USA > Wisconsin > Rock County > Beloit > Past made present : the first fifty years of the First Presbyterian Church and congregation of Beloit, Wisconsin together with a history of Presbyterianism in our state up to the year 1900 > Part 4
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A Scholarly minister.
According to a record of Dec. 1, 1855, Rev. L. Hawes had then become our minister. He came to us from Waukesha, Wis., where he had been a professor in Carroll College. Rev. Lowman (or Luman) P. Hawes was a native of Kentucky and was pastor for several years of a Presbyterian church at Huntingdon, Pa. He was a tall, thin, dark complexioned man, who preached very scholarly sermons. But he suffered much from ill health, remained with us not quite a year and has since died. One of his sermons is still remembered, from the text, " And Terah died at Haran." It was a warning against any delay in the choice of right life.
CHARLES P. BUSH, D. D.
At a meeting held Jan. 19, 1857, and moderated by Rev. Dr. H. N. Brinsmade (the Congregational pastor), Rev. Charles P. Bush was called to this pastorate at a salary of $1,000 per year, and remained until Sep. 27, 1859. That year, 1859, was one of almost constant revival, and was the banner year in the spiritual growth of this church. It witnessed an accession of eighty-six members, twenty-six by letter and sixty on confession of faith.
Dr. Bush subsequently became a secretary of the American Board of Foreign Missions, and one of his daughters, Miss Carrie, is now a missionary among the Armenians, at Hharpoot.
Mr. Bush was small physically, but a man of fine talents and ac- quirements; a courteous, spiritual, cultivated gentleman, whom we were sorry to lose.
(A graduate of Union Theological Seminary, N. Y., in 1840, he was ordained by the Presbytery of New York, Nov. 15, 1841. His death at Albany, N. Y., Feb. 22d, 1880 was almost a translation. In Dr. Smart's pulpit on that Sunday Mr. Bush preached with great earnestness from the text, I. Cor. XVI. 19, "The Churches of Asia salute you." It was a foreign Missionary sermon and friends say that he spoke as one inspired. About half an hour afterwards, like a soldier suddenly stricken at his post or rather like a workman called in from the harvest field, he was called home).
After the departure of Mr. Bush came the 'Dark age' in our church history; yet, like the same age in general history, it was a period of training and preparation for larger growth.
Several very influential members had already left to form the Westmin- ister church and our society labored under financial difficulties. At this crisis, President A. L. Chapin and Professor J. J. Blaisdell of Beloit college, offered to supply the pulpit alternately for one year without pay. That
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PRESIDENT AARON L. CHAPIN, D.D., LL. D., BELOIT COLLEGE.
gratuitous, but superior service they gave and the thanks of the church for it are recorded, not only on the church book, but also in all our hearts. Their noble example stimulated one young man of the church to also give his service gratuitously for two years but in the humbler capacity of sexton. We congratulate ourselves on having in our present Eldership the worthy successor of Prof. Blaisdell in Beloit College, Prof. Guy A. Tawney.
January 4, 1859, the trustees heroically resolved, "Hereafter the expenses of this society shall be kept within its income."
Rev. William Adams, son of the Rev. Mr. Adams who first preached regularly in our village became your minister for two years, Jan. 1, 1861 to 1863, and got his wife here, formerly Miss Augusta Cooper, a daughter of our charter members, Samuel B. and Amanda Cooper. He had a slight twist on his Roman nose, but no twist in his clear practical mind. The great public excitement of those war times proved unfavorable to our church growth, and for the year 1862-63 we received only one new member.
Wm. W. Adams, D. D., has since become a noted writer on metaphysical subjects and is now the honored pastor of the Congregational church at Fall River, Bristol Co., Mass. (Page 63.)
The next pastor, Rev. David Edwards Beach, D.D., came December 7, 1863, and served until the spring of 1865. (See page 63.)
In his family he represented the fourth successive generation of ministers. Born at Stephentown, N. Y., Nov. 13, 1833, he united with the church at Homer, Ohio, when he was twelve years old. One of his eyes having been permanently injured he for a time tried clerking in a store but the student
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PROF. J. J. BLAISDELL, BELOIT COLLEGE.
instinct in him was too strong to be denied. Though physically frail and unable to use his eyes in the evening he completed the Marietta College course in 1859 with the Second Honor of his class.
Graduating from Lane Seminary, (1863) he married at Cincinnati, April 12, 1864, Miss Alice Allen, daughter of Dr. D. Howe Allen, then Professor of Theology at Lane. Our Beloit Church was his first pastorate.
He usually spoke without notes but evidently not without rich and ample preparation. I remember especially his Preparatory Lectures and Communion addresses.
Becoming convinced that the union of the two Presbyterian Churches in Beloit, (Old School and New School) would be helped by his resignation, he resigned without having any other field in view but was soon called to Granville, O., where he labored very successfully, four years.
Like his mother Mr. Beach was of a most unselfish disposition and con- scientiously industrious. He was pre-eminently a spiritual teacher and his style of expression was clear, beautiful and strong. (The volume of his sermons, published by the Alumni of Marietta in 1890 shows this. )
Preaching was the passion of his soul but his frail body could not endure the nervous strain required so in 1869 he became professor of Christian
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WILLIAM ALEXANDER, D.D.
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Evidences and Moral Philosophy at Marietta College, Ohio. That place he nobly filled until his death July 24, 1888.
The degree of D.D., was given him by Wabash College in 1885.
He left a wife and three sons, one of whom, being pastor of a Congrega- tional Church at Ashland, Wis., makes in that family a fifth ministerial generation.
The Reunion.
The year, 1865, witnessed not only the reunion of the nation, but also the happy reunion of this church and Westminster.
The Westininster society had been formed in November, 1858. January 5, 1859, the Westminster Presbyterian Church was organized "for the moral and religious interests and local convenience of the west side of the river." Their lot and building was at the south-west corner of Bluff and Bridge streets. They were served in succession by two scholarly preachers. Rev. Joshua Phelps, D.D., and Rev. Robert Beer, and were connected with Mil- waukee Presbytery. At a meeting of that body, held June 29, 1865, by mutual arrangement, they were officially united with this church and brought to it 73 members. The united church itself also came under the care of Milwaukee Presbytery and the property of Westminster was used to build a session room on the south end of this edifice. William Alexander, D.D., who had been serving us for some time as stated supply and had greatly helped towards this union was chosen pastor, Oct. 2, 1865, and our church entered on a new stage of life.
Lord Chesterfield once wrote that a true gentleman would never move faster than a dignified walk. According to that rule, Dr. Alexander was certainly a gentleman. The question once raised as to how a gentleman could maintain that character in the presence of an angry bull, or even that extreme circumstance had it actually occurred, would not, as I judge, have troubled Mr. Alexander. He would simply have taken the bull by the horns, would settle with him and then walk on. Mr. Alexander was a large man, both physically and mentally, spiritually and theologically and even his way of walking and talking was solid. His mind was intensely logical and his sermons were scriptural and full of strong thought, positively and strongly put. He spoke that which he did know and never apoligized for the Bible or any part of it. 1866-67, was another revival season and brought us an accession of 75, 51 on profession and 24 by letter. At the end of 1867, the church was reported as substantially out of debt. In the fall of 1869, when Mr. Alexander left, one-third was added to the length of the church at the south end and the stained glass windows were put in, all at an expense of about $3,400.
Dr. Alexander is now professor of church history in the San Francisco Theological Seminary, located at San Anselmo, California.
For his long and faithful work in that seminary, including at different times all their departments of teaching except Hebrew, the Trustees have granted him a year's vacation, salary continued, for rest and travel in Europe with his equally esteemed wife. It is vocation that makes vacation.
*Rev. Alexander G. Wilson, D.D., was your stated supply for one year, July, 1870-71. His sermons were all rich in thought. He is now pastor of the
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Presbyterian Church of Tekamah, Nebraska. (For his likeness see page 63. ) He is also the Professor of Apologetics and Missions in the Presbyterian Theological Seminary at Omaha, Nebraska:
At the close of summer after Dr. Wil- son's departure, the church, not being ready to call a pastor, engaged as Stated Supply Rev. Henry M. Whitney, Professor of Rhetoric in Beloit College At this critical period of our church life his pulpit service which extended from September 1st, 1871, to June 1st, 1872, was especially helpful in maintaining and building up the con- gregation.
The Longest Pastorate.
In November, 1872, began your longest pastorate, that of Rev. John McLean,
REV. JOHN MCLEAN, D.D.
PROF. HENRY M. WHITNEY BELOIT COLLEGE, 1871.
which continued until 1884. He was a thoroughly Scotch Presbyterian, a good scholar, intensely conscientious, and a man of very positive convictions. He was a quite unequal preacher, sometimes, at the regular session, showing little thought or power and then at other times rising to heights of real eloquence. Like Apollos, he was mighty in the Scriptures, but his personal nature was more like that of Peter. He had the missionary spirit and his warm and generous heart made him an earnest pastor. He was a thorough scholar and during the absence of Prof. Blaisdell for a term took his classes in Mental and Moral Philosophy at Beloit College ; he gave acceptable service also on the College Board of Trustees.
He was a reformer also, especially devoted to temperance work and other ethical activities outside his regular church field. During the later years of his term we had to sell the parsonage, (bought long before, and but partly paid for). Various other unfavorable circumstances led to the church's decline, but when Mr. McLean departed September, 1884, he left behind him many warm friends. In the last G. A. minutes he is recorded as Rev. John McLean, D.D., stated supply of a Presbyterian church at Del Norte, Colorado.
In his time, (1879), the pulpit was moved forward eight feet and a larger choir platform built behind it at that south end of the room, and
*Mr. and Mrs. Alexander visited Beloit for a few days in July, 1899 on their way to Scotland.
Dr. Alexander also preached in this pulpit of his earlier life. Though sixty-eiglit years of age he made it plain that 'his natural force is not abated and that his bow abides in strength.'
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-
WM.W.ADAMS D.D.
DAVID E.BEACH D.D.
"FALL 1863-SPRING 1865
OCT. 1860-JAN. 1863
ALEXR.G. WILSON D.D.
REV. A.WESLEY BILL
MAR. 1885 APR. 1887
JULY 1870 - 1871
REV. CHAS.D. MERRILL
1890 -1896
REV. THOS. E. BARR JUNE 1887 MAR. 1890
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reflectors were placed in the ceiling. After the tornado of 1883 tore off our steeple, it was rebuilt, (as shown by the cut later), only far enough to cover the bell.
A Soldier Preacher.
Rev. A. Wesley Bill, (see page 63) a former captain of volunteers in the army, was your pastor elect from April, 1885 to 1887, and took the field when this church was in a depressed condition. His superior sermons with the efficient aid of his companion, built up the congregation and renewed the church's active life. A second parsonage was bought and partly paid for. Then the new Westminster church in Milwaukee took him from us for a still more successful work there. He is now pastor of the Presbyterian1 church at Fond du lac, Wisconsin.
Rev. Thomas E. Barr, the next pastor, was called in June, 1887, almost from the seminary, installed Sept. 30, and served nearly three years. Labor- ing under the great difficulty of stuttering speech, he yet by his strong will power and natural genius as an orator, wonderfully mastered the difficulty and always interested his audiences. As he himself once remarked to me about that thorn in the flesh, "It is good for us to have something to fight." His was a specially logical method of thought and he invariably spoke with- out manuscript. His manner on the platform was easy and his cultivated voice, pleasing and often thrilling in its tones. Having the eagerness of youth for visible progress, he planned and carried through the extension of this building on the east and that extensive remodeling of theinterior which is represented by its present condition. The whole cost of that work, about $6,000, together with all other debts of this church we have now just finally and fully paid.
During that building over period, Mr. Barr conducted Sabbath services in the opera house.
Rev. C. D. Merrill's ministry.
The scholarly and efficient ministry of Rev. Charles D. Merrill is too recent and well known to require any extended comment. It covered nearly six years from November 1890, and his record shows an average reception for that period of about 25 new members each year. His labors, well supple- mented by those of his wife, served to solidify the church. Coming here from California, and having traveled also in Europe, England, Egypt and Syria, Mr. Merrill had a special furnishing and his carefully written morn- ing sermons were frequently enriched with allusions and illustrations, which only such an experience could supply. His deep, steady voice and naturally quiet manner of delivery, gave at times to strangers the impression of a lack of enterprise or earnestness. To his regular hearers and especially to near friends, however, his earnestness has always been apparent. It was like the deeper current of our Rock river, which shows few ripples on the surface, but flows on with power beneath. Being the son of a charter member, and of Beloit, and of Beloit college, hewas also thus approved as a prophet, not without honor even in his own country, and in his own house. (For his portrait see page 63.)
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REV. T. T. CRESWELL, 1896.
Mr. Merrill left this field Nov. 1, 1896, on account of ill healtlı and to accept that 111ore extended work which lie¿still continues, the position of treasurer and agent for the Wisconsin Chil- dren's Aid society. During his term the new pipe organ costing $2.800, was built and, largely through the untiring devotion of Professor Holden, was paid for.
The new church parlors, chapel and session room were also afterward added at a cost of about $2000 more.
This brings us to the record of the present pastorate, a few facts from which will speak for themselves.
The Present Pastor.
Rev. Thaddeus T. Creswell, a young minister of Minneapolis, Minn., having been unanimously called, caine and began his labors here Sept. 27, 1896. He was duly installed as pastor Nov. 17, 1896. During these last two and a half years there have been added to the church 144 members, 79 by letter and 65 on confession, and there has been a net gain in membership of just 100.
This last has been one of the four banner years of the church for new converts. In 1857, Mr. Bush received 60. In 1866, Dr. Alexander wel- comed 51. In 1873, Mr. McLean had 23, and during this last church year there have come on confession 36.
The pastor's unusual freedom from pa- per and pulpit, his clear voice and famil- iar, vivacious manner of talking from the platform, together with evangelistic aptness and great kindness in personal intercourse, are traits obvious to all of you. How a man of his Zacchaeus stat- ure got so good a wife is a mystery which we may well pass by in view of the fact. That they may both be granted many useful and happy years here is the wish doubtless of all.
Of other ministers who occasionally supplied our Presbyterian pulpit in the earlier days, we especially remember
PROF. JOS. EMERSON, D.D., LL.D.
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Professors Joseph Emerson and William Porter, of Beloit College. On one occasion during my youth, the former, having reached the church to con- duct Sunday morning service, found that his carefully written sermon had been left at home. He was rushed into a carriage and up to his house and back again in time for a noble discourse worth waiting for. Indeed all his sermons were characterized by intellectual and spiritual fullness. Or, as one put it, when you had a sermon from Professor Emerson you got not only good roast beef but also the whole menu.
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Professor Porter, a genuinely humble great man among us but slight in form, had usually the air of apologizing for ever occupying a pulpit or professor's chair, or even presuming to live among robust people. I once congratulated hini upon having accomplished so much work on so slender a constitution, and he quickly replied, "You might as well say, on no constitution at all." If that is the fact then he must have had some remarkable by-laws, for his very efficient service in our college and community has ac- ceptably continued for now almost half a cen- PROF. WM. PORTER, D.D. tury. His quiet sermons were full of the Bible, and spiritual, elevating thought, and somehow, to me, always made heaven seem near. When either of these men preached I used to think of that say- ing, "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
IV.
The distinctive work of the Sabbath School, of the Young People and of the Ladies will be presented by others. Those unselfish services are not on the church record so much as under it.
The office and service of Usher deserves at least a passing notice. Of our first usher, Beman Clark, it is said that his beaming smile and cordial grasp of the hand made every stranger who attended once want to come : again. This office has been filled by some of our best men and, under J. E. Houston as head usher has become very helpful to the church. We especially miss from that office the two young men who after several years of acceptable service left us in 1898 because of their gradua- F. B. MCCUSKEY, '96-'98. tion from college.
R. C. HECOX, '96-'98.
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Had Elder John A. Holmes lived a little longer he might have given you in orderly array our half century of Benevolences. It may be as well that we cannot have them presented with any fullness here. This church has always believed in the missionary work, Home and Foreign, and has been loyal to all the Presbyterian Boards of Benevolence. Our hearts and hands have been open also to the American Board, the American Tract Soci- ety, the Bible Society, and other good causes outside our own church. Then further, besides distinctively Presbyterian schools like Carroll College and Poynette Academy, we have given liberally to Beloit College during all this half century.
In those earlier days children used to do without butter or sugar in or- der to earn missionary money. Similar, though larger and more hidden forms of self sacrifice are not unknown here still for like good objects.
"Not what we get but what we give Makes worth our living the life we live."
So this church has from the very beginning believed in benevolence and practiced it.
CHESTER CLARK.
Another matter of course with our New England pioneers was the practice of prayer. Besides daily family prayer and the regular Thursday evening meetings, of which the first in the month was devoted to Missions and called the Monthly Concert, there was every week a Mothers' Prayer Meeting, and also for some time a Children's or Youths' meeting. This last used to be held at some private house, usually that of one of the Clarks. Several of those children who regularly attended it are now officers or valued members of the church.
The whole number of members enrolled by this church during the past fifty years, including proba- bly a few duplicates, is 1,131. The present record shows 320 names, but a careful revision for absentees makes the active mem- bership 280.
Fourteen Members Enter ministry.
Of that 1,131, fourteen young men have entered the ministry. They are, in order of time : Lyman Johnson, Charles Kimball, Francis W. Case, Lucian D. Mears, John D. McCord, William F. Brown, A. M. May, Rollin Adams, Thomas J. Lamont, Hugh Lamont, Charles D. Merrill, Louis E. Hol- den, who is also the Knapp Professor of Oratory in Beloit College, James Ben- son and Arthur A. Amy. The church has now under its care also four candi-
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dates for the ministry : Albert Dennis Burns and Chauncey W. Watt, Seniors at Beloit College, Herbert Ashby Whitlock, Sopho- more, and Joseph Pipal in the Academy.
The first named minister, Lyman John- son, who as a mason of the earliest days, helped Chester Clark make those cobble- stone houses which are no longer built, after serving in the regular ministry became a general evangelist, and then editor of a reli- gious paper called "The Stumblingstone." This he still edits at Toledo, Ohio.
Lucian D. Mears, born on his father's farm two miles up the river, March 29th, 1838, the first boy born in this settlement, united with our Presbyterian church April 5, 1857. The family having changed their RUFUS CLARK. membership to the old First Church he became a Congregational minister was for a time assistant treasurer of Beloit College, and died a few years since.
Brother Holden and myself take especial pride in the fact that we have each in our day filled the office in this church, and therefore both now belong to its noble army of, martyrs, or rather, sextons.
(Later note. July 27th, 1899, Prof. Louis E. Holden was elected President of Wooster University, Wooster, Ohio. He is the tentlı college president furnished by Old Beloit, and the seventeenth or eighteenth, including all the pres idents we have sent out. )
Of the present church roll, fif- teen members have had connec- tion with this church forty years or more. They are the three char- ter menibers, David Merrill, E. N. Clark, M. D., and Beman Clark. HENRY PENTLAND, PRESIDENT OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR 21 YEARS. April 29, 1849, Augustus R. Peck. 1850, Rufus Clark (died April 11, 1899). 1851, Miss Nancy Houston now Mrs. T. B. Bailey, and Miss Caroline Clark, now Mrs Joy. Also Geo A. Houston and John E. Houston. 1857, Mrs. Lucena Dearborn, Elijah Harlan Clark, and Nelson A. Clark, Miss Cornelia A. Crosby, Mr. and Mrs Anson P. Waterman.
The last is a name which has especially honored this church and which this church delights to honor. Two other names, of not quite so many years on the record, which should be noted, are those of Mr. and Mrs. Henry
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Pentland. Mr. Pentland has been president of our Board of Trustees for twenty-one years and is still in service. His first wife, a most devoted worker in our church, died May 25, 1894.
Elder Waterman has been a member of our Session, re-elected term after term, for almost thirty-four years, and during most of that time has served also as Treasurer of the church. It is not too much to say that, at various critical times the continued progress if not the very existence of our church has been largely due to his wise councils and his personal devotion and generosity.
(NOTE .- Anson P. Waterman was born at South Ballston, Saratoga county, New York, January 15, 1819, of David and Phoebe Hollister Waterman. Both parents were devoted christians. His father, a farmer, served in the war of 1812, and his grand- father, of English descent, was a Lieut. Col. MRS. A. P. WATERMAN. in the revolutionary war, commissioned by Gov. George Clinton, of N. Y., June 16, 1778. The boy, Anson, attended public school until he was twelve, worked in a store five years, clerked in a hardware store at Schenectady, N. Y. until 1840 and then had a hardware business of his own at Phelps, Ontario Co., N. Y., until his removal to Beloit, Wis., in 1854. December 31, 1840, he married Miss Jennie A. Hubbell. Their children are Belle (Mrs. B. D. Lee), and Annie (Mrs. C. E. Whitman), both of St. Louis, and Jennie S., wife of C. S. Gregory, Beloit.
Mr. Waterman continued the hardware business here, with John B. Gor- don partner after 1866, until 1880. His interest in a heavy hardware busi- ness at St. Louis, kept him in that city most of the time from 1876 to 1889, when he came back to Beloit to stay. He was the second mayor of our city, Republican, two years, 1857 and 1858. For more than twenty years he served on our Board of Education. He is one of the original members of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, of Milwaukee, organized in 1861, and a trustee also from the beginning.
Of Beloit College he has been a trustee since 1856, was treasurer from 1869 until he left Beloit in 1877, and on his return in 1889 was again elected and still serves as assistant treasurer. )
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