1863 - 1913. 
 
 ST. PAUL'S CHURCH 
 
 CHESTNUT HILL 
 PHILADELPHIA 
 
 THE COMMEMORATION OF THE FIFTY YEARS 
 
 OF 
 
 THE REVEREND DR. JOHN ANDREWS HARRIS 
 
 AS MINISTERIN-CHARGE, AND RECTOR. 
 
 BX5920 
 P5S7 
 A3 
 
fcibrarjp of Che Cheolojical ^tminary 
 
 PRINCETON . NEW JERSEY 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 Professor K. L. Savage 
 
 A3 
 
^(^MCAvC\t\^n\c\.^ rcL.. 
 
 1863-1913 
 
 ST. PAUL'S CHURCH 
 
 CHESTNUT HILL 
 PHILADELPHIA 
 
 The Commemoration of the Fifty Years of 
 
 THE REVEREND DR. JOHN ANDREWS HARRIS 
 AS MINISTER-IN-CHARGE AND RECTOR. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 I. Prefatory Note. 
 
 II. The Sermon of the Right Reverend 
 
 The Bishop of Pennsylvania 
 
 III. The Meeting of the Parishoners. 
 
 IV. The Rector's Sermon. 
 
 V. The List of the Rectors, Curates, Wardens, Vestrymen 
 
 and Pewholders. 
 
1913 
 SAINT PAUL'S CHURCH 
 
 CHESTNUT HILL. 
 
 The fifty years of the services of the Reverend Dr. 
 John Andrews Harris to his parish were commemorated on 
 15th and 16th June, 1913. 
 
 On 15th June, the fourth Sunday after Trinity, the 
 Holy Communion was celebrated at two services as the 
 highest possible expression of corporate and individual 
 thanksgiving; and the sermon was preached by the Right 
 Reverend, the Bishop of Pennsylvania. The Bishop was 
 assisted in the services by the Reverend Dr. J. DeWolf 
 Perry, Rector Emeritus of Calvary Church, Germantown, 
 and President of the Standing Committee of the Diocese 
 of Pennsylvania; the Reverend Dr. Samuel Upjohn, Rector 
 of St. Luke's Church, Germantown ; the Reverend Dr. John 
 Andrews Harris, Rector of Saint Paul's, Chestnut Hill; the 
 Reverend Dr. Thompson Cole, Rector of Saint Paul's Church, 
 Cheltenham; the Reverend J. Clayton Mitchell, Rector of 
 Calvary Church, Germantown, and formerly Curate of Saint 
 Paul's, Chestnut Hill; and the Reverend J. Ogle Warfield, 
 Curate of Saint Paul's, Chestnut Hill. 
 
 On the evening of 16th June, a meeting of the parish- 
 ioners was held in the Church building, at which prayers 
 were read by the Reverend J. Clayton Mitchell, hymns were 
 sung by the choir and congregation, and addresses were 
 made by C. Stuart Patterson, Esquire, Chairman of the 
 meeting; by the Honorable William Potter, one of the Senior 
 Vestrymen ; by George Wharton Pepper, Esquire, and Fran- 
 cis A. Lewis, Esquire, Deputies of the Diocese of Pennsyl- 
 vania to the General Convention of the Church, and by 
 Edward S, Buckley, Jr., Esquire, the Rector's Warden. Mr. 
 Buckley, on behalf of the parishioners and other friends of 
 the Rector, presented to him a purse as an acknowledge- 
 ment of the existence of a debt which the parish owed, and 
 still owes to him, and which never can be paid. 
 
 There are printed in this record of the commemorative 
 proceedings the sermon of the Right Reverend the Bishop 
 of Pennsylvania, the speeches at the parish meeting, the 
 Rector's sermon, and a list of the Rectors, Curates, War- 
 dens, Vestrymen, pew-holders and seat-holders of the 
 parish from its organization to the present time. 
 
 3 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2009 with funding from 
 
 Princeton Theological Seminary Library 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/commemorationoffOOstpa 
 
SERMON 
 
 By 
 
 The Right Reverend PhiHp M. Rhinelander, 
 
 Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania 
 
 15 June, 1913 
 
 "A GOOD SHEPHERD" 
 
A GOOD SHEPHERD. 
 
 "I am the Good Shepherd and I know mine own, and my own know 
 me, even as the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father and I lay down 
 my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold ; 
 them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice; and they shall be- 
 come one flock and one shepherd." 
 
 S.JohnX: 14-17 (R- V.) 
 
 I suppose there is no word in human speech which so 
 perfectly describes the relation of God to His people as the 
 word "Shepherd." It is, of course, no substitute for the 
 word "Father," but it does explain in terms of human need 
 and human expectation, the meaning of God's Fatherhood. 
 Sheep are very ignorant, and we, God's children, like sheep, 
 are very ignorant, not knowing what is good or where is 
 peace. Over against our ignorance stands God's sure and 
 unswerving wisdom. Who knows us all and all things. Sheep 
 are very weak and helpless, bound to destroy themselves, 
 to surround themselves with perils, to become an easy prey 
 to every enemy ; and we, God's children, are very helpless be- 
 fore the storms of sin, and the onset of temptation, and the 
 clouds and threatenings of sorrow. Over against our weak- 
 ness stands the firm majesty of God's protection, always 
 ready and always omnipotent to help. And finally, sheep are 
 very wayward and very slow to learn, forgetting the simp- 
 lest lessons, unreliable, untrustworthy; and so are we, for- 
 getful, wilful, wayward. Over against our wilfulness and 
 waywardness stands the unconquerable patience of God's 
 love, who, loving, loves unto the end. 
 
 So, in pre-Christian ages, the vision of the Shepherd — 
 God filled the prophet's eyes and stirred the Psalmists* 
 hearts. If it were only true, if God were seen and known 
 and realized as wisdom, strength and patience, available for 
 each and all, then would all human needs be satisfied, all hu- 
 man faith fulfilled. So they sang and dreamed and praised 
 and prayed. "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 
 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures ; he leadeth me 
 beside the still waters." "He shall feed His flock like a 
 shepherd; He shall gather the lambs with His arms and 
 carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are 
 with young." There is the great appealing vision, the great 
 heartfelt aspiration. If only it were true, if only we could 
 see and know it. 
 
 And behold, brethren, it is true and perfectly fulfilled 
 
8 
 
 in Christ, who is Himself the answer to all human prayer, 
 the revelation of God's perfect truth, the great 'Amen' of all 
 God's promises; through Whom words become power, and 
 revelation a blessed fact, and loving purposes a living Pres- 
 ence. So all that God had in heart and mind to give us, all 
 that we and our forefathers were longing for, came actually 
 to pass when the Eternal, Incarnate, Only Begotten Son of 
 God, standing on this earth, among men and women such as 
 we are, claimed and took the title, proclaimed to all men, 
 and for all time, the truth : "I am the good Shepherd." That 
 is the real meaning of the goodness of His Shepherding, 
 namely, that it is no longer dream, but fact, no longer prom- 
 ise, but a great reality, that He is actually doing, or waiting 
 to do, for each, for all, for always, the perfect work of shep- 
 herding. For each, for all, for always; — Christ in His indi- 
 vidual devotion, the good Shepherd for each, because He 
 knows each one and comes close up to him and stays close by 
 him, and understands and watches each as though he were 
 the only one. *1 know Mine own, and Mine own know me." 
 Christ, in His inclusive desire, the Good Shepherd, not only 
 for each, but equally for all. As He walks up and down 
 among His lambs and sheep, none the less His heart is always 
 burning for those "other sheep" outside the fold as yet, 
 whom He must bring and bless. "Other sheep I have," 
 straying now upon the mountains as sheep not having shep- 
 herds: "Them also I must bring and they shall hear my 
 voice; and they shall become one flock, one shepherd." 
 Christ, in His unchanging faithfulness the Good Shepherd 
 for always. The Life that He lays down is a life that has no 
 end, that has passed through death that it might be forever- 
 more available for each and every sheep. He, the good Shep- 
 herd, because He is the same yesterday, today and forever, 
 can make good His word. "I am the good Shepherd." 
 
 Brethren, it belongs to Him, and Him alone, to speak 
 that word and make that claim. But none the less, the 
 Christian Ministry from the beginning has caught something 
 of that vision and felt something of that responsibility. The 
 under-shepherds are to be like the Perfect Shepherd. He 
 will show through them some measure of His goodness. And 
 our own Church, especially, has emphasized, and re-empha- 
 sized, this pastoral element of Ministry as its very heart and 
 soul. Here lies the rule of the Church's Ministry and the 
 test of all her Ministers. For this they are ordained and 
 commissioned. For this they are given charge over the souls 
 of men ; that they may be good shepherds under Christ. 
 
 This ideal of shepherding has been exemplified in Him 
 
9 
 
 for whose wonderful faithfulness and fruitfulness in min- 
 istry we are gathered here together this morning to render 
 hearty and humble thanks to God. No other Priest in this 
 whole Diocese; no other probably in the recollection of any 
 of us here present; very few I think in the history of this 
 Church from its beginning to the present time, have so bril- 
 liantly and beautifully reflected and reproduced before the 
 eyes and hearts of two whole generations, the personal 
 power and gracious goodness of the pastorate of Jesus 
 Christ. The life of Doctor Harris has been a life of unriv- 
 aled richness of experience and of a great diversity of in- 
 terests and activities. The Battle of Gettysburg had just 
 been fought, and the news of it had just reached Philadel- 
 phia, on that very Sunday fifty years ago when he preached 
 his first sermon as Minister in charge. Think of what the in- 
 terval has meant in politics, in social life, in economic ad- 
 justments and reconstructions ; in the building of cities and 
 the movements of trade and population ; in the expansion of 
 the Gospel and the outflow of benevolence and social service ; 
 in the massed and massive strength of our Diocese; in the 
 growth of our Institutions and in the unity and vigor of our 
 life. In all and through all, his eyes have marked the signs, 
 and his heart kindled with quick sympathies, and his mind 
 analyzed with discerning judgment, and his will gone forth 
 in strong, effective action and co-operation. In such a life, 
 even such a crowded and thrilling history as that of the last 
 half century finds both an accurate touchstone and a singu- 
 larly comprehensive record. In such a life there are mater- 
 ials for volumes, for volumes bearing on, and dealing with, 
 the chief causes and concerns of millions of our people in 
 the most critical and searching period of their development. 
 
 And yet, summarizing the whole of it, separating the 
 threads, grouping the incidents and interests, trying to say 
 all very briefly, as we must, his life is above all else a com- 
 pelling commentary on the work of the Good Shepherd. It 
 is an inspired sermon preached, wrought out among us, that 
 we may understand the meaning of the pastorate of Jesus 
 Christ. "I am the good Shepherd and I know Mine own and 
 My own know Me, and I lay down My life for My sheep ; and 
 other sheep I have which are not of this fold. Them also I 
 must bring, and they shall become one flock, one Shepherd." 
 The words and claims of Christ may fittingly and by His 
 own blest will, be applied, as I have said, in their true de- 
 gree of meaning to this, His faithful servant. 
 
 First, for his individual devotion to his flock. "I know 
 my own and mine own know Me." How those words must 
 
10 
 
 thrill in the hearts of every member of this Parish ! For fifty 
 years this and this alone has been the rule of your Rector's 
 life, and the dear desire of his heart. In sickness and in 
 health, in youth and age, in joy and sorrow, in penitence 
 and conflict, in doubts and fears, in prayers and praises, he 
 has been knowing you, and calling you by name, and by that 
 knowledge has been bringing the individualizing love of 
 Christ Himself home as the very meaning of the Gospel, as 
 the very hope of your salvation. And, on your side, you have 
 been knowing him, and knowing him have been ready to fol- 
 low where he has led and to prove your love, as love is al- 
 ways proved, by perfect trust. That is the supreme test of 
 a good shepherd, the test set by Christ Himself. A stranger 
 sheep will never follow, and how many shepherds are stran- 
 gers to their sheep ! Sheep do not follow, for they know not 
 the voice of strangers. But the good shepherd calleth His 
 own by name. That is the point. He knows each one by 
 name, and so each follows Him, for daily food and drink, for 
 health and healing; "out of the bondage of corruption into 
 the liberty of the glory of the children of God." There is no 
 more perfect, no more sacred bond than this. It is the hol- 
 iest and most gracious of all earth's relationships. It is God's 
 great gift to you. 
 
 And next, together with this individual devotion, has 
 been a continual wise and earnest desire for the increase of 
 the flock, for the enlarging of the fold, for the edification of 
 the Church. "Other sheep I have which are not of this fold. 
 Them also I must bring." I am not competent, either by 
 depth of spiritual experience or by length of residence among 
 you, to speak with authority of Dr. Harris' signal service to 
 the Diocese and to the Church at large. 
 
 But I have at least seen and heard enough to make me 
 quite confident that the position and prestige, which we as a 
 Diocese have in the councils of the Church, and loyalty to 
 our Mother, of which we rightly make our boast, and the 
 unity which seems, thank God, Steadily to be gathering 
 strength among us, are in chief measure due to his charac- 
 ter, ability and influence. Devoted to his people and the 
 Parish with a devotion which knows neither end nor limit, 
 none the less there has been no element of parochialism in 
 all his ministry. Breadth of vision, without a breach of 
 party spirit, has marked all he has ever said or done. Ab- 
 solute, unflinching loyalty to the Church's doctrine, disci- 
 pline and worship, has been the unfailing record of his life. 
 A kindling belief in the Church's mission and in the gra- 
 cious plans and purposes which God would realize through 
 
11 
 
 her in this new age and country, has been and is his ruling 
 motive and his constant aim. Love alone grows as it gives. 
 The more one loves, the more one finds it possible to love. 
 A shepherd's goodness consists finally in this, that, moving 
 about among his own loved sheep and lambs, calling, caring 
 for, feeding, healing, leading, guarding them, none the less 
 he is always conscious of, always praying for, always moved 
 with compassion over, the multitudes without, scattered 
 abroad, not having shepherds. These "other sheep" them 
 also, by all means and in all ways, ''them also I must bring." 
 There is no peace, no end, no victory until all are won, until 
 there is one flock under One Shepherd. 
 
 So the story runs to its fulfillment. Individual devotion, 
 and inclusive desire both find their sum and crown in the rec- 
 ord of an unchanging faithfulness. Brethren, the very es- 
 sence of the pastoral relation lies in its permanence. It is 
 a lifelong work. It is a life that must be laid down, and 
 given up ; not a piece of it, but the whole of it ; not one year, 
 or five years, or ten years, but, if God be gracious, fifty years 
 and more. For to know one single sheep means to know it 
 from its beginning to its ending. No mere cross section cut 
 ever yields the secret of a life. In all things that grow there 
 is "first the blade, then the ear, and then the full corn in the 
 ear." First the birth and baptism ; then the teaching and the 
 confirmation; then the constant ministration of the Sacra- 
 ment of life ; then the solemnity of Holy Matrimony and the 
 marvelous miracle of home and family; then the life work 
 and the full tide of life's responsibihties ; then the waning 
 powers and the final weakness and the holy passing. To know 
 one single sheep means to know all this of one. Of course, 
 none knows us perfectly, save only Christ, the Living One, 
 the Eternal Shepherd and Bishop of all souls. But still, the 
 inner meaning of the ministry of the Good Shepherd does 
 come home to one, and I think no one else, who has followed 
 and has loved his own from the cradle to the grave. We are 
 so used to shifting, changing pastors, that we forget the 
 tragedy and loss involved when a flock is given over by one 
 shepherd to another. Of course it has to be. It is God's 
 ordering and the law of mortal life. Yet it is always and at 
 best, a mark of earthly imperfection. At worst, it is a griev- 
 ous treachery and the exposure of a hireling. But where, 
 and when, if God wills that there should be a life-long tend- 
 ing of the flock by one good shepherd, then there is a very 
 great and gracious revealing of His mercy. The fruits of it 
 are very evident. Strength, steadfastness, unity, a solid 
 sense of common interest, a deeply-rooted faith, high ideals 
 
12 
 
 of duty, well established habits of religion, close knit and 
 precious traditions of work and worship, a real Church 
 home, a growing charity and household love, real intimations 
 of immortality, bright glimpses of paradise and heaven, of 
 the Church Expectant and the Church Triumphant — these 
 are the ripe fruits of long continued pastoral relations, and 
 these are yours. 
 
 Twenty-five years ago, your Rector spoke to you as fol- 
 lows : "There are conventional periods in the course of time 
 when thought may be gathered together in a retrospect of 
 the past in order to give a greater volume for its movement 
 into the future, into the swellings of the great ocean of the 
 unseen. The completion of a Rectorship in one Parish for 
 a quarter of a century may not unnaturally be one of such 
 periods. When two people have lived in peace together as 
 man and wife that length of time, the 'silver wedding' marks 
 an epoch in that joint life. The harmony of the past is an 
 omen of hope, a pledge of stronger, deeper love for the fu- 
 ture, even though the 'golden wedding' be a thing which the 
 shortness and uncertainty of this mortal life forbids in most 
 cases to anticipate." Those were his words, true in each de- 
 tail except in that final prophecy that the "golden wedding" 
 would not come. For here it is, bringing with it that strong- 
 er and deeper love of which twenty-five years ago there was 
 so clear a promise. 
 
 For myself, I count it a personal privilege and pleasure 
 beyond my power of expression, to be allowed to share in 
 this celebration With you. I shall always remember it and 
 treasure it. The life of the whole Diocese will be stronger 
 for your strength and more joyful for your joy, more sweet 
 and pure and holy for God's great goodness to you. May 
 our Lord, who has so bountifully blessed and helped you 
 here, carry you on to that still deeper and more lasting love 
 and life where all fear is fled away and all sin and sorrow 
 gone. May all this Parish, living and departed, young men 
 and maidens, old men and children, priest and people, the 
 shepherd and his flock, clear of all shadows, walking in the 
 light, follow the Lamb forever, whithersoever He goeth, "lost 
 in wonder, love and praise." 
 
THE MEETING OF THE PARISH ON THE EVENING 
 OF MONDAY, 16TH JUNE, 1893. 
 
 C. Stuart Patterson, Esq., took the chair. 
 
 The Reverend, the Rector of Saint Martin's-in-the- 
 Fields, brought to the meeting a letter which was read as 
 an appropriate introduction to the proceedings: 
 
 June 16th, 1913. 
 The Rev. J. Andrew Harris, D. D. 
 Rector, S. Paul's Church, 
 
 Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia. 
 
 Dear Dr. Harris : — 
 
 The Vestry of the Church of S. Martin-in-the-Fields 
 convey to you their heartiest congratulations on the occasion 
 of the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of your connec- 
 tion with S. Paul's Church, Chestnut Hill, as Rector and 
 Minister in charge. During the past twenty-four years the 
 parish of S. Martin's has existed side by side with S. Paul's 
 with unbroken relations of harmony and cordial friendship. 
 This has been due to your own generous attitude at the be- 
 ginning when S. Martin's was established within the 
 parochial boundaries of S. Paul's; and to your unfailing 
 courtesy and kindness in the years which followed. We 
 wish to express our appreciation of your unselfish desire 
 for the extension of the Church with your cordial sympathy 
 toward the movement to found a new parish ; and that both 
 parishes have grown and prospered justifies the wisdom of 
 your attitude where a less liberal policy would have resulted 
 in a distinct loss to the Church at large. 
 
 Two parishes in such close proximity must necessarily 
 feel each other's influence; and the example of the peace 
 and harmony that has existed at S. Paul's has not been with- 
 
 13 
 
14 
 
 out its fruit in the younger parish of S. Martin's. We wish 
 not only to congratulate you on the culmination of these 
 fifty years, crowned with the devoted love of your parish- 
 ioners and the high respect of your neighbors, but we wish 
 you many years of happiness in seeing the fruit of a long, 
 wise and faithful ministry and in receiving the foretaste of 
 its reward. 
 
 Jacob LeRoy 
 
 Rector 
 
 Samuel Frederick Houston 
 
 Rector's Warden 
 
 George Woodward, M. D. 
 
 Accounting Warden 
 
 Nathan A. Taylor 
 L. Ashley Faught, M. D. 
 Hollinshead W. Taylor 
 Charles E. Van Pelt 
 Francis D. Lewis 
 Joseph L. Bryan 
 Samuel Porcher 
 Henry H. Kingston 
 
 Vestrymen 
 
15 
 
 C. Stuart Patterson, Esq., said: 
 
 I have been asked to preside over this meeting to-night, 
 because it was my good fortune to be present at some of 
 the services and to hear some of the Rector's sermons in the 
 early weeks of his incumbency in the summer of 1863 ; and 
 also because Doctor Harris has honoured me with his friend- 
 ship from a time long before either he, or I, had any expec- 
 tation of living at Chestnut Hill. 
 
 Fifty years ago, Chestnut Hill was a country village 
 with an individuality of its own. That day has long since 
 passed. It is now only a part of a great metropolis. Rural 
 lanes have been succeeded by city streets, and where there 
 used to be broad meadows and ploughed fields, there are 
 now rows of houses. With the growth of population, the 
 membership of the parish has increased, and its activities 
 have expanded to meet the changes of the times. 
 
 The conditions to-night are exceptional. For fifty 
 years the pews have heard from the pulpit its words of warn- 
 ing, of counsel, and of affectionate entreaty. To-night, the 
 pulpit is to hear from the pews their words of thanksgiving 
 and of hope ; of thanksgiving, that, for fifty years, the same 
 voice has spoken to us from the altar and the pulpit, and of 
 hope that that same voice may long continue to speak to us. 
 It is, therefore, appropriate that he, whose every act and 
 word for fifty years have been a blessing to his people, should 
 to-night confine himself to the utterance of the words of ben- 
 ediction, which will conclude this meeting, and that he 
 should, God willing, preach on Sunday next a sermon in 
 which he can give us some of the impressions of his fifty 
 years. He cannot, and, if he could, he would not, tell all 
 of the story. No one could. He cannot tell us what effects 
 his precepts and his example have had upon men he knows, 
 and upon men he never has known. He cannot tell how 
 efficacious those words and that example have been in keep- 
 ing men to the straight and narrow path, and in preserving 
 happiness to homes. 
 
 The strength of the bonds that bind the Rector to us, 
 and that bind us to the Rector, is not only in that we have 
 listened to his sermons for so many years, and in that we 
 have reverently bowed before his ministrations at the altar. 
 It is also in his daily life among us ; in the happy marriages 
 to whose wedding ceremonies he has brought the blessings 
 of the Church ; in the children whom he has held in his arms 
 at their christening; the children, some of whom are now 
 men and women of middle age, and some of whom are now 
 in heaven; in the comfort he has brought in hours of sick- 
 
16 
 
 ness ; and in the consolation he has given in days of sorrow. 
 
 The Rector preached his first sermon in this parish 
 when the guns of Gettysburg and Vicksburg resounded 
 through the land. Since then, there has been foreign war; 
 there have been embittered political contests in the country ; 
 there has been dissension in the Diocese, and in the Church 
 at large, but within these walls there always has been peace. 
 Yet it never has been the peace of compromise, or of cow- 
 ardice. The Rector has always had the courage of his opin- 
 ions, and no man who cared to know could ever fail to know 
 where he stood, and where he stands, upon every burning 
 issue in Church or State. Within the parish, there have been 
 wide variances of views upon the political and ecclesiastical 
 questions of the day. There are such variances now. Never- 
 theless, there always have been, and, pray God, there always 
 will be here, unanimity in devotion to the Church and in 
 affection for the Rector, and mutual respect for honest dif- 
 ferences of opinion. 
 
 That this has been, and is so, is largely because, for 
 fifty years, the teaching from the pulpit has been that, so 
 long as there is a world of sin, and misery, and wretched- 
 ness around us; so long as there are poverty to be relieved, 
 suffering to be alleviated, and sorrow to be comforted; so 
 long as men are to be saved from utter wreck and ruin ; the 
 Church has a work before it, which can best be done, if its 
 people, bearing in mind their agreement in the essentials of 
 the faith, and forgetting their minor and less important dif- 
 ferences, do to the utmost of their abilities the duty of the 
 hour. 
 
 It does not often happen amid the changes of this mor- 
 tal life, that any human relation continues unbroken for 
 fifty years. It does not often happen that a man of strong 
 personality, a learned theologian, a preacher of convincing 
 power, a pastor, *'so anxious not to go to heaven alone," 
 should steadfastly resist all allurements to wider and more 
 attractive fields of duty, should resolutely put to one side 
 every suggestion of ecclesiastical preferment, and should 
 devote himself for half a century to the rectorship of one 
 parish. All honour to Dr. Harris for so doing! 
 
 The Rector has always appealed to the intellects, as well 
 as to the consciences, and to the affections, of his parishion- 
 ers, and he has, in the past, and in the present, attracted to 
 the service of the Church and to the work of the parish a 
 singularly strong and earnest body of men and women. 
 "In these brave ranks I only see the gaps, 
 
 Thinking of dear ones whom the dumb turf wraps." 
 
17 
 
 From these pews there rise before me memories of 
 those who, in the past, have laboured for the church and 
 who are not, in bodily presence with us to-night; gracious 
 gentlewomen, who brought to the service of the Church their 
 zeal, their devotion, and their boundless charity; fair maid- 
 ens and stalwart youths, who knew only the springtime of 
 life ; soldiers, who never failed to heed the call of duty ; grave 
 merchants and captains of industry; skillful physicians; 
 learned lawyers, some of them leaders of the bar ; and, last, 
 but not least, those who in their years of daily toil, kept the 
 faith, and who are now enjoying in the realms of blessed- 
 ness that peace and happiness, which were not given to them 
 upon earth. 
 
 "What greetings come there from the voiceless dead, 
 What welcome, salutation, or reply. 
 What pressure from the hands that lifeless lie? 
 They are not here, they all are gone 
 Into the land of shadows — all save one. 
 Honour, and reverence, and the good repute 
 That follow faithful service as its fruit. 
 Be unto him, whom, living, we salute." 
 
 The Honourable William Potter said : 
 
 The history of the world is the biography of its great 
 men. This has been truly said, and the character of a com- 
 munity is in the life of its representative men. This special 
 community has, therefore, honored itself in honoring the 
 rector of this Church, because it is a fact, that nothing shows 
 the provincialism of a people so much, as when they forget 
 to honor their representative men. The stranger coming to 
 Saint Paul's often asks, why there are so many men in the 
 congregation. Speaking as a man, and knowing the thoughts 
 of other men, they come, because, in the materialistic strug- 
 gle of the twentieth century, with the hardening environ- 
 ment of the six days' fight, they like to come to a service on 
 the seventh, where they will not be given the stone of dogma 
 and of creed controversy, but the bread of life. Many of 
 you are familiar with that beautiful story in "Beside the 
 Bonnie Brier Bush" of the good old Scotch widow with an 
 only child, a son dedicated to the ministry. Overtaken 
 with a fatal illness, she calls that son to her bedside and 
 says: "The one great regret of my life is that I shall not 
 be able to hear you preach your first sermon, but I shall be 
 
18 
 
 there in spirit, and I ask you, as a good soldier, to preach a 
 sermon in the name of your great Captain, the Lord and 
 Saviour, Jesus Christ ;" and how, five years later, that young 
 man coming back to preach in the village kirk, having pre- 
 pared a sermon which he considers an unanswerable solu- 
 tion to all the controversies of the day, is reminded by his 
 aunt of that dying prayer of his mother; and, taking that 
 precious document to which he had devoted so much time, 
 he throws it into the fire, and preaches a sermon upon the 
 Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ and the power of His resur- 
 rection, during the delivery of which, as the narrator states, 
 you could almost feel that the Christ was in the kirk. It is 
 such sermons that we secure from our rector, and it is not 
 to be wondered at that men, hungering for spiritual food, 
 come in large numbers to Saint Paul's. 
 
 We are celebrating the fiftieth year of a rector, who, 
 before he ever became a rector, has always been a true man, 
 and therefore has always preached from the standpoint of 
 a man with his temptations, with his sorrows, and with his 
 cares and tribulations. He has devoted himself to trying 
 to teach us the mysteries of pain; the mysteries of sor- 
 row, and the mysteries of death, and how, after all, they 
 are swallowed up and are as nothing compared to the tri- 
 umphant power of the Resurrection. It will be told you to- 
 night by those competent to speak of the wonderful influ- 
 ence of this rector of ours, not only in the diocese of Penn- 
 sylvania, but in the Episcopal Church at large. I know of 
 no man who is more devoted to its teaching, and yet I 
 know of no man who is more catholic in the univer- 
 sality of his belief, that God's children are everywhere. 
 Several years past, visiting Rome as a tourist, I met 
 with a very dear friend who had just resigned his po- 
 sition of rector in the American College ; and when I said to 
 him, "Why have you resigned?" he said: "Because I was 
 compelled to do so, for they consider I am too liberal in my 
 views. We all take our creeds by the accident of birth, and 
 no man or set of men, or church, can make me believe that 
 all of God's people are in any one communion. I believe 
 that every man, woman and child that tries to follow the 
 example of the Master seven days in the week, and treats 
 his fellow men as though they were his brethren, is not far 
 from the Kingdom of God." The men, women and children 
 that sit under the ministrations of this dear rector cannot 
 help but feel that this incident typifies the character of 
 preaching and consolation that we receive in St. Paul's. 
 
 If any one were to ask what is the chief characteristic 
 
19 
 
 that makes Dr. Harris so beloved, so useful and so powerful 
 in his influence, the answer from a close observer would 
 come at once, "the pertinacity of his faithfulness to duty." 
 Not the pertinacity of doggedness, but of constancy, stead- 
 fastness and real love of duty as the controlling influence of 
 his life. 
 
 The American people in general and many of the St. 
 Paul Parish in particular, are birds of passage and flit from 
 place to place, as the seasons change. Who ever heard of 
 Dr. Harris being away from Chestnut Hill? In the snows 
 of January, or the heat of August, the poor or the rich, who 
 need the sympathy of a loving rector, or the ministrations 
 of his Church, can always find Dr. Harris, and it has been 
 so for the half century of his faithful and devoted steward- 
 ship. 
 
 The rector's father was a graduate of the Military 
 Academy at West Point. For ten years he served in the 
 regular army, and then entered the Ministry. His son 
 also attended a military school at West Point, (not the Mili- 
 tary Academy) so that by ancestry, by education and by 
 pre-disposition the rector has always been a good soldier 
 in the army of his great Captain. He has helped more peo- 
 ple than he has any conception of, to fight the good fight, 
 in the midst of the weakness and sorrow of this mortal life. 
 I know it is the sentiment of every man, woman and child 
 in this congregation to-night, that our prayers shall go up 
 without ceasing, that his lovely life may be spared for many 
 years to come; for we feel of him that he is one of those 
 of whom the Master said : "Be thou faithful unto death and 
 I will give thee a crown of life." 
 
 George Wharton Pepper, Esq., said: 
 
 If this were merely a parochial celebration I should feel 
 that I had no place in the list of speakers. The honor in that 
 event would be reserved for faithful vestrymen and those 
 fortunate enough to be parishioners of Saint Paul's, such as 
 Mr. Patterson himself and Mr. Potter and Mr. Buckley. I 
 suppose that I might have been called upon as one of Doctor 
 Harris's friends; and yet he has so many friends and ad- 
 mirers, and his relations to each are so intimate and personal, 
 that any one of us would hesitate to attempt to represent 
 the others. And if this occasion were merely a matter of 
 
20 
 
 diocesan interest, I should still be without excuse for speak- 
 ing; because my friend, Mr. Lewis, who is to follow me, is 
 much better qualified than I to speak of Doctor Harris's 
 contributions to diocesan life. It is because this occasion 
 is a matter of great moment to the church at large, because 
 this anniversary is a matter of great public importance, that 
 it may be permitted to a mere outsider to raise his voice 
 here. And yet, in so speaking, I do not wish to ignore the 
 personal tie which has bound me all my life to Doctor Harris. 
 In my early childhood he was the companion in happiness 
 of those who were near and dear to me, and when dark days 
 came, he stood forth as the friend and the consoler. Indeed 
 he is the first clergyman whom I distinctly recall, and Saint 
 Paul's is the first church of which I have a vivid mental im- 
 pression. In the long years that lie betv/een, I have come 
 to know, perhaps a thousand clergymen, but there are very, 
 very few who can stand the test of comparison with him 
 who in my consciousness first emerged as a representative 
 of his order. 
 
 Any man whose active life has covered the last fifty 
 years is one who has been called upon to face changes of 
 vast import not only in the conditions of our external life, 
 but in the characteristic tendencies of the world of thought 
 within us. Nobody cares very much how laughable the 
 efforts of the ordinary citizen may be when he attempts to 
 adjust himself to these changes, but it is a matter of grave 
 concern to us that our rector should be wise in his adjust- 
 ment. If change finds him perverse and unsympathetic, 
 he quickly loses his influence with the young. On the other 
 hand, if he is quick to indorse every untried suggestion for 
 social uplift and betterment, he soon loses the confidence of 
 the mature. It seems to me a very fortunate circumstance 
 that all his life Doctor Harris has been a teacher of youth. 
 I know, for example, of his work at the Episcopal Academy, 
 and I think I may venture the suggestion that he has never 
 found himself in a more congenial environment than in the 
 middle of a group of boys. The teaching experience has 
 kept him young and has made him hospitable to new ideas ; 
 but on the other hand, he has been wise in insisting that 
 change for the sake of change is not to be desired, and that 
 the value of a hypothesis must be made clear before its ac- 
 ceptance is justifiable. He has always been a thinker, has 
 Doctor Harris, but a conservative thinker; and that com- 
 bination is so unusual that I venture to emphasize it. I 
 have known a great many men whose conservatism has been 
 wholly untouched by thought, and a great many thinkers 
 
21 
 
 whose conclusions have never been restrained by reverence. 
 There has been nothing parochial or narrow or pro- 
 vincial in the scope of Doctor Harris's interests. He has 
 always been keenly alive to community problems, and he 
 has stood forth as the courageous champion of righteousness 
 in civic life and he has been in touch with the whole circle 
 of church work and life beyond the limits of the parish 
 and the diocese. His service in the General Convention, 
 though brief, was useful, and it is to be regretted that he 
 would not permit himself to serve longer as a deputy; for 
 the church always stands in need of men in her councils 
 who combine, as he does, practical wisdom and vital 
 Christianity. 
 
 In the early part of the fifty years of his service here, 
 the tendency among Christian people to disintegrate in their 
 church relationships had not yet been checked. Within the 
 limits of that fifty-year period new sects and novel cults 
 have come into existence. Perhaps we fail to realize it, but 
 the fact is that there are many large and influential groups 
 of Christians aspiring to be known by the noble name of 
 "churches" whose lives are shorter, not merely than the life 
 of this parish, but shorter than the period of Doctor Harris's 
 ministry. Under such conditions there sometimes arises in 
 a man's breast the suspicion that after all there are no 
 fundamental and fixed beliefs, and that Christianity is 
 merely a generic term for various individual apprehensions 
 of truth. I call upon such a man to reassure himself by 
 contemplating the continuous witness which our church has 
 borne, not merely to the validity, but to the intellectual 
 necessity of fixed beliefs. I remind him that we place our 
 emphasis upon holy orders, not because an order involving 
 the idea of succession is merely a governmental scheme, but 
 an institution for the conservation of fixed and fundamental 
 ideas. We should be devoutly thankful that such an order 
 is our Catholic heritage, and profoundly grateful, too, that 
 we are continually refreshed and revived by insistence on 
 the principle emphasized so strongly in the Reformation, 
 that all organization must be vitalized by devotion, and that 
 God is Spirit, and that those who worship Him must wor- 
 ship Him in spirit and in truth. It was into an order so 
 conceived that, called by the Spirit, Doctor Harris stepped 
 early in the days of his service, and from that time onward 
 his life and work became the manifestation of that contin- 
 uity for which his order stands. His has been the clear 
 vision which enables him to see that fixed and fundamental 
 Christian truths are few and simple. Not the least impor- 
 
22 
 
 tant part of his message has been his insistence to his par- 
 ishioners that the controversies of history have raged rather 
 about the man-made explanations of divine facts than about 
 the facts themselves. It is as if he had been insistent in 
 reminding us of the difference between astronomy and the 
 stars. The men of science may differ as they will respecting 
 their theories of the universe, but all the while the stars 
 keep on shining. 
 
 My friends, an occasion such as this must have in it 
 an element of pain to Doctor Harris, for, if I know him, 
 and I think I do, while we are eulogizing him, there must be 
 uppermost in his mind the thought of his own unworthiness. 
 I am sure that if he were to speak to-night, he would tell 
 you that far more valuable to him than words of eulogy, 
 would be a spiritual fruitage of his ministry, manifested 
 in the devoted lives of his parishioners. If the time past 
 in his life has sufficed for the seed-time it is for us, his 
 parishioners and friends, to see to it that the remaining 
 years of his ministry are the years of harvest — the time 
 for the garnering of the grain. If we let this fiftieth anni- 
 versary go by without renewing our pledges of loyalty to 
 Our Lord, without forming afresh our own resolutions of 
 noble living, he may well lament the comparison between 
 the petty done and the undone vast. Memory, my friends, 
 is a mere luxury unless from its storehouse we can draw 
 inspiration for the work of the future. We should be eager 
 to recall the events of this long ministry chiefly because 
 they are a challenge to us to act in the living present. I 
 know that I do not misinterpret the thought in Doctor Har- 
 ris's heart to-night if I conclude with the suggestion that, 
 after all words of eulogy have been said, we shall bring 
 greater gladness into his heart than in any other way if 
 we unite in praying from the bottom of our hearts the 
 fervent prayer of the poet : 
 
 "Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet. 
 Lest we forget — lest we forget." 
 
 Francis A. Lewis, Esq., said : 
 
 I do not recall, Mr. Chairman, ever to have received an 
 invitation which gave me greater personal pleasure to accept 
 than that which brings me here to-night, and this for two 
 reasons. First, it is a privilege to do honor to the Rector 
 
of this Church, a Rector of such long standing, and secondly, 
 there is a personal pleasure involved, because my boyhood 
 and early manhood were spent in this parish. It is a sort 
 of privilege to be brought back to what may be called a 
 family gathering. If in what I shall very briefly say I may 
 seem to dwell more upon the past than upon the present, it 
 is not with any intention to disparage what may have hap- 
 pened in the last twenty-five years, but simply because 
 my knowledge of the parish was that of the earlier time. 
 
 What was Chestnut Hill when Doctor Harris came 
 here in 1863? It was simply the summer residence of a 
 number of well-to-do people of Philadelphia. It was crude, 
 yes, very crude. It was inconvenient, exceedingly incon- 
 venient. Trains ran only on one road, and these at two 
 hours' interval, and their going or prospective going was 
 always signalized by the blowing of a five-minute whistle. 
 Those were the days when Doctor Harris came here, and 
 similar conditions obtained for years thereafter. But was 
 that all of it? Oh, no. He came to minister to a very re- 
 markable congregation, a congregation of which I do not 
 know where to find the exact counterpart. I have no objec- 
 tion to mentioning names. These men are all dead and 
 gone, but their memory lives, and I shall mention them 
 because in the retrospect that I make here of my boyhood 
 and young manhood, I can see them sitting in these very 
 pews. I can see Alexander Biddle and John Bohlen, Judge 
 Thayer and Richard Vaux, William Henry Trotter and 
 Richard C. McMurtrie, Charles Piatt and Edward S. 
 Buckley, Caleb Cope and George W. Biddle and George C. 
 Morris, and many more whom I cannot recall just at the 
 moment, but whom I do not mean to neglect. They repre- 
 sented everything that was good, everything that was in- 
 telligent, everything that was astute, everything that stood 
 for good in the community in which they lived. What must 
 have been the influence of a Rector such as Doctor Harris 
 upon those men, and what must have been the influence of 
 those men upon Doctor Harris? It is only necessary to 
 suggest such a thing to have you follow out your own line 
 of thought to a conclusion. Living in a summer community, 
 although constantly enlarging, having in front of him every 
 Sunday and to talk to every week day, men of this calibre, 
 must have been an inspiration to him; and he came with a 
 trained mind to his work, not only with a trained mind but 
 with a good spirit, to pass his lot in amongst these people, 
 and to have what is called his influence over them. There 
 is a great mistake as to what influence is. Influence must 
 
24 
 
 be preceded by effluence. A man who is to be influenced 
 must be influenced because something has flown into him 
 out of somebody else, and that is exactly what happened 
 both from Doctor Harris on his people, and from his people 
 upon him. Then again, some men are always courting in- 
 fluence, some men are always trying to see how influential 
 they can be. But someone has said: "Influence is like 
 originality, the way to get it is to forget it." The man who 
 tries to be influential may become powerful as some very 
 rich man because of his money, but one will never become 
 influential unless his force of character, his force of good- 
 ness, his force of standing for something creates the influ- 
 ence from him. 
 
 I recall many of those early days very well. I recall 
 the night of Lee's surrender, when my own dear father 
 called on Doctor Harris in the middle of the night, or Doctor 
 Harris called on him, I do not remember which, and they 
 went down on that April night to ring that bell there to tell 
 of the victory of Grant over Lee. It was in a pew over 
 yonder that I heard in a whisper from my father the Satur- 
 day before the Easter, 1865, of the assassination of Mr. 
 Lincoln. There is one other thing that has always impressed 
 me, and that was the way in which Doctor Harris so partic- 
 ularly understood and so well realized how to deal sanely 
 with people's idiosyncrasies, if you so choose to call them. 
 For example, I distinctly recall that the length of the sermon 
 was always in summer time when I lived here in the inverse 
 ratio to the height of the thermometer. If you came here 
 on a cool Sunday you might get a twenty-five minute ser- 
 mon, but if you came with the thermometer at 90, there was 
 not the smallest probability of it. The spirit may have been 
 willing, but the weakness of the congregational flesh was 
 realized. The sermons made impressions on those who 
 heard them. They made impressions upon my boyish mind. 
 I suppose our beloved church has a reason for everything it 
 does. I do not know what the particular reason is that the 
 story of Joseph and his various vicissitudes should be as- 
 signed to the warmest Sunday mornings in summer, but so 
 they are. It may be because Joseph was something of a 
 dreamer and heat invites sleep and dreams. It may be 
 because he passed a large portion of his life in Egypt, which 
 has a very hot climate ; but whatever the reason, we always 
 hear the story of Joseph read over again in the summer. 
 Doctor Harris was quite equal to this, and I recollect a ser- 
 mon that he prepared in the early years of his ministry 
 from the text, "Behold this dreamer cometh." It was a 
 
25 
 
 wonderful sermon, it was a lurid sermon; and as it was 
 preached at least bi-ennially I became thoroughly familiar 
 with its contents. But there was always a demand for that 
 sermon. 
 
 Now one who can preach sermons which leave an im- 
 pression on the mind forty years afterwards, not only of 
 their text but of their contents, must be having a very large 
 spiritual influence on the community to which he preaches, 
 and that is evidenced by the large number of people who 
 are constantly attending this church. His church was al- 
 ways full in summer time, in winter not so full because 
 there were not so many people here. And it was not a cool 
 church. I recollect that one of the issues of the early times 
 here in this church, was the question, what point the ther- 
 mometer had to reach in order that yonder door should be 
 kept open. Mr. Caleb Cope sat where I see my friend Mr. 
 Samuel Dickson now sitting, and he was a very old man. 
 He sang, sometimes at variance with the choir, but he 
 always sang; and that door was never under any circum- 
 stances to be opened on his head, because it created a draft 
 likely to give him cold. Those were some of the incidents 
 of Doctor Harris's early ministry, albeit perhaps not im- 
 portant, yet making some impression on a childish mind. 
 
 I have been asked to say a word, and I very gladly do 
 so as to Doctor Harris's influence in the diocese of Penn- 
 sylvania. He came into the ministry under the greatest 
 bishop that the diocese of Pennsylvania has ever seen, 
 Alonzo Potter; and no one with any mind could come into 
 the ministry under his directorship, so to speak, without 
 in a measure imbibing some of the good sense, the sound 
 judgment, the profound wisdom if you choose to call it, of 
 that great man. In all these years he has sat in the Con- 
 vention, and I have happened to have been with him there 
 for thirty years past. If I am asked to point out the dis- 
 tinguishing characteristic of Doctor Harris's influence upon 
 the diocese of Pennsylvania, I should call it his sanity, his 
 looking at things from a sane point of view. There are 
 so many people who mean well and are perfectly justified 
 in remaining outside an insane asylum, but nevertheless 
 have not what are called sane minds. He always looked at 
 what practically could be done to produce a given result. 
 If he saw visions he kept them to himself, the man is wise 
 who does, because people who see visions are very apt to 
 be visionary. So it is, that through these years his influ- 
 ence has alv/ays been extending, always been widening, 
 always been broadening, simply because, with the ripeness 
 
26 
 
 of his years has come the grand sanity of his judgment. 
 Mr. Pepper alluded to the fact that he had sat in a General 
 Convention. If the Diocese of Pennsylvania has had its 
 way, he would be sitting there still, and it is a great pity 
 that he refused to continue a Deputy long years ago, be- 
 cause, as he once confided to me, he regarded the General 
 Convention as a great bore. It probably is, but at the same 
 time some of us have got to go there, and I always regretted 
 very much that a man like Doctor Harris had not been 
 willing to sit there all these years and contribute his sanity 
 and ripe judgment to so many of the problems that come 
 before that body. 
 
 I must not go on. The time allotted to me has already 
 I should imagine more than expired. But as I stand here 
 in this church to-night, my mind is filled not only with the 
 memories of which I have spoken, but with a profound 
 thankfulness to Almighty God that this particular function, 
 the particular meetings of yesterday and to-day, have actu- 
 ally taken place; and I have reason for saying this. The 
 incident may not be unfamiliar to you all, it may possibly 
 be known to some. A number of years ago there died in 
 New York one of the most remarkable men that our church 
 has ever produced, the Reverend Edward Washburn, at the 
 time of his death Rector of Calvary Church, New York. 
 After the funeral services had been held, the clergy who 
 were present asked permission to meet in the late Rector's 
 study, that they might pass some appropriate resolutions 
 upon his death. Permission was granted, and the meeting 
 was in progress. Speech after speech had been made by 
 the clergy present, dwelling as they well might, in the high- 
 est terms on his wonderful mind, his wonderful character, 
 his wonderful genius, his wonderful ability; and as they 
 were pouring out these true but belated words, the door 
 of the study, which no one noticed to have been ajar, was 
 suddenly thrown open and into this meeting came a woman, 
 the widow of Doctor Washburn, her hands held together, 
 tense with grief, tense with excitement; and she said to 
 those men, "Oh, gentlemen, if you loved Edward so much, 
 why did you not tell him so when he was alive?" Doctor 
 Harris, it is because we all love you so, that we have come 
 here to tell you so when you are alive. 
 
27 
 
 Edward S. Buckley, Jr., Esq., said: 
 
 I am very sure that I can add but little to what has 
 been so well said here to-night, but I have been given a very 
 great privilege, and I feel that the only claim that I have 
 to the great pleasure before me, lies in the fact of my long 
 connection with Saint Paul's Parish, that it has been my 
 privilege to have been one of your flock, my dear sir, 
 throughout your whole incumbency, and that ever since 
 I was a very little child, you have been to me a father. As 
 I stand here to-night and look back over the past fifty years, 
 I cannot help but feel that I am here to speak not only for 
 those whose privilege it is to be with you now, but for all 
 those to whom you have so faithfully ministered and whom 
 we believe, under your guidance, are now numbered among 
 the saints of God at rest. It would be easy to give figures 
 to show the wonderful work which you have accomplished 
 at Chestnut Hill, but figures cannot tell the whole or even 
 the best part of what you have done for the people of Saint 
 Paul's. You have taken many of us in your arms and placed 
 the Master's own sign upon our brows. You have taught us 
 and led us to the Bishop to receive the gift of the Holy 
 Ghost, and with your own hands you have given to many 
 of us our first communion. You have blessed and sanctified 
 in God's name our marriages, you have ministered to our 
 sick and dying, you have laid to rest those whom we have 
 loved and who now stand in His presence, and testify that 
 through long years, by day and by night, always faithfully, 
 always lovingly, you have fed His sheep, you have fed His 
 lambs. I believe that in a very real sense they are with us 
 to-night, and in their name and in the name of this con- 
 gregation, your flock there and your flock here, I beg you 
 to accept this gift as an evidence of the love of all those for 
 whom your life has been spent. 
 
 Mr. Buckley then handed to the Rector a pocketbook 
 containing a certificate of deposit for a sum of money which 
 had been contributed by the parishioners, and by other 
 friends of the Rector, as an expression of their respect and 
 affection for him. 
 
 The Rector then pronounced the benediction and the 
 meeting adjourned. 
 
SERMON 
 
 OF THE 
 
 REVEREND JOHN ANDREWS HARRIS, D. D, 
 
 DELIVERED AT 
 
 ST. PAUL'S CHURCH 
 
 CHESTNUT HILL 
 
 22d JUNE, 1913 
 
 AT THE REQUEST OF THE VESTRY 
 
AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF ST. PAUL'S PARISH 
 
 About the middle of the last century there was ap- 
 parently no probability that such a parish as St. Paul's 
 now is would ever be here. What led to its formation is 
 thus stated by its first rector in the parish register: 
 
 The beginning of Episcopal services at Chestnut Hill 
 was, as far as can be ascertained, in the early fifties of the 
 last century. Mrs. Anna M. Scheetz, then residing on the 
 Hill, having been educated in the Protestant Episcopal 
 Church, was desirous to secure for herself and neighborhood 
 the benefit ... of its calm order and elevated Chris- 
 tian influence, and by special effort secured, for a short 
 time, the ministrations of the Rev. George Hopkins, then 
 residing in Philadelphia, without parochial charge. The 
 material for a congregation then, however, was too scanty. 
 Very few Episcopalians were to be found throughout the 
 neighborhood. Other denominations of Christians had al- 
 most a monopoly of the ground. Strong prejudices existed 
 in the minds of many against the church. After a some- 
 what languishing life of but a few months, the removal 
 of Mrs. Scheetz to Philadelphia put an end to the effort 
 for a time. 
 
 The population of the Hill meanwhile went on increas- 
 ing. The beauty of the surrounding scenery, the elevation 
 and healthfulness of the position, the nearness to the city 
 of Philadelphia, and the gradual growth of the facilities of 
 communication with it, made the place more and more one 
 of desirable resort, especially for summer residence. The 
 artistic taste of Colonel Cephas G. Childs, then a resident 
 in Germantown, was strongly attracted by the beauties of 
 the region. He visited it frequently in his daily drives; 
 became more and more interested in it; drew the attention 
 of his numerous friends to it, and, finally, made it his place 
 of residence, in 1852 or 1853. To him and his efforts the 
 growth of the place from that time is very greatly due. 
 His large acquaintance, his well-known taste, and the en- 
 thusiasm with which he threw himself into any favorite 
 enterprise, contributing to bring the Hill more and more 
 into notice, and induced an increasing desire with many to 
 avail themselves of its advantages. Among those who early 
 
 31 
 
32 
 
 secured these for themselves by the purchase of lots and 
 erection of residences were William Piatt, Esq., with his 
 sons, Clayton T., Charles and William, his daughter, Mrs. 
 Emily Pepper, widow of David Pepper, Esq., and his son- 
 in-law. Dr. William Pepper; John Bohlen, Esq., with his 
 mother, Mrs. Jane Bohlen, and sister Miss Catharine; 
 Thomas Earp, Jr., Esq.; Charles Taylor, Esq.; William 
 Henry Trotter, Esq. ; John C. Bullitt, Esq., and Mrs. Alicia 
 Price, with her sisters, Miss Sophia Sweeney and Anna 
 Sweeney. These all had been either trained in the Protestant 
 Episcopal Church or from connections and associations were 
 more or less attached to it. The same was the case with 
 Frederic Fairthorne, Esq., who (though later) resided for 
 some time on the Hill in a house belonging to Thomas 
 Earp, and who subsequently purchased for himself a place 
 in Roxborough, three miles away. 
 
 Some of the above named — as Colonel Childs and Mr. 
 Earp — worshiped for a time with the Presbyterians for 
 want of any service of their own church. Others — as Mr. 
 Bohlen and the Piatt family — attended services at St. 
 Thomas' Church, Whitemarsh, But the inconvenience of such 
 attendance operated with the increase of population, and the 
 prospect of further increase from the opening of the railroad 
 to Philadelphia to excite the desire for church services upon 
 the Hill. Accordingly, on the 4th of July, 1853, in a pri- 
 vate interview in the house of Mr. John Bohlen, it was 
 resolved between himself, Colonel Childs and Mr. Charles 
 Piatt to institute Episcopal worship for at least the re- 
 mainder of that summer. These gentlemen, with Mr. 
 Charles Taylor and Mr. Earp, undertaking to meet the ex- 
 pense of such services as should be instituted. The little 
 Union Chapel, on Sheridan Lane, the birth place of most 
 of the churches on the Hill, was the place selected for the 
 commencement of the enterprise, and on the second Sunday 
 in July the Rev. Kingston Goddard, then rector of the 
 Church of the Atonement, Philadelphia, held there the 
 opening service for the little company of Episcopalians on 
 the Hill. Subsequently, the same gentleman more than 
 once kindly officiated, as did Dr. Newton, of St. Paul's, 
 Philadelphia; the Rev. Dudley A. Tyng, of the Church of 
 the Epiphany; the Rev. Charles D. Cooper, of St. Philip's; 
 the Rev. Charles H. Wheeler, of the Episcopal Female In- 
 stitute, Philadelphia ; the Rev. Mr. Lonnsbery, of St. Jude's ; 
 the^ev. Mr. Woods, the Rev. Mr. Atkins, and others. As 
 may be supposed from the length of the list of clergymen, 
 the services did not close with the summer, according to the 
 
33 
 
 first design. They were found to be so pleasant, awakened 
 so much interest and secured such an attendance from per- 
 sons not specially connected with the church that even when 
 the summer residents returned to the city they were con- 
 tinued mainly under the direction and through the active 
 exertions of Colonel Childs throughout the ensuing winter 
 and spring. 
 
 On the return of the summer a meeting was called for 
 the regular organization of a Protestant Episcopal congre- 
 gation, and in pursuance of such a call there assembled 
 in the large hall of the railroad depot, June 18, 1855, Colonel 
 and Mrs. Childs, Mr. John Bohlen, Mr. Clayton T. Piatt, 
 Mr. and Mrs. Charles Piatt, Mr. and Mrs. Earp, Mr. and 
 Mrs. Fairthorne, Mr. Houston, Mrs. Thomas Mason, Mr. 
 and Mrs. Jerram, Mrs. David Pepper, Mrs. Price, Miss 
 Sophia Sweeney, Miss Steinbenner, Miss M. W. Fobes. 
 Colonel C. G. Childs was called to the chair and Thomas 
 Earp, Jr., appointed Secretary. 
 
 A preamble and resolutions affirming the necessity for 
 the formation of an Episcopal congregation on the Hill were 
 offered by John Bohlen, Esq., seconded by Charles Piatt, 
 Esq., and adopted without a dissenting voice. After an ad- 
 dress from Mr. Bohlen, stating the objects proposed to be 
 accomplished, declaring the importance of the movement 
 entered on, and urging that it be prosecuted seriously and 
 with prayer, those present proceeded to elect eleven vestry- 
 men, and with entire unanimity the following named gentle- 
 men were chosen : John Bohlen, Cephas G. Childs, Charles 
 Piatt, Joseph H. Hildeburn, Charles Taylor, Thomas Earp, 
 Jr. ; Frederic Fairthorne, Clayton T. Piatt, John C. Bullitt, 
 William Henry Trotter and Thomas Mason. 
 
 The organization of the Parish — which it was resolved 
 should be called St. Paul's Church, Chestnut Hill — ^being 
 thus effected, the establishment of a Sunday-school was at 
 once decided on. On motion of Mr. Charles Piatt a meeting 
 was called for this purpose on Thursday evening, June 21st, 
 and on that evening the preliminary arrangements for a 
 Sunday-school were made. John Bohlen, Esq., and Colonel 
 Cephas G. Childs were constituted Superintendents — the 
 former to act from June to November, the latter for the 
 remainder of the year. Mrs. Childs, Mrs. Price and Miss 
 Sweeney were, with these gentlemen, especially active in 
 the gathering of the Sunday-school and rendered efficient 
 service in it when it was formed. . . . 
 
 Mr. Mason and his wife, Mrs. Jerram and a young man 
 named John Johnson, also assisted in the school during 
 
34 
 
 its first year. The number of pupils from the first was 
 small, nearly all the children on the Hill having been gath- 
 ered into other Sunday-schools before this was organized; 
 but there were some interesting elements and an excellent 
 feeling in the school. 
 
 On the 25th day of June the vestry was fully organized 
 by the election of Colonel Childs as Rector's Warden, Fred- 
 eric Fairthome as Accounting Warden and Thomas Earp, 
 Jr., as Secretary. Mr. Bohlen and Mr. Charles Piatt were 
 charged with the duty of preparing a charter. With thanks 
 to the Trustees of the Union Chapel for its use during the 
 past year, it was determined to hold the services, now es- 
 tablished in the hall of the railroad depot as being at once 
 more central, more spacious and more pleasant. 
 
 The Rev. R. W. Oliver had been engaged as minister 
 for the parish for several months, served faithfully till the 
 beginning of November, and then retired to enter on Mis- 
 sionary work in the Western portion of the Diocese. 
 
 On November 6th the Minutes of the Vestry stated 
 that the Rev. Alexander Shiras, who had been two months 
 before informally invited to the rectorship, was unanimously 
 elected rector. He entered on his duties November 16, 1855. 
 
 So much, then, for the story of the founding of the 
 parish and the men and women who took part from the be- 
 ginning of the movement till its accomplishment, and in 
 some of the stages of its progress, but who have now entered 
 into rest. 
 
 Before recording the succeeding steps of the parochial 
 history, it is well to recall the names of others, both women 
 and men, also now "gone before," who have aided and 
 established the growth of the parish and its influence in 
 this neighborhood and in the diocese of Pennsylvania. 
 
 Among the women who influenced for good both the 
 social life and the ecclesiastical usefulness of St. Paul's, or 
 who took a deep interest in its work, may be cited, besides 
 those above mentioned in the story of the founding of the 
 parish : Mrs. Matthew Brooke Buckley, Mrs. Edmund Wat- 
 mough and her daughters, Mrs. M. Russell Thayer and Miss 
 Juliana Watmough, Mrs. St. George Tucker Campbell, Mrs. 
 Clayton T. Piatt, Miss Ellen R. Brown, Mrs. Richard Norris, 
 Mrs. Frank W. Ralston, Mrs. Henry Reed, Mrs. Joseph P. 
 Smith, Mrs. John Welsh, Jr., Mrs. George C. Morris, Mrs. 
 William B. Reed, Mrs. Richard H. Rush, Mrs. Edward H. 
 
35 
 
 Trotter, Mrs. William H. Trotter, Mrs. Charles Taylor, Mrs. 
 J. Lowber Welsh and Mrs. Joseph Patterson, all these have 
 been gathered into the fold, as yet unseen by mortal eyes, 
 where the veil is withdrawn and they see the Good Shepherd 
 face to face. The influence they exercised while living in 
 the parish still lives and has put its stamp upon the tone of it. 
 And as for the men (still omitting the repetition of names 
 already mentioned as among the founders of the parish) who 
 have given tone to it and in their several walks in life have 
 exercised a weighty influence in the community in which 
 they lived or in the wider sphere of national matters, civil 
 and military, on land or sea, we recall among those who by 
 the Master of the feast have been "called from labor to re- 
 freshment," such as Messrs. Russell Thayer, Edward S. 
 Buckley, Benoni Lockwood, Richard C. McMurtrie, Richard 
 Norris, John C. Sims, Jr.; William C. Mackie, John P. 
 Brock, Henry Wharton, Alexander Biddle, Joseph W. 
 Baker, John Whittaker, Richard C. Dale, William C. 
 Atwood, Edwin N. Benson, James C. Biddle, Dr. Robert 
 Boiling, St. George Tucker Campbell, Caleb Cope, Alfred 
 M. Collins, Frederic Collins, Edmund P. Dwight, Wil- 
 liam E. Goodman, Samuel Goodman, Jr., A. Groves, Jr.; 
 George Harding, William W. Harding, General Herman L. 
 Haupt, Charles Heebner, Morton P. Hpnry, Samuel S. Hol- 
 lingsworth, R. Winder Johnson, Prof. Francis A. Jackson, 
 Spencer M. Janney, Lawrence Lewis, Francis A. Lewis, Sr. ; 
 Robert M. Lewis, Henry S. Lowber, John T. Montgomery, 
 George C. Morris, Henry L. Norris, Joseph Patterson, David 
 Pepper, Dr. George Pepper, J. Sergeant Price, Francis W. 
 Ralston, William B. Reed, Thomas Robins, Benjamin Rush, 
 Moncure Robinson, Colonel Richard H. Rush, Furman Shep- 
 pard, Samuel L. Shober, Theodore Starr, Isaac Starr, Sr.; 
 Edward H. Trotter, George C. Thomas, Edward H. Trotter, 
 Louis C. Vanuxem, Richard Vaux, Tobias Wagner, Pendle- 
 ton G. Watwough, John Welsh, Jr.; Henry Wharton, John 
 Whittaker, John Lowber Welsh and John Zebley. 
 
 From the list of those who have been prominently in- 
 strumental in one way or another in building up the parish 
 of St. Paul's, we may revert to the history of its progress, 
 from the first rectorship, that of the Rev. Alexander Shiras, 
 beginning in 1855. He resigned in 1860. To fill the va- 
 cancy, the Rev. William H. Hare was elected and entered 
 on his duties on March 19, 1861. By this time Chestnut 
 Hill had begim to attract many more people as a place of 
 residence, for many only a summer residence, owing to the 
 poor traveling facilities given by the railroad of those days, 
 
and the small congregation soon outgrew the chapel. The 
 cornerstone of the new church, the one in which we now 
 are, was laid by Bishop Alonzo Potter, on October 25, 1861. 
 The church was opened for divine service on June 15, 1862, 
 with every prospect of growing with the population, but, 
 unfortunately, the illness of Mrs. Hare necessitated a change 
 of climate by the physician's orders, and Mr. Hare was 
 granted a six months' leave of absence, the vestry asking 
 a friend of his to administer the parish during his absence, 
 beginning with July 5, 1863 ; and that day coming up here 
 from Germantown, where I lived, will never be forgotten. 
 Nobody knew where the Army of the Potomac was. There 
 were all sorts of rumors, and as I came from the house I 
 lived in in Germantown to the railroad station there was 
 something in the air. You know what an awful hush there 
 is sometimes before a blasting thunder storm — everything 
 quiet, even the birds cease twittering. There was just that 
 sort of fog hanging over everything here. "What next?" 
 people were saying, and as I came along, walking part way 
 along the railway from Germantown to the main street 
 where the depot then was, there were groups of men stand- 
 ing along the railroad talking. They were not talking in 
 voices louder than that I am using just now, you could not 
 hear what was said, but there they were waiting — waiting, 
 some of them trembling, and it was through an atmosphere 
 of this sort that I came here for my first service, under the 
 arrangement with the vestry to relieve Mr. Hare. 
 
 The rector's warden very courteously asked me to dine 
 with him, and on our way back to the service that after- 
 noon we met a prominent man of Philadelphia who was 
 living here, who had a private telegram — Gettysburg was 
 won ! Lee was in retreat ! People do not forget those days 
 very easily. It was not known in the city until the night 
 services of the churches, and when I went home in the after- 
 noon I met similar groups of men standing just where I 
 had seen them in the morning, talking, whispering, not 
 knowing anything about it. It got abroad in the city I be- 
 lieve about 9 o'clock, the time of the night services there, 
 and there were Te Deums galore all through. 
 
 The same cause — to go back to the story — which neces- 
 sitated Mr. Hare's going away prevented his return, unfor- 
 tunately, and his substitute was chosen to succeed him in 
 January, 1864, thus as minister in charge and rector, serving 
 for fifty years — and a pleasanter service no rector has ever 
 had. Thank God and thank you ! 
 
 Of course, coming in this way, it was my duty and my 
 
37 
 
 pleasure to keep things exactly, so far as I could, as Mr. 
 Hare had left them. His involuntary, but necessary, resig- 
 nation of the rectorship, while it was a blow to this parish, 
 was fortunately ordered by Divine Providence to be a great 
 blessing to the church at large. No Bishop in this church 
 has left a more magnificent record of his devoted work than 
 did he who became the Right Reverend William Hobart 
 Hare, Doctor of Divinity. When he left this parish, soon 
 afterwards he was appointed secretary of the Committee 
 of the General Board of Missions, of Foreign Missions, and 
 that brought him into prominence in the Church, and he 
 had so ministered his oflEice in that capacity that when it 
 was a question in the General Convention of sending out 
 somebody to the Far West to minister to the souls of the 
 wild Indians there, he was chosen. He was assigned the 
 district called the Missionary District of Niobrara, in South 
 Dakota, which was inhabited chiefly by Indians, and the 
 magnificent work he did there, the perils he went through, 
 the labors he performed, the devotion that he showed, can- 
 not be properly expressed in words. Afterwards he became 
 Bishop of South Dakota, which was an enlarged sphere, in- 
 cluding both whites and Indians of Niobrara. The part of 
 his life work as completed in succeeding years was one of 
 weariness and painfulness. He suffered intense pain all 
 the time, but never faltered. He, if any man could become 
 such, was a Christian hero, and if he had not been removed 
 from this parish, owing to the causes mentioned, and his 
 being translated to the broader sphere of the Board of Mis- 
 sions, he might never have been so well known. So, when 
 I came here as I say, owing to these causes, I wanted to 
 keep things just as he left them. It was my pleasure and 
 my duty to do it. I found, soon after coming, in what is 
 now Springfield Avenue, then called Wissahickon Avenue, 
 which was near St. Martin's Church of the present day, 
 that prayer meeting and Bible class combined had been 
 formed, and two or three of the earnest laymen of the parish 
 used to go down on Sunday nights and gather the people 
 together in one another's house, one after the other, and 
 singing and praying and teaching them. Most of them were 
 mill hands at that time. Those mills on Cresheim Creek, 
 just below the Institution for Deaf and Dumb, were in full 
 operation, and employed a great many hands. There were 
 some others who lived in the neighborhood of about the 
 same station in life who came to these classes. They met, as 
 I say, at each other's houses, but the devil came sometimes 
 with them; because there got to be exhibitions of petty 
 
38 
 
 jealousy and fault-finding and all that sort of thing, and 
 so it seemed better to build a small mission chapel just at 
 that place, where everybody would stand on common ground. 
 St. Paul's congregation very kindly and promptly agreed 
 to do it, bought a lot at quite a reasonable price and con- 
 structed a small plain chapel there, which I think would hold 
 120 people. There was a Sunday-school conducted in it in 
 the afternoon by a devoted woman in the parish here. Miss 
 Ellen R. Brown, and at night, every Sunday night, for two 
 or three years, I went down there to hold a regular service. 
 As long as the mills kept open it was pretty well filled ; but 
 the mills closed after a while, and a great many of those 
 who came there to worship through the instrumentality of 
 the teachings I speak of, had become confirmed in the 
 church, and its usefulness as a mission field ceased. It 
 was disposed of at quite a good price and the money used 
 for other church purposes. But that mission did a great 
 deal of good. It was Mr. Hare's work in starting it, and it 
 turned out, I fancy, to exceed his expectation in the results. 
 The debt upon the church building was paid and the 
 church consecrated on October 16, 1865, during the session 
 of the General Convention of a reunited Church in that year. 
 I came here, as I said, amid the clash of arms. The church 
 was consecrated at the time of a reunited church that had 
 been severed by the sword, and surely it was an omen of 
 peace for the parish. There were clergymen here from 
 North and South, and that made it into a full-grown church, 
 consecrated 1865. The rectory was finished in November, 
 1868. The interior of the church is not what it was at first. 
 At first it was very bare and barn-like, rather depressing. 
 Some changes were made in the winter of 1867, both in 
 the chancel and the ceiling of the church, which made some 
 improvement. In 1882, by a voluntary gift of Mr. Edwin N. 
 Benson, the present chancel was built and a stained glass 
 window — "Christ blessing little children" — was inserted. 
 Then, by testamentary gift from the late Mrs. Tobias 
 Wagner, the erection of a parish building was made pos- 
 sible, and it was finished in 1889. Before that we had no 
 place of meeting for any church society except in the Sun- 
 day-school building, and that was rather chilly for any 
 sociable meeting. Consequently the work somewhat flagged. 
 It was never crowded, by the way, and so this parish build- 
 ing was found to be — it was thought it would be, and it has 
 proven the correctness of the thought — a very great help in 
 parish work. It is used for everything in connection with 
 weekday work of the parish, and on Sunday it is used as 
 
39 
 
 you know, for infant schools and Bible classes and the choir. 
 The memorial baptistry was built in 1902. The Account- 
 ing Warden of this Church, Mr. Alexander C. Humphreys, 
 was compelled by business exigencies to move away to New 
 York, and was very much missed. His eldest son was mar- 
 ried, and he, with his bride and younger brother, went to 
 Egypt and up the Nile. By some accident, nobody knows 
 how or what the accident was, the younger brother, a lad 
 of about twelve, fell overboard. His brother immediately 
 plunged after him, and they never saw them alive again. 
 That baptistry records the tragic event. 
 
 Another matter in connection with the history of the 
 church is the endowment fund that was inaugurated in 
 1904. By annual accretions it now amounts to nearly $18,000. 
 At the end of the next fifty years, at its present rate of 
 growth, it may reach a figure which will be of important 
 value to the parish. Nothing can be taken from it or used 
 in any way, except to accumulate interest, until it reaches 
 the sum of $50,000. 
 
 I want to speak of another thing, and that is the value 
 of lay co-operation in this parish. Of course it is so in 
 every parish, but in this parish it has been growing, grow- 
 ing steadOy; and going down even to such small matters, 
 looked at in one way, as the giving of a cup of cold water 
 to some of Christ's needy ones, which will not lose its re- 
 ward. Its growth and earnestness is a very large element 
 in the prosperity of this parish. I wish to emphasize this 
 fact, that the whole-hearted devotion of the members of 
 this congregation in this good work they are doing, in the 
 good work they are upholding outside of the parish as well 
 as in, has done far more to build this parish up to its 
 present status than anything the rector has ever done. I 
 want that clearly understood. One of the things that have 
 come about by the lay co-operation, speaking first of some- 
 thing which is an act of the laity, is the choir of the church. 
 If you had been here on the 5th of July, 1863, you would 
 have heard no such help to the worship of Almighty God 
 as you now hear. The choir at that time was a voluntary 
 one, a very small one. The instrument, which was called 
 a seraphine, certainly did not emit heavenly music, neither 
 did it put forth good earthly music. But that was the be- 
 ginning of the thing. It required work, manly and womanly, 
 because it was a mixed choir ; and after we got a new organ 
 there it still continued in its place, and was a mixed choir. 
 Then a time came, by, I believe, the almost universal desire 
 of the congregation, for a vested choir, and that has grown 
 
40 
 
 and improved steadily until it has come to add not only 
 good music, but a quiet dignity to the work of Almighty 
 God in this little country church. 
 
 Then we have as fruits of lay co-operation, among 
 others — I may not remember them all, forgive me if I leave 
 out any — the Girls' Friendly Society. I do not believe very 
 many of the congregation understand what a value that is 
 to a Christian congregation, the training up and making 
 friends with and the looking after all the interests temporal 
 and spiritual, of the girls who compose it. I venture to 
 say that wherever that society exists it saves many a girl 
 from going to the devil. It is so here, and the devotion 
 of those who conduct it is beyond any" words of praise of 
 mine. They have, during the winter, a period of work for 
 others. They have, during the summer, a period of jollity 
 for themselves, and ought to have it. It gives them pleasure, 
 and pleasure that is overlooked and kept clean and pure. 
 Then the Altar Society, the Boys' Friendly and the Women's 
 Auxiliary, the Men's Auxiliary, the Junior Auxiliary, the 
 boys' and girls' Bible classes, Sunday-school for younger 
 children, the Women's Friendly, the Church Embroidery 
 Society, which works for decent ornamentation of other 
 churches as well as for this church (altar ornamentation, 
 I mean) ; and in the parish building an exercise room for 
 boys and girls in daily and nightly use during fall, winter 
 and spring; in short, a centre of happiness, mental, moral 
 and physical, under wholesome church supervision. 
 
 So much for the past and present. What of the future? 
 There is just one thing I want to speak of in this connec- 
 tion, and that is the enlargement of this church building. 
 At the present time there are I do not know how many ap- 
 plications for seats that cannot be granted. There is no 
 room. If Chestnut Hill continues to grow as it has been 
 growing for some time past, and if most of the people who 
 come within easy distance of the church belong to our 
 Protestant Episcopal Church come here, and the number 
 will go on constantly increasing, either one of two things 
 has to happen, either this church must be made larger or 
 we will have two parishes here. I think, and I believe all 
 the business men in the parish will agree with me, that it 
 is better to have one large, strong church congregation than 
 to have two comparatively weak ones. And then, where are 
 you going to put the other? It may be a little further off, 
 in some of the places not yet built up, and be for the use 
 of the people there ; but even so, there would be difficulties 
 in the way, because it would be intruding upon the domain 
 
41 
 
 of another parish, and our church is very particular about 
 that sort of thing. In order to build a new church any- 
 where, to set up a new parish anywhere, it is necessary to 
 get the consent of the three nearest rectors, and rectors 
 sometimes have a little objection to bringing other churches 
 too near them. They think that it would take off their own 
 congregations and weaken them, but it can scarcely go 
 anywhere on this side, except between here and St. Martin's. 
 Of course it will not do that ; or on the other side of Stenton 
 Avenue, near Grace Church, Mount Airy. But still, where 
 there is a will there is a way, and if people cannot find room 
 to come to a church that is already organized, they will get 
 one somewhere, and somewhere in the neighborhood, so as 
 not to make it too far off for them to go. That is the 
 problem that faces this congregation today. What shall 
 we do? We have plans; the vestry has forseen this for 
 some time, and they had plans drawn by a very competent 
 architect for the systematic enlargement of this particular 
 building. I say systematic. The fully completed plan would 
 be impossible now. It would cost a great deal of money, but 
 it was thought that if we could get enough room to give one 
 hundred and eight new seats (not pews), one hundred and 
 eight single seats, by removing the chancel back, that it 
 would be a very great help, and that it probably would be 
 enough for this generation; because building is very much 
 more expensive now than when this church was built. This 
 church building as it was first put up (I do not now include 
 the changes of the ceiling, which are very great, and the 
 new chancel, but the church as it came from the hands of 
 the builder, able to seat just as many people as it does today) 
 only cost $6,500, which really sounds almost incredible. You 
 could not build it now for four or five times that amount. 
 
 As regards the future of this church building, I leave 
 it in your hands. I think it would be a pity both to turn 
 away people because there is no room for them, and to have 
 another parish started very close to this, or to the other 
 two that are here already. It is for you to say what you 
 wish done. I know the feeling about this church building, 
 and I have it myself. I cannot look anywhere here without 
 being reminded. But all those objects that are for the 
 memory can be still kept, and in places corresponding to 
 where they now are. And after all, the body of the church 
 itself would not be changed. The change would be in that 
 direction where there fortunately is room enough for quite 
 an enlargement. The second part of the plan added pews 
 with a still larger increase of space, which probably may 
 
42 
 
 be left for the next generation, and the final completion 
 will make one of the finest churches anywhere in the Diocese 
 of Pennsylvania. But if we never begin, we never get 
 anywhere, and I leave this matter for your careful considera- 
 tion, and I trust co-operation. 
 
 So much for the very brief sketch. I have been talk- 
 ing longer than I meant to, but I could say no less. The 
 sketch is imperfect, but it may give you some idea of how 
 this parish has grown up to the present time. In conclu- 
 sion, I want to say two or three words more to this congre- 
 gation : I cannot find words to express the deep thankful- 
 ness that has taken me by storm at your invariable kindness 
 to me. Some people say it is a great thing to be a rector 
 fifty years. I suppose it is, if you keep well all that time, 
 but it has been only by the kindness, the courtesy, the con- 
 sideration, the love, the bearing by the congregation with 
 steady composure many failings, many faults. I cannot 
 find words to express what I feel. Thank you, God bless 
 and keep you, and when the time comes, as for me it must 
 come before many years, may we all meet before the Throne ! 
 
THE PARISH OF ST. PAUL'S, 
 
 CHESTNtTT HtLL, 
 
 From its Organization- to June, 1913. 
 
 Rectors. 
 Rev. Alexander Shiras, elected November 5, 1855; resigned July 15, 1860. 
 Rev. William Hobart Hare, elected March 25, 1861 ; resigned December 15, 
 
 1863. 
 Rev. John Andrews Harris, elected January 26, 1864. 
 
 Cttrates. 
 
 Rev. J. Clayton Mitchell July 1, 1892, to November 30, 1897. 
 
 Rev. Robert Benedict .July 1, 1900, to September 1, 1901. 
 
 Rev. J. Ogle Warfield November 1, 1901, to date. 
 
 Rector's Wardens. 
 
 Cephas G. Childs June 18, 1855, to April 16, 1863. 
 
 Charles Piatt June 23, 1863, to April 13, 1868. 
 
 M, RusseU Thayer April 13, 1868, to April 3, 1880. 
 
 Edward S. Buckley April 3, 1880, to November 5, 1910. 
 
 Edward S. Buckley, Jr.. November 22, 1910, to date. 
 
 Accounting Wardens. 
 
 Frederick Fairthorne June 18, 1855, to October 24, 1857. 
 
 Thomas Earp, Jr October 24, 1857, to June 30, 1864. 
 
 Benoni Lockwood June 30, 1864, to AprU 17, 1866. 
 
 WiUiam Henryy Trotter April 17, 1866, to November 11, 1868, 
 
 Franklin H. Bowen November 11, 1868, to April 23, 1870. 
 
 Richard Norris April 23, 1870, to June 3, 1874. 
 
 Richard C. McMurtrie June 22, 1874, to April 19, 1884. 
 
 John C. Sims, Jr April 19, 1884, to July 8, 1893. 
 
 Alexander C. Humphreys April 8, 1893, to July 13, 1894. 
 
 John C. Sims, Jr July 13, 1894, to June 30, 1900. 
 
 Isaac Starr June 30, 1900, to date. 
 
 Secretaries. 
 
 Thomas Earp, Jr October 24, 1857, to June 30, 1864. 
 
 Benoni Lockwood June 30, 1864, to AprU 17, 1866. 
 
 WilUam H. Trotter April 17, 1866, to November 11, 1868. 
 
 Franklin H. Bowen November 11, 1868, to June 4, 1881. 
 
 John C. Sims, Jr June 4, 1881, to July 8, 1893. 
 
 Alexander C. Humphreys July 8, 1893, to July 13, 1894. 
 
 John C. Sims, Jr July 13, 1894, to June 30, 1900. 
 
 Isaac Starr June 30, 1900, to date. 
 
 43 
 
44 
 
 Vestbymeit. 
 
 John Bohlen June 18, 1865, to April 29, 1874. 
 
 Cephas G. Childs June 18, 1855, to April 16, 1863. 
 
 Charles Piatt June 18, 1855, to April 1, 1868. 
 
 Joseph H. HUdeburn June 18, 1855, to April 19, 1859. 
 
 Charles Taylor June 18, 1855, to April 19, 1859. 
 
 Thomas Earp, Jr June 18, 1855, to May 31, 1863. 
 
 Frederick Fairthorne June 18, 1855, to May 31, 1861. 
 
 Clayton T. Piatt June 18, 1855, to May 31, 1861. 
 
 John C. Bullitt June 18, 1855, to April 19, 1859. 
 
 William Henry Trotter. June 18, 1855, to April 3, 1880. 
 
 Thomas Mason June 18, 1855, to April 19, 1859. 
 
 Richard C. McMurtrie April 19, 1859, to October 2, 1894. 
 
 William C. Mackie May 31, 1861, to March 27, 1905. 
 
 M. RusseU Thayer May 31, 1861, to March 29, 1880. 
 
 Benoni Lockwood (and Secretary). . .June 4, 1864, to April 17, 1866. 
 
 John P. Brock September 24, 1865, to Feb. 6, 1869. 
 
 Richard Norris April 22, 1867, to June 3, 1874. 
 
 Franklin H. Bowen AprU 13, 1868, to April 10, 1882. 
 
 Henry Wharton March 29, 1869, to April 17, 1876. 
 
 Alexander Biddle June 3, 1874, to May 2, 1899. 
 
 Edward S. Buckley June 10, 1874, to November 15, 1910. 
 
 Joseph W. Baker April 17, 1876, to March 29, 1880. 
 
 Charles B. Dunn March 29, 1880, to date. 
 
 C. Stuart Patterson March 29, 1880, to date. 
 
 John C. Sims, Jr March 29, 1880, to January 6, 1901. 
 
 George H. North November 11, 1882, to Dec. 5, 1884. 
 
 John Whittaker April 26, 1886, to April 30, 1890. 
 
 Alexander C. Humphreys July 27, 1890, to July 14, 1894. 
 
 William Potter November 11, 1894, to date. 
 
 Richard C. Dale July 14, 1894, to May 22, 1904. 
 
 Isaac Starr February 10, 1900, to date. 
 
 Arthur E. Newbold January 13, 1901, to date. 
 
 Radcliffe Cheston, M, D May 29, 1904, to date. 
 
 John H. Craig April 2, 1905, to date. 
 
 Edward S. Buckley, Jr November 22, 1910, to date. 
 
 Pewholders and Seatholders. 
 
 Abbott, Redman Austin, Samuel H. 
 
 Allen, Miss Elizabeth O. Averill, William D. 
 Anable, Miss Belle 
 
 Anderson, Samuel P. G. Bain, Frederick 
 
 Andrews, Henry W. Baker, Isaac F. 
 
 Arnott, Wm. W., The Rev. Baker, Joseph W. 
 
 Asson, William T. Baldwin, Miss Georgiana 
 
 Atwood, William C. Ballard, Ellis Ames 
 
45 
 
 Banks, George A. 
 Barker, Mrs. George 
 Barker, S. B. 
 Barroll, J. Leeds 
 Barton, J. B. 
 Belfield, Thomas B. 
 Bell, Miss Jane E. 
 Bell, Mrs. J. Bowman 
 Benson, Edwin N. 
 Benson, Miss Harriet S. 
 Benson, Miss Rosalie 
 Biddle, Alexander 
 Biddle, Dr. Alexander W. 
 Biddle, Miss Anne E. 
 Biddle, Mrs. George 
 Biddle, George W, 
 Biddle, James C. 
 Biddle, Miss Mariamne 
 Biddle, Louis A. 
 Biddle, Lynford 
 Biddle, J. Wilmer 
 Blake, Mrs. Peter S. 
 Blanchard, The Misses 
 Blanchard, WUliam J. 
 Bohlen, Miss Catharine M. 
 Bohlen, John 
 Bohlen, Mrs. John 
 BoUing, Dr. Robert 
 Borie, Beauveau 
 Borie, John J. 
 Borie, Mrs. J. J. 
 Boudinot, Mrs. Elias 
 Bounds, James 
 Bowen, Edward R. 
 Bowen, Ezra 
 Bowen, Franklin H. 
 Bradford, Willard Hall 
 Brice, Mrs. Philip H. 
 Brice, Philip H. 
 Brock, John Penn. 
 Brock, Richard Henry 
 Brown, Miss Ellen R. 
 Brown, Horace G. 
 Brown, Thornton 
 Brown, Edward 
 Brown, H. P. 
 Brown, John Wilson, Jr. 
 
 Bruce, Mrs. Arthur 
 Bryarly, Miss Kate Lee 
 Buckley, Edward S. 
 Buckley, Edward S., Jr. 
 Bullitt, John C. 
 BuUitt, William C. 
 Burroughs, Joseph H. 
 Burton, Arthur M. 
 Burton, Edward 
 Burton, George W. 
 Burton, The Misses 
 Burton, Mrs. Robert 
 Butcher, Howard 
 Bartow, Josiah B. 
 Bohlen, Robert M. 
 Bartow, Charles B. 
 
 Camblos, Pierre 
 
 Camblos, Miss 
 
 Camm, C. M. 
 
 Campbell, Mrs. Dallas Alex. 
 
 Campbell, St. George Tucker 
 
 Cartwright, Henry R. 
 
 Chapman, R. H. 
 
 Chase, Reginald H. 
 
 Cheston, Dr. Radcliffe 
 
 Cheston, Mrs. James 
 
 Childs, Col. Cephas G, 
 
 Clark, Miss 
 
 Clark, Walton 
 
 Clark, E. Walter 
 
 Clayton, John 
 
 Clayton, Mrs. John 
 
 Coit, Edward W. 
 
 Coit, Howland 
 
 Coleman, Mrs. Edward 
 
 Coles, Edward 
 
 Collins, Alfred M. 
 
 Collins, Frederic 
 
 Collins, C. W. 
 
 Comegys, Walter Douglass 
 
 Comegys, Mrs. Walter Douglass 
 
 Conway, Mrs. Martha W. 
 
 Cooper, Dr. Colin Campbell 
 
 Cooper, John Lambert 
 
 Cope, Caleb 
 
 Cowperthwait, Joseph B. 
 
46 
 
 Craig, J. H. 
 Crothers, Stevenson 
 Crothers, William S. 
 Cowperthwait, Charles T. 
 Clark, Joseph S. 
 
 Dale, Richard C. 
 Dale, The Misses 
 DaUett, Elijah 
 Davis, Edward T. 
 Davis, Miss C. B. 
 DeHaven, George B. 
 Demaray, Mrs. Georgiana 
 Disston, William 
 Disston, Jacob S. 
 Dixon, T. Henry- 
 Dixon, A. J. D. 
 Dickson, Samuel 
 Drayton, Miss Harriet D. 
 Douglas, Edwin V, 
 DuBois, George T. 
 Duhring, Rev. H. L., D. D. 
 Dunmore, Robert S. 
 Dunn, Charles B. 
 Dunn, George G. 
 Durborow, C. B. 
 Dwight, E. P. 
 Denkla, Herman A. 
 Dunn, Edwards S. 
 
 Earle, Edgar P. 
 Earp, Thomas, Jr. 
 Elkins, William L., Jr. 
 Emory, Frank 
 Emory, Miss Ellen 
 English, Chancellor C. 
 Eustis, Mrs. A. G. 
 Evans, The Misses 
 Ellzey, J. Murray, M. D. 
 
 Fallon, John 
 
 Fassitt, Miss 
 Fell, Mrs. EUa G. 
 Flanagan, James M. 
 Fletcher, WiUiam Meade 
 Fleming, Mrs. David 
 Foltz, J. CUnton, M. D. 
 
 Forbes, Dr. William 
 
 Ford, Mrs. 
 
 Fox, S. M. 
 
 Freed, Mrs. Rachel 
 
 Ford, Bruce 
 
 Farnum, Edward S. W. 
 
 Gerhard, Miss Louisa 
 Gibbs, John WiUard 
 Giffin, The Misses 
 Gilliams, J. J. 
 Glendenning, R. E. 
 Goodman, Mrs. S. I. A. 
 Goodman, William E. 
 Goodrich, William 
 Gowen, Francis I. 
 Graff, Charles H. 
 Graham, Howard S. 
 Gratz, Robert H. 
 Graver, Miss Leonora 
 Gray, John Gordon 
 Gray, W. 
 Griffith, W. O. 
 Groome, Samuel W. 
 Groves, A., Jr. 
 Goodman, Samuel, Jr. 
 Goodman, Mrs. William : 
 Goodman, Mrs. Samuel 
 
 Harding, George 
 Harding, WiUiam W. 
 Harding, William G. 
 Hare, Mrs. G. Harrison 
 Hare, Robert Emmot 
 Harlan, Dr. George C. 
 Harris, Alan Hale 
 Harris, George B. 
 Harrison, Alfred C. 
 Harrison, Mitchell 
 Haupt, Gen. Herman L. 
 Hawley, AVarren A. 
 Hebard, Charles 
 Heebner, Charles 
 Heebner, Miss Julia 
 Heebner, Samuel Y. 
 Heebner, Philip A. 
 Heilman, Horace B. 
 
47 
 
 Henry, Morton P. 
 Hickman, Miss 
 Hickok, Mrs. Gerardine H. 
 Hinkle, Daniel S. 
 Hinkle, G. R. 
 Hollingshead, Joseph M. 
 Hollingshead, Mrs. Joseph M. 
 Hollingsworth, Samuel S. 
 Hopkin, Mrs. James 
 Horstman, S. H. 
 Hovan, Mrs. 
 Howel, Arch 
 
 Hollingsworth, Mrs. S. W. 
 Hoopes, Mrs. Dawson 
 Hopkin, C. E. 
 Hulse, Charles F. 
 Humphreys, Alexander C. 
 Hunter, Sarah 
 Harris, John Andrews, Jr. 
 Homer, Mrs. Thomas B. 
 Hillman, John H. 
 
 Jackson, Charles M. 
 Jackson, Francis A. 
 Jackson, A. A. 
 Jackson, Mrs. Charles M. 
 Janney, Spencer M. 
 Jeans, Mrs. Isaac 
 Jenks, John Story 
 Johnson, R. Winder 
 Johnson, Dr. Russell H. 
 Johnstone, Mrs. Almyrah 
 Johnstone, Mrs. A. 
 Jones, J. H. 
 Jones, Mrs. J. Cowly 
 Jones, Miss 
 Janney, Joseph A., Jr. 
 Jenks, John S., Jr. 
 Judson, Oliver Boyce 
 
 Keely, Mrs. E. H. 
 Keim, John O. 
 Keen, Barton L. 
 Keim, Mrs. John M. 
 Kelsey, Albert Warren 
 Kelsey, Mrs. A. W. 
 Kemble, Clay 
 
 Kent, WiUiam C. 
 
 Kidder, Walter 
 
 Kittson, Lewis 
 
 King, Edward S. 
 
 Kneedler, Howard S. 
 
 Knowles, Rev. Arch. Campbell 
 
 KUne, Mrs. Mahlon 
 
 Landreth, W. Linton 
 landreth, Mrs. Oliver 
 Lea, Mrs. M. Carey 
 Lea, Mrs. Charles M. 
 Levick, Richard 
 Levick, Mrs. Richard 
 Lewis, Francis A. 
 Lewis, Lawrence 
 Lewis, Miss Mary D. 
 Lewis, Robert M. 
 Lewis, Hermann A. 
 Lewis, William Reed 
 Littleton, William E. 
 Lockwood, Benoni 
 Long, Miss Nancy 
 Lorenz, WUliam 
 Lowber, Henry S. 
 
 Macauley, The Misses 
 Machette, E. V. 
 MackaU, Leonard C. 
 Mackie, William C. 
 Markoe, Mrs. John 
 Martin, Hon. J. Willis 
 McCall, The Misses 
 McCouch, H. Gordon 
 McElroy, Prof. John G. R. 
 McMurtrie, Richard C. 
 McMurtrie, The Misses 
 McNeal, J. Hector 
 Megargee, Edward 
 Merritt, Mr. 
 Mifflin, Miss 
 Miller, Mrs. John Faber 
 MiUer, Commander Fred'k A. 
 Mitcheson, McGregor J. 
 Montgomery, John T. 
 Moorhead, Mrs. C. F. 
 Morgan, Randal 
 
48 
 
 Morris, George C. 
 Morris, The Misses 
 Morris, Mrs. Stephen 
 Morris, Mrs. George C. 
 Morris, Mrs. R. B. 
 Morris, Henry 
 Moss, Dr. William 
 Moyer, Edward E. 
 Murphy, David M. 
 Murray, James D. 
 Mason, John H. 
 McNaughton, Mrs. Stuart 
 Muir, John W. 
 Morgan, Mrs. Reed A. 
 
 Naylor, John S. 
 Neall, Mrs. Frank L. 
 Neff, Joseph S. 
 Neiler, Joseph S. 
 Newhall, Charles A. 
 Newton, Mrs. 
 Norris, Henry L. 
 Norris, J. Parker 
 Norris, Richard 
 Norris, John C. 
 Norris, Mrs. Richard 
 North, Col. George H. 
 Newbold, Arthur E. 
 
 Ottinger, Mrs. James S. 
 
 Page, Edward D. 
 
 Page, Joseph F., Jr. 
 
 Painter, Mr. 
 
 Pancoast, Dr. Dillwyn P. 
 
 Patterson, Christopher Stuart 
 
 Patterson, Joseph 
 
 Patterson, Theodore Cuyler 
 
 Peabody, Miss 
 
 Penrose, John 
 
 Penrose, Walter E. 
 
 Penrose, Mrs. J. R. 
 
 Pepper, David 
 
 Pepper, Dr. George 
 
 Pepper, Mrs. William 
 
 Pepper, B. F. 
 
 Phillips, Alfred IngersoU 
 
 Pidgeon, Theodore F. 
 
 Pierson-Hyslop, J. H. 
 
 Piatt, Charles 
 
 Piatt, Charles, Jr. 
 
 Piatt, Clayton T. 
 
 Potter, Charles A. 
 
 Potter, William 
 
 Potter, Mrs. Thomas, Jr. 
 
 Powel, Harford Willing Hare 
 
 Price, J. Sergeant 
 
 Pepper, David, Jr. 
 
 Pearson, Mrs. D. Appleton 
 
 Piatt, Charles, 3d 
 
 Pancoast, Henry S. 
 
 Pepper, B. Franklin 
 
 Ralston, Francis W. 
 Randall, Miss Susan W. 
 Reed, Mrs. Henry 
 Reed, William B. 
 Register, Mrs. 
 Remak, Gustavus 
 Riley, Leonard J., Jr. 
 Roberts, Jesse 
 Roberts, Mrs. Jesse 
 Robins, Thomas 
 Robinson, Charles A. 
 Robinson, D. M. 
 Robinson, Moncure 
 Rodney, WiUiam 
 Roth, George S. 
 Rowland, Edward 
 Rush, Benjamin 
 Randolph, Mrs. Evan 
 Rosengarten, Frederic 
 Reynolds, John Marbury 
 
 SchoUer, George 
 Shapleigh, Mahlon S. 
 Sheppard, Furman 
 Sharpless, T. W. 
 Shober, Samuel L. 
 Sims, John C, Jr. 
 Sinkler, Charles 
 Smith, J. Emlen 
 Smith, Mrs. Joseph P. 
 Smith, W. Brentwood 
 
Smyth, J. L. N. 
 Smyth, Mrs. Helen 
 Smyth, Mrs. Amanda G. 
 Smucker, J. R. 
 Snyder, Miss Susan G. 
 Snyder, W. Frederick 
 Starr, Theodore 
 Starr, Isaac 
 Stephens, J. R. 
 Stevenson, A. May 
 Stevenson, Miss Mary 
 Stewardson, Thomas 
 Stewart, Thomas Macintosh 
 Stewart, William M., Jr. 
 Stille, Charles J. 
 Stokes, Charles M. 
 Stokes, Mrs, Edward 
 Stone, James N, 
 Stone, Miss Amy 
 Strouse, John 
 Sweeney, Miss Mary 
 Stokes, Mrs. Thomas P. C. 
 Snyder, Mrs. William H. 
 Sexton, William Lord 
 Steel, A. G. B. 
 Stewardson, The Misses 
 
 Taylor, Charles 
 Taylor, Mrs. Charles 
 Taylor, Dr. J. Howard 
 Thayer, M. Russell 
 Thayer, Gen. Russell 
 Thomas, George C. 
 Thomas, Mrs. George C. 
 Thorp, Miss Helen 
 Thouron, Mrs. Augustus 
 Tilge, Miss Sallie 
 Torbet, Mrs. Coleman 
 Toland, Edward D. 
 Townsend, Mrs. Edward 
 Trotter, Edward H. 
 Trotter, Mrs. Edward H. 
 Trotter, William Henry 
 Thompson, Mrs. Archibald G. 
 
 Van Pelt, Charles E. 
 Vanuxem, Louis C. 
 Vaux, Richard 
 Vaux, The Misses 
 
 Wagner, Tobias 
 Wagner, Mrs. Tobias 
 Wandell, Dr. James 
 Watmough, P. G. 
 Watson, Mrs. Goodwin 
 Wattson, John B. 
 Wattson, Thomas C. 
 Webster, David 
 Weiser, Mrs. J. F. 
 Welsh, Edward L. 
 Welsh, Samuel 
 Welsh, Mrs. Frank 
 Wharton, Mrs. Henry 
 Whittaker, John 
 Whittaker, Mrs. John 
 Wilcox, Edmund 
 WiUiams, C. N. 
 Williams, Mrs. Morris 
 Willing, George 
 Wiley, Miss 
 Wilson, Mrs. Seth W. 
 Wirgman, Mrs. Charles 
 Wolf, Miss Louise St. C. 
 Woodward, WiUiam H, 
 Wyatt, Mrs. W. S. 
 Wagner, Joseph W. 
 Welsh, John Lowber 
 Whittaker, Frederic 
 Whittaker, H. Edward 
 
 Yeatman, Mrs. Pope 
 
 Zantzinger, Mrs. Alfred 
 Zantzinger, Ernest 
 Zebley, John 
 Zebley, J. Walter 
 Zantzinger, Clarence C. 
 
BX5920.P5S7A3 
 
 The commemoration of the fifty years of 
 
 Princeton Theological Seminary-Speer Library 
 
 1 1012 00050 7493