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BX 9211 .C55 W75 1873 
 Wright, Nathaniel, 17 
 
 1875. ^. - 
 
 Memorial address delivered 
 
 '89- Wm 
 
^^^*-. "'■ "■'«^f^ 
 
 JUN .17 1912 
 
 MEMORIAL ADDRESS 
 
 DELIVERED BEFORE THE 
 
 Second Presbyterian Church 
 
 AND SOCIETY OF CINCINNATI. 
 
 s TJ ]sr HD j^. -y e^ve; asr I jsr a-, j^.i'itiXj 28, i872 
 
 By NATHANIEL WRIGHT. 
 
 Printed by the Session. 
 
 CINCINNATI : 
 
 ROBERT CLARKE & CO. 
 
 1873. 
 
The Church edifice of " The Second Presbyterian 
 Church and Society of Cincinnati," on Fourth Street^ 
 having been sold^ the purchaser to take possession on the 
 first of May, the last Religious Services of the Society in the 
 Church were held on Sunday evening y April 28, i 872. The 
 services commenced with the usual exercises of the day, singing, 
 and prayer by the Pastor, followed by a Memorial Address, 
 by Nathaniel Wright, Senior Elder of the Church. 
 
ADDRESS. 
 
 It is useful in human life occasionally to pause and 
 review the past. Experience is a wise teacher. Not 
 only the difficulties and successes, the mistakes and the 
 achievements of ourselves, but also of those who have 
 gone before us, are lessons to be studied for our own 
 good. Now and then some crisis in affairs, some 
 transition from old scenes to new, seem to call upon us 
 especially for such review. The benefits of it are not 
 merely the instruction it may impart. But more than 
 this, it serves to keep alive in our hearts our sympathy 
 with our Fathers — with those who have gone before 
 us — to bind together the past and the present genera- 
 tions in bonds of perpetual love. 
 
 We are about to leave this house in which we have 
 worshiped so long, and to occupy another. To many 
 of us the associations of the place are touching and 
 strong — to all of us they are interesting. Here, for 
 forty-two years, from week to week, we have listened 
 to the truths of God, seeking to train us for duty and 
 for heaven; here, from time to time, we have met our 
 Redeemer at his board, to quicken our remembrance 
 of him and our love ; here, some of us have first felt 
 
[6] 
 
 the love of Jesus and professed his name before men ; 
 here, our children have been baptized and grown up 
 with us in the wt>rship of the Most High ; here, in the 
 Sunday-schools so many have been trained in the paths 
 of piety ; here, we have so often met the kind, familiar 
 faces of each other, and felt the powerful sympathy of 
 social devotion. But all material things of earth must 
 pass away. Their u^es are temporary, and we must 
 learn to part with them cheerfully. " Set not your 
 affections on them," says the apostle. 
 
 But the associations of the place and its history are 
 not to be parted with. They are to be cherished as a 
 part of the life of the church, to be carried with it to 
 its new abode and be remembered perpetually. It has, 
 therefore, been thought proper, that, before leaving the 
 house, we should spend an hour together in reviewing 
 its past; that when we bid farewell to the building, we 
 may take with us all the influences for good associated 
 with it. The speaker has been selected for this service 
 by reason of his long connection with the society, and 
 he begs your indulgence and your patience ; for I do 
 not feel like attempting a formal, dignified address — 
 rhetorical display " plays round the head, but comes 
 not to the heart." I would speak to you, my brethren 
 and friends, in the free, familiar way of a brother in a 
 family circle. I would aid you in keeping in memory 
 the incidents, the persons, the labors, the feelings of 
 the church and the dealings of God with us ; in a word, 
 all those associations which constitute the personal 
 
[7] 
 
 Identity of a church, which make it seem the same after 
 all its members have changed. 
 
 There is an incident in the history of the Hebrews 
 which illustrates this idea, and shows the power of these 
 memories of the past. The Israelites had been released 
 from centuries of bondage in Egypt, had spent forty 
 years of wandering life in the wilderness, had reached 
 the banks of the Jordan, across which lay their perma- 
 nent home — the home in which they and their children, 
 from generation to generation, were to be trained in the 
 service of God. 
 
 At this juncture, Moses, the man of God, that great 
 and good man, the noblest character in all human his- 
 tory — who can think of him without excitement — • 
 
 " This was the truest warrior 
 That ever buckled sword ; 
 This the most gifted poet 
 That ever breathed a word ; 
 And never earth's philosopher 
 Traced, with his golden pen, 
 On the deathless page, truths half so sage 
 As he wrote down for men." 
 
 Moses, I say, makes to the nation his parting ad- 
 dress. He was not allowed to pass over the Jordan. 
 God had appointed his unknown grave in a vale among 
 the mountains of Moab. This address is the book of 
 Deuteronomy, strictly a memorial address, recalling to 
 mind the events of their past history and the dealings 
 of God with them — so touching in sympathy for the 
 people he had led so long and loved so well, though 
 
[8] 
 
 they had grieved him so sorely. These memories of 
 the past, so woven into the hearts of that people, have 
 preserved their ^national identity for more than three 
 thousand years. 
 
 To refer to such wonderful history in illustration of 
 the humble affairs of one little church, may seem osten- 
 tatious. But is it really so ? Is not the mission of the 
 Christian church a higher and a nobler service than even 
 that of the Jews? Their mission was to keep alive 
 upon earth the knowledge of the true God; but it was 
 confined to their own nation. Ours is, to spread the 
 light of the glorious gospel of the Son of God over all 
 the world. Their history, with its awful demonstrations 
 of Almighty power, its earthquakes, and thunders, and 
 pestilence, was terrible to the human senses. Ours is 
 the quiet and gentle influence of kindness and love — 
 the silent dew, the mild sunshine, so blessing all the 
 earth — a power surpassing all other among men, for it 
 comes down from heaven and God is Love. " Not by 
 might nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord." 
 Surely such service is worthy all our efforts. It is in 
 this service, like the Jews of old, that we cherish these 
 memories of the past among ourselves. 
 
 I propose to speak first of the secular affairs of the 
 society ; then of the church proper and its doings, its 
 members and their social influences. 
 
 The first records of the society are January 29, 18 16, 
 though its organization was not authoritatively settled 
 till 1 8 17. It originated virtually in a small colony 
 from the first Presbyterian Church of the city. If there 
 
[9] 
 
 was anything of the workings of imperfect human na- 
 ture on either side in that origin, it was no marvel upon 
 earth. They were pious and devoted people. If we 
 can esteem and love only those who are perfect, where 
 in this world shall we find anybody to love ? Nay, 
 where shall we find anybody to love us ? 
 
 They began few in number and a feeble society. 
 They worshiped for some two years in such rooms as 
 they could find about the city, in private houses, in 
 school-rooms and the like. In an application to the 
 Presbytery for a minister to supply them, they offer 
 the sum of $550 per annum. In 1817 or 1818 they 
 erected a small frame building on the east side of Wal- 
 nut street, a little north of Fifth, where they continued 
 to worship for about twelve years. The erection of this 
 humble building cost them not a little of trouble and 
 anxiety. One of those mothers in Israel used to relate 
 that at one time they were stopped in the work for want 
 of lumber; they had not been able to lay it in before- 
 hand, and there was none in the city, and none expected. 
 
 They had a prayer-meeting at her house, and, among 
 other things, prayed earnestly that God would help 
 them along with the work. Next morning some of the 
 members happening to be at the river, saw a raft of 
 lumber afloat which the men aboard could not land for 
 want of help. So they hurried out, helped them ashore, 
 and in return got a supply of lumber very cheap, and 
 thanked God for it. The architect of the court-house 
 had a lot of window-sash, which, through some mistake, 
 
[10] 
 
 would not fit, and gave them to the church at half price. 
 Thus it was that little church was built. 
 
 The salary of, Mr. Root, the first settled pastor, was 
 nominally one thousand dollars; but it was fixed at a 
 time when the circulating medium here was greatly de- 
 preciated, and ultimately contracts of that period were 
 generally settled at one-third discount for specie; so 
 that Mr. Root received only six hundred and sixty-six 
 dollars in coin. I presume his salary was ultimately 
 raised above that sum, though I find no record of it. 
 
 In 1827 the subject of building a new church was 
 agitated, and meetings held on the subject. A com- 
 mittee was appointed to solicit subscriptions, and after 
 one or two failures, a plan of subscription was adopted, 
 giving to the subscribers the control in building the 
 church. Under this plan about one-third of the ulti- 
 mate cost was raised, and it was decided to go on with 
 the work, trusting to Providence for the rest. The 
 location was a matter of much discussion. Different 
 sites were talked of, somewhat out of the way, costing 
 some two thousand dollars more or less. But there was 
 among us a presentiment that the church was to become 
 a distinguished one, and perhaps a little of worldly am- 
 bition to make it so. This spot was selected as pecu- 
 liarly eligible; central, conspicuous, yet retired and 
 quiet. There were then scarcely any buildings on the 
 square, and no business on Fourth street. In the 
 spring of 1828, a contract of purchase was made with 
 the Bank of the United States for five thousand dol- 
 lars. 
 
[11] 
 
 The subscribers appointed a building committee, to 
 whom was intrusted the entire and exclusive care of 
 erecting the building, and doing everything relating 
 thereto. The society, as such, did not interfere in the 
 matter. The design in selecting this committee was to 
 include in it all those leading business men of the soci- 
 ety, who felt a special interest in it and were willing to 
 devote their time to the object, and their means, so far 
 as they were able. Thus it was in fact the substance of 
 the society for pecuniary purposes. 
 
 This committee were Jacob Burnet, Martin Baum, 
 John H. Groesbeck, Timothy S. Goodman, Jonathan 
 Bates, John T. Drake, Henry Starr, and Nathaniel 
 Wright. 
 
 The first three, Burnet, Baum, and Groesbeck, were 
 the leading members, pillars of strength wherever they 
 stood. Judge Burnet is known to all who know the 
 history of our state or the nation. Probably no other 
 man has exerted so great influence in the judicial and 
 legislative affairs of the state. He was a good^ as well 
 as a great man. He was not a member of the church ; 
 but those who knew him intimately, knew him to be an 
 earnest follower of the Redeemer, and that he had some 
 peculiar technical reasons for not uniting with the 
 church. 
 
 Martin Baum was a distinguished merchant of the 
 earliest period of the city, proverbial for unostentatious 
 honesty. The German emigrants over the country were 
 in the habit of requirmg him to keep their money for 
 them. He was of cultivated taste in architecture, and 
 
[12] 
 
 procured from Maryland the distinguished architect 
 who planned and superintended the building. 
 
 John H. Gro^sbeck was long a model merchant and 
 banker; one who did so much to maintain a high tone 
 of mercantile integritv in the city. He was one of the 
 kindest and best men that ever lived. 
 
 Among the junior members of the committee, Tim- 
 othy S. Goodman was probably the oldest; a man of 
 modest and retiring disposition, highly esteemed by all, 
 long a successful merchant and banker, though finally 
 overtaken by adversity. 
 
 Jonathan Bates and John T. Drake also were mer- 
 chants, men of sterling worth and highly respected. 
 
 Henry Starr was a lawyer of distinguished talents 
 and learning — distinguished by the epithet, an honest 
 lawyer — distinguished also by the out-spoken frank- 
 ness — abruptness even — with which he would condemn 
 or check anything which he disapproved. One Sunday 
 during service here, the organ continued to play, after 
 the minister had risen in the pulpit to proceed, the or- 
 ganist being a new hand or inattentive. Mr. Starr 
 started up in that aisle, and called out in a voice which 
 made the house ring, " Stop that noise !" 
 
 Of the remaining member of the committee, I have 
 nothing to say, for you see he is yet alive : all the others 
 are gone, though the widows of three of them still re- 
 main : Mrs. Goodman, Mrs. Drake (now Mrs. Strong), 
 and Mrs. Bates, President of the Orphan Asylum ; all 
 honored and blessed in the decline of life. 
 
 This committee had a laborious and difficult task in 
 
[13] 
 
 building the church. They took hold of it and man- 
 aged it as a work of their own, expecting to be person- 
 ally responsible for the expense incurred. Ultimately 
 some of them doubled their subscriptions ; they bor- 
 rowed money on their individual responsibility ; ad- 
 vanced money in various ways; and finally several who 
 had thus become large creditors, received pews in 
 payment of their claims. The whole cost was about 
 $30,000. We had much difficulty in raising the money. 
 With such men engaged, some of whom have since 
 ranked as men of large wealth, you can hardly realize 
 this difficulty. But we must look back to those times; 
 and financial matters as they then were. The city had 
 passed through a most remarkable and instructive expe- 
 rience. The war, which attracted so much attention to 
 the west, closed about the beginning of 18 15. For 
 three or four years after that, emigration was flowing in 
 torrents into all this region, creating great demand for 
 real estate. Everybody was excited with the universal 
 prosperity. All were investing their money in lands. 
 Near the close of 18 18, the reverse and the revulsion 
 came. All the local banks, which furnished the entire 
 circulating medium here, suspended payment and finally 
 wound up their affairs. For three or four years we 
 struggled on with their largely depreciated notes, for 
 there was no other money. The Branch of the United 
 States Bank for awhile received them, but finally de- 
 manded specie or its equivalent. That was not to be 
 had, and in the fall of 1820, its current paper was nearly 
 all protested, some million and a half in amount, and 
 
[14] 
 
 judgments generally recovered therefor in the United 
 States court, in 1822. The old business men were 
 generally broken,up. Those who had real estate seemed 
 the worst off, for they could hardly pay their taxes. 
 Nobody would buy lands at any price, for the public 
 had become thoroughly sick of them. Men whose real 
 estate has since been counted by millions, considered 
 themselves insolvent. 
 
 In 1824, affairs began slowly to improve, but up to 
 the time of building the church, lands generally were a 
 drug in market, in no way available as money to the 
 owners. The junior members of our committee were 
 mostly young in business and of limited means. You 
 will see, therefore, that for us the work we had under- 
 taken was no trifle. In ready cash we were all poor. 
 
 There is a lesson here which should not be forgotten. 
 Some of the debts hung over us like a dead weight for 
 a long time ; and a dead weight they truly were, as any 
 man will realize who can 't pay his honest debts. The 
 last of four payments for the ground fell due May i, 
 1831 ; one installment only had been paid. The bank 
 afterward got judgment in ejectment and might have 
 turned us out of the house at any moment. Finally, 
 about ten years after the purchase, in January, 1838, 
 the matter was settled by taking a deed and giving a 
 note and mortgage for the balance due, $4,367, payable 
 in July of that year. Even this note laid over and 
 judgment was recovered on it, and the church advertised 
 for sale on execution years afterward. We were not 
 worse than other people; but we did not realize till it 
 
[15] 
 
 was too late, the discredit to the cause and the disad- 
 vantage to the church of debts hanging over it. 
 
 The labors of the committee in detail will be of little 
 interest. Mr. Walters, the architect, superintended all 
 the details of the work, and that with such integrity and 
 skill as resulted in great economy. There were no 
 lumping contracts. The committee met regularly twice 
 a week for some time, and afterward once, spending an 
 afternoon or evening discussing matters, sometimes 
 sorely perplexed how to raise funds to keep on with the 
 work. There never was the least dissension among us. 
 If we differed in opinion, we discussed the subject can- 
 didly till we agreed. 
 
 The corner-stone was laid May 13, 1829, in presence 
 of a large congregation, with appropriate solemnities. 
 Mr. Root delivered an impressive address. In the 
 corner-stone, the northeast corner, were deposited various 
 mementos of the time; among others, the names of the 
 officers of the church and society, of various public 
 officers, of the Governor of the State, Allen Trimble, 
 the newspapers of the day, the population of the city 
 (22,000), the closing paragraph of the Pastor's address 
 on the occasion, which was as follows: "To God, who 
 loveth the gates of Zion more than the dwellings of 
 Jacob, we commit the interests of this rising Temple. 
 May it bless a hundred generations. Here may con- 
 verts be multiplied as drops of the morning dew, and 
 an immense number be qualified for heaven. May its 
 walls be called salvation and its gates praise. May it 
 stand a beacon to invite the stranger and the heavy laden 
 
[16] 
 
 sinner to recline under its shadow and to receive its con- 
 solations, until the last shock of time shall demolish 
 the stablest works of man, and the general conflagration 
 of the world wind up the arcana of nature." 
 
 During the ensuing year the building was completed, 
 and on the 20th of May, 1830, was publicly dedicated 
 to the worship of the Triune God. The Pastor, in his 
 address on that occasion, says, " My brethren, ye have 
 built a house of prayer unto the Lord. Be not high- 
 minded, but fear, lest ye be likened unto those who 
 'built the tombs of the prophets, and garnished the 
 sepulchres of the righteous.' Though this building is 
 honorable to this growing city, and confers deserved 
 commendation upon those who have reared it, and com- 
 modiously adapted to the purposes of worship, it is not 
 necessarily the gate of heaven. It is possible for you to 
 perish from the inner courts of the sanctuary, and from 
 the very horns of the altar." 
 
 The building was regarded as an ornament to the 
 young city — was commended by the press as a work of 
 art, a specimen of a chaste style of architecture, a Gre- 
 cian chapel with a Doric portico, a style which has stood 
 the criticism of two thousand years ; and it does, in 
 fact, compare favorably with the gaudy and costly style 
 of churches, which has since become fashionable. 
 
 The society was incorporated by act of the legislature 
 of February 11, 1829. 
 
 The first board of trustees under the charter was 
 elected May 4, 1829, and were Jacob Burnet, Martin 
 Baum, John H. Groesbeck, Nathaniel Wright, Timo- 
 
[17] 
 
 thy S. Goodman, Jesse Kimball, and John T. Drake. 
 The next year Henry Starr and William W. Green, 
 (son of one of the original members of the church,) 
 were elected in place of Kimball, and Drake, the latter 
 having died the winter preceding. Soon after, Jona- 
 than Bates came into the board and a majority of these 
 were generally re-elected, from year to year, for ten or 
 twelve years, and some for twenty years or more. 
 
 The city had a large clock, with no place to put it, 
 and in January, 183 i, the use of the tower and the bell 
 was granted them for it, and there it still remains. 
 
 In 1837, the organ was put up, having been con- 
 structed for the society in Cambridge, Massachusetts, 
 under the care of Timothy B. Mason, at a cost of three 
 thousand dollars, besides incidentals, which was paid by 
 private subscriptions. 
 
 Thus the work was finished, as you see it now, except 
 the colored glass and the two south windows closed, 
 matters done long after, under the name of improve- 
 ments. Since then we have progressed, in secular 
 affairs, in the common-place routine of like societies, 
 with some difficulties and embarrassments; but we have 
 paid off all our debts and been generally prosperous. 
 
 I come now to speak of the church proper, the life 
 and soul of all this secular labor. True, the church has 
 its secular cares and troubles; for it works among men 
 and is managed by them; but the essence of it is, the 
 spiritual and the heavenly. 
 
 In speaking of Christians and their doings, we can 
 not be too often reminded, that they are but human 
 
[18] 
 
 beings ; of course frail and fallible, liable to mistakes 
 and misjudgments, earnest in their feelings in propor- 
 tion to the importance of the cause. We^ frail as they, 
 are not to sit in judgment on them. "Judge not, that 
 ye be not judged." There may be more than a mote 
 in our own eyes, when we attempt to pick one out of 
 theirs. Yet it is not improper, in giving the history of 
 good men, to refer to their faults as well as their vir- 
 tues. The faults of our Lord's disciples are fully and 
 freely told, and so of all the best characters in the 
 Bible. 
 
 During the year 1814 or 18 15, some members of the 
 first church, with others, applied to Presbytery for the 
 organization of a second church, which was not granted; 
 and from the action of Presbytery some of the par- 
 ties took the matter to Synod. The Synod directed 
 the Presbytery to consider the matter, indicating that, 
 if they found a sufficient number of suitable persons 
 desiring it, such church should be established. Pursu- 
 ant to this direction, a special meeting of Presbytery 
 was called for January 3, 18 16. This meeting was a 
 long, arduous, and excited one, and a real curiosity in 
 church history. Adjourning from the 6th to the 17th 
 of the month, they occupied seven days exclusively on 
 this subject. Only three members, one being an elder, 
 acted and voted in the opposition, but they were earnest 
 and persevering, and skillful in parliamentary tactics. 
 A multitude of questions, dilatory or otherwise, were 
 raised and disposed of, and at last, on the 19th of Jan- 
 uary, Presbytery reached a final vote pa the merits. 
 
[19] 
 
 By that vote they established the Second Presbyterian 
 Church, directing its records to commence from that 
 date, and appointed the Rev. James Kemper to preach 
 for them. From this decision appeal was taken to 
 Synod. 
 
 At the session of Presbytery, in Dayton, April 2, 
 1816, the matter was brought up again, and that body, 
 by a majority of one — two members not voting — voted 
 to reconsider the proceedings of January 19th, and 
 passed an order restraining the members from acting as 
 a church, and agreed to hold a meeting at Lebanon, 
 June 25th, to consider the whole matter. At Lebanon, 
 the Presbytery, after discussion, referred the whole sub- 
 ject to Synod. Thus the whole matter on both sides 
 was before that body; and in October, 18 16, the Synod 
 set aside the proceedings at Dayton as irregular, and 
 confirmed the original action of Presbytery, establishing 
 the church. From this decision an appeal was taken to 
 the General Assembly. At the meeting of that body 
 in May, 18 17, this appeal was taken up, and after some 
 discussion the appeal was withdrawn by the appellants. 
 This was the final end of the controversy. The effect 
 of it was to leave the order of January 19th, establish- 
 ing the church, in full force. 
 
 During the pendency of this litigation, the church 
 seems to have been in doubt as to what they were 
 authorized to do in the way of organization, and ap- 
 pointed four members, by the name of trustees, with 
 authority to attend to the admission of members, and 
 under their supervision several were admitted. 
 
[20] 
 
 On the 29th of January, ten days after the original 
 order of the Presbytery establishing the church, is their 
 first meeting appearing of record. The members were 
 eleven in number, viz : Robert Wallace and his wife 
 Rebecca, Edith Wallace, Mrs. Burnet, Mrs. Baum, 
 Mrs. Green, Jane Fleming, Daniel Tremper, Henrietta 
 Tremper, Dan Davis, and Sarah Spinning. For some 
 time the numbers of the church increased slowly. 
 When Mr. Root came, three or four years after, the 
 number present was only thirty-one. During his 
 ministry, 344 were added. 
 
 The organization of the church being authoritatively 
 settled, they proceeded, on the loth of July, 18 17, to 
 elect ruling elders, and Robert Wallace, Daniel Trem- 
 per, John Kelso, and Jesse Churchill were chosen. Of 
 the patriarch, Robert Wallace, I shall have occasion to 
 speak hereafter. Jesse Churchill was an interesting old 
 man. He had led a seafaring life, and had his full 
 share of wild adventures by sea and by land. Finally 
 his health had failed him, and he had come here to end 
 his days in quiet, with children who had settled here. 
 He was a humble, devoted Christian. One of his sons 
 in some way had occasioned him grief, and he used to 
 say, "Ah! children, when they are little, tread on our 
 knees ; but when they are old, they tread on our hearts." 
 Some here may remember hirn when we first came into 
 this house, seated there in the aisle, in an easy chair, 
 which kind women of the church had provided for him. 
 His death was remarkable. He retired at night in 
 usual health, though feeble ; in the rriorning, not ap- 
 
[21] 
 
 pearing at his usual time, they went to his bed and 
 found him apparently in quiet sleep, but he was dead. 
 
 Of subsequent elders not now living, there are seve- 
 ral known to you personally or by reputation : John 
 Rice, elected July, 1821; James Mclntyre, elected 
 August, 1824; Dr. James Warren, and John H. 
 Groesbeck, elected September, 1828 ; Augustus Moore, 
 elected March, 1832; Dr. Thomas D. Mitchell, after- 
 ward medical professor in the University at Lexington, 
 Ky., elected January, 1834; Henry Starr, and Isaac G. 
 Burnet, so long mayor of the city and judge of the 
 first city court, elected December, 1834; Dr. Reuben 
 D. Mussey, professor in the Ohio Medical College, and 
 so distinguished in his profession ; Ebenezer S. Padgett 
 and John C. Macy, elected March, 1840. All men of 
 great worth and usefulness. 
 
 It was some time before a pastor was settled. For a 
 considerable time Rev. Samuel Robinson supplied the 
 pulpit — a man of learning and talents, but we are com- 
 pelled to remember his latter years with sadness. Rev. 
 William Arthur, a good old man, afterward supplied 
 the pulpit, and also the Rev. John Thomson, father of 
 the distinguished missionary and author, who has spent 
 a life of great usefulness in Palestine. 
 
 Rev. David Root was elected pastor, September 4, 
 1 8 19, but did not commence his services till the latter 
 part of 1820. He continued pastor till the spring of 
 1832, when he resigned. During his pastorate this 
 house was erected, and the church and congregation had 
 
[22] 
 
 largely increased, and taken a leading rank in the 
 Christian world. 
 
 Rev. Lyman 'Beecher had been appointed professor 
 in Lane Seminary, and came here to discharge the duties 
 of that office, and of President of the Faculty, in Nov- 
 ember, 1832. From that time he supplied the pulpit, 
 and was formally elected pastor, March 11, 1833, and 
 so continued to the fall of 1843, when he resigned. 
 His high reputation for talents and piety is matter of 
 general history. He was a man of brilliant intellect, 
 of untiring zeal in the cause, and of great usefulness. 
 He was original and somewhat peculiar, both in man- 
 ner and thought. In preaching, his most striking 
 passages seemed the inspiration of the moment — when 
 he raised his spectacles to his forehead, and his spark- 
 ling eyes to the audience, and something came forth 
 which struck us like electricity. He was deeply reveren- 
 tial at heart, though sometimes his strong, abrupt 
 language seemed almost to belie it : as on one occasion 
 I remember he said in prayer, "O Lord, keep us from 
 despising our rulers, and keep them from acting so 
 that we ca n't help it." 
 
 It was during his pastorate that the Old and New 
 School controversy came to its crisis by separation. 
 It existed previously, and in sympathy with our pastor, 
 Mr. Root, without any formal action, we had drifted into 
 the New School party. Indeed, the controversy seems 
 not to have been one belonging to common people, but 
 rather one of theological science; and if a layman may 
 be allowed to say it, savored somewhat of the specula- 
 
[23] 
 
 tions of human reason on matters above human ken. 
 Dr. Beecher went through a long trial for heresy in this 
 house. But the sooner these things are forgotten the 
 better. No doubt many who wrangled on earth are 
 rejoicing together in heaven. Charity is the chief jewel 
 in Christian character. 
 
 Under Dr. Beecher a special effort was made to 
 cherish congregational singing. A church singing- 
 school, including very young children, met every week, 
 and gave occasional concerts. The theory was, that 
 almost every child may learn to sing, if he begins early 
 enough ; and that the power of this exhilarating branch 
 of worship would be largely increased by the congrega- 
 tion at large uniting in it, as is illustrated anywhere by 
 the effect of a popular song in a crowd. 
 
 In the spring of 1843, a colony of ^6 was dismissed 
 from this church for the purpose of organizing the 
 George Street Presbyterian Church, since known as the 
 Seventh Street Church. 
 
 The whole number admitted to the church during 
 Dr. Beecher's pastorate was 540, of whom 240 were on 
 profession. 
 
 The Rev. John P. Cleveland was elected pastor 
 August 2, 1843, and commenced his services near the 
 close of that year, and resigned the charge in December, 
 1845. During his brief pastorate 57 were admitted to 
 the church, of whom six were on profession. He was 
 a man of fluent eloquence and commanding manner. 
 
 The Rev. Samuel W. Fisher was elected pastor, 
 October 26, 1846; commenced his services in April, 
 
[24] 
 
 i847j ^"d resigned in July, 1858, to assume the duties 
 of President of Hamilton College, in the State of New 
 York, to which he had been elected. He was a man 
 greatly beloved and esteemed, of a gentle but earnest 
 nature, and of a cultivated, classic taste. His many 
 published sermons show his ability in that department 
 of service ; but his health was broken down at last by 
 overburden of mental efforts, and he was compelled to 
 withdraw from all public labors. 
 
 Overtaxing the mental powers ! We ought to 
 realize more than we do, this terrible evil, which is 
 prostrating so many of the clergymen of the present 
 age. One after another of the ablest and best of men, 
 struck down in the prime and vigor of life, and sent to 
 their graves, or left to drag out a feeble and useless 
 existence 1 
 
 The simple toil of leading the humble soul to the 
 Saviour is not exhausting, but the educated and culti- 
 vated are not satisfied with this. To attract them 
 requires intellectual skill and power, and all classes 
 must be approached with worldly wisdom. Hence this 
 havoc among the clergy in our large cities. No other 
 service among men requires such intense and incessant 
 intellectual effort. 
 
 Among the apostles, Paul only occupied this field of 
 exhausting labor. Observe how God provided him 
 with rest and recreation. A large part of his life was 
 spent in traveling. For two whole years he lay a quiet 
 prisoner in Palestine, and, for a considerable time after- 
 ward, in Rome also. If we must have the intellectual 
 
[25] 
 
 power and labors of Paul, we must treat our clergy as 
 God treated him. 
 
 During Dr. Fisher's pastorate, 426 members were 
 added to the church, of whom 178 were on profession. 
 
 The Rev. M. L. P. Thompson was elected pastor, 
 December 15, 1859; commenced his services in the 
 following March, and resigned in May, 1865. During 
 his pastorate, 229 were added to the church, of whom 
 106 were on profession.* 
 
 The Rev. James L. Robertson was elected pastor, 
 April 3, 1867 ; commenced his services in May follow- 
 ing, and resigned about the beginning of November, 
 1870. During his pastorate 127 were added to the 
 church, of whom 62 were on profession. He was a 
 young man of great promise, of earnest and active 
 piety, of the kindest social affections and manners, and 
 greatly beloved by all. He accepted a call to a com- 
 manding church in Rochester, New York, which was 
 peculiarly attractive and promising to him, inasmuch as 
 it restored him to the vicinity of a large circle of old 
 friends and acquaintances. 
 
 The Rev. Thomas H. Skinner, D. D., our present 
 pastor, was elected July 12, 1871, and entered on his 
 services about the beginning of November of that year 
 — sent to us, we feel assured, as a special blessing from 
 the Lord of the vineyard. If he does not prove so, it 
 will be our fault, not his. 
 
 I will now speak briefly of some general labors of 
 
 * In consequence of what has transpired since the address was 
 delivered, a paragraph here is stricken out. 
 
[26] 
 
 the church itself, and its members. The whole number 
 added to the church from its commencement to April 
 I, 1872, as nearly accurate as I can state it, is 1,876, 
 of which 847 were on profession. The numbers of the 
 congregation have never been large, for the size of the 
 house would not permit it. There have been several 
 interesting seasons of revival, in which considerable 
 numbers of converts were received into the church, one 
 of the most interesting of which was in the spring of 
 1843, under Dr. Beecher. But the largest part of those 
 so received have been in small numbers from time to 
 time, scattered over the whole period, indicating a con- 
 tinuous religious interest. 
 
 The church and society has regularly contributed, 
 from year to year, to the various benevolent and relig- 
 ious enterprises of the time. The total amount of these 
 contributions, I have not been able to ascertain. For 
 ten years, ending April i, 1857, under Dr. Fisher, they 
 amounted to $70,600. For ten years, ending April i, 
 1871, they were $70,090. These are exclusive of the 
 expenses of the church for itself, its own Sunday-school 
 and poor, which, for six years, ending April i, 1871, 
 averaged a little over $9,000 per annum. 
 
 In several religious enterprises, of great usefulness, 
 some of our members have been especially active and 
 efficient. The Young Men's Bible Society originated 
 in our church, though not confined to it in its organi- 
 zation, and owes much of its success to some of our 
 members. The Young Men's Christian Union, also, 
 has derived much of its energy and zeal from our mem- 
 
[27] 
 
 bers. In the Bethel cause, also, which has been so 
 widely and so nobly sustained, our members have con- 
 tributed their share, both of service and money. That 
 noble institution, the Orphan Asylum, owes a large 
 share of its success and good management to the energy 
 and devotion of our women. To the Lane Seminary 
 and its students, we have given frequent aid. 
 
 The Children's Home has been liberally aided by 
 some of our members. Without ostentation, it has 
 been largely efficient in taking care of, and providing 
 for destitute children. It occupies the house on Third 
 street, west of Elm, long known as the residence of 
 George Williamson. 
 
 The Young Women's Christian Association, in its 
 quiet way, has exerted a blessed influence, and our 
 young women have been very active in it. 
 
 The Sewing Society of the church, unpretending and 
 almost unknown, has sent comforts to many naked and 
 destitute. 
 
 The Ladies' City Missionary Society, of our church, 
 with silent, persevering industry, has long been sending 
 the sound of the Gospel into obscure and forsaken 
 places, and to ears that otherwise would not have heard 
 it. Who does not know and revere that good man, 
 Horace Bushnell, now old and infirm, so meek, so 
 faithful, and so wise in the service of his Master ! 
 
 The Young Men's Home Missionary Society, orig- 
 inally of this church, has been of great and extensive 
 usefulness. It was organized in 1848, during Dr. 
 Fisher's pastorate, with Wm. H. NefF for its first 
 
[28] 
 
 president, for the immediate purpose of sustaining a 
 missionary in Iowa. Supporting him till he no longer 
 needed their aid, they engaged in various missionary 
 labors in the city, employing in the service young men 
 preparing for the ministry, and directing special atten- 
 tion to organizing Sabbath-schools. The first they 
 established was at the corner of Eighth street and Cen- 
 tral Avenue, under the superintendence of William H. 
 Neff, and was highly successful. The second, on Fourth 
 street, between Wood and Stone, under the superintend- 
 ence of O. N. Bush, and was specially useful. The 
 third, near the base of Mount Auburn, afterward re- 
 moved to Race, near Thirteenth street. The fourth, on 
 Poplar street near Freeman, under the superintendence 
 of L. H. Sargent and H. B. Olmstead, which finally 
 resulted in establishing the flourishing church and erect- 
 ing the fine building there, so long under the care of 
 the Rev. Joseph Chester. The fifth, on Sixth street, 
 west of Freeman, under the care of Col. S. S. Fisher 
 and L. R. Hull, afterward permanently located on Carr 
 street, near Sixth, and the second school incorporated 
 with it. It is large and flourishing, has been provided 
 with weekly preaching, and very probably may result in 
 the organization of a church. Within a few weeks past, 
 it has been transferred to the care of the Third Presby- 
 terian Church. It is known as the Olivet Mission 
 School. 
 
 The minor labors of this society are various, for they 
 have been very enterprising. Their contributions have 
 
[ 29 ] 
 
 amounted to $7,000 in a year, and the number of 
 scholars in their schools to 1,500. 
 
 The most important of all these enterprises are the 
 Sunday-schools. Their great object is, to preoccupy 
 the infant mind with the knowledge and the love of 
 God; to surround it with associations of piety and rec- 
 titude, before it has become contaminated and hardened 
 by a wicked world. True, they can not supply the 
 duty which God has so specially assigned to parents. 
 But where parents fail, they can, in some degree, sup- 
 ply the defect ; and they ever aid parents by the atmos- 
 phere of piety, which they throw around the children. 
 There is no estimating the numbers which have been 
 led to heaven through this instrumentality. 
 
 Our own Sunday-school commenced in the earliest 
 period of the church. It was then chiefly the work of 
 women. Dr. Waldo, one of its early superintendents, 
 made its first report to the Sunday School Union, in 1827. 
 Its number was then about 300, meeting part of the 
 time in the old church, and part of the time in the old 
 Lancaster Seminary, where the Cincinnati College now 
 stands. From that time to this, the school has flour- 
 ished and been greatly blessed. It has been well sup- 
 plied with a library, and several of our young men 
 have devoted themselves to it as superintendents. The 
 young women have been specially earnest and success- 
 ful as teachers, and the influence of woman, the old 
 and the young, has been felt through all its history, 
 breathing into it a spirit of life and love, concentrating 
 
[30] 
 
 upon it the social sympathies of the church. Many 
 from this school have been added to the church. 
 
 In February,^ 1^70, another Sabbath-school was or- 
 ganized in the church, to be held in the afternoon, for 
 the purpose of gathering in children who did not attend 
 the morning school. Its numbers have steadily in- 
 creased ; it is now largely attended and highly prosper- 
 ous. 
 
 The German Mission Sabbath-school was established 
 by our mem bersin 1846, Elder E. S. Padgett, Wm. 
 H. Mussey, and Peter Rudolph Neff, being succes- 
 sively the first superintendents. It was first located at 
 the corner of Thirteenth and Walnut streets, was sev- 
 eral times removed, and obtained its largest growth (400 
 in number), at the northeast corner of Ninth and 
 Walnut streets, under Mr. Neff, a second time superin- 
 tendent. It is now located on Race street, above Four- 
 teenth, and is flourishing. 
 
 A school for the Germans was also established in the 
 northwest part of the city, under the care of the Rev. 
 Mr. Winness, under whose devoted labors, and the 
 aid of our society, the school ripened into a church 
 with a church edifice, and that church, into a second 
 one with like accommodations, dr>i,ng much good 
 among that class of our population. 
 
 The Pilgrim Mission School, in the eastern part of 
 the city, corner of Fifth and Lock streets, was estab- 
 lished by some of our members some twenty-five years 
 since, and has been sustained and successfully managed by 
 them. It ultimately resulted in a church organized there 
 
[31] 
 
 by the same name, which has recently united with the 
 Broadway church. 
 
 I have already mentioned the five schools established 
 by our Young Men's Home Missionary Society. All 
 together they have amounted to a very extensive and 
 very useful Sunday-school influence. 
 
 I have been able only to refer very briefly to our 
 local, religious, and benevolent enterprises. It would 
 require volumes to do full justice to them all. In- 
 cluding the national associations, we have contributed 
 habitually to about twenty such organizations, besides 
 various other occasioned contributions. 
 
 We can not do justice to the history of our church, 
 perhaps not of any church, without referring specially 
 to the influence of woman. It is a power so great in 
 its silent workings, that we need to study it well in our 
 plans for usefulness. And yet it is a critical topic for 
 a public speaker, perhaps a dangerous one, for he may 
 bring upon himself the frowns of the most worthy of 
 the sex, by seeming to trifle with the retiring delicacy 
 of their nature. But I will beg pardon in advance, de- 
 claring that if I should seem rude, I do not intend it. 
 
 We can not read any history profitably without re- 
 cognizing the power of woman for evil as well as for 
 good. What a sad thing for us all was the failure of 
 our mother Eve in the garden of Eden ! In Jewish 
 history, Jezebel, Queen of Israel, daughter of a pagan 
 king and a worshiper of Baal, married her daughter to 
 a king of Judah, and through her introduced pagan wor- 
 ship into Jerusalem, the traces of which continued there 
 
[32] 
 
 till the time of the captivity, three hundred years after. 
 Her husband, Ahab, had threatened the life of Elijah; 
 but the prophjet sought him and met him face to face. 
 But when Jezebel made the same threat, he fled for 
 his life to the wilderness. The spite of a woman cost 
 John the Baptist his head ; on the other hand, the love 
 and the quick faith of woman were the great comfort of 
 our Saviour upon earth. When he appeared to the 
 disciples the evening after the resurrection, he could 
 hardly persuade them it was himself. He had to show 
 them his pierced hands and feet, to eat with them, and 
 talk a long time with them, before they began to real- 
 ize it. But when, on the morning of the same day, 
 Mary Magdalen met him in the garden, at first taking 
 him for a stranger, the single word *' Mary," spoken 
 in his familiar voice, carried entire conviction to her 
 quiet womanly heart, and she rushes up to him, crying 
 out, " Rabboni," as much as to say, " my dear Lord." 
 It is in connection with the church, especially, that 
 the power of woman for good is so great. The founda- 
 tion of that power is love, the great attribute of Deity ; 
 that Divine love, which Christ came down from heaven 
 to manifest. With that kind and gentle nature which 
 God has given her, she melts hearts which are ice to all 
 others. At home among the little ones, in the social 
 circles of life, even in the contests and collisions of the 
 world, that mild loving spirit is a power like that of 
 angels — silent and unseen it may be, but it prevails 
 when all other forces fail. It conquers by yielding. 
 
[33] 
 
 What woman does not know that she can rule a man, 
 if she will take care not to let him know it. 
 
 Some modern reformers seem to think that the power 
 of woman would be increased by giving her the ballot. 
 Alas for the day when her gentle nature shall be thus 
 involved in the coarse wranglings of party politics ! — a 
 work which would harden the heart of an angel, if he 
 would meddle with it. It would leave her but a Samp- 
 son shorn of his locks. 
 
 Of the first eleven members of this church, eight 
 were women. Tradition ascribes to them the principal 
 agency in the various plans for religious culture. They 
 were the life of the first Sunday-school, four or five of 
 them attended every Sunday to teach and direct ; they 
 collected the schools, provided the funds, and procured 
 superintendents. From that day to this, woman's in- 
 fluence has been the life and the joy of the school. So 
 many young women as teachers — those birds of Para- 
 dise, with their little flocks around them, training them 
 to remember and to love their Creator and their Re- 
 deemer; to be kind to each other and do right. With 
 what joy will these scenes be recalled in future life ! 
 With what exceeding joy be remembered in heaven ! 
 
 The Orphan Asylum, the Ladies' City Missionary 
 Society, the Young Women's Christian Association, 
 the Sewing Society, the Children's Home, are charities 
 especially dispensed by women, and their great useful- 
 ness is well known. What multitudes have been res- 
 cued from ruin, or relieved from distress by these 
 
[34] 
 
 labors ! In many other benevolent enterprises, her 
 aid has been an essential element. 
 
 But it is not in these public charities, important as 
 they are, that the great strength of female influence lies. 
 It lies in that silent, unseen power, to be imagined but 
 not described, which God has given to woman's love 
 over the human soul. The infant in his cradle feels it, 
 the first of his emotions ; the child as he grows up feels 
 it, stronger than his wayward propensities; the youth, 
 among the temptations of vice, feels it, and is restrained ; 
 the young man, as he begins to look out on the path of 
 life before him, feels it, overpowering all other emo- 
 tions ; the passionate man, enraged by angry collisions, 
 feels it, and becomes gentle; the old man, worn down 
 by trouble and sorrow, feels it, and is comforted ; even 
 the hardened old reprobate, on his way to the gallows, 
 feels it, remembering his mother, and sheds tears. 
 
 Such is woman's power, and with the guidance and 
 aid of the church, it is immense for good. In training 
 the young, in all her social relations, in all the sweet 
 charities of life, its silent influences are felt — silent as 
 the falling dew ; for these labors are not to be num- 
 bered or proclaimed — are hardly known to themselves 
 even, the left hand not knowing what the right hand 
 doeth. Yet we should learn to appreciate them, that 
 we may never attempt to divert woman from her appro- 
 priate sphere. 
 
 In this connection, I can hardly avoid referring to 
 something of family history in the church, to show how 
 these influences have operated. I have been personally 
 
[ 35 ] 
 
 acquainted, more or less, with five successive genera- 
 tions. I have seen how the seed planted by the first of 
 them has grown and spread its branches far and wide, 
 and more or less of the same fruit is found upon all. 
 Of several examples, I will mention the one most re- 
 markable for the numbers involved. 
 
 The patriarch, Robert Wallace, was one of the orig- 
 inal members of the church, himself and wife and four 
 daughters, being six of the first eleven members. He 
 was one of the first four elders. His other children 
 were Mrs. Wade and Mrs. Perry ; Rev. Matthew G. 
 Wallace, at an early day pastor of the first church; Rob- 
 ert Wallace, Jr., and David C. Wallace, the last unmar- 
 ried. 
 
 Six families of these are well known among us. The 
 name of Wallace is blended with that of Burnet, Baum, 
 Green, Wade, Groesbeck, NeflF, Shillito, McLean, and 
 many others at a later day ; and the numerous descend- 
 ants are found in Cincinnati, Chicago, St. Louis, New 
 York, London, and other places in the interior. 
 
 Mrs. Burnet was a woman of remarkable energy and 
 devotion in the cause, as well as of the most untiring 
 assiduity in all the kind charities of life. She was re- 
 garded as a kind of foster-mother in the infancy of 
 the church. In the first Sunday-school she, with her 
 mother, Mrs. Baum, and Mrs. John H. Groesbeck, 
 attended every week, and kept the school prospering. 
 All the sisters were active in the church ; of the broth- 
 ers, the clergyman was for many years usefully employed 
 in this city and vicinity, and ultimately permanently 
 
[36] 
 
 located in the interior of Indiana. The remaining mar- 
 ried brother was well known and respected here. He 
 is gone, but his 'widow survives him, and well is it said 
 of HER, "her children rise up and call her blessed." 
 
 Imagine the numerous descendants scattered all over 
 the land, with their various associations of marriage, 
 friendship, and social relations, involving thousands 
 now, and perhaps millions hereafter, and you have some 
 idea of the influence of that one patriarch Christian on 
 his race. As far as we know the descendants, they all 
 indicate, more or less, the effect of Christian training; 
 and we know it is the law of our nature, that such train- 
 ing will mark, if not fix, the character. 
 
 "Just as the twig is bent, the tree's inclined." 
 
 In conclusion, let us look back upon our history and 
 see what there is to be carried with us in memory, when 
 we leave this house. We began a little, humble flock, 
 but of strong faith in God. We labored long and 
 patiently through embarrassments and difficulties. We 
 have become what the world calls a strong and leading 
 church. We have, in fact, aided largely in the religious 
 and charitable enterprises which have so greatly distin- 
 guished the age. I suppose we may say we have done 
 much good. We have been the means of leading many 
 to heaven. How often here have we seen men and 
 women, young and old, come forward and take the vows 
 of God upon them, and consecrate themselves to the 
 service of the Redeemer! True, our pastors have been 
 the principal agents in this blessed work; yet every one 
 
[37] 
 
 of US should feel that we have done something, how- 
 ever little, and that little may result in more than we 
 have any idea of. 
 
 How trifling are worldly pursuits compared with this 
 service ! Wealth is desirable to provide us the comforts 
 of life, and enable us to be useful in the world. But 
 wealth of itself! — suppose yourself looking back upon 
 it a hundred years hence, what a frivolous gewgaw will 
 it seem ! But a million years hence, looking back to 
 earth, with what exceeding joy will you remember your 
 labors for Christ ! 
 
 All things earthly are passing away. Of the mem- 
 bers of the church at the time we came into this house, 
 I find only four still remaining members — John Shillito, 
 Mrs. Mary B. Perry, Mrs. Timothy S. Goodman, and 
 Miss Jennett Twichell, now Mrs. Bliss. There are 
 some others, then active members of the congregation, 
 who have since joined the church. How many of us 
 members now, will be found here forty-two years hence ? 
 
 To those of us who have long been here, this place 
 of worship awakens many tender recollections. It is 
 endeared by hallowed associations. But it is of earth, 
 and our affections are not to be set upon it. All the 
 good it has done us may be carried with us wherever 
 we may go. If we are faithful and wise, humble and 
 devoted, we trust that God will prosper us hereafter, 
 even more abundantly than He has done heretofore ; 
 and give us all, both those who have gone before us 
 and those who shall come after us, a joyful meeting in 
 a better world. 
 
[38] 
 
 The Pastor then read the following poem, written 
 by Mrs. M. D. Allen: 
 
 LINES WRITTEN ON LEAVING THE SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 
 
 We come to-day, mid smiles and tears, 
 
 A farewell offering now to bring 
 To Him who through these lengthen'd years 
 
 Hath taught our hearts and lips to sing ; 
 
 To sing of that dear guiding hand 
 
 Which led Thy children here to raise, 
 
 A feeble few, yet faithful band. 
 
 To Thee, this house of prayer and praise. 
 
 When Israel out of bondage came. 
 
 Obedient to Thy sovereign will. 
 The pillar and the cloud became 
 
 A token of Thy presence still. 
 
 So we, through many years of love. 
 
 The pillar and the cloud have seen — 
 That faithful witness from above, 
 
 To teach our souls on Christ to lean. 
 
 Here weary hearts have sought that rest. 
 
 That perfect rest that Jesus gives ; 
 And Faith, and Hope, and Mercy blest, 
 
 Have said, Look up, poor soul, and live ! 
 
 Here youthful hearts have learn'd to know 
 
 And love the gentle Shepherd's voice. 
 And, following Him " through weal and woe," 
 
 Have in His kind commands rejoiced. 
 
[39] 
 
 How many of that honor'd band, 
 
 Whose hearts were warm with holy fire. 
 
 Have safely reach'd " the better land," 
 
 And heard the welcome, " Come up higher ! " 
 
 And we, who yet awhile remain 
 
 To bear the burden and the heat. 
 Would daily seek that strength to gain, 
 
 Which they receive who on Thee wait. 
 
 And when our feet shall nearer reach 
 
 That house above, not made with hands, 
 
 And, weary with their pilgrim march. 
 We tread with joy the heavenly land ; 
 
 O be it ours to hear that word, 
 j That blessed welcome, " Soul, well done ! 
 
 Enter the kingdom of thy Lord, 
 
 Enjoy thy rest, receive thy crown." 
 
 And as we leave this hallowed spot, 
 
 A spot to heart and memory dear, 
 Be earthly trials all forgot. 
 
 And Christ and Heaven more blest appear. 
 
 The services were then closed by prayer and the 
 benediction, and the people, in silent sadness, took 
 final leave of their old church. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 The following list contains the names of all those who have been 
 elected as Ruling Elders and Deacons in the church, with dates of their 
 election : 
 
 ELDERS. 
 
 Elected July lo, 1817. 
 
 Robert Wallace. John Kelso. 
 
 Daniel Tremper. Jesse Churchill. 
 
 February 1 1, 18 19. 
 Samuel Lowry. John Lewis. 
 
 July 17, iBzi. 
 John Rice. John Dillingham. 
 
 August 10, 18 24. 
 James Mclntyre. 
 
 June 26, 1826. 
 Ralph Webster. John Sullivan. 
 
 September 25, 1828. 
 
 Abraham Halsey. James Warren, M. D. 
 
 John H. Groesbeck. 
 
 July 14, 1830. 
 William B. Tappan. Philip Skinner. 
 
 William W. Greene. 
 
 March 5, 1832. 
 Daniel Corwin. Augustus Moore. 
 
[42] 
 
 January) 30, 1834. 
 Nathaniel Wright. Thomas D. Mitchell, M. D. 
 
 December 1 1, 1834. 
 Henry Starr. Isaac G. Burnet. 
 
 * March 5, 1840. 
 
 Reuben D. Mussey, M. D. Osgood Fifield. 
 
 James Calhoun. Ebenezer S. Padgett. 
 
 John Dillingham. John C. Macy. 
 
 March 17, 1852. 
 
 Henry Y. Slaymaker. James Taylor, M. D. 
 
 Eliab F. Tucker. Thomas C. Butler, Jr. 
 
 November 20, i860. 
 
 William H. Allen. Elliott H. Pendleton. 
 
 . Obadiah N. Bush. Jacob GrafF. 
 
 Samuel J. Broadwell. George B. Bradley. 
 
 November 13, 1867. 
 
 William H. Mussey, M. D. William Howard NeiF, 
 
 Jacob Burnet, Jr. 
 
 DEACONS. 
 
 December 5, i860. 
 John F. White, M. D. Simeon B. Williams. 
 
 The acting officers of the church. May i, 1872, are as follows ; 
 The Rev. Thomas H. Skinner, D. D., Pastor. 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 Nathaniel Wright. Elliot H. Pendleton. 
 
 James Taylor, M. D. Jacob Graff. 
 
 Thomas O. Butler. William H. Mussey, M. D. 
 
 William H. Allen. William Howard Neffi 
 
 Samuel J. Broadwell. Jacob Burnet, Jr., Clerk. 
 
[43] 
 
 The names of the superintendents of the Sabbath-schools can not be 
 given, as no perfect record of them is found ; at present, the super- 
 intendent of the morning school is Elliot H. Pendleton ; superintend- 
 ent of the afternoon school, Peter Rudolph NefF. 
 
 The Society was incorporated February ii, 1829, with a provision 
 for the election of seven trustees annually, to manage its secular con- 
 cerns ; this election to be held on the first Monday in May of each 
 year, and the following is a list of the names of those elected. As some 
 were many times re-elected, and, to avoid a constant repetition of 
 names, the time, except the last three years, is divided into several 
 periods, and the names uf those serving in each period are given 
 together, without specifying the precise date of each election. 
 
 TRUSTEES. 
 
 Elected from 1829 to 1833, both yars included. 
 
 Jacob Burnet. John T. Drake. 
 
 Martin Baura. Philip Young. 
 
 John H. Groesbeck. ^ Henry Starr. 
 
 Nathaniel Wright. William W. Greene. 
 
 Timothy S. Goodman. Jonathan Bates. 
 
 Jesse Kimball. Jepthah D. Garrard. 
 James Hall. 
 
 From 1834 ^'^ 
 Timothy S. Goodman. 
 Jepthah D. Garrard. 
 Jonathan Bates. 
 Henry Starr. 
 James Hall. 
 Nathaniel Wright. 
 Vachel Worthington. 
 Henry S. Kellogg. 
 
 1838, inclusive. 
 
 George W. NefF. 
 Charles S. Clarkson. 
 Samuel M. Candler. 
 William F. Barnes. 
 James Tompkins. 
 Amos P. Holden. 
 Eliab F. Tucker. 
 Stephen Schooley. 
 
 From 1839 to 1843, inclusive. 
 
 John H. Groesbeck, C. P. Barnes. 
 
 Henry Starr. Nathaniel Wright, 
 
 Timothy S. Goodman. John C. Macy. 
 
 James Tompkins. Robert W. Burnet. 
 
 Hiram K. Wells, Alexander H. Ewing. 
 
 James Calhoun. O. M. Mitchell. 
 Henry S. Kellogg. 
 
[44] 
 
 From 184.4 ^'^ 1848, inclusive. 
 
 George W. Neff. 
 Henry S. Kellogg. 
 Alexander H. Ewing. 
 Robert W. Burnet. 
 Henry Starr. 
 
 P. Campbell 
 
 Amos P. Holden. 
 John H. Groesbeck. 
 E. S. Padgett. 
 R. D. Mussey, M. D. 
 Maynard French, 
 
 From 1849 to 1854, i^c^^^^'ve' 
 
 John H. Groesbeck. Maynard French. 
 
 Henry Starr. John Shillito. 
 
 Robert W. Burnet. N. C. McLean. 
 
 Amos P. Holden. Charles Goodman. 
 
 E. S. Padgett. E. P. Starr. 
 
 R. D. Mussey, M. D. William H. Neff. 
 
 From 1855 to 1859, inclusive. 
 
 John H. Groesbeck. John Shillito. 
 
 Robert W. Burnet. E. P. Starr. 
 
 E. S. Padgett. William H. Neff. 
 
 Maynard French. O. N. Bush. 
 
 Samuel J. Broadwell. Jacob Graff. 
 
 Maskell E. Curwen. A. W. Neff. 
 
 Frederick G. Huntington. O. M. Mitchell. 
 
 From i860 to 1864, inclusive. 
 
 John H. Groesbeck. 
 
 E. S. Padgett. 
 
 Jacob Graff. 
 
 Frederick G. Huntington. 
 
 M. E. Curwen. 
 
 R. W. Burnet. 
 
 Eli Johnson. 
 
 Elliot H. Pendleton. 
 William S. Groesbeck. 
 George Wilshire. 
 A. S. Winslow. 
 Pollock Wilson. 
 Aaron F. Perry. 
 L. R. Hull. 
 
 From 1865 to 1869, inclusive. 
 
 John Shillito. John C. Huntington. 
 
 George Wilshire. William S. Groesbeck. 
 
 A. S. Winslow. L. R. Hull. 
 
 Hugh McBurney. R. W. Burnet. 
 
 Peter Neff. William H. Allen. 
 
 Samuel J. Hale. 
 
[45] 
 
 Elected 1870. 
 John Shillito. William S. Groesbeck. 
 
 Peter Neff. George Wilshire. 
 
 Hugh McBurney. A. S. Winslow. 
 
 John C, Huntington. 
 
 Elected 1871. 
 Hugh McBurney. Thomas Morrison. 
 
 Peter NefF. Timothy S. Goodman, Jr. 
 
 Thornton M. Hinkle. David B. Lupton. 
 
 Henry A. Morrill. 
 
 Elected 1872. 
 John Shillito. William H. Harrison, 
 
 A. S. Winslow. Thomas Morrison. 
 
 L. R. Hull. Hugh McBurney. 
 
 A. W. Williamson. 
 
 The last two resigned, and the vacancies supplied by 
 
 T; M. Hinkle. Jacob Burnet, Jr. 
 
 SALE OF THE CHURCH ON FOURTH STREET PURCHASE OF A NEW SITE. 
 
 In 1864, the question of selling the church lot on Fourth street be- 
 gan to be discussed among the members of the society. That place 
 had become an important business center, and surrounded with the 
 usual disturbances of such a location. There were diiFerences of opin- 
 ion on the question ; some considering it important to the prosperity 
 of the church to have a more quiet and suitable place of worship — 
 while others seemed to cling to this as their old home, and feared that 
 separating from it, would tend to weaken the mutual attachments, as 
 well as the united energy of the members. During 1865 and 1866, 
 the matter was discussed by the society, and plans for improving the 
 old church also considered. In October, 1866, however, the society, 
 at a general meeting, voted to sell, and to purchase another lot and 
 build a new church. But in consequence of the price fixed, and other 
 impediments, matters remained in this situation until 1871. At the 
 
[46] 
 
 annual meeting of the society, May i, 1871, the trustees were in- 
 structed to proceed at once to sell, without restricting them as to price 
 or otherwise, and buy a lot and build a new church. The trustees 
 elected at the same time proceeded in the discharge of this duty. Mr. 
 Robertson, pastor of the church, had resigned the preceding Novem- 
 ber, and it was thought inexpedient to sell the church until a pastor 
 should be obtained. Dr. Skinner, being elected pastor in July, en- 
 tered on his services the ist of November. In November, after much 
 eiFort to obtain the best terms, the trustees closed a sale of the church 
 to Samuel Fosdick for $160,000, the purchaser to have possession on 
 1st of May, 1872; the price to be regarded as cash of March ist, and 
 bearing interest from that date, and interest deducted from any pay- 
 ments made previous. The following items were reserved, viz : 
 organ, bell, clock (belonging to the city), chandelier, pulpit and its fur- 
 niture, and the corner-stone. [On examining this stone subsequently, 
 its contents, to the disappointment of all, were found entirely mold- 
 ered to dust. They had not been securely inclosed.] Before the 
 sale, the society ordered that certificates be issued to the owners of 
 pews for the amount of the recorded valuation of their pews, which 
 should be received in payment for pews in the new church. 
 
 Concurrent with the foregoing sale, the trustees purchased a site 
 for a new church on the southwest corner of Eighth and Elm streets, 
 145 feet on Elm and 150 on Eighth. In this purchase, the time and 
 attention of the trustees were severely taxed, through November and 
 December, 1871. The south part of the tract, 80 feet on Elm, was 
 purchased of James T. Worthington, for $36,000 cash. The other 
 part, 65 feet on Elm, was purchased of the heirs ot Samuel Wiggins, 
 for $35,000 cash. This part the trustees had arranged to secure on 
 a perpetual lease, but this arrangement finally failed. This ground is 
 part of the premises of Judge Burnet's family mansion, and the precise 
 site of the proposed church was Mrs. Burnet's flower garden, in which 
 she so much delighted. Here the trustees are proceeding to erect an 
 edifice, which is expected to be both convenient and ornamental. In 
 the meantime the society worship in the hall of the Cincinnati 
 College. 
 
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