USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > Providence > A history of Grace Church in Providence, Rhode Island, 1829-1929 > Part 5
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 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22
and saw the deep emotion He was followed on his departure by the prayers, and tears, and thanksgivings of the hearts he had trained to God."
At the first canonical opportunity, that is, on his twenty-first birthday, John P. K. Henshaw was ordained deacon by Bishop Griswold in St. Michael's, Bristol, where the next summer (1814) he married a Bristol girl, Miss Mary Gorham. After some years of markedly effective work at St. Ann's, Brooklyn, during which, again on his birthday to lose no time, he was ordained priest by Bishop Hobart, he was called to the difficult work in Baltimore that was to occupy him for over a quarter of a century.
With such interesting and deeply rooted memories of life in Rhode Island as must have been in Dr. Henshaw's mind and heart it is not strange that the call to take up the work so closely associ- ated with his old teacher and friend and his own early ministry came with irresistible force.
Accordingly, Dr. Henshaw on April 17th accepted the call to Grace Church and to "the Episcopate of Rhode Island." His letter to the Vestry is one of unusual fineness of feeling and dignity of expression. In closing he wrote,-
"I yield myself to what appears to be my Master's will, reposing full confidence in his promised blessing and your Christian kind- ness and hearty cooperation.
"Soliciting your prayers, and those of the congregation, that the proposed union, which is now formed between us, may be happily consummated, and redound to the glory of God, the salvation of souls, and the edifying of the body of Christ,
I remain, Gentlemen,
respectfully and affectionately
Your Rector elect
J. P. K. HENSHAW."
48
A History of Grace Church
Surely, as we look back on the years that followed, we recognize that the fervent prayers of these righteous men were destined to be literally and abundantly fulfilled.
The bishop-elect proceeded promptly to arrange for his insti- tution as rector and his consecration as bishop at an early date. He had a host of friends in the Middle States and many of the New England dignitaries must be included. It was decided that he should assume the rectorship of Grace Church on Thursday, August 10th, and be consecrated in St. John's Church on the day following. One curious and unusual occurrence has often been noted,-namely, that the new Rector preached his own sermon of institution. As Dr. Henshaw's intimate friend Dr. Johns, Assistant Bishop of Virginia, had been confidently expected to preach that sermon but was not present, this rare procedure was doubtless due primarily to some untoward chance which delayed Bishop Johns' arrival until after the service of Institution. But the way in which the emergency was met is indicative of Dr. Henshaw's decisiveness of character, his desire not to risk the ineffectiveness of a hurried substitution, and his reluctance to impose a trying task on some willing friend. As we know that Bishop Johns preached the sermon at the morning service in Grace Church on the first Sunday of the new rectorship it is easy to draw the conclusion that, when it was learned that the expected preacher on Thursday had been delayed, Dr. Henshaw quietly and quickly decided to reverse plans already made, to preach himself the sermon he had prepared for Sunday and have the Assistant Bishop of Virginia preach on the coming Sunday the sermon intended for the institution. If that was indeed the case, it was an illustration of that common sense and broadmindedness in adapting means to ends in the interest of efficiency which seem to have been among Dr. Henshaw's marked characteristics.1
At the request of the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Rhode Island the bishop-elect was instituted into the rectorship by the Right Rev. T. C. Brownell, Bishop of Connecticut. The Bishops of New York and Maryland as well as numerous clergy- men of Rhode Island and other dioceses were present at the occasion, which was one of marked solemnity.
The consecration, next day, in St. John's Church, was even more of an occasion with fifty clergymen and five bishops present.
1 It is recorded that Bishop Henshaw's regular ministration in Grace Church began on Sunday, September 3rd, he "administering Holy Communion in the morning and preaching in the afternoon."
49
Vinton-Henshaw-Clark
Bishop Whittingham of Maryland, Dr. Henshaw's former bishop, preached the sermon and the four other bishops took part in the service. Morning prayer had first been "offered" by Dr. Nathan Crocker, who had been rector of St. John's for nearly half a century. The bishop-elect, attended by Rev. George Taft of St. Paul's, North Providence (now Pawtucket) and Rev. Francis Vinton, then of Trinity Church, Newport, was presented to Bishop Brownell of Connecticut, as consecrator, by Bishop Johns and Bishop Whittingham. Bishop Hopkins of Vermont united with the other bishops in the laying on of hands.
One of the first accomplishments of Bishop Henshaw was to increase the support and strengthen the interest for benevolent enterprises throughout the Diocese through the general intro- duction of a regular Sunday offering. Prior to that time offer- tories had been sporadic and usually for some very special purpose. In response to the Bishop's plea to the churches the Vestry of Grace Church took prompt action and voted, on December 9th, 1843, "that the plan recommended by the Bishop in his Pastoral Letter, under date of November 20, 1843, for charitable purposes by weekly collection of Sunday offerings be adopted." A strong committee with the Rector as chairman was appointed to appro- priate these funds. This method of raising money for worthy purposes and of distribution through the agency of a standing committee was continued for many years and was productive of much good.
Hardly had the new rector begun his ministry when he was confronted by the serious problem of building a new church. For some years there had been growing doubts of the strength and safety of the church edifice and for an even longer period an earnest desire to build a larger and more imposing house of wor- ship to accommodate the numbers who often taxed the capacity of the church. In the winter of 1844 a committee was appointed to "procure competent judges and have a thorough and complete examination of the building now occupied by the Church for the purpose of ascertaining if the same is perfectly safe." This com- mittee soon reported from four Master Builders that one of the main plates was broken off and the supports of the roof much decayed, that consequently the building was unsafe and could not be repaired except at heavy expense. A special corporation meeting was immediately called and largely attended. The next day being Sunday it was voted to request the Rector to hold the services in the Lecture Room in the basement and a Committee
50
A History of Grace Church
was appointed to ascertain the legal rights of the pewholders and what steps would be necessary to erect a new church. The first two names on this committee were those of Dr. William Grosvenor and Amasa Manton. These two, together with Amory Chapin, were added to the Vestry a few weeks later, when the number of vestrymen was increased to ten. To Amasa Manton in particu- lar Grace Church was to turn in the difficulties of the next few years and he played a leading part in solving the problem im- mediately ahead.
In accordance with most careful reports, signed by Dr. William Grosvenor, the Vestry offered the old pewholders twenty percent of the appraisal value of their pews as credit towards pews in the new edifice or in cash at the time of the sale of these pews; pro- ceeded to secure lots1 adjoining the church on Westminster and Mathewson Streets, running through to Chapel Street, providing a site for the new church 90 by 180 feet; and speedily raised sub- scriptions amounting to over $20,000 toward pews in the new edi- fice. Though these subscriptions were less than the minimum of $25,000 set, the Corporation felt justified in proceeding to pro- cure plans for the new building. These were submitted by Russell Warren, a member of the Church and the architect who a decade before had transformed the old theatre into their present church, and by Richard Upjohn of New York, the architect of old Trinity Church in that city and the leading church architect of his time in this part of the country.
After considerable difference of opinion the Corporation decided in favor of Mr. Upjohn's plans, which were less expensive than those of Mr. Warren, and, $25,000 having by that time been raised, the building committee were authorized to proceed with the construction of the new church. The Building Committee, as finally constituted, consisted of Amasa Manton, Edward Walcott, William T. Grinnell, Dr. S. Augustus Arnold, Amory Chapin, and Dr. William Grosvenor.2
1 The lot on Westminster Street was owned by William A. Howard and that on Mathewson Street by Shubael Hutchins.
2 As originally appointed this committee also included Samuel Larned, Russell Warren, James Y. Smith, and Nathaniel F. Potter. There is no record of the resignation of any of these except Samuel Larned, but their names do not appear in the later accounts of the committee. The death of Amory Chapin in the fall of 1845 was clearly a very severe loss to the committee and the Church. It may well have been one of the chief causes of the financial difficulties involved in the erection of the new edifice.
5I
Vinton-Henshaw-Clark
Further investigation having confirmed the fears as to the unsafe condition of the roof and ceiling of the church the Vestry looked about for a more suitable place than the Lecture Room for the services. On Easter Day, April 7, 1844, the parishioners wor- shipped in St. Stephen's in a Union Service. The Wardens reported on April 13th that they "had engaged the House belong- ing to the Universalist Society for the term of six months at the rate of $300 per annum." This was the old First Universalist Church on the corner of Union Street where the Boston Store now stands, a prominent feature of Westminster Street a century ago. At its expiration this lease for some reason was not renewed, and services were held in "Mechanic's Hall in the new building of the Washington Insurance Company" which was hired from October 12 to April 12, 1845. Then the Universalist Church was hired again from May 8 to October 8, 1845.
A curious entry occurs in the minutes of the Vestry for January 15, 1845, for which no explanation has been found in the records of the General Assembly, but which it would seem probable was connected with the disposal of the old church or the transfer of rights to the new.
"Whereas Messrs. Duty Greene, Cyrus Dyer, and William Foster have petitioned the General Assembly for the exercise of visitatorial power upon the Corporation of Grace Church for various purposes, and whereas said petition was referred to the Committee on Corporations," therefore Resolved, "That Messrs. Walcott, Grosvenor and Manton be a Committee to appear and answer to said petition with power to call in the aid of Council, Records, etc., and manage and defend the same as in their judg- ment shall seem best."
At the next meeting, in March, it is reported that this committee with counsel appeared before a "Committee of the Hon. General Assembly," and that that "Committee decided that they could afford the petitioners no relief, and that they must report to the General Assembly that the Petitioners have leave to withdraw their petition."
In the spring of this year (1845) the scarcity of good lots remain- ing in the Cemetery led the Corporation to purchase a consider- able addition, long known as the "New Cemetery." This was bought at a price far below the market value from Resolved Waterman, for many years Treasurer of Grace Church, but then of St. Stephen's, where his son was Rector. The Treasurer gave the note of the Corporation to Mr. Waterman for $800. This
52
A History of Grace Church
purchase served as a bone of contention for nearly half a century with Mr. Waterman's son, the Rector of St. Stephen's Church. Some of his claims were for several thousand dollars, but he eventually settled in full for a few hundred. It may have been because of this dispute that the account was for many years care- fully kept separate from that of the original cemetery.
About this time the Vestry, having in mind the laying of the corner stone of the new church, voted "That Dr. S. Augustus Arnold and the Wardens be a committee to prepare a Historical Sketch of the Church." Such a sketch is included in the list of the articles placed in the stone. After the mortgage was paid off by Bishop Henshaw the Corporation "Resolved, that Rt. Rev. J. P. K. Henshaw, S. Augustus Arnold and Edward Walcott be a Committee to write a history of Grace Church from the time of the laying the cornerstone to Easter Monday, 1850, the time of the extinguishment of the debt, which Report shall be submitted to the vestry and if approved by them together with the history previously written and deposited under the corner stone shall be recorded in the Books of this Corporation."
No trace has been found of either of these documents and it seems likely that their contents will remain utterly unknown until some future generation has access to the contents of the "Lead Box" under the corner stone itself.
This corner stone was laid on the 8th of April, 1845, by Bishop Henshaw "with all the solemnities and devotions usual upon such occasions in the Protestant Episcopal Church." The report in the Journal states that the weather was very unpropitious, and the Clerk of the Vestry records that "a large concourse of persons of all denominations were present, also Bishop Horatio Southgate ["Missionary Bishop to the Dominions of the Sultan of Turkey"] and several of the clergy of other Dioceses, together with all the clergy of this Diocese." As to Bishop Henshaw's sermon the Vestry records state "a very solemn, interesting, and impres- sive discourse was delivered by the Bishop, in which he vindi- cated the Episcopal Church from many of the objections urged against her, and fully established her true catholicism, her evan- gelical purity of faith and doctrine, and her freedom from igno- rance, error, superstition, intolerance, and bigotry." And the account in the Journal runs,-The Bishop delivered "an elo- quent and well-timed address. The subject was religious toleration and was marked throughout with the sound reasoning, vigour of
53
Vinton-Henshaw-Clark
thought, and beautiful imaginings for which the Reverend gentleman is characteristic."
As the corner stone was never marked and can no longer be identified, it is well to note that the stone according to the descrip- tion in the records is "in the east corner of the Church in the east buttress of the main wall." It is now probably at least partially covered by the stones of the parish house. Those in charge of the building of the parish house state that they have no reason to believe that it was in any way disturbed at the time of the erection of that edifice.
In this stone "in a Lead Box hermetically sealed" were placed, according to the records, an unusually extensive and interesting collection of articles.
LIST OF DEPOSITS IN THE BOX UNDER THE CORNER STONE.
I. The Holy Bible.
2. The Book of Common Prayer.
3. History of Grace Church from its commencement to the laying of the Corner Stone.
4. Constitution and Canons of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States.
5. Constitution and Canons of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Diocese of Rhode Island.
6. Journal of the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States for 1844.
7. Journals of the Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Rhode Island from 1840 to 1844.
8. Journal of the Special Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Rhode Island in 1843.
9. Pastoral Letters of the House of Bishops from 1808 to 1844.
IO. Journals of the proceedings of the Board of Missions of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States 1841 to 1844.
II. Journal of the Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Diocese of the State of Maine for 1844.
12. Spirit of Missions for April 1845.
13. Bishop Griswold on the Reformation.
14. Sermon delivered at the Consecration of the Bishop of this Diocese.
15. Sermon preached before the Bishop, Clergy, and Lay delegates constituting the Board of Missions October 1844.
Pastoral Letter on Sunday Offerings.
Sermon on the Work of Christ's Living Body.
Lectures and tracts on Church subjects by the Bishop of this Diocese.
16. Sword's Almanac and Church Register for 1845.
54
A History of Grace Church
17. Church Almanac for 1845.
18. Moore's Providence Almanac and Directory.
19. Name of the President of the United States. Name of the Governor of the State of Rhode Island. Name of the Mayor of the City of Providence.
20. Names of the Bishop of this Diocese-of the Rector, Vestry, and Officers of Grace Church.
21. Names of the Building Committee-Architects-Contractors and Master Builders of the New Church.
22. Religious and other papers of the day.
23. Coins of the United States.1
24. The Office of Devotion and Ceremonies used at the laying of the Corner Stone Tuesday, April 8, 1845.
The erection of the new church went steadily on through the summer and fall of 1845 and the winter of 1846. By Easter of this latter year it was evident that occupancy in a few weeks could be counted on. It was doubtless with a view to the new order of things that in the minutes of the meeting of the Vestry for organi- zation immediately after the annual meeting the following optimis- tic, if not paradoxical, record appears
"Messrs. Manton and Walcott were appointed Music Com- mittee with authority to obtain a first rate Organist and Choir at an expense not exceeding seven hundred dollars per Annum."
Plans were now made for the consecration of the new edifice by Bishop Henshaw on June 2d, being Tuesday in Whitsun-week. The wardens and vestrymen signed a formal deed of dedication with a request to the Bishop to consecrate "the said Church to Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and set it apart to be hereafter employed in His holy worship and service." The following is the official statement of the consecration as it appears in the first volume of the records of Grace Church.
"Providence, June 2, 1846.
Tuesday in Whitsun-week.
"On this day, the new and splendid edifice erected by the Corpora- tion of Grace Church was solemnly dedicated to the service of Almighty God by the Right Reverend John Prentiss Kewley Henshaw, D.D., Bishop of Rhode Island, assisted by Right Reverend Bishop Doane of New Jersey, Right Reverend Bishop Eastburn of Massachusetts, and by several of the Reverend Clergy of the Diocese of Rhode Island and of other Dioceses.
1 "The Coins of the United States deposited were only the Silver and Copper Coins, with a few others presented."
55
Vinton-Henshaw-Clark
ORDER OF SERVICES
I. The deed of Dedication was presented to the Bishop by the Senior Warden.
2. The service of Consecration by the Bishop of the Diocese.
3 . The Sentence of Consecration was read by the Rev. George Taft.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
I, John Prentiss Kewley Henshaw, D.D., Bishop of Rhode Island, having received a deed of dedication of Grace Church in the city of Providence, and Diocese of Rhode Island, devoting it to the service of Almighty God, according to the rites and usages of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the United States of America, have this day in the use of the service provided for the consecration of a Church or Chapel, and assisted by the Right Reverend Bishops of New Jersey and Massachusetts, and by several of the Reverend Clergy of the Diocese of Rhode Island and of other Dioceses, on this second day of June, in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty-Six, being Tuesday in Whitsun-week, solemnly consecrated the edifice to be hereafter known by the name and style of Grace Church, Providence, in the Diocese of Rhode Island, to the service of Almighty God.
And I do by this instrument declare that the said edifice is now separated from all unhallowed, ordinary and common uses, and sacredly dedicated to the service of the Eternal Trinity in Unity, for the reading of His holy word, for the celebration of His holy sacrament, for offering to His glorious Majesty the sacrifices of prayer and thanksgiving, for blessing the people in His name, and for the performance of all other holy offices, as prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer, and administra- tion of the sacraments and other rites and ceremonies of the Church, according to the use of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the United States of America.
Given under my hand and seal on this second day of June being Tuesday in Whitsun-week, A.D. 1846 and in the third year of my consecration.
Signed, J. P. K. HENSHAW, Bishop of Rhode Island.
4. Morning Prayer to the Lessons, by Rev. J. H. Eames, with proper Psalms.
5. The first proper Lesson by Rev. Mr. Hall.
6. The second proper Lesson by Rev. J. W. Cooke.
7. Remainder of Morning Prayer by Rev. Dr. Crocker.
8. Psalm in Metre-selection 21st, 2nd and 3rd verses by Rev. G. W. Hathaway.
9. Ante-communion, by Right Rev. Bishop Doane of New Jersey.
IO. Selection 79th (Old hundred) Psalms in Metre, Rev. Mr. Vail.
II. Sermon by the Bishop of the Diocese.
12. IOIst Hymn, by Rev. J. A. Crane.
13. Offertory (for Missions in this Diocese) and prayer for the whole state of Christ's Church Militant by Right Rev. Bishop Eastburn of Massachusetts.
14. Voluntary on Organ, while the non-communicants were retiring.
15. Communion office, by the Bishop of the Diocese.
16. Hymn, before the distribution of the Elements, by Rev. B. Watson.
17. Post-communion by Right Rev. Bishop Eastburn.
56
A History of Grace Church
The new church had a raised Sanctuary of very moderate size occupying less than half the width of the church and only seven- teen feet in depth, with a small communion table of carved black walnut underneath the chancel window. Back of the table, against the wall was a chancel screen of richly carved black walnut arranged in a series of interlacing arches. There were vestry rooms on each side, opening only into the nave. The altar rail was just at the top of four short steps and the font was at first on the left just in front of the rail. Later it was in the middle. There were three short pews sidewise to right and left, close up to the line of the sanctuary wall and extending down to the middle of the first windows, which were placed as now. Three more transverse pews on each side formed part of the body of the church. Between these sets of three pews was an aisle, about ten feet wide, running across from wall to wall. In the center of this aisle was a large register, which, with two small registers at the foot of each aisle, seems to have been the only means of heating the church-clearly inadequate, to judge from frequent complaints. In this transverse aisle were also the two massive pieces of chancel furniture. In the middle of the left section and only two or three feet away from the pews was the large reading desk. The most prominent feature of the church, however, was the lofty hexagonal pulpit of the "hour glass" type, close to the pews and reached by a flight of eight or ten steps winding up from the right side-aisle and occupying some twelve feet in width along the front of the pews on the right. Over this later, from 1867 to 1878, was a huge shell-shaped sounding-board emblazoned with a large dove.
The organ and choir were in the loft at the rear, with another black walnut screen partly cutting them off from the view of the congregation. It was then, as the nave is today, one of the finest examples of the Gothic church architecture of the middle 19th Century.
The following formal description, taken from the records, was apparently written under the architect's direction.
"The new edifice is constructed in the style of pointed Architec- ture commonly called the Early English, and which prevailed in England, in the 12th, 13th, and 14th centuries. It consists of a nave and two aisles under one roof-a Tower at the end of the Eastern aisle and a separate Chancel.
"The material used is a reddish brown free stone, quarried at Newark, in New Jersey. This stone is laid in rubble work, after being dressed down to a tolerably even surface.
57
Vinton-Henshaw-Clark
"The length of the Church, from the front of the tower to the rear of the Chancel, is one hundred and forty-six feet and nine and a half inches-in width of front eighty-two feet-the interior, from the entrance door to the chancel screen, one hundred and thirty-two feet. The entire width of the body of the church is sixty-six feet, of which the nave occupies thirty-eight and each aisle fourteen.
"The tower is about twenty-eight feet square at its base, at present carried up only to the eaves, but designed to reach the height of two hundred and six feet. The walls are thirty-two feet high to the eaves, and the peak of the gable is sixty-five feet from the ground.
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.