Brotherhood of St. Andrew.
Junior Chapter Brotherhood of St. Andrew. Men's Club. Boy Scouts. Boys' Gymnasium Class.
Basket-ball League.
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REV. GEORGE HERBERT TOOP, D.D.
Greystock Dramatic Society. Al-Alamoth Chorus. Big Brothers League. Rector's Advisory Board (Cooper Hall). Red Cross Auxiliary, No. 47.
All these agencies are faithfully doing their work and endeavoring to live "up to the tradi- tions of the past."
In this connection, it is of interest to turn to the last report (1916-1917) and note the statis- tics of that year :
CHURCH
Confirmed
41
Communicants received 13
Communicants transferred 44
Communicants removed
4
Communicants died 22
Present number
1505
Sunday-school
897
PARISH
Confirmed
241
Communicants received 83
Communicants transferred 52
Present number
3369
Sunday-schools
2822
It is easy in looking over this history to pick out the high lights, if we trust to figures. The great period of numbers and expansion came during the years that the Rev. Charles D. Cooper and the Rev. Nathaniel S. Thomas were
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with the church. They were the happy days of fruition in the life of Mr. George C. Thomas. But who will say these were greater than the days of planting and watering which preceded them, or of those which followed after, when the struggle to keep the work intact and to "live up to the traditions of the past" required much careful thought and earnest prayer. Hap- pily we are not called upon to pass judgment. The Great Judge has wisely relieved us of that responsibility, and we can safely leave that to the All-Wise One.
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The Fiftieth Anniversary
THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY
Writing about the fiftieth anniversary for "The Monthly Message," in the issue for Janu- ary, 1917, the rector said :-
When on the evening of November 20th, in 1867, the Rev. Phillips Brooks, the Rev. Samuel E. Appleton, Mr. John Bohlen and Mr. Charles Gibbons met, in the quiet of the vestry-room of Holy Trinity Church, to con- sider the desirability of beginning church work in the growing southwestern section of the city, no one there had a thought of the magnitude of the work which they were starting. They met to start a mission in the southwestern portion of the city, and, lo, to-day that little work has grown into one of the largest parishes in the city, and one of the most widely known of the whole Church.
When the thirty-seven children gathered at Tabor Presbyterian Church for the first session of the Sun- day-school of the Church of the Holy Apostles, who could have surmised that there that day was begun the school which was to become the best known of all the schools of the Church.
When on December 21, 1867, Mr. George C. Thomas was chosen a vestryman of the new parish, who could have foretold of that particular one of all that list of estimable gentlemen, that he was to become the fore- most layman of the Church of his day, and not only to build up a great parish upon the slender foundations
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then laid, but also to revolutionize the Missionary and Sunday-school work of the whole Church.
Who, so bold, could have predicted that the first slender Sunday-school gifts for missions were to grow and grow until the school came to lead all other schools by many fold, once reaching the magnificent total of more than $12,000.00 in its Easter offering.
Who, indeed! None but God could have had the daring for so magnificent a prophecy. For that little beginning, born in Phillips Brooks' heart (and we love to associate that great one of God's sons with the begin- nings of this parish), has had a magnificent fulfillment.
In many lands, over many seas, amongst many peoples, the message of God's Son, the Gospel of glad tidings, the good news of God, has been spread by this parish.
Two things it has witnessed to supremely. Mis- sions and Bible-study, and upon these, as on a founda- tion of rock, it stands to-day. One of the outstanding characteristics of its members is loyalty to the parish. Once a member of the Church of the Holy Apostles, one is always a member, though transferred elsewhere. There is a spirit, an atmosphere, aye, a very individu- ality (one almost said a personality) about and in and surcharging the parish life not found elsewhere. At least I have not found it. Widely scattered now are its members, gone many of them from the neighborhood of the church, but still bearing the spirit of the old life with them, and doing God's work wherever they are in that inimitable way they learned at the Church of the Holy Apostles.
And who shall say that in the final appraisal it was not better that the members of the parish should have scattered, and borne that spirit with them to help
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other parishes and communities, than to have remained all together in the mother church ?
God carries on His Work in His own way and always for the best. It may be that the Church of the Holy Apostles decreases in the physical seeming only in order to increase in the spiritual reality. Decreasing only to increase. And this must not be misunderstood. The Church of the Holy Apostles is still doing a wonderful work for God, and the end is not yet. In full parish membership strength it is second in the diocese only to the mother church, Holy Trinity, and scarcely second even to that. Its Sunday-school mem- bership is several times greater than that of any other parish in the diocese. In full parish income it is next only to Holy Trinity. All this is set down not in boast- ing, but in a just acknowledgment of the devotion and wisdom of those, now gone, who gave of their best to make possible this great work for God.
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