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 5
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His earnest religious feeling, staunch Calvinistic faith, and constant lib- erality have made him, both in the Westminster Presbyterian church and also in this a most valued member. We all hope that Mr. and Mrs. Water- man may be allowed to celebrate in good health, next year, the sixtieth an- niversary of their marriage.
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HON. ANSON P. WATERMAN.
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Near The Tavern
Notice finally this. God has required for the first half century of the Acts of your church life and you have called to your pulpit just twelve dif- ferent ministers. And in many respects they were like the twelve apostles, ( without Judas).
Eddy was manly, social Andrew ; Hawes, solemn like Thomas; Bush was a Nathaniel ; Adams, the practical Phillip ; Beach, more of a Matthias ; Alexander answers to the dignified James, president of that first council which made church history. Wilson was a counterpart of the retiring and honored Jude. McLean of course was Peter, and Mr. Bill that James who had something to do with a sword. Barr was Simon the Zealot ; Merrill, the treasurer and writer Matthew ; and the last and youngest is perhaps most like John.
Children and young people of our church, and all of you who make up the generation following, let the record of this past half century be remem- bered by you all. Many of you will see much of the next half century, and some doubtless will witness its close. God requires of us this past in order that he may receive from you and others something better. Soon the farm- ers around Beloit will be sowing spring grain. May these memories of past years sink into your and other hearts like good seed into rich ground, so that grow- ARCOEI ing up, they shall pro- duce here for the Mas- ter in the next half cen- tury, a much larger and nobler harvest than that of our past.
A CHILD'S SAMPLER. 1820.
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SOME OF OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL WHO MAY ATTEND THE CENTENNIAL OF THIS CHURCH.
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The Sunday School.
INTERESTING ADDRESSES BY DR. E. N. CLARK, FIRST SUPT., AND J. E. HOUSTON, PRESENT SUPT.
The Sunday School convened immediately after the morning service and there was a fair attendance.
Introducing Dr. Clark, Mr. Houston said it was seldon that a Sun- day School was permitted to have their first superintendent with them at the fiftieth anniversary, but the Beloit Sunday School not only had him with them to-day but had him there every Sunday.
Old Times in the Sunday School, by Dr. Elijah n. Clark.
This subject ,was given me because I am old, but when I first knew anything about Sun- day Schools I was young. It was more than seventy-five years ago at Amherst, Mass., in plain sight of where the college build- ings now stand. We used to call the place Meeting-house Hill. In our school then, held at noon as this is, we were to learn by heart a certain or rather uncer- tain number of verses, just as we pleased, and the one who learned most was the best fellow. I do not remember that we ever had any explanation of the lesson given. One might learn a hymn and it answered just as well.
In due time our family moved from Amherst away off out West. Where was that? Central New ELIJAH N. CLARK, M. D. York. When father and broth- er Rufus went first in the spring to get a place ready, it took them a week to make the journey. The family came in the fall by lumber wagons to Albany, and thence by the Erie Canal to Palmyra. Our farm was six or eight miles away in the town of Marion, where there was no church building and most of the houses were made of logs. Every Sunday, however, we had church meeting in some school- house, taking turns with the Baptists and Methodists.
In process of time churches were built, and each church had a place of its own. Previous to this, Sabbath Schools were undenominational, or of all united, and were held in the several district school houses. I don't remem- ber that the superintendent asked any questions or made any application of the lesson.
Our Sunday School began to have Sunday School books, which were
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thought quite a treat, and must be brought back the next sabbath after being taken out.
After I had attended the Gene- va Lyceum school I was asked to teach the district school and was made superintendent of their Sun- day School for the summer. This was my first attenipt. Having finished a course at the Lyceum and then at Geneva Medical Col- lege, I married in 1842, and settled at Phelps, N. Y., and there first saw Mr. A. P. Waterman. After five years I left Phelps and canie to Beloit, then a town of about FOR THE S. S. GROUP. thirteen hundred inhabitants, and when our Presbyterian church was organized in 1849, the first superintend- ent of the Sunday School was your humble servant,
ELIJAH N. CLARK, (now aged 82 years )
ON OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL OF OLD TIMES; A SUPPLEMENTARY PAPER BY. MRS. O. P. SMITH, (HATTIE CLARK, DAUGHTER OF DR. E. N. CLARK.)
In the year 1852 my father went to California, and was gone two and a half years, becoming the Sunday School superintendent again on his return. This was his position at the time of the re-union in 1865, and Mr. A. P. Waterman was Sunday School secretary and treasurer. In 1872 Mr. Austin was elected Sunday School superintendent to serve until Jan. 1, 1873, with David Merrill, assistant superintendent. After a few months Dr. E. N. Clark was induced to resume his old position and was re-elected superinten- dent year after year, until 1889, about forty years from the time lie began that service here. He then thought it best to have a change, and Mr. John E. Houston was elected. The successive superintendents since liave been Mr. Kummel, David Throne, Mr. Hurst (Y. M. C. A. Secretary), C. A. Arm- strong, James Benson (now pastor of Arcadia Avenue Presbyterian church, Peoria, Il1. ), Waldo Thompson, with instructor Geo. P. Bacon of Beloit College Academy as assistant, (now studying in Germany); and the present offi- cers, Elder John E. Houston, superintendent, and Prof. Guy A. Tawney of Beloit College, assistant.
For seven years past our faithful secretary and treasurer has been Mr. Oscar Foster.
The very efficient principal of the Primary de- partment, long continued and still in loving service is Mrs. Eunice B. Key.
My remembrance of Sunday School study is that we had Lesson Leaves with fifteen to twenty verses in each lesson. My sister Matie (Mrs. Messer) and myself never thought of having Sunday morning
HATTIE CLARK. (MRS. O. P. SMITH.)
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dawn without our having learned those verses. Mother required us to learn all of them. In our Sunday School class each girl recited the verses she had committed. No questions were were asked or explanations given. Fa- ther, as superintendent, would ask the subject and Golden Text, and other questions calculated to bring out the lesson, sometimes requesting a class or one scholar to give the point most no- ticed. Dr. Clark's one hobby was to have the scholars memorize the Books of the Bible and the Shorter Catechism. Once while visiting bis old pastor Rev. Alfred Eddy, in Chicago, after morn- OSCAR FOSTER, S. S. SECRETARY. 1892-1899. ing prayers he spoke of the custom of learning the Books. Mr. Eddy called it nonsense, saying that without ever having learned them he would have no trouble in finding any one the Dr. might mention. "Well," said father, "find the Book of Hezekiah." Mr. E. looked for it in vain, and even his good wife's assistance did not enable him to find it. After that experience he thought that the learning of those books was not a bad plan.
As to the value of learning the Catechism, one of the older Sunday School scholars, who was not a church member, in arguing for the Bible, says that he often got the better of an opponent by knowing his Catechism.
When Mr. Houston was first su- perintendent he had a very pleasing and instructive blackboard exercise with large pictures of the lesson scenes and characters. He also brought out the lesson by question- ing the school, a practice which he still continues.
As to raising money for special objects I remember only two efforts. The first was to help build that missionary ship, tlie Morning Star. By contributing ten cents you got a printed certificate bearing your name and saying that you owned one share in that ship. I wish I could see a piece of paper now that would produce again the feelings which that little certificate did.
When the new stained glass win- dows were put into the church build- ing, the Sunday School was asked to pay for one of them, about $80.
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MRS. EUNICE B. KEY, PRINCIPAL OF PRIMARY DEPARTMENT.
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THE OLDEST SABBATH SCHOOL SCHOLAR, BENJAMIN BROWN, ESQ., AGED 85 YEARS, 1888.
We were given cards and collected from friends five or ten cent contribu- tions, happy if any one gave us a quarter. In collecting a little over three dollars my card became almost worn out with so much thumbing.
Once in a while we had Sunday School missionary concerts, and Mrs. Hutchison used to train us girls of about twelve years old in dialogues on missions. She was a good and faithful teacher, and the same might be said of many others.
In old times also we were given summer picnics and winter Christmas trees, loaded with presents. On my father's silver wedding anniversary, one Saturday evening, August 17th, 1867, a large delegation from the Sun- School, led by Mr. J. E. Houston, suddenly invaded the house, and through their leader presented father and mother with a silver water pitcher and server.
The first celebration of Children's Day that I remember occurred about ten years ago. Mrs. Geo. Stocking had arranged a large basket of beautiful flowers, and at the close of the exercises my daughter Sadie, five years old, was to present these flowers in the name of the school to Mr. Benjamin Brown (then aged 86 years ), one of the charter members of the church, and a regular attendant of the Sunday School, who often called himself our old- est Sunday School scholar. She did so and he was pleased to give her a dollar. Then she was pleased. Mr. Brown loved the school, and was a lib- eral friend. To many of the scholars he gave little Bibles or Testaments, which they still keep. We never had an entertainment or needed money for anything but what he gave heartily and liberally. And many times I have heard him say, " If that is not enough, come again."
One lovely summer sabbath after Sunday School, during Mr. Benjamin Brown's last illness (in 1890), all the scholars marched up to his rooms at Mr. Houston's house, south-east corner of Broad and Prospect streets, and sang under his windows several familiar Sabbath School songs. Then we went on further to the home of Harry Key, who had been near death's door several weeks, and sang for him also. It was a slight service on our part, but much appreciated by them both. Mr. Brown (the father of Rev. Wm. F. Brown) died July 15th, 1890, aged 87 years.
The Sunday School, with its present efficient officers and teachers, is making steady and satisfactory growth. Many of its scholars have joined the church, and they form a part of almost every accession to its membership.
Our school is also noticeable for the large proportion of adult members. As Mr. Houston remarked the Sunday School superintendent of fifty years ago was not only present on that Fiftieth Anniversary Sunday, but he is in the school, as teacher or scholar, every Sunday. We shall not be satisfied until we have made our Sunday School mean, the whole church studying the Bible together.
Mrs. Ed. Watson sang a pleasing solo and was tendered a vote of thanks by the school.
Mr. J. E. Houston, the present superintendent, then made a short ad- dress, in which he told of being a pupil under Dr. Clark years before, and corroborated the story of reciting the Books of the Bible in unison. He told of the successors to Dr. Clark, and traced the school down to his predeces- sor Mr. Waldo Thompson, whose work was eulogized. Mr. Houston admini-
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stered a gentle rebuke to the grown people who came to church Sunday morning and hurried away home as soon as dismissed, leaving the Sunday School to take care of itself. He thought all church members who could should stay and help in the school. He reported the present roll as nuin- bering 205, with an average attendance of 111.
Mr. Houston went on into the future, and anticipated the coming fifty years in the Sunday School, and the one hundredth anniversary, fifty years hence. He spoke of the young men who would probably take part in those exercises, and Rev. Creswell interrupted him to say that he would only be 82 years old then, and would preach that sermon. Mr. Houston called for all who desired Mr. Creswell to preach the one hundredth anniversary ser- mon of the church to raise their hands, and it was unaninious.
After declaring Rev. Mr. Creswell elected pastor of the church for the next fifty years the School closed with the Lord's prayer in chorus.
Communion Service and Letters.
At three o'clock an impressive Communion Service was held in the church, conducted by the pastor, assisted by Rev. Prof. L. E. Holden and W. F. Brown, D.D. Communicants from all the churches were invited and were in attendance. Several letters for the occasion from former pastors were read by the pastor. Rev. A. W. Bill wrote from Fond du Lac, Wis .: " What good news you send me of the Lord's work in Beloit, as seen in the faithful First Presbyterian Church. How different now from the time when I was there, 1885-87. Then the church was weak and somewhat discour- aged but steadfast, and during those two years thirty-two were received in- to the membership. My heart rejoices warmly with you. May divine bles- sings continue to rest upon you, and may scores of precious souls be brought into the fold. To all who may remember me there I send a heart-felt greet- ing, in which Mrs. Bill joins."
Rev. T. E. Barr wrote from Kalamazoo, Michigan : "It is a strange world. We do not plan our way save in part. But to-day I am glad for what has been and for what is. The analogies of nature are the keys of knowledge. Cause and effect rule universally. Love is supreme. Jesus Christ is the supreme teacher of truth and the incarnate expression of Infinite Love. The God who arches the heavens with the Bow of Promise and pro- vides for his creatures, broods over the heart of man in benediction. Let us banish every suggestion of fear and stand in the consciousness of an Infinite Love which our faults may cloud, but which is never dimmed or changed."
Rev. Dr. William Alexander of California, wrote: “Dear Brethren : When our Savior instituted the solemn rite which you observe he meant that it should be a bond of union to all his people until he should come again. * * * Let nie remind you that the Lord's Supper is a commemorative ordi- nance, but it is much more. In this ordinance Christ is present, not corpo- really but spiritually : and Christ and all the benefits of his atoning sacri- fice are received by the faith of the recipient. There is an actual commu- nication of grace to the soul of the worthy receiver. * * * And let not any faithful soul be discouraged from coming by a sense of unworthiness. Of course we are all unworthy. The Lord's table is not for the worthy (in this moral sense) but for those who feel their unworthiness. Come then humbly
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trusting in the forgiving love and grace of your Redeemer. That you may all realize in your own experience the benefits of communing with the Lord, is the earnest prayer of your former pastor and brother in Christ Jesus, Wil- liam Alexander."
The pastor, Rev. T. T. Creswell, gave the following address :
This is our crowning service. It is the crowning service of all chris- tians, for it is the only memorial service. It is the only service appointed directly by Jesus Christ. I think of baptism as a ceremony, and this as a ceremony not alone, but a service. Jesus Christ appointed it. The very fact that He did appoint it points to His divinity. No man has ever been great enough to appoint a memorial service for himself that has not in the eyes of the world seemed presumptuous ; but Jesus Christ, without causing the slightest suspicion of presumption to rest upon Him, said, " This do in re- membrance of me." There was something in His words, in His manner of life, in His divine manifestation, in the performance of miracles, that so lift- ed Him above all mankind, that He could and did say " observe this memo- rial service." It is what we would naturally expect of a God, and of God only.
It is a crowning service, also, because it appeals to our deepest and holi- est emotions. The depth of emotiou in a sense at least, depends upon the worth of the object. The universal law of a human love for a human being is that of disappointment. The affections flow freely for a time, then dis- cover faults, and sins, and imperfections, which stay and limit the outgoing love. But with Jesus Christ as the supreme object of our love, there is no limitation in His character. There are no imperfections, no sins, no faults, that hinder the deepest and purest love in being bestowed upon Him. Eve- ry character is seen to better advantage sometimes than others. Nowhere is the character of Jesus Christ, great and good as it is, seen to such advan- tage as upon the cross, with that sweet forgiving spirit. This service is a crowning one, because a memorial to the greatest character, that lets us see that character at its sublimest moment, thus touching the deepest affection of our hearts.
It is a crowning service also because it points to His crowning act for humanity. When He said " It is finished," it meant not alone that the phy- sical agony was nearing a close, the mental suffering past, but it meant the atonement was complete, the propitiation had been offered. I think I can hear the words in Hebrews, "Without the shedding of blood there is no re- mission." And in John, " Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." The blood of this Lamb had been shed to cleanse all humanity.
It is a crowning act, likewise, because here we receive our greatest spi- ritual uplift. If we come thoughtlessly we shall receive no more benefit than we would in simply receiving the bread and the wine at any time. But here " By faith we feed upon Him," and nowhere else can we so certainly expect to find Him as in this service. He lias said " Lo I am with you alway," and " Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I." But in a special sense we must feel that as He said, " This do in remembrance of me," when we literally observe that command, He himself will be present ; we may indeed feed upon Him ; we may go from this table as Longfellow
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said concerning the children of the Lord's table, "With heaven on our faces and in our hearts."
All the members of Session being in their places, Elders E. N. Clark, M. D., A. P. Waterman, H. B. Johnson, M. D., John E. Houston, Ernest Helm, M. D., Prof. Guy A. Tawney and L. Waldo Thompson, the sacrament was duly administered and the services concluded with the Benediction.
Sunday Evening, March 19, H. D. 1899.
The interesting evening service was attended by a large audience. Rev. Mr. Creswell opened the program with a Scripture reading, " Cast your bread upon the waters," and Mr. Kepple sang a solo. Dr. E. N. Clark gave a talk on " What the young people used to do and do without." Dr. Clark told of the early church which he attended at his home in Amherst, Mass., about seventy-five years ago, and related how the pews were boxed up, and told of the galleries where the little folks were stored, and how men with long sticks guarded them and gave them "a pelt over the head when they misbe- haved." There were no stoves in the churches in those days, the churchmen being warmed by religious fervor. There were good schools, and he attended L. WALDO THOMPSON. one at Geneva, N. Y., and graduated at that Medical College. The Doctor told how he went through Amherst College, "in the front door and out the rear."
When the family came West it took one month to make the trip, which can now be made in two days; there were few evidences of civilization in this locality at that time. It was the custom then to have the children learn Scripture lessons, sometimes whole chapters, when the parents were away from home. The Doctor said it kept the young people out of mischief. Dr. Clark mentioned one thing which might be copied with advantage to-day-a nursery in the church, so that the mothers may attend the Sunday services.
The next address was on the Christian Endeavor Society, by one of its members, now a member of our Session, L. Waldo Thompson, son of the late Elder A. Thompson, M. D.
A Chicago minister who had two mission charges, one on the North
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side and one on the West side, was one Sunday making the announcements of the Children's Day exercises to take place the following week. His sol- emn pulpit voice gave utterance as follows : "The Children's Day exercises will be held at three o'clock in the chapel in the north end, and at the same hour in the west end. The baptism of children will be administered at both ends."
Dr. Clark has spoken of one end of this congregation which I think should properly be assigned as the head end, and I am to speak briefly of the other end. Surely the Christian Endeavor Society will be proud of a place in the fifty-year records of this church, even if it be the foot end.
As truly as the head end has been baptized and blessed I may say this Society has received and is giving blessings. The larger number of the members of our beloved church will probably remember the time when we organized the Christian Endeavor Society of the First Presbyterian Church, of Beloit, Wisconsin. It was hardly nine years ago. Rev. Barr preferred that we should not join the national movement, and we had been a "Young People's Circle" only until October 5th, 1890. That was the year we were without a pastor, just before Mr. Merrill came to us, and the young people thought that a closer organization was needed to keep them together.
The original Christian Endeavor Society numbered thirteen charter members,and as proof that there is nothing superstitious or unlucky in the number we proudly lay before you the records of these eight and one-half years. We have steadily grown in numbers, in interest and in influence. From a modest thirteen we have increased to seventy-six in number, and the work done has kept pace with the increased attendance.
As the past history is all I am to speak on I have been searching the records, and many interesting facts have been recalled to mind. There have always been more young men members than ladies, and as if to equalize this state of affairs, I find that four of the charter members married, and that each union was blessed with a girl. The parsonage too has lately added to our relief.
Our society has been represented at District, State and National con- ventions, and through its delegates has been shown the wider influence of world-encircling organization for "Christ and the Church." The frequent socials have promoted the interests of the members and their friends in the work of the church, and many, many times has our society assisted in the church services. Let me ask what has helped Mr. Creswell more in his Sunday evening service than the mere attendance of from twenty to forty Endeavorers seated together and well in front? And what has attracted more young people into our regular church services than the hearty hand- shake and pleasant word of the Christian Endeavorers? And let me give our pastor's own testimony as to the deep spiritual uplift of the regular young people's meetings. He said to me, " Many times I have come home from an afternoon service in the country so tired and worn out that I felt unable to preach the evening sermon, and after being in the Y. P. S. C. E. service for thirty minutes I have been refreshed to that extent that my heart has gone out as it could not have done before."
He also says that the remarks in the meetings are not extemporaneous, but that they show careful forethought and research, and many times the best thoughts of the best scholars are brought into the services.
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The Endeavor Society is not alone a help to the morning and evening services of the church, but it is of great assistance in fhe Sunday School. The young people's class is one of the largest and best in the school, and the Society furnish substitute teachers when they are required. I am happy to be able to say that it is no uncommon thing to have every Sunday School teacher present, and I believe that the regular attendance of every teacher is one of the greatest helps to our fast-growing school.
The Young People's meetings are held regularly at 6:30 every Sunday evening, and a business meeting is held once a month or at the call of the president. The regular consecration meeting is held the last Sunday of each month, and the roll call of members is so long and the attendance so regular that the time is not long enough to go through the entire roll. The officers of the Society are, a president, vice-president, secretary and a treasurer, and are elected for a term of six months, in April and October. It has been the policy of the Society for all officers to hold office for a single term, but the records show that the original secretary held the office for six years, and a copy of the records of November 1st, 1896, is as follows : "A motion was made and unanimously carried to render Miss Hayford a vote of thanks for her noble and painstaking work as secretary these many years."
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