Читать книгу Centennial History of Columbus and Franklin County - William Alexander Taylor - Страница 21

Organized 1806.

The First Presbyterian Church had its origin in Franklinton, and was organized on the 8th of February, 1806, as the First Presbyterian Church of Franklin county: pastor, Rev. James Hope; elders, Robert Culbertson, William Read; trustees, Joseph Dixon, John Dill, David Nelson, William Domigan, Joseph Hunter, Lucas Sullivant.

The formal organization of the church was under the charge of Rev. R. G. Wilson of Chillicothe and the following members were accepted: Colonel and Mrs. Robert Culbertson, William and Mrs. Read, David and Mrs. Nelson, Michael and Mrs. Fisher, Robert and Mrs. Young, Mrs. Margaret Thompson, Mrs. Susanna McCoy and Miss Catherine Kessler.

Among the later members were: Lucas Sullivant, William Shaw, John Turner, Joseph Hunter, John Hunter, John Turner, Adam Turner, J. Hamlin, S. G. Flenniken, John Dill, Michael Fisher, J. McGowan, George Skidmore, Samuel King, William Brown, Sr., Joseph Park, David Jameson, Andrew Park. John Overdier, Jacob Overdier, Charles Hunter, John Lisle, J. McElvaine, M. Hess, M. Thompson, Robert Young, William Domigan, John McCoy, Joseph Smart, Isaac Smart, S. Powers, Jos. Dickinson, Joseph Cowghill.

In 1805, the afterward distinguished Dr. Hoge, then a young man, first arrived in Franklinton as a missionary; and after laboring in that capacity for some time, he formed a regular church, of which he remained the head until he resigned his charge, in 1857. In 1807 he was regularly employed by his church and congregation to minister to their religious wants. The following is a copy verbatim of the call upon him for that purpose and to which he acceded. The old document, in the hand writing of Lucas Sullivant, is still preserved as a relic of past times: "The congregation of Franklinton, being on sufficient ground well satisfied of the ministerial qualifications of you, James Hoge, and having good hopes from our past experience of your labors, that your ministration in the Gospel will be profitable to our spiritual interests, do earnestly call and desire you to undertake the pastoral office in said congregation; promising you in the discharge of your duty, all proper support, encouragement and obedience in the Lord: And that you may be free from worldly cares and avocations, we hereby promise and oblige ourselves to pay to you the sum of three hundred dollars, in half yearly payments, annually, for three-fourths of your time, until we find ourselves able to give you a compensation for the whole of your time, in like proportion, during the time of your being and continuing the regular pastor of this church. In testimony whereof, we have respectively subscribed our names, this 25th day of September, Anno Domini 1807.

"Robert Culbertson,

"William Read,

"Elders.

"Joseph Dixon,

"Joseph Dill,

"David Nelson,

"William Domigan,

"Joseph Hunter,

"Lucas Sullivant,

"Trustees."

The house in which the congregation first held their religious meetings in Franklinton was a two-story frame and was still standing in 1858, when the semi-centennial was celebrated, some two hundred yards northward from the old courthouse. The sessions of the supreme court of Franklin county were first held in the same building. It so happened, that Parson Hoge traveled from Springfield to Franklinton in company with Judge Baldwin, who, pleased with the young candidate for holy orders, tendered him the use of the room occupied by the court; and here the small band of worshipers first assembled for religious service. The next church building was a very plain one-story brick house, erected on the bank of the river, near the old Franklinton burying-ground. The society's next step was their removal to the infant town of Columbus. In the spring of the year 1814 they erected a log cabin about twenty-five by thirty feet on the ground near the corner of Spring and Third streets. Service was held at times in this, but principally at the Franklinton brick church, until the year 1818, when a frame building, or rather three frames connected and forming but one inside or large room, was erected on the west side of Front street, south of town, where Dr. Hoge administered to his congregation until the erection of the First Presbyterian church, in 1830, at the corner of State and Third streets, and the first services were held in it on the first Sunday in December, 1830. In 1855 this building underwent a general remodeling, under the direction of Mr. K. A. Sheldon, architect, and here services were continued to be held until preparations were completed to remove to Bryden road and Ohio avenue, and the site was disposed of.

On the 8th of February, 1856, the church held a semi-centennial celebration in the church building, in honor to their venerable and highly respected pastor—at which Dr. Hoge himself was the interesting and imposing character most observed. He delivered the address on the occasion. It was an interesting recital of the circumstances attending his advent into this then wilderness, and the progress of the church and society generally since that period. The Rev. Mr. Hall and Rev. Mr. Smith, both of the Presbyterian church, also spoke on the occasion. Under the direction of Joseph Sullivant.

Esq., whose familiarity with the church made it an easy and pleasant duty, a number of well-executed pictures were hung around the room, at once disclosing a striking and graphic history of the church improvements above referred to. The pillars were decorated with festoons of evergreens and flowers.

The tables were admirably arranged, under the direction of Mrs. Kelsey, and the supper was worthy of the occasion. The whole thing passed off well and was a solemn but pleasant celebration.

Half Century Organization.

The church organization at the date of the half-century was: pastor, Rev. Edgar Woods; elders, James Cherry, Isaac Dalton, Thomas Moodie, James S. Abbott, William M. Awl, Alfred Thomas; trustees, Robert Neil, M. L. Sullivant, D. W. Deshler, James D. Osborn, George M. Parsons.

The membership of the First church, according to a local authority, was one hundred and seventy-five. During the last eight or ten years of Dr. Hoge's administration he was assisted by various ministers of the denomination. On Sunday, June 28, 1857, he delivered an appropriate address, resigned the charge and was succeeded by Rev. Edgar Woods, formerly of Wheeling, Virginia, who was regularly installed on the 30th day of the same month.

Dr. Hoge is described, by a contemporary, when he was approaching fourscore, as tall, erect and robust in figure, the embodiment of healthful, contented and happy age, with hair but little whitened with the frosts of time. His long and useful career came to a peaceful and triumphant close in Columbus, Ohio, on the 22nd of September, 1863, at the age of eighty-nine, with but little impairment of his physical and mental powers. He was born in Moorefield, Hardy county, Virginia, July 4, 1784. He had lived an active, laborious life, and lived it well and becomingly, and thus escaped most of the ills flesh is traditionally heir to.

That the life of Dr. Hoge and the growth of Presbyterianism in the capital of Ohio, in the central regions of the state, is fully shown by a remarkably vivid memorial written by Dr. E. D. Morris, of Columbus, who, like Dr. Hoge, was, or rather is, a man of great mental and physical powers and still lives in flesh and in vigorous age, to cheer and edify his many admiring friends. This memorial was written by Dr. Morris in 1870, and printed in the June number of "Our Monthly," a religious and literary magazine for the family, published in Cincinnati. Dr. Morris describes the primitive conditions in central Ohio at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and the •obstacles of all kinds that met James Hoge, a young beginner in the vineyard, in 1803.

Dr. Hoge, then it young man, visited Highland county, Ohio, to transact some secular business and strive for a betterment of health. He resolved to become a permanent citizen of the newly erected state. He was twenty years old. Preliminary thereto he returned to Virginia to earn the means to begin his labors in the wilderness.

His father. Moses D. Hoge, was a famous Presbyterian divine in the Old Dominion, and for the fifteen closing years of his life had been president of Hampton Sidney College. James taught school and studied theology under private tutors. On April 17, 1805, he was licensed to preach in the Presbytery of Lexington, Virginia. In the same year he received a commission from the general assembly to preach the gospel as a missionary in Ohio. As already stated, he was "called" to the ministry in Franklinton (now Columbus), which he accepted, was regularly ordained and began his ministry in the courthouse of Franklin county.

He reached out to the surrounding towns and planted the seeds for other churches. Log and clapboarded houses served for his first church edifices, even the locations of which are being rapidly effaced. The first church numbered about fifty members, and they were scattered over not less than five hundred square miles from Walnut creek on the east, to Darby on the west, and from Dublin on the north to near Circleville on the south.

A second congregation grew up in 1808, in what is now Truro township.

When Columbus was surveyed in 1812 and the east bank of the river began to become populated, and in 1814 an edifice twenty-five by thirty feet, made wholly of hickory saplings and christened by common consent "The Hickory Church," was erected on Spring run, near the corner of Spring and Third streets. Here he conducted services as well as in the Truro church. Then in 1821 a more pretentious house was erected at Front and Town streets. It was capable of seating four hundred people. He was extended a second call and received six hundred dollars and later eight hundred dollars for his services. Efforts were made by other towns to engage the Doctor, but he clung to his first love. In 1833 a new house of worship was erected at State and Third streets.

Later it was remodeled and beautified and it was here that Dr. Hoge preached, his greatest sermons and did his greatest works. That sanctuary has now been abandoned as a house of worship and looms against the background of sky and brick walls, a melancholy wreck of a past generation. In 1850 Dr. Hoge accepted the chair of pastoral theology and church history in a theological seminary in Cincinnati. This detained him away from his charge in Columbus half of each year, and at his urgent request Rev. Josiah D. Smith was chosen as his colleague. In 1854 the seminary was removed from Cincinnati and Dr. Hoge resigned.

A Century of Presbyterianism.

The one hundredth anniversary of Presbyterianism in Columbus was celebrated November 12 to 19, 1905, opening in the great Auditorium on Broad street, Sunday evening, November 12, at 7:30 p. m., at which an address, "A Century of Missions," was delivered by Rev. Charles L. Thompson, D. D., LL.D.. New York; the Mesdames MacDonald sang a memorial offering; Rev. William. O. Thompson, D.D., presided: an anthem was sung by Mrs. Henry C. Lord, soprano; Mrs. Elizabeth Wilson, alto; Mr. James S. Webb, tenor; Mr. A. R. Barrington, baritone.

The last general meeting was held at the Broad Street church Friday evening, November 17, and was presided over by William H. Huston. Remarks were made by Professor Josiah R. Smith, Dr. Gladden and Dr. Morris, and a general reception followed. At the meeting Monday evening, November 13, Mr. P. W. Huntington presided, and Dr. Peyton H. Hoge, of Louisville, Kentucky, delivered the address: "The Making of the Man."

Rev. S. S. Palmer presided on the afternoon of the 14th; Rev. James A. Patterson on the evening of the same day; Rev. George Allen Brewer, evening of the 15th; Rev. George H. Fullerton, Lancaster, evening of the 16th; Rev. R. G. Ramsey on the afternoon of the 16th: Rev. W. H. Huston on the evening of the 17th. Sunday the 19th was observed with memorial meetings in all the churches, separately.

Among the other prominent persons who spoke during the week's services were Mr. P. W. Huntington; Rev. D. J. Moffat, D. D., LL. D., president of Washington and Jefferson College; President Henry M. McCracken, D. D., LL. D., New York; Rev. Henry A. Nelson, D. D., professor in Lane Seminary; Rev. Alexander Riggs, D. D., LL.D., professor in Lane Seminary; Rev. Francis L. Patton, D. D., LL.D., Princeton, New York; Dr. Norcross; Foster Copeland; Professor Josiah R. Smith; and Dr. Morris.

The following churches and pastors participated: First, Rev. George Allen Brewer; Central, Rev. James Albert Patterson; Broad Street, Rev. S. S. Palmer; Olivet, Rev. R. G. Ramsey; West Broad, Rev. W. H. Huston; St. Clair Avenue, Rev. F. M. Kumler; Nelson Memorial, Rev. W. L. Staub.

Also the following resident ministers: Rev. W. O. Thompson, D. D., LL. D.; Rev. W. S. Eagleson, Rev. Robert H. Cunningham, Rev. N. C. Helfrich, Rev. Thomas B. Atkins, Rev. Robert A. Watson, Rev. H. P. Barnes, Rev. J. M. Anderson and Rev. A. R. Tarr.

The Hoge Centenary.

On Sunday and Monday, February 11 and 12, 1906, was celebrated the centenary of the First Presbyterian church of Columbus. The celebration was no less solemn than it was beautiful and in perfect taste and accord with the occasion and the event it celebrated and memorialized.

The services were held in the new (present) First Presbyterian church at Bryden road and Ohio avenue. After music and appropriate readings from the scriptures, prayer by Rev. S. F. Scovel, D.D., LL.D., announcements, etc., etc., an historical address, "A Sketch of James Hoge and the First Presbyterian Church," was delivered by Mr. Robert S. Neil, president of the board of trustees. The address was not only replete with historical incident and description, but scholarly and well delivered to the deeply interested congregation. This reading was followed by the singing of the hymn (tune Ward, hymnal 531) sung at the semi-centennial, preserved in the corner-stone of the old church and exhumed to be sung at the centennial.

On Sunday evening following the music, prayer and offertory, Rev. William McKibbin, D. D., LL. D., delivered a most impressive address, the subject being "The Obligations Which the Past Imposes on the Present and Future."

On Monday evening Rev. Samuel S. Palmer, D. D., presided. There were "Greetings" by the pastor, Rev. Geo. A. Brewer; soprano solo, "Angels of Glory," by Mrs. Edith Sage McDonald; remarks by Rev. James Albert Patterson, D.D.; duet, "My Faith Looks up to Thee," Mrs. Edith Sage MacDonald and Mrs. Maude Wentz MacDonald; remarks by Rev. W. K. Fulton: remarks by Robert G. Ramsey; and contralto solo, "Set of Sun," Mrs. Maude Wentz MacDonald.

The present organization consists of J. D. Harlor, clerk; H. E. Brook, Alfred McClure, G. W. Shepherd, U. B. Strickler, G. W. Miller, F. B. Milligan, A. M. McPeak; trustees, Robert S. Neil, president; F. G. Houser, Charles McKee, E. M. Baldridge, treasurer; deacons, William Endslow, chairman, Mason M. Gill, W. O. Copeland, Paul Hedges, Robert H. Dunn, Robert S. Miller, Carl Frankenberg; Missionary Society, Mrs. Florence Strickler, president; Ladies' Aid Society, Mrs. Alfred McClure, president.

The Second Presbyterian Church was organized on the first Sabbath in March, 1839. The organization at the beginning comprised thirty-one persons, the most of whom were from the first old Presbyterian church. For a short time prior to the regular formation of the church, those connected with it had held their meetings for worship in a room on High street. The church was incorporated by an act of the legislature, April, 1839, and measures were taken to secure a site for a church edifice.

After the church was organized and until the ensuing October, the congregation had the services of Rev. Topliff; thereafter until 1840 the services of Rev. George L. Boardman. A call had been tendered Rev. Henry L. Hitchcock, D.D., which he accepted, and on November 24, 1841, he was regularly installed as pastor, and continued to sustain that relation until August 1, 1855, when he was transferred to the presidency of the Western Reserve College.

Early in September a unanimous call was tendered to the Rev. Edward D. Morris, then at Auburn, New York. This call he accepted and on the first Sabbath of the ensuing December, he began his ministerial labors, and was duly installed as pastor on the 2nd of January, 1856. The church grew and prospered and in 1857-8, it was evident that a more commodious church building was necessary, and the erection of the present church on Third street, directly south of the government building, was begun.

In 1858, the organization was: Pastor, Rev. E. D. Morris; elders, H. B. Carrington, Asa D. Lord, Chauncey N. Olds, John J. Ferson, Ebenezer McDonald, John H. Stage; trustees, D. T. Woodbury, A. P. Stone, Ermine Case, Jonas McCune, Collins Stone; treasurer, John M. Ferson. The number of members for that year is given at two hundred and forty-five.

Westminster Church—This church was organized on the 1st of June, 1854, and consisted at that time of thirty members, who had been dismissed from the First Presbyterian church. For three years and a half the congregation worshiped in the lecture room of Starling Medical College. In 1856 and 1857 they erected their church edifice at the corner of Sixth and State streets, at a cost of about fifteen thousand dollars. It was dedicated on the 23rd of August, 1857. The number of members in 1858 was one hundred and sixteen. Rev. J. D. Smith had been pastor from the first, having been called to the charge of it from the First church, where he had been for several years collegiate pastor with Rev. Dr. Hoge. This organization disposed of the church on State street many years since.

The following were the last to have pastoral charge of Westminster church before the merging of the congregation with the Second or Central: Rev. Nathan Smith, 1881 to 1892; Rev. Dr. A. E. E. Taylor, 1892 to 1897; Rev. Dr. Rogers, from 1897 until the merging of the congregations.

Welsh Presbyterian Church was organized in 1837. Their house of worship is a small frame building on Town street, east of Fifth. For the first ten or twelve years they had no regular pastor. The Rev. Mr. Price, Rev. John Harris, and occasionally some others, preached for the congregation until about the year 1849, when the Rev. Mr. Powell, of Delaware, became the regular installed pastor. He continued until 1857, when he was succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Jones. The number of members in 1858 was thirty-five The Associate Reformed Presbyterian—This church was organized December 10, 1850, with thirteen members. Thomas Kennedy and Hugh Price were elders; Dr. John Morrison, Neil McLaughlin and John Stothart were trustees.

The society in 1852 erected a frame church at the corner of Sixth and Town streets. In 1858 there were sixty-three members and while services were regularly held, there was no regular minister, but Rev. G. W. Gowdy acted as regular supply.

The growth and expansion of the Presbyterian church since 1858 is shown by the following brief statement of the present places of worship, benefices and church and benevolent missions:

Presbyterian Churches 1808-9 With Street Locations and Pastors.

Broad Street: N. E. Cor. Broad and Garfield. Rev. S. S. Palmer.

Central: Cor. Third and Chapel. Rev. Jas. A. Patterson.

Fair Ave. Reformed: Fair Ave. W. of Champion. Rev. R. B. Patton.

Fifth Ave.: W. Fifth Ave. near High. Rev. Alex. R. Tarr.

First: Cor. Bryden Road and Ohio Ave. Rev. Geo. A. Brewster.

First Cumberland: Cor. Second Ave. and Highland. Rev. Chas. G. Watson.

First United: Long near Washington. Rev. Wm. K. Fulton.

Neil Ave. United: Neil and Herman. Rev. John G. King.

Nelson Memorial Chapel: Taylor Ave. bet. Mt. Vernon and Harvard Ave. Rev. William Staub.

North Minister: Cor. King and Hunter. Rev. R. G. Ramsey.

St. Clair Ave.: St. Clair and Felton. Rev. M. W. Simpson.

Welsh: East Avenue and Long. Rev. Jenkin Williams.

West Broad: Cor Broad and Dakota. Rev. W. O. Wozencraft.

Reformed.

Eighth Ave.: Eighth Ave. and Hunter. Rev. B. E. Reemsnyder.

St. John's: 1412 ½ North High.

Wilson Ave.: Cor. Far and Wilson. Rev. W. H. Tussing.