//. /Z-.2-/
LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
PRINCETON, N. J.
Presented by
BX 92lTTc6^82 192^
^itlT' ^''^^'''' ^^^^^' ^^^i-
The Old stone church
THE OLD STONE CHURCH
1820-1920
Of this history 500 copies were privately
printed for The Old Stone Church by
The Premier Press
This is number
319
f
J^.
1 \
r r
1
%
w
r ~>~_
ri'
p
The Old Stone Church
Drawn by Anna P. Oviatt
\
'OUT 219;
THE OLD STONE CHURCH
THE STORY OF A HUNDRED
YEARS
1820- 1920
BY
ARTHUR C. LUDLOW, D.D.
CLEVELAND, 1920
PRIVATELY PRINTED
COPYRIGHT, 1920, BY
THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN SOCIETY
IN CLEVELAND
CONTENTS
Foreword . . . . . • H
I Beginnings, 1796-1820 ... 13
II The Day of Small Things ... 31
III Church Discipline .... 77
IV The Plan of Union .... 93
V Pastorate of the Reverend Samuel Clark
Aiken, 1835-1861 .... 105
VI Pastorate of the Reverend William
Henry Goodrich, 1858-1874 . . . 153
VII First Pastorate of the Reverend Hiram
Collins Haydn, 1872-1880 . . .193
VIII Pastorate of the Reverend Arthur
Mitchell, 1880-1884 .... 231
IX The Second Pastorate of the Reverend
Hiram Collins Haydn, 1884-1902 . . 261
X Good Measure Pressed Down and Running
Over 305
XI Helpers All ..... 335
XII The Pastorate of the Reverend Andrew
Barclay Meldrum .... 375
ILLUSTRATIONS
The Old Stone Church . . . Frontispiece
Reduced Facsimile of a Portion of the Record Book
OF THE Society .... 45
The original Old Stone Church ... 65
Samuel C. Aiken ..... 109
William H. Goodrich .... 155
The Church of 1858-1884 .... 161
Interior of the Old Stone Church . . 195
Arthur Mitchell ..... 233
Hiram C. Haydn ..... 263
Andrew B. Meldrum .... 377
FOREWORD
In justice to the author it should be stated that
while he has been a life-long resident of Cleveland and
pastor for thirty-five years of a sister Presbyterian
church, the historical matter presented in this volume
was practically unknown to him, when within six
months' time, under the additional burden of pastoral
cares, the manuscript had to be prepared. More time
for research and for proper arrangement of material
would have been welcome, but that was out of the
question. The language of previous writers may have
been used at times, without in every instance due
credit having been given, but the swiftness of the
task is the only excuse for any seeming plagiarism.
Notwithstanding the exercise of all possible care,
inaccuracies will be discovered, while descendants of
early members of the Old Stone Church will be dis-
appointed in not finding more attention having been
given to their ancestors. Everything, however, was
subordinated to the portrayal of the First Presby-
terian Church of Cleveland as a member of Christ's
body, through which the grace of God has richly
blessed mankind.
The author closes with the feeling that not half has
been told. Time may reveal a greater wealth of
data than that in the possession of the centennial
12 FOREWORD
historian, and some one with greater leisure may
prepare a more comprehensive and accurate history.
The author has had nothing to do with the form
of the book, nor with the selection of its illustrations.
He wishes to give special credit to Miss Gertrude M.
Robertson, a faithful member of the Stone Church,
for her valuable service in preparing the manuscript
for the press. Above all he acknowledges the touch
of an unseen hand that collaborated with him in 1896
Cleveland Presbyterianism^ for without the abiding
influence of her inspiration this Story of the Old Stone
Church could never have been written.
ARTHUR C. LUDLOW
CLEVELAND, AUG. 9, 1920.
I. BEGINNINGS
1796-1820
A cynical philosopher once said, '*We learn from
history that men never learn from history;" still
Carlyle's maxims are to be treasured, "History is
philosophy teaching by experience," and ''History is
the essence of innumerable biographies."
If valued truth does come like the particles of gold
washed from the alloy of the mountainsides, ought
not what is precious in the annals of the First Pres-
byterian, or the Old Stone Church of Cleveland, as
the religious organization is more popularly known,
inspire warmer love for Christ, and a deeper spirit of
consecration to the work of His kingdom? Might it
not interest and inspire even the heart of the casual
reader?
In the northwest quarter-section of the Public
Square a gallows was constructed in 1812 for the
execution of O'Mic, the Indian condemned for the
murder of two white trappers. The court of justice
had held its sessions in the open air, at the corner
of Superior and Water Streets. Later religious services
were conducted in an open field preparatory to the
judicial execution.
The instrument of capital punishment was erected
in the Public Square, where later for many years the
green and white lily-encircled fountain sent forth
modest sprays, and where the late Tom L. Johnson
14 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
in bronze is now seated. Before a terrific storm from
the northwest dispersed the spectators of the grew-
some hanging, many of them had found convenient
seats upon piles of timber, which the builder of the
gallows had drawn to the spot for the purpose of
constructing a log court-house.
Levi Johnson, the most noted architect and builder
of Cleveland's earlier years, rode into the city in
1809, sold his horse in order to secure a little capital,
and thus began his remarkable career. In addition
to the gallows and log court-house, he built many
residences, the Johnson House on Superior Street
opposite the American House, the first lighthouse
and pier, the lighthouse at Cedar Point; while the
channel of Sandusky Bay was marked by the buoys
which he placed for the guidance of boats. After
building a number of schooners in 1824 he constructed
the first steamboat launched in Cleveland. He then
became a prominent owner of boats, and died in 1871
reputed to be a millionaire.
The pioneer court of justice, constructed by Levi
Johnson at the cost of five hundred dollars, was two
stories in height and its logs were covered with
boards painted red. In the lower story of the
crude structure were the jail and apartments for the
jailor's family. The second story was used for the
court-room, and also served as a hall for public
assemblies.
The walls of the lower story containing the cells
for prisoners were certainly constructed for the safe-
keeping of all committed to their confines, for they
BEGINNINGS 15
were made of squared timber three feet long, placed
endwise and bolted together. At the landing of the
inside stairway a fireplace sizzled during the winter
months with green logs, in feeble efforts to warm the
whole structure. In the upper story of this log court-
house, whose construction had speedily followed the
erection of the temporary gallows, the Old Stone
Church was born, a place of advent almost as humble
as the manger of Bethlehem.
Sunday Schools have often been the forerunners of
church organizations. This was true of the origin of
the First Presbyterian Church of Cleveland, although
the pioneer Sunday School antedated the founding
of the church by only a few months.
During June of 1819 a Sunday School had been
started by a few earnest Christian men and women.
Mr. Elisha Taylor, a Presbyterian, was elected super-
intendent; while Mr. Moses White, a Baptist layman,
served as secretary. Prominent among the women
interested in the union venture were Mrs. Juliana
Long and Mrs. Rebecca Carter.
Some forceful character usually inspires incipient
religious movements, and this seems to have been
especially true of Mr. Elisha Taylor, the first super-
intendent and afterwards a ruling elder, until in 1853
he was dismissed from the Stone Church in order to
become one of the thirteen charter members of the
Euclid Street Presbyterian Church.
Mr. and Mrs. Elisha Taylor had come to Cleveland
from Schenectady, N. Y., where they had been active
members of the First Presbyterian Church. In their
16 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
new western home they at once combated the pre-
vaiUng reHgious indifference of the times, and sought
diHgently to secure permanent spiritual privileges
for the villagers. They were noted for hospitality and
readiness to entertain ministers of all creeds who
chanced to visit the settlement.
In his semicentennial sermon the Reverend Dr.
W. H. Goodrich thus portrayed Mr. EHsha Taylor:
He was probably the equal of any of his contemporaries
in natural gifts; and his education and culture were
superior to theirs. He was a man of inflexible resolve,
as well as of very sudden and intense emotions; and if
sometimes in his haste he aroused enmity toward him-
self, or even the cause he professed, no one could observe
him nearly and thoroughly without feeling the power of
a genuine, earnest and powerful Christianity.
Mrs. Elisha Taylor lived but two years after the
formation of the Stone Church. Her grave in Erie
Street Cemetery is marked by a slate monument
whose inscription is as clear as when made. Upon
the lower portion are these lines:
Twice seven brief years the husband of her youth
She cheer'd and blest; and nine sweet babes embrac'd.
But four of these herself surviv'd; the last
An hour in age, ne'er felt a mother's care.
Of faith in Jesus' blood, sov'reign but free,
Profession good she made before the world.
With God she walk'd; and at life's noon exchang'd
Her faith and hope for bless'd eternity.
This pioneer wife, married at sixteen, had passed
away when scarcely thirty-one years of age. She died
BEGINNINGS 17
at the birth of the ninth child, the fourth to survive,
five having been taken in infancy.
Mr. Moses White, the Baptist layman, elected
secretary of the first Sunday School in Cleveland,
worshiped with the Presbyterians until the organi-
zation of the First Baptist Church was effected in
1833. He lived to old age, an honored citizen and
an earnest Christian layman.
A Reverend Mr. Osgood, who visited feeble
churches on the Western Reserve, is said to have been
present at the organization of this Sunday School in
1819. For some time between twenty and forty
pupils attended and were instructed by seven or eight
teachers. The school was held part of the year, and
flourished better in the winter months.
Out of this home missionary Sunday School issued,
September 19, 1820, the First Presbyterian Church
of Cleveland. The Reverend William Hanford and
the Reverend Randolph Stone, delegated represen-
tatives of the Portage Presbytery, met July 18, 1820,
in the log court-house, sixteen persons desirous of
becoming charter members of the new religious
enterprise. The two clergymen, graduates of Yale
College, had become prominent leaders of religious
forces upon the Western Reserve.
As a home missionary the Reverend William Han-
ford had visited almost every Ohio settlement, and
to him has been credited the formation of sixteen
pioneer churches. For sixteen years he was also
pastor of the church at Hudson, Ohio, afterwards the
seat of Western Reserve College, to whose founding
18 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
and early welfare the Reverend Mr. Hanford gave
much attention.
This pioneer home missionary still has a represen-
tative in the activities of Cleveland Presbytery, his
nephew, Elder Lewis H. Hanford, having been a lead-
ing official throughout the history of the South Pres-
byterian Church and frequently a member of Presby-
tery.
The business of the preliminary meeting, conducted
July 18, 1820, by the two ministers, was recorded in
the first volume of the church minutes in this exact
form:
After prayer following persons expressed a desire to be
examined with reference to their being formed into a
church, Viz. Elisha Taylor and Ann his wife, Henry Baird
and Ann his wife, Sam'l I. Hamlin, Philip B. Andrews,
Sophia L. Perry, Sophia Walsworth, Mabel Howe, Birth
Johnston, Robert Baird and Nancy his wife, Rebecca
Carter, Julianna Long, Isabella Williamson and Harriet
Howe. The first ten of these were Members of the
Church - the last six had never made a pubhc profession
of their Faith. The above mentioned individuals were
all examined, as to their doctrinal and experimental
knowledge of Christianity. After which they expressed
their approbation of each other. Suitable remarks were
made and the meeting closed with prayer. At 4 o'clock
P. M., pubHc worship was attended. After sermon those
who had been examined were propounded as candidates
to be formed into a Church - the organization of which
was postponed until letters of recommendation might be
obtained by several who had not received them.
This postponement is supposed to have been due to
the strict Presbyterian training of Mr. Elisha Taylor,
BEGINNINGS 19
who insisted upon having the letters of certain pros-
pective charter members; consequently the organiza-
tion of the new church was not completed until
September 19, 1820. The following minute describes
that formal work of organization:
Agreeably to previous appointment a meeting was held
for the purpose of completing the organization of a church
in this place. Ministers present as above. After prayer
and suitable remarks those who had been previously
propounded, excepting Mrs. Sophia L. Perry, who was
prevented from attending by sickness in the family, came
forward, publicly professed their Faith in Christ, entered
into Covenant with God and with each other; were
declared to be a Church of Christ, charged to walk
worthy of their High Vocation and commended by
prayer to the guidance, protection and blessing of
Almighty God: After which a meeting of the Church was
held. Elisha Taylor was appointed Clerk, and the Con-
fession of Faith and Covenant were unanimously adopted.
Voted that the Church be under the Watch and Care of
the Presbytery of Portage -that the mode of internal
government of this Church be left for further determina-
tion. Adjournment. Attest, Elisha Taylor, Clerk.
The list of charter members has not always been
printed correctly, either in respect to the number of
them, or the spelling of their names. In his sermon,
delivered in 1893, entitled "History of Presbyter-
ianism in Cleveland," the Reverend Dr. H. C. Haydn
specified fifteen members, having omitted "Robert
Baird and Nancy his wife," and included Minerva
Merwin, who united with the church a year later.
In the original record "Walsworth" should have
been "Walworth;" while "Birth Johnston" was
20 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
"Mrs. Bertha Johnston." "Juhanna Long" should
have been ''JuUana Long." Mr. EKsha Taylor was
a dry goods merchant, while Deacon Samuel L Ham-
len was a carpenter by trade, and almost as pro-
nounced a Presbyterian as Mr. Taylor. In the
original church roll the name was "Hamlin," instead
of "Hamlen," and in Dr. Haydn's sermon it was
printed "T. J.," instead of "S. L Hamlen." He was
the father of the late Reverend Chauncey L. Hamlen,
a graduate of Western Reserve College and a Presby-
terian clergyman, whose youth was spent in the
Stone Church. Philip B. Andrews, the owner of a
machine shop, made a specialty of repairing steam-
boat engines. Henry Baird, the proprietor of a small
hotel under Superior Street hill, was a Scotch-Irish
Presbyterian, who marched out of church when a
bass viol was [installed in the choir loft. Mrs. Sophia
L. Perry was the widow of Nathan Perry, Sr., a
Revolutionary soldier who came to Cleveland in 1806,
and became a leader in pioneer days. Mrs. Perry was
the daughter of a Vermont clergyman. She is said to
have been a very dignified woman, somewhat austere
in manner. Her son, Nathan Perry, Jr., resembled
his mother in character and disposition. She died in
1836. Mabel and Harriet Howe were Mrs. Mabel
and Miss Harriet Howe. They may have been con-
nected with Eben D. Howe, who came to Cleve-
land in 1819 and was one of the founders of the
Cleveland Herald.
Mrs. Sophia Walworth was the wife of Ashbel W.
Walworth, the son of Judge John Walworth, who
BEGINNINGS 21
came in 1800 from Connecticut to Ohio, and pur-
chased a farm near Painesville. A man of sound
judgment and education, he soon became a leading
spirit on the Reserve. In 1806 he removed to Cleve-
land, having bought a farm of three hundred acres,
bounded by Huron, Erie, Cross Streets and the
Cuyahoga River. There he resided until he died in
1812. He had held many offices in government and
had been associate judge of the Common Pleas Court.
His daughter, Juliana Walworth, one of the charter
members of the Stone Church, became the wife of
Dr. David Long, the first physician to settle in Cleve-
land, having come from Hebron, N. Y., in 1810. He
was a public spirited man, interested in whatever
concerned the welfare of the community. Dr. and
Mrs. David Long had a daughter, Mrs. Mary H.
Severance, who became the mother of the late Elders
Solon L. and Louis H. Severance, who for many years
were leaders not only in Presbyterian circles, but
also in all missionary and charitable enterprises. Thus
Mr. John L. Severance and Mrs. Francis F. Prentiss,
children of the late Louis H. Severance, and Mrs.
B. L. Milliken, Professor Allen D. and Miss Mary H.
Severance, children of the late Solon L. Severance,
are members of the fifth generation in line of descent
from Judge John Walworth.
While one daughter of Judge John Walworth be-
came the wife of the first physician to settle in Cleve-
land, a second daughter, Hannah Walworth, became
the wife of Dr. Benjamin Strickland, Cleveland's first
dentist. He came in 1835 from Vermont, when he was
22 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
twenty-five years of age, and practiced dentistry over
fifty years. The first Strickland home and office were
located on the present site of the Marshall Drug Com-
pany on the Public Square.
Isabella Williamson, a charter member, was the
wife of Samuel Williamson, who came to Cleveland
from Pennsylvania in 1810. With his brother
Matthew he established a tanning business, but he
was known as Judge Williamson, having been an
associate judge of the Common Pleas Court. He was
greatly interested in the moral and intellectual wel-
fare of the community, and his name was first on the
charter of the Stone Church Society. It is noticeable
that only one man who signed the petition for a
charter in 1827, incorporating the Church Society,
was a member of the church. A number afterwards
became members, while some doubtless belonged to
distant churches.
Samuel Williamson, the son of Samuel and Isabella
Williamson, graduated from Jefi^erson College in 1829,
studied law and became a partner of Leonard Case,
Sr. He became one of the most influential members
of the Stone Church, and was president of the Board
of Trustees from 1860 until the time of his death in
1884. For many years he was president of the Society
for Savings. He was the father of the late Judge
Samuel E. Williamson, the late George T. Williamson
of Chicago, and the Reverend James D. Williamson,
D.D., for many years an honored member of Cleveland
Presbytery and now vice-president of the Society
for Savings.
BEGINNINGS 23
Bertha Johnston and Rebecca Carter were widows.
The latter was the widow of the noted Major Lorenzo
Carter, who came to Cleveland when only seven
persons were living on the banks of the Cuyahoga
River. For a number of years Major Carter was the
foremost citizen of the village, by reason of his ability
to keep order, especially in case of unruly Indians
who were attracted to David Bryant's distillery,
which commenced operations twenty years prior to
the founding of the Stone Church. Major Carter
accumulated considerable property and died in 1814,
when forty-seven years of age. The widow outlived
her husband thirteen years, and for seven years she
was a faithful member of the Stone Church. Very
modest stones mark the graves of Major and Mrs.
Lorenzo Carter, which are a little north of the west
entrance of Erie Street Cemetery.
For thirteen years, or until the basement of the
first church building could be utilized, this little band
of Christians, like Israel of old, had no fixed habita-
tion. During the first fifteen years no pastors were
installed, the congregation having depended upon
"supplies," some of whom were more transient than
stated.
The log court-house in the Public Square, the first
log schoolhouse on St. Clair Street, the more stately
Academy on the site of the present Engine House
No. 1 on St. Clair Avenue, and finally the third story
of Dr. Long's building on Superior Street, where the
American House is located, in a room termed "The
Garret," were successive places of worship. The only
24 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
other church existing in Cleveland at the time of the
organization of the Stone Church was Trinity Parish,
popularly denominated "The Church," but in later
years known as ''Old Trinity." This church had been
formed November 9, 1816, in Phineas Shepherd's
home, a log cabin on the west side of the river. At
that time there was no diocesan organization, or even
a missionary society connected with Ohio, but Darius
Cooper in 1817 had been appointed to read service.
It was not until September 27, 1819, that Bishop
Chase first visited the parish and confirmed ten per-
sons. Until Trinity Church erected a frame building,
costing about three thousand dollars, at the corner of
St. Clair and Seneca Streets, the members worshipped
in the log court-house, in the Academy, and finally
in the Free Masons' Hall.
Thus when the Village of Cleveland contained but
one hundred fifty inhabitants, two religious organiza-
tions, to be known in time as Old Trinity and Old
Stone Churches, shared the same hall for divine
worship, and laid humble foundations for larger
things, not having the slightest idea that the pioneer
village at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River would
ever become a great city. That part of Ohio adjacent
to Lake Erie had never figured in history. With the
exception of the brief sojourn of Christian Indians,
under the leadership of Moravian missionaries, on
Tinker's Creek, near Bedford, Ohio, for almost a
decade after the Revolutionary War the southern
shore of Lake Erie was practically deserted.
After the struggle for independence all the Ameri-
BEGINNINGS 25
can colonies, with the exception of Connecticut, sur-
rendered their claims to the "Northwest Territory."
The "Nutmeg State," however, continiied to assert
control of a strip of land, between the forty-first and
forty-second parallels, extending from Connecticut
to the Mississippi River and including northern Ohio.
A national treaty, made in 1785 with three tribes of
Indians, brought the hitherto insignificant Cuyahoga
River into marked prominence. The Indians spelled
the name "Cayahoga," meaning "crooked," and tor-
tuous the stream was. At times its mouth was filled
with sand to such an extent that crossing on foot
was possible. The national treaty with the Indians
forced them to retire west of the Cuyahoga River and
Portage Path; while the whites on their part were not
to go west of those bounds.
Vast schemes were at once launched by land
speculators, the most successful having been the
members of the Connecticut Land Company. In 1786
the Government gave Connecticut a strip of land
extending one hundred twenty miles west of the
Pennsylvania line, between the forty-first and forty-
second parallels, as large as Connecticut herself, hence
appropriately termed the "New Connecticut." The
grant was also called the "Western Reserved Lands,"
abbreviated in time to "The Western Reserve," or
"The Reserve." Connecticut gave five hundred
thousand acres of this tract to the citizens of five
towns, whose homes had been burned in the Revolu-
tionary War, during the raids of Benedict Arnold.
The beneficiaries through this grant formed "The
26 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Fire Lands and Sufferers' Land Company." In 1795,
however, the Connecticut Legislature abandoned the
idea of retailing the remaining three milHon acres,
and so sold the whole tract for forty cents per acre to
the Connecticut Land Company, composed of fifty-six
citizens of Massachusetts and Connecticut. Fortu-
nately for Connecticut the sum of one million two
hundred thousand dollars, received through the sale,
was set aside for educational purposes. The Land
Company had seven directors, one of whom was
General Moses Cleaveland, who headed the first sur-
veying party as far as the Cuyahoga River, which
was half-way between the eastern and western boun-
daries of the Western Reserve.
Half of the Western Reserve, between the Cuya-
hoga River and the Pennsylvania line, was first sold.
Disposition of the half between the Cuyahoga River
and Sandusky had to be delayed, until it could be
secured from the Indians. The surveyed area of the
Western Reserve fell far short of original estimates.
It had been taken for granted that the tract of land
formed a parallelogram one hundred twenty miles
long by seventy-one and a half miles wide, but fully
one-third of the estimated area was found to be at
the bottom of Lake Erie, the southern shore of that
body of water, the northern boundary of the Western
Reserve, running northeasi: and southwest, instead of
east and west.
Before returning east members of Moses Cleave-
land's party surveyed the "capital city" of the
Western Reserve, and bestowed upon it the name of
BEGINNINGS 27
the leader. With the Public Square as the center, one
square mile was surveyed into fourteen streets with
a total of two hundred twenty lots.
The assertion has been made that Moses Cleave-
land did not merit the honor that has come to his
memory, by reason of anything that he did to found
the city that bears his revised name. From what is
known, however, of General Moses Cleaveland, the
city ought not to be ashamed of its title. He was a
man of few words, but prompt in action; so sedate
in appearance that he was often taken for a clergy-
man. A child of cultured parents, he was sent to Yale
College, where he graduated in 1777. At the time of
admission to the bar he was summoned to become
captain of sappers and miners in the United States
Army. After such military service the practice of law
was resumed, and as a member of the Connecticut
Legislature his record was honorable. As a member
of the state militia he became in 1796 general of the
Fifth Brigade, and died when only fifty-two years
of age.
During the winter of 1796-1797 Cleveland had
three inhabitants. During the summer of 1797 there
was much sickness, and the first burial was made in
the new cemetery on Ontario Street, at the corner
of what is now Prospect Avenue. Ohio was admitted
into the Union in 1803. By 1810 the population of
Cleveland had grown to fifty-seven. The village
was incorporated in 1815, when a charter was granted
and Alfred Kelly elected president, only twelve
votes having been cast at the polls.
28 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
The steamboat "Walk-in-the-Water" appeared in
1818 outside the port which could not be entered,
not only on account of a prolonged storm, but also
by reason of the sand in the mouth of the river. This
first steamboat on Lake Erie had been built on the
Niagara River near Buffalo and named after an
Indian chieftain, and not on account of her appear-
ance on the lake. When completed the craft lacked
steampower sufficient to stem the current of the
Niagara River, and so to the horsepower of the
engines there had to be added the towing strength of
fourteen yoke of oxen. The fuel used was wood, and
the boat was three hundred tons burden, with
accommodations for sixty cabin and a number of
steerage passengers. She was wrecked in 1821 near
Buffalo.
By 1820 the village of Cleveland was estimated to
have contained one hundred fifty inhabitants, and
at such a time the Stone Church was founded. The
crack of the rabbit hunter's rifle in the copse north
of the log court-house occasionally disturbed the
worshipers. Very few dreamed that the place would
ever rank higher than a rural village. General Moses
Cleaveland had ''opined" that it might become as
large as Windham, Conn. Not until 1824, when it
was selected as the northern terminal of the Ohio
Canal, was there the slightest promise of any marked
growth in population.
The soil was sandy and barren, and the atmosphere
malarial; hence the surrounding country life first
became more attractive than that of the unpromising
BEGINNINGS 29
village. Newburgh's fertile soil, with the construc-
tion there in 1799 of the first flouring-mill in northern
Ohio, gave to Cleveland the geographical rating of
a "small village six miles from Newburgh." One of
the Newburgh millstones has long adorned the Public
Square in front of the Stone Church; the other is a
stepping-stone in front of the Caine residence on
Broadway near Miles Avenue.
The value of Cleveland real estate for taxation in
1815 was only twenty-one thousand sixty-five dollars;
while the entire village vote in 1829, almost a decade
after the founding of the Stone Church, was but
forty-seven. Methodism in Cleveland had slow
growth. In 1823 a member of the Hudson Circuit
formed a class consisting of five women and two men,
but it was not until 1841 that a church edifice was
dedicated at the corner of St. Clair and what is now
East Third Street. The Baptists formed their first
church in 1833. Roman Catholics of various nation-
alities were in Cleveland between 1820 and 1835, but
their formation into a parish came later.
Such were the religious forces working in Cleveland,
from 1820 to 1835, during the decade and a half that
the Stone Church depended upon the successive
ministrations of six "Stated Supplies."
II. THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS
1820-1835
For many years the Egyptians viewed with deep
religious awe the annual overflow of the River Nile,
because the sources of that enriching stream were
shrouded in mystery. Finally when explorers sought
the very heart of the Dark Continent, their hazardous
efforts enlisted the admiration of the world.
Five installed pastors have ministered during the
last eighty-five years to the spiritual needs of the
Old Stone Church, whose century of influence is
valued, not only by Cleveland Presbyterians, but
also by the adherents of other Christian denomina-
tions. This deepening and enriching flow of spiritual
power, however, came in great measure from sources
little known; a fact that challenged the centennial
historian to throw as much light as possible upon the
first fifteen years of the century that has elapsed
since the Old Stone Church was founded.
The day of small things should never be despised,
a truth emphasized by Wordsworth when he wrote
in a child's album, "Small service is true service while
it lasts," and as Emerson asserted:
There is no great and no small
To the Soul that maketh all;
And when it cometh all things are;
And it cometh everywhere.
32 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
The five ministers and their assistants who have
served the Old Stone Church during the last eighty-
five years have never undervalued the pioneer work
of the earlier "six stated supplies." Many pastors
have enjoyed summer vacation trips to villages, where
before their ordination they first "tried their wings"
in flights of pulpit eloquence. What hearty greetings
have been received by such visitors from the village
worshipers who still recalled the "supply service" of
earlier years!
Almost every historian who has described life on
the Western Reserve, from 1800 to 1820, has laid
stress upon the irreligious character of the pioneer
settlements, and especially that of the village of
Cleveland. The Reverend Samuel C. Aiken, D.D.,
in his twenty-fifth anniversary sermon delivered in
1860, gave one analysis of early conditions. Many of
the first settlers were not friendly to religious insti-
tutions. There was an absence of law and order, of
comfortable homes, schools, organized churches, and
the luxuries of their former life. A considerable
number had fled from New England, not only to
improve their material conditions, but also to escape
puritanical restraints and taxes imposed in New
England for the support of the "standing orders of
the church."
The New England Sabbath, enforced by rigid
authority, had become to many a "weariness." The
sanctuary had little attractiveness to a portion of the
rising generation in the northeastern states, while the
rigid family discipline maintained in the community
THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS 33
by the "constructors of public morals" had become
irksome. In order to free themselves from such con-
ditions many sought the new and cheap lands of
Ohio, where they could believe anything or nothing
to their hearts' content, without trouble from the
civil authorities. For a number of years certain
leaders in Cleveland were of this class; hence, accord-
ing to Dr. Aiken, a majority of the first settlers either
embraced infidelity, or were inclined in religious
matters to a negative position. References have been
made by writers to an efligy of Christ carried in
ribald procession, and to a mock celebration of the
Lord's Supper, but there is other testimony to the
effect that too dark a picture of religious conditions
on the Western Reserve, prior to 1820, ought not to
be drawn.
Deacon Moses White, the Baptist layman who was
elected secretary of the first Sunday School, organized
in 1819, a year before the founding of the Old Stone
Church, and who worshiped with the Presbyterians
until 1833, when the First Baptist Church was
established, was still an esteemed deacon in his
church, when in 1870 the Reverend William H.
Goodrich, D.D., delivered the semicentennial ser-
mon. At the Sunday evening service held at that
time. Deacon White spoke of the years prior to 1820,
and asserted that the wickedness of the community
had been exaggerated in many historical sketches.
According to the venerable Baptist authority, when
the first ball was held in Cleveland the region had to
be scoured for miles in order to secure young ladies
34 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
sufficient in number to form dancing partners, and
inasmuch as there were no fiddlers in Cleveland an
appeal for musicians had to be sent to Newburgh.
Excessive illness reigned in Cleveland, and when there
were no ministers to conduct funerals laymen at times
officiated. According to Deacon White the first ser-
mon to which he listened after having reached Cleve-
land was from the text, *'One sinner destroyeth much
good," but the preacher's influence over the com-
munity had been greatly impaired, not by any
flagrant sin on his part, but mainly on account of a
lack of professional common sense. He had incurred
the resentment of the community, because while con-
ducting the funeral of a prominent citizen the soul
of the departed had been consigned to an unpleasant
destiny.
At the semicentennial celebration in the Stone
Church, Deacon White presented a memorandum
which he had kept in 1818, when an informal religious
society had conducted during that year eight Sunday
services. The Reverend Thomas Barr, of the Euclid
Church, had preached three Sundays and had re-
ceived for his compensation eight dollars ten cents,
evidently the total ofi^erings taken at the meetings.
Other ministers had received three dollars per Sun-
day; while the total amount raised during the year
had been forty-three dollars twenty-nine cents, leav-
ing a balance of one dollar thirty cents in the treasury.
Deacon Moses White asserted that when the sub-
scription list was passed for the support of the
Reverend Randolph Stone, at the organization of the
THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS 35
Stone Church, it had been signed by fifty-seven men,
and that included almost every male inhabitant in
the village. Poverty rather than unbelief may have
had more to do with the slow development of re-
ligious institutions on the Western Reserve. One
thing is certain, and that is that many faithful
Christians evinced a wholesome disposition to lay
aside their shibboleths, and to unite most cordially
in doing all that they could to lay foundations of
churches, which slowly but surely extended a benefi-
cent influence throughout the community.
Divine services were occasionally held in homes,
whenever an itinerant preacher paid the settlement
a visit. If a pioneer had been carried to the tomb
without religious ceremony, upon the later arrival of
a preacher a memorial discourse was wont to be
delivered.
Thirteen years before the Stone Church was organ-
ized, a Presbyterian church had been founded at
Euclid, afterwards known as Collamer, but now East
Cleveland. This was the beginning of the present
First Presbyterian Church of East Cleveland, organ-
ized August 27, 1807, by five families from Washing-
ton, Pa., who had constructed rude homes
in the unbroken forest. The missionary in charge of
the founding of this "Church of Christ in Euclid" was
the Reverend William Wick, of Youngstown, Ohio.
One tradition has it that the first service was held in
the barn of Andrew Mcllrath; another that the
charter members gathered in the home of Nathaniel
36 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Doan, the blacksmith at Doan's Corners, his name
having been first on the church roll.
On March 15, 1810, this church was placed under
the care of the Hartford Presbytery, which included
the Western Reserve, without a western boundary,
and was connected with the Synod of Pittsburgh.
The first pastor was the Reverend Thomas Barr, who
served from 1810 to 1820. He was the most pro-
nounced Presbyterian minister in northern Ohio.
Occasionally he preached in Cleveland and at New-
burgh, while earnest Christians frequently drove
from the two villages on the Sabbath to worship in
the log church at Euclid. During the term of its use
that crude sanctuary was said to have been the only
church building on the Reserve. The first burial in
the cemetery which still adjoins the modern stone
edifice, in which the East Cleveland Presbyterian
Church now worships, was that of the Reverend
Thomas Barr's wife, who died in 1812. If the Stone
Church is affectionately termed by Cleveland Pres-
byterians "The Mother of us all," the First Presby-
terian Church of East Cleveland may be called "The
Grandmother of us all."
The first of the "Stated Supplies" to serve the
Stone Church during the first fifteen years of its
existence was the Reverend Randolph Stone, one of
the two representatives delegated by Portage Presby-
tery to effect the organization. Born at Bristol, Conn.,
in 1790, he was left an orphan in early life. A friendly
minister prepared him for the sophomore class at
Yale College, from which he graduated in 1817. He
THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS 37
was appointed at that time ''butler," the last person
to hold that office in Yale College. After teaching
at Hopkins Grammar School, his theological training
was received under the tutelage of Dr. Timothy
Dwight. Licensure was received September 9, 1817,
at the hands of the New Haven West Association,
and the young minister at once set out for the West-
ern Reserve as a home missionary. There had come
the opportunity of succeeding the Reverend Dr. Ben-
jamin Trumbull at North Haven, Conn., and likewise
a call from Warren, Ohio, but the pastorate at Mor-
gan, Ashtabula County, Ohio, was accepted. This was
an offshoot of the Austinburgh Church founded by
the Reverend Joseph Badger. Ordained and installed
May 19, 1819, at thirty years of age he served the
Stone Church in addition to his work at the Morgan
Church. This was made possible on account of the
**part-time" pastoral settlements then in vogue.
Having assisted in organizing the Old Stone Church
he was able to give the new enterprise "one-third
part-time" until April, 1821.
After nine years' residence at Morgan, Ashtabula
County, the Reverend Randolph Stone edited The
Observer, the only Presbyterian paper published on
the Western Reserve. In 1830 he returned east, and
for five years supplied churches. Records show that
he was again on the Reserve at the Willoughby Church
in 1836. At the Ohio State University, Athens, Ohio,
a year was spent in the chair of history and English
literature. He probably died about 1843 at Parma,
Ohio, when fifty-five years of age.
38 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Comparatively little is known of the Reverend
William McLean, the second stated supply. Evi-
dently the first Judge Samuel Williamson had in-
duced this minister to come to Cleveland from Mead-
ville, Pa., to teach in the community, as well as to
preach. He was one of the first teachers in the
Academy, and there is a tradition that when the
rumbling of an approaching thunderstorm was heard
he would raise his hands and say with great solem-
nity, "Silence! This is the voice of God," and there
was silence that could be felt. While teaching, this
minister must have supplied churches, among which
was the Brooklyn Church, afterwards the Ohio City
congregation, his agreement with the Stone Church
having bound him to "three-fourths time for one
year." In March of 1821 he was married to Abigail
Clark, of Newburgh, Ohio.
Although this supply service was brief, the record
of the congregational activities is interesting. When
the church met "to examine the state of personal
religion and to devise the best means to prosper
Zion's Kingdom," men and women constituted the
assembly, but whenever ecclesiastical business was to
be transacted, only the "Male Members" were in-
vited, as shown by this minute:
May 6, 1823 -The Male Members of the Church
[only four of them] met to decide what form of govern-
ment this Church would adopt, and time when it is
expedient to celebrate the Lord's Supper.
Both propositions were postponed to a later meeting,
when the brethren adopted the following:
THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS 39
Resolved, that this Church would prefer the Presby-
terian mode of church government, but under existing
circumstances it does not think it prudent to act upon
the subject.
Such discretion on the part of the ^'brethren" could
not have been prompted by any fear of the "sisters,"
but the statement reveals a peculiar vacillation
during the first fifteen years, on the part of the *'Male
Members," between the Presbyterian and Congre-
gational modes of church government.
Under the care of the Portage Presbytery the
church sent a delegate to a stated meeting as early
as 1822. The next year the ''Male Members" tarried
after a Sabbath service to resolve:
That we esteem it both a privilege and duty to send a
delegate to the first meeting of the Huron Presbytery
to be held at Brownhelm.
Elisha Taylor was appointed to serve.
The Reverend William McLean ministered until
January, 1823, when he was succeeded by the Rev-
erend Stephen I. Bradstreet, who was employed for
"one year at half time," and this minister served from
September, 1823, to January 24, 1830, a period of
over six years.
The Reverend Stephen Ingalls Bradstreet was a
direct descendant from Governor Simon Bradstreet,
of the Massachusetts Colony, and his famous wife,
Anna Dudley Bradstreet, the colonial poetess. Born
at Greenfield, New Hampshire, in 1794, and gradu-
ated from Dartmouth College in 1819, he studied
theology at Andover Seminary. Delicate health
40 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
having precluded his entering upon foreign missionary
work, the only satisfactory alternative was that of
seeking destitute home missionary fields. He was
first sent to Lynchburg and Staunton, Virginia, but
convinced that the experience was too easy a west-
ward preaching itineracy was undertaken, until
Cleveland was attained. One reason for this course
was that Mr. John W. Willey, the fifth lawyer to
locate in Cleveland, and elected in 1836 the city's
first mayor, had been a classmate at Dartmouth
College of the earnest home missionary. Lawyer
Willey had come to Cleveland in 1822, and the college
chums were about thirty years of age when thus re-
united. Cleveland had a population of five hundred,
and when the Reverend Stephen I. Bradstreet closed
his supply of the Stone Church in 1830, the city was
credited with one thousand seventy-five inhabitants.
The opening of the Ohio Canal from Akron to
Cleveland boomed the lake city, and a few tons of
coal were shipped by canal from Akron to Cleveland,
whose citizens disdained giving the doubtful fuel
market, as long as there was abundance of wood.
The primitive log court-house was displaced in 1828
by a new court of justice on the southwestern section
of the Public Square. Four years later a new jail was
located on Champlain Street, directly in rear of the
second court-house.
During the years of the Bradstreet supply the Stone
Church exhibited more comprehensive congrega-
tional activities. At each communion an offering was
taken "to aid the General Assembly's Commis-
THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS 41
sioner's Fund." The "Male Members" convened
April 14, 1825, to resolve:
That this Church and Society will ask the assistance
of the United Domestick Missionary Society of New
York, in order to settle or retain a minister in this place,
and that a meeting of the Society be held to make
arrangements for accomplishing the object.
According to this record the "Male Members"
welcomed the women to joint responsibility whenever
financial affairs were to be discussed. The appeal
forwarded to New York was "for aid to the Reverend
Stephen I. Bradstreet for Missionary Labour in the
towns adjoining, in consideration of his preaching
one-half time amongst us in Cleveland." There evi-
dently was no self-interest in this application, since
it was for the support of a home missionary in needy
fields near Cleveland, whose pioneer Presbyterian
church paid for its own half-time claim upon the
missionary's service. The spirit of self-support, as
well as of missionary endeavor, so characteristic of
the whole life of the Stone Church, was thus early
manifested.
When the appeal was forwarded to the New York
Society, relative to the wider usefulness of the Rev-
erend Stephen I. Bradstreet, an offering was taken
for the "Maumee Mission," established for the
benefit of the Indians of northwestern Ohio. In 1828
another offering was taken for the support of a chap-
lain in the Ohio Penitentiary. The Reverend Stephen
I. Bradstreet received one hundred dollars annually
for the part-time service given the Stone Church. He
42 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
was ably assisted not only by Mr. Elisha Taylor, but
also by Deacon Samuel L Hamlen, both ''dyed-in-the
wool" Presbyterians. Samuel I. Hamlen, a carpenter
by trade, also served as janitor of the church, in which
he performed many arduous duties. Not only was
there the tedious care of wood fires, but likewise the
keeping of the room lighted by means of tallow
candles, some of which weighed a pound. These were
hung in high-back candlesticks upon the walls, and
needed frequent snuffing. Occasionally this periodic
attention left the worshipers in darkness. Without
the convenience of matches, the candles had to be
relighted from one in the sexton's lantern. Deacon
Hamlen was a good singer, and when no minister was
available he read sermons very acceptably. A con-
scientious man, strict in religious duties and highly
exemplary in life, he held the sincere respect of the
community.
The reception of members into church fellowship
was delegated to the pastor and "Male Members,"
and for a number of years those received by certi-
ficate were examined, both as to doctrinal and experi-
mental knowledge of Christianity, as were those who
came upon confession of their faith, while both
classes were "propounded as candidates." An ex-
ample of the scrupulous care exercised in this matter
was the case of Francis Williamson, who presented a
letter from a Presbyterian church in Belfast, Ireland.
On January 13, 1825, this individual
Came forward and requested to be admitted into this
Church. No member of the Church being acquainted
THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS 43
with the religious character of F. Williamson it was voted
to defer his admission until the next communion, and to
invite him in the meantime to commune with the Church
on the validity of the Church in Belfast.
How this Scotch-Irish Presbyterian accepted the pro-
posed scrutiny of his rehgious status was not re-
corded, but before the time for final action came he
had removed to another place.
That the law and the gospel were not in conflict
during the Bradstreet period of supply is shown in
the minute of April 14, 1823:
Resolved, that Judge Kelley be requested to preside in
the religious meetings of this Society on the Sabbath
when we are destitute of preaching.
The church was formally incorporated January 5,
1827, when "twenty-eight gentlemen were created a
body corporate and politic, under the name of the
'First Presbyterian Church of Cleveland.' " The
names of the incorporators present a remarkable list
of men influential in the earliest years of Cleveland.
The applicants for the charter are worthy of a brief
description of their professional and business careers:
Samuel Williamson came in 1810 from Pennsyl-
vania, proprietor of a tanning business, one of the
first trustees of the city, judge of Common Pleas
Court and founder of a family long identified with the
city and the Stone Church.
John W. Willey, a young New Hampshire lawyer,
graduate of Dartmouth College, who came to the
city in 1822, was a judge, state senator, and Cleve-
land's first mayor.
44 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Horace Perry, for thirty years better known than
his father, Nathan Perry, who came with the first
party of surveyors to Lake County and then to
Cleveland in 1806, was a large land owner.
Ashbel W. Walworth, son of Judge John Wal-
worth, who came from Connecticut to Fairport, Ohio,
in 1800 and to Cleveland in 1806, held many offices
in the early days of the latter city, and for seventeen
years was a collector of customs.
Dr. David Long came at twenty-three years of age
from Hebron, N.Y., and settled as Cleveland's first
physician in 1810. For a while he also conducted a
dry-goods business on Superior Street, until the in-
crease of population demanded his full professional
attention.
Jarvis F. Hanks, not only a sign painter, but also
a portrait painter, was first superintendent of the
Euclid Avenue Congregational Church Sunday
School. His last residence was on Euclid Avenue,
corner of East Ninety-third Street, at the present
site of the Wason home.
Peter M. Weddell, a merchant whose store on
Superior Street, corner of Bank Street, was first sup-
planted by the Weddell House and then by the
Rockefeller Building, came from Pennsylvania in
1820.
Samuel Starkweather, a graduate of Brown Uni-
versity, who came from Massachusetts in 1827, was
a born orator, a judge, a collector of customs, and
for five years mayor.
^ ^ r/' •:■■' ^
a/SC- ('/r-ff /rm, /A^y-r fi^/./^er^>Y /^ /^t^^^f //^•^ /*f^ /,, ^/'A^r^i'-
I /
<^^ i^^-er-^ ^/a/'L Af A/rry,-,. Ay /A* fxJitS^M^ i^ nSw /
'^/y ly-tt y/ , A^/y^yyrr.. ^r^^y/ /C- ^/,r /Att / >•.. //i/-y/^ ^yrt y/ /At ,73v6/.
'^/n.rX'A^A/ fv^ eC' /ryZ/Mff/^ rrr^/ry' r/ AA T^/^^f.
i"y/ytyru^. rrytt*Y*y X*
Redlcfd Facsimile of a Portion of a Page of the
Record Book of the Society
THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS 47
Samuel I. Hamlen was a highly respected car-
penter, who came from Massachusetts 'n 1818.
Samuel Cowles, a graduate of Williams College,
who came from Connecticut in 1819, was a lawyer of
wide reputation, a judge, and very successful business
man.
Jewett Prime, a young man from New England,
became editor and publisher of the Cleveland Herald
in 1826, but died two years later.
William Bliss was a jeweler who came from Con-
necticut in 1816.
George Kirk came from Canal Fulton, Ohio, in
1820, and became Cleveland's first "City Marshal."
David H. Beardsley came from Connecticut in
1826. He was a school teacher, state senator, asso-
ciate judge, for twenty-three years collector of the
Ohio Canal, auditor and recorder of Cuyahoga
County, who worked in the log court-house, and
whose beautiful penmanship is preserved not only in
the court records, but also in the Stone Church
records, he having been the first secretary of the
Church Society. His daughter became the wife of
William Bingham.
James Douglass was a cabinet-maker who came
about 1825 and who left the city in 1837.
Nathan Perry, Jr., could speak several Indian
languages. He was a fur-trader, the founder of Perry
estate on Euclid Avenue, corner of East Twenty-
second Street. His daughter became the wife of
Senator Henry B. Payne.
Herchel Foote, an enterprising young man, came
48 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
from Utica, N. Y., in 1819, to establish a book-
store on the site of the present Marshall Drug Com-
pany, Superior Avenue and Public Square. He was
a good singer, the leader of the Stone Church and
other choirs. In later life he became justice of the
peace and postmaster in East Cleveland.
Gurdon Fitch came in 1826 at the age of forty
years. He was a tavern-keeper, active in city affairs,
father of Miss Sarah Fitch, who was long associated
with the work of the Stone Ch-urch.
Thomas Davis, a shoemaker, came from England
in 1820. He had a shop on Erie Street, where the
Cleveland Trust Company now is located. He be-
came a worker in the Mayflower Mission and was a
charter member of the Woodland Avenue Presby-
terian Church. He was the father of one of the
founders of the Davis and Hunt Hardware Company.
Thomas P. May came from New York State in
1825. He bought Elisha Taylor's dry goods store.
His daughter married Burritt Horton of the Alcott
and Horton wholesale dry goods firm.
Edmund Clark came from Buffalo in 1825, when
twenty-six years of age. He became the partner of
Peter M. Weddell. He was a merchant, railroad capi-
talist, banker, and insurance company president.
Ziba Willis, a printer, came with his brother in
1819, at twenty-four years of age. He was the
founder and editor of the Cleveland Herald, which
existed for sixty-six years.
Philip B. Andrews came in 1820, when twenty-four
years of age. He was a gunsmith, iron founder,
THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS 49
engine builder, and the brother-in-law of Charles G.
Finney, of Oberlin College.
James Belden was the proprietor of Merwin's
tavern, afterwards the Mansion House.
Richard Hilliard was a prominent merchant from
1824 to 1856. He was a member of the firm of
Hilliard and Hayes, which handled at first retail and
later wholesale dry goods. His home became in turn
the residence of Governor Todd and then of the
Grasselli family.
John Blair came from Maryland in 1819. His first
home was on St. Clair Street, the present site of
Engine Company No. 1. Later he moved to Pros-
pect Street, corner of Blair Lane, now Fern Court.
He was the owner of warehouses, was in the com-
mission fur business, and had other interests.
Of E. C. Hickcox little is known.
Few pioneer churches were blessed with as in-
fluential a body of incorporators as was the case of
the Stone Church. At their first meeting, held the
first Monday in April, 1827, Judge Samuel Cowles
called the meeting to order, and Dr. David Long was
chosen secretary pro tevi. Judge Cowles became the
first president of the society; David H. Beardsley
the secretary, and Peter M. Weddell treasurer.
The first board of trustees was composed of Samuel
Williamson, Samuel I. Hamlen, Ashbel W. Wal-
worth, Horace Perry, and Dr. David Long.
At this first meeting in 1827 the problem of securing
a house of worship was discussed, but no definite
action was taken until April 8, 1828, when subscrip-
50 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
tions were solicited. A year later a committee was
appointed to estimate the cost of a modest structure,
but having failed to act, Samuel I. Hamlen, the car-
penter, was requested to ascertain the expense of
erecting a wooden building, forty-five by sixty feet,
without basement and with steeple seventy-five feet
high; also the expense of a building fifty by seventy
feet, with a steeple one hundred feet in height. Mr.
John M, Sterling, a prominent lawyer, and father of
Dr. Elisha Sterling, one of the best known surgeons
in Cleveland, was appointed to wait upon the sub-
scribers, in order to obtain their consent to either
plan for a wooden structure. He reported their ad-
verse attitude to anything but a brick or stone edifice,
as specified in the original subscription paper. The
society then voted to circulate another paper for the
construction of a wooden building forty-five by
sixty-five feet in dimensions. Dr. David Long, who
was given the task of securing signatures, reported
no interest in the proposition.
Dr. Long then offered to rent, for one hundred
dollars a year, the large room in the third story of his
new brick block on Superior Street, where the
American House now stands. The room was to be
finished for the purpose, leaving the slips and pulpit
to be constructed by the church society, and to remain
its property. The trustees were granted power to
sell all or part of the slips, as they deemed expedient,
such sales to defray the cost of the equipment. This
was the beginning of the sale of slips or pews, as a
mode of church construction, as well as of support.
THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS 51
Although the sale of pews continued in the construc-
tion of later Stone Church buildings, it has generally
disappeared as a practice among Christian churches.
In 1830 Shoemaker Thomas Davis became a
trustee. When at twenty years of age he reached the
mouth of the Cuyahoga River, concluding that the
cluster of cabins could not be Cleveland, he walked
to Newburgh before he discovered his mistake. His
first customer came Sunday morning. "I never work
on Sunday," he said, whereupon the customer re-
plied, 'There's no such day in this town." "Then
I have brought it," said the shoemaker, who rain or
shine walked each Sunday to the Euclid Church, now
the First Presbyterian Church of East Cleveland. On
April 4, 1831, the church society accepted subscrip-
tions secured the previous April and decided to pro-
ceed with the work of building. A minute shows that
a lot had been given to the society by Mrs. Sophia L.
Perry, probably for a church site. This lot was sold
and the proceeds applied to the building fund.
No building enterprise, however, was inaugurated
during the leadership of the Reverend Stephen I.
Bradstreet, the close of whose important ministerial
service in the Stone Church was thus recorded:
January 2J!f, 1830. The Rev. Stephen L Bradstreet,
who has labored in this Church and congregation for some
years past, closed his labors by preaching this day his
farewell sermon.
In his twenty-fifth anniversary sermon Dr. Aiken
had this to say of this minister:
Of the six clergymen who supplied this church the
52 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Rev. Stephen I. Bradstreet labored much the longest.
Often have I heard him spoken of by the old inhabitants,
as an able, self-denying and faithful minister, who re-
ceived for his services more affection than money.
There are other sources of information, however,
that should exalt this servant of Christ in the esti-
mation of this generation. After two attempts had
been made to establish a Presbyterian family paper
on the Western Reserve, the Reverend Stephen I.
Bradstreet founded in 1834 the Observer, which,
printed at Hudson, Ohio, continued an influential
religious journal until it was finally absorbed by the
New York Evangelist. When preparations were made
to found Western Reserve College at Hudson, Ohio,
each one of the three Presbyteries on the Reserve
appointed two ministers and two laymen to consti-
tute a board of managers, or trustees. Huron Pres-
bytery selected the Reverend Stephen I. Bradstreet
as one of its two ministerial representatives. The
corner-stone of the first building erected on the
campus of Western Reserve College was laid April
26, 1826, with elaborate ceremony in the presence of
a large assembly.
A procession was formed at Mr. Hudson's home and
moved to the meeting-house, where there was prayer
and singing. The procession then moved to the college
campus, where an address was delivered in Latin by
Rev. Caleb Pitkin, and the stone was laid with Masonic
ceremonies. The procession then returned to the meet-
ing-house, where Mr. Bradstreet delivered an address on
the principles which actuated the trustees in the work
they had undertaken.
THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS 53
The address was printed in the Cleveland Heraldy
May 5, 1826.
This home missionary, who suppHed for six years
the Stone Church, must have been held in high
esteem by his brethren, in respect to both his minis-
terial and to his educational ability. Afterwards he
was instrumental in raising funds for Western Re-
serve College, which early gained the name of "The
Yale of the West." The life of the Reverend Stephen
I. Bradstreet "burned out" in January of 1837, when
only forty-three years of age. Mrs. Bradstreet was
an accomplished writer, and contributed under the
name "Sophronia" many articles to the religious
press. She and her husband were long remembered
in Cleveland for their work of caring for the sick and
dying, in the great epidemic that attended the open-
ing of the Ohio Canal. She survived her husband
twenty years. The graves of the Reverend and Mrs.
Stephen I. Bradstreet are, together with those of two
children, at the right of the western entrance of Erie
Street Cemetery. Only the inscription "Rev. Stephen
I. Bradstreet" can be deciphered at the top of the
modest slab of marble. A son graduated in 1850 from
Western Reserve College and died in California. The
only remaining son, Edward P. Bradstreet, Esq., is
the oldest member of the Cincinnati Bar.
The shortest period of supply in the Stone Church
was thus recorded:
On the second Sabbath of June, 1830, the Rev. John
Sessions commenced his labors, as a minister of the
Gospel in this Church and Congregation, having been
emp'oyed to preach for one year.
54 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
The following is the sequel:
August 2, 1830. After twelve weeks' labor, Rev. John
Sessions was released from the contract formerly made
with him.
The little group of Presbyterians in Cleveland then
welcomed a theological student, when on July 10,
1831, Mr. Samuel Hutchings was employed for one
year. In many records the name has often been
spelled "Hutchins,*' but "Hutchings" was the correct
form. Born in New York City, September 15, 1806,
and prepared at Bloomfield, N. J., for Williams Col-
lege, he was graduated from the latter institution in
1828, and three years later from Princeton Seminary.
The Presbytery of Cleveland was formed in 1830,
and this young man was its first case of ordination,
November 8, 1831, at Elyria, Ohio. In the fall of
1831 the Reverend Samuel Hutchings returned to
New Haven, Conn., to marry Miss Elizabeth Coit
Lathrop, who was a sister of Christopher Lathrop,
one of the earliest deacons of the Stone Church, who
came to Cleveland in 1831. This pioneer deacon had
probably been drawn to the Western Reserve for the
reason that the Reverend Daniel Lathrop, a brother,
had previously settled at Elyria, Ohio, where he was
pastor of the Presbyterian Church. Young Hutch-
ings had evidently offered himself to the American
Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, and
was awaiting appointment to some field, when his
brief missionary service on the Western Reserve was
undertaken, for he was appointed a missionary to
THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS 55
Ceylon, India, December 18, 1832, soon after leaving
Cleveland.
Enthused over new movements, churches often act
as though the schemes devised for advance work had
never before been employed. A Student Volunteer
Movement started at Williamstown, Mass., in 1806,
long before the more modern one. "Surveys" and
"Every Member Canvasses" appear novel methods
of efficiency in churches, yet years ago the Stone
Church parish was divided into districts for the house-
to-house visitation of lay workers.
Presbyterial Ladies' Missionary Societies were con-
sidered new forty years ago, but a Ladies' Missionary
Society was perfected in the Stone Church almost
ninety years ago, when in 1831 a dozen young ladies
formed such an organization. Miss Sarah C. Van
Tyne (also spelled Van Tine) was directress of the
society, and Mrs. Charlotte Hutchings the first secre-
tary. These women went later to foreign fields, the
one as Mrs. Sarah Adams to the Zulus of South
Africa, and the other as the wife of the Reverend
Samuel Hutchings to Ceylon. The late Mrs. Mary
H. Severance served for twenty years, or as long as
her membership continued in the Stone Churchy
as secretary of this Ladies' Missionary Society. Fort-
nightly and then again monthly meetings were held
for forty-two years, before ladies' missionary societies
became the rule in the churches of Cleveland Pres-
bytery.
Toward the close of the year's service rendered by
the Reverend Samuel Hutchings, or September 9,
56 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
1832, the following action was taken on the ever-
recurring problem of church government :
Whereas some of the members of the Church prefer the
Congregational mode of church government and some
the Presbyterian mode, therefore, resolved, that the
Officers of this Church be to all members who prefer the
Congregational mode only as a Standing Committee or
Deacons, and that such members shall be entitled to all
privileges in this Church, which they could enjoy were
there only a Standing Committee or Deacons for its
officers. But all members professing to be governed
by the Presbyterian mode may be governed by Ruling
Elders.
Such a mixture of Presbyterian and Congregational
ecclesiastical practices can be understood only by a
study of the "Plan of Union" to be described.
The subsequent career of the Reverend Samuel
Hutchings, for a year a stated supply of the Stone
Church, is interesting. He and his wife sailed in 1833
for Ceylon, India, where ten years were given to the
revision of the Tamil Bible, and to the compilation
of the Tamil-English Dictionary. On account of ill
health the Reverend Mr. Hutchings returned to the
United States and was released in 1847. He served at
Brookfield, Mass., 1847-1851; was principal of a
female seminary. New Haven, Conn., 1851-1856;
of a similar school at Wilkesbarre, Pa., 1856-1857.
After supply and educational work he removed to
Orange, N. J., where he devoted himself to literary
service until his death, September 1, 1895, at eighty-
nine years of age, having contributed over one
thousand articles to Chambers' Encyclopedia. In addi-
THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS 57
tion almost all the biographical sketches in the
Encyclopedia of Missions were prepared by him.
Williams College in 1888 conferred upon him the
honorary degree of doctor of divinity.
Toward the close of the Hutchings period of supply
in the Old Stone Church, agitation again arose over
the possibility of erecting a permanent church home.
While plans were being matured an effort was made
to secure a suitable leader, and as a result the Rev-
erend John Keep, of Homer, N. Y., came to the Stone
Church December 1, 1833. Before his arrival there
had arisen one more discussion over the mooted
problem of church government, precipitated this
time by the Congregational element, which mustered
an extra showing of strength, according to the follow-
ing minute:
Resolved, that whereas more than twenty of the Male
Members of this Church have pubHcly expressed their
preference for the Congregational mode of Church
Government, and but three their preference for the
Presbyterian mode, and, whereas there have been five
regularly notified meetings of the Church to consider
the subject of change and each one invited to attend and
to give his opinion, Therefore it is Resolved, unanimously,
that this Church will for the future be Congregational
in the mode of government.
Soon after the arrival of the Reverend John Keep,
thirty persons were received by letter into the church,
and five upon confession of their faith. With this
inspiring ingathering, however, the pendulum of
church government swung toward the Presbyterian
polity of sessional control, according to this minute:
58 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Resolved, that the executive business of this church in-
cluding cases of discipHne, the examination of candidates
for admiss on into the church, and their dismission be for
the period of one year from this date committed to
seven brethren.
An additional proviso was adopted in the matter of
discipline giving the liberty of an appeal from the
"Executive Committee," either to the whole church
or to the Presbytery.
It is likewise striking that at the time the congre-
gation resolutely assumed the task of providing a
permanent house of worship, the missionary spirit
which has so signally marked the whole history of the
Stone Church increased. Monthly concerts for the
study of missions and for prayer in their behalf were
inaugurated, and at the close of 1832 an offering of
one hundred dollars, a large sum for benevolence in
those days, was remitted to the American Board of
Commissioners for Foreign Missions, supported alike
by the Congregational and Presbyterian churches.
The construction of the first "Old Stone Church"
was attended by many difficulties, due chiefly to the
scarcity of money. Donations were made of stone,
lumber, and other building materials; some in store
pay, but not until a loan had been secured did the
work hasten to completion. In 1832 Samuel I.
Hamlen, the carpenter-sexton-sermon-reader, was
appointed to oversee the work at two dollars a day.
Dr. David Long was authorized to purchase supplies,
while a committee composed of P. M. Weddell, T. P.
Handy, and A. W. Walworth appealed for funds.
THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS 59
Finally a loan was secured from the Commercial Bank
of Lake Erie. Evidently Dr. David Long, T. P.
Handy, A. W. Walworth, Samuel Cowles, and John
Blair assumed responsibility for the loan, for in 1835
the fire insurance policy of five thousand dollars was
assigned to these members. This debt was not paid
as late as 1841, when Orlando Cutter, F. W. Bingham,
and Dr. David Long were appointed to submit three
plans for payment of debt; permanent sale of the
slips, subject to an annual tax; the creation of a stock
company with five thousand dollars capital, at six
per cent., and the attempt to raise the debt by sub-
scription. The records do not reveal the method
adopted whereby the debt was raised, but the men-
tion of new stock certificates in place of lost ones
intimates that stock was sold. The debt April 3, 1848,
or fourteen years after the dedication of the church
edifice, amounted to three thousand six hundred
dollars, and then arrangements were made for its
payment.
The dedicatory sermon was delivered by the Rev-
erend John Keep on February 26, 1834. The text
was Psalm 5 : 7.
But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multi-
tude of thy mercy; and in thy fear will I worship toward
thy holy temple.
The building site, which cost four hundred dollars,
is the one still occupied on the north side of the Public
Square, at the intersection of Ontario Street. It was
purchased by ten citizens, namely Samuel William-
son, Samuel Cowles, John M. Sterling, Leonard Case
60 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Harmon Kingsbury, Nathan Perry, Peter M. Wed-
dell, Samuel Starkweather, Ashbel W. Walworth, and
Edmund Clark. This remarkable list contains three
names not included among the incorporators, John
M. Sterling, Leonard Case, and Harmon Kingsbury.
John M. Sterling came from Connecticut and became
one of the leading lawyers of Cleveland. He was the
father of Dr. Elisha Sterling, who practiced medicine
and surgery many years in the city of his birth.
Leonard Case was the son of a poor German couple
living in Pennsylvania. They moved in 1800 to
Warren, Ohio, where Leonard at fourteen years of age
was stricken with infantile paralysis which seriously
crippled him. He secured a position in the recorder's
office at Warren, and became very familiar with the
records of the Connecticut Land Company. He then
became cashier of the Commercial Bank of Lake
Erie in Cleveland, studied law and dealt in real
estate the rest of his life. His home was at first a
small frame house, standing upon the present site
of the post office. His children, William and Leonard
Case, Jr., became very prominent and influential men
in the community.
Harmon Kingsbury, one of the donors of the church
site, served as a trustee of Western Reserve College
from 1824 to 1844, and was described as a resident of
Lorain County, but in the later forties Cleveland
directories gave him as a resident living on Prospect
Street, and his occupation that of a farmer.
The site upon which the Stone Church stands was
sold by Joel Scranton to Samuel Cowles, provided
THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS 61
that within three years the latter sold the property
to the First Presbyterian Society at the price of four
hundred dollars, for the purpose of the erection of a
meeting-house thereon. The four hundred dollars was
contributed as follows: Samuel Williamson, Samuel
Cowles, Leonard Case, Peter M. Weddell, Nathan
Perry, and Harmon Kingsbury each gave fifty dollars;
while twenty-five dollars each was contributed by
John M. Sterling, Samuel Starkweather, A. W. Wal-
worth, and Edmund Clark. No deed was ever found
conveying this property from Samuel Cowles to the
Stone Church. So great was the confidence placed
in this early judge, the first president of the Church
Society, that the land stood in his name for many
years after his death. Not long before he died Judge
Samuel E. Williamson gave his opinion that the pres-
ent owners have a clear title to it. Written releases
had been obtained from all the heirs of the ten
donors, with the exception of two whose heirs could
not be found.
For primitive times the edifice dedicated was con-
sidered fine, substantially constructed of gray sand-
stone, rough hammered. It was fifty-five by eighty
feet, finished in the Tuscan order of architecture, with
bell section and dome. The front was divided with
pilasters composed of cut stone, with a flight of spa-
cious steps leading to the main entrance. The
entablature was plain, yet tasteful and commanding.
The interior was finished on the first floor with
eighty-four pews, and a full gallery suspended from
the ceiling by iron rods. The ceiling was elliptical
62 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
and the finish plain. The total cost of the edifice was
nine thousand five hundred dollars. In the afternoon
of the day of dedication the ''slips" were rented for
one year, assuring an income of two thousand dollars,
out of which the incidental expenses and salary of
the pastor were to be paid first, and then the surplus
applied to the payment of the debt.
Until the dedication of this first edifice the service
of song had been confined mainly to the use of Watts'
hymns. In 1827 Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Rouse came
to Cleveland from New York City. They were Bap-
tists, but as agent of the American Sunday School
Union, Mr. Rouse at first became a strong supporter
of the work in the Stone Church. Later he organized
Trinity Sunday School in 1830, and the First Bap-
tist and First Methodist Episcopal Sunday Schools
in 1833. He was a fine singer, and brought to the
religious life of Cleveland a needed inspiration in all
musical services.
This Sunday School missionary of musical ability
became in course of time Deacon Rouse of the First
Baptist Church, a citizen of considerable influence
in the growing community. The story has been told
that this good deacon began to construct in 1858 a
family vault in Erie Street Cemetery. The work did
not progress as he desired to see it advance, and not
feeling well he exclaimed one day to the workmen,
"I shall be dead before this vault is done." He then
began to visit the cemetery every working day and
was finally tempted to join the workmen in labor.
The exercise gained through the daily walk and
THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS 63
manual toil brought immediate improvement in
health, and in his case thirteen years passed before
the vault was needed.
Not only the coming to Cleveland of Deacon
Benjamin Rouse, but also the arrival of Mr. Truman
P. Handy in vigorous manhood, gave fresh impetus
to the musical part of public worship. Mr. and Mrs.
T. P. Handy became great favorites in musical
circles within and without the church. Anthems
having been introduced into church worship, at the
time of the dedication of the first Stone Church edifice,
one was rendered with special effect. With Mr. Tuttle
as choir master, Mr. and Mrs. T. P. Handy and a
full choir of voices occupied the singers' seats, while
Mrs. Tuttle sat in the audience a couple of pews from
the pulpit. The audience had been accustomed to
face the gallery during the singing. From the choir
there came the anthem, "Lift up your heads, O ye
gates, and be ye lifted up ye everlasting doors, and
the King of Glory shall come in." In response to this
volume of music from the gallery there arose a sweet
voice from the front of the audience, "Who is this
King of Glory.'"' and the choir made answer, "The
Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle."
Thus the transition from the more simple praise
of Watts' hymns was safely made in the Stone
Church at the dedication of its first home. The
minister and official boards wisely followed the
natural vantage of the dedicatory occasion with a
series of protracted meetings. These special services
continued nineteen days and were well attended, and
64 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
as a result the membership was greatly strengthened.
Among those who united with the church at the time
of this marked influx was Mr. John A. Foot, a mem-
ber of a distinguished Connecticut family, his father
having been governor and United States senator.
The famous Admiral Foot of Civil War times was a
brother. Having graduated from Yale College, Mr.
John A. Foot practiced law seven years before coming
to Cleveland in 1833. He formed at once a partner-
ship with Judge Sherlock J. Andrews. His life was
characterized by a wonderful fidelity to every interest
of the Stone Church, in which he served as ruling
elder forty-six years, a term extending through the
pastorates of Drs. Aiken and Goodrich, and through
a goodly portion of Dr. Haydn's service, including
the pastorate of Dr. Arthur Mitchell. He died
June 16, 1891. His sainted wife, formerly Mrs. A. D.
Cutter who died a year later, was also a remarkable
worker in the church.
Prominent among the earliest families were those of
Orlando and Abilene Cutter, brothers who came to
the Reserve as early as 1818. They were merchants
of prominence. The second wife of Orlando Cutter
was the daughter of Richard Hilliard, the pioneer
merchant; while the widow of Abilene Cutter became
in later life Mrs. John A. Foot. Members of the
Cutter families were for many years prominent
workers in various Cleveland Presbyterian churches.
It was at this period of early church building and
of preparation for the calling of the first installed
pastor, that Judge Sherlock J. Andrews commenced
Thh Oric.ixal Old Stoxe Church
THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS 67
his long helpful connection with the Stone Church.
He had come from Wallington, Conn., in 1825, and
although only twenty-five years of age he had grad-
uated from Union College and had completed his
legal studies. He maintained a pew in Trinity as well
as in the Stone Church, having been reared in the
Protestant Episcopal faith, but his greater religious
activity was in the Stone Church, of which Mrs. An-
drews was a devoted member. They first resided on
Water Street near the old lighthouse, and then they
moved two doors west of the Stone Church on the
Public Square. As a member of the bar, a congress-
man and a judge on the bench he attained a high
reputation; while his influence in the Stone Church
continued to the close of life. He served a number of
years as president of the Board of Trustees and was
a warm supporter of Drs. Aiken, Goodrich and Haydn.
His daughter Ursula Andrews married Mr. Gamaliel
E. Herrick, who for many years was also a worthy
oflicial of the Stone Church. Mrs. Elisha Whittlesey
of New York City is the only surviving child of Judge
Andrews, but two grandchildren, Mr. Frank R. Her-
rick and Miss Ursula Herrick, are now members of
the Stone Church, while the late Mrs. Andrew B.
Meldrum was also a granddaughter.
It may be instructive, as well as interesting, to see
the Village of Cleveland, at the time of the erection
of the primitive edifice of the First Presbyterian
Church, as the incipient city was viewed by a North
Ireland emigrant who came to the Western Reserve
about 1832. He resided in Cleveland until after 1834,
68 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
and then removed to Newburgh, where for many
years he was a member of the Miles Park Presby-
terian Church. The greater part of his farm is now
occupied by Harvard Grove Cemetery.
This Mr. Isaac Reid left a ledger in which not only
various financial accounts are to be found, but also
copies of letters which he sent to friends in Ireland.
A few extracts are given:
We are now on the high and sandy banks of Lake Erie.
Fifteen years ago this village had a few shanties, and
not far away were Indians. Land prices around the
border of this town are so high as to sell at 320 per
acre, and within four miles of the village you pay from 38 to
316 per acre, according to improvements. Beef is three
and four cents a pound; potatoes two shillings a bushel;
butter one shilling; tea and coffee the same as at home.
We have rented a house and a good sized lot [River
Street] for 365 a year. This is a fine place for young
men and women. Young men get from 310 to 315 a
month and board. Young women from 34 to 36 a
month and they live better than the best farmers'
daughters in Claughen. They are not treated like
servants here. This is a country far preferable to
Ireland. I went to work for Mr. Andrews at 320 per
month in his engine-shop. He is a fine man, a deacon
in the Presbyterian Church. South of here lies the
canal, three hundred miles to Portsmouth. There is
great business on this canal, the boats passing and re-
passing like the stages with you on the Dublin Road.
A multitude of schooners come in every day, and from
here the goods go to the Ohio River, a great place of
business, and beautiful I am told. There are upwards
of three hundred steamboats on this river, and they
trade from Pittsburgh to New Orleans, and from there
to all places of the world. There are twelve steamboats
THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS 69
on Lake Erie, and we have from two to four a day.
The Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists and The Church
[Episcopal] are here, and every one has its own bell.
There is also a Bethel Church. This last summer the
Presbyterians built a new church and it is twelve days
since the first sermon was preached in it, and during
that time there have been twenty-four sermons, besides
two to three prayer-meetings and lectures every day.
It is not for money the preachers preach here. All they
want is a living. I have attended these meetings, as
often as convenient, and during that time there has been
more good done the sinner than I ever saw in all my life.
There is a sect of people here called Baptists. They go
into the water and a few days ago they baptized four
and there was a great crowd of spectators. December
8th they baptized four men and two women. After the
sermon the minister and the whole congregation went
down to the lake. The minister went four feet into the
water and dipped them right under. This we think
strange to see. This country differs far from home.
The statement made by Isaac Reid, in enumerating
the early churches of Cleveland, that each had its
own bell, suggests a peculiar task imposed by law
upon the sextons of those times. The village ordi-
nance ran:
The sextons of the several churches which are now, or
may hereafter be furnished with bells, shall, immediately
on the alarm of fire, repair to their several churches with
which they are connected, and diligently ring the bells
of said churches, during twenty minutes, and in such
manner as directed by the chief engineer, unless the
fire be sooner extinguished, with penalty of 32 for every
omission.
In case of a prolonged conflagration there must have
been strong temptation on the part of sextons to
70 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
choose the fines, in preference to the physical exer-
cise, but in all probability the village youth flocked
to the churches to take turns at the bell-ropes.
During the year of dedication of its first church
home, the Stone Church congregation was challenged
to adopt a permanent attitude, not only toward the
manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors, but also
against the use of "ardent spirits," as a beverage.
The challenge came in a manner thus described:
E. F. G. appeared before the executive committee and
gave his reasons for vending ardent spirits, having pre-
sented a letter for admission to the church. Question,
Shall a person who vends ardent spirits be received as a
member of this church? Unanimously the opinion of the
committee was that E. F. G. should not be received as a
member, as long as he vends ardent spirits.
The executive committee's action reported to the
congregation received this ratification:
Resolved, that in the opinion of this church, with the
light now shed upon the subject, the use of ardent spirits
as a drink, or the making and trafficking in the article,
except as a medicine, is an immorality. Resolved, that
henceforth candidates for membership in this church
and persons received by letter from other churches be
required, as a condition for reception, to abstain them-
selves from the use of ardent spirits, as a drink; not to
furnish it to those in their employment, nor to vend or
make the article, nor in any way, except as a medicine,
or for chemical purposes to encourage the use of it.
Such a position, taken eighty-six years ago, did not
leave the outside world in doubt regarding the atti-
tude of the Stone Church in reference to the manu-
facture, sale, or use of ardent spirits.
THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS 71
Seldom do the official minutes of a church record
weddings, but one held in the Stone Church Sunday
evening, November 2, 1834, was of such importance
that the secretary of the society made this minute:
N.B. Sarah Van Tine a member of this Church was
married in the Church on Sabbath evening November 2,
1834, to Dr. Newton Adams, preparatory to their going
on a Mission to the Zoolahs of South Africa. The outfit
contributed by the Church and Congregation amounted
in Value to upwards of Four Hundred Dollars.
Miss Sarah Van Tyne (also spelled Van Tine) was
born April 2, 1800, at Auburn, N. Y. At fourteen
years of age her mother's death placed the care of her
father's family upon her. After having taught in
Auburn and Oswego, N. Y., she came in 1831 to
reside with a brother in Cleveland. Asiatic cholera
raged at the time, and this young lady was among
the few who nursed victims fearlessly. The Bethel
Sunday School enlisted her interest, and there she
became the teacher of poor children, as no public
school for their educaton existed. The work became,
however, the first school to be supported by public
funds.
Dr. Newton Adams came to Cleveland in 1834 to
study medicine, preparatory to his going as a medical
missionary to the Zulu tribes of South Africa. Having
become prominent in the Young Ladies' Missionary
Society of the Stone Church, Miss Van Tyne came
into intimate association with Mrs. Samuel Hutch-
ings, who, with her husband was anticipating mission-
ary service in Ceylon. After Dr. Adams left Cleve-
72 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
land and had received his appointment under the
American Board, he proposed to Miss Van Tyne that
she join him as his wife in the foreign work. The
Reverend John Keep, concluding that the wedding
might increase popular interest in foreign missions,
announced the Sunday evening event which was
largely attended.
The Zulus were a superior class among the African
tribes, and the young missionaries had become in-
terested in Africa by reason of the growing anti-
slavery sentiment in this country. Dr. Adams, physi-
cally the stronger of the two workers, died in 1851
after seventeen years of service; whereas the wife
labored three years longer, when ill health forced a
return to this country. The closing years of her con-
secrated life were spent in four different Cleveland
families, in each of which she proved a blessing. At
seventy years of age she passed away, November 1,
1870, in the home of her friend of many years, the
late Mrs. Mary H. Severance.
This missionary left a legacy of one thousand
dollars, the first gift toward the founding of the
Woodland Avenue Presbyterian Church, in which
there is a memorial window, the gift of the "Sarah
Adams Band." She was buried in Woodland Ceme-
tery.
In more recent years one of the missionary homes
at Wooster, Ohio, the gift of the late Elder Louis H.
Severance, was named in honor of this friend of his
mother.
During the ministrations of the Reverend John
THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS 73
Keep the first colony departed to help form another
church. Nineteen members were granted letters
December 17, 1834, to the "Brooklyn Church," not
the Archwood Congregational Church, originally
known as the Brooklyn Church, but a new religious
enterprise across the Cuyahoga River on Detroit
Street. It became popularly known as the "Village
Church," in Ohio City, and was the beginning of
the present First Congregational Church of Cleve-
land.
After his service in the Stone Church, the Rev-
erend John Keep became pastor of this village church
west of the river. During his leadership in the Stone
Church one hundred twenty-one members were
added, increasing the roll to two hundred fifteen per-
sons. During the year thirty-seven had been dis-
missed; one had died and one had been excommuni-
cated, leaving a total membership of one hundred
seventy-six, with an average attendance of four hun-
dred upon divine worship.
The last of the "six stated supplies," who prepared
the way in the Stone Church for the calling of
the first installed pastor, was no ordinary home
missionary. The Reverend John Keep was the
seventh child of a farmer in Longmeadow, Mass.,
where he was born April 20, 1781. After graduation
from Yale College he taught, and then studied the-
ology with the Reverend Azel Backus and the Rev-
erend Asahel Hooker. Before ordination he had been
invited to Blandford, Mass., where a church was
divided into warring factions. There he was ordained
74 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
and installed in a pastorate which continued sixteen
years. In May, 1821, two calls were considered, one
to the Congregational Church at Homer, N. Y.; the
other to Brunswick, Maine, where the congregation
included the faculty and students of Bowdoin College,
and where he would have had to teach moral philos-
ophy. The call to Homer, N. Y., to a church of four
hundred members, was accepted. Dissatisfaction
finally arose over a case of discipline, and in 1833 the
pastor's sympathy with the "new measures" adopted
by revivalists added more oil to the flames. He was
a trustee of Hamilton College from 1827 to 1834,
and of Auburn Seminary from 1832 to 1834. Although
during his Homer, N. Y., pastorate five hundred
forty-two members had been received, he accepted
the call to the First Presbyterian Church of Cleve-
land. One of the earlier stated supplies of the Stone
Church, the Reverend Stephen I. Bradstreet, had
taken an important part in the founding of Western
Reserve College at Hudson, Ohio.
The Reverend John Keep, a later supply, became
prominent in the establishment of Oberlin College.
Elected a trustee of that institution in 1834, he was
also president of the board of trustees. Although but
fifty-three years of age, he began to be called "Father
Keep," by which title he was endeared to Oberlin.
Having long been opposed to slavery his vote was
the one that decided the admission of colored stu-
dents to the college classes.
With the abolition of slavery the formal admission
of negroes to classes at Oberlin brought considerable
THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS 75
fame to the college, but without such a formal vote
of admission, many northern colleges were at the
time educating negroes. One had graduated in the
first class at Western Reserve College, while others
were in the preparatory department. A negro had
graduated in the first class at Lane Theological Semi-
nary, from which there was a sensational exodus of
students to Oberlin; still the admission by a majority
of one gained the greater renown.
In 1836 the financial agency of the college was
accepted by Father Keep, but that work was inter-
rupted by the panic of 1837, and for two years the
supply of churches was resumed. In company with
another Oberlin official he went in 1839 to England
to secure funds, and after eighteen months abroad
they brought back ^30,000, which saved Oberlin
College from impending bankruptcy. Preaching in
Ohio and New York State was then resumed for a
decade, when in 1850 Oberlin became his permanent
home.
Again acting as financial agent of the college, ninety
thousand dollars was raised by the sale of scholar-
ships, a financial assistance in its time of immense
importance. He published many sermons and ad-
dresses, and after a lifetime of uninterrupted good
health he died of "old age" February 11, 1870, in
his eighty-ninth year.
May this resume of the first fifteen years of the
history of the Stone Church enhance in the estima-
tion of the present generation the value of the con-
secrated labors of the "six stated supplies" who
76 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
wrought in the day of small things. The basic work
of the ministers who supplied from 1820 to 1835, like
the foundation of an imposing edifice, has been in
danger of remaining buried out of sight, but the
toils of those first fifteen years by no means consti-
tuted the least important period in the one hundred
years' existence of the First Presbyterian Church of
Cleveland.
III. CHURCH DISCIPLINE
Has the exercise of church discipline become a lost
art, and have all lines of demarcation between the
Christian and the worldling disappeared? Often are
these queries raised by those who complain that there
is no longer any difference between members of the
Christian Church and those without her pale.
Judicial process against those suspected of having
dishonored their religious profession was certainly
not a lost art in the greater part of the nineteenth
century, and many were the social practices, now
commonly tolerated, which were then considered in-
fallible proofs of a return to the "beggarly elements
of the world." The mastery of ecclesiastical law
governing the trials of recreant believers became
almost a profession, and denominational organiza-
tions contained ministers, elders and deacons, pecu-
liarly adept either as prosecutors of the accused, or as
counsels for their defence.
At stated meetings of a Presbytery the appoint-
ment of a "Judicial Committee" is still customary,
but frequently years pass without the presentation
of any business for this committee's action. Such
terms as "citations," "pleas," "witnesses," "hearing
of parties," "deliberation and judgment," "sen-
tence," "appeal," and "transmission of records" form
an unknown tongue in present day ecclesiastical
78 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
gatherings. In the older sessional records, however,
hundreds of pages were devoted to the permanent
recording of minute testimony, given at the trials of
those accused of having dishonored their Christian
profession.
The Scriptural basis of the earlier practice of disci-
pline was found in the eighteenth chapter of St.
Matthew's gospel.
Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go
and tell him his fault between thee and him alone; if he
shall hear thee thou hast gained thy brother, but if he
will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more,
that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word
may be established, and if he shall neglect to hear thee,
tell it unto the church; but if he neglect to hear the church,
let him be unto thee as a heathen and a publican.
This injunction became of weighty importance in
the estimation of the early churches of the Western
Reserve. The true end of discipline should ever be
remedial, as well as vindicatory, and there was in the
pioneer churches the warning that it ought ever to
be exercised with discretion. The practice, however,
tended to an extreme which often divided congrega-
tions, disrupted pastorates and engendered bitter
feelings between those always ready to array them-
selves either upon one side or the other of a con-
troversy.
The evil results of disciplinary efforts often con-
tinued for years before they were completely eradi-
cated. Thus in the instance of as successful a minister
as the Reverend John Keep, it was recorded that at
Homer, N. Y., "dissatisfaction began to arise in the
CHURCH DISCIPLINE 79
church in 1828 in consequence of a case of discipHne."
This does not imply that he had been needlessly in-
discreet in administrative matters, but it does signify
that whatever the case may have been the pressing
of it brought a division in the congregation.
The First Presbyterian Church of Cleveland took
congregational action May 24, 1823, regarding the
employment of church discipline. The following was
adopted (P. B. Andrews dissenting) :
Resolved, that each member of this church be required,
and is hereby required, when anything is seen or heard
of unseemly or improper conduct of any member, first
to mention it to that member, that the peace of the
church be promoted.
Almost every villager knew the good and evil quali-
ties of his fellow citizens, especially the general weak-
nesses of human nature; consequently in the Cleve-
land congregation, as well as in all the Western
Reserve churches, abundant opportunity arose for
the exercise of religious discipline.
In the early minutes of Cleveland Presbytery an
appeal was taken by a church member, suspended for
having sold milk on Sunday. His village had reached
that point of development where every family could
no longer keep a cow; hence the increasing depend-
ence upon neighbors for a daily supply of the lacteal
necessity. The sale of milk on the Sabbath, however,
gave offence to good Christians accustomed to a strict
observance of the Lord's day. Having been sus-
pended by the session of his church, the aggrieved
member appealed to Presbytery. After having
80 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
wrestled for some time with the vexed problem, the
higher ecclesiastical court ordered restoration of the
complainant to church membership, but with the
sage admonition" that he sell as little as possible on
the first day of the week.
A member of a church near Akron, Ohio, was disci-
plined for having yielded to profanity at a barn-
raising. If the timber had lurched too much toward
his post of duty the sin may have been largely of an
unconscious, ejaculatory nature, but the guilty mem-
ber did not escape official rebuke.
The professing Christian who had apparently pre-
sented a Bible to a young lady, and then later having
asked her in vain for payment had dunned her par-
ents, ought to have been condemned for the employ-
ment of such tricks, in prosecuting a book agent's
calling.
The church member who admonished the patient
of Dr. T. that it would be better for him to employ a
rival physician, at the same time guaranteeing a
cure, if the advice were followed, was righteously
condemned for professional meddling.
No members of a village were ever held to a higher
degree of scrupulous honesty in business transactions
than were the pioneer ministers and missionaries,
and that when they received "bare-bones" support.
Congregations, then as now, contained members like
the one who prayed, "O Lord, keep our minister very
humble in spirit, we can keep him poor." How so
many well-educated home missionaries with large
families ever kept the wolf from the door, and
CHURCH DISCIPLINE 81
escaped bankruptcy or prison for debt, is a mystery
to the student of pioneer times. Woe to the mission-
ary who was tempted to "swap" anything, especially
horses. He may have acted only as laymen did in
such transactions, but the farmer who "swapped"
horses with a preacher and then concluded that he
had received the worst of the bargain, was certain to
charge the dominie with crookedness.
Members of the Stone Church had no sooner deter-
mined to exercise mutual oversight, and if necessary
discipline by trial, than the clerk of the society fur-
nished the first case for judicial process. Having
scented impending charges, this official resigned be-
fore they could be preferred. The allegations were
that
In the store of Weddell and Clark he had publicly used
harsh expressions toward Abraham Hickcox; that fur-
thermore he had taken Abraham by the collar of his
coat, apparently with the determination to fight, when
he had been prevented by the intervention of those
standing near; that such conduct was a disgrace to a
professor of Christianity, and injurious to the cause of
Christ in the place.
In this first case of discipline the accused failed to
appear before the church tribunal until after the re-
ceipt of a second citation, and then he declined to
plead guilty on the ground that he had been actuated
by righteous indignation. Suspension came, however,
until the offensive conduct had been viewed in
another light.
When one discovers the identity of "Abraham
Hickcox" whose coat collar was roughly seized by
82 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
the clerk of the Presbyterian Church Society, there
is wonder that the aggressor did not receive the
whipping. The shorter name of one of Cleveland's
early characters was **Abram Hickox," the village
blacksmith whose first smithy was on Superior Street,
west of the site of the Rockefeller Building. Later a
shop stood on the south side of Euclid Avenue east
of the May Company's site, at the corner of what
was known as Hickox Street, where the Ames Com-
pany is now located. A sign over the door announced
*'Uncle Abram works here." This was followed by
the print of a horseshoe, doubtless burned into the
wood for good luck. After a protracted illness the
sign was changed to read : "Uncle Abram still works
here." A man of strong will, he was generally
granted his own way. As village sexton he conducted
burials in the first cemetery at the corner of Ontario
and Prospect Streets, but his greatest pride centered
in his service to Trinity Church, of which he had
become sexton from the time of organization.
One Christmas season when the Presbyterians used
the schoolhouse Sunday morning and afternoon, and
the Episcopalians in the evening, this blacksmith-
sexton rather bruskly warned the Reverend Stephen
I. Bradstreet not to preach in the afternoon one of
his long-winded sermons, as extra time was needed
to decorate for the Episcopal service in the evening.
When in addition to these facts relating to the unique
career of Abram Hickox, one recalls Longfellow's
"Village Blacksmith:"
CHURCH DISCIPLINE 83
The smith, a mighty man is he
With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.
it seems as though the first clerk of the Presbyterian
Society had manifested considerable courage when
he seized Abram Hickox by the coat collar.
A more serious case of discipHne was that of a
member who had made dies of silver half-dollars for
Painesville parties who paid two hundred dollars for
them. The counterfeiters were soon arrested and the
maker of the dies became known. The civil authori-
ties took no action against him, but his church did.
The wrong-doer confessed that he had been led by
fallacious trains of reasoning; that in business he had
never asked for what purpose anything he made was
to be used; that if he did not accept the job some one
else would, and that his family needed the money.
Having admitted his error in every line of reasoning,
he was ordered to reduce his confession to writing
and then read it to the congregation.
Commercial transactions on the Sabbath became
frequent occasions for trials. One member, the pro-
prietor of a store patronized by lake and river boat-
men, was accused of having sold meat on Sunday.
Suspension followed until it was reported that he
"had made arrangements whereby he would not have
to break the Sabbath any longer." Whether or not
this implied that a partnership had been effected the
records do not make plain, but since then many
stockholders have found refuge under a corporate
84 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
covering, from a pursuing sense of personal respon-
sibility.
Sunday travel became a vexing problem, as facilities
for journeying on land and water increased, and a
serious offence in the estimation of the churches. An
Ohio clergyman en route to a General Assembly meet-
ing remained in a coach that ran Sunday. Having
returned home, he received a severe reprimand for
having broken the Sabbath, instead of commenda-
tion for fidelity according to the formal custom of
Presbyteries.
One of the most unique cases of early discipline in
the early days of the Stone Church was that of a
young servant-girl, the specifications against whom
were:
1st. She states that the Hair Comb in her possession
and procured from C. C. Carlton & Co., has not been
paid for, whereas Mr. Carlton and his clerk say that she
paid for the Comb the evening of the day that she took
it, thus uttering what is believed to be a falsehood.
2nd. The account she gives of the purchase of a Cape
from Mrs. Findleson and Mrs. F.'s own account of it
leaves ground to believe that she does not tell the truth
respecting the transaction; Sarah says that she gave a
dollar for it; Mrs. F. saying that she gave five dollars,
and Sarah also declining to take the Cape as her prop-
erty, although Mrs. F. cjonsiders the Cape as Sarah's.
3rd. She has expended money for articles of dress
over and above what she can account for, thereby leav-
ing the suspicion that she has obtained sums of money
fraudulently, having stated before witnesses, that the
whole amount of her receipts, since she has been with Mrs.
Whitaker, is 326., whereas the articles which she is
CHURCH DISCIPLINE 85
known to have purchased exceed this sum by eight or
nine dollars.
The case was that of a domestic living beyond her
known income. The full explanation came when it
was discovered that, having found a sum of money
on River Street, the girl had proceeded to spend it,
without having sought to find the loser.
Strange to relate the first case of doctrinal disci-
pline was that of a woman. In 1835 Alfreda Clisbe,
or Clisby, whether Mrs. or Miss, the record does not
show, hurled a bomb into the camp of the *'Male
Members" by demanding a letter of dismission on
the ground that she could "no longer walk with this
church." The "Male Members" rallied from the
shock of this heretical announcement, and proceeded
at once through a legally appointed committee to
demand from Alfreda why she could no longer walk
in their company.? The committee of investigation
soon discovered that the lady offender had become
tainted with the prevailing "perfectionism" and
"unionism." To the investigating committee she
boldly declared that
She could and did live without sin; that the ordinances
of baptism and the Lord's Supper so-called, and the
order of ministers and churches, as they existed in the
various denominations, had been done away; that the
Bible was to be a guide no farther than the Holy Spirit
revealed and explained Its contents to the individual,
and that which the Spirit taught was to be followed,
even though it led contrary to what was In the Bible.
When the committee of the session reported this
defiant repudiation of orthodox faith, the church
86 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
fathers *' Resolved, that Alfreda CHsbe be kindly ad-
monished of her error." After the first citation given
according to the book of discipHne had been ignored
by the heretic, a second was delivered, "agreeably to
the direction of the gospel." The perseverance of the
"Male Members" finally gained a signal victory.
Alfreda Clisbe came into their judicial presence with
the following confession :
Having been brought to the discovery of the errors
which I had acknowledged as the truth of God, in oppo-
sition to the established doctrine of the different churches,
I have by the Grace of God been enabled to renounce
and forsake them, therefore I feel in duty bound to signify
the same to your committee, and as I sincerely repent
for what I have said against the acknowledged Church
of Christ and hope to be forgiven, I ask your pardon
and also beg an interest in your prayers, that I may
henceforth by watchfulness and prayer be able to walk
in the straight and narrow path that leads from Earth
to Heaven.
Then the penitent confessor added that
Wishing to belong to a Church of Christ, and not feeling
at home in the Presbyterian Church, I should feel very
thankful to you and the committee, if you would give
me a letter to membership in the Methodist Church,
as the doctrines and manner of worship in that Church
are more agreeable to my views of the Scripture than
any other.
Having rescued the misguided communicant from a
medley of theological heresies, and having restored
her to the Calvinistic fold of the Presbyterian Church,
the brethren of that body readily commended her to
the Armenian fellowship of the Methodist Church.
CHURCH DISCIPLINE 87
Thus ended what may have been the first doctrinal
trial on the Western Reserve, and from that time
until the present the Presbyterian churches of
northern Ohio have been singularly free from heresy
prosecutions.
The increasing tendency of church members to
participate in "worldly amusements" early challenged
disciplinary correction or expulsion. Announcement
was made in 1837 in a Cleveland daily paper that
"The Theater" had opened with "new scenery, deco-
rations, and a new and splendid drop-curtain, not
surpassed by any other in the Union." Another
building for theatrical performances was under con-
struction, three hundred feet long, seventy feet wide,
and costing twenty-five thousand dollars. When com-
pleted it "would rank with the principal public
buildings in Western America." Theaters, balls, co-
tillion parties, whether public or private, were all
placed under ban by the churches. Participation in
such frivolities constituted certain proof of a "return
to the world," and a distinct breach of the church
covenant. At one meeting of the "executive com-
mittee" governing the Stone Church four sub-
committees were appointed, each consisting of two
deacons or elders, to visit and to remonstrate with
members regarding their attendance upon "parties
of vain amusements, dancing, etc."
When the fact is borne in mind that the great
Methodist Episcopal Church still wrestles with the
problem of revising its book of discipline, in which
card-playing, dancing and theater-attendance are
88 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
placed under ban, one can more readily realize to
what extent the question of popular amusements has
plagued the Christian churches.
Facilities for travel having increased, there arose
an agitation over the propriety of owning stock in
transportation companies operating on Sundays. The
session of the Stone Church in 1836 took this stand:
Resolved, that in view of the great increase of Railroads,
Canals and other objects of internal improvements we
deem it a duty, both as Citizens and Christians, to lend
them our means and influence, believing as we do that
they are sources of great moral benefit or evil to our land;
and that while we regard such objects as worthy of our
attention, we deem it a paramount duty, recognizing
the principles of the Fourth Commandment as obliga-
tory, to decline taking stocks in such railroads, canals,
and business associations, unless they respect the Sab-
bath, by making it a day of sacred rest.
There is no record of disciplinary measures ever
having been taken in respect to this matter, but it is
known that leading members of the Stone Church,
such as the late Elder Reuben F. Smith, for many
years president of the Cleveland and Pittsburgh
Railroad, did all in their power, throughout their
official connection with transportation systems, to
lessen Sunday labor.
While churches have discontinued the strict disci-
pline of earlier years, there ought to be brotherly
watch and care exercised on the part of officers and
members over those in danger of drifting from
Christian fellowship. The fathers were faithful in
seeking to restore to stated worship and to the
CHURCH DISCIPLINE 89
observance of the Lord's Supper those growing luke-
warm and careless. This was especially necessary
after the large ingatherings at revival seasons, which
on the whole strengthened the early churches, not-
withstanding the many eccentric and superficial
methods employed. It was to have been expected
that some fitfully and emotionally moved would
lapse in the course of time from their confession.
The "absentee roll," now printed on the blanks
furnished annually for the compilation of church
statistics, has become the repository of many abortive
memberships that years ago would have been deemed
worthy of disciplinary trials. Better is it for the
peace of the congregations and for the wholesome
results of Christian fellowship, that the rigid disci-
pline exercised by the fathers should have given place
to the ''absentee roll," where there is either the per-
manent decay of the unfaithful confession of Christ,
or, as is frequently the case, its ultimate resurrection
to life again.
Let not the reader imagine, however, that the re-
ligion of the disciplinary years was based wholly
upon negative precepts instead of upon positive
principles. The first Stone Church manual, pub-
lished in 1842, contained the confession of faith and
covenant, both occupying only one-half the space
required for the printing of "Hints relating to general
duties." These with few exceptions could profitably
be readopted today by churches. The "hints" re-
lated not only to Bible reading, daily secret and
family prayer, church attendance, and general duties
90 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
relating to public worship, but also to duties such as
punctuality in all business engagements, temperance
in eating and drinking, cleanliness in person and
dress, economy in living expenses, love for the pastor
and defence of his reputation, love for the brethren,
speaking ill of none, slowness in giving and in taking
offence, visitation of the sick and poor, the religious
education of children, avoidance of tattling and the
spirit of bigotry toward other denominations, espe-
cially underhanded proselytism, the duty of uniting
with another church when there has been change of
residence, as well as that of uniting with the church
in the community to which a Christian may have
come. Such were some of the very positive obliga-
tions resting upon the earlier generation of Stone
Church members who may at the same time have
been prone to an extreme in church discipline; still
modern churches have not surpassed pioneer congre-
gations in codifying positive rules for the guidance
of daily life and conduct.
In his sermon, "Then and now - a Contrast," de-
livered at the time of the Seventy-fifth Anniversary
Celebration, Dr. Haydn most cogently gave this
analysis of the early church discipline:
Was it worth while.'' Of course it was. It is always worth
while to be true to one's convictions. In this they are
to be honored. They drew the line of distinction between
the spirit of the kingdom of Christ, as represented by
the Church, and the spirit of the world. They drew it
where they thought it ought to be. The modern church
draws it differently. We may think that they were
narrow and bigoted, but they were not. They simply
CHURCH DISCIPLINE 91
sought to be true to their light and to the spirit of their
times, and it has never been proven that any of these
things ever made Christ's people better, or saints more
heavenly. But people cannot be made pious by rules
and resolutions and discipline. The era of the individual
conscience is here, and men must be approached on the
side of reason and conscience. All in all, without any
definition of spirituality in sight, I do not believe the
church of 1895 less spiritual than that of 1820; and its
sympathies are far broader, religion is more a life, and
having to do with all days, with business and pleasure
and all things else. That was a day of creed-confession
at the door of the entrance to membership and com-
munion. Now confession of faith in Christ and purpose to
live by and for Him, opens all doors to church privileges,
and this is well, for it is apostolic. I honor the Church
of 1820, and 1835 and 1850 for what it was and did, and
for the witness it bore, and the many noble men and
women in it, but it was not all wheat. There were tares
then as now. The records make these things manifest.
Say not that the former days were better than these.
Honor all days for the good that is in them, but take
care of thine own and the record thou thyself art making.
IV. THE PLAN OF UNION
1801-1837
The history of Old Stone Church, and of all the
Presbyterian and Congregational churches upon the
Western Reserve, can be understood only in the light
of the Plan of Union, a compact into which the
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church and
the Congregational Association of Connecticut entered
in 1801, and under whose unique provisions the two
denominations continued to cooperate for thirty-six
years. This novel type of church polity was created
soon after the coming to northern Ohio of the first
two home missionaries, the Reverend William Wick
and the Reverend Joseph Badger.
The former was the first minister to be installed
pastor upon the Western Reserve. Born at South-
ampton, N. Y., in 1786, his parents first moved to
New York City and then to Pennsylvania, where the
son graduated from Jefi^erson College. In 1799 he
was licensed and delivered his first sermon at Youngs-
town, Ohio, where in 1800 he was ordained and in-
stalled over the Youngstown and Hopewell Churches
of the Hartford Presbytery.
The Reverend William Wick at first received Pres-
byterian aid, but later accepted an appointment
under the Connecticut Missionary Society, although
he continued to serve the Presbyterian Church at
94 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Youngstown, Ohio, until March 28, 1815, when he
passed away at the age of forty-eight.
The Reverend Joseph Badger graduated from Yale
College in 1785, after three years' service in the
Revolutionary War. He became pastor of the Con-
gregational Church at Blanford, Mass., and then
accepted an appointment as missionary to the West-
ern Reserve under the Connecticut Missionary
Society. Having left his family in the east he traveled
westward on horseback, by the way of Pittsburgh,
and reached Youngstown the last Sunday in 1800.
There he was heartily welcomed by the Reverend
William Wick, and in the Youngstown Presbyterian
Church the Reverend Joseph Badger delivered his
first missionary sermon. As an itinerant minister he
visited almost every settlement on the Reserve, in-
cluding that of the Maumee Indians, but in 1801 he
organized at Austinburgh the first Congregational
church established on the Reserve; The charter
members consisted of "ten males and six females."
The Presbyterian home missionary at Youngstown
showed no inclination to contend with his Congrega-
tional brother at Austinburgh, either over questions
of doctrine or those of church government. The
Reverend Joseph Badger sent for his wife and six
children, the whole family to subsist in the wilderness
upon a guaranteed support of seven dollars per week.
A mistaken view of the western missionary's trials
prompted the Connecticut Missionary Society in
1803 to reduce his salary to six dollars a week, thus
placing the western missionaries upon the same
THE PLAN OF UNION 95
basis of support as that granted the Vermont workers;
whereas conditions in northern Ohio were entirely
different from those in New England.
This heroic missionary at first accepted the salary
cut, determined to trust "Him who feeds the ravens."
In making a review of a year's work he wrote in his
famous diary:
The Providence of God has been such as to excite my
highest gratitude for His protecting care in my journey-
ings, especially in perilous circumstances, in escaping the
ravenous bear at night and in crossing streams dangerous
to pass; often drenched with showers of rain and covered
with snow. In the language of David, "I have laid me
down and slept; I awaked, for the Lord sustained me."
In 1806, however, the Reverend Joseph Badger
resigned his appointment under the Connecticut
Missionary Society and entered the employ of the
Presbyterian Missionary Society of Pittsburgh, which
commissioned him to many years' service among the
Indians of the Sandusky region. During the War of
1812 he served as a chaplain in the army, and was
present at the siege of Fort Meigs. Toward the close
of his ministerial career he became pastor of the
Congregational Church at Augustus, Ohio, having
retained his connection with the Massachusetts Con-
gregational Association, but he was first to support
the Plan of Union, and worked the greater part of
his honored career under Presbyterian auspices.
Later in life he wrote regarding the leaving of the
employ of the Connecticut Missionary Society:
The reasons given for reducing my pay were the very
96 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
reasons why they should have adhered to the first agree-
ment of seven dollars per week. The Vermont mission-
aries were not subjected to uncommon hardships; their
families were at home. The missionary could find com-
fortable lodging and refreshment, with passable roads in
every direction, but on the Reserve the missionary was
subjected to hardships to the jeopardizing of his life and
health, often traveling through the woods from ten to
twenty miles, without any visible marks for a guide;
often drenched and compelled to camp in the woods.
Having worn out the clothing brought from New Eng-
land, we were obliged to buy at the dearest rate anyone
saw fit to ask; and having no means of making clothing
for ourselves we were reduced to suffering. After having
written repeatedly to the Society I concluded to tell my
reasons for not continuing longer under its direction.
The Connecticut Missionary Society sought to
make partial amends two years later by sending
two hundred eighty-four dollars to the Reverend
Joseph Badger. In 1844 he removed to Perrysburgh,
Ohio, where he passed away almost ninety years of
age.
It has often been asserted that the Presbyterians
of the Western Reserve gained undue advantage over
their Congregational brethren through the Plan of
Union, and that the Christians who first came to the
Western Reserve were almost wholly Congrega-
tionalists; whereas the number of those reared Pres-
byterians was by no means inconsiderable. The
earliest records of the Stone Church present a mixture
of Presbyterian and Congregational practices, yet the
majority of the members received by letter were from
Presbyterian churches, while Presbyterians from
THE PLAN OF UNION 97
North Ireland, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia,
New York State, New Hampshire, and Vermont were
numerous.
It should be borne in mind, furthermore, that
Congregationalism was peculiarly indigenous to New
England, and that the Connecticut type was "Con-
sociated," or semi-Presbyterial, rather than the dis-
tinct Independency of Massachusetts Congrega-
tionalists. The Connecticut Congregationalists were
also a doctrinal body, holding Calvinistic covenants
and creeds which made them more akin to the Pres-
byterians of the Western Reserve.
The intense yearning for Christian fellowship
experienced by believers scattered throughout a
remote and wild region, and the fact that the Presby-
terian churches of southeastern Ohio and western
Pennsylvania were more contiguous to the early
settlers of the Western Reserve than were the home
churches of New England, favored the modified
Presbyterian polity of church government embodied
in the Plan of Union.
Then there is an important "nick o' time" in the
development of institutions. When the Reverend
Joseph Badger should have had not only better
financial support, but also the companionship of other
New England missionaries, there was at that critical
juncture utter failure, on the part of the Connecticut
Missionary Society, to secure eastern recruits for the
western fields.
From the time of Badger's arrival in 1800 until
1812 the Connecticut Society sought in vain for men.
98 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
as the following letter from an officer of the society
to a resident of the Reserve shows:
The trustees feel deeply for the people of the New Con-
necticut. They appointed a number of missionaries,
hoping that three or four would go into your country, but
none have yet consented, and I cannot learn that they will.
The truth is that our preaching people in this region have
not courage or zeal enough to lead them so far. They
view it as a great undertaking, and say, "We have
missionary ground enough nearer home." Nevertheless
Christ will provide for His flock in the wilderness. I have
much hope from the plan which I suppose has been pre-
sented to your Presbytery. Furnish us with suitable
men, and we will pay them as we do our missionaries
from this quarter.
In such a communication this official rose above all
sectarian prejudice, but his society was forced for a
dozen of critical years to seek Presbyterian workers
in the west, if it spent missionary funds to found
churches on the Western Reserve, hence as one has
aptly put the case, "Congregationalists ought not to
complain that milk from their cows was churned into
Presbyterian butter."
The exceptional case of the Reverend Simeon
Woodruff, who came to the Reserve in 1812, illus-
trates the early disinclination of New England minis-
ters to accept service so far from home. Having
graduated from Yale College he attended Andover
Seminary, and there became intimately associated
with Samuel J. Mills and his companions, who at
Williams College in 1806 had held the famous Hay-
stack prayer-meeting, there pledging themselves to
THE PLAN OF UNION 99
foreign missionary work, if subsequent leadings of
providence indicated that course of duty. Young
Woodruff had anticipated entering some foreign field,
but his attention having been turned to the pressing
needs of the Western Reserve settlements, he accepted
an appointment to that section of Ohio.
For such a promising clergyman to go as far west
as the Reserve was regarded in New England as
great a sacrifice as the acceptance of a foreign field
would have been viewed. The Reverend Simeon
Woodruff proved, however, to be the forerunner of a
splendid band of Congregational ministers who left
New England between 1813 and 1830 for service on
the Reserve. They were graduates of Yale, Hamilton,
Williams, Bowdoin, Dartmouth, Middlebury, Am-
herst, Union, Brown, and other New England
colleges; while many of them had studied at An-
dover, Princeton, and Hartford Theological Semi-
naries. A few of these home missionaries entered
educational work, and founded preparatory acade-
mies, or Latin schools, long before public high schools
were established.
The Plan of Union had held the scattered Chris-
tians upon the Reserve in orderly communions, Con-
gregationalists and Presbyterians alike making com-
promises in church government, and working in
practical fellowship. If at the formation of a pioneer
church a majority of the "Male Members" were
Congregationalists, their form of government was
adopted. To that congregation the Presbytery was
only a "Standing Committee," to which the members
100 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
could go for advice; whereas in questions of doctrine
the Presbytery was a "Consociation."
On the other hand the Presbytery had full power
in questions of polity and doctrine over the Presby-
terian churches. These sent elders to meetings of
Presbytery, while to the same body the Congrega-
tionalists commissioned deacons. Under the Plan of
Union compact Congregational deacons and com-
mitteemen were admitted to a Presbytery upon an
equality with Presbyterian ruling elders. Evidently
this unique arrangement had created a new type of
church government upon the Reserve, and for almost
a third of a century it was generally satisfactory to
the ministers who had labored under its provisions.
Naturally they asked why the Western Reserve
should not enjoy its own ecclesiasticism, as well as
New England with her more distinct Congrega-
tionalism, and New Jersey and Pennsylvania with
their special order of Presbyterianism.? This hope of
church unity through ecclesiastical evolution, how-
ever, was doomed, and in 1837 the Plan of Union of
1801 ceased to exist. "High Churchism," or the pride
in denominationalism, revived in the Congrega-
tionalists who had come later to the New Connecti-
cut, and in the Presbyterians of the eastern portions
of the country.
About 1831-1832 the Congregational forces on
the Reserve were augmented by the arrival of eastern
ministers and laymen, who had neither practical
knowledge of the Plan of Union nor any sympathy
with the same. They at once became zealous to re-
THE PLAN OF UNION 101
produce the ecclesiastical order of the older states
from which they had come. In 1835 an attempt was
made to revive pure Congregationahsm on the plea
that the Congregational churches "had expected to be
dismissed from the Plan of Union as soon as they
were able to go alone."
Then followed the "Oberlin Movement," with its
more definite Congregational features, notwithstand-
ing the fact that both President Mahan and Professor
Finney had been Presbyterian ministers. In addition
to Oberlin ultra-abolitionism there were precipitated
doctrinal disputes which did not secure the sympathy
of the Calvinistic Congregationalists on the Reserve.
The antagonism between certain Congregational
churches and the Oberlin party was as strong as that
between Oberlinism and the Presbyterian Synod. It
is not surprising, then, to discover that many Con-
gregationalists on the Reserve found less affinity with
the Oberlin party than they did with the Plan of
Union Presbyterians, with whom they had long been
associated in practical work. The term "Orthodox
Congregationalism" in northern Ohio did not then
apply to any distinction from Unitarianism, as was
true in New England, but merely to the difference on
the Reserve between Calvinistic and semi-Armenian
types of Congregationalism.
In addition to the problem of slavery, with its dis-
rupting agitations in the churches, there came the
Oberlin "Perfectionism," followed by "Millerism,"
and premillennial extremes in general, all culminating
in the fixing of the date of the Second Advent.
102 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Congregationalism, highly indigenous in a homo-
geneous community, such as New England was,
tended to produce far different results in the hetero-
geneous population of the Western Reserve, where
every possible reform movement was welcomed. The
Oberlin movement paved the way for many advanced
social, educational, and religious gains, but the
various upheavals produced the opposite of Christian
unionism professedly sought by its leaders.
What such agitations within the churches of the
Reserve failed to effect in the abrogation of the Plan
of Union the Presbyterian General Assembly of 1837
supplied from without, in bringing to an end the
compact made by the General Assembly of 1801.
The original Presbytery of Hartford had been sub-
divided into the Grand River, Portage, Hiiron, and
Cleveland Presbyteries, and these constituted the
Synod of the Western Reserve. As the New England
Congregationalists had been too far removed to
appreciate properly the early conditions that sur-
rounded the Reverend Joseph Badger, so the eastern
Presbyterians, whose commissioners constituted a
majority of the General Assembly, failed to under-
stand the Plan of Union type of Presbyterianism on
the Reserve.
The General Assembly of 1837 held in Philadelphia
had heard of radicalism, unionism, Oberlinism, and
of eccentric evangelism in the west. Prominent Con-
gregational and Presbyterian ministers of the Re-
serve, still enjoying the unique fellowship of the Plan
of Union, wrote articles defending the northern Ohio
THE PLAN OF UNION 103
churches, as not having become involved in the
extreme and disrupting agitations, but such defence
produced Httle impression upon the Presbyterian
ecclesiastics of 1837.
While the "High Church" party of the Presbyterian
Church disliked the Plan of Union Presbyteries, in
which Congregational deacons served on an equal
basis with Presbyterian elders, the main fear of the
Presbyterian hierarchy in 1837 was due to its dislike
of all cooperative benevolent institutions, such as
the home missionary societies.
There was also the suspicion that the extreme
democratic tendencies of Congregationalism had been
introduced into the Western Reserve Synod. The
ruthless excision of that Synod from the Presbyterian
fold, by the General Assembly of 1837, and the grow-
ing demand for the establishment of strict Congrega-
tionalism on the Reserve, together annulled the Plan
of Union compact.
The exscinded Synod of the Western Reserve did
not, however, turn to Congregationalism for fellow-
ship, but in connection with the Synods of Auburn,
Geneva and Genesee, also exscinded by the General
Assembly, the New School Presbyterian Church was
founded and flourished until the reunion of the Old
and New School Presbyterian Churches was efi^ected
in 1869.
Since the abrogation of the Plan of Union the Pres-
byterian and Congregational churches of the Western
Reserve have prosecuted their distinct lines of
denominational work, with little practical difference
104 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
in spiritual and educational results. No one can re-
view carefully, however, the sincere efforts of the
early Presbyterian and Congregational settlers of the
New Connecticut to evolve a distinct form of eccle-
siasticism for their day and generation, without won-
dering whether or not the spirit of "High Churchism,"
in both the Presbyterian and Congregational churches,
will ever again become so weakened that the two great
denominations so closely allied may ultimately be
welded by a revived Plan of Union into practical,
wholesome fellowship, not only upon the Western
Reserve of Ohio, but also throughout the world that
is to be won for Jesus Christ.
V. PASTORATE OF THE REVEREND
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN
1835-1861
Early in the reign of James the First in England,
the Scotch people were offered special inducements
to emigrate to Ireland. A large response of colonists
soon made Ulster County and other portions of North
Ireland exceedingly prosperous. In the course of
time, however, the Scotch-Irish became sorely op-
pressed, the English having destroyed their woolen
trade. The new adverse conditions prompted, from
1720 to 1770, the emigration of twelve thousand a
year, or a total of six hundred thousand Scotch-Irish,
to the American colonies. Thus at the outbreak of
the Revolutionary War the Scotch-Irish and their
descendants constituted almost the largest single race
in this country.
The phrase "Scotch-Irish" is a misnomer if to
anyone it implies intermarriage of races. There was
none in this instance, the term being wholly geo-
graphical and not ethnological. It is seldom used in
Ireland, where the people of the north are called
Ulstermen. The Scotch-Irish, therefore, are merely
the Scotch from the north of Ireland.
Throughout the American colonies this stream of
emigrants scattered. Comparatively few, about
twenty thousand, found homes in New England,
especially along the Merrimac River and in parts of
106 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Vermont and New Hampshire. They had come prin-
cipally from Londonderry County, Ireland; hence
the founding of Londonderry, New Hampshire, where
in 1754 a Presbyterian church of over seven hundred
communicants flourished.
The Reverend Samuel Clark Aiken, D.D., the first
installed pastor of the Old Stone Church, was born at
Windham, Vermont, September 21, 1790, of Scotch-
Irish parents, who diligently trained their eight chil-
dren in the faith of the Presbyterian church. The
father, a humble farmer, soon discovered that one
of his five sons was not inclined to follow agricultural
pursuits, for to Samuel farm labor proved exceedingly
irksome. Having perceived the bookish tastes of the
lad, instead of lashing him to manual toil, the father
wisely allowed this son to follow his natural inclina-
tions. The family library, although poor in size, was
rich in quality. The modest collection included the
Bible, the Shorter Catechism, Watt's Psalms and
Hymns', while Doddridge's Rise and Progress of
Religion in the Soul had been added to the Aiken
library in a peculiar way.
When only nine years of age Samuel Aiken had
been given a dollar and sent to Brattleboro to pur-
chase a book. No particular literary product had
been specified, and the lad returned with the famous
work of Doddridge. This was due, however, to the
choice of the bookseller, and not to any precocious
trait in the youthful purchaser. The mother to whom
had been committed the religious care of her five
sons and three daughters, greatly pleased over the
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN 107
outcome of Samuel's trip, proceeded at once to enlist
his interest in the teachings of Doddridge. In the
course of time the study awoke in the youth a deep
sense of sin and of his need of a Saviour.
After preparation for college had ended, Samuel C.
Aiken entered Middlebury in a class a year ahead of
the one in which he graduated, ill health having
forced the loss of a year. The college course, espe-
cially that of a small institution of higher learning,
such as Middlebury College was, introduces a pupil
to a little world of itself, and no one can compute the
interplay of influences there molding character. In
college young Aiken was a promising youth among
strong associates, the class of 1814 at Middlebury
College having contained members destined to take
high rank in the world. There were Silas Wright,
who dying at fifty-two years of age, had filled with
honor the oflRce of governor of New York State,
and had rendered for eleven years signal service in
the United States Senate, along with colleagues
like Webster, Benton, Clay, and Calhoun; Samuel
Nelson, afterwards a member of the United States
Supreme Court; Carlos Wilcox, widely known
as a clergyman and poet, long before he died at
thirty-three; Pleny Fisk and Levi Parsons, early
missionaries to Syria; and Sylvester Larned, whose
eloquence and earnestness reminded auditors of
Whitefield, and who died of the yellow fever at
New^ Orleans, where he had founded the First
Presbyterian Church of that city.
Young Aiken went from Middlebury to Andover
108 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Theological Seminary, where he also found whole-
some associates. One of these was Eleazer T. Fitch,
who at the age of twenty-four became professor of
divinity and pastor of Yale College, a position held
with honor for forty years. Licensed to preach by
the Londonderry Presbytery, Samuel C. Aiken went
to New York City to serve the Young Men's Mission-
ary Society, but a call soon came from the Presby-
terian Church of Utica, N. Y. The trip by coach
from New York City to his new field consumed three
days and three nights. The Utica congregation was
strong and influential, but during this first pastorate
of eighteen years many exciting questions arose in
central New York State, such as the new measures
devised to promote revivals and the increasing con-
flict between the old and new theology.
Dr. Aiken, constitutionally conservative, was not
easily moved by agitations that excited many; still
with all his heart he believed in revivals, and it was
in the Utica Presbyterian Church that Charles G.
Finney first became extensively known as a success-
ful evangelist. The two men remained ever fast per-
sonal friends, although Dr. Aiken had little sym-
pathy with many peculiarities of President Finney's
theology. In doctrinal views he sided with Nettleton;
in religious work he labored with Finney.
The Utica pastorate was very successful, but hope
for better health prompted a change. This decision
was announced, greatly to the sorrow of his Utica
congregation, and a lady member sought to dissuade
her pastor from leaving Utica, by means of a poem
Samuel C Aiken
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN 111
portraying the hardships, evils, and general barbar-
ism of the Western Reserve, including in her literary
production a pathetic description of a shipwreck on
Lake Erie. The poetical effusion, however, did not
alter her pastor's decision.
A number of Cleveland people who had previously
resided in or near Utica had highly recommended
Dr. Aiken to members of the Stone Church. One
admirer of the eastern minister was Mr. Truman P.
Handy, who having lived in earlier years near Utica
had become acquainted with Dr. Aiken. There were
others living in Cleveland who had known Dr. Aiken
in Utica. One of these was Mr. Alexander Seymour,
who came to Cleveland in 1834 to enter the banking
business. So lasting was the friendship between the
two men that they purchased adjoining lots in Erie
Street Cemetery, that they might not be parted in
death. Furthermore the wife of Dr. Aiken was a
cousin of Judge Sherlock J. Andrews, who came to
Cleveland in 1825.
This first installed pastor of the Stone Church came
to Cleveland in the prime of life. According to Mr.
Handy's description,
He possessed a large and commanding figure, fine features,
dark complexion, black hair, a steady voice and a deep
mind, which when roused to its full power was possessed
of surprising force.
Another intimate friend of Dr. Aiken thus de-
scribed him:
In the earHer years of Hfe Dr. Aiken was tall, erect and
of symmetrical proportions. His countenance was attrac-
in THE OLD STONE CHURCH
tive, combining a high degree of dignity, intelHgence, and
amiabihty. In manner he was rather precise, yet cour-
teous and companionable. As a preacher he was at
times very able and eloquent; at other times less impres-
sive, but always pleasing and instructive. When thor-
oughly aroused he spoke with great power and eloquence.
Although the Cleveland parish was inferior in size
and prestige compared with the eastern one that he
had left, the new pastor soon exhibited the same
power of drawing about him a body of business and
professional men, and of laying solid foundations for
religious upbuilding. The first appearance in the
Cleveland pulpit, however, was not calculated to
enthuse the pastor-elect. It was upon the first Sab-
bath in June, 1835, and Dr. Aiken naturally thought
that curiosity alone would prompt a large congrega-
tion, but to his surprise the church was only
half-filled. Having expressed perplexity over the
situation, he learned that the curious element in the
community had gone to a horse race, held at the
same hour as that of the morning service.
Two brief sessional records introduce the settle-
ment of the Reverend Samuel C. Aiken, D.D., as
pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Cleveland:
October 25, 1835. Resolved, that the Installation of Rev.
Mr. Aiken take place the second week in November, or
sooner or later, as may best suit him and the Presbytery.
Again,
The Installation of Rev. Mr. Aiken over the Church and
Congregation took place on Tuesday evening, November
24, 1835. Sermon by Mr. Finney.
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN 113
According to the minutes of Cleveland Presbytery
the installation was conducted at "an adjourned, but
well-attended meeting of Presbytery." Professor
Charles G. Finney, who had just accepted the chair
of theology in Oberlin College, delivered the sermon;
the Reverend John Keys, of Dover, offered prayer of
installation; the Reverend Daniel W. Lathrop, agent
for the American Home Missionary Society for the
Reserve and Michigan, gave the charge to the pastor;
the Reverend Daniel C. Blood, of Strongsville, de-
livered the charge to the people; and the Reverend
Horace Smith, of Richfield, offered the closing prayer.
Before his installation Dr. Aiken had been on the
field about six months, having preached his first ser-
mon June 7, 1835. Under the greater stability of a
settled pastorate church life assumed more uniform
character. Uncertainties as to church government
which had periodically disturbed the congregation
disappeared, and the Presbyterian polity was perma-
nently established, in accordance with the original
charter of January 5, 1827.
Not until 1875 did elders in the Presbyterian
Church begin to be elected for definite terms instead
of for life. The limited term was to be not less than
three years and the session divided into three classes,
one to be elected annually. Elders chosen for the
limited term were not divested of ordination rights
if not reelected, but were entitled to represent their
churches in higher judicatories when appointed by
session or Presbytery. In 1885 this limited term of
election was applied to deacons.
114 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
In the case of the Stone Church, however, at the
beginning of Dr. Aiken's pastorate the following
action was taken June 26, 1835:
Resolved, that we elect six brethren whose terms of office
shall expire in the following manner, viz., the two oldest
shall go out the first year; the next two in age the second
and the last two the third year. After three years their
term of service shall expire according to the seniority of
office and not of age. Vacancies are to be filled annually
and the same individuals may be reelected.
Three deacons were elected in the same manner, so
that the term of one should expire annually. This
shows that the Stone Church, in respect to the limited
term of service, both of elders and deacons, was far
in advance of the denomination with which it was
affiliated.
Dr. Aiken's pastorate commenced when radical civic
changes were impending and the pioneer village was
rapidly becoming a city. The population had grown
to five thousand eighty, having doubled from 1833
to 1835. The earlier hardships of travel disappear-
ing, emigrants were rushing from the eastern states
to share in the wealth of the "far west." Lake
steamers were taxed to their capacity, and the future
metropolis of Ohio began to reap harvests of men
and money.
Rivalry between the settlements on opposite sides
of the river began to wax bitter. Josiah Barber having
built his log-cabin on the west bank in 1819, the
Buffalo Company in 1831 also purchased there a farm,
embracing the lowlands toward the mouth of the
dividing stream. These were soon covered with ware-
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN 115
houses; while on the bluffs stores and residences
appeared; hotels were erected and preparations made
for the founding of a city that would outrival the
older one on the eastern bank.
The mouth of the crooked stream was improved
for navigation, and when steps were taken in 1836
to secure a city charter for Cleveland, leading citizens
made a sincere attempt to unite the rival settlements.
All negotiations, however, proved abortive, and rep-
resentatives of the jealous communities started post-
haste for Columbus, each determined to outstrip the
other in securing a municipal charter. Great was the
mortification of the residents of Cleveland when it
became known that the representatives of Ohio City,
the younger settlement, had won the race.
Mr. James S. Clark built in 1835 a bridge connect-
ing Cleveland and Ohio City. This philanthropic
structure was devoted to public use until Cleveland
and Ohio City had obtained charters, when each
claimed jurisdiction over the connecting link, and
this led to the famous Battle of the Bridge. A field-
piece and weapons of various kinds were brought into
action; the draw of the bridge was cut, and parts of
the abutments were demolished. Ohio City's forces
were led by the Reverend Dr. Pickands, who first
offered prayer for the success of his followers. After
three combatants had been seriously wounded, and
others had been badly bruised, a Cleveland marshal
transferred the war of weapons to the courts.
At the beginning of Dr. Aiken's pastorate the Stone
Church was strengthened by the coming into mem-
116 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
bership of a number of talented young men who soon
took high rank in the professions. The large number
of able lawyers was very marked. In 1833 Hiram A.
Willson, a graduate of Hamilton College, came from
New York State to Cleveland. He became judge of
the United States District Court and presided at
numerous famous trials, such as the Oberlin Rescue
Case.
In 1834 Colonel Charles Wh ittlesey settled in Cleve-
land. He had graduated from West Point in 1831 and
remained in army service until the close of the Black
Hawk War. Although advanced in years for military
life he served in the Civil War until the Battle of
Shiloh, when he found it necessary to retire. In 1834
he opened a law office, but no one profession could
claim him. He was part owner and editor of the
Whig and Herald, an author, scientist, especially
gifted in geological research, and his literary works
were prolific. They comprised at the time of his death
one hundred ninety-one historical, archaeological,
scientific and religious treatises. He was a leader in the
founding of the Western Reserve Historical Society
and had a reputation in Europe, as well as in America,
according to the testimony of the New York Herald,
at the time of his death.
In 1836 three young men settled in Cleveland. One
was William Bingham, who at twenty years of age
came from Andover, N. H. He entered the hardware
business, and founded the noted Wm. Bingham Com-
pany. His son, Charles W. Bingham, is a member of
the Stone Church and for the last sixteen years has
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN 117
been a valued trustee, A granddaughter, Mrs. Dud-
ley S. Blossom, is also a member this centennial year.
Another young man who arrived in 1836 was Frank-
lin T. Backus, a Yale College graduate, who became
a member of the law firm of Bolton and Kelley, and
rose to eminence in his profession. He married the
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Mygatt, served as
an elder in the Stone Church, while the Law Depart-
ment of Western Reserve University bears his name.
The third young man to arrive in 1836 was Moses
C. Younglove, whose wife was a sister of Mrs. Aiken.
At first the proprietor of a bookstore and printing
company, he became a prominent manufacturer and
after fifty-six years' residence in Cleveland died in
California.
The Stone Church early received the support of
Dr. David Long, the first physician to reside in Cleve-
land, but in 1835 there came into the membership of
the Stone Church Dr. Erasmus Cushing, who had
received a very thorough medical training at Williams
College, the University of Pennsylvania, and other
eastern schools, and had practiced ten years at Lanes-
boro, Mass. He practiced medicine in Cleveland until
almost ninety-one years of age, the son. Dr. H. Kirke
Cushing, having been associated with the father
toward the end of the latter's life.
In 1840 a celebrated medical teacher, as well as
practitioner, came to Cleveland and became a mem-
ber of the Stone Church. Dr. John Delamater, having
been prominently identified with medical schools in
Massachusetts and New York State, finally came to
118 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
the medical college at Willoughby, Ohio, and thence
to Cleveland, where in 1842 he became one of the
founders of the Western Reserve Medical College, in
which he lectured until 1860. At the same time he
gave courses at Bowdoin and Dartmouth Colleges and
in other medical institutions. He is said to have
delivered seventy different courses of lectures, and
that his command of pure Saxon speech was so re-
markable that in classes and at court trials he never
was misunderstood.
These are good examples of the young men whose
warm interest in the work of the Stone Church Dr.
Aiken was able to enlist. From 1833 to 1843 the
Reverend Joseph Breck, a graduate of Yale College,
was a helpful attendant at the Stone Church. He had
been for seven years a home missionary at Brecks-
ville, Ohio, prior to his having returned to Massa-
chusetts for a bride. The couple then came to Cleve-
land, where their home was on Superior Street, the
later site of the J. F. Ryder Photograph Company.
Active ministerial service having been relinquished
on account of delicate health, this home missionary
turned to the preparation of young men for college.
His wife having died in 1835 he removed to a farm
on Brecksville Road in Newburgh, where the rest of
his life was spent. There he sustained the same help-
ful relation to the Newburgh Presbyterian Church
that he had maintained in connection with the Stone
Church.
Toward the close of Dr. Aiken's second year in
Cleveland the church had become too small to
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN 119
accommodate attendance upon divine services, but
the shape of the building prevented enlargement. The
church society, furthermore, was still in debt, and
disinclined to assume heavier responsibilities. A lack
of sittings, the annual competition for ''slips, " and
their high prices, not only tended to exclude the poor
and thus occasion cavil and dissatisfaction, but also
to drive away members to other churches. Under
the cramped conditions ''twenty of our best families"
withdrew to form a Congregational Society, not on
account, however, of any dissatisfaction with the
Presbyterian polity. Owing either to the scarcity of
Congregationalists, or to the financial panic of 1837,
after a year's experiment the colonizing enterprise
was abandoned and the building sold to pay debts.
This new religious society had sought the care of
Cleveland Presbytery, "Mr. Penfield having taken
his seat as a ruling elder," again emphasizing the
mixture of the modes of church government. This
peaceful exodus having failed, the members returned
to their former church home.
In his twenty-fifth anniversary sermon delivered
in 1860, Dr. Aiken thus described the colonizing ten-
dency of the Stone Church:
It may be proper to state here that during my pastorate
five colonies have gone from this congregation. While
some of them were small, others were large, and all took
from us more or less valuable members. The loss was
often depressing and painful, because it caused the loss
of youthful and active communicants, whose help was
needed in the Sunday School. Although urged to do
so I never opposed these movements, and while for a time
120 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
they diminished our numbers, they added to the general
strength and prosperity of religion. It can also be asserted
that these colonies were dictated by no jealousy; by no
dissatisfaction or unfriendly feeling on the part of any-
one. I am happy to state that with every new church
society that has grown out of the old one, and with all
others of every name, we have maintained the unity of
spirit in the bond of peace. Where we could not agree
in principle or sympathize in feeling, we have agreed
quietly to differ.
The year that Dr. Aiken came to Cleveland a
street-railway was laid along Euclid Avenue as far as
the East Cleveland stone quarries, and designed to be
extended to Newburgh. Vehicles were drawn on
wooden rails by horses driven tandem, carrying not
only building material to a stone-yard on the Public
Square, but also passengers who might wish to take
advantage of the two trips per day.
In 1840 Dr. Aiken witnessed the first recorded
industrial riot, that of canal diggers. The contractor
had paid the men seventy-five cents a day, and the
strikers stoned the "scabs" willing to work at that
remuneration. When it is known, however, that
chickens then sold for a dollar a dozen; butter at five
cents a pound; the best cuts of meat at five cents a
pound, the wages of the canal diggers were not as
slavish as otherwise they might seem to have been.
Although the first burial-ground had been located
at the southeastern corner of Ontario and Prospect
Streets, the God's Acre where Dr. Aiken must have
most frequently read the committal service was Erie
Street Cemetery, consisting often and a quarter acres
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN 121
given the village in 1808 by members of the Con-
necticut Land Company. For some time this burial-
place was not in favor, as it seemed to the early
settlers to be too near the wooded outskirts. The
Stone Church resolved December 7, 1843, to pur-
chase
A square piece of ground in the City Cemetery to be
used as a burial-place for the poor in the church, and
for Christian strangers who may die among us.
Later an order was drawn for sixty dollars on the
treasury for payment of the six lots which contained
seven hundred sixty-eight square feet. This was
in the Erie Street Cemetery, and three adult burials
are recorded, the fourth having been that of a little
girl. About 1882 the city desiring these central
burial-lots for the site of a receiving vault removed
the bodies of the adults to Woodland Cemetery to a
plot of ground adjoining one owned by the Second
Presbyterian Church. Two of the adults were the
Reverend and Mrs. Tomlinson.
The burial of the little girl, Barbara Forman, was
in connection with a tragedy. She was only eight
years of age, and on the Erie Street Cemetery's book
the cause of death is given as^Whipped by a teacher."
For some reason her body was not removed to Wood-
land Cemetery, but was changed at Erie Street Ceme-
tery to a spot just west of the grave of Joe O. Sot,
the Indian chieftain. The little girl's grave is
marked by a small stone on one side of which is the
inscription giving her name, the names of her parents
and time of death, October 15, 1856. Upon the back
122 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
of the stone four lines, now almost effaced, were
carved. They contain these words:
Little Barbara died from a whipping, a cruel punishment
inflicted by a bigoted Teacher for her attendance upon
the Ragged School.
The Ragged School was founded at the foot of
Champlain Street by the St. Clair Street Methodist
Episcopal Church. Some of the young men con-
nected with the Young Men's Christian Association
aided in the work, especially in the Sunday School.
The community was mainly Irish Catholic, and the
older children and parents stoned the building and
attempted to destroy the meetings until a policeman
was installed at the door of the building. With the
serving of food and distribution of garments more
good will was secured. The little girl buried by the
Stone Church was a pupil in St. Mary's Parochial
School, taught by Frederick Bowers, a German
teacher about twenty-eight years of age. He was not
a priest but a married man. At the coroner's inquest
(after the death of Barbara Forman) children testified
that the teacher placed the little girl across a chair
compelling her to hold the rounds while he beat her
with the handle of a thick cane. The child continued
to attend school for eighteen days and then after
eight days' illness she died. The postmortem re-
vealed conditions showing that death was caused by
the cruel whipping. The teacher was bound over to
the Criminal Court under six thousand dollars bond,
and the Stone Church people interested in the case
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN 123
evidently buried the child upon the Erie Street
Cemetery lot.
A series of revival meetings had been conducted
in the Stone Church during the winter of 1841 by
the Reverend J. T. Avery, a Congregational minister
who came to Cleveland at thirty years of age, and
resided here forty years. He had a very successful
evangelistic career and was a warm friend of Presi-
dent Finney. Particularly effective was this evan-
gelist in college towns in bringing students to Christ
and to the consecration of their lives to the ministry.
To the end of life he remained a close friend of Dr.
Aiken. The Reverend Frederick T. Avery, rector of
St. John's Episcopal Church of this city, is a son
of the evangelist.
At the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, April 5,
1840, following a series of evangelistic meetings, one
hundred eighty-eight members were received into the
Stone Church, twenty-five by letters from sister
churches, and one hundred sixty-three on confession
of their faith. The summary of the year's activities
reported to Presbytery gave two hundred thirty-five
as the total number of additions for the year, making
a membership of five hundred one in April of 1840.
Pioneer revivals were marked by emotional effects,
even when conducted by very conservative home
missionaries, such as the Reverend Joseph Badger, in
whose Austinburgh Church one of the first awaken-
ings occurred. They usually commenced with serv-
ices preparatory to the celebration of the Lord's
Supper, and were attended by a variety of physical
124 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
movements, such as falling, jerking, rolling, running,
dancing, barking and trance or vision experiences. So
violent became some that the head jerked from side
to side with such rapidity that the features could not
be discerned; while there was actual danger of the
neck being broken. People were seized when guarding
against the influence and some cursed at every jerk.
Travelers on a journey and men at work were
aff^ected, the scoffer as well as the devout seeker
after a blessing.
Physicians who visited the scenes ready to attribute
the phenomena to unnerved conditions were seized
with the jerking; still Badger and other religious
leaders placed no special emphasis upon the bodily
exercises as the effect of God's spirit. This type of
revival had ceased when the Stone Church experi-
enced its first work of grace, yet the special meetings
were deeply emotional. There was, however, an
ethical influence in them. One man arose in a meet-
ing, for example, and confessed that when he had
sold a saddle for a man on commission he had falsi-
fied in regard to the amount received when making
settlement with the owner. Another confessor de-
clared that when he had painted Deacon Whitaker's
fence he had used whiting instead of white lead. A
third man touched by the evangelist's appeal con-
fessed that in the sale of cheese he had defrauded
to the extent of fifty dollars. This confession may
have brought peace to the soul, but the younger
portion of the audience became so impressed by the
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN 125
admission that whenever the man appeared on the
streets, the lads would say "There goes old cheese."
The first manual of members issued by the Stone
Church appeared in 1842, one thousand copies having
been printed by a committee composed of Deacon
Truman P. Handy, the Reverend Dr. S. C. Aiken,
and Dr. David Long. There is this rather excep-
tional record: "June 18, 1840, a Miss Amelia Bell,
colored woman, was received." The first City Direc-
tory of Cleveland, issued in 1837, contains the names
of nine colored people, each one's name starred to
distinguish the negro from the white population.
Five of the nine negro citizens were hairdressers;
one a cook, one a mason, and two mariners. The
Miss Amelia Bell received into the Stone Church
in 1840 probably was the daughter of a boatman
named Bell.
The large increase in church membership prompted
a secession of some dissatisfied with Dr. Aiken's con-
servative position on the abolition question, for the
purpose of forming a Congregational church. The
band of separatists, however, was speedily disin-
tegrated by "Second Adventism;" by the prevailing
"Perfectionism," and kindred agitations. The spirit
of extreme disputation did not tend to church growth,
and bankruptcy finally forced the congregation to
sell its edifice and to disband. A number returned to
their former church home.
A second attempt was made June 12, 1844, and
that successfully, to form a Second Presbyterian
Church on the old charter of 1837. This was in the
126 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
spirit of utmost good feeling, although for a time the
exodus was considered a serious crippUng of the
mother organization. The loss of Mr. and Mrs. T. P.
Handy was especially felt. They had come to Cleve-
land in 1832 from the First Presbyterian Church of
Geneva, N. Y., and in the Stone Church Mr. Handy
at once gave promise of what he afterwards became,
as a Christian layman and leader, not only in the
Stone Church, but also in the Second Presbyterian
Church, and in the Presbyterian Union of which he
was president for nineteen years, and then president
emeritus until the time of his death. Equally valued
and honored was he in Presbytery and the higher
courts of the Presbyterian Church. In the Stone
Church Mr. Handy was Sunday School superinten-
dent from 1833 until he went to the Second Church
in 1844. He and his wife sang in the choir and were
musical favorites throughout the community.
Of the Stone Church music at the beginning of
Dr. Aiken's pastorate, Mr. Handy said at the semi-
centennial celebration in 1870,
There was never any trouble in securing good music for
the church and Sunday School. There was a bass viol
and flute accompaniment for the choir, whose members
sang without pay, and with the spirit as well as with the
understanding.
The Severance brothers were also lovers of music and
valued members of the choir. These four brothers
were the sons of Dr. Robert B. Severance, of Shel-
burne, Massachusetts. Their mother was a cousin
of Dr. David Long, and after her early death the
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN . 127
brothers came to Cleveland, where they were wel-
comed into the Long family. The oldest brother,
Solomon Louis Severance, who married Miss Mary
Long, was a dry-goods merchant, but he died at
twenty-six years of age at Red Sulphur Springs, Vir-
ginia, where he had gone for his health, and there
the burial took place. The second brother, Theodoric
C. Severance, was a bank teller and cashier. He
married and later went east, and finally on account
of ill health to California, where he passed away in
1892. The widow, very prominent in social and club
life of Los Angeles, died not long ago. The two
other brothers, Erasmus D. and John Long Sever-
ance, never married, and died in 1840 and 1859 re-
spectively. They were also connected with Cleveland
banks. The four brothers were musical, and not only
strengthened the Stone Church choir, but also sup-
ported enthusiastically every good work in the com-
munity.
Of the fifty-eight persons who became charter mem-
bers of the Second Presbyterian Church, fifty-three
were dismissed from the parent organization. The
meeting called to form this new Presbyterian Church
was held in the session room of the Stone Church,
and Dr. Aiken presided. In addition to the loss of
Mr. and Mrs. T. P. Handy there was also the dis-
missal of Dr. and Mrs. David Long, Mrs. Mary H.
Severance and John L. Severance, Mr. and Mrs.
Samuel H. Mather, and others who, for many years,
were prominent in Presbyterian circles.
Six years after the colony formed the Second Pres-
128 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
byterian Church, partly on account of strenuous anti-
slavery agitation, another church of thirty members
was formed March 25, 1850, and known for two years
as the "Free Presbyterian Church," and then the
Plymouth Congregational Church, whose valuable
property was recently sold. Part of the proceeds of
this sale has been set aside for denominational church
extension, and the rest devoted to the building of a
Congregational church on Shaker Heights. Still
another colony departed January 25, 1853, a peaceful
exodus due wholly to the overcrowded condition of
the mother congregation. The Euclid Street, after-
wards known as the Euclid Avenue Presbyterian
Church, first located on Euclid Avenue, corner of
what was Brownell Street, now East Fourteenth
Street, was organized with thirteen members, in-
cluding the veteran, Elisha Taylor. Instead of
crippling the parent organization, all of the colonies
given forth by the Stone Church only illustrated the
great law that "losing one's life in order to save it"
applies to the prosperous existence of churches as
well as to their individual members.
The great Hungarian patriot, Louis Kossuth, in
whose memory a few years ago the Hungarian So-
cieties of Cleveland unveiled a monument at Uni-
versity Circle, visited Cleveland January 31, 1852.
At eleven o'clock in the morning he addressed a
throng of citizens from the balcony of the American
House, and at three o'clock in the afternoon he
delivered an address at Melodeon Hall, upon which
occasion the Honorable Samuel Starkweather, of the
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN 129
Stone Church, deHvered an address of welcome, and
Dr. Aiken spoke words of welcome in behalf of the
city's clergy.
During January of 1853, as the last colony to form
the Euclid Avenue Presbyterian Church was depart-
ing, Dr. Aiken launched the project of constructing
a new house of worship upon the site where the
primitive stone edifice had for nineteen years served
the congregation, whose affection for the original
sanctuary inspired some bard to pen for an anni-
versary occasion these lines:
It was very plain in its outward form,
And had little of sculptured grace,
But the heirs of a rich inheritance
Came oft to that hallowed place.
It had high-backed pews with paneled doors,
That opened with willing hands;
For saint and sinner welcome found
Alike in that Christian band.
With marked alacrity and liberality the people re-
sponded to Dr. Aiken's appeal, and two years later
the edifice was completed, at a cost of sixty thousand
dollars. A large audience attended August 12, 1855,
the dedication of what was then a notable structure
for Cleveland. Dr. Aiken delivered the dedicatory
sermon, and was assisted by the Reverend Frederick
T. Brown, D.D., pastor of the [Old School] West-
minster Presbyterian Church; the Reverend Joseph
B. Bittinger, D.D., pastor of the Euclid Avenue
Presbyterian Church; the Reverend James Shaw,
D.D., pastor of the Newburgh Presbyterian Church,
130 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
and by President Henry L. Hitchcock, D.D., of
Western Reserve College. Thanks were given that
during the two years of construction no toiler on the
edifice had been injured. Of the furniture installed
the rosewood pulpit elicited the greatest admiration.
Just when the First Presbyterian Church of Cleve-
land began to be popularly known as the Old Stone
Church is uncertain, but it was also frequently called
"Dr. Aiken's Church."
Scarcely had the congregation become settled in
the enjoyment and profit of the new church home
when what seemed at the time to have been an appall-
ing calamity fell upon the parish. Saturday morning,
March 7, 1857, about half-past eleven o'clock, smoke
appeared at the northwest corner of the church roof,
and the fire beneath began to spread with great
rapidity. All that the fire department and volunteer
assistance could do was to carry out of the audi-
torium cushions, chairs and books. Several persons
attempting to save the beautiful rosewood pulpit
barely escaped with their lives, for the burning roof
began to give way while the hazard was being made.
The roof of the chapel was crushed. Within twenty
minutes the stately steeple, two hundred thirty feet
high, was turned into a flaming torch. Beginning to
sway the spire finally crashed in fragments diagonally
across Ontario Street. Only eighty feet of the wood-
work fell, there having been one hundred fifty feet of
stone foundation which still reared its blackened walls
high above surrounding objects, a sad wreck of the
finest edifice in the city, which in external and in-
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN 131
ternal adornment was surpassed by few churches west
of New York City. The interior of the chapel was
not injured to any great extent, and the stone walls
of the church stood as strong as ever, having been
well protected from the fierce heat by the inside
Hning of brick.
The destruction of this fine church building was
considered a great disaster, not only by the church
members, but also by citizenship in general, for the
edifice with its high towers and graceful, lofty spire
was regarded by everyone as useful and highly orna-
mental to the park on which it stood.
The Stone Church congregation secured Chapin's,
later known as Garrett's Hall, as a place of worship
during the period of rebuilding. The gathering the
following Sunday morning was like that in the
''upper chamber," and the text taken by Dr. Aiken
was Isaiah 64 : 11.
Our holy and beautiful house, where our fathers praised
thee, is burned up with fire, and all our pleasant things
are laid waste.
The discourse was one long to be remembered by
those who heard it. The preacher's heart was full,
but not too full for utterance, and he spoke as one
submissive in spirit to a great personal calamity. The
disaster, however, was more apparent than real.
Churches of various denominations vied with one
another in seeking to share their sanctuaries with the
churchless Presbyterians. First the Baptists and then
the Second and Euclid Avenue Presbyterians pressed
their invitations.
132 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
The seeming disaster, however, not only cemented
the rapidly growing congregation into the spirit of
abiding unity, but it likewise revealed a pecuniary
strength hitherto unsuspected. Fortunately fire in-
surance had been carried to the extent of thirty
thousand dollars, so that the rebuilding was imme-
diately undertaken. Mr. Amasa Stone gave his serv-
ices freely toward the supervision of the work of
reconstruction. On January 17, 1858, or within ten
months after the conflagration, the restored edifice
with the exception of the galleries and the spire was
dedicated. Dr. Aiken conducted the morning serv-
ice, and in the afternoon the dedicatory sermon was
delivered by the Reverend Mr. Carrier, whose iden-
tity has not been discovered. The restored building
had been thoroughly furnished and presented a fine
appearance, according to the account of the dedica-
tory exercises reported in the Plain Dealer the
following Monday morning.
A notice in the same issue of this Cleveland paper
may give a better conception of the times in which
the above church history was enacted :
Horace Greeley will lecture on the "Poets" at the Melo-
deon this evening. He edits the Tribune, a daily paper
in New York City. He is a pretty sharp writer, but is
principally distinguished for wearing a dilapidated drab
coat and decayed wool hat. With the exception of an
occasional game of euchre and ten-pins with Henry Ward
Beecher, Mr. Greeley takes no amusement whatever.
Many persons think him a great man, and he rather in-
clines to that opinion himself. Success to him. Long
may he wave.
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN 133
The author of this news item ought to be identified
even before the reader scans at the head of the edi-
torial page, "Chas. F. Browne, Assoc. Editor," a
writer better known as "Artemus Ward."
Just prior to the fire of 1857 fifty women of the
congregation formed the ''Ladies' Society," for the
work of general benevolence without regard to
nationality or creed, and likewise to render financial
assistance to the Stone Church. Until then the busi-
ness interests of the congregation had remained
almost exclusively the prerogative of the men, but
finally a determination seized the women to assert an
influence beyond the home, the female prayer-
meeting, and sewing-circle. In the sick-room of Mrs.
Henrietta Aiken, the pastor's wife, who seldom was
able to leave her home, conferences had been held
between Mrs. Aiken and Mrs. Emma Mason, result-
ing in a notice from the pulpit summoning a meeting
of all the ladies of the congregation. The first officers
of this Ladies' Society were Mrs. Fanny Parsons,
president; Mrs. Julia Starkweather, vice-president;
Mrs. John E. Lyon, secretary, and Mrs. J. B. Waring,
treasurer. During the first twenty-five years of its
existence over forty thousand dollars was credited to
woman's work in the Stone Church. To this society
Dr. Aiken attributed in good measure, not only the
gift of furniture to the rebuilt sanctuary, but also
the fact that there was freedom from debt, after the
congregation in the face of a financial panic had re-
stored the house of worship.
Let it not be forgotten that during the pastorate of
134 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Dr. Aiken the congregation passed through two of the
worst panics ever experienced by the nation. The
panic of 1837 came two years after his installation,
and during the rebuilding of the edifice, destroyed by
fire, there was the panic of 1857. Of the earUer crash
Dr. Aiken said in his twenty-fifth anniversary
sermon:
Like the shadow of the sun-dial of Ahaz, the wheel of for-
tune rolled backward, and left many who had been con-
sidered rich in bankruptcy.
Since then there have been similar periods, but none
as severe as that one. Men turned resolutely to the
regaining of their fortunes, but the mind seemed
engrossed with material things. There is a record
that during at least two years of that financial stress
Dr. Aiken voluntarily surrendered two hundred dol-
lars of his salary of fifteen hundred dollars, lest he be
a burden to his people.
The excessive severity of the panic of 1837 can be
better appreciated when it is remembered that for
ten years following that financial crash there was a
great scarcity of money throughout the country.
Commercial transactions returned to the primitive
exchange of commodities to such an extent that even
land was purchased by work, or by the giving of some-
thing other than money. A church was constructed
in Connecticut wholly through the gift of onions, the
main product of the community. In Cleveland a
building was erected at the corner of St. Clair and
Bond Streets during that period, and it gained the
name of "Calico Block," because those who wrought
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN 135
upon the structure were paid mainly by orders upon
the owner's store.
In Dr. Aiken's twenty-fifth anniversary sermon
delivered in 1860 there was this tribute paid to the
Sunday School work of his time:
A word regarding the Sabbath School attached to this
congregation, the oldest I believe in the city. There was
at first a lack of room and a scarcity of officers and teach-
ers. The colonies departing took many valued workers
among the young. Still with much exertion on the part
of superintendent and teachers our school has always
been respectable, both in interest and numbers. Under
God, you, my friends, who have labored in this depart-
ment, have I doubt not been instrumental in doing much
good. As I think of the past, I recall to mind some of
our Sunday School scholars who departed in triumph to
the better world, and as I look over the community I see
multitudes of useful, happy citizens who, but for our
training, might have been a curse to themselves and to
society. Let us never lose our love for the Sabbath School,
nor relax our efforts to extend its influence in this city
and in this land.
In the Sunday School known to Dr. Aiken were
Lucius Fairchild, destined to become governor of
Wisconsin; George Hoadley, afterwards governor of
Ohio; Charles A. Otis and William Castle, who be-
came mayors of Cleveland; Edwin Cowles, later
editor of the Cleveland Leader, and Alfred Cowles,
his brother, who became editor of the Chicago
Tribune', Douglass Cleveland, later a judge; H. Kirke
Cushing, in the course of time a very prominent
physician; Reuben F. Smith, for many years an elder
in the Stone Church, and president of the Cleveland
136 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
and Pittsburgh Railroad; Elder Solon L. Severance,
and many others who became influential in church
and state. Four of the teachers went as foreign
missionaries: Dr. N. Adams and Miss Sarah Van
Tyne, to Africa; Mr, Samuel W. Castle to the Sand-
wich Islands, and Mrs. Samuel Hutchings to Ceylon.
No wonder Dr. Aiken reviewed with great satisfac-
tion the existence of a Sunday School of that quality.
Sixteen years of Dr. Aiken's pastorate had elapsed
before Cleveland, then a city of twenty-one thousand
one hundred forty inhabitants, became the terminal
of a railroad of any importance. Early in 1851 the
Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati Railroad was
completed, and the pastor of the Stone Church took
a more prominent part in the celebration commemo-
rating the arrival of the first train than he had antic-
ipated. On Washington's Birthday the first train
brought to Cleveland the governor of the state,
mayors of cities touched by the new road, officers
and members of the Ohio Legislature and railway
officials. Prior to the gala day Dr. Aiken had casually
mentioned his purpose to deliver Sunday morning a
sermon on "The Moral View of Railroads." Much
to the pastor's chagrin a local editor made a news
item of the private statement.
That Dr. Aiken felt sensitive over this unusual
advertising of religious goods is made clear by the
introductory note to the printed sermon, issued in
pamphlet form in response to the request of forty
prominent citizens who had attended the service.
The apologetic foreword was.
The pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, anticipating
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN 137
the presence of strangers on the Sabbath, had determined
to speak on the absorbing topic of the day, and had inti-
mated the same to one or two friends. It so happened
that one of our editors hearing of it inserted on his own
responsibility a notice of it in his paper, which circum-
stance will account for the large number of strangers in
the Old Stone Church.
What this pastor of "ye olden time" would think were
he to peruse the church notices in a modern Saturday
paper, with their cuts of churches and of pastors and
frank admissions that "great sermons" will be
delivered both Sunday morning and evening, can
only be imagined.
During the pastorate of Dr. Aiken at Utica, N. Y.,
he had preached before DeWitt Clinton and party
at the time of the completion of the Erie Canal. The
earlier homiletic material may have been applicable
to the railroad discourse, but the latter's text could
never have been made the basis of the canal-boat
sermon. Averse as Dr. Aiken was to advertising
sermons, semi-sensational ingenuity was at least em-
ployed in the selection of his text for the Cleveland
effort. It was Nahum 2:4:
The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall jostle one
against another in the broad ways; they shall seem like
torches, they shall run like the lightnings.
The prophet spoke not of modern railway systems
or automobiles, but of the machinery of war such as
the chariots of the King of Babylon rushing against
Nineveh. A brief outline of Dr. Aiken's sermon is
not only interesting, but even now instructive:
Roads are symbolic of civilization. Egypt, famous for
arts and science, had her Thebes with one hundred gates.
138 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
all of which must have opened to as many spacious high-
ways, leading to every part of her kingdom. The Jewish
commonwealth constructed roads and gave special care
to those leading to the cities of refuge. Three hundred
years before Christ, Rome had her Appian Way, the en-
during nature of which road still excites the admiration
of mankind. The old Saxons, living in castles upon inac-
cessible rocks, were comparatively barbarians, ever fear-
ing for safety of life and property. With no methods of
transportation civilization languished. Great has been
the progress of invention. At the best the stage-coach
rumbled slowly over public roads. Bazaleel was raised of
God to devise cunning work in gold, silver and brass. So
was it with Watt, who applied steam to travel. Twenty
years ago the first locomotive ran from Liverpool to Man-
chester, but now there are many railroads. Forty-three
years ago the first steamboat ploughed the waters of the
Hudson River, and in 1838 the first boat propelled by
steam crossed the Atlantic.
The hand of God is in all this. Some look with gloomy
eye upon the "iron horse," as destined to subvert the laws
of God and man, introducing moral and political anarchy,
but we are not to be troubled by such spectres. To view
the railroad as a mere auxiliary to increase wealth is very
superficial. That is a consideration for the economist,
but there are higher moral and social aspects of the rail-
road's advent. It will prove a barrier against frequent
wars, by bringing nations together and creating more
sympathy for and knowledge of each other, thus promot-
ing a spirit of brotherhood.
Then there will be a tendency to unite perfectly the
heterogeneous classes of our immigrants, to modify sec-
tional jealousies and to diffuse education through travel.
"Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall increase."
The railroad will be a leveller, bringing the lowly nearer
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN 139
to the plane of the rich through increased means of travel.
One benefit will be its auxiliary assistance to the cause
of temperance, employes having to be total abstainers, if
they are to be trustworthy and efficient.
This last point was almost prophetic. The consti-
tutional prohibition amendment came to triumph
when the principle of "safety first" was applied not
only to railway employes, but also to those of manu-
facturing concerns and to the operators of auto-
mobiles on public highways.
Dr. Aiken's climax was:
My friends, the stirring scenes through which we are pass-
ing, the movements of which we are spectators, and in
which we are the actors, are great to us, and in connection
with the progress of the race, and with the destiny of our
country and the world, they are great in reality. But
another existence is before us, other scenes are yet to
open, scenes of still greater interest, vastly different in
their nature, of a higher order, spiritual and eternal; and
we are all approaching them in the rail-car of time, with
a speed more rapid than lightning, more irresistible than
chariots of fire. God grant that through infinite mercy in
Jesus Christ we may be faithful in our day and genera-
tion, live to some valuable purpose, that when we reach
the great depot of our earthly existence, we may enter
into the building of God, a house not made with hands,
eternal in the heavens.
With a copy of this sermon in the Western Reserve
Historical Society Library, there is a second printed
sermon delivered by Dr. Aiken. The theme is
"Amusements," not only a burning problem then,
but also one that has troubled Christians ever since.
140 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
While Dr. Aiken's attitude toward popular amuse-
ments would now be termed puritanical, the dis-
course was no sensational tirade against card-playing,
theater-going and dancing, but a dignified discussion
of the evil tendency of popular amusements upon
character from the Grecian and Roman periods to
his day.
During the twenty-six years that Dr. Aiken was
pastor of the Stone Church, he encountered more
adverse and perplexing forces than ordinarily come
to the Christian minister. Various reforms were
bitterly waged within and without the churches.
The subjects of temperance, of abolition, and kindred
issues incessantly arrayed parties against one another
and made it difficult for a pastor always to act with
wisdom and prudence. With all the kindness and
discretion possible for ministers to employ, many were
unable to hold ground successfully, and more than
one Western Reserve church was temporarily rent
asunder or utterly destroyed in the bitterness of re-
form upheavals.
In no part of the Reserve was party strife higher
than in Cleveland. Without regard to the fear or
favor of men Dr. Aiken tried to pursue a course best
calculated to promote the cause of freedom, and at
the same time to save his congregation from dis-
memberment. Many times did he endure the savage
criticisms of the ultra-abolitionists, who insisted that
he devote his pulpit utterances wholly to their burn-
ing issue. Even Abraham Lincoln endured for a long
time the charge of having been lukewarm in the esti-
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN 141
mation of the ultra-abolitionists. At the outbreak of
the Civil War ''John Brown's Body" was sung with
more zest by some than "We are coming, Father
Abraham," but the patient waiting of the Emanci-
pator for his opportunity to deal slavery its death-
blow is now more admired than the overt act of John
Brown at Harper's Ferry. Notwithstanding the fact
that such a semi-fanatical course was made the means
of stirring to a high pitch the spirit of the North
against the slave oligarchy, it is fortunate that in the
founding of churches on the Western Reserve every
pastor was not an ultra-abolitionist.
During those years, in which the souls of men were
sorely tried, a committee of Cleveland Presbytery
drafted resolutions to be forwarded to the General
Assembly of 1846, fifteen years before the Civil War.
As chairman of that committee Dr. Aiken doubtless
penned the following overture:
The subject of slavery is one of deepening interest in our
churches. Indeed we may say that upon all classes it is
taking a stronger hold than ever before. There is less
excitement, but more thought; less talking, but a more
settled purpose to act; less denunciation, but a more
thorough conviction of the guilt and evil of slavery. We
will not take the time of the Assembly with remarks upon
the sin of slavery, nor do we think it necessary to adduce
proof of its disastrous effects upon all our institutions,
social, civil and religious. To us it seems like treason to
our Master to shrink from censuring human bondage, and
oppression, because they are sanctioned by law and are
therefore "political institutions." We cannot believe that
our beloved fathers and brethren, in their holy convoca-
tion, will hesitate to take an elevated stand, by some wise.
142 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
decisive action, on the side of heaven and oppressed
humanity. By multitudes both in church and out of it,
they are expected to do it, and we pray God that we
may not be disappointed.
Of Dr. Aiken's later service, Dr. Goodrich said in
his semicentennial sermon:
When in the New School Assembly of 1857, held at Cleve-
land in the Stone Church, the hour came when the rem-
nant of pro-slavery element was to be sloughed off, the
brief, incisive words of the venerable pastor of this church
broke the web of tedious debate and led the way to a high
decision for Christian liberty.
It was at that General Assembly that twenty southern
commissioners left the body as a protest against the
action.
Another source of trial and embarrassment on the
Western Reserve, during the long pastorate of Dr.
Aiken, were the recurrent religious delusions. In
reference to his experience, he left this testimony:
There was a time when the idea of Christian Perfection-
ism in this region became so prevalent as almost to resolve
all religion into the belief of it. This was followed by a
species of fanaticism most extraordinary, widespread and
desolating, and though the mass of this congregation
stood firm, its influence was very perceptible in counter-
acting the plain truths of the gospel. The effects of Miller-
ism are still visible in the spirit of skepticism and infidelity
engendered by it, and will long remain a sad memento of
the danger of forsaking the truth to follow misguided
and bewildered mortals.
The Cleveland Presbytery in 1841 appointed a
committee consisting of the Reverend Sherman B.
Canfield, D.D., pastor of the Second Presbyterian
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN 143
Church; the Reverend Samuel C. Aiken, D.D., and
the Reverend H. Blodget, to prepare "An Exposition
of the Peculiarities, Difficulties and Tendencies of
Oberlin Perfectionism," a very elaborate theological
document, a copy of which is preserved in the West-
ern Reserve Historical Society Library.
What "Millerism" was against which Dr. Aiken
had to contend can be better understood by a brief
account of its exhibition in Cleveland. William
Miller was born in Massachusetts in 1781. He had
only a common school education, but was a man of
strong native talent. At first he had been turned
away from the fervor of prevailing revival meetings
to skeptical teachings, but he soon returned to the
Baptist faith. In 1803 a remarkable shower of meteors
was interpreted by many to signify the approaching
end of the world. Miller turned from farming to the
study of the books of Daniel and Revelation^ and in
1831 he began to expound the theory that the end
would come between March 21, 1843 and March 21,
1844. This was given additional emphasis by the
great meteoric showers of November 12 and 13, 1833.
Licensed to preach. Miller traveled over the coun-
try, everywhere addressing great audiences. After
protracted calculations he announced that April 12,
1843, would be the exact date of the "Second Com-
ing." Fifty or more people in Cleveland had accepted
the doctrine and had secured an eloquent New
England minister, the Reverend Charles Fitch, who
came to Cleveland in 1840 and began to preach with
great success. He became pastor of the "Church of
144 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
the Second Advent," which first worshiped in the
wooden building just west of the Stone Church, and
afterwards in the famous "Round Church" con-
structed on Wood Street, now East Third Street,
between Rockwell and St. Clair Avenues. This unique
edifice was of brick like a truncated cone, thirty feet
in diameter at the base and fifty feet high. A convex
roof of glass windows swung on hinges, ready to be
opened outward at any time for the ascension of
the members. There were two front doors on Wood
Street, but no side windows. The only light the
Round Church worshipers wanted was that which
came straight down from heaven. The order of
worship was that of the Presbyterian and Congre-
gational churches, with the exception of the "Second
Coming" doctrine. As the predicted date for the end
of the world approached the excitement increased.
When April 12, 1843, arrived the members of the
Round Church arrayed themselves in white robes,
worshiped all day, and looked for the hour of mid-
night to verify their cherished doctrine, but "the
wreck of matter and crash of worlds" did not
materialize, and after the benediction had been pro-
nounced the members of the white-robed congrega-
tion dispersed to their homes. The Reverend Mr.
Fitch died the following year and his flock was scat-
tered, yet many retained their belief attributing the
delay to miscalculation of the time, but thousands
throughout the country having based their whole
religious hope upon this one article of faith aban-
doned all churches and lapsed into unbelief.
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN 145
The pastor of the Round Church was also editor
and pubHsher of a monthly paper, entitled The
Second Advent of Christ. Along with chronological
charts and pictures of beasts explanatory of the
mooted prophecies, was the statement:
We expect the Lord every day. Whether He will permit
us to commence another volume of twelve numbers we
know not. Or if He permits us to commence it is far more
doubtful whether His coming will be delayed long enough
to complete the volume.
Such a notice could not have been very encouraging
to subscribers, as there was no promise of rebate in
case the paper did not continue for a year.
Reference is often made to current religious fads
of irrational character, and the question is asked why
so many educated people can entertain them. Let
no one think that those who were carried away with
Millerism and other religion^ vagaries were only the
simple-minded or ignorant. In the colleges of that
period there were those who fostered, rather than
allayed, the reigning disorders, while many edu-
cated people were the leaders.
Reference has been made to Oberlin Perfectionism
and Adventism. Western Reserve College escaped
those extremes, but President Carroll Cutler, in his
history of that institution, had the following to state
regarding the students of 1835, the year that Dr.
Aiken came to Cleveland:
They formed a Magdalen Society, in defence of the
seventh commandment, in sympathy with a Mr. Mc-
Dowell in New York. One student prepared and published
146 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
tracts for circulation, and young men went abroad lectur-
ing on the subject. They seemed to feel the moral burden
of the whole world resting on their shoulders, and they
were determined to discharge manfully their responsi-
bilities. We cannot but admire their devotion to duty,
as they understood it, but it is difficult to imagine present-
day college students going around the country lecturing
on the moral agitations of earlier years, however much
they might debate any and all subjects of present interest
in college classes and societies.
Evident it is to one studying the long pastorate of
Dr. Aiken in such formative years, permeated as they
were with various abnormal political and religious
agitations, that it was due largely to his practical
wisdom, his weight of character, as well as to his
unselfish devotion to the service of Christ, that the
Stone Church escaped the disorders that rent dis-
astrously so many other Christian bodies, and held
steadily its course with growing strength and unity.
As the pastor of the largest church in the Cleveland
Presbytery, Dr. Aiken would have been accorded by
his brethren leadership, but that also would have
been proffered by his colleagues, by reason of his
remarkable fitness for the wise guidance of Presby-
tery, during the period of sore disruption in the
Presbyterian Church.
The Cleveland Presbytery in 1836 petitioned the
Western Reserve Synod to form three Presbyteries,
namely those of Cleveland, Medina, and Elyria, out
of the one then existing, the new bodies to be bounded
by the counties in which their churches were located.
Thus for a number of years the churches of the Cleve-
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN 147
land Presbytery were confined to Cuyahoga County.
The General Assembly of 1837, meeting in Phila-
delphia, exscinded the Synods of Western Reserve,
Utica, Genesee, and Geneva, and forced them to form
the New School Presbyterian Church.
Thus two years after Dr. Aiken's pastorate began
in the Stone Church, there came the pressing need
of wise leadership in the guidance of the New School
Church. The first "convention" called to deal with
the critical situation was held at Auburn, N. Y.,
August 17, 1837, the year of the disruption. The
Cleveland Presbytery sent three ministers and one
elder to this important conference. Dr. Aiken headed
the delegation, and with him was the Reverend John
Keep, a former supply of the Stone Church. Later
Dr. Aiken led delegations to similar conventions at
Detroit and Cincinnati. In all ecclesiastical courts
he was the same practical adviser that he was in his
Cleveland parish.
In 1858, when he had been sole pastor of the Stone
Church for twenty-three years, and was in the forty-
third year of his ministry and in the sixty-seventh
year of his age. Dr. Aiken's health became impaired
to such an extent that he suggested the securing of
an assistant. On August 12, 1858, the Reverend
William H. Goodrich, D.D., was called and installed
associate pastor.
At the time Dr. Aiken informed the younger
associate that within two or three years he would
retire from active service. This the senior pastor did
during April of 1861, when he was made pastor
148 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
emeritus at an annual stipend of one thousand dol-
lars, which was lovingly continued by the congrega-
tion for eighteen years, or to the end of his earthly
pilgrimage. He outlived his younger associate pastor
over four years, and was present at the funeral of
Dr. Goodrich, but was unable by reason of infirmities
to participate. One of his last public appearances
was at the installation of the Reverend Hiram C.
Haydn, D.D., as associate pastor with the Reverend
William H. Goodrich, D.D.
In the semicentennial sermon delivered by Dr.
Goodrich in 1870, mention was made of the five re-
vivals which had visited the Stone Church during the
pastorate of Dr. Aiken, two of which were of unusual
influence. Emphasis was placed upon the fact that
three churches organized during that period had re-
ceived almost every charter member from the Stone
Church. During Dr. Aiken's pastorate, according to
Dr. Goodrich, eight hundred eighty persons had been
received into the church.
Dr. Aiken was first married in 1818 to Miss Delia
Day, of Catskill, N. Y. She died in 1838, and the
following year he married Miss Henrietta Day, a
sister of his former companion in life. She was a
woman of great force of character. Of the nine chil-
dren born of these unions only a son and daughter,
Mr. Charles G. Aiken and Mrs. Helen Day, survived
their father. Six died in infancy, and a son was sup-
posed to have been drowned at sea.
After the death of Mrs. Aiken in 1864, the aged
father made his home with the son on Woodland
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN 149
Avenue, and at Tallmadge, Ohio. In an earlier
address Dr. Aiken, in speaking of the strenuous ex-
periences endured in his two pastorates, said,
A minister cannot preach to please himself. He cannot
preach to please his people. He must be like a rock in the
ocean. He must preach the truth and let the waves dash.
True, but even the rocks in the sea are finally
worn away, not only by the furious dashings of the
storm-tossed floods, but also by the ebb and flow of
the more gentle tides. So was it in the case of this
rock-like servant of God. The body became broken
and the mental powers sadly weakened. Things
present made but little impression, but of earlier
years he was wont to speak more clearly; while at the
mention of his Saviour's name, the aged countenance
always brightened.
In his memorial address Dr. Haydn gave this keen
portrayal of Dr. Aiken's last days:
His stately form, bowed and shrunken with age; and
worse yet, his clear and powerful mind losing not only
its fire and energy, but also its hold on the living present;
withdrawing from the recognition of his best friends into
memories, broken and fading, of his early life. Since then
he has been like a bough half-broken from the branch,
drawing just enough vitality from it to continue life, but
not enough for any useful purpose.
In such a condition, in the eighty-ninth year of his
age, at one o'clock in the morning of January 1,
1879, the peaceful end came. The bell of the church
that he had so dearly loved, and to which he had
given so much self-sacrificing toil, had joined with
150 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
the chimes of Old Trinity and of neighboring
churches, in responding to Tennyson's exhortation:
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night:
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is dying, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
As the requiem of the Old was being tolled and the
birth of the New Year joyously welcomed, the spirit
winged its flight from the worn tabernacle of flesh
into the ''house not made with hands, eternal in the
heavens."
Having died Wednesday morning the funeral
services would naturally have been held the follow-
ing Friday afternoon, but a severe snowstorm had
swept the country and Dr. Aiken's daughter, who
was in Connecticut, was unable, on account of the
snow-bound condition of the railroads, to reach Cleve-
land until a week after the death of her father. The
funeral was, therefore, postponed, and on Thursday
morning, January 9, 1879, at eleven o'clock, the
services were held in the Stone Church.
The Sunday following the death of his aged pred-
ecessor. Dr. Haydn preached a memorial discourse,
and later at the funeral service he used the text
Psalm 97 : 2:
Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness
and judgment are the habitation of his throne.
SAMUEL CLARK AIKEN 151
Associated with Dr. Haydn in the funeral service
were the Reverend Charles S. Pomeroy, D.D., of the
Second Church; the Reverend J. Lovejoy Robertson,
of the Euclid Avenue Church; the Reverend Francis
A. Horton, of the Case Avenue Church; the Reverend
H. R. Hoisington, of the North Church, and the
Reverend S. L. Blake, of the Woodland Avenue
Church.
Although retired from active service for eighteen
years, this servant of God had not been forgotten by
the city. The daily papers printed many articles,
including Dr. Haydn's sermon in full; while the
Cleveland Leader editorially extolled the life and char-
acter of the minister who had not in his retirement
been forgotten.
The pall-bearers were Messrs. Amasa Stone, George
Mygatt, Samuel Williamson, John Proudfoot, James
F. Clark, Sherlock J. Andrews, the Honorable John
A. Foot, and Dr. H. Kirke Cushing. The interment
was at Erie Street Cemetery.
At the close of Dr. Aiken's twenty-fifth anniver-
sary sermon in 1860 the choir sang a hymn, the com-
position of which was attributed to Dr. Goodrich.
The lines express the love and honor in which this
servant of Christ was held, and form a fitting close
to the historical sketch of the pastorate of the Rev-
erend Samuel Clark Aiken, D.D., in the First Pres-
byterian Church of Cleveland:
Thanks be to God, the living God,
That through these bright, unbroken years,
Before us one loved form hath trod,
Our faithful guide in hopes and fears.
152 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Thanks for the strength bestowed from heaven,
The wisdom granted from above;
The faith, the zeal, the utterance given,
The guileless life, the unwearied love.
Thanks for the fruit here garnered in.
For wandering souls brought back to God,
For saints cheered on, their crown to win,
Or comforted beneath the rod.
Thanks, that beneath his fostering hand.
New churches have gone forth to rear
Fresh altars where thy servants stand,
And full assemblies wait to hear.
Still with thy servant. Lord, abide,
Gently sustain these waning years;
Let it be, "Light at eventide,"
Scatter the shadows, wipe the tears.
Follow the labor he hath done.
With blessings that shall never cease;
His was the toil, the hope, the crown,
Thine only is the sure increase.
VI. PASTORATE OF THE REVEREND
WILLIAM HENRY GOODRICH
1858-1874
Seventy-five years ago the Reverend Horace Bush-
nell, D.D., the noted New England divine, published
his Christian Nurture^ a book that gave ofi^ence to
those who placed undue stress upon the evangehsm
of their times, as almost the sole means of prop-
agating the gospel. The value of revivals Dr. Bush-
nell did not deny, but he did contend for a greater
recognition of religious culture in the family, whereby
one generation of Christians naturally produces a
larger and better generation of believers. After many
years Bushnell's Christian Nurture has received
merited recognition, for it has been reprinted as a
valuable textbook by the Religious Education Asso-
ciation.
When St. Paul wrote to Timothy, **I call to remem-
brance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt
first in thy grandmother Lois and thy mother
Eunice," he paid tribute to the power and beauty of
religious heredity.
This law of Christian nurture was signally illus-
trated in the case of the Reverend William Henry
Goodrich, who was born January 19, 1823, in the
classic city of New Haven, Conn. His father, the
Reverend Chauncey A. Goodrich, was for forty years
154 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
professor of rhetoric and oratory in Yale College,
where the interests of Christ's kingdom formed the
chief thought and care of this honored instructor, who
wielded for four decades such a formative power over
the ever-changing body of students. How enriching
must have been his influence over his own household,
and what satisfaction came to this inspirer of many
pupils to choose the ministry, when his youngest son
gave himself to that calling. The father, moreover,
was not the only source of hereditary talent, for the
son's paternal grandfather was the Honorable Elizur
Goodrich, a lawyer of eminence and at one time pro-
fessor of law at Yale College; and his great-grand-
father was the Reverend Elizur Goodrich, D.D., an
astronomer of ability, as well as an eminent clergy-
man and educator. Upon his mother's side Dr. Wil-
liam H. Goodrich also had the natural advantage of
a noble ancestry, she having been the daughter of
Noah Webster, the noted compiler of the dictionary
that bears his name.
The boyhood of the second pastor of the Stone
Church was spent under the lofty elms of Temple
Street, New Haven, Conn., near his grandfather
Webster's home, redolent with the lore to which his
days were given, and in proximity to the homes of
the Days, the Sillimans, the Hillhouses, the Whitneys,
and Bacons, and of many others who made the New
Haven of their times unsurpassed in this country, as
the seat of scholarly grace and of social refinement.
Nursed in the lap of culture, in a family circle made
beautiful by a mother's consecrated spirit, and in a
William H. Goodricfi
WILLIAM HENRY GOODRICH 157
home across whose threshold the most eminent
people of the period were wont to pass, the youth of
Dr. Goodrich was spent.
At New Haven he began and completed his educa-
tion, passing through both collegiate and theological
courses of study, after which he became a Yale tutor.
All of this hereditary power, however, did not relieve
the favored youth from the exercise of persevering
industry which characterized his ministry.
He became in 1850 pastor of the Congregational
Church at Bristol, Conn., after having traveled
several months in Europe. To the First Presbyterian
Church at Binghamton, N. Y., he was then called,
and there he labored until in July of 1858 he was
called to his last pastorate in the First Presbyterian
Church of Cleveland, where he was installed August
12, 1858.
According to the minutes of Presbytery, the follow-
ing was the order of installation:
Reading of Scripture, Rev. Frederick T. Brown, pastor
of the [Old School] Westminster Presbyterian Church;
sermon by Rev. Henry Kendall, D.D., of the Pittsburgh
Presbytery, for many years thereafter the noted Secre-
tary of the Board of Home Missions; constitutional ques-
tions by the moderator, Rev. John B. Allen; installation
prayer, Rev. J. H. Bittinger, D.D., pastor of the Euclid
Avenue Presbyterian Church; charge to the pastor. Rev.
James Eells, D.D., pastor of the Second Presbyterian
Church; right hand of fellowship, Rev. Samuel C. Aiken,
D.D.; charge to the people, Rev. James Shaw, D.D.,
pastor of the Newburgh Presbyterian Church.
At the commencement of this associate pastorate, the
158 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
church roll contained three hundred thirty-two
members.
One of the historical sketches issued in 1896, Cleve-
land's centennial year, divided the century of civic
life into four periods: that of "settling," from 1796
to 1821; that of "establishing," from 1821 to 1846;
that of "improving," from 1846 to 1871, and that of
"enlarging," from 1871 to 1896. According to such
divisions the pastorate of Dr. Goodrich extended
through the latter half of the period of "improving."
During the period, then, in which Cleveland was
steadily gaining higher qualities of civic life, a clergy-
man possessing the spirituality, culture, and business
ability of Dr. Goodrich, occupying a pulpit in the
heart of the city, certainly radiated an uplifting
influence.
A sketch of some of the civic betterments at the
beginning of Dr. Goodrich's pastorate in 1858 may
give proper setting to the religious and social influence
of this Stone Church pastor. In 1858 there was not
a paved street in Cleveland. Several times cholera
and fevers, due mainly to a lack of sanitary sewering
and pure water supply, had scourged the community.
The West Side reservoir, under construction, gave
promise of displacing with purer lake water the
questionable cistern and well supply.
About 1860 venturesome capitalists, believing that
the omnibus had seen its best days, proposed horse-
cars, but no one envied the dreamers or tried to pre-
vent track laying, for there were no pavements to
be disturbed, and popular skepticism was widespread
WILLIAM HENRY GOODRICH 159
regarding the number of fares that could be secured
from people residing within one or two miles of the
Public Square. Two simple laws were enacted to
regulate the novel street-railway system for the pro-
tection of both pedestrians and passengers. One ordi-
nance compelled all horses and mules for motive
power to walk around the track curves; while the
second forbade cars going in the same direction
approaching nearer than three hundred feet to one
another.
A contractor named Southworth established a
grocery in 1858, and astonished competitors by
making wheelbarrow delivery of purchases. Cleve-
land was credited in 1850 with a population of seven-
teen thousand thirty-four; while the sister city across
the river had three thousand nine hundred fifty
inhabitants, so that in 1855, a year after annexation,
there was a total population of forty-three thousand.
Leonard Case, Sr., sold his residence in 1856 for
thirty thousand dollars to the United States Govern-
ment to become the site of the stone post office,
which was later supplanted by the present federal
building.
About the same time the four sections of the Public
Square were fenced into an unbroken park. The
closing of the intersecting streets was bitterly op-
posed, but the heart of the city became a beauty
spot, in whose towering trees a few bird-houses after-
wards domiciled the few pair of "English sparrows,"
whose progeny has since defied all foes. After the
dedication of Perry's Monument the enclosed Public
160 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Square bore the name of ''Monumental Park." It
was not until 1867, when Leonard Case and Henry B.
Payne threatened the city with a lawsuit, that the
surrounding fence was removed, and the "Great
Central Park" [another name], again intersected by
Superior and Ontario Streets.
The year that Dr. Goodrich came to Cleveland the
city became hilarious over the completion of the
Atlantic Cable, but after a message had been sent
by the President of the United States to the Queen
of England, the cable ceased to work and enthusiasm
waned.
Cleveland became the center of national interest
in 1860, on account of the unveiling of Perry's Monu-
ment. From all parts of the land came a multitude
of visitors, said to have been unsurpassed in num-
bers, from that time until the Garfield funeral in
1881. September 10, 1860, the anniversary of the
naval battle, was the day selected for the unveiling
ceremony. This dedication deeply stirred the patri-
otic feeling of the city on the verge of the Civil War.
There were seventeen survivors of the Battle of Lake
Erie, living forty-eight years after the bloody con-
flict. Governor Sprague, of Rhode Island, Commo-
dore Perry's native state, attended with an official
retinue. The American historian, George Bancroft,
and Dr. Usher Parsons, surgeon of Perry's fleet, were
the orators of the day, while the famous Ossian E.
Dodge sang. At five o'clock in the afternoon a sham
battle raged on Lake Erie, the only casualty having
been the drowning of a spectator who accidentally
The Chlrch oi- 1858-1884
WILLIAM HENRY GOODRICH 163
fell from the pier into the water. Many members of
the Masonic Order took part in the ceremonies, Com-
modore Perry having belonged to that fraternity.
The Sault Ste. Marie ship-canal, completed in 1855,
opened to commerce one thousand additional miles
of waterway, and gave an impetus to local ship-
building. It also brought to Cleveland the wonderful
advantage, ever since retained, of the coal and iron
industries.
About the beginning of Dr. Goodrich's pastorate
the Jones Brothers started the Newburgh Rolling
Mills, and during that pastorate fourteen iron and
steel mills developed in Cleveland. In 1868 the
Cleveland Rolling Mill Company, then owned by the
Chisholm family, made Bessemer steel, when only
two similar plants existed in the United States.
The formation of the Standard Oil Company
brought to Cleveland one-third of the oil produced.
The first iron steamer ploughed the waters of Lake
Erie in 1867, and for fourteen years the "J- K. White"
had no companion craft. The development of the
telegraph system gave to Cleveland national distinc-
tion. The wires of the Overland Telegraph Company,
of which the late J. H. Wade was president, reached
Salt Lake City in 1861, and from that place Brigham
Young wired his congratulations. A week later the
first message came from San Francisco. The Western
Union Telegraph Company, with J. H. Wade as
president, was formed in Cleveland, July 26, 1866,
and the Government soon placed General Stager at
164 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
the Head of the National Union Telegraph Company,
both systems having their headquarters in Cleveland.
The year 1867 brought the first serious labor
troubles, precipitated by the attempt to readjust
values inflated by the Civil War. The resumption of
specie payment cut wages, when the scarcity of
laborers had been relieved by soldiers returning to
their occupations. Strikes followed, and Cleveland
became the headquarters of the principal inter-
national labor unions.
That the pastorate of Dr. Goodrich was in a period
of peculiar internal improvements is to be seen in the
reorganization of the Young Men's Christian Asso-
ciation, which having started in 1854 had been dis-
rupted by the war; in the turning of the Cleveland
Library Association of 1848 into the endowed Case
Library; in the formation of the Western Reserve
Historical Society, and in the completion of the Union
Passenger Station, at the time the finest structure of
its kind in the country, but now sadly dismantled.
Dr. Aiken had assured his younger associate, and
that entirely of his own volition, that by reason of
increasing inability to serve actively he would retire
within three years, and thus leave the younger
minister in sole charge. In his tenth anniversary
sermon Dr. Goodrich said:
To me belonged especially the ministry of the Word;
while Dr. Aiken still cared for the pastoral service, but
gradually that care grew upon me.
In her paper read at the seventy-fifth anniversary
WILLIAM HENRY GOODRICH 165
celebration in 1895, Mrs. H. K. Gushing thus de-
scribed the beginning of the associate pastorate:
Dr. Goodrich came to us nominally as our assistant
pastor, but he virtually assumed control of church affairs,
and never did a finer or nobler nature adjust itself to the
peculiar circumstances. With tender reverence he honored
the dear old man who still held his seat in the pulpit
chair; while he took up the work of the pastorate, not as
though he had assumed a charge, but rather carried out
and fulfilled what another had begun. With his advent
came a new impetus to our work.
True to his promise Dr. Aiken retired March 13,
1861, to become pastor emeritus, and Dr. Goodrich
remained active pastor. It was at the beginning of
the Civil War, a conflict destined to try the souls of
all men. On Friday, February 15, 1861, Abraham
Lincoln, president-elect of the United States, visited
Cleveland on his way to Washington. He had come
from Pittsburgh in the afternoon, and was escorted
from Euclid Avenue Station to the Weddell House by
city officials, by various military organizations, and
by a body of workmen from shops and furnaces.
The address of welcome was delivered from the
Weddell House balcony, by Judge Sherlock J. An-
drews, a trustee of the Stone Church, and then Lin-
coln addressed the assembled throng. It was a day
of rain and mud, but the largest crowd that greeted
him en route to his inaugural and ultimate martyrdom
was that in Cleveland. A few words from Lincoln's
address show the great statesman in his spirit of true
humility, coupled with a characteristic vein of humor:
Your numbers testifv that vou are in earnest about some-
166 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
thing. Do you desire that I should think this extreme
earnestness is about me? I should be exceedingly sorry
to see such devotion, if that is the case. But I know that
it is something worth more than any one man, a devotion
to the Constitution; to the Union and law; to the per-
petual liberty of the people of the country.
Then he added:
We differ in opinions somewhat. Some of you did not
vote for him who now addresses you. Although quite a
sufficient number of you did vote for all practical purposes.
This sally brought forth cheers and laughter. A pub-
lic reception was held in the Weddell House during
the evening.
Soon after the inaugural at Washington ominous
headlines appeared in the daily papers, but the North
was wholly unconscious of the impending baptism of
fire. After the bombardment of Fort Sumter Dr.
Goodrich preached on April 21, 1861, upon "The
Christian Necessity of War," a sermon printed in full
in the local papers, and afterwards issued in pam-
phlet form. There was no uncertain sound at the
time of national crisis in these words of the Stone
Church pastor:
We have believed that in civilized nations the law of
progress would call for no conflict but that of free dis-
cussion; but how it would be in a nation, where side by
side with every liberty that is precious to man, has stood
and grown mightier every day a system whose perpetuity
requires that those liberties should be restricted and de-
nied; this we had not taken into account. And now the
question has come squarely upon us, whether we will
relinquish these hard-earned liberties, or whether we will
hold them in battle and cement them, if need be, with
WILLIAM HENRY GOODRICH 167
blood. We cannot fight the battles of our country against
treason, without at the same time fighting a battle of
freedom for mankind. We have a great task on hand. We
are to prove in the face of all nations, that a popular
government is strong enough to punish treason. God
will never suflPer, in this age, a government based on the
doctrine of liberty to the strong and servitude to the
weak.
Dr. Goodrich's words: "We cannot fight the battles
of our country against treason, without at the same
time fighting a battle of freedom for mankind," bring
to mind the more modern slogan of "Making the
world safe for democracy." Surely the enduring
liberties of mankind were as truly endangered during
the Civil War period as they have been in the Euro-
pean War that has just come to a close.
A Monday morning paper had this news item:
"Stars and stripes were raised upon the tower an hour
before the commencement of the morning service at
the Stone Church." Another paper had an article
entitled "The Stars and Stripes," running as follows:
Our glorious banner waved from the front of the First
Presbyterian Church yesterday, and was regarded with
much enthusiasm by the populace. There is just now a
great demand for Union bunting, and the national colors
are flying from a large number of our public buildings.
John A. Foot, Jr., when he wrote from Switzer-
land his regret for not having been able to attend
the seventy-fifth anniversary celebration in 1895,
mentioned the flag raising:
I well remember at the storming of Fort Sumter, how Dr.
Goodrich, Mr. Cogswell and I hoisted the American flag
168 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
on the east steeple, which was not as high as the one
torn down.
A military spirit had been fostered in Cleveland
prior to the year of the war, not only by the unveiling
or Perry's Monument in 1860, but also by the visit
of Ellsworth's Zouaves from Chicago. At Lincoln's
call for seventy-five thousand men, the Cleveland
Grays, seventy-five strong, or eight more than quota,
at once responded. It was the first company in Ohio
to reach Columbus, and one of the first to arrive in
Washington.
Cleveland sent about seven thousand soldiers into
the bloody struggle, led by such ofl[icers as Generals
Elwell and Barnett, and Colonels O. H. Payne,
Creighton, and Crane. On April 23, 1861, almost as
soon as any soldier had left to defend his country,
the women of Cleveland, including many from the
Stone Church, organized the Soldiers' Aid Society.
This accomplished much in war relief work, and at
the great Sanitary Fair held in 1864 the women
raised one hundred thousand dollars. It was this
war work of the women that prompted Bishop Rappe
of the Roman Catholic Church to plead for the
founding of Charity, or St. Vincent's Hospital, and
ever since that institution of mercy has been given
most generous Protestant professional and financial
assistance.
In an anniversary sermon Dr. Haydn stated that
he was not sure that the record of the Stone Church,
in connection with the Civil War, had ever been
written, but he mentioned Dr. H. K. Cushing re-
WILLIAM HENRY GOODRICH 169
spending as surgeon of the Ohio 7th at the first call;
Colonel Charles Whittlesey, 30th Infantry; Lieuten-
ant-Colonel Geo. S. Mygatt, 41st Infantry; Colonel
Oliver H. Payne, 124th Infantry; Dr. Gustave C. E.
Weber, surgeon 125th Infantry; Colonel Creighton
and Lieutenant-Colonel Crane, of the 7th Ohio
Volunteer Infantry, both killed at Ringgold, Georgia,
at the Battle of Mission Ridge, November 27, 1863,
and buried from the Stone Church. The remains of
these officers were interred in Woodland Cemetery
east of the Woodland Avenue entrance.
A little over four years after Abraham Lincoln had
visited Cleveland, his remains were brought to the
city, on the way to their final resting-place at Spring-
field, 111. The city had scarcely joined with the whole
North in jubilation over the surrender of Lee, when
there came the stunning news that the president had
been assassinated. This dastardly deed was per-
petrated on Good Friday, April 14, 1865, and Easter
Sunday morning Dr. Goodrich delivered again a
clear, ringing sermon characterized by mental poise,
not incompatible with depth of indignant feeling, a
discourse that was in favorable contrast with patri-
otic sermons delivered not only in Cleveland, but
throughout the nation, at that time of crisis.
The text was Isaiah 2:22: "Cease ye from man
whose breath is in his nostrils." During his discourse
Dr. Goodrich said:
We thought yesterday that we had touched the end of
our trials as a nation. We thought the Rebellion had
reached its limit and had struck its last blow, but there
170 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
was a lower depth of crime. There was yet the dregs of
infamy to be drunk by these conspirators. Treason
having failed there was assassination. Though all was
lost to the revolt, something was left for hate to do. It
could plunge a nation into sorrow. It could wreak its
revenge upon two strong souls [Lincoln and Seward] who
were the pillars and hope of the Republic. It is of no
consequence whether this deed can be traced to the
leaders of the Rebellion, how many treasonable minds
were cognizant of it, or whether the actors were in open
allegiance with the Confederacy, or plotted under the
rule of a free government. The act was done in the in-
terests of treason, and was inspired by the same spirit
that organized the revolt. It is useless to speculate upon
the consequences of this crime. It did not belong to per-
sonal malice, but was prepared for public ends. It was
the last desperate stroke of men who had failed in every
other effort, and who had nothing to lose and something
possibly to gain by chance and chaos. But in this also
they have failed. They have gained nothing but revenge.
They have made for the Chief Magistrate they have slain
an eternal memory of honor and sacrifice while the world
shall stand. The first duty of the hour is to put our trust
afresh in God, and confidence in and support of the
new president.
In conclusion Dr. Goodrich alluded to the religious
faith and Christian character of Abraham Lincoln,
who he said had sought wisdom from God, and had
not been ashamed of Christ,
Before whom we humbly trust he has appeared, a sinner
saved by grace, a steward trusted with many talents, his
work well done.
The remains of the martyred president did not
reach Cleveland until Thursday, April 20, 1865, six
days after the assassination. Union memorial serv-
WILLIAM HENRY GOODRICH 171
ices, simultaneous with similar gatherings throughout
the country, were held at the noon hour in three
Cleveland churches, the Old Stone, the First Baptist,
and the First Congregational Church on the West
Side.
The Stone Church was packed to the doors. The
pall covering the pulpit made a background for the
large wreath of white roses suspended in front of the
pulpit. Judge Sherlock J. Andrews presided and
delivered an address. The Honorable Richard C.
Parsons of the Stone Church and Elder Edwin R.
Perkins of the Second Presbyterian Church, de-
livered memorial addresses.
In keeping with the period of civic improvement,
the Stone Church during the pastorate of Dr. Good-
rich experienced a rich development, under the
guidance of this talented minister, who in the prime
of life had the happy faculty of showing every mem-
ber his post of duty. Social, literary, and philan-
thropic organizations multiplied. Young men were
appointed to the gracious task of ushering; while the
young women were invested with the responsibility
of furnishing flowers for the church and in various
other ways making their rounded accomplishments
tributary to the enriching of the church life. Dr.
Goodrich's love of flowers was a marked characteris-
tic, the white chrysanthemum having long been his
favorite, "Because," said he, "it blooms so bravely,
even after the snow comes."
In Dr. Goodrich every member felt that he had
found a friend, everybody trusting him because hon-
172 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
esty and sympathy seemed ingrained in his nature.
His gracious manner, pleasing voice, comparative
youth, and charming presence made him the idol of
the young; while his practical wisdom, broad culture,
sincere piety, and religious zeal won the hearts of
the older people. He knew all the members of his
church, much of their history, and in every house-
hold he was an ever-welcome guest. The "Ladies
Society" organized in Dr. Aiken's pastorate flourished
increasingly in the years of his successor.
At Dr. Aiken's suggestion in 1859 the Stone Church
fostered what was at first termed the "Merchant
Street Mission," a Sunday School with Mr. Charles
W. Noble as superintendent. The community was
called Wasonville, a name taken from the car-shops
owned by Mr. Charles W. Wason. The school moved
in 1860 to the south side of St. Clair Street, where it
continued until the building was constructed in 1867
on Aaron Street. There it remained until it de-
veloped into the North Presbyterian Church, and
entered the present church edifice on the corner of
Superior Avenue and East Fortieth Street.
Much of the care of the Wasonville Mission was
entrusted to the Ladies' Society, such as supplying a
new organ, song-books, and various helpful equip-
ments. Sessional records contain many references
to this mission. Omnibus accommodations had to be
hired for the teachers and others engaged in the work.
In 1862 money was applied for the purchase of a lot,
and the Reverend Aaron Peck, who had labored in
the mission, was continued during 1866 at a salary
WILLIAM HENRY GOODRICH 173
of twelve hundred dollars. Later plans were reported
for the construction of a chapel, and on February
10, 1867, the new Mission Chapel at Wasonville was
dedicated by Dr. Goodrich and Dr. Aiken. The
pastor emeritus presented the enterprise with a pulpit
Bible. The two lots forming the site cost nine hundred
fifty dollars; the contractor's work, six thousand
seven hundred forty-seven dollars; the furniture,
four hundred ninety-six dollars, or a total expend-
iture of eight thousand one hundred ninety-three
dollars. The main building was forty by sixty
feet in dimensions, with a rear prayer-meeting room
twenty by twenty-five feet. Joseph Ireland, a
prominent city architect who was a Presbyterian,
planned this modest structure. An elder was
elected to represent the Mission. The Reverend
Aaron Peck was continued in charge, and Mr. T. D.
Crocker served as superintendent, with Elder Reuben
F. Smith as assistant.
The Reverend B. P. Johnson and the Reverend
D. W. Sharts afterwards cared for this missionary
project, until in 1870 it was organized into the North
Presbyterian Church. Dr. Goodrich and Elders
Reuben F. Smith and George H. Ely were the com-
mittee that perfected the organization on September
19,1870, the fiftieth anniversary of the formal organi-
zation of the Stone Church. The Reverend Anson
Smyth, D. D.,was elected as first pastor of the new
church, but he never was installed.
In fostering the Wasonville Mission other Stone
Church ladies had a prominent part. As Dr. Aiken
many years earlier had summoned the older women
174 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
of the congregation to service in the form of a Ladies'
Society, so Dr. Goodrich in 1868 called the younger
women together for organization into what was first
named the Young Ladies' Mission Society, but after-
wards Icnown as the Goodrich Society.
The first special duty of the new organization was
that rendered the Wasonville Mission; also that of
giving supervision to social, literary, and musical
entertainments, that should unite the mother church
in common interests. Two-thirds of the money
raised by the younger women was voted to the
Mission, and sewing meetings were held for the pur-
pose of making garments for the city's poor.
While the members sewed, a committee had charge
of reading to the circle of workers. One year the
members listened to The Life of John Milton, the
history of St. John and His Pupils, and the home
picture of The Cotter s Saturday Night. Saturday
afternoons as many as one hundred children were
gathered together and taught to sew by the Young
Ladies' Mission Society. Each child was promised a
garment when she had completed it to the satisfac-
tion of her teacher. One of the most pleasant duties
of the young ladies was that of supplying the pulpit
with fresh flowers, and every Sunday six members
of the society, like vestals, kept their sacred trust.
During 1869 the receipts of this society amounted to
one thousand dollars. In 1873 these increased
to one thousand three hundred eleven dollars; while
the following year the receipts amounted to one
thousand five hundred thirty dollars, showing increas-
WILLIAM HENRY GOODRICH 175
ing interest and vigor in the work of the younger
women.
The society took charge of festivals at the Wason-
ville Mission, such as the Christmas entertainment
of 1869, when six hundred children were entertained.
In 1871 the younger ladies' society united with that
of the older women in taking charge of church socials.
One of the most earnest members of the Young
Ladies' Mission Society was Miss Mary Goodrich,
who entered into eternal rest a year after the death
of her father. In the records of the society are these
lines:
Be it written in your tenderest words within the annals
of 1875, that dear, loving, prayerful, zealous Mary Good-
rich vanished from our sight, because she was more fit
for heaven than earth. Write, too, upon the page sacred
to her memory, "We loved her."
In a letter written May 8, 1920, by the Reverend
Chauncey W. Goodrich, D.D., son of the Reverend
William H. Goodrich, D.D., and at present pastor
of the American Church, Paris, France, are these
lines:
When I think back to the early days of the Old Stone
Church, I have only the memories of a little boy of seven
years, supplemented by a few recollections when I was
ten or eleven. These are too fragmentary and trivial to
have any value. I recollect, however, with rare distinct-
ness Mrs. Mather, then Flora Stone, in her radiant girl-
hood and young womanhood, when she could have been
scarcely in the twenties. She used to be constantly at
our home, conspiring in association with my sister Mary,
for all good ends. I remember how eagerly and success-
176 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
fully they worked to establish a home for friendless girls.
The outstanding impression, however, as I have inti-
mated, is a certain radiance and eagerness in the character
of Flora Stone that I can never forget.
While Miss Mary Goodrich was taken away in early
years and was numbered among the "forbidden
builders," Miss Flora Stone, who became Mrs. Samuel
Mather, was spared many years to exhibit the deep
spirit of consecration in Christian service which early
characterized the Young Ladies' Mission Society.
In the recent letter of the Reverend Dr. Chauncey
W. Goodrich there are these additional lines bearing
upon the days when his father was pastor in Cleve-
land:
I remember the boyish envy with which I witnessed the
whole family prepare piles of sandwiches on Monday
morning for the ministers' meeting which my father in-
augurated in the study of the Old Stone Church. He was,
I think, the first in Cleveland to gather a group of minis-
ters of different communions regularly in conference. I
remember the personality of Judge Sherlock J. Andrews
with unusual distinctness, although as a boy I was more
impressed with his delightful humor than with the learn-
ing which was doubtless just as great. I recall too my
first initiation into the way in which every one in trouble
comes to a pastor. The numberless callers who came for
conferences with my father, and who went away appar-
ently comforted and helped, while they left him with a
sober face, have left a very distinct picture on my memory.
The exact date of the first young people's prayer-
meeting held in the Stone Church is not recorded.
It could not have been later than the latter half of
the Goodrich pastorate. Prior to that time a Wednes-
WILLIAM HENRY GOODRICH 177
day evening meeting, in the nature of a Bible class
and prayer-meeting, had been conducted by the
younger portion of the congregation, and from that
beginning there must have developed the young
peoples' prayer-meeting usually held Tuesday even-
ings in the Cleveland churches, until the rise of the
Christian Endeavor Society, whose meetings were
generally held Sunday evenings.
There is a tradition that one reason why the call
of the Stone Church appealed so strongly to Dr.
Goodrich was the heartiness with which the young
people entered into the Wednesday evening meeting
of that time.
During the pastorate of Dr. Goodrich the Sunday
School work grew in efficiency. The officers and
teachers gave time not only to the care of the home
school, but also to that of the Wasonville Mission,
and occasionally the latter outranked numerically the
parent organization. Thus in 1868 the Stone Church
Sunday School had an enrollment of four hundred
twenty-five, while there were four hundred ninety-
two in the Mission School. Unfortunately the records
of Sunday Schools, young peoples' and ladies' so-
cieties in churches have not been preserved as con-
secutively and permanently as have been the minutes
of church sessions; whereas in jthe case of the Stone
Church valuable records may have been destroyed in
the two disastrous fires.
In May of 1868, Dr. Goodrich in his decennial ser-
mon gave this summary:
The material of a congregation is perpetually altering,
178 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
flowing and reflowing. About 150 households, larger and
smaller, have been gathered during the ten years. About
75 families have passed away by death and removals, and
at present 260 families properly belong to this congrega-
tion. The number of worshipers has doubled in ten years.
The growth of the congregation has been numerically at
pace with that of the city, but much greater in ratio, if
compared only with the English-speaking inhabitants, to
which the Stone Church alone could appeal.
In this resume no account has been made of the Wason-
ville Mission. In 1858 there were 304 members on the roll
of the Stone Church; in 1868 there were 606 communi-
cants. Upon profession of faith 260 have been received
and 205 by letters. Death has taken 60 and 103 have
been dismissed to other churches; while to the unknown
list 60 have been relegated. At the Mission there are 65
members and 30 families. The income of the Church
Society in 1858 was ^4,000, and this has risen in 1868 to
37,500. During the decade almost 340,000 has been spent
for home missions and repairs, such as 310,000 for enlarge-
ment of the facilities at the Stone Church.
In this decennial year of 1868 the church galleries
were constructed and the graceful spire completed;
while a little later, in 1871, under the leadership of
Elder George H. Ely, the narrow chapel and parlors
were transformed into far more commodious rooms.
At a meeting of the session held September 6, 1870,
Elders Mygatt and Ely were appointed a committee
to serve with the pastor in making arrangements
for the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the
founding of the church. Commemorative services
were appointed for Sunday evening, September 18,
1870. It was a modest but interesting celebration.
In his semicentennial sermon Dr. Goodrich stated
WILLIAM HENRY GOODRICH 179
that during the fifty years one thousand seven hun-
dred thirty-five communicants had been enrolled in
the Stone Church, and including the Wasonville Mis-
sion, there were six hundred seventy-five members at
the time of the celebration.
The description which Dr. Goodrich gave of the
life of the Stone Church could as appropriately be
repeated at the centennial jubilee. His analysis was:
Steadiness and unity in the midst of haste and restlessness
have characterized our existence as a church. We have
not stopped to prove all things, but we have tended to
hold fast that which is good. There has been no haste,
no partisanship and discord, but we have never lapsed
into dead orthodoxy, or been content with precedents.
In conclusion he said:
Few probably who sit in this assembly will be here in
1920, when others will remember us, as we remember
those who laid the corner-stones. Let us do our part as
builders in this house of God, so that men will not say
that we wasted great opportunities, and that on the
threshold of a new era of power God found us wanting.
At the Sunday evening service the semicentennial
exercises were continued in the form of a popular
meeting. The Reverend Osman A. Lyman, D.D.,
pastor of the Euclid Avenue Presbyterian Church,
delivered an address to a large audience. He was
followed by Dr. Aiken, the venerable pastor emeritus,
who made perhaps his last address of any length.
He expressed a hope that there might be a condensed,
consecutive history of the church written. In the
development of churches an irreparable loss follows
the failure of pastors to bequeath to succeeding gen-
180 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
erations written or printed sketches of their times
and labors.
In reviewing his own pastorate, Dr. Aiken narrated
at the semicentennial celebration the following inci-
dent. An Infidel Club having existed in the city for
some time, its members finally challenged Alexander
Campbell, the founder of the Church of the Disciples,
to debate the question, whether or not the Bible is
the word of God. The challenge was accepted, but
inasmuch as there was no suitable hall for the debate,
permission was granted to the contestants to make
use of the Stone Church lecture-room. The verbal
contest lasted two days, and the champion of infi-
delity was evidently routed, for a death-blow had
been given the Infidel Club. At the same anniversary
service Elder Truman P. Handy and Deacon Moses
White related some of the earliest events in the life
of the church; while the closing address was given
by the Reverend James Eells, D.D., pastor of the
Second Presbyterian Church, who spoke of the future,
and of what the church ought to be in the light of
its past.
At the meeting of the session held September 6,
1870, to arrange for the semicentennial celebration,
there had also been "a full exchange of views" re-
garding the enriching of the order of worship by the
use of the Lord's Prayer and the Apostles' Creed,
"to be joined in audibly by as many of the church
and congregation as may desire to do so." At the
close of the next prayer-meeting the recommendation
WILLIAM HENRY GOODRICH 181
of the session was ratified "almost unanimously" by
a rising vote.
At the time efforts were being made to enrich
church worship, the session had been compelled to
discipline a member for "taking part too often in
prayer-meeting, and that not to the edification of
those assembled." The brother had contracted the
evil habit of making his prayers and remarks pointed
criticisms of a personal nature directed against
church oflRcers and members. The censorious culprit
claimed that all objection to his participation was
due to the fact that he had not received a college
education, but that plea did not shield him from
merited suspension.
The steady continuance of the Stone Church in
the down-town center of population has been made
possible to some extent by endowment funds. The
first recorded legacy, a very modest one like the
widow's mite of old, was that received November 18,
1861, when by the provision of the will of a Mrs.
Atchison there was bequeathed to the church a house
and lot. A year later this property was sold for
four hundred fifty dollars, of which asset one hundred
dollars was used to assist in the proposed completion
of the spire and purchase of a bell; while one hundred
fifty dollars went toward the securing of a site for the
Wasonville Mission.
Dr. Goodrich began to suffer with ill health to such
an extent that in 1866 an extended vacation was
granted. The session tried to secure President Henry
L. Hitchcock, D.D., of Western Reserve College, as
182 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
pulpit supply, but that temporary arrangement
having failed, the Reverend Dr. J. G. Atterbury of
Detroit was employed "for not less than six months,
beginning in October, 1866."
Soon after the decennial celebration of 1868 Dr.
Goodrich again found it necessary to seek rest upon
the continent. Leave of absence was granted and
the congregation of five hundred forty-eight members
was districted among the elders for visitation, while
Dr. Atterbury of Detroit again supplied the pulpit.
The cause of the pastor's ill health proved to be so
deep-seated that on June 22, 1872, for a third time
he requested a long leave of absence.
Dr. Goodrich was not only granted this for one
year, but at his advice immediate steps were also
taken to secure an assistant pastor. The sessional
minute was:
Believing that Rev. H. C. Haydn, late of Painesville, 0.,
is in all respects suitable for the office, the trustees are
hereby requested to unite with the session, in calling a
Society Meeting, at which his name shall be presented to
the Society, and if such be their pleasure he be called to
the associate pastorate of this church.
At a congregational meeting held July 10, 1872, the
Reverend Hiram C. Haydn was called at a salary of
four thousand dollars. The Cleveland Presbytery
met in the Stone Church August 23, 1872, and pro-
ceeded to receive the pastor-elect, not exactly accord-
ing "to the book," but as Lincoln said of his election,
"satisfactory enough for all practical purposes."
First the discovery was made that the pastor-elect
WILLIAM HENRY GOODRICH 183
could not secure a letter of dismission from the
Plymouth Rock Conference of the Congregational
Church until the following October, but an informal
letter of good standing having been received from the
clerk of that body, the Cleveland Presbytery deter-
mined to proceed with the business in hand.
Dr. Goodrich then certified that the First Presby-
terian Church of Cleveland had issued a call for the
pastoral services of the Reverend H. C. Haydn, but
that owing to his neglect the document was not at
hand to be read, or placed in the hands of the pastor-
elect.
Presbytery being satisfied with this verbal statement
voted that Rev. H. C. Haydn be enrolled as a member,
when the duly certified letter of dismission from Plymouth
Rock Conference be received by the Stated Clerk; voted
also, that, in the emergency of Dr. Goodrich leaving the
country at once, it was desirable to have Dr. Haydn's
installation take place before his departure; therefore it
was deemed expedient to waive the slight irregularity in
the case and arrange for his installation next Sabbath
evening.
All who knew Dr. Haydn's later ministry will agree
that there was something peculiarly appropriate in
the manner of his installation over the Stone Church
before having been legally enrolled a member of Pres-
bytery, for while this Christian leader entertained
respect for order in ecclesiastical procedure, he never
allowed the letter of the law to prevent the securing
of results that would promote the interests of his
Master's kingdom.
184 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
The following was the order of installation, Sunday
evening, August 25, 1872:
Reading of Scriptures, the Rev. Anson Smyth, D.D.;
prayer, the Rev. E. B. RafFensperger, D.D., of the
Westminster Church; sermon. Prof. Henry A. Nelson,
D.D., of Lane Theological Seminary; constitutional
questions, the Rev. James A. Skinner, of the Case Ave-
nue Church; installation prayer, the Rev. Dr. Samuel C.
Aiken; charge to the pastor, the Rev. James Eells, D.D., of
the Second Church; charge to the people, the Rev.
William H. Goodrich, D.D.; right hand of fellowship,
T. K. Noble; benediction, the Rev. H. C. Haydn.
In this important and interesting service of installa-
tion the three pastors of the Stone Church, pastor
emeritus and the two associate ministers participated.
The following day Dr. Goodrich departed with his
family for Europe, in hope that through a protracted
sojourn his health might be regained. The first year
ministered to a physical upbuilding, although more
slowly than his family and friends had hoped might
be the case. He then felt able to travel and a few
months were spent in Italy; the summer in Tyrol and
in Switzerland; while after a trip down the Rhine
the family settled at Lausanne.
At length Dr. Goodrich went to Paris intending
to sail for home, but medical advice sent him back
to Lausanne, where he remained until his death. Often
had he spoken of returning to his Cleveland pastorate,
and he had nearly completed a sermon which he pur-
posed to deliver upon his arrival home. Toward the end
of the second year abroad, however, all hope of ever
seeing his loved country with its field of service van-
WILLIAM HENRY GOODRICH 185
ished, and there was a patient bowing to the inevit-
able. The face that had longingly gazed toward the
land of birth and of earnest toil for the Master was
turned calmly and peacefully toward the shores of a
better country.
The end came on July 11, 1874, at the Hotel
Richemont, Lausanne. Accompanied by a few friends
the family gathered in the chapel of the Eglise Libre,
where brief services were conducted by the Reverend
Leonard W. Bacon, an old New Haven friend who
at the call of the bereaved family had hastened from
Geneva. The remains were taken to Havre, where
they were shipped on the steamer Erin to the United
States. Elder George H. Ely and Mr. Gamaliel E.
Herrick, representing the trustees of the Church
Society, went to New York to receive the body and
to accompany it to Cleveland, where according to the
wish of the deceased interment should be made.
The startling news of the death of the senior pastor
of the Stone Church reached the younger associate
just as he had finished preparing his second anni-
versary sermon upon the text:
Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpeh and
Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto
hath the Lord helped us.
Although the design of the discourse was not wholly
abandoned, there was modification sufficient to admit
the solemn fact overshadowing all other events in the
annals of the church life. Thus Sunday morning the
service was of a memorial nature, but in the evening
the Reverend Dr. A. J. F. Behrends, at that time
186 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
pastor of the First Baptist Church, but in later years
a Congregational minister of national reputation,
delivered an address of a more distinct memorial
character.
Concerning the service which the Reverend Dr.
William H. Goodrich had rendered Cleveland, one of
the daily papers at the news of his death declared:
It rarely falls to the lot of any man to hold such a place
in men's hearts as this citizen and pastor has held in
Cleveland. His life work was done here in the sight of all
men. How unselfishly and grandly done we know.
When Mrs. Goodrich and children reached Cleveland,
the funeral services were held in the Stone Church,
Saturday afternoon, September 19th, 1874, the fifty-
fourth anniversary of the founding of the church,
while the burial was at Lake View Cemetery.
Appropriate addresses were given by the Reverend
Dr. H. C. Haydn, assisted by the Reverend Chas. S.
Pomeroy, D.D., pastor of the Second Presbyterian
Church. With them in the pulpit were the Reverend
James Shaw, D.D., of Windham, Ohio, stated clerk
of Cleveland Presbytery; the Reverend James A.
Skinner, of the Westminster Church, and Mr. James
M. Hoyt, an intimate friend of the deceased. The
venerable pastor emeritus, the Reverend Dr. Samuel
C. Aiken, was present, but was unable to participate
in the services. It had been expected that the Rev-
erend Frederick Brooks, D.D., Rector of St. Paul's
Episcopal Church of Cleveland, and brother of the
famous Bishop Phillips Brooks of Boston, would be
present, but it was not then known that a most
WILLIAM HENRY GOODRICH 187
tragic death had overtaken this talented Cleveland
minister while visiting his brother in Boston.
Following the funeral a memorial service was held
Sunday morning in the Stone Church, at which time
Dr. Haydn delivered the discourse contained in the
"In Memoriam" volume, copies of which are in the
archives of the Western Reserve Historical Society
and in the Public Library. This address gave a keen
delineation of the life and character of Dr. Goodrich,
and to Dr. Haydn's eulogy is due the greater portion
of the following tribute to the clergyman who during
a pastorate of sixteen years had won such a place in
the hearts of Cleveland citizens.
The blood of noble ancestry that flowed in the
veins of Dr. Goodrich is not to be undervalued. Early
associations such as fall to the lot of a few were his
of necessity. The best that the schools could do for
any man they did for him. Worldly competence that
cushions so many hard places and rounds so many
angles, and unlocks so many otherwise bolted doors,
came to his help. More than all a deep religious
spirit, under the inspiration of the Gospel of Christ,
imbued by divine love and chastened affliction, lent
an unfading charm to his life and character. Nothing
but the most culpable neglect and abuse of the rarest
opportunities could have prevented his becoming a
man of most symmetrical character and transcendent
usefulness. How well he improved these opportu-
nities, not lying supinely upon them or trusting in
them for success, but turning them to the noblest
ends, multitudes are rising on every side to tell.
188 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
He was a laborious man, making rigorous weekly-
preparations, with rare facility for work and ability
to enter sympathetically into other callings than his
own. He had a fine vein of humor that made him a
delightful companion. Knowing men there was
great tact, sterling common sense, and sound judg-
ment in approaching them. Many times it was said
of Dr. Goodrich that he never made mistakes, some-
thing that he of course would never allow, but his
friends felt that it was in large measure true of him,
since he was remarkably free from blunders of indis-
cretion, and was wise in speech and happy in the art
of expressing his thoughts.
Although born and reared a Congregationalist, Dr.
Goodrich came to be an intelligent, earnest Presby-
terian, and the growth of the denominational in-
interest in Cleveland owes much to him.
The Christian ministry is generally recruited from
the middle or more humble classes of society rather
than from the families of the well-to-do, but there
are marked exceptions that may prove the rule. To
such a consecrated pastor as Dr. Goodrich ample
resources gave a better command of time and of
every facility for usefulness in his chosen calling.
It put him in helpful relations with every good cause,
and gave him influence with men as a citizen. He
was a bountiful giver and his substance was not hus-
banded on his own manor, but allowed freely to over-
flow other fields. Unostentatiously and in ways
known only to God, he ministered to the needy and
to the cause of Christ. Brethren in the ministry,
WILLIAM HENRY GOODRICH 189
students in college and seminary, men and women
struggling to help themselves, could testify to his
generous and effective sympathy.
As a preacher Dr. Goodrich was not scholastic, not
brilliant, and never sensational. His sermons were
models of finished composition, symmetrical and com-
plete, and in delivery faultless. He was not dis-
tinguished by an occasional great effort among scores
of inferior ones, but the sermons were uniformly good.
He was preeminently an experimental preacher,
drawing from the full refreshing waters of the gospel ;
while Christ was the central theme of all his sermons.
Not many printed discourses of Dr. Goodrich are
extant. A few to be found in the Western Reserve
Historical Society are: "Sermon on Christian Morals
in Social Life," March 13, 1859; "Christian Necessity
of War," April 21, 1861; "Special National Thanks-
giving" [at the turning-point of the Civil War],
August 7, 1863; "The Child of God Comforted in
Death," delivered at the funeral of Mrs. Mary E.
Carson in 1867; "Sermon at the Funeral of Dr. John
Delamater, LL.D.," April 2, 1867, and "Lessons
brought from a Mother's Grave," August 29, 1869,
after the return of Dr. Goodrich from the funeral of
his mother who had passed away at New Haven,
Conn., seventy-seven years of age.
Dr. Goodrich above all was a pastor, and in
developing the working energies of the church, in
reconciling differences and promoting harmony and
brotherly love, in ministering to souls in trouble, and
as an adviser and guide for men, he had few equals.
190 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
If the long, fruitful pastorate of the Reverend
Samuel Clark Aiken, D.D., in the Stone Church of
Cleveland, was in marked providential harmony with
the ''period of establishing," both in civic and re-
ligious affairs, then surely the Reverend William
Henry Goodrich, D.D., a highly cultured minister and
able citizen, must have been brought to Cleveland as
providentially at the critical "period of improving,"
both in religious and civil matters.
Born and reared in the university atmosphere of
New Haven, Dr. Goodrich early became interested
in Western Reserve College, popularly denominated
"The Yale of the West." During his pastorate he
was not only a trustee of Western Reserve College,
but also a warm friend of the Reverend Henry L.
Hitchcock, D.D., president of that institution of
higher learning. The two men walked together in
mutual counsel and helpfulness, preaching and train-
ing future ministers. They loved as brothers and un-
selfishly labored to strengthen the institution in which
so many Yale traditions were conserved. President
Hitchcock died a year before Dr. Goodrich was taken,
but at the service held in memory of the latter. Presi-
dent Carroll Cutler, Dr. Hitchcock's successor, spoke
of the close friendship that had existed between the
two noble men. When Dr. and Mrs. Goodrich came
to Cleveland there were three little children in the
family: Mary Prichard Goodrich, who died Novem-
ber 19, 1875, at the age of twenty-three years; Julia
Webster and Frances Louisa Goodrich, both of whom
are living, the latter prominently connected with
WILLIAM HENRY GOODRICH 191
work under the Presbyterian Board of Home Missions
in the South, with residence at Asheville, N. C. In
Cleveland two children were born, Ellen Chauncey
Goodrich, who died June 9, 1903, and the Reverend
Chauncey W. Goodrich, D.D., formerly pastor of the
Bolton Avenue Presbyterian Church of Cleveland,
but at present pastor of the American Church in
Paris, France. The widow, Mrs. Mary Prichard
Goodrich, passed away September 24, 1911. As this
review is made of the enriching influence of this
second pastor of the Stone Church, one cannot
but feel that the loving and skilled ministry of Dr.
Goodrich caused that now venerable church organiza-
tion to approach more perfectly the poetic ideal:
Framed of living stones, cemented
By the Spirit's unity;
Based on prophets and apostles,
Firm in faith and stayed on Thee.
May Thy church, O God, Incarnate,
Grow in grace, in peace, in love,
Emblem of the heavenly Zion,
The Jerusalem above.
VII. FIRST PASTORATE OF THE REVEREND
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN
1872 - 1880
The surname of the third pastor of the Old Stone
Church, the Reverend Hiram CoHins Haydn, D.D.,
LL.D., must be distinguished from the German
Haydn as well as from the Dutch Heyden, for it con-
nects his ancestral line with the English Haydens who
abode originally in a town that occupied a plain on a
hill. At first the name of the place was Highdown, or
a "high level." Then it was written Heydon but pro-
nounced Highdon.
The name of the town was applied to the leading
family, the moral characteristics of whose members
are interesting. Such was their attachment to local-
ity that for two hundred fifty years they resided in
the same place, until one branch moved to London.
Foremost in zeal for religion they became builders of
churches, founders of schools and promoters of chari-
ties. The law was the next favorite occupation of the
English Heydons, who were ever loyal supporters of
government and faithful knights in the time of war.
The American line began with William Hayden,
who, born in England, died at Kenihvorth [Clinton],
Conn., in 1669. The third pastor of the Stone Church
belonged to the eighth generation of this Connecticut
Hayden's descendants. That this American family
194 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
was also attached to locality is proven by the numer-
ous descendants of William Hayden around his old
farm in Windsor, Conn. Their love of religion was
likewise marked.
The reason why the name of the Stone Church
pastor was written without the letter "e" was due
to the fact that a Connecticut ancestor having had
trouble with his mail, in a region where Haydens
abounded, began to write his name "Hayd-n," and
then the natural elimination of the hyphen made the
name "Haydn."
The Reverend Hiram Collins Haydn was born
December 11, 1831, at Pompey, N. Y. His parents
were David Ellsworth and Lucinda Cooley Haydn,
the mother a person of marked sweetness of character
and deeply religious. Of the six children born Hiram
was the eldest of the four, two boys and two girls,
who grew to maturity.
The family resided upon a hillside farm not easy
of cultivation, but of beautiful prospect. In a red
schoolhouse at the base of the hill, the children re-
ceived the rudiments of an education in the four and
a half winter months allotted for schooling. In his
early teens, before modern farm machinery had been
invented, Hiram took his place with the men, logging,
ploughing, mowing, cradling, and as early as twelve
years of age he ''earned his keep." His education was
then transferred to Pompey Hill Academy, over two
miles away. Either afoot or on horseback the lad
journeyed to school, after having risen before day-
light to care for the farm stock. One winter he
/.
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 197
counted it great fortune "to chore for his board" in
the village near the Academy.
The winter of 1850 brought a great epoch in this
youth's life. A powerful revival was "prayed into
being" in the old First Presbyterian Church of Pom-
pey, N. Y. A record in Dr. Haydn's handwriting
runs:
The announced conversion of a companion of mine
was a summons to me to seek my "soul's salvation." I
gave myself up to the divine influences about me. The
teaching of the period was Calvinistic and the guidance
was chary of encouraging human effort. The attitude was
rather that of waiting for the movement of the Divine
Spirit and the revelations of the Divine Will in experience.
It is enough to say that after long tribulation I arrived
at the beginning of a religious experience. It was a great
change, for whatever else I had been, I was far from a
wholesome religious life. I had for years lived in the fear
of death; the Millerite teachings had affrighted me, and
the Calvinistic discussions had impressed me that I could
not do anything, if I would, and that everything an un-
regenerate man could do was sin, but I was ill at ease
and my joy (?) at the prospect of facing the issue in a
revival was sincere. I was in my nineteenth year, and
for the first time in my life it dawned upon me that God
might have something for me beyond the life of the farm.
It is scarcely conceivable what a widening of the horizon
was now experienced. I was regarded by our townsfolk
as a good scholar, and with several others it became a
question - should we enter the ministry.'* To this I was
encouraged. My father had no objections, though the
help he could give me was less than 3100.
Thus until twenty-two years of age the son of a hill-
side farmer labored faithfully until, with very meager
198 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
financial support, he sought higher education by-
entering Amherst College in the autumn of 1853 as
a sophomore by no means well prepared. It was his
first leave-taking from home; his first glimpse of the
outside world.
He once wrote by way of reminiscence:
A green boy was I, though in my twenty-second year, as
I strolled up Broadway to get a glimpse of the first
World's Fair on this side of the sea. From close work on
the farm to close work at books was a trying experience.
I passed the homesick stage, and found fellows of like
mind in my class, men as poor as I was.
One of these classmates was the Reverend E. P.
Goodwin, D.D., who became a Congregational minis-
ter of prominence in Columbus, Ohio, and then in
Chicago, ni. He was Dr. Haydn's roommate first at
Amherst College, and then at Union Theological
Seminary in New York City. Of his college course
Dr. Haydn many years later modestly wrote:
How it was that I came to the rank of Phi Beta Kappa,
to be on the editorial staff of the college magazine, class
poet, and prize essayist (325), I scarcely know. In the
essay I took the ground that the advance of civiHzation
and knowledge was not detrimental to poetry, my con-
testant taking the opposite view.
After graduation from Amherst College in 1856
young Haydn first planned to attend Andover Theo-
logical Seminary, but during the six weeks' vacation
granted Amherst seniors prior to commencement he
returned home, there to suffer an attack of measles,
the ill effect of which continued to be a "thorn in the
flesh" throughout life. Having returned to graduate,
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 199
a relapse caused serious eye trouble, and for two
months he could not read. In the meanwhile New
York City was sought as a place where employment
could be found in case student life were out of
question, but a physician to whom was committed
the physical welfare of the Union Seminary students
brought such relief that the grateful patient entered
Union instead of Andover Theological Seminary.
Edwin P. Goodwin again became his roommate;
while Arthur Mitchell, destined to become the fourth
pastor of the Stone Church, was a classmate, but as
the latter resided in New York City acquaintance
was confined mainly to the lecture room.
It was the day of Professor Edward Robinson,
noted for his Palestinian explorations; of Professor
Henry B. Smith, the acute Christocentric theologian;
of Professor Thomas Skinner, and of Professor Ros-
well D. Hitchcock, who was in the early day of his
pulpit power. In addition to such a faculty the
students had the opportunity of hearing Henry Ward
Beecher, William Adams, Stephen Tyng, Joseph P.
Thompson of the Broadway Tabernacle, and George
B. Cheever, the "Anti-slavery Thunderer."
During seminary days young Haydn had regular
mission work, first in Dr. Bethune's church in Brook-
lyn, and then in the Thirteenth Street Mission con-
nected with the Washington Place Church, of which
Dr. Potts was pastor. For such service a student was
allowed two dollars per week. The summer vacations
brought work among the Mohegan Reservation In-
dians along the River Thames in eastern Connecticut,
200 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
consisting of teaching a common school five days a
week, visitation of the people and the conducting of
Sunday services. The compensation for the vacation
work was one hundred dollars.
During his summer vacation experiences the stu-
dent became acquainted with Norwich families, and
there he first met Miss Elisabeth Coit, who afterwards
became his wife. The summer service likewise intro-
duced him to the neighboring parish of Montville,
Conn., his first pastorate after graduation in 1859
from Union Seminary.
The Montville Church was badly run down. An
annual income of four hundred dollars had met the
minister's salary, the congregation having raised one
hundred dollars to pay the incidental expenses. The
new minister's salary of eight hundred dollars seemed,
therefore, an impossibility, but it was raised; also
additional funds sufficient to effect a thorough reno-
vation. After a year and a half at Montville, the eye
affliction returned. The father of Miss Elisabeth Coit
suggested a trip to Europe, not only for rest, but also
for consultation at Lausanne with a distinguished
oculist. The outcome of the proposition, however,
was the marriage May 1, 1861, of the Reverend
Hiram C. Haydn and Miss Elisabeth Coit. The wed-
ding trip extended as far south as Rome and Venice
and then through Switzerland to England by way of
the Rhine, Brussels, Antwerp to London; from Glas-
gow to Belfast, Dublin, Chester, and Liverpool,
whence the homeward voyage began.
After home had been regained, a new parish was
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 201
accepted January 1, 1862, at Meriden, Conn., a large
congregation, critical and accustomed to experienced
ministers. Furthermore it was war time. Soon after
having become settled in the parsonage the young
wife passed away, leaving a baby daughter five days
old. The Coits took the little one to their home, while
the desolate parsonage received the care of the be-
reaved pastor's sister. In order to regain strength a
western trip was taken up the Great Lakes to Supe-
rior City and thence to Chicago.
On January 7, 1864, the Reverend Hiram C. Haydn
and Miss Sarah J. Merriman, of Meriden, Conn., were
married, and the motherless daughter was brought to
the parsonage. At Meriden the son Charles was born
in November of 1865, and soon after the Meriden
pastorate was dissolved. For six months the St. Johns-
bury Church was supplied during the absence of the
pastor, when through the recommendation of the
Reverend E. P. Goodwin, D.D., the chum of college
and seminary days, and then pastor of a Congrega-
tional Church at Columbus, Ohio, the Reverend Hiram
C. Haydn accepted a call to the Congregational
Church at Painesville, Ohio, a beautiful place of five
thousand inhabitants, many of New England stock.
The church was a strong one for Ohio and made
especially attractive by reason of the attendance of
the one hundred young ladies from Lake Erie Semi-
nary.
During the first winter the Reverend E. P. Good-
win, D.D., of Columbus, Ohio, assisted his Paines-
ville friend in a series of special meetings, which not
202 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
only added to the church over one hundred members
upon confession of their faith, but also prompted the
construction of a chapel and parsonage.
In this happy pastorate the Reverend Hiram C.
Haydn not only became a trustee of Lake Erie Semi-
nary but also of Western Reserve College, then loca-
ted at Hudson, Ohio. Acquaintance with many promi-
nent religious workers in Cleveland, only thirty miles
away, was also formed. During the fourth year of
the Painesville pastorate, members of the church
having learned of the proposed trip of Dr. Goodwin
to Egypt and the Holy Land, presented their minister
with a purse in order that he also might become a
member of the touring party.
He sailed January 1, 1870, for London, to begin
what he asserted to have been
The most profitable five months educationally of my
life, and I have never ceased to be grateful to God and
to my people for the opportunity.
Later Dr. Goodwin recommended his college and
seminary classmate to the Pilgrim Congregational
Church, St. Louis, Mo., then worshiping in a chapel
with a new church edifice already enclosed. Dr. Haydn
resigned the Painesville charge and went to St. Louis,
but without having formally accepted the flattering
call. He proposed five months' trial of the field, but
at the end of that period for a number of reasons
settlement was not considered advisable.
Opportunity to supply the Second Congregational
Church of San Francisco, Cal., at once presented it-
self, with the possibility of visiting the wonders of the
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 203
Pacific Coast. The San Francisco Church urged the
acceptance of a call, but this was declined and the
traveler returned to attend the State Congregational
Conference at Marietta, Ohio, where as retiring mod-
erator he delivered the opening sermon.
From Marietta Dr. Haydn went by request to
Oberlin to occupy for a Sabbath the pulpit long filled
by Charles G. Finney, who was closing his famous
pastorate. The result of this visit was a unanimous
call, to which was attached a long list of college stu-
dents' names. Some Oberlin "Perfectionists," how-
ever, sent letters to Pompey, N. Y., where Dr. Haydn
went after having visited the college town, making
inquiry regarding the prospective pastor's attitude
toward things that they held especially dear. At
the same time the First Presbyterian Church of
Cleveland was considering Dr. Haydn as a possible
associate of Dr. Goodrich. Without having preached
to the Cleveland congregation. Dr. Haydn received a
unanimous call. The Oberlin opportunity with its
student life appealed strongly, but the Cleveland invi-
tation was accepted, and the last Sunday morning of
August, 1872, Drs. Aiken, Goodrich, and Haydn
united in the communion service, while the installa-
tion service was held in the evening.
Dr. Haydn's earliest Cleveland home was on Case
Avenue [East Fortieth Street], the first residence in
those days on the west side of the street south of
Prospect Avenue, then considered the outskirts of the
city. There Professor Howell M. Haydn was born.
Although an associate pastor Dr. Haydn was practi-
204 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
cally in sole control of the Stone Church from the
time of installation. He deemed it fortunate that for
two years Dr. Goodrich was considered the nominal
head, since it gave time for the junior pastor to grow
into the place, and the new relationship was cemented
by the mutual grief over the great common loss when
two years later the senior pastor died. It was the
peculiar duty of Dr. Haydn to conduct the funerals of
both Dr. Aiken and Dr. Goodrich, the former in
extreme old age, the latter in the prime of life.
The first pastorate of Dr. Haydn in the Stone
Church continued from 1872 to 1880. The six stated
supplies served the congregation during the period of
municipal "settling." The pastorate of Dr. Aiken
was co-existent with the period of civic "establish-
ing;" that of Dr. Goodrich with the period of "im-
proving," and now Dr. Haydn's two pastorates, sep-
arated by the four years' service of the Reverend
Arthur Mitchell, D.D., were to extend through a
marked period of civic and ecclesiastical "enlarging."
This characteristic was not as prominent in the first
settlement of Dr. Haydn as it was in the second pas-
torate, but the era of an Enlarged Presbyterianism
and of a Greater Cleveland could be discerned during
the earlier eight years.
In 1872, the year that Dr. Haydn came to the Stone
Church, East Cleveland was annexed, the territory
between Willson Avenue [East Fifty-fifth Street], and
Doan's Corners, now Euclid Avenue and University
Circle. The East Cleveland of today was then known
as Collamer, and prior to that as Euclid. The second
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 205
year of Dr. Haydn's pastorate, or in 1873, Newburgh,
once larger, healthier, and more prosperous as a farm
district than Cleveland, was annexed. It had become
a small city, a great industrial community around the
Cleveland Rolling Mill Company. For a number of
years after annexation, or until the influx of Slavic
mill-workers at the time of the great strike of 1882,
much of the territory between Cleveland and New-
burgh remained sparsely settled.
In 1871 a Board of Park Commissioners had been
created, when few dreamed of the park and boulevard
system now so highly appreciated.
A member of considerable prominence in the Stone
Church, the Honorable Richard C. Parsons, who
served in Congress in 1873, introduced the first bill
in behalf of breakwater protection to lake commerce.
For years the improvement of shipping facilities at
the port of Cleveland was a leading issue in con-
gressional campaigns, but with all that the Govern-
ment has done the facilities have not kept pace with
the demands of the local port of entry; hence the
diverting of extensive coal and iron ore business to
the neighboring ports of Ashtabula, Fairport, Lorain,
and Huron.
Dr. Haydn's first Stone Church pastorate was pros-
ecuted under the stress of the great national panic
of 1873. While the financial crash precipitated by
"Black Friday" was in measure an aftermath of the
exhaustive Civil War, it was also accompanied by
wild land speculation. Suburban farms at a distance
from the city brought as high as one thousand dollars
206 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
per acre. Ruin came to some investors; others were
able to retain their holdings, which were sold many
years later for half the purchase price; while a few
after the lapse of half a century have recently allotted
the property. This has been the case of a large
tract of land on Warner Road purchased by Mr. John
D. Rockefeller prior to the 1873 panic. Multitudes
were swept into the feverish maelstrom of speculation
and the panic hampered religious work.
As late as the close of Dr. Haydn's first pastorate
in 1880 the nation was painfully recovering from this
financial crash. During those years of stress, how-
ever. Dr. Haydn in reports to Presbytery sounded a
clarion note, like that of St. Paul to the Christians
of Macedonia urging all "in a great trial of affliction
to abound in their deep poverty unto the riches of
their liberality." As chairman of the Foreign Mis-
sions Committee in 1878, he exhorted the country
churches within the bounds of Presbytery in these
characteristic words:
The good times in the country do not seem to have helped
the country churches to make up the deficits occasioned
by hard times in city and town; on the contrary, by force
of example or habit, they seem to have fallen under the
impression that however bountiful God's harvests, there
is no connection between them and the preaching of the
Gospel upon the frontier, or in the more distant heathen
regions.
The year following this panic there arose a remark-
able moral movement known as the Woman's Tem-
perance Crusade, whose educational effect can not be
fully estimated, in the prolonged warfare against the
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 207
liquor traffic. Prior to the Civil War the national
contest for the prohibition of the manufacture and
sale of alcoholic drinks had almost reached the goal
of victory, ten states having obtained prohibitory
laws. It seemed as if the land would soon abolish the
evil of strong drink, but following the Civil War there
came the heavy European emigration given to the
use of alcoholic drinks. This was especially true of
an increased consumption of beer, fostered by Teu-
tonic emigration. That type of citizenship made itself
pleasingly manifest by the erection in 1874 of the
first Saengerfest building on Euclid Avenue, between
what were then Case and Sterling Avenues. Love of
good music was emphasized by those who also formed
Sunday processions of marchers who bore kegs of
beer upon their shoulders, along Garden Street [Cen-
tral Avenue] to Willson Avenue [East Fifty-fifth
Street], and thence to Haltnorth's Gardens, just be-
yond the city's eastern limits, in order to make a
public protest against Sabbath laws, as hampering
"personal liberty."
When this determination of newly welcomed citi-
zens to annul "sumptuary laws" and to install the
European Sabbath in the land of their adoption had
become threatening, the native womanhood of the
nation rose in one mighty protest. While lecturing
at Hillsboro, Ohio, Dr. Dio Lewis of Boston expressed
confidence that the liquor dealers of the land, whose
saloons were beginning to occupy every prominent
street corner in American cities, would heed the cry
of outraged womanhood, become conscience stricken,
208 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
and abandon the accursed business, if Christian
women in the spirit of importunate prayer would
plead for the moral safety of the rising generation.
Having started December 23, 1873, at Hillsboro,
Ohio, the crusade spread rapidly through smaller
Ohio cities. Cleveland women wondered whether or
not this moral wave could possibly reach the larger
centers of population. On March 13, 1874, a crusade
league was formed in Cleveland. Miss Sarah Fitch,
for many years a most devoted worker in the Stone
Church, became president; while Mrs. W. A. Ingram
served as secretary.
The ladies of the churches gathered daily for con-
ference and prayer, either in the Stone Church or the
old Y. M. C. A. Chapel. In the Newburgh district and
in surrounding towns the crusade was already in full
action. Definite rules were adopted for the Cleveland
movement. No saloon was to be entered without the
proprietor's consent. At the outset there was to be
no marching without police protection, and reporters
were invited to accompany the crusaders in order
that the public might have accurate information re-
garding the movement. Few excesses characterized
the Cleveland crusade, which continued a number of
weeks. Pulpits thundered against the liquor evil;
women prayed, sang and spoke in billiard rooms, be-
fore saloon bars and on the streets; while processions
of temperance societies, including Roman Catholic
organizations, at times filled the streets. Of the three
thousand women banded together in the Cleveland
crusade only a minority engaged in the street work,
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 209
but all added to the impetus of the moral protest.
"One gentle lady," runs an account of the movement,
**Mrs. S. Williamson, by her potent influence closed
seven of the worst saloons in Union Lane."
One day fifteen hundred women gathered in the
Stone Church, and after prayer and conference five
hundred of them called upon the wholesale liquor
dealers of Merwin and River Streets. Another large
audience convened May 1, 1874, in the Stone Church,
for the purpose of receiving reports. Praying bands
had visited three distilleries, eight breweries, thirty
drug stores, thirty-five hotels, ten of which had abol-
ished bars; forty wholesale dealers and eleven hun-
dred saloons. These bands had held many meetings
in the open air, in halls, political wigwams and in a
number of warehouses and offices, into which the
ladies had been invited to pray for neighboring liquor
sellers who had refused entrance to their places. The
total number of dealers who signed the pledge had
been seventy-five; property owners two hundred, and
citizens ten thousand.
Among the valued adjuncts to this crusade were
the noon meetings in the Stone Church parlors, and
the assistance rendered by such pastors of down-
town churches as the Reverend H. C. Haydn, the
Reverend A. J. F. Behrends, the Reverend Charles
S. Pomeroy and the Reverend S. W. Duncan. Pastors
throughout the city also gave valued support.
While this type of temperance work failed to effect
permanent transformation, and to many appeared
like a futile attempt to dam the ever-increasing liquor
210 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
stream with bulrushes, there was born an inspiration
which produced abiding results. Powerful agencies
for the ultimate overthrow of the liquor traffic were
at once founded, especially the Women's Christian
Temperance Union and many local charities.
One splendid outcome of the crusade was the erec-
tion on Ontario Street, not far from the Stone Church,
of the Peoples' Tabernacle. Mr. William H. Doan,
eminent in Cleveland for his many philanthropies,
built this for popular gatherings, and for years it con-
tinued the center of reform movements and later
it became the birthplace of educational work by
means of popular concerts and lectures. This was
also the building in which the Moody and Sankey
evangelistic campaign was conducted in 1879.
If the Stone Church could speak what a story could
it relate, not only of the events within its smoke-
begrimed walls, but also in the Public Square which
it has faced for so many years. There would be during
the pastorate of Dr. Haydn the story of the Centen-
nial Celebration of 1876. At daybreak July 4, 1876,
the wooden flagstaff in the Public Square was dis-
placed by a lofty one of steel, the gift of the Cleveland
Rolling Mill Company, and said to have been the
first of its material ever fashioned. From a poet the
event elicited a few verses such as :
The banner that a hundred years
Has waved above our good ship's keel,
Upheld by oak or mast of pine,
Now proudly floats from staff of steel.
One feature of the National Centennial Celebra-
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 211
tion was the singing of the public school children,
led by Professor N. Coe Stewart and massed upon a
rising series of seats in the center of the Public Square.
The same year saw the solution of the problem of
electric lighting by Charles F. Brush, a Cleveland
citizen, who perfected the dynamo that is the founda-
tion of the lighting system known by his name the
world over. In the course of time the Stone Church
and other down-town buildings were flooded during
the night by light from clusters of Brush lamps, raised
to a great height by means of iron masts.
The terrible Ashtabula railroad accident in 1876
shocked the world and deeply stirred Cleveland. Over
one hundred passengers went suddenly into the valley
of death, including Mr. and Mrs. P. P. Bliss, the
evangelistic singers. Upon the Stone Church minutes
are resolutions expressing sympathy with the bridge
disaster sufferers, and expressing particular sym-
pathy for the family of the Reverend Dr. A. H. Wash-
burn, who after having been for eleven years rector
of Grace Episcopal Church, then located at the corner
of Huron Road and East Ninth Street, lost his life at
Ashtabula.
Between 1872 and 1880 the Stone Church sent
forth no colonies to form new churches. Although the
North Presbyterian Church had become independent
the mother church still gave fostering assistance. In
1879 Elder S. P. Fenn of the Stone Church became
superintendent of the North Church Sunday School,
and he served in that capacity over twenty-five years,
at the same time retaining connection with the parent
212 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
organization. In 1878 an opportunity came to main-
tain a mission Sunday School, which ultimately be-
came the splendid Calvary Presbyterian Church.
Prior to 1878 a Union Sunday School had existed on
Euclid Avenue east of Willson Avenue. Members of
several churches, among whom were T. Dwight Eells
and H. B. Tuttle, had been interested in the enter-
prise. The growth of churches along the eastern
boundary of the city, then Willson Avenue, or East
Fifty-fifth Street, and the death of leading workers
finally led to the mission's discontinuance. In Novem-
ber of 1878 Dr. Haydn was invited to reopen the work
as a Presbyterian enterprise. He gladly accepted the
invitation, as a providential summons, and a weekly
prayer-meeting was held in the wooden chapel, be-
ginning the first Tuesday evening of December, 1879.
The organization of the Sunday School followed
January 1, 1880, with seventy-three persons present,
Mr. L. W. Bingham serving as superintendent. The
enrollment grew rapidly to two hundred fifty, and the
old chapel having been transferred to the trustees of
the Stone Church, there was the search for a site, with
the expectation that by March the formation of an
associate church would be consummated. The south-
west corner of Euclid and Madison Avenues [the
latter now East Seventy-ninth Street] was purchased
by eight gentlemen interested in the new enterprise,
to be held in trust until subscriptions could be secured
sufficient to cover the purchase price.
In a Stone Church paper Dr. Haydn had this to
state editorially:
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 213
The trustees and original subscribers to the Union Chapel
have turned the building over to us, and it will be moved
to the new site at once and fitted for occupancy. The
hope is that on the evening of the first Sunday in March
the sacrament of the Lord's Supper will be administered
in the chapel to such as form the nucleus of the associate
church, and that, thereafter, morning and evening serv-
ices will be regularly held; also the Sunday School and
weekly meeting. It may be said that the school has
steadily increased. To own the lot and its equipment will
cost about 312,000. Of this amount 37,430 has been sub-
scribed. We do not know where the rest is to come from.
We walk by faith as to that, but we hope by September
1st, if not sooner, to be free from debt. It would be a
great favor to the pastor, if such as can help in this work
would do so without waiting to be called upon. What
time is spent in raising money cannot be given to making
sermons.
Thus toward the close of Dr. Haydn's first pastor-
ate there came the inception of the mission, which in
the second settlement he had the pleasure of guiding
into the ultimate formation of the Calvary Presby-
terian Church.
Military organizations in Cleveland revived in 1877,
when the Fifteenth Regiment of Ohio National Guard,
composed of ten companies, the Cleveland Gatling
Gun Company, and the First City Troop were formed.
That summer it looked as though these military com-
panies would be needed, for the great railroad strike
of that year was most destructive to property. The
work of a Pittsburgh mob gave great apprehension in
other cities, to which the trouble swiftly spread. For-
tunately Cleveland escaped a reign of violence,
214 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
although the strike reached the city July 22, 1877. In
police stations, armories, and other places the police,
militia, independent companies, and even veterans of
the Civil War were held for days, prepared for the
worst, but not making any public appearance upon
the streets or near railroad property. The strike was
finally settled, and Cleveland had neither reasons for
regret nor damages to settle. A far more pleasing
event stirred Cleveland in 1878, when there was the
celebration of the completion of the Superior Viaduct,
the first high-level bridge to span the Cuyahoga Val-
ley and to bind in closer unity the east and west sides.
This structure was opened to the public December 27,
1878, after more than four years had been consumed
in building at a cost of two million one hundred seven-
ty thousand dollars.
The first steps were taken in 1879 to form the Early
Settlers' Association, an organization second only in
influence to the Western Reserve Historical Society.
"Father" Addison, a well-known pioneer, proposed
the association, but at first he received no encourage-
ment, until he went to the home of Elder George My-
gatt of the Stone Church. His was the first signature
to Father Addison's petition, whereupon Charles
Whittlesey, John A. Foot, Samuel Wilhamson, Richard
C. Parsons, Sherlock J. Andrews, William Bingham
and other prominent Stone Church people signed the
call for the first meeting, held November 19, 1879.
Prior to the fall of 1879 leading pastors and Chris-
tian laymen of Cleveland had expressed a desire to
inaugurate an evangelistic campaign, under the lead-
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 215
ership of Moody and Sankey, whose fame had already
become world-wide. Soon after the return of pastors
in September from their summer vacations, a meeting
of clergymen was held, and Dr. Haydn reported "for
the committee appointed to negotiate with and
arrange for a visit of Moody and Sankey to Cleve-
land."
After strong persuasion the two evangelists, who
evidently had received far more important invitations
than they could accept, agreed to spend October in
Cleveland. Dr. Haydn declined to serve as chairman
of the executive committee on account of the extra
burden that the Stone Church would have to bear in
the series of meetings. Probably no church edifice in
the city has welcomed within its walls as many popu-
lar gatherings, interdenominational and undenomi-
national, as well as denominational, as has the church
on the Public Square.
The Reverend J. Lovejoy Robertson of the Euclid
Avenue Presbyterian Church served as chairman of
the committee on arrangements, and prominently
associated with the three down-town pastors, Drs.
H. C. Haydn, Chas. S. Pomeroy, and J. L. Robertson,
were the Reverend Dr. J. E. Twitchell, of the Euclid
Avenue Congregational Church; the Reverend Phil-
lip Moxom, of the First Baptist Church; and the
Reverend Charles Terry Collins, D.D., of the Plym-
outh Congregational Church.
The Reverend S. E. Wishard, D.D., a professional
evangelist, and Professor William Johnson, a gospel
singer, were already laboring in parts of the city. At
216 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
a meeting of pastors held October 3, 1879, for con-
ference and prayer, Dr. H. C. Haydn delivered an
address upon *'The Necessity of the Holy Spirit's
Work in a True Revival of Religion." Wishard and
Johnson conducted noon meetings in the Stone
Church until the opening of the campaign.
The first Sunday in October afternoon and evening
meetings were held in the Peoples' Tabernacle on
Ontario Street. Mr. Moody introduced his musical
assistant by saying:
I will now ask Mr. Sankey to sing, "The Ninety and Nine."
He might as well begin with that at once and keep it
up. It is a hymn that will never wear out. It is the 15th
chapter of Luke put into song.
Overflow meetings were held that Sunday in the
Stone Church. The afternoon service was conducted
by local pastors and by Mr. Sankey, who returned
to the Tabernacle for his part in song. At the evening
overflow meeting the famous Joseph Cook of Boston
and Mr. Sankey spoke.
During the whole campaign noonday meetings, of
an hour's duration, were held in the Stone Church,
and there each afternoon Mr. Moody gave Bible
lectures. Even after the weekday evening meetings,
workers from the Tabernacle sought the church for
seasons of prayer. Services for men were also held
occasionally in the church, so that it was used several
times daily and frequently packed to its utmost
capacity.
The Cleveland papers gave full accounts of the
evangelistic efforts. Mr. Moody was a very rapid
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 217
speaker, often compared in this respect with PhilHps
Brooks of Boston. Minute transcript of their sermons
had long been the despair of stenographers, but in
Cleveland Moody's discourses were taken in short-
hand by Henry J. Davies, in later years prominently
connected with the traction system of Cleveland. A
volume of the discourses was published by The Bur-
rows Brothers Company.
Marked is the difference between the Moody and
Sankey evangelistic campaigns and those of recent
years. Absolutely nothing was heralded, for example,
regarding the financial side of the Moody and Sankey
meetings, all business arrangements having been
quietly made by those in charge, while no emphasis
was given to the number of converts. Mr. Moody
drew the net carefully, without summoning members
and non-communicants alike "to hit the sawdust
trail," or to sign cards. Into ''inquiry rooms" con-
nected with the auditorium those who had been
moved by the evangelist's appeals were invited to
retire, there to hold conferences with earnest Chris-
tian workers.
Throughout the month the meetings waxed in in-
terest, hundreds coming by train from neighboring
places, and at the close of the four weeks the crowds
would have continued both in the Tabernacle and
the Stone Church. Mr. Moody and his associate
agreed to remain an extra week, but instead of con-
tinuing in the centralized places various parts of the
city were selected for closing efi^orts. After a rally in
the Stone Church, the First M. E. Church, the Frank-
218 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
lin Avenue M. E. Church on the West Side, and the
Woodland Avenue Presbyterian Church were visited,
and then the farewell services were held Sunday in
the Euclid Avenue Congregational Church. This plan
was the inverse of the later Mills evangelistic meet-
ings, which commenced in the East End; were then
transferred to the West Side and finally sought a
climax in the center of the city.
Which of the two evangelists was the more effec-
tive, Moody in his preaching, or Sankey with his
songs, it was difficult to decide. They were remark-
ably united in exerting wholesome influences over
audiences. God's love revealed to the world through
Christ was the central theme of both preacher and
singer. One evening Mr. Sankey sang a hymn which
had been found in the trunk of Mr. P. P. Bliss, whose
life went out in the Ashtabula disaster. Probably "The
Ninety and Nine" and "Where is my Wandering Boy
Tonight ?" were as effective as any of Sankey's songs.
Following this evangelistic campaign all the
churches received large additions. The "Narrative of
Religion" read at the spring meeting of Cleveland
Presbytery, April, 1880, had this optimistic record
relative to the Stone Church:
The First Church of Cleveland, the mother of so many
of us, declares the year to have been one of unusual pros-
perity. One hundred and forty-six have been added to
her communion list, ninety-four on confession of their
faith. There have been 900 under Bible teaching at
various hours of the week. Prayer-meetings at the church
and cottage prayer-meetings have been full and interest-
ing; mission bands organized and working; the life of
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 219
piety in many deepened and quickened. Every old center
of activity is held and a new one maintained on Euclid
Avenue, the first recognition in Presbytery of an enter-
prise that shall at no distant day have a name and stand-
ing among us.
As Dr. Haydn's first Cleveland pastorate was draw-
ing to a close two exceedingly important educational
movements were inaugurated, in one of which at least
Dr. Haydn wielded great influence. It is not claimed
that Leonard Case, Jr., the founder of Case School of
Applied Science, was a Presbyterian. Leonard Case,
Sr., had been identified with the early fostering of the
Stone Church, and the son had been a warm personal
friend of Dr. Goodrich. Until the day of his death
Leonard Case, Jr., was a pewholder in the Stone
Church. Leonard Case, Sr., born in Pennsylvania,
resided in early manhood at Warren, Ohio. Admitted
to the bar in 1814 he came to Cleveland in 1816 to
become cashier of the Commercial Bank of Lake Erie.
His two sons were William and Leonard Case, Jr. The
former held public oflftces and was mayor of Cleveland
from 1850 to 1852. Leonard Case, Jr., graduated
from Yale College in 1842 and was admitted to the
bar, but as a semi-recluse compared with the public
activities of his father and brother, he became espe-
cially interested in mathematical studies.
Never having married, the bulk of his estate, largely
inherited, went at the time of his death, January 6,
1880, to the founding of a scientific school. Property
like the City Hall and site on Superior Street, the old
Case residence nearby, and "Case Commons," sup-
220 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
posed for some time to be the destined site of the Case
School of AppUed Science, were given for the estab-
Hshing of that institution. The school commenced
operations in the old Leonard Case homestead on
Rockwell Street near the Public Square, and there
remained until transferred in 1885 to the joint cam-
pus now occupied by Case School and Adelbert Col-
lege of Western Reserve University.
After the resignation in 1871 of the Reverend
Henry L. Hitchcock, D.D., president of Western
Reserve College, Hudson, Ohio, Professor Carroll
Cutler of the faculty reluctantly accepted the presi-
dency, but in 1874 he insisted upon the acceptance
of his resignation. The position was then tendered
to one of the trustees, the Reverend Hiram Collins
Haydn, D.D., pastor of the Stone Church. This
proffer was declined and Professor Cutler consented
to continue in charge until 1876, when unable to
secure the president which the trustees thought the
college ought to obtain. Professor Carroll Cutler,
after a year's absence in Europe, again became presi-
dent.
The Honorable Richard C. Parsons, a prominent
member of the Stone Church, having purchased the
Cleveland Herald, strongly urged, in an editorial of
December 13, 1877, the removal of Western Reserve
College to Cleveland, suggesting that wealthy citi-
zens should embrace the opportunity of refounding
the old college in a city, destined to become the seat
of a great university. There was also the persistent
rumor that John D. Rockefeller might found in Cleve-
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 221
land the university which afterwards he estabHshed
in Chicago.
In 1878 Dr. Haydn read a paper before the Board
of Trustees of Western Reserve College, regarding
the possibility of removing the institution from Hud-
son to Cleveland. A committee was appointed to
study carefully the problem and to report later to
the board. For two years this committee held
sessions, but not until March 3, 1880, was any definite
headway made. Then was it that Dr. Haydn in the
capacity of a trustee sought to ascertain for some
unknown party, whether or not the board of trustees
would favor the removal of the college, in case the
necessary funds were forthcoming; and in addition
what amount the board would deem sufficient. For
two years Dr. Haydn had evidently placed before Mr.
Amasa Stone, a Cleveland citizen of large influence
in practical affairs, a civil engineer by education, and
a pioneer in the construction of railroads and tele-
graph systems, the founding of a college in Cleveland
which would become the worthy memorial of an only
and gifted son, drowned a few years before while
attending Yale University.
Mr. Amasa Stone was a trustee of the Stone Church;
his daughter, Mrs. Samuel Mather, was throughout
life a consecrated member of that church; while
another daughter was the wife of the late Honorable
John Hay. It had now become a question either of
founding an entirely new university in Cleveland,
or of the removal of the historic Western Reserve
222 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
College from Hudson to Cleveland, there to become
the nucleus of a far greater institution.
The sudden death of Leonard Case, Jr., January 6,
1880, at once brought the whole educational problem
to a head. There came now the opportunity of locat-
ing the academic college and the polytechnical school
in such proximity, in the eastern part of Cleveland,
that the* nucleus of a great educational center might
be established. The services rendered by Dr. Haydn
in this important movement came as a fitting climax
to his first pastorate in the Stone Church, but in time
it proved to have been only the beginning of greater
educational influence exerted during his second settle-
ment in Cleveland.
Dr. Haydn delivered on January 25, 1880, a "De-
cennial Sermon," dealing with the work of the Stone
Church from 1870 to 1880, including his eight years
of service. Reference was made to religious and chari-
table work, such as the formation of the Friendly Inn,
the new Huron Street Hospital, the appropriation of
the Marine Hospital for the basis of what developed
into Lakeside Hospital, the Home for Aged Women
on Kennard Street, the new Protestant Orphan Asy-
lum, the promised Industrial Home, and the Uni-
versity, in all of which charitable enterprises members
of the Stone Church had been leading patrons.
During the decade new edifices had been dedicated
by the First Methodist Episcopal, St. Paul's Epis-
copal, Second Presbyterian, and Woodland Avenue
Presbyterian Churches. The old Central High School,
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 223
on Euclid Avenue near East Ninth Street, had entered
in 1878 the new building on Willson Avenue.
Narrowing his view to the life of the church he
served, Dr. Haydn stated that at the beginning of
the decade there had been five hundred seventy-four
members. During the ten years Dr. Goodrich, the
senior pastor, Dr. Aiken, the pastor emeritus, and
eighty-eight members had passed from the com-
munion of saints on earth to that above; while three
hundred twenty members had been dismissed to other
churches. On confession of their faith three hundred
sixty-eight had been received, and two hundred
ninety-seven by letters, making a total of six hundred
sixty-five welcomed during the decade. This left the
membership of eight hundred six whose residences
were known, or eight hundred eighty-seven, including
non-resident members. During the decade one hun-
dred forty-six thousand two hundred ninety-seven
dollars had been raised for benevolences, and one
hundred thirty thousand one hundred seventy-six
dollars for congregational expenses, or a total of two
hundred seventy-six thousand four hundred seventy-
five dollars. In addition Stone Church members
had made special gifts whose amounts could not be
statistically exhibited.
Having dwelt upon the encouraging side, Dr. Haydn
concluded:
But there are also wounds and bruises and putrefying
sores which we do not care to parade. From recent police
reports there are at this time in this city 1,288 saloons,
and other organized establishments devoted to the ruin
224 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
of life and character make a total of 1,464 demoralizing
institutions. In 1870 the saloons outwardly respected the
Sabbath, but they show now no respect for the Lord's
day. But what of the church of 1890? The growth of
population is eastward beyond Willson Avenue [East
Fifty-fifth Street], This is what was to have been ex-
pected. Nothing can stay this tendency. I wish to ask
whether our outlying constituency inheriting a history of
sixty years, linked with the growth of this city, wish to
drop like so many pebbles into the deep of other com-
munions, or will they hold together till, at some day not
far distant, they can perpetuate their connection with
the First Church, in another strong, self-sustaining organi-
zation. To me it seems a far grander thing to build a light-
house than to fall like so many pebbles into the deep.
This church has been the mother of churches, and her
record of this sort ought not to be finished. It is altogether
a mistake to imagine that in any probable event this
church is to dwindle on this site. The work to be done
here is not growing less, but constantly increasing. The
call of providence seems to be clear and well-defined. We
have only to hold together on two sites [Old Stone and
Calvary], instead of one, loyal to Christ and the truth as
it is in Him, with full faith in the abiding presence of the
Holy Spirit to give the increase, to see yet more blessed
fruits of our labors, and to make ourselves more widely
felt for good.
To the Presbyterian Union organized in 1870 for the
purpose of fostering financially new Presbyterian
church enterprises within the city, both Dr. Goodrich
and Dr. Haydn gave much time and inspiration.
During the earlier pastorate of Dr. Haydn the
Stone Church Session was composed of Elders George
Mygatt, Francis C. Keith, Dr. Norman Sackrider,
Warren G. Stedman, John A. Foot, Edward H. Mer-
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 225
rill, Joseph Sargeant, Reuben F. Smith, George H.
Ely, Henry M. Raymond, Henry M. Flagler, Lyman
J. Talbot, and Edwin C. Higbee. Elders Reuben F.
Smith, Lyman J. Talbot and Henry M. Raymond
served successively as clerks of session during the
decade.
During the ten years all the church organizations
flourished. In 1873 the Woman's Foreign Missionary
Society became an auxiliary of the general Presby-
terial Society. Miss Sarah Fitch was chairman of the
committee to draft the constitution. Mrs. H. C.
Haydn became the president of the new society and
served for seven years. Mrs. Proctor Thayer served
as secretary eight years; while Mrs. John A. Foot was
treasurer for fourteen years, or almost to the time of
her death. This missionary society gave Miss Sellers
a farewell reception in 1874, and a substantial outfit
as she went to China.
Miss Mary Goodrich organized in 1875 "The
Young Missionaries," a society of boys, and the same
year her sister. Miss Fanny Goodrich, formed a girls'
missionary society, known as "The Helping Hands."
which finally became the "Haydn Circle." Later the
"Sarah Fitch Band" was organized.
The Young Ladies' Missionary Society continued
to flourish. Under the counsel and inspiration of Dr.
Haydn, the Ladies' Society was led to even greater
activity; while the Sunday School and the Young
Peoples' Society were strengthened.
Between 1870 and 1880 the mother church of
Cleveland's Presbyterian churches began to see her
226 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
children beget in turn new religious enterprises. The
Second Church fostered, mainly through the gener-
osity of Elder Dan P. Eells, a Sunday School which
grew into the Willson Avenue Presbyterian Church.
A slight friction arose between the session of the
Second and that of the Stone Church, over the pro-
posed moving of the North Church from Aaron Street
to its present site, but this ended in amicable under-
standing, the Willson Avenue Church moving farther
south away from Superior Street. The Woodland
Avenue Presbyterian Church was organized in 1872
with fifty-four charter members, twenty-eight from
the Second Presbyterian Church.
The Euclid Avenue Presbyterian Church, another
child of the Stone Church, had been fostering a mis-
sion Sunday School, which became a church first
known as the Memorial, and then the Case Avenue
Presbyterian Church. The first regularly installed
pastor was the Reverend Francis Allen Horton, who
came to the field early in 1874.
On June 19, 1880, Dr. Haydn presented to the
Stone Church Session his resignation. He had been
called to the district secretaryship of the American
Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions of the
Congregational Church. The district included New
York, Ohio, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Baltimore,
Washington, and a part of Connecticut, with head-
quarters in New York City. The invitation had come
wholly unsolicited, and all who knew Dr. Haydn's
zeal for foreign missions readily understood how
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 227
natural it had been for the American Board to have
sought him.
One reason, however, for the acceptance of the
secretaryship was that Dr. Haydn felt that his health
was in danger of becoming impaired unless there came
release from pastoral cares. The Stone Church pro-
posed a long leave of absence, but at a joint-meeting
of the session and board of trustees, held July 5, 1880,
in the office of Mr. Amasa Stone, Dr. Haydn insisted
upon the acceptance of his resignation, mentioning
at the same time a suitable successor. This was the
Reverend Arthur Mitchell, D.D., pastor of the First
Presbyterian Church, Chicago, 111. The officers ac-
cepted Dr. Haydn's resignation and appointed Elders
John A. Foot, George H. Ely and Reuben F. Smith
to cooperate with a committee of trustees, in select-
ing a minister who might receive the congregation's
approval. At a meeting of the congregation held
July 28, 1880, there was formal acceptance of Dr.
Haydn's resignation, and a committee was appointed
to invite Dr. Arthur Mitchell to become pastor.
During the last three years of Dr. Haydn's pas-
torate, or from 1877 to 1880, Mr. B. F. Shuart, a
layman of rare fitness for assisting in church work,
had been employed. He had charge of an afternoon
Bible class in a mission among the waifs of St. Clair
Street near Dodge Street, and continued this work
two or three years, without any hope that there would
develop any permanent organization. Mr. Shuart
afterwards became a pastor at Billings, Montana, but
by reason of ill health he turned to business pursuits,
228 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
in which he was successful. He was a typical lay-
worker of the best type.
Having had this assistance, Dr. Haydn thinking
of the success of his successor recommended that Mr.
Rollo Ogden, a recent graduate of Union Theological
Seminary, be brought to the field in July, instead of
August, as had been contemplated. This would
enable the younger minister to become acquainted
with the field prior to the installment of a new pastor,
and so prove of extra value to the latter at the outset
of his service in a strange congregation. There must
have been an additional purpose in the mind of the
retiring pastor of the Stone Church, namely the for-
mation of the East Madison Avenue Mission, the
beginning of Calvary Church as an auxiliary congre-
gation. To the latter the new assistant might minis-
ter, in addition to his duties at the Stone Church.
On October 20, 1880, or twenty days after the pul-
pit had been declared vacant. Dr. Mitchell signified
his acceptance of the call. At an adjourned meeting
of Presbytery held on Saturday, October 30, 1880,
Dr. Mitchell was formally received, and the next
Sunday evening the installation service was held. The
Reverend Anson Smyth, D.D., presided; reading of
Scriptures, the Reverend Rollo Ogden; prayer, the
Reverend John A. Seymour; sermon, the Reverend
Charles S. Pomeroy, D.D., of the Second Church;
prayer of installation, the Reverend Francis A. Hor-
ton, of the Case Avenue Church; charge to the pastor,
the Reverend Eleroy Curtis, D.D., of the Miles Park
Church; charge to the people, the Reverend J. Love-
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 229
joy Robertson, of the Euclid Avenue Church; bene-
diction by the Reverend Arthur Mitchell, D.D.
With great reluctance the Stone Church, the Pres-
bytery of Cleveland, Western Reserve College, soon
to become Adelbert College of Western Reserve Uni-
versity, Lake Erie Seminary, and other institutions
bade farewell to Dr. Haydn, as with his family he
removed to New York City. In all of his friends,
however, there was implicit confidence that the de-
parting minister was highly qualified for the special
duties to be assumed. The youngest child of Dr. and
Mrs. Haydn, the daughter Ruth, now the wife of Dr.
F. W. Hitchings, was born just prior to this change
of residence to New York City. The discovery was
also made that the Stone Church had found in the
Reverend Arthur Mitchell, D.D., a pastor whose
flaming zeal for the task of prosecuting the work of
Christ's kingdom, at home and abroad, was scarcely
second to the enthusiasm of his predecessor.
To the centennial church historian the relatively
brief settlement of Dr. Arthur Mitchell in the Stone
Church of Cleveland seems to have been a most provi-
dential binding together of the shorter and longer
pastorates of Dr. Haydn, and in such continuity of
spirit that there was practically no interruption in
the rounded service that the Reverend Hiram
Collins Haydn, D.D., LL.D., rendered both to the
religious and educational welfare of Cleveland, and of
the whole world.
VIII. PASTORATE OF THE REVEREND
ARTHUR MITCHELL
1880-1884
The comparatively short pastorate of the Reverend
Arthur Mitchell, D.D., in the Old Stone Church united
the two pastorates of Dr. Hiram C. Haydn in pecu-
liar continuity of spiritual results. Dr. Mitchell
served the Cleveland parish only four years, and like
one of his predecessors, the Reverend William H.
Goodrich, D.D., he died before sixty years of age.
Born at Hudson, N. Y., August 13, 1835, he repre-
sented to a rare degree that gentle, charitable spirit
of his Quaker ancestors. His boyhood days having
been passed at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., he entered Wil-
liams College when a mere lad, and graduated before
eighteen years of age.
From earliest life his peculiarly frank, open coun-
tenance won the confidence of all, and the almost
boyish face was his to the end. Even when a grand-
father he had neither wrinkles nor gray hairs, and
upon first meeting, strangers were wont to express
surprise that this **dark-haired young man" was Dr.
Mitchell.
Notwithstanding the blessings of a religious birth-
right, he treasured a very distinct Christian experi-
ence received during college days, and when he turned
from what seemed to have been a tinge of skepticism
232 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
there was no half-way surrender in his acceptance of
Christ. At once he asked his Master, "What wilt
thou have me to do?" For professional preparation
he did not wait, in order to enter true Christian serv-
ice, a good field for immediate action having been
found within the college itself. Although the youngest
member of his class, small of stature and boyish in
appearance, he sought earnestly to win souls. A sen-
sitive conscience prompted his resignation from a
Greek letter fraternity, lest any limited relationships
impair his Christian influence.
No better field for practical Christian life and serv-
ice could have been found than Williams College,
during the presidency of Mark Hopkins, assisted as
that famous educator was by his brother, Professor
Albert Hopkins. Throughout life Dr. Mitchell ex-
pressed gratitude for having enjoyed the influence of
the noted college president, whose balanced intellec-
tual and moral greatness continued to all Williams
graduates a grand inspiration.
Although having the ministry in view young
Mitchell, after graduation from college in 1853,
tutored at Lafayette College. He was young enough
to wait, and wholesome discipline was received
through the teaching experience. With his intimate
college friend, Charles A. Stoddard, afterwards editor
of the New York Observer, an extensive tour in the
Levant was enjoyed, and many Biblical scenes and
mission stations of Egypt and Syria were visited.
Such early observation of practical missionary work
was a splendid beginning of the fervent support of
ArTHL R MlTCliELL
ARTHUR MITCHELL 235
foreign missions, exhibited during the four pastorates
of his ministerial career. While residing with his
parents in New York City, Arthur Mitchell attended
Union Theological Seminary, and combined study
with most practical service in Sunday School, revival
and other church activities. Having always been
fond of music he led the choir in the Fourth Avenue
Presbyterian Church, under the pastorate of the
Reverend Joel Parker, D.D.
Soon after graduation from Union Seminary in 1859
he married Miss Harriet E. Post, daughter of Dr.
Alfred Post, and became pastor of the Third Presby-
terian Church, Richmond, Va., where he remained
until May, 186L The outbreak of the Civil War
torced a return to New York City. In the task
of conveying his family across the lines he reached
the Union Army, just as it was entering Baltimore on
that famous April 19, 1861. To his southern parish
he then returned, but the issues of the war soon forced
him, not without considerable peril, to press through
the lines northward.
The Confederate government confiscated all house-
hold goods, but that did not prevent his returning to
Richmond at the close of the war, with relief for
former parishioners whom the conflict had impover-
ished. In the brief Richmond pastorate zeal for mis-
sionary endeavor at once manifested itself in the
formation of organizations which increased many
fold congregational benevolences.
The Second Presbyterian Church, Morristown,
N. J., was Dr. ArthurMitchelFs next pastorate. There
236 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
similar results were produced, without unwise dis-
proportion in pulpit ministrations. Hearty support
was given every form of benevolence, and his preach-
ing aimed at both the winning of souls and the edi-
fication of believers; still the pastor felt that the
world's complete redemption was broad and sublime
enough to be made a ministerial hobby.
After seven years' service in the New Jersey field,
Dr. Mitchell was called to the First Presbyterian
Church of Chicago. In accepting the call he wrote:
Upon one point allow me a frank word: I fear that in a
congregation of the size of yours I shall not be able to
maintain that system of general visitation which some
pastors have strength to observe, and which I know is
of the utmost usefulness.
While yet a young man for such a charge he rose to
commanding influence not only in the parish, but
also throughout the city. His foreign missionary zeal
surprised many business men in his congregation, but
a church shepherded by Dr. Arthur Mitchell had but
one of two things to do, either to become a mission-
ary force at home and abroad, or to secure a different
pastor. So impressed became he in one sermon by the
thought of the wealth and luxurious equipages of cer-
tain parishioners that by way of climax he exclaimed,
"Why, some of you drive a missionary down town
every morning as you go to business." This assertion
caused one startled capitalist to whisper to another,
''Let us unite in sending that missionary."
Let it not be thought that Dr. Arthur Mitchell
played on a "harp of one string." To the city's
ARTHUR MITCHELL 237
neglected classes he gave attention and the frontier
home fields did not escape scientific scrutiny. While
only five feet six inches in height, with dark-brown
hair and eyes and a kindly face, which fairly glowed
with enthusiasm whenever interested in a theme, and
while aptly termed "the gentle Prince Arthur," in
fighting wrong he could exhibit the courage of a lion.
Keen interest in municipal afi^airs was shown by his
regular attendance upon primaries, by personal work
at the polls, and by sermons dealing with the respon-
sibilities of good citizenship. At an election held in
Chicago April 4, 1876, three disreputable candidates
for oflfice, by means of illegal votes, had declared
themselves elected. When the result was contested
by a citizens' committee, Dr. Mitchell gave such posi-
tive testimony regarding the ballot-box tampering
that the election was declared invalid. The Chicago
Tribune at that time mentioned him as the 'iittle
dominie of admirable resources, a clergyman who
knew how to act and how to preach about an emer-
gency."
With this admirable record the Chicago pastor was
recommended by Dr. Haydn, and in 1880 with
scarcely any break in pastoral leadership the work
of the Stone Church continued to prosper under the
guidance of this little giant.
At the commencement of Dr. Mitchell's Cleveland
pastorate. Calvary Mission had developed to such an
extent that Joseph E. Upson and L. W. Bingham
were added to the Stone Church Session, with partic-
ular reference to their connection with the mission.
238 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
the Reverend Rollo Ogden continuing as assistant
pastor in charge.
Although the North Presbyterian Church had be-
come independent, it still received fostering advice
from the Stone Church Session. The latter met with
the session of the North Church to discuss the calling
of the Reverend William Gaston from Bellaire, Ohio.
The North Church obligated itself to fumfsh seven
hundred dollars of the pastor's annual salary of
twelve hundred dollars, and the Stone Church Session
recommended to the Presbyterian Union the pay-
ment of the additional five hundred dollars.
The Stone Church in April of 1881 reported to
Cleveland Presbytery eight hundred forty-six mem-
bers; congregational expenses ten thousand three
hundred eighty-five dollars, and miscellaneous gifts
amounting to eighteen thousand two hundred eighty-
two dollars. The Sunday School, of which Elder
Edwin C. Higbee was superintendent, had four hun-
dred forty-seven pupils; Calvary Mission, Elder L.
W. Bingham, superintendent, three hundred fourteen;
while the St. Clair Mission, A. H. Potter, superin-
tendent, had one hundred sixteen, or a total of eight
hundred seventy-seven pupils in the three schools.
The Reverend Rollo Ogden, who had married the
eldest daughter of the senior pastor, resigned June
10, 1881, in order that his bride and he might enter
foreign missionary work in Mexico. At the same time
Elder George Mygatt, who had served thirty-four
years as a member of the session, and who had also
been for twenty years treasurer of the church, re-
ARTHUR MITCHELL 239
signed both official positions on account of advancing
years. The resignation as treasurer was accepted, but
the church insisted upon this honored official con-
tinuing an elder until the time of his death in April
of 1885.
He was one of the most faithful members and offi-
cials ever connected with the Stone Church. Born in
Connecticut in 1797, his parents removed in 1807 to
northern Ohio. After having engaged in the banking
business at Norwalk and Painesville, Mr. Mygatt
became cashier of the Merchants' National Bank of
Cleveland during the depression that followed the
panic of 1857. The late Judge Samuel E. Williamson,
speaking at the seventy-fifth anniversary celebration,
termed Elder Mygatt a
High Church Presbyterian who believed that nearly every
good end which reform organizations sought to do
could be better reached through the Christian church.
Is it sure that he was altogether wrong?
Soon after this beloved elder's resignation had been
declined, he added at his own expense twenty feet to
the length of the wooden structure used by Calvary
Mission, in order to relieve its crowded condition.
In 1882 Elders George Mygatt and Francis C.
Keith were reelected; while Sereno P. Fenn and
George I. Vail were chosen for the first time to mem-
bership on the session of the Stone Church. Elder
S. P. Fenn has served, since that time, a period of
thirty-eight years. The other elders at the beginning
of Dr. Mitchell's pastorate were John A. Foot, Edwin
C. Higbee, Reuben F. Smith, George H. Ely, E. H.
240 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Merrill, and Henry M. Raymond. Elders Joseph E.
Upson and L. W. Bingham had special supervision of
Calvary Mission, and in addition Messrs. R. J. Fuller
and Seymour F. Adams were in 1883 elected elders
from among the Calvary constituency.
The Reverend John W. Simpson succeeded Rollo
Ogden as assistant pastor, and as early as September,
1882, this assistant presided over meetings of the
elders at Calvary Mission when candidates for
church membership were examined, their action to
be ratified by the full session.
Some time in 1881 the Ladies' Aid Society cele-
brated its Silver Anniversary, and there was published
"The History of the Ladies' Society," by Mrs. A. W.
Fairbanks. Copies of this anniversary souvenir are
preserved in the Western Reserve Historical Society.
Among the many interesting statements are these:
As we turn back the leaves of this record, it is as if we
are drinking at the fountain of youth. The stately
mothers and silver-haired grandmothers of today were
the vigorous women of earlier time. Tenderly do we
remember those who have entered upon that day that
no evening ever closes. The simple calHng of their
names will touch the hidden spring in many a heart.
Mrs. James Gardner, Mrs. Robert Lauderdale, Mrs.
Louis Stetson, Mrs. Mary Carson, Mrs. Henrietta D.
Aiken, Mrs. Frances Sizer, Mrs. Esther Bingham, Mrs.
Cleopatra Stedman, Miss Martha Stair, Mrs. Celia Bur-
gart, Mrs. Mary A. Raymond, Miss Mary L. Raymond,
Mrs. Betsey Wooden, Mrs. Laura W. Sargent, Mrs. Par-
melia Sackrider, Miss Mary Goodrich, Mrs. Orlando
Cutter, Mrs. EHzabeth Spencer, Mrs. Emeline Compton,
Mrs. Emeline Sizer, Mrs. Melissa Nyce. The sum total
ARTHUR MITCHELL 241
that this society has distributed in twenty-five years has
been not less than ^25,000. Perhaps one of the most
signal undertakings of this society was the opening in 1863
of a temporary home for the protection of friendless
women, and known as the Strangers' Home. It would
be interesting to follow step by step the great chain of
charities unfolded into a Woman's Home, a Retreat, a
Hospital, a Young Women's League, an Old Ladies'
Home, and an Open Door, and how this church and
notably this society has given to two of these charities the
noble woman, Sarah Fitch, whom they honor as their
president. For fifteen years she was the honored banker
of this society. It has not been possible to gather the
entire list of those officially connected with the society.
Mrs. Ursula Andrews, Mrs. John A. Foot, Mrs. Samuel
Williamson and Miss Fitch measured their terms of
service as presidents by years. The duties of secretary'
were successively assigned to Mrs. J. E. Lyon, Mrs. A. G.
Cogswell, Mrs. A. W. Fairbanks, Mrs. Proctor Thayer,
Mrs. Henry Raymond, Mrs. Geo. H. Ely, Mrs. Henry
Johnson, Mrs. Charles Whitaker, Mrs. E. C. Higbee and
Mrs. H. K. Gushing.
At the beginning of Dr. Mitchell's Cleveland pas-
torate the Ontario Street Tabernacle, the gift of Mr.
William Doan, having been destroyed by fire, was
superseded by the Music Hall and Tabernacle, erected
by the same generous citizen on Vincent Street near
Erie, now East Ninth Street. The structure, accom-
modating four thousand three hundred people, was
used for religious, educational, and musical purposes,
and became a great central j)lace for many inspiring
gatherings.
Cleveland was called upon a second time to pre-
pare in 1881 a temporary resting-place in the Public
242 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Square for a martyred president of the United States.
James A. Garfield, although representing a neighbor-
ing congressional district, had become the special
pride of Cleveland. Nowhere in the land had the news
of Garfield's nomination for the presidency at Chicago
in 1880 been hailed with greater rejoicing than in
Cleveland, and the real Garfield headquarters during
the subsequent campaign were there, although the
candidate remained for the greater part of the poli-
tical battle at his home in Mentor, Ohio.
When the shocking news of the attempted assassin-
ation of President Garfield reached Cleveland July
2, 1881, the city was plunged into the deepest grief.
After President Garfield had passed away the closing
funeral ceremonies were planned for Cleveland. In
the Public Square a pavilion for the reception of the
remains was constructed, and there for two days the
body lay in state. Over one hundred thousand people
from all parts of the nation came to witness the pro-
cession to the tomb.
On Monday, September 26, 1881, the funeral cor-
tege, five miles in length, wended its way to beautiful
Lake View Cemetery, where afterwards the nation
erected the mausoleum to which multitudes have
made pilgrimages.
The decade from 1880 to 1890 was one of marked
development. The annexation of East Cleveland and
Newburgh in the early part of the previous decade
had brought within the city's limits many acres which
were not allotted until years later, and these now
came into use.
ARTHUR MITCHELL 243
Andrew J. Rickoff, who served as superintendent
of the pubHc schools from 1867 to 1882, had just com-
pleted his great work of fundamental organization,
and the policies and impress of that constructive edu-
cator continued long after his term of office.
Early in 1883 a second temperance campaign was
waged, whose vigor depended largely upon the earlier
Woman's Crusade. An amendment had been pro-
posed to the Constitution of Ohio, prohibiting the
manufacture and sale of intoxicating drink. The con-
test was popularly known as the "Second Amend-
ment Campaign." With neither of the leading polit-
ical parties positively committed to the moral issue,
the final vote in favor of the measure was far from
being disappointing. Out of seven hundred twenty-
one thousand three hundred ten votes cast, three hun-
dred twenty-three thousand three hundred ten were
in favor of the amendment. Considering the fact
that the machinery at the polls by which the votes
were counted was not favorable to the amendment's
passage, the prohibition vote was surprisingly large.
One of the leading liquor dealers in Cleveland issued
a characteristic "wet" warning."
If prohibition wins the farmers will be unable to sell sur-
plus grain, and pork and beef will come down to such an
extent that farmers will not be able to clothe their chil-
dren in silks and satins, and to give them pianos. School-
houses will disappear, because there will be no money
to pay teachers. Thousands of houses will be tenantless.
We have raised 375,000 to spend principally in Cincinnati
and Cleveland, and we are going to teach prohibitionists
to let our business alone. We try to live respectably and
244 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
to lay up a competence for our children, but those
blankety-blank old temperance women seem determined
to ruin our business and families. We are just as respect-
able as those who hold prayer-meetings, but we will show
them that the liquor business is greater than their
prayers and speeches. They say we make drunkards. A
man don't have to buy liquor, if he don't want it. If he
is fool enough to make himself drunk, that's not my
fault. We intend to teach political parties that it is a
dangerous thing to meddle with us. This is a free country
and women have no right to loaf around election places.
Joseph Cook, of Boston, just prior to this election
lectured in Cleveland upon "Alcohol and the Human
Brain." At the time of the Second Amendment's
defeat, the Honorable George Hoadley, a prominent
lawyer of Cincinnati, but in earlier years a Stone
Church youth and a graduate of Western Reserve
College, defeated General Foraker for the governor-
ship. Two Stone Church men ran for state senator
on the Republican ticket. Elder George H. Ely was
elected, but Dr. G. C. E. Weber, who made no effort
to secure success at the polls, was defeated. Early in
February of 1883 the Cuyahoga Valley was flooded;
bridges were destroyed, oil tanks burned, and lumber-
yards seriously damaged. The valley lighted by burn-
ing oil spread upon the waters furnished a scene not
soon forgotten. Later in 1884 lumber-yards and
planing-mills on the flats suffered great losses through
fires. The total losses through fires rose that year to
one million five hundred twenty-two thousand eight
hundred sixty-one dollars, a sum three times greater
than the recorded losses of any previous year.
ARTHUR MITCHELL 245
It was at the opening of this year of disastrous fires
that the edifice of the Stone Church was burned a
second time. Messrs. Myron and Dudley Wick had
erected during 1883 just west of the Stone Church a
combination structure. The front part, known as the
Wick Block, was an office building; while in the rear
the Park Theater had been located. At a quarter after
eight on Saturday morning, January 5, 1884, smoke
was seen pouring from the windows of the theater.
A general alarm summoned every fire company in the
city to the scene of conflagration. For over an hour
the fire raged without advancing beyond the ill-
fated playhouse, and it seemed as though the Stone
Church might after all escape a second baptism of
fire, notwithstanding its proximity to the doomed
building.
The heavy stone walls backed with brick lining,
which had withstood utter destruction in 1857, again
warded off the devouring flames. The slate roof and
iron trimmings added to the non-inflammable nature
of the church exterior, so that for a long time only
the wooden window-frames had given way. Finally,
however, the intense heat ignited the timbers of the
arched and grained ceiling of the auditorium, and
before anyone was aware the interior of the church
had become a mass of flames. Previous to this a few
provident spectators had removed the pulpit, cush-
ions, carpets, and Sunday School furniture and books,
so that the church society's loss was in a small degree
lightened.
246 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
By eleven o'clock nothing was left of the Wick
Block and Park Theater except the bare walls; while
the church was now a sheet of flames. As the smoke
poured out of every crevice, a rumor spread that the
towering spire might fall at any moment, as had been
the case at the time of the former fire in 1857. The
crowd of spectators hastily moved back into the Pub-
lic Square, while many houses in the vicinity were
vacated. These fears, however, proved to have been
groundless, for the tall steeple continued to retain its
upright position, as though fire had not twice de-
stroyed the sacred edifice. At six o'clock the morning
of the day of this disastrous fire the thermometer had
registered ten degrees below zero, so that the firemen
had been compelled to fight the devouring flames
under great difficulties and intense suffering.
By one o'clock in the afternoon the grim walls of
the Wick properties and of the Stone Church were
covered with ice like a frosted cake, and the boughs
of the large shade tree in front of the church bowed
beneath the weight of ice that sparkled in the sun.
The interiors of the ruined structures presented an
appalling sight. Within the theater there was a deso-
late scene, the charred debris first piled in vast heaps
had then been frozen into a solid mass. The interior
of the church resembled its old self in the general
disposition of the pews and dim gallery outlines. The
Christmas decorations had not been removed, and
the thick clusters of evergreens suspended over the
chandeliers and gas jets still hung thickly coated
with ice.
ARTHUR MITCHELL 247
The total loss was estimated at one hundred
seventy-five thousand dollars, much the smaller por-
tion falling upon the Stone Church Society, which
carried twenty-seven thousand dollars insurance upon
the church and chapel, five thousand dollars upon the
organ and fifteen hundred dollars on the furniture.
The chapel had escaped the ravages of the flames to
a greater degree than had the main auditorium. The
fire in 1857 came upon a Saturday morning about
eleven o'clock; that of 1884 was also upon a Saturday
morning, but at an earlier hour; consequently in each
instance hurried preparations had to be made for
Sabbath services.
On Sunday morning following the second fire, Dr.
Mitchell and his homeless flock were given welcome
by the Plymouth Congregational congregation, which
was in deep sorrow over the sudden death of its bril-
liant pastor, the Reverend Charles Terry Collins,
D.D. He had just completed the new church edifice,
and had won a place in the afi^ection of all denomi-
nations, on account of his marked ability, extensive
scholarship, and admirable social qualities. Dr.
Mitchell's text was, "Thou knowest not what a day
may bring forth."
At the close of this union service the oflficers of the
Stone Church met and appointed Messrs. Reuben F.
Smith, G. E. Herrick, and Edwin C. Higbee, a com-
mittee to obtain a temporary place for stated serv-
ices. Case Hall was secured by this committee, and
it was used until the renovated chapel had been made
ready for occupancy.
248 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
The Stone Church was now confronted with the
most momentous crisis in its history. The old down-
town site must either be abandoned, or maintained
in the face of almost insuperable difficulties. Strong
temptation to leave the historic site assailed many of
the leading members, and outside pressure was also
applied by various capitalists anxious to obtain the
land for hotel and theater purposes.
The temptation to sell the site was intensified by
the probable resignation of Dr. Arthur Mitchell, who
had been proffered a secretaryship by the Presby-
terian Board of Foreign Missions. A greater ground
for discouragement, regarding the possible holding of
the down-town location, was the fact that four of the
six trustees who had served many years had either
passed away prior to or very soon after the fire. The
first of these four officials to die was Mr. Geo. F. Burt.
The second great loss was that of Mr. Amasa Stone.
With all of his weighty business cares he had found
time to give twenty-two years' service as a trustee.
During the rebuilding of the edifice after the fire of
1857 this business man of large affairs had given his
time without recompense to the supervision of the
work of reconstruction. At a meeting held in May,
1883, to consider the advisability of enlarging the
chapel, at the time of the construction of the Wick
Block, the news of Mr. Amasa Stone's sudden death
had come to the officers of the church. If such a busi-
ness leader were ever needed it was after the second
disastrous fire, but this strong supporter had passed
away.
ARTHUR MITCHELL 249
The third trustee to pass away soon after the fire
of 1884 was the Honorable Samuel Wilhamson, who
was two years of age when his father came to Cleve-
land. The son had resided seventy-four years in the
city, from the time that it had fifty-seven inhabitants
until in 1884 Cleveland claimed two hundred thou-
sand people. He had been a practicing lawyer, a
legislator, a county officer, and the president of the
Society for Savings. For over half a century he had
been officially connected with the Stone Church, and
had served from 1860 until the time of his death as
president of the Church Society. He passed away
January 14, 1884, only nine days after the fire.
The fourth official of towering strength to fall was
Mr. James F. Clark, a man of rare business ability
who had devoted much time to the welfare of the
Stone Church. He died January 21, 1884, seventeen
days after the fire.
The parents of Mr. James F. Clark resided at
Cooperstown, N. Y., but the son early became inter-
ested in the engraving business at Albany. When
only twenty-four years of age, however, he came to
Cleveland and engaged in the hardware business
under the name of Potter and Clark. After selling
his hardware interests he became closely identified
with the railroads that made Cleveland a terminus,
and also engaged in the banking and real estate busi-
ness. In 1834 he married Miss Eliza A. Murphey, of
Colchester, Conn., and they made their first home on
the Public Square, after which they built a home on
Euclid Avenue. When twenty-seven years of age Mr.
250 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Clark became an elder in the Stone Church, and in
the later years of life he served as a trustee. Mr.
Clark was a man of refinement and his face was more
that of a scholar than a merchant. During the last
years of his life he spent much time in his library in
the companionship of his books.
Thus it happened that a congregation, weakened
by the deaths of officers of rare executive ability and
liberality, worshiping in Case Hall, within sight of
the blackened ruins of the old church home, and led
by a pastor already committed to a new field of
service, was subjected to outside pressure that might
have prompted almost any church to sell what was
then considered a valuable site, and to use the pro-
ceeds for the construction of a church home elsewhere.
The Cleveland daily papers began to speculate over
the possible and even probable uses to which the
church site might be put. "Messrs. Wick," asserted
the Cleveland Leader four days after the fire, **are
still considering the hotel and theater scheme, and
will probably carry it out if the site of the Stone
Church can be purchased for a reasonable sum." The
site, which was then eighty-eight by one hundred
eighty-eight feet, was reputed to be worth eighty
thousand dollars.
It was also declared that the Wick Brothers con-
templated purchasing, in addition to the church site,
a narrow strip of land owned by William Bingham,
and running from Ontario Street to the alley separat-
ing the theater from the old Court House, for the pur-
pose of erecting upon the combined properties a hotel
ARTHUR MITCHELL 251
and theater. Rumor likewise had it that Mr. J. B.
Perkins intended, if possible, to purchase the Stone
Church property in order to construct a hotel.
The perplexed trustees showed wisdom in having
discouraged any immediate agitation, on part of the
members, relative to change of location.
Notwithstanding this attitude of the official boards
Dr. Mitchell preached on January 14, 1884, a sermon
reviewing the history of the church, at the same time
setting forth possible plans for her future. He in-
clined to take the position that the congregation would
be benefited by a change of location, at the same
time favoring the maintenance of a down-town mis-
sion. Almost all who favored change of location sug-
gested that a mission be supported in the heart of the
city. There was likewise the assertion that few wished
to worship under the shadow of a theater and in the
midst of saloons.
Before this agitation over removal, however, had
stirred the whole congregation, an important joint
meeting of the members of the session and of the
board of trustees was held January 26, 1884, in the
office of Colonel John Hay in the Cushing Block.
Plans were there discussed for the immediate placing
of the chapel in order for Sunday use, as soon as the
walls of the wrecked theater had become safe for
workmen to be employed in their vicinity. It was
estimated that by removing all class-room partitions
the chapel would furnish a seating capacity of six
hundred.
At this meeting, however. Colonel R. C. Parsons
252 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
broached the subject of selling the property, and of
going eastward to some point on EucHd Avenue. In-
asmuch as the site of the Stone Church had been the
gift of ten pioneer members of the Church Society,
the question was raised as to the possibiHty of giving
a clear title to any purchaser. Judge Samuel E. Wil-
liamson was of the opinion that a clear title could
be given, although he was opposed to the removal of
the church. Colonel John Hay argued strongly for
the retention of the old site; while others favored a
change of location. The promise that Calvary Mis-
sion then gave of becoming a strong Presbyterian
Church, on account of the constant removal of Stone
Church families to that locality, proved an addi-
tional argument for selling the down-town site, and
using the proceeds in the construction of Calvary's
sanctuary.
Trustee G. E. Herrick introduced for the considera-
tion of the joint meeting of officers a resolution order-
ing the sale of the old site, and the purchase of a new
one on Euclid Avenue, "between Blair Lane and
Willson Avenue." Today that tentative site would
be between Fern Court and East Fifty-fifth Street.
The resolution, however, was withdrawn.
Perhaps the immediate renovation of the chapel
for worship was the most practical driving of stakes,
whereby the church was held upon its original site.
At the decisive meeting of the congregation held in
the First Baptist Church February 2, 1884, the aged
Elder John A. Foot wielded considerable influence in
settling the whole matter, according to the account
ARTHUR MITCHELL 253
given by the late Judge Samuel E. Williamson in his
paper, "Men of Mark in the Church and Society,"
read at the seventy-fifth anniversary. Having con-
cluded very reluctantly that the church could not be
supported financially, if it remained on the Public
Square, he had struggled to convince himself that it
would be wise to remove to the present site of Calvary
Church, a plan practically adopted by a majority of
officers; but the moment he saw the way open even
for temporary support in the heart of the city, he
seized the opportune moment; asked some one to take
his place as chairman of the meeting, and made a
clear, ringing speech in favor of rebuilding the old
church, and captured his audience so completely that
longer discussion was useless.
In the characteristic modesty of his nature it was
like the late Judge Samuel E. Williamson to credit
Elder John A. Foot with having swayed the congre-
gational meeting at which the decision was taken to
rebuild on the historic site. Without what Judge
Williamson had accomplished, however, behind the
scenes such a decision would probably never have
been taken. The afternoon prior to the congrega-
tional meeting the pastor and others had tried to per-
suade him to favor the removal eastward, with the
maintenance of a mission in the down-town district,
but all of their pleas were in vain. At the evening
meeting he took the ground that a mission chapel
would answer no high purpose; that the church edifice
could be rebuilt, not depressingly (the old audi-
torium having been somewhat gloomy), but attract-
25-t THE OLD STONE CHURCH
ively, and that the whole church service could be
conducted upon a high level. To the argument in
favor of removal that deficits would increase on ac-
count of the eastward trend of families, Judge Wil-
liamson made a most practical reply in the form of
a guarantee given by Mrs. Samuel Mather and other
members, as well as himself, that deficits at least to
the extent of ten thousand dollars would be met.
With such an argument in favor of rebuilding upon
the historic site, it is not surprising that good Elder
John A. Foot was inspired to a climax of persuasive
oratory.
During the week following the first Sabbath wor-
ship of the homeless congregation in Case Hall, the
famous Matthew Arnold of England lectured in that
place upon "Numbers." He was introduced to his
Cleveland audience by Colonel John Hay.
Three months prior to the burning of the Stone
Church edifice, a new stone chapel had been dedi-
cated at Calvary Mission. The primitive wooden
chapel faced Euclid Avenue, at what is now the cor-
ner of East Seventy-ninth Street. Back of the wooden
chapel and facing what was then known as East
Madison Avenue, now East Seventy-ninth Street, the
present stone chapel had been constructed at a cost
of nineteen thousand dollars. The Reverend John W.
Simpson was in charge of the growing work, and the
dedicatory services were held September 30, 1883, the
Reverend Dr. Hiram C. Haydn having been invited
to come from New York City to deliver the sermon.
Dr. Arthur Mitchell presided and in the pulpit with
ARTHUR MITCHELL 255
him were the following clergymen: the Reverend
John W. Simpson, the Reverend Charles S. Pomeroy,
D.D., of the Second Church; the Reverend Rollo
Ogden, who having returned from Mexico on account
of the serious illness of Mrs. Ogden, had become
pastor of the Case Avenue Church; the Reverend
William Gaston, D.D., of the North Church; and
President Carroll Cutler, D.D., of Western Reserve
University. The text of Dr. Haydn's sermon was:
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless
thee and make thy name great, and thou shall be a blessing.
With the completion of this permanent stone chapel
came the real beginning of the collegiate form of
church life embracing at the outset the Old Stone and
Calvary congregations.
It had long been the conviction in the Presbyterian
church at large that Dr. Arthur Mitchell was specially
fitted for a secretaryship in connection with the
Board of Foreign Missions. As early as 1870 he had
been offered that position, but he could not then see
his way clear to accept. The Interior of Chicago had
advocated his selection, before he left that city for
the Cleveland pastorate. When in the closing days
of 1883 he was again proffered the position, he had
practically decided to resign, in order to give himself
wholly to the cause that he so dearly loved.
At a meeting of the Stone Church Session held
March 29, 1884, Dr. Mitchell announced his inten-
tion of closing his pastorate by June at the latest.
Shortly after this announcement the Reverend John
W. Simpson, assistant pastor in charge of Calvary
256 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Mission, presented his resignation, to take effect im-
mediately. It was not until June 13, 1884, that Dr.
Mitchell's resignation was formally presented and
reluctantly accepted by the congregation, and three
days later a meeting was held to select a successor.
In the midst of so many perplexities in which the
congregation had become involved through the fire,
the deaths of strong and tried leaders in the church,
the resignations of two pastors, and the unsettling
agitation over the change of church location, the offi-
cers and leading members turned instinctively to the
possibility of recalling the Reverend Hiram C. Haydn,
D.D., as an assured solution of the complex situation.
Elder George H. Ely stated at the congregational
meeting that he felt that a unanimous call might re-
ceive Dr. Haydn's consideration. Certainly no min-
ister could be found who could assume in all its
details the difficult task confronting the Stone Church
as could one who had already been eight years on the
field. The four elders representing Calvary Mission
asserted that its members would be unanimous in
seeking to secure Dr. Haydn. The Honorable Rich-
ard C. Parsons then presented this resolution, "That
it is the sense of this meeting that Dr. Haydn be
called to the pastorate of this church." A committee
consisting of Elders Reuben F. Smith, Edwin C.
Higbee and Francis C. Keith, and Trustees J. H.
McBride and Samuel E. Williamson was appointed
to prepare a call.
Dr. Haydn's acceptance of the call was received
July 9, 1884, and thus encouraged by the prospect of
ARTHUR MITCHELL 257
the return of a tried leader the Stone Church did not
hesitate to take advance steps to strengthen the col-
legiate type of religious work. A special meeting of
the elders representing both the Stone Church and
Calvary Mission was held September 1, 1884, at
which it was recommended that the Reverend Wilton
Merle Smith, of Cazenovia, N. Y., be called as assist-
ant pastor, at an annual salary of two thousand five
hundred dollars, and at a later joint meeting of the
congregations held September 12, 1884, the call was
e xtended.
Cleveland Presbytery held a meeting on Sunday
evening October 19, 1884, prior to the evening serv-
ice. Dr. Haydn was received from the Fairfield Con-
gregational Association of Connecticut, and the Rev-
erend Wilton Merle Smith from the Presbytery of
Syracuse. The evening service was devoted to the
following order of double installation: To preside,
the Reverend E. Bushnell, D.D.; prayer and reading
of scriptures. President Carroll Cutler, D.D.; prayer
before sermon, the Reverend Edward W. Hitchcock,
of the Presbytery of New York; sermon by President
S. F. Scovel, D.D., of Wooster University; prayer
of installation, the Reverend Anson Smyth, D.D.;
charge to the pastors, the Reverend Eleroy Curtis,
D.D.; charge to the congregation, the Reverend
W. V. W. Davis, D.D.; right hand of fellowship, the
Reverend Rollo Ogden; benediction by the Reverend
Hiram C. Haydn, D.D.
The Stone Church thus surmounted perhaps the
greatest crisis in its history, and continued with
258 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
scarcely a break in the pastoral leadership to pros-
ecute its great mission, as a down-town congrega-
tion destined to remain upon the Public Square at
least to this centennial celebration, and in all prob-
ability for years to come.
Dr. Arthur Mitchell departed with the love and
best wishes of the congregation which he had so
effectively served, although for a comparatively short
period of time. As secretary of the Presbyterian
Board of Foreign Missions he was permitted for
nearly eight years to stand between the field mission-
aries and the home churches, encouraging the one
and pleading for the prayerful sympathy and financial
support of the other. Three years before his death a
tour was made of the mission fields of the east. Never
had this zealous minister learned to measure aright
his powers of endurance.
At Nanking, China, blindness suddenly overcame
him to such an extent that he was unable to follow
his manuscript in the delivery of a sermon, but the
remainder of the discourse was extemporized. Later
at Bangkok, while discussing missionary matters with
a member of that field, there was the recurrence of
the attack of blindness. He continued, however,
addressing an auditor whom he could see no longer,
until he sank to the floor not only blind, but also
speechless and with one side of the face paralyzed.
Weak and unfit for service he returned to this
country, to be granted three months' leave of absence,
but normal strength never returned. When opportu-
nities came to accept less strenuous labor, he dared
ARTHUR MITCHELL 259
not turn from the great mission of his Hfe. After
another respite of three months in the spring of 1892,
it became evident that the illness would soon prove
fatal.
Perhaps the most eloquent and inspiring moment
of Dr. Mitchell's secretarial career was that of a
speech over an hour before the Synod of New York in
session at Albany. John G. Paton of the New
Hebrides, who was present, declared that it had been
the most remarkable missionary appeal to which he
had ever listened. It shook the Synod like a tempest,
but alas, it also shook the frail body of the speaker.
He wrote from Florida to a friend that he had never
been the same man since that night. It was a worthy
farewell plea before the church and Christian world
to remember the nations that have waited so many
centuries for the higher truth.
Dr. Mitchell passed away April 24, 1893, at Sara-
toga, N. Y. The widow is still living, making her
home at 537 West One Hundred Twenty-first Street,
New York City.. The eldest daughter, Mrs. Rollo
Ogden, went with her husband to Mexico, but on
account of serious illness was compelled to return
from that missionary field to this country. The second
daughter. Miss Alice Mitchell, went as a medical
missionary to India and was stationed at the foothills
of the Himalayas. She died in 1916. Miss Julia Post
Mitchell, the third daughter, graduated from Smith
College in 1901; was instructor in English at Vassar
College, and lecturer on Shakespeare at Columbia
College. She was appointed as a member of the
260 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
faculty of the Christian College, Canton, China, and
departed to that field in 1913. In 1916 she was mar-
ried to the Reverend John S. Kunkle, a missionary in
Canton, China. There are two other daughters, Har-
riet and Margaret, and a son named after his father.
Professor Arthur Mitchell, of the University of
Kansas.
At the time of the death of the Reverend Arthur
Mitchell, D.D., the Reverend F. F. Ellinwood, D.D.,
one of the secretaries of the Presbyterian Board of
Foreign Missions, wrote:
Much might be said of the relations which Dr. Mitchell
bore to his colleagues as a secretary. He enjoyed the
perfect confidence and love of all. Never was there a
truer man, seldom a more faithful servant of Christ.
All who knew Dr. Mitchell during his four pas-
torates, and in his secretarial service to the church,
can readily place him among those of whom it was
said, "He being dead yet speaketh." Even after the
flight of twenty-seven years since he entered into
glory, there comes the clarion call of this earnest
servant of Christ :
Proclaim to every people, tongue, and nation
That God, in whom they live and move, is Love;
Tell how He stooped to save His lost creation,
And died on earth that man might live above.
Give of thy sons to bear the message glorious;
Give of thy wealth to speed them on their way;
Pour out thy soul for them in prayer victorious;
And all thou spendest Jesus will repay.
IX. THE SECOND PASTORATE OF THE
REVEREND HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN
1884-1902
For eleven months after the second disastrous fire,
the smoke-begrimed walls of the Old Stone Church
hid from public gaze the inner transformation that
the edifice was steadily undergoing. On Sunday
morning, October 19, 1884, the bell in the steeple
sounded forth sonorous yet joyful peals again sum-
moning people to worship. The heavy iron-hinged
doors were thrown open, and all who thronged the
service were dazzled by a scene of magnificence far
exceeding their highest expectations.
The transformation had been complete. The only
thing that seemed to mar the splendor of the reno-
vated sanctuary was really prophetic of greater
beauty. Heavy canvas covered the triple window
fronting the Public Square; also one of the windows
on the Ontario Street side. The former was to be
occupied by a memorial window, the gift of the Amasa
Stone estate, and the other space was to be filled by
one in memory of the late Samuel Williamson. Two
polished blocks of brown granite set in the north wall
gleamed with brass tablets, in memory of two de-
ceased pastors, the Reverend Samuel C. Aiken, D.D.,
and the Reverend William H. Goodrich, D.D.
In such a rich temple of worship did the joyous
262 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
congregation gather that Sunday morning to receive
the sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered by
two pastors-elect, the Reverend Hiram C. Haydn,
D.D., and the Reverend Wilton Merle Smith. Before
the holy communion was celebrated, the senior pastor
delivered a sermon touching the past, present, and
future of the Stone Church as a power for spiritual
good.
On Sunday evening members of all the Cleveland
Presbyterian churches crowded the renovated audi-
torium to overflowing. The pulpit platform was
occupied by representatives of Cleveland Presbytery,
to whom had been delegated the pleasant duty of
installing a minister who for eight years had been
pastor of the church, and with him a younger clergy-
man as an associate pastor.
The order of this double installation service has
been given in a previous chapter, but the outline of
President Sylvester F. Scovel's sermon is interesting.
This president of Wooster University, much beloved
by everyone who knew him, was noted for thorough
treatment of the texts of his discourses, but notwith-
standing the length of the sermon necessary to permit
comprehensive analysis, his auditors were always
perplexed to know just which portions they would
have had eliminated for the sake of greater brevity.
President Scovel's theme was, "St. Paul as a model
for a minister." The numerous sermonic divisions
were St. Paul's intellectual energy, his impetuosity,
his indomitable will, his cultivated mind trained by
books and nature, his devotion to his ungrateful
Hiram C Ha^dn
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 265
people, his broad-mindedness shown in spreading the
gospel message among all nations, the practice of his
own doctrine, his enthusiasm in the cause of human-
ity, contempt for his own life, and his exalted ideas
of Christ's church.
The same Sunday that the Stone Church members
rejoiced in the reopened house of worship those of
the Grace Episcopal Church, then located on Huron
Road, corner of Erie Street [East Ninth Street], also
re-entered a renovated sanctuary. Not only had
there been general repair, but also a transformed
chancel increased ten feet in dimensions and dedi-
cated to the memory of the Reverend A. H. Wash-
burn, D.D., who met an untimely death in the Ash-
tabula disaster.
Under such auspicious circumstances Dr. Haydn's
second pastorate in the Stone Church commenced.
The association of the Reverend Wilton Merle Smith
brought special hope to the senior pastor, who natur-
ally rejoiced in the possibilities of the younger
minister's service both at Calvary Mission and the
down-town church.
In a paper read by the late Mrs. Samuel Mather
at the celebration of the seventy-fifth anniversary
the growing activity of the women was thus por-
trayed:
It is as curious to note the omissions in the minutes of
all these years as it is to trace the changes the years
bring. The comings and goings of the pastors are never
chronicled, and the one allusion to the burning of the
church is found, when at a meeting in February, 1884,
it is decided to take up fancy-work at the Goodrich
266 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Society meetings, that "the sales may aid us in doing
our part in the refitting of the church." Later the society
agreed to take as its share the refitting of the pulpit
platform with all its appropriate belongings. In Novem-
ber there was a sale of articles and later the treasurer
reported that the proceeds would pay for our building
pledges and leave two hundred dollars in the treasury.
Does anyone remember that there is a tablet at the back
of the pulpit stating that it and all that pertains to the
chancel was the gift of this society, placed there in
memory of Dr. Goodrich? The baptismal font was to
have been included in our gift, but the minutes record
that Mrs. Tyler made that her personal offering, as well
as the beautiful communion linen which the new table
made necessary. In November of 1885 the society ap-
pointed a committee to select a wedding gift to be sent
to the bride of our associate pastor, the Reverend Wilton
Merle Smith. In 1885 the society pledged one thousand
dollars towards the building of the new North Presby-
terian Church, and for two years every little that could
be spared from the treasury was turned to that fund. In
January of 1887 the society voted to assume the expenses
of our own Sunday School. Hitherto this had been the
charge of the Ladies' Society, and now they were left to
take up other work. In February of 1888 the Goodrich
Society laid plans to aid in the rebuilding of our chapel.
The minutes of 1889 speak of the little share our
society had on the pleasant occasion of the twenty-fifth
anniversary of the marriage of Dr. and Mrs. Haydn, and
a copy of Dr. Haydn's appreciative letter to the women's
societies of the church is inscribed on our records. Is
there anything further to say.? Whatever has happened
since seems too recent to be chronicled, and may be left
to the historian of our hundredth anniversary. But no
record of work in the Stone Church would be complete
that failed to make mention of one whose life, whose
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 267
very face, was always an inspiration - faithful Miss Fitch!
who than she ever more fully exemplified that word of
wide meaning? As president of the Ladies' Society she
was often in our meetings for a word of conference or
suggestion, and when the secretary tells, in March of
1892, that the "Ladies' Societies of the three collegiate
branches of the First Presbyterian Church convened for
their last annual union meeting" in the newly built
chapel with Miss Fitch presiding, she records one of the
last public duties that filled that useful and noble life.
Miss Sarah E. Fitch, whose name appears fre-
quently in the annals of the Stone Church, was the
daughter of Gurdon Fitch, one of the incorporators
of the First Presbyterian Church Society. When
forty years of age he and his wife, with their five
children, came in 1826 to Cleveland, and resided at
the corner of Water and St. Clair Streets, where Mr.
Fitch kept a tavern. He became a valuable member
of the community, a justice of the peace, and was
active in organizing Cleveland as a city in 1836. Miss
Sarah E. Fitch was born in 1819 and died in 1893.
From 1840 to 1856 she taught a private school in
the Huron Street Academy, where her sincere, loving
character made a life-long impression upon the pupils.
In the days of more mature womanhood she devoted
herself to ministrations among the poor, and it was
mainly through her efforts that The Retreat, an in-
stitution for erring women, was established. She
assisted in the formation of the Woman's Christian
Association; was its first president, and continued in
that office until the time of her death. For some time
previous to passing away, she was almost as valuable
268 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
to the pastor of the Stone Church as a regularly em-
ployed assistant might have been.
The Ladies' Society continued to exert great in-
fluence, not only in caring for the interests of the
mother church, but also for those of the new church
enterprises which began to flourish extensively during
Dr. Haydn's second pastorate. From 1885 until the
seventy-fifth anniversary celebration in 1895, the
Ladies' Society expended nine thousand three hun-
dred thirty-six dollars, and continued to be what Dr.
Aiken had termed it, "his helping hand."
At the time of the commencement of Dr. Haydn's
second pastorate the session was composed of Elders
John A. Foot, George H. Ely, Reuben F. Smith,
Edwin C. Higbee, Sereno P. Fenn, Joseph E. Upson,
Seymour F. Adams, R. J. Fuller, L. W. Bingham, and
Henry M. Raymond, the last named serving as clerk.
The board of trustees consisted of Messrs. J. L.
Woods, Samuel E. Williamson, J. H. McBride, Rich-
ard C. Parsons, W. S. Tyler, G. E. Herrick, and
Samuel A. Raymond, clerk.
Thus the Stone Church, having recovered from the
calamity of the second fire, found itself facing a most
progressive, fruitful decade, with Calvary Mission in
close affiliation. The Reverend Wilton Merle Smith
was a stirring, magnetic preacher, with very effective
social and pastoral gifts, ably seconded by a wife
equal to her husband in winsome qualities of heart
and mind. This young associate was soon sought
by strong churches, and after a little less than five
years' service in Cleveland he became pastor of the
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 269
Central Presbyterian Church in New York City,
where he remained until July 1, 1920, a period of
thirty-one years.
In the spring of 1884 Calvary Chapel had two hun-
dred communicants, with four hundred five pupils in
the Sunday School, and the previous year over four
thousand dollars had been raised. During the church
year 1884-1885 the collegiate organization reported
eight hundred eighty-nine members, with eight hun-
dred sixty-five pupils in the Sunday Schools. During
1886 one hundred twenty members were added,
making a total membership of nine hundred fifty.
The associated pastors alternated in serving the col-
legiate organizations. The need of a lady city mis-
sionary, suggested in 1886, prompted the securing of
Miss Spencer.
The Reverend Wilton Merle-Smith proposed a mis-
sion for the territory bounded by North Perry Street
on the east, Water Street on the west, Superior Street
on the south, with the lake on the north. A canvass
of this district revealed fourteen hundred Americans,
five hundred Germans, and one hundred of other
nationalities. The total membership of the collegiate
organizations increased in 1887 to one thousand
twenty-four, with a total Sunday School enrollment
of eight hundred twenty-five.
During Dr. Haydn's second pastorate Cleveland
hastened rapidly toward her metropolitan estate, with
an increasing prophecy of one million inhabitants.
The census of 1880 had credited the city with one
hundred sixty thousand people; that of 1890 with
270 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
two hundred sixty-one thousand; while the enumera-
tion of 1900 gave three hundred seventy-one thou-
sand, or a gain of two hundred ten thousand inhabit-
ants in twenty years.
When Dr. WilHam H. Goodrich came to Cleveland
in 1858 the streets were open to any capitalists willing
to build a street railway. At the beginning of Dr.
Haydn's second pastorate the traction privileges were
becoming valuable prizes, the leading issue of munic-
ipal elections.
As early as 1875 the East Cleveland Street Railway
Company experimented with electric power. The
underground system on Garden and Quincy Streets
proved unsatisfactory, but it had the merit of having
been the first trial of its kind in the United States.
Ten years later the Superior and Payne Avenue lines
were transformed at an enormous expense into cable
roads. In 1879 Tom L. Johnson came to Cleveland
and bought some bankrupt car-lines, and his aggress-
ive tactics stirred the other traction companies. The
overhead electric system was at length applied to all
lines, which first were merged into the Big and Little
Consolidated Companies, and finally into the Cleve-
land Electric Railway Company.
This development of rapid transit facilities changed
radically the city's residential sections. Citizens who
had lived two miles from the business center, and who
had been accustomed to spend half an hour riding to
their work on the horse-cars, could now reside four
miles from the Public Square and spend only the
same time going to and from their business. "Payne's
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 271
Pastures," which had remained unallotted near the
down-town district in order to be sold ultimately at
enhanced valuation for residence purposes, were de-
prived by rapid transit of that disposition and a
generation passed before the property was demanded
for factory sites. The revolution in rapid transit
greatly expanded the population.
Gordon and Wade Parks were then given to the
city, leading to other benefactions in the line of park
and boulevard development. The long Central Via-
duct dedicated in 1888 brought the hitherto isolated
South Side, or "Heights," into closer relation with the
business center. Wealthy citizens began in 1889 to
make large bequests for the advancement of art, such
as those of John Huntington, Horace Kelley, and
H. B. Hurlbut. The Art Museum in Wade Park was
slow in materializing, but the city now delights in
its possession.
Municipal affairs during this second pastorate of
Dr. Haydn were under the guidance of Mayors John
Farley, George W. Gardner, Robert Blee, William G.
Rose, and Robert McKisson. With the exception of
the last named these mayors were retired business
men, but the election in 1895 of Robert McKisson
placed in the mayor's chair a young aggressive law-
yer. Mayor George W. Gardner, who served two
terms, had spent his youth in the Stone Church, to
which his family belonged. His parents had come to
Cleveland in 1837, and the father was a member of
the Vincent and Gardner Furniture Company. Mayor
Gardner's brother, the Reverend Theodore Y. Gard-
272 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
ner, graduated from Western Reserve College and
Union Seminary and served both Presbyterian and
Congregational Churches. He possessed artistic
ability and to him is due the faithful picture of the
original Stone Church, sketched from memory. He
also fashioned the medallion heads of Dr. Aiken and
Dr. Goodrich which have long hung on the north
chapel wall. There were two other Gardner brothers,
James P., who served in the Civil War and became
a newspaper writer, and Samuel S., whose widow is
a member of the committee on centennial celebration,
serving as secretary. Mrs. S. S. Gardner has long
been an efficient worker in many departments of the
Stone Church.
During Dr. Haydn's second pastorate Cleveland
took swift commercial strides, under the inspiration
of the Board of Trade, in time the more potent Cham-
ber of Commerce. The population extended eastward
toward Euclid Creek and westward in the direction
of Rocky River, a stretch of twenty miles along the
shore of Lake Erie, but the movement of population
southward had been checked by unbridged valleys.
These natural chasms, however, are being overcome
and a southward extension of population is assured.
During this remarkable expansion of municipal
bounds, the Stone Church under the leadership of
Dr. Haydn caught the spirit of religious upbuilding
and entered upon an era of extraordinary activity.
Toward the close of 1887 in addition to his regular
duties Dr. Haydn assumed the presidency of Western
Reserve University, when that institution was beset
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 273
with many difficulties. This extra educational serv-
ice was only designed to prepare the way for the
calling of an educator of national reputation and was
temporary in Dr. Haydn's estimation. This educa-
tional service will be treated in a later chapter, but
the laborious work assumed at the very beginning of
Dr. Haydn's second pastorate should be borne in
mind while following his ministerial labors.
Cleveland Presbyterians had long refrained from
locating a church on the West Side, a hesitancy due
to the Plan of Union spirit of cooperation between
Congregationalists and Presbyterians. Throughout
the Western Reserve these denominations are not to
be found in one place, unless the population warrants
their coexistence. Where the two are found in a
small city, it is generally due to the fact that a Pres-
byterian quarrel prompted the formation of a Con-
gregational church. On account of its independency
in polity that denomination has inherited polemic
colonies from various religious bodies. This has been
true a number of times in Cleveland, not only in the
case of Trinity Congregational Church, formed from
the Bolton Avenue Presbyterian Church, but also the
United Congregational Church, organized by seceding
members of the Shafer Memorial M. E. Church.
So long as the West Side constituted a small city
its Congregational churches protested against every
Presbyterian movement in that direction. In 1870,
however, an effort was made to establish a Presby-
terian mission west of the Cuyahoga River, but it
failed. The Presbyterian Union in 1873 took steps
274 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
to repeat the experiment, but the panic of 1873 de-
feated the effort. After two more vain attempts had
been made, the fifth trial proved successful. Through
the efforts of Mr. Charles Fay of the Stone Church
forty children were gathered the first Sunday in
January, 1888, in the Ohio Business College on Pearl
[West Twenty-fifth] Street.
Mr. Fay acted under the direction of the Reverend
Wilton Merle Smith. Previous to the organization
of this mission the Stone Church junior pastor had
conferred with various West Side ministers, to whom
it was declared that there was no immediate inten-
tion of forming a church, but merely of meeting the
needs of a neglected class of children and to furnish
opportunity for Christian service to West Side Pres-
byterians, mainly members of the Stone Church.
The project received the endorsement of the West
Side pastors, and within six months the mission en-
rolled four hundred pupils. At the time this school
was inaugurated the Reverend Giles H. Dunning was
called to assist in the Stone Church, while Dr. Haydn
was giving considerable time to college duties. After
frequent requests had come for preaching services,
the officers of the Stone Church asked the Reverend
Giles H. Dunning to canvass the West Side field.
Having become convinced that the time had arrived
for a Presbyterian congregation west of the river,
Bethany Presbyterian Church was organized on July
2, 1889, in the rooms of the Ohio Business College,
where the mission had started eighteen months be-
fore. Of the sixty-one charter members twenty-two
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 275
came from the Stone Church. The Reverend Giles H.
Dunning left the mother congregation to become pas-
tor of Bethany Church, over which he was installed
August 1, 1889. For five years the new enterprise
worshiped in the Wieber Block, but on April 1, 1894,
a site was purchased at a cost of four thousand dol-
lars at the corner of Gordon Avenue and West Clinton
Street, and on June 2, 1895, a ten thousand dollar
chapel was dedicated. The Reverend Giles H. Dun-
ning was succeeded by the Reverend Wilber C.
Mickey, D.D., who is in his eighteenth year of service.
When the Reverend Wilton Merle-Smith resigned
on April 1, 1889, to go to New York City, the mem-
bership of the two collegiate churches was eleven hun-
dred seventy-three. Within four months the Rev-
erend Joseph H. Selden was called from Erie, Pa., and
installed on June 28, 1887. The Reverend Edward
G. Selden, brother of the pastor-elect, of Springfield,
Mass., delivered the sermon; the Reverend Samuel
P. Sprecher, D.D., of the Euclid Avenue Church, gave
both charges to pastor and people; while the Rev-
erend Drs. Hiram C. Haydn, Chas. S. Pomeroy,
Ebenezer Bushnell, and Paul F. Sutphen participated
in the exercises.
Having launched the West Side church, attention
was at once turned to the strengthening of the col-
legiate type of church life by erecting for Calvary
Chapel a permanent house of worship. The stone
chapel dedicated in 1883 had furnished ample facili-
ties for Sunday worship, the original wooden building
facing Euclid Avenue having been used for the pri-
276 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
mary Sunday School department, until at a cost of
five thousand dollars the stone chapel facing East
Seventy-ninth Street was enlarged. The wooden
relic of earlier days then gave way to the elegant
edifice now known as Calvary Presbyterian Church.
Commenced in the fall of 1887 it was first used on
January 5, 1890, and its cost was eighty thousand
dollars.
From the beginning of this mission in 1880 the
mother church had, besides sharing its ministry, in-
vested in the enterprise over forty thousand dollars.
Local church expenses, however, had been largely met
by Calvary's constituency.
Before the Calvary Mission's edifice had been suc-
cessfully completed, Dr. Haydn, while still bearing
educational burdens, led his people to greater church
extension. The trustees met April 7, 1890, and
accepted a warranty deed for a lot at the northwest
corner of Cedar and Bolton Avenues [the latter now
East Eighty-ninth Street]. Elders J. E. Upson, James
W. Stewart, and L. W. Bingham were appointed to
build a chapel on this site, provided no debt was
incurred.
The trustees also resolved that the pastoral care
of the new chapel should not rest entirely upon Dr.
Haydn or his assistant. Thus on April 14, 1890, the
trustees sanctioned the calling of an assistant pastor
at a salary not to exceed two thousand dollars, to be
supported equally by the Old Stone and Calvary
congregations, but on condition that he reside west
of Huntington Street [East Eighteenth Street] and
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 277
devote all his time, with the exception of preaching,
to the down-town parish.
The trustees received on September 15, 1890, a
recommendation from the session that the Reverend
Burt Estes Howard, of Bay City, Mich., be called as
an assistant, at a salary of twenty-five hundred dol-
lars. During the fall of 1890, through the leadership
of Dr. Haydn, a chapel had been erected on the
Bolton Avenue site. The fifteen thousand dollars
expense for both site and building was borne by
the Old Stone and Calvary congregations, and so
three collegiate constituencies, the Stone Church,
Calvary, and Bolton Chapels, were created. The
Reverend Burt Estes Howard was installed on De-
cember 12, 1890, according to the following exercises:
To preside, Rev. E. P. Cleaveland, moderator; to preach
the sermon, Rev. Wilton Merle-Smith of New York Pres-
bytery; to charge the pastor, Rev. Hiram C. Haydn,
D.D.; to charge the people, Rev. Chas. S. Pomeroy, D.D.
The total membership of the three collegiate churches
increased in 1891 to eleven hundred ninety-five, and
the next year to thirteen hundred thirty-eight com-
municants, with eleven hundred seventy pupils in the
Sunday Schools.
No sooner had the Bolton Avenue Chapel been
finished than the Stone Church improved her own
Sunday School facilities. The trustees appointed on
April 27, 1891, Messrs. Martyn Bonnell, D. R. Tay-
lor, and C. O. Scott a committee to erect at a cost
of fifteen thousand dollars a new chapel north of the
church auditorium. A year later the sum of seventeen
hundred dollars more was raised to finish the chapel.
278 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
The collegiate existence of three congregations
proved to have been at best a temporary policy de-
signed to give the two natural outgrowths of the
mother church as good a start as possible. The rapid
growth of Calvary Chapel soon prompted her mem-
bers to seek independence. At a union meeting of
the sessions and boards of trustees of the three con-
gregations, held on March 21, 1892, the collegiate
system was thoroughly discussed, and finally Elder
George H. Ely made the motion:
Resolved, that the tripHcate relation now existing between
the three churches be dissolved.
After long discussion the following, presented by
Judge Samuel E. Williamson, was adopted:
Resolved, that in the opinion of this meeting the present
collegiate relation of the congregations of this church
be dissolved; that three churches and societies be formed
with pastors for each; that the Stone Church congrega-
tion should have Dr. Haydn as its pastor, with an assist-
ant, and that the Stone and Calvary congregations
should give Bolton Chapel needed assistance, until it
also is able to be self-sustaining.
Articles of Incorporation signed by J. H. McBride,
L. W. Bingham, J. H. Danforth, and J. E. Upson,
were obtained on May 3, 1892, and Sunday afternoon.
May 22, 1892, commissioners of Cleveland Presbytery
organized Calvary Presbyterian Church, with three
hundred eight members from the Stone Church, two
from Woodland Avenue, and one from the Case Ave-
nue Church, a total of three hundred eleven charter
communicants. This was a propitious beginning sel-
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 279
dom enjoyed by a new church. The Reverend David
O. Mears, D.D., the first pastor, was installed on
April 23, 1893, and during his brief service of a little
over two years three hundred members were added,
two hundred forty-three having been received by
letter, showing how prolific the community was with
church members who having moved to a new locality
were ready to find a new church home. In this cen-
tennial year the Reverend Adelbert P. Higley, D.D.,
is pastor of the flourishing Calvary Presbyterian
Church.
The Reverend Joseph H. Selden, who had been
associate pastor for five years, resigned on June 6,
1892, in order to accept a call to the Congregational
Church, Elgin, 111., and to allow Calvary Church at
the time of its formal organization to select a new
pastor.
When the Reverend Joseph H. Selden presented
his resignation, that of the Reverend Burt Estes
Howard was also offered, and on June 10, 1892, it
was accepted, he having received a call to the First
Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles, Cal. Before
either of these pastoral relations had been dissolved,
steps had been taken to secure two new assistants,
one to aid Dr. Haydn in the Stone Church and the
other to care for Bolton Avenue Chapel. The Rev-
erend Robert A. George, pastor of the First United
Presbyterian Church of Cleveland, was invited to
take charge of the Bolton Avenue Chapel, but he was
not installed. The Reverend William A. Knight, how-
ever, was called from the Madison Avenue Congre-
280 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
gational Church of Cleveland and installed as assis-
tant in the Stone Church. The Reverend Paul F.
Sutphen, D.D., preached the sermon; the Reverend
Hiram C. Haydn, D.D., charged the pastor, and the
Reverend James D. Williamson, D.D., the people.
At a meeting of the trustees held on May 16, 1892
Dr. Haydn read a characteristic communication re-
garding the necessity of improving financial condi-
tions at the Stone Church. He said:
They need to be improved for we do not make ends meet.
The reason is incident to our location as a down-town
church. The situation can be improved in two ways.
First by a partial endowment, say of fifty to seventy-five
thousand dollars, that is already begun in the Mygatt
fund, and individual gifts amounting to about ten thou-
sand dollars. This should be increased by gifts of the
living and by bequests until if possible seventy-five thou-
sand dollars is reached. The service can then be main-
tained at its best for a hundred years or more. It may
also be said that it is desirable that so far as the owners
may be willing, property rights in the pews be quit-
claimed to the trustees, the present holders to retain
their right to occupy them so long as they elect. Nobody
nowadays builds churches to be owned this way. Of
course this must be voluntary if at all. Secondly the
present system of assessment should be abandoned, and
subscriptions of so much a week solicited to keep this
old church open at its best.
In the light of this recommendation adopted by the
trustees. Dr. Haydn was not anticipating the aban-
donment of the ancient church site for centuries to
come.
A year later at the time of building the Chamber of
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 281
Commerce edifice, a movement arose to supplant the
Stone Church. This prompted Cleveland Presbytery
to pass this minute:
The Presbytery unanimously adopted a paper earnestly
protesting its hope that the trustees and congregation of
the Old Stone Church will refuse to sell the property to
the Chamber of Commerce, as now desired, since we
believe it is needed now, and has a mission no less than
in the years gone by.
The narrative of events during the second pastorate
of Dr. Haydn presents him as an ever-moving, pro-
pelling force, continuing the best possible service in
the down-town church, bearing the transitional bur-
dens of a new university, and at the same time exhort-
ing members of the Stone Church to give themselves
and their money for church extension, if perchance
the latter might keep pace with the swiftly growing
city.
After the dissolution of the collegiate type of church
organization, the Stone and Calvary Churches gave
their special fostering care to the Bolton Avenue
Chapel. The road, however, to the independence of
the Bolton Avenue Church proved rough and some-
what disastrous. The congregation and Sunday
School grew until in addition to the chapel accom-
modations a church auditorium had become impera-
tive. During the church year 1893-1894 a church
edifice was constructed at a cost of twenty-five thou-
sand dollars and dedicated on November 8, 1894, but
in the spring of that year the congregation was rent
in twain, when more than half the members and the
greater portion of the Sunday School withdrew, with
282 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
the Reverend Robert A. George, to form the Trinity
Congregational Church, The immediate cause of the
division was an attempt of the Stone Church officers
to close the supply service of the Reverend R. A.
George, in hope of securing a permanent pastor in
whom the parish might be fully united, by the time
the new church was completed.
The disruption was somewhat spectacular. The
seceders built within a week a long shed-like building
upon a Bolton Avenue lot just north of their former
place of worship, and there services were held until
permanent quarters could be constructed on Cedar
Avenue, west of the Bolton Avenue Church. As long
as the participants in this division remained in the
congregation there was considerable strength, but
after their removal and the coming of radical changes
in the community the church became so weak that
in recent years it has been difficult to support a pas-
tor. The polemic Congregational church, further-
more, was organized on the border of the Euclid
Avenue Congregational parish to the north and east,
and almost on the territory of another Congregational
church to the southwest. Recent attempts have been
made to unite the Bolton Avenue Presbyterian and
the Trinity Congregational Churches, but the efforts
thus far have proven futile.
In June of 1894 the Bolton Avenue Presbyterian
Church extended a call to the Reverend John Sheri-
dan Zelie, of the Congregational Church, Plymouth,
Conn., and around him the numerically weakened
congregation rallied. It became an independent
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 283
church on May 3, 1896, when one hundred seventy-
one members were received from the mother church,
and on the same day the Reverend John Sheridan
ZeHe was installed pastor. This service of installation
differed a little from the usual formal exercises.
Instead of a sermon and charges to the pastor and
people, addresses were delivered by the Reverend
Ebenezer Bushnell, D.D., stated clerk of Presbytery;
by the Reverend Robert G. Hutchins, D.D., pastor
of the Woodland Avenue Presbyterian Church, and
by Elder Harry A. Garfield, of the Euclid Avenue
Presbyterian Church, now president of Williams Col-
lege. In this centennial year of the mother church
the Reverend Elliot Field, D.D., is pastor of the
Bolton Avenue Presbyterian Church.
While the Stone Church pastor and officers were
fostering Calvary and Bolton Avenue Chapels, other
new enterprises were attracting their attention. The
North Church, formed by a colony from the Stone
Church, still received aid, although an independent
congregation. The South Presbyterian Church on
Scranton Road, corner of Prame Avenue, grew from
a mission Sunday School started in the latter part
of 1890 by the Reverend William Gaston, D.D., of
the North Church. The Presbyterian Union assumed
direct control of the enterprise and employed the
Reverend James D. Corwin to take charge of the
mission, in connection with a similar enterprise of the
North Church in the northeastern part of the city.
The South Church was organized on January 21,
1892, and today has a substantial church edifice, con-
284 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
structed during the pastorate of the Reverend George
A. Mackintosh, D.D. The present pastor is the Rev-
erend Harry H. Bergen.
The other mission in which Dr. WilHam Gaston and
his people had become interested was a Sunday School
organized on January 6, 1890, on Becker Avenue.
After the Reverend James D. Corwin had accepted a
call to become the first pastor of the South Church,
the Reverend Charles L. Chalfant came from Pitts-
burgh to take charge of the Becker Avenue Mission,
under the direction of the North Church session. This
was organized into the Madison Avenue Presbyterian
Church on September 14, 1892, with ninety charter
members, sixty-four of whom came from the North
Church.
While the personal workers in the new enterprise
were members of the North Church, financial support
came mainly from the Stone and Calvary churches.
Through the instrumentality of Dr. Haydn over nine
thousand dollars was raised in these two congrega-
tions for the new enterprise. The Madison Avenue
Church afterwards became the Westminster Presby-
terian Church, which occupies a completed church
edifice located on Wade Park Avenue, corner of Addi-
son Road. The Reverend Basil R. King is the present
pastor.
In the fall of 1892, through the farseeing action of
Dr. Haydn, another religious enterprise was launched.
Having noticed the drift of population toward East
Cleveland, or what had been known as CoUamer,
Dr. Haydn purchased a lot at the southeast corner
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 285
of Euclid Avenue and Windermere Street, repeating
what he had done in starting the Bolton Avenue
Church. The property was transferred to the Pres-
byterian Union, which constructed a chapel at once.
This was opened for worship on May 6, 1894, and
cost almost eight thousand dollars.
This new field was united with another whose in-
ception came early in 1893. Dr. William Gaston, of
the North Church, having members residing in the
Glenville section, fostered a cottage prayer-meeting
in the home of Dr. Irwin C. Carlisle on Doan, near
St. Clair Street. A Sunday School was organized in a
schoolhouse on June 25, 1893. Later Sunday after-
noon sessions were held in the Disciple Church, and
these were followed by preaching services by various
city pastors. At the suggestion of Dr. Haydn the Glen-
ville Presbyterian Church was organized on June 10,
1894, and the Reverend Charles L. Zorbaugh was
called to assume charge of the Windermere and Glen-
ville congregations. The Glenville Church entered
its fine stone chapel at the corner of Doan and Helena
Streets on May 15, 1895. This edifice was financed
largely by leading members of the Stone Church and
by the late Elder Louis H. Severance, of the Wood-
land Avenue Church. The original chapel has been
greatly enlarged, and the Reverend Arthur H. Limouze
is the present pastor.
The Reverend Charles L. Zorbaugh then devoted
all his time to the Windermere Chapel, the Reverend
T. Y. Gardner having been elected pastor of the
Glenville Church. For some time the Windermere
286 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
enterprise had to await the coming of a surrounding
population, but many famiUes soon settled in the
locality and on January 5, 1896, the Windermere
Presbyterian Church was formed with thirty charter
members. The Reverend Charles L. Zorbaugh was
installed on February 10, 1896, as the first pastor and
remained fifteen years in charge of the parish. The
original chapel is now a small part of the fine church
edifice and Sunday School building. Of the flourish-
ing congregation the Reverend Louis F. Ruf is now
pastor.
In the work of strengthening older churches Dr.
Haydn was as alert as he was in founding new ones.
The Beckwith Memorial Church constructed in 1891
its main building at a cost of twenty-six thousand
dollars. At the dedication on May 15, 1892, the
Reverend Charles S. Pomeroy, D.D., pastor of the
Second Presbyterian Church of which Mr. T. S. Beck-
with was for many years an elder, delivered the ser-
mon in the afternoon and Dr. Haydn occupied the
pulpit in the evening. While Second Presbyterian
Church members furnished the greater financial
assistance, thanks were publicly expressed to "the
pastors and members of the Second and Old Stone
Churches."
To the senior pastor of the Stone Church the East
Cleveland Presbyterian Church likewise looked for
financial inspiration, when after eighty-eight years of
existence that congregation undertook to construct
the fine stone edifice which was dedicated on Nov-
ber 3, 1895. This modern church building supplanted
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 287
the one of New England meeting-house type con-
structed in 1820, the year that witnessed the birth of
the Stone Church.
During all this era of vigorous expansion Dr. Haydn
rejoiced in the improvements made in the mother
church. Early in 1893 thanks were expressed by the
trustees to Mr. W. S. Tyler for his "presentation of
a screen of oak and stained glass to provide better
protection of the congregation from the draught en-
tering the front doors."
A South Water Street lot deeded to the church by
the George Mygatt estate was sold in 1887 for five
thousand dollars and the amount applied to the
general endowment fund. At the same time mention
was made of the Eliza Giddings legacy, and the
trustees sold a lot on Aaron Street, the former site of
the North Church, for three thousand five hundred
dollars, showing that the land had never been trans-
ferred to the North Church society. At a session
meeting held on March 19, 1894, Dr. Haydn an-
nounced that Mrs. Eliza A. Clark had left the Stone
Church seventy-five thousand dollars.
A letter from Mrs. S. V. Harkness was read by Dr.
Haydn in October of 1895, ofi^ering a six thousand
dollar organ in memory of her daughter, Mrs. Flor-
ence Harkness Severance. Grateful acknowledgment
of the memorial gift was made by the trustees, who
authorized Dr. Haydn to dispose of the old organ in
any way that he might see fit, and to use the proceeds
for the benefit of the Bolton Avenue Chapel. In addi-
tion to the systematic support of every benevolent
288 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
board of the Presbyterian Church and of the Pres-
byterian Union of Cleveland the Stone Church min-
utes frequently record special gifts to churches, such
as South New Lyme, Parma, Akron Central, Beth-
any, and North congregations.
The only record of a home missionary opportunity
that escaped Dr. Haydn was the offer of Patrick Cal-
houn, made in the early part of 1897. This was a lot
said to be valued at ten thousand dollars and five
thousand dollars in cash, providing the Stone Church
would back an enterprise on Euclid Heights with a
like amount. This offer was referred by the trustees
to the extension committee of the Presbyterian Union,
but was never accepted.
The zeal of Dr. Haydn for foreign missions, as seen
in his first settlement in the Stone Church and in the
service which he rendered the American Board of
Commissioners for Foreign Missions, came to a
natural climax during the second pastorate. The
origin of that enthusiasm for religious work abroad
came very early in his life, according to these words:
I was always in for foreign missions, and well do I re-
member how in the winter of 1850 a little handful of
people waited upon God around the stove in one corner
of a big meeting-house, and prayed that the last half
of the century might be signalized by a marvellous
spread of the gospel; that doors might be opened and
a highway thrown up for the coming King among all
peoples. How Httle was then really known of Asia and
Africa seems scarcely credible in the light of the present,
with Africa parcelled out among European powers, and
traversed from center to circumference.
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 289
In view of Dr. Haydn's love of foreign missionary
endeavor and his ceaseless activity in behalf of home
missions, no one could parry the force of his foreign
missionary appeals with the retort that he first ''sweep
before his own door."
The Stone Church trustees received from Dr.
Haydn, March 24, 1894, a communication containing
these lines:
This is my tenth year of the second term of service.
I am fagged out and need a rest. I therefore ask that
I be allowed to run at large the last three months of the
year that ends in September. I do not wish the society
to incur any extra expense, and therefore I will stand
the charge over and above the vacation to which I am
entitled.
This request was granted, but no lessening of the
salary was permitted. At the same meeting the
trustees expressed the gratitude of the church to Mrs.
Amasa Stone for her generous gift of fifteen thousand
dollars to the endowment fund. Part of the formal
expression of thanks was:
The society is under renewed obligations to Mrs. Stone
for the ability to maintain a house of worship upon the
old site and to continue there the work which becomes
constantly more important with the growth of the city
and the gradual change in the location of churches and
homes, and which is rendered sacred by its association
with the names of so many who have found the Stone
Church a blessing to themselves and have made it a
blessing to the world.
On the eve of his three months' leave of absence
in Europe, Dr. Haydn delivered a tenth anniversary
290 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
sermon on June 10, 1894. Extracts from this sum-
mary are interesting:
We are face to face this morning with a ten years* pas-
torate - my second in this place. When I thought by
your gracious suffrages to return my friends in New York
shook their heads - "a second pastorate is a riskful thing
to undertake." One of the best and wisest friends
asked if I thought I could "be happy in Cleveland having
lived in New York?" My answer was that I thought
I could be happy where my work was. So I came back
in ardent hopefulness. The story of these years is not
that of a single congregation nor an individual pastorate,
but one in association with young men in the ministry of
a church with one branch, and then two and in close
affiliation with the North Church, our child. We have
had in the fellowship of this ministry good men and
true who have gone into other fields, in some cases of
conspicuous usefulness. We have seen Calvary housed
and made independent and prosperous, and the Bolton
Avenue congregation will soon be rejoicing in their new
church and independent existence. We have not been
exclusively caring for our own things, but broadly look-
ing at the work of the kingdom in our city and the world.
This has called for a willingness to surrender our mem-
bers, and to invest our money, in the interest of a wider
reach of influence for good. We have dismissed our mem-
bership not only singly, but in bodies of twenty-two, one
hundred and thirty and three hundred to constitute
other churches. In all nine hundred and twenty-eight
have gone out from us by letter. Naturally our attention
is turned to the changes in our ranks. These have been
both many and serious. There have been removed by
death one hundred and two. Of these seven had been
elders and six in active service during a part of this
period - Messrs. Mygatt, Vail, Coe, Fuller, Foot, Sack-
rider, Ely; two had served as trustees, Messrs. Harvey
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 291
and Ely; two as treasurer of the society, Messrs. Charles
and William Whitaker, father and son; one, Arthur
Cutter, was clerk of session. Of laymen there were Messrs.
John Proudfoot, Col. Chas. Whittlesey, Lyman Strong,
George Freeman, Dr. E. Cushing; nor should we fail
to mention those worthy and useful men, Messrs. Austin,
Burt, and John L. Woods, two of them trustees. And of
honorable women, Mesdames Weddell, Foot, Sarah and
"Aunt Abby" Fitch. Andrews, Whitelaw, Whittlesey,
Strong, Kidder, Smyth, Thome, Woods, Merrill, Neil,
Van Ness, Clark, Starkweather, Herrick. The ages of a
considerable portion of these ranged from seventy-five
to ninety-nine years. Many were octogenarians whose
connection with the church ranged back to the days of
small but mighty things, and to the village estate of our
city. The mention of these names -how it turns the
leaves of memory, and the dear images of our departed
rise up before us to receive our salutation and to bid us
be of good cheer. And there is a little circle of young
women who seemed to have been cut off in an untimely
way - Lillie Wick Crowell, Allie G. White, Flora Tennis,
Kittie Worley, Elsie McKay, Emma Welch, Daisy Brown
Eddy. Oh, the tears and the triumphs that are strewn
along the pathway of a decade of years! We have received
into our fellowship b}" confession of faith five hundred
and ninety-one, and by letter six hundred and twenty-five,
a total of twelve hundred and sixteen. There have been
under instruction in Sunday Schools, yearly, from six
hundred and ninety-seven to one thousand three hundred
and twenty-six. We have disbursed one million, two
hundred and twenty thousand, five hundred and forty
dollars, largely to the work of higher education and to
church building within the city. Just a word in conclu-
sion. The providence of God still gives to this church
a loyal constituency. Loyal souls have nobly stood
behind to make our exchequer equal to our real needs.
292 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Loyal souls have looked ahead and anticipated future
needs, and the endowment began by Elder George Mygatt
has grown till we found a month ago that we prospectively
possessed resources which will put us on vantage ground.
Is it not a call to broaden our work right here, and to put
ourselves as wisely and lovingly as we can into helpful
relations to the people of this central district? I so in-
terpret the call of providence to us, for I do not believe
that we are to have a fund of one hundred thousand dol-
lars, which will yet be increased, that we may sit down
at ease and think only of ourselves. My gratitude for the
past, with all its labors and trials, is unbounded, while
I thank God that these ten years lie behind and not before
me. May He keep us all in His love. Truly, truly, "in
the Cross of Christ I glory, towering o'er the wrecks of
time." Truly do I say and mean it; I am determined not
to know anything among you, but Jesus Christ and Him
crucified. To Him be glory the livelong ages through.
One of the most faithful members of the Stone
Church, the Honorable George H. Ely, passed away
in the early part of 1894. He had come to Cleveland
in 1863, when he was thirty-eight years of age, from
Rochester, N. Y., where he had been engaged in large
business ventures. To the end of life he was inti-
mately connected with the Lake Superior iron ore
trade. So keen became his knowledge of the industry
that he was the natural spokesman on all occasions
for those engaged in that line of business. Mr. Ely
served as state senator, and prominent charitable in-
stitutions sought his aid, knowing that public confi-
dence could be secured if it were known that he had
assumed responsibility for the execution of their
trusts. He was president of Lakeside Hospital and
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 293
a trustee of Adelbert College and Western Reserve
University. The Stone Church received long and
devoted service from this trustee and elder, and his
daughter, Mrs. George R. Garretson, remains one of
the most active members of the old church.
The Reverend B. F. Shuart, who before ordination
served from 1877 to 1880 as a lay assistant, was re-
employed on December 26, 1894, to assist Dr. Haydn
for six months, and on February 25, 1895, Dr. Haydn
"spoke to the trustees of the work of Mr. Shuart, also
outlining the work that he thought ought to be done
and saying that Mr. and Mrs. Jackson would come
for a few months if considered expedient." The clos-
ing words of Dr. Haydn were, *'The time has come to
consider deliberately the call of a man to look to the
front." This was the first intimation from the veteran
pastor of the Stone Church that he was contemplating
the inevitable closing of a strenuous ministry. This
did not come, however, for a number of years.
The seventy-fifth anniversary of the founding of
the Stone Church was observed October 20 to 24,
1895, by a week of carefully planned exercises. For-
mer members, as well as living communicants, were
invited to the celebration by a committee composed
of Dr. Haydn, W. P. Stanton, Reuben F. Smith,
Edwin C. Higbee, Herbert E. Brooks, Mrs. George
W. Gardner, Mrs. L. Austin, and Mrs. S. P. Fenn.
The committee on program consisted of Dr. H. C.
Haydn, Richard C. Parsons, Reuben F. Smith, Sereno
P. Fenn, Charles L. Kimball, Mrs. H. Kirke Cushing,
and Mrs. George W. Gardner. The members of the
294 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
committee on finance were Samuel A. Raymond,
Frank Herrick, Mrs. W. S. Tyler, and Mrs. J. V.
Painter. The intense interest of Dr. Haydn in this
anniversary was evidenced by the delivery of a ser-
mon in July designed to awake ge neral attention to
the coming event.
No adequate history of this church and society should
fail to tell our relation to higher education in this city
and elsewhere, of which it suffices to say that within
seventeen years we have put into this cause two million
nine hundred and nine thousand dollars. Into our church
we have received from the first members and pew-holders
three thousand nine hundred and ninety-one; and the
present enrollment is nine hundred and forty-seven. We
are not as numerous as we were, and the stated income
from pews is less than once it was, and the workers are
fewer, but the audiences morning and evening are up
to the average of former years; the bulk of our charities
has not dwindled, and the work in hand was never greater
or more necessary to be done, or more immediately fruit-
ful of desired results.
In closing this anticipatory address Dr. Haydn said :
Let us determine that this anniversary year shall be used,
not mainly in retrospect and vain regrets, but in a resolute
and courageous grappling with the work to be done, with
not a thought but that the next twenty-five years that
round out a century for this old church may be the best
of the hundred. We shall not go to the end of this period,
but God willing we can help to make it such; and, more-
over, make it in our time possible for them who live to
see that day come to it with songs of rejoicing and the
trophies of war.
On Sunday morning, October 13, 1895, a week
prior to the formal celebration, Dr. Haydn preached
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 295
on "The Continuity of Life and Influence," showing
how deeply he had imbibed the spirit of the approach-
ing occasion, and how thoroughly he had searched
church annals for historical material. The inter-
dependence of reaper with sower, or the interlinking
of the generations, was the theme of this second pre-
liminary discourse.
The anniversary week commenced with the Sunday
School session held on Sunday morning, October 20,
1895. This consisted of short talks from Messrs. Tru-
man P. Handy, Francis C. Keith, Reuben F. Smith,
Henry N. Raymond, Edwin C. Higbee, Dr. C. F.
Dutton, and Dr. Hiram C. Haydn. These speakers
were seven of the sixteen known superintendents who
until that time had served the Stone Church Sunday
School. The other nine were Elisha Taylor, John A.
Foot, George Mygatt, George H. Ely, F. M. Backus,
William Slade, Jr., Thomas Maynard, Henry M.
Flagler and Charles L. Kimball, at the time of the
celebration the acting superintendent.
The text of the seventy-fifth anniversary sermon
delivered by Dr. Hiram C. Haydn at the morning
hour of worship was Isaiah 60 : 23 :
The little one shall become a thousand, and the small
one a strong nation; I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time.
The closing lines of this discourse were:
The fathers have fallen on sleep, but they fell in their
tracks, they fell face forward; some of them put into our
hands treasure to be used for them right here, and said,
"By this would I live on and work with you and them
that come after you." These speaking windows, these
296 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
tablets on the wall, these portraits, the pealing notes of
the new organ - let us have more of such things, remem-
bering how they who sow and they who reap are to re-
joice together - builders all, the work of all gathered up
and carried along in the unbroken line of this historic
church. After all, as one has said, "It is better to live
than to write about life." Oh, dear church of God, gird
thyself afresh. Renew your vows, oh ye who have grown
weary, or lost heart, or been turned aside. Pray, pray,
every one of you that this day, this week, may not go
by without leaving with us signal blessing of the Al-
mighty — Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
The text of Dr. Haydn's Sunday evening sermon
W2is Job 8 :7-10:
Though the beginning was small, yet thy latter end should
greatly increase. For inquire, I pray thee, of the former
age, and prepare thyself to the search of thy fathers (for
we are but of yesterday, and know nothing because our
days upon earth are a shadow). Shall not they teach
thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?
The theme was, "Then and now - a Contrast." This
historical address drew comparisons between the later
and the earlier years.
At three o'clock Sunday afternoon the sacrament
of the Lord's Supper was observed, the Reverend
David O. Mears, D.D., pastor of Calvary Presby-
terian Church; the Reverend Paul F. Sutphen, D.D.,
pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church; the Rev-
erend James D. Williamson, D.D, pastor of Beckwith
Memorial Presbyterian Church, and others partici-
pating.
The Monday evening service was devoted to ad-
dresses by various pastors. Dean Williams of Trinity
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 297
Cathedral spoke on "The Church and the Com-
munity.'' *'The Church and ReHgious Progress" was
the theme of an address by the Reverend L, L. Tay-
lor, pastor of Plymouth Congregational Church. The
Reverend Levi Gilbert, D.D., pastor of the First
Methodist Episcopal Church, spoke on '*The Church
as a Witness for the Truth;" while the subject of an
address by the Reverend A. G. Upham, pastor of the
First Baptist Church, was "The Church in her Fel-
lowship."
On Tuesday afternoon various addresses were given
by lay workers: "The Founders of the First Church,"
Elder Truman P. Handy; "Our Work with the
Young," Mr. Charles L. Kimball; "Our Young
People," Mr. Giles R. Anderson, and a paper, "Per-
sonal Recollections of Bygone Times," by Mrs. Mary
M. Fairbanks.
Three addresses formed the program for Tuesday
evening, "Our Spiritual Leaders," the Honorable
Richard C. Parsons; "Men of Mark in the Church
and Society," the Honorable Samuel E. Williamson;
"The Cleveland Sisterhood of Presbyterian Churches,"
the Reverend Samuel P. Sprecher, D.D.
Wednesday afternoon of the week of celebration
was devoted to "Woman's Work." The following
papers were presented: "In the Inner Circle - the
Ladies' Society," Mrs. H. Kirke Cushing; "In the
Outer Circle - Missions," Mrs. Edwin C. Higbee;
"Leaves from the Goodrich Society Annals," Mrs.
Samuel Mather.
The Reverend Henry E. Elliott Mott, D.D., pastor
298 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
of the Central Presbyterian Church, Buffalo, N. Y.,
and the Reverend Wilton Merle-Smith, D.D., pastor
of the Central Presbyterian Church, New York City,
delivered inspiring addresses on Wednesday evening;
while the evening of Thursday was given to a "Social
Reunion," limited to the then present and former
members of the Stone Church and invited guests.
After the seventy-fifth anniversary had been cele-
brated a book entitled "Stone Church Annals" was
published, containing the sermons and addresses de-
livered upon the occasion, and in addition Dr. Haydn's
discourse, "The History of Presbyterianism in Cleve-
land," delivered on January 1, 1896. Many of the
facts presented in the addresses and sermons deliv-
ered and in the papers read at the seventy-fifth anni-
versary celebration have naturally been incorporated
in this centennial history.
In a communication to the trustees on January 29,
1896, Dr. Haydn wrote:
Being fully persuaded that our church needs for its best
estate a service that I am not fully able to render; needs
also the touch of a comparatively young man, and that I
need a measure of relief from the care which the parish
imposes, and more freedom to go and come, as the years
go by, now I, Hiram C. Haydn, pastor, tender the half
of my salary, 32,500, for the purpose of enabling the
parish to pay a copastor, and pray your acceptance of
the same, and your cooperation in the securing of such
a man as from experience will be able to meet the needs
of the work, and be likely to be acceptable in the pulpit
and out of it, the same if providence favors to take effect
June 1, 1896. In this connection I wish to say that my
son Howell graduates in June, and I desire to be free to
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 299
take him to Europe for the summer with your approval.
If the parish work could go forward without detriment,
my wish would be to be free for a longer period, but this
and all other measures I desire to subordinate to the good
of the parish. If it should be thought more for the
advantage of the parish to have me go altogether and
a new man come in, I will acquiesce in that. My wish is
that through your prayers and wisdom the will of provi-
dence, the Head of the church, may be made known. A
similar statement I make tonight to the session.
The trustees acceded to Dr. Haydn's request and
the elders invited the trustees to cooperate in the
securing of a copastor. Messrs. G. E. Herrick, Joseph
Colwell, and Samuel E. Williamson were appointed
as trustees to act with Elders Francis C. Keith, Edwin
C. Higbee, and Reuben F. Smith in securing a new
pastor.
At a joint meeting held by the elders and trustees
on October 24, 1896, it was decided to extend a call
to Professor Henry W. Hulbert, D.D., of Lane Theo-
logical Seminary, who accepted and was installed
associate pastor on February 14, 1897. President
Sylvester F. Scovel, D.D., of Wooster University,
delivered the sermon; the Reverend Paul F. Sutphen,
D.D., charged the pastor; the Reverend Samuel P.
Sprecher, D.D., charged the people; the Reverend
Ebenezer Bushnell, D.D., propounded the constitu-
tional questions, and the Reverend H. C. Haydn,
D.D., offered the prayer of installation.
As the year 1899 drew to its close Dr. Haydn felt
impelled, on account of ill health, to ask release from
pastoral cares and sought to have his resignation ac-
300 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
cepted, but the trustees voted a six months' vacation
with full salary, and declined to accept the proffered
resignation.
At this time the steeple of the church having been
removed after the second fire, the east tower, or base
of the former steeple, not having been ornamentally
finished, Mrs. Samuel Mather proposed to complete
the work, and at a cost of six thousand dollars the
towers were made more beautiful.
The six months' vacation so generously granted Dr.
Haydn did not change his longing for pastoral release,
and on July 30, 1900, the resignation was again
pressed. In a communication to the official boards
he said:
I think it must be obvious to us all that I am not to be
counted upon to do a man's full work, and the church
cannot afford to look to me as heretofore and be dis-
appointed. I desire to put myself wholly in the hands
of the session and trustees, and beg them to do what is
best for the church as the Lord may give them to see it.
Accept my resignation and let me find some place to be
helpful as I am able. I shall seek no other field; I wish
to be accounted as one of you, but in any capacity that
the exigencies of the church may require and my strength
allow, only let me not be in the way.
To this request the session responded:
It is the judgment of the session that Dr. Haydn's resig-
nation be not accepted, but instead that at such time in
the not distant future as the session may deem wise, a
meeting of the congregation be called, to which shall be
submitted the recommendation that the senior pastor,
in accordance with his earnest request, be retired from
active service and released from the obligations and re-
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 301
sponsibilities of his installation vows, with the title of
pastor emeritus.
At the time this action was taken the Reverend
Henry W. Hulbert, D.D., associate pastor, presented
a communication stating his unwillingness to under-
take a copastorate under other conditions than those
under which he came to be associated with Dr.Haydn,
thus offering his resignation in order that the con-
gregation might be entirely free to seek Dr. Haydn's
successor. The official boards expressed their appre-
ciation of the four years' service rendered by Dr.
Hulbert and the fine spirit in which he sought to give
the utmost freedom to the congregation in planning
for the future. The trustees voted an additional
twelve hundred dollars to be paid the associate pastor
for the extra service rendered by him while the senior
pastor had been abroad; they also voted an addi-
tional sum of fifteen hundred dollars to be paid to
Dr. Hulbert for whatever extra service he might be
called upon to render prior to June 1, 1901. Pro-
fessor Henry W. Hulbert's pastoral service closed on
April 13, 1901.
During the previous year of 1900, before the close
of the associate pastorates in the Stone Church, a
young ministerial helper secured directly from Auburn
Theological Seminary was employed especially to
work in the Sunday School. This was the Reverend
Paul R. Hickok who had been recommended by Dr.
Haydn, after Mrs. Samuel Mather had offered to pay
the expense of such a helper, not only in Sunday
School service, but also to assist the pastors.
302 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
The Thanksgiving service of 1900 was made a union
event, Calvary and Bolton Avenue congregations
uniting with the mother church, not only to observe
Thanksgiving day, but also to commemorate a modest
eightieth anniversary of the founding of the Stone
Church. Dr. Hulbert spoke upon "The Eighty
Years' History of our Church; the Reverend John S.
Zelie upon "The Thanksgiving Theme;" while the
subject of Dr. John N. Freeman's address was "The
Completion of our Towers."
So happy was the selection of the Reverend Paul
R. Hickok and so successful his first year's service
that he was employed for a second year at increased
remuneration, and under the leadership of Dr. Haydn,
who did not become pastor emeritus until the installa-
tion of his successor, the work of the church was con-
ducted steadily through the transitional period which
led to the settlement of the Reverend Andrew B.
Meldrum, D.D., the present pastor of the Stone
Church.
The formal action upon Dr. Haydn's request did
not come until a congregational meeting was held on
November 29, 1901, when a call was also extended to
the Reverend Edgar W. Work, D.D., of Dayton,
Ohio. This was at first accepted, but afterwards de-
clined, thus causing delay in the settlement of a pastor
until June 1, 1902, when Dr. Meldrum was installed.
During these changes in leadership in the Stone
Church the official boards set resolutely to work to
raise two thousand five hundred dollars for the pay-
ment of the Glenville Presbyterian Church debt, and
HIRAM COLLINS HAYDN 303
an additional sum of three thousand dollars for
Wooster University.
The crowning service rendered by the Reverend
Hiram Collins Haydn, D.D., LL.D., to the kingdom
of Christ cannot be described in this chapter. This
will come in the portrayal of the remarkable educa-
tional service rendered during his second pastorate,
and in the brief narrative of the closing days of his
life, when this tireless servant of Christ fought against
nature, not to be classified with those who "only
stand and wait."
X. GOOD MEASURE PRESSED DOWN AND
RUNNING OVER
The life and influence of a Christian church can be
estimated neither by the number of worshipers
attending Sunday services nor by published statistics.
Many churches are as potent without ecclesiastical
bounds as they are within denominational lines. Fur-
thermore, those Christians often denominated "Blue
Presbyterians" are perhaps more liberal than any
body of believers in the outgo of their practical sym-
pathies.
If the Presbyterian church had confined to its own
pale more of the financial support freely contributed
to undenominational agencies, that church would be
numerically greater than present tabulated figures
show. Theologically conservative Presbyterians have
ever been extremely liberal in their support of every
institution that has sought the welfare of the race.
Fear of appearing in the slightest degree sectarian
has often prompted such liberality toward unde-
nominational institutions that the advancement of
Presbyterian interests has suffered for lack of ade-
quate support.
During the century of its existence the Old Stone
Church of Cleveland has had a remarkable record for
an overflow of influence into charitable and educa-
tional institutions of every kind, as well as a splendid
history in the work of denominational upbuilding.
306 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
The first city directory, published in 1837, two years
after the settlement of the Reverend Samuel C. Aiken,
D.D., contained in addition to a list of churches the
names and oflficers of various associations then exist-
ing for the general welfare of Cleveland. In the offi-
cial lists of those guiding the pioneer associations the
preponderance of Stone Church members can readily
be discerned. The Cleveland City Temperance So-
ciety on the teetotal plan was officered by Alex-
ander Seymour, Samuel Cowles, David Long, Dudley
Baldwin, Samuel Williamson, William Day, Buckley
Stedman, A. W. Walworth, S. W. Crittenden, and
John A. Foot; while probably a large proportion of
the two hundred sixty members of this temperance
organization were Stone Church communicants.
The Cuyahoga Anti-Slavery Society extended be-
yond Cleveland, but among the officers were John A.
Foot, Samuel Williamson, S. L. Severance, and other
Presbyterians. To the Western Seaman's Friend So-
ciety such Stone Church members as Samuel Cowles,
Alexander Seymour, Alonzo Penfield, the Reverend
S. C. Aiken, John A. Foot, Jarvis F. Hanks, and
Truman P. Handy gave special care. The Anti-
Slavery Society of Cleveland had for president Dr.
David Long; for secretary S. L. Severance, and for
treasurer John A. Foot.
In charge of the Cleveland Mozart Society were
Truman P. Handy, J. F. Hanks, T. C. Severance, and
other Presbyterian brethren. Another musical organi-
zation was the Cleveland Harmonic Society, com-
posed of seven amateur instrumental musicians,
GOOD MEASURE 307
among whom were T. C. Severance and J. F. Hanks.
The musical influence of Mr. and Mrs. Truman P.
Handy continued many years after their service of
song in the Stone Church, for in 1853 Mr. Handy was
president of the Cleveland Mendelssohn Society,
among whose officers were also J. L. Seymour, O. P.
Hanks, and T. C. Severance. J. P. Holbrook, later a
composer of note, was director of the chorus of one
hundred twenty voices, and from time to time ora-
torios such as "Creation" and "David" were ren-
dered.
The Bethel Church, an undenominational mission
enterprise, was built by liberal citizens. The first
chaplain was the Reverend D. C. Blood, a Presby-
terian minister, and the most generous support was
given by Stone Church members. The first free day
school was held in the basement of the Bethel Mis-
sion by Miss Sarah Van Tyne in 1830, and was com-
posed of children who could not afford to attend pri-
vate schools. The city council afterwards voted funds
for its maintenance and in 1837 ninety male and
forty-six female pupils were in attendance.
Another early society was the Young Men's Liter-
ary Association, with Charles Whittlesey, president,
and S. W. Crittenden, secretary. To the Cleveland
News Room, free to strangers, and the Cleveland
Reading Room Association, Stone Church people
such as John M. Sterling and S. W. Crittenden gave
guidance. The Cleveland Maternal Association,
founded in 1835, was composed of mothers interested
in the religious education of their children. In 1837
308 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
twenty-six mothers, largely Stone Church women,
were studiously concerned for the religious nurture of
ninety children. About the only literary society,
judged by its name, in which Stone Church members
had no interest, was the Shakespeare Saloon on
Water Street.
Thus at the beginning of church life in Cleveland
there was this overflow of influence into every unde-
nominational project, and this marked character-
istic of the Stone Church has never waned.
At the formation of the Young Men's Christian
Association in 1854 Dr. Aiken, of the Stone Church,
presided; while the preponderance of Stone Church
and other Presbyterians was marked. Prominent
among the earliest supporters of the organization
were Solon L. Severance, Joseph B. Meriam, Joseph
Perkins, William M. Meriam, J. E. Ingersoll, Chas.
J. Dockstader, S. H. Mather, Dan P. Eells, T. P.
Handy, E. W. Sackrider, and E. H. Merrill. Elder
J. B. Meriam's later gift of ten thousand dollars
was the first substantial contribution toward
the securing of a suitable building. The reorganiza-
tion after the Civil War was almost a Presbyterian
movement. In 1867 Chas. E. Bolton, a young gradu-
ate of Amherst College who attended the Stone
Church, agitated among the young men of that con-
gregation the necessity of founding an association.
At the first formal meeting held in the Stone Church
Elder George H. Ely presided; while John J. Wilson
of the same church acted as secretary. Of the com-
mittee of five appointed to draft a constitution four
GOOD MEASURE 309
were Presbyterians. At a later meeting held in the
Stone Church eighteen young men signed the con-
stitution, and of that number at least twelve were
attendants of the Stone Church, namely Samuel E.
Williamson, Chas. E. Bolton, John J. Wilson, John
A. Foote, Jr., J. H. Cogswell, S. P. Fenn, John W.
Walton, George T. Williamson, Charles L. Cutter,
William Downie, Edgar B. Holden, and George M.
Spencer. The first four presidents were Presbyterians,
namely Dr. J. H. Herrick, Mr. H. S. Davis, Elders
Dan P. Eells and F. M. Backus, two of them
prominent in Stone Church activities. The above
facts emphasize the remarkable support accorded the
Cleveland Young Men's Association by Presbyterians
throughout the history of the association. Elder S. P.
Fenn, of the Stone Church, has been officially con-
nected with the Young Men's Christian Association
work for fifty-three years. From 1892 to 1917, a
quarter of a century, he was president of the board
of trustees, and since 1917 he has been honorary
president.
At the formation of the Young Women's Christian
Association Miss Sarah Fitch became president. It
was an outgrowth of the Walnut Street Home. The
Protestant Orphan Asylum, founded in 1852, had
among its promoters Mrs. Sherlock J. Andrews, Elisha
Taylor, Geo. A. Benedict, and Buckley Stedman.
The Children's Aid Society, organized in 1853-
1854, depended upon Truman P. Handy and George
Mygatt for leadership and for many years prior to
310 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
his death Elder Samuel A. Raymond of the Stone
Church was secretary.
The great Lakeside Hospital, organized in the par-
lors of the Stone Church during the Civil War as a
Home for the Friendless, was designed especially for
the care of southern refugees. First in a private
dwelling leased on Lake Street opposite the present
Lakeside Hospital temporary help was given the
sick and needy, mainly from the South. In 1866 the
work, incorporated as the Cleveland City Hospital,
was moved toWillson Avenue [East Fifty-fifth Street],
near Davenport Street, and then brought back in
1875 to the Marine Hospital, an institution founded
in the heart of the city by the Federal Government
for the care of seamen. The present Lakeside Hos-
pital buildings were dedicated in 1898, but plans are
being perfected for a second removal eastward to the
enlarged campus of Western Reserve University.
Among the foremost contributors to the construction
of the building existing on Lake Avenue were Charles
W. Harkness, Mrs. Amasa Stone, Mrs. James F.
Clark, Mrs. Mary H. Severance, Louis H. Severance,
Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Tyler, J. L. Woods, and Mrs.
Samuel Mather. Such a list of names emphasizes the
generous spirit of Cleveland Presbyterians.
When the Woman's Christian Temperance Union
was incorporated in 1880 its first president was Mrs.
M. E. Rawson, who for so many years was a mem-
ber of the Stone Church choir, and who died as a
member of the church on June 24, 1920. The Float-
ing Bethel, a unique mission to the lake seamen, was
GOOD MEASURE 311
organized by Chaplain J. D. Jones, whose youth was
in the Stone Church and who is a member of Cleve-
land Presbytery. His work has been liberally sus-
tained by members of Presbyterian churches.
The Bethel Associated Charities, formed in 1884,
was superintended many years by Elder Henry N.
Raymond, of the Stone Church.
In all the later movements of Christian associa-
tions, friendly inns, kindergartens, nurseries, hospi-
tals, care of the needy and rescue work, boys' clubs,
and movements too numerous to be listed, money
from Presbyterian sources has been freely given, and
many times sister churches in their work of extension
have gleaned the Presbyterian field. The Home for
Aged Women and the Home and Chapel of the Chil-
dren's Aid Society, the Lend-a-Hand Mission build-
ing, and two day nurseries were exclusively the gifts
of Presbyterians and their affiliations. The Eleanor
B. Rainey Memorial Institute bears the honored
name of one long a member of the Stone Church. The
Goodrich House, opened in 1897, was primarily de-
signed to add to the Stone Church facilities for in-
stitutional work. Mrs. Samuel Mather generously
established this institution and named it after the
pastor of her earlier years, the Reverend William H.
Goodrich, D.D. It seemed better, however, for the
Goodrich House to undertake, apart from the Stone
Church, the settlement work then becoming popular
in large cities. To the Goodrich House was moved
several special features of the work among the young,
such as the Boys' Club, the Church League, the Sun-
312 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
day Service Club, the Mothers' Meeting and the
Students' Guild, all previously existing in the Stone
Church, which also fostered an institution that has
in later years greatly prospered, namely the Vacation
Schools. This summer work, consisting of sewing
classes, out-of-door excursions, summer work, and
summer play for children, started in the Stone Church
under the inspiration of the late Mr. E. W. Haines,
son-in-law of Dr. Haydn. This line of juvenile help
in which Mrs. E. W. Haines was also very helpful,
was turned in 1900 to the care of the Board of Edu-
cation, and out of it has grown the Summer Vacation
School System. The kindergarten, sewing classes,
weaving, fancy work, art and clay work, manual
training, the playground system, and work in home
gardening, are manifest and important results of the
work in which the Stone Church took prominent
initiative.
All Presbyterian overflow in Cleveland has not
come from the Stone Church, but many givers in
other Presbyterian churches received early inspira-
tion in the parent congregation, or they were de-
scendants of .pioneer stock that worshiped in "The
Mother of us all." The names of Leonard Case,
Amasa Stone, J. L. Woods, Mr. and Mrs. James F.
Clark, George Mygatt, Mrs. Samuel Mather, Mrs.
John Hay, Mrs. S. V. Harkness, Mr. and Mrs. F. T.
Backus, Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Tyler, and many others
whose names could be given, emphasize the overflow
power of the Stone Church toward every local phi-
lanthropy.
GOOD MEASURE 313
Besides the Stone Church givers there were H. B.
Hurlbut, patron of art, hospitals and education;
E. I. Baldwin, Truman P. Handy, Dan P. Eells,
T. D. Crocker, all at least in the later years of life
of the Second Presbyterian Church; Joseph Perkins,
H. R. Hatch (later in Calvary Church), and Miss
Anne Walworth, of the Euclid Avenue Presbyterian
Church; Mrs. J. Livingstone Taylor, of the East
Cleveland Presbyterian Church, and most prominent
of all, the Severance family, whose benefactions have
not ceased to flow through five generations of mem-
bers connected with the First, Second, Woodland
Avenue, and Calvary Presbyterian Churches.
At the seventy-fifth anniversary Dr. Haydn esti-
mated that during the previous seventeen years al-
most three million dollars had been given by Stone
Church attendants for education; that Oberlin Col-
lege had received one hundred fifty thousand dollars
from Cleveland Presbyterians; while Lane and West-
ern Theological Seminaries, Berea College, Hampton
Institute and many southern institutions had been
generously remembered. Since that summary of 1895
was made, what a stream of benefactions has flowed
from Cleveland Presbyterians toward Western Re-
serve University, the College of Wooster, Oberlin
College, and other institutions of higher learning.
Only a Dr. Haydn could give a correct estimate of
the sum total of the gifts.
Although not a denominational institution West-
ern Reserve University, embracing Adelbert College,
owes much for its flourishing existence to the Presby-
314 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
terian givers of Cleveland; while the part that the pas-
tors of the Stone Church have taken in the evolution
of this educational force presents an inspiring story.
The home missionaries who established the pioneer
churches and academies dreamed very early of higher
educational facilities for northern Ohio. Western Re-
serve College, for over fifty years located at Hudson,
Ohio, had its origin in the Erie Literary Society,
chartered in 1803 and started at Burton, Ohio, at a
time when there were only fifteen hundred settlers
on the Western Reserve.
About 1822 the Grand River and Portage Presby-
teries were **moved to aid in the education of indigent
and pious young men for the ministry." Two years
later Huron Presbytery joined in the educational
project, but Burton having become known as an un-
healthy place a more suitable location was sought.
Hudson, Ohio, considered not only more healthy, but
also more central in its relation to the three "Plan of
Union Presbyteries," was selected after Mr. David
Hudson had donated a campus of one hundred sixty
acres. This choice was made in 1825 and in the
following year a college charter was obtained. This
was amended in 1844 in order to include the estab-
lishment of the Medical College in Cleveland. Be-
sides the gift of the campus seven thousand five hun-
dred dollars had been subscribed. The Reverend
Charles Backus Storrs was elected president, also
professor of sacred theology, showing the early at-
tempt to correlate theological studies with the college
GOOD MEASURE 315
curriculum without a separate department. The first
building, Middle College, was completed in 1827.
Reference has been made to the relation sustained
by one of the early supplies of the Stone Church to
the founding of Western Reserve College. The Rev-
erend Stephen I. Bradstreet, who served the Stone
Church almost seven years, not only delivered the
formal address as a trustee of Western Reserve Col-
lege, at the laying of the corner-stone of the first
building, but he also spent much time raising early
endowment funds.
From that time to later years a marked relation of
influence has been sustained by the succession of
Stone Church pastors, in behalf of Western Reserve
College, which has now become a great university.
The first president of Western Reserve College was
a Dartmouth graduate, and notwithstanding the pur-
pose of the founders to create a "Yale of the West,"
Dartmouth at a later period had a greater represen-
tation on the Western Reserve College faculty than
had Yale College. President Storrs lived only three
years after the inauguration of his college presidency,
and he was followed in succession by three Yale
graduates, Presidents George E. Pierce, Henry L.
Hitchcock, and Carroll Cutler, Presbyterian minis-
ters, whose combined service in the college extended
over fifty-two years. A College Church organized
July 13, 1831, continued its connection with Cleve-
land Presbytery until the removal of the institution
to Cleveland, when the church became extinct. For
a number of years prior to the removal, however, the
316 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
College Church had worshiped with the Congrega-
tionalists of Hudson, holding only stated communion
seasons in the college chapel.
The original purpose of all Presbyterians and Con-
gregationalists under the Plan of Union was that of
uniting the religious forces of the Western Reserve
in the establishment and maintenance of one college
and one theological seminary. Such was the purpose
when the Erie Literary Society was formed, as ex-
pressed in the phrase, **to preserve a unity of design
and harmony of feeling." In 1828 a movement arose
to start a theological seminary at Austinburgh, but
the promoters were soon persuaded to abandon their
purpose, in order *'both to save time and money and
to preserve the unity of design and harmony of feel-
mg.
The same forces, however, that disrupted the "Plan
of Union" churches and formed separate Congrega-
tional and Presbyterian denominations on the Re-
serve, wrought like division in the case of higher edu-
cation. On the Western Reserve there are today
these two strong denominations working in harmony,
and there are also two great educational institutions.
Oberlin College has become a noted school of higher
learning, famed for its pioneer coeducational policy,
and perhaps through recent legacies the richest college
(not university) in the United States. It is no longer
a denominational institution, although the theological
department is generally known as holding connection
with the Congregational Church.
Western Reserve College on the other hand has
GOOD MEASURE 317
become Adelbert College, the nucleus of Western Re-
serve University, and working in practical coopera-
tion with Case School of Applied Science has made
Cleveland an important educational center.
Very natural was it then, after there had been a
division of educational interests on the Western Re-
serve, for the Reverend Samuel C. Aiken, D.D., the
first installed pastor of the Stone Church, to give
earnest support and counsel to Western Reserve Col-
lege. For eighteen years he served as a trustee, thus
continuing the interest of the Reverend Stephen I.
Bradstreet. The Reverend William H. Goodrich,
D.D., served five years as a trustee, and throughout
his pastorate he was the warm personal friend of
President Henry L. Hitchcock, D.D., and gave to
the college not only generous counsel, but also finan-
cial assistance.
The longest service rendered Western Reserve
College and University by a Stone Church pastor was
that of Dr. Haydn. Elected a trustee while settled
at Painesville, Ohio, he served continuously, with the
exception of the four years' connection with the
American Board, until the time of his death, an
official relation of forty-one years.
The influence of Dr. Haydn in having secured the
removal of Western Reserve College to Cleveland has
been portrayed. An important task, however, re-
mained for him to perform before the change of loca-
tion could be pronounced a success and Adelbert
College made the nucleus of Western Reserve Uni-
versity. Only three years of his second pastorate had
318 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
passed when the Stone Church pastor, already a busy-
leader in the remarkable era of Presbyterian church
extension in "Greater Cleveland," was literally drafted
into the presidency of Western Reserve University.
A marked decrease of male students followed the
removal of the college to Cleveland; while the number
of woman students in attendance rapidly increased.
Western Reserve College had always been consid-
ered an institution for men, although a few young
ladies residing in or near Hudson had been gradu-
ated. As early as 1884 the faculty of Adelbert
College advocated the formation of a separate school
for women, either in the form of an annex or of a co-
ordinate institution. Almost all colleges in Ohio had
been, like Oberlin, coeducational from their begin-
ning; while very few colleges for men had undergone
the experiment of becoming coeducational.
After a two years' search for a successor to Presi-
dent Carroll Cutler, who had advocated coeducation,
the trustees turned to one of their number, as once
before they had done in 1872, to solve the difficulties.
At a joint meeting of the Stone Church trustees
and elders held on December 2, 1887, the senior pas-
tor read a paper containing these excerpts:
It has come to pass that for the second time the attention
of your pastor has been called to the merits of the colleges
planted in our city, and for the second time he has been
unanimously elected president. I cannot suppose that
our citizens mean to be indifferent to the success of the
institutions of learning planted amongst us. No one for
a moment will assent to the conclusion that Adelbert
College is now fulfilling its mission. Everybody must
GOOD MEASURE 319
hope to see this and the sister institution growing in favor
and into larger usefulness, until they are the pride of our
city. Is there need of reminding you that the men, one
of whom founded and endowed Case School, and the
other of whom largely endowed the college and was the
means of its removal to our city, were both identified
with this congregation, the latter a trustee interested in
everything that would promote the growth and pros-
perity of this church? In the removal of this college the
writer of this communication was interested and some-
what influential as a trustee. These facts may reasonably
be supposed to have some weight with our people in the
present emergency. I find myself unable to dismiss this
matter, therefore, without serious consideration. Allow
me to define my own view. First, I have no idea of
abandoning my pastorate for college cares. Secondly,
I have no idea of putting our church second in my
thought, much less permanently leaving it, or seeing its
interests suffer. Thirdly, I have no thought of resigning
my pulpit even temporarily. But fourthly, I have
thought, I still think, if some arrangement can be made
by which I can temporarily assume the leadership of
the college in the emergency, in the hope and expecta-
tion of preparing the way for a man who will give his
whole time to the work of education, we ought to be
willing to accede to it. I shall in such case be found in
my pulpit and at the weekly devotional meetings. I shall
need to be relieved of a considerable portion of parish
and outside work. This can be met by a suitable assistant
to both pastors, giving all time to parish work, and
without additional expense to the congregation. The step
proposed is not without precedent. Drs. Crosby and
Hall have both held such relation to the University of
the City of New York, bridging over an interim and
using their influence until now a capable head has been
found in Chancellor McCracken. Taking a broad view
320 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
it seems to me that I ought to be free for a year to try
the experiment, as I think and hope, without detriment
to the interests of this church to which I am devoted,
without quaHfication or reserve beyond any other in-
terest on earth, and I should hope and pray, with some
positive advantage to the college and cause of higher
education in our city. I shall try as gracefully as I can
to accept an adverse decision, if this shall be your ver-
dict, much as I hope it may be otherwise. At all events
we will hold together in harmony with all our precedents.
In his letter of acceptance to the trustees of the
college Dr. Haydn wrote:
I formally accept the position whose duties I have already
entered upon, with the full understanding that I am at
liberty to retire as soon as the circumstances of the college
permit, or the necessities of my work as pastor of the
First Church require.
The Stone Church officials unanimously and cor-
dially concurred in Dr. Haydn's request, and the Rev-
erend Giles H. Dunning was employed to cooperate
with the pastors in caring for the Stone Church.
Serious problems awaited the new president of West-
ern Reserve University, who doubtless hoped that
within a year or two at the most the way could be
cleared for the settlement of a more permanent
college head.
There was not only the pressing necessity of de-
ciding between the policy of coeducation and that
of coordinate education of the sexes, but likewise an
imperative need of creating a university spirit. Al-
though the medical department had existed in Cleve-
land since 1841, its connection with the college at
GOOD MEASURE 321
Hudson had been very nominal, having been man-
aged largely by the physicians who had freely given
their teaching services. These medical men resented
the authority of any university president. There
arose also the problem of creating new departments
such as those of music and art. Two academies were
sustained, one at Hudson and the other at Green
Springs, but neither contributed students in any pro-
portion to the expense of maintenance.
The citizens of Cleveland as yet had no vital sense
of responsibility either for Case School or Adelbert
College, viewing them as the projects of two rich men
whose estates would foster the institutions thus
founded. It had occurred to no one that Adelbert
College could make good use of a few thousand, or
hundreds of dollars from more humble sources.
The East End, in which the university was located,
without giving any substantial assistance, neverthe-
less claimed the colleges as a social asset, and that
section of the city became extremely critical toward
any who would depart from the coeducational policy.
The first effort put forth by President Haydn was
the construction of a gymnasium, in size better than
nothing, but as he well knew wholly inadequate to
meet the permanent needs of an enlarged student
body. The small brick gymnasium, however, has
become the nucleus of the spacious armory-type ath-
letic building constructed during the recent World
War.
Then came the well-defined educational policy in
the decision to found a college for women, coordi-
322 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
nated with Adelbert College for men. The newspaper
files of 1888-1889 still echo the invective against the
president and trustees, who avoided any discussion of
the merits or demerits of coeducation. In view of
the number of coeducational colleges in Ohio, the
Adelbert officials felt that there was room for a
woman's college, especially when young women of
Ohio were seeking entrance to Vassar, Wellesley,
Smith, and other eastern colleges for women, only
to be denied admission for lack of accommodation.
This was the general position of President Haydn
and of the trustees and faculty of Adelbert College.
Through the fires of bitter criticism, however, the
experiment passed, and the climax of public scorn
was attained when the old Ford homestead on Euclid
Avenue, at the corner of Adelbert Road, was opened
for the accommodation of the eleven regular and
twenty-seven special students who assembled there
in September of 1888. It did appear like a most in-
significant annex to Adelbert's more stately equip-
ment, but the founders discerned by faith better days
than those in the old Ford homestead. They dreamed
of a material as well as educational upbuilding, and
their faith was not mocked by failure and disappoint-
ment.
The faculty of Adelbert College unanimously
pledged themselves without remuneration to dupli-
cate for three years in the new college their Adelbert
instruction, and that was really the first great gift
to the incipient College for Women. The beginning
was somewhat like that of Case School of Applied
GOOD MEASURE 323
Science in the old Leonard Case homestead, only the
latter project had been fortified with weahh that
guaranteed speedy development, but in case of the
College for Women, aside from the pledge of the
faculty members to give free instruction, the only
certain financial support was eight thousand dollars,
annually pledged by Stone Church adherents for
three years, five thousand from the Honorable John
Hay and three thousand from Mrs. Amasa Stone.
Aside from these assets all else was a matter of faith,
but faith's venture was speedily rewarded. Mrs.
James F. Clark, of the Stone Church, gave one hun-
dred thousand dollars, half for endowment and half
for the construction of Clark Hall. Then came Guil-
ford House, the gift of Mrs. Samuel Mather of the
Stone Church, who named the structure in honor of
a pioneer woman teacher of Cleveland. Clark Hall
was designed for recitations and Guilford House for
dormitory purposes. On Easter Day of 1902 the
beautiful Florence Harkness Memorial Chapel was
dedicated, to which were transferred the daily worship,
the Bible teaching and Biblical library of the college.
The chapel was the gift of Mrs. S. V. Harkness of
the Stone Church, and Elder Louis H. Severance, of
the Woodland Avenue Presbyterian Church, and in
addition thirty thousand dollars was given as en-
dowment for the care of the chapel. This was fol-
lowed by the gift of fifty thousand dollars to found
the Chair of Biblical Literature, occupied first by
President Haydn and then by his son. Professor
Howell M. Haydn. The same year, 1902, witnessed
324 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
the dedication of Haydn Hall, the gift of Mrs. Samuel
Mather and named in honor of the pastor of her
more mature years. About the same time Mrs.
Mather endowed in Adelbert College the Haydn
Chair of History, in honor of Dr. Haydn. As one
passes through the Mary Chisholm Painter Memo-
rial Gateway bearing the honored name of a Stone
Church family, he not only approaches the above-
named structures on the campus of the College for
Women, but also a gymnasium, the Flora Mather
House and the Mather Memorial Building. The
campus and buildings are worth seven hundred
ninety-three thousand dollars. There is equipment
valued at over twenty-five thousand dollars; while the
endowment funds have risen to six hundred twenty-
four thousand dollars. This centennial year six hun-
dred sixty young women are in attendance, exceeding
slightly the number of young men at Adelbert Col-
lege.
President Haydn also waged a contest for the sake
of a university spirit in the case of the medical de-
partment. One faculty member predicted that "Dr.
Haydn had set back medical education a quarter
of a century." Enlarged benefactions turned toward
the medical department, beginning with the legacy
of J. L. Woods, of the Stone Church. Voluntary in-
struction gave way to endowed chairs; only college
graduates were admitted to a four-year course, and
in time this department of the university reached
such a degree of excellence that it was placed by the
Rockefeller Foundation very near the head of ac-
GOOD MEASURE 325
credited schools for medicine. The real estate and
equipment are valued at four hundred fifteen thou-
sand dollars; while the endowment is one million,
seven hundred eighty-four thousand dollars. A goodly
portion of the endowment has come from Mr. H. M.
Hanna and others not affiliated with Presbyterian
churches, but along with the generosity of the mem-
bers of that denomination is to be listed the benevo-
lence of those in connection with the Protestant Epis-
copal Church, of which Mr. Samuel Mather, a most
generous patron of Western Reserve University, is
a prominent communicant.
One of the earliest additions to Adelbert College,
during the presidency of Dr. Haydn, was that of
Eldred Hall, the Young Men's Christian Association
building. Ten thousand dollars of the sixteen thou-
sand spent in the construction represented the life
savings of the Reverend and Mrs. Henry B. Eldred,
the husband a member of Cleveland Presbytery
whose pastorates had all been country charges.
While located at Hudson, Ohio, the comparatively
small endowment of Western Reserve College came
in its largest sums from such Cleveland Presbyterians
as Truman P. Handy, H. B. Hurlbut, Joseph Perkins,
Nathan Perry, P. M. Weddell, T. D. Crocker, Selah
Chamberlain, S. B. Chittenden, the Reverend W. H.
Goodrich, Harmon Kingsbury, Elisha Taylor, H.
Harvey, William Williams, Douglas Perkins, Geo. W.
Gardner, G. H. Burt, Henry M. Flagler, and other
names familiar in earlier years. Three of the en-
dowed chairs were the Handy professorship of phi-
326 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
losophy, the Hurlbut professorship of chemistry, and
the Perkins professorship of physics and astronomy.
These now exist at Adelbert College and in addition
the Selah Chamberlain professorship of sociology, the
Haydn professorship of history, the Amasa Stone
fund, the Julia Gleason Stone fund, the McBride
lecture course fund, the Harriet Pelton Perkins schol-
arship, the George Mygatt fund, the Solon L. Sever-
ance fund, the Hatch Library, the Franklin T. Backus
Law School and fund, the Amasa Stone Memorial
Chapel, and the Department of Religious Education
on the Louis H. Severance Foundation.
At the College for Women in addition to what has
already been enumerated are the Woods professor-
ship of Latin, the Haydn scholarship fund, the H. K.
Cushing fund, the Julia Gleason fund and the Mary
Chisholm fund.
These names show the great preponderance of
Presbyterian supporters of Western Reserve College
of Hudson, Ohio, and of the modern university in
Cleveland, and especially those connected with the
Stone Church.
In the summer of 1890 the Reverend Charles Frank-
lin Thwing, D.D., LL.D., was called from his pas-
torate in Minneapolis to the presidency of Western
Reserve University. The way for his inauguration
had been effectively prepared by the comparatively
brief administration of President Hiram Collins
Haydn, and a most inviting educational field had
been made ready for fruitful seed-sowing. With the
swift growth of Cleveland in population and wealth
GOOD MEASURE 327
Western Reserve University has experienced a cor-
responding development. This year's commence-
ment brought to a close President Thwing's thirtieth
year of administrative service, and he is taking a
year's leave of absence richly deserved in view of what
he had been permitted to rear upon foundations laid
by faithful predecessors. Great as the educational
structure has become, the pressing needs of Western
Reserve University seem greater than ever, for the
very reason that there is faith to believe that the
sources of replenishment, both in friends and finan-
cial resources, will prove in time to be correspondingly
ample.
After retirement from his active pastorate Dr.
Haydn continued to serve in his professorship of
Biblical literature at the College for Women. In 1899
his son. Professor Howell M. Haydn, began to assist
the father; was made associate professor in 1907; and
in 1910 succeeded to the full professorship.
In his tenth anniversary sermon delivered June 10,
1894, Dr. Haydn thus referred to his educational serv-
ice to Western Reserve University:
No adequate survey of these ten years can fairly leave
out of account the three years of the partial surrender
of the senior pastor's time at the call of the college and
the university. Whatever it may have meant to the
church, be it much or little, it certainly meant a great
deal to him. It was a part of that unselfish policy which
has characterized this church during the last fourteen
years, in the face of the outsetting tide of population
and the demands of institutions planted and nurtured
by our own people, for the good of the city and the
328 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
world. And for one, face to face with all the Inroads
of death and removal, and all the outlay of time and
money for the public weal, I cannot see what better
policy we could have pursued. This is not a time to enter
into the history of my three years with the college as
president, A novice in such matters, I simply, honestly
and heartily did the work that had to be done as well
as I could. It brought with it much defamation, as such
necessary but unwelcome tasks always do. The adminis-
tration of such matters, however wisely and honestly
pursued, is liable to be misunderstood, and from the
nature of the case can not be fully explained at the time
to an interested public; and a man can only wait in pa-
tience the testing of his work and his vindication, if
he deserves to be vindicated. I have wrought and I am
willing to wait. From 1880 onward the impress of this
church and congregation has been inefFaceably put upon
the university movement which here originated, made
possible by the removal and endowment of Adelbert
College, the founding of the College for Women, and the
noble equipment of the Medical College. Nor are we yet
in sight of the end and we may be thankful that so many
others have been drawn into this stream of healthful
beneficence to build up with the procession of the years
a worthy university of learning.
The early responsibility assumed by Cleveland
Presbyterians to sustain Western Reserve College,
after the Congregational support had been largely
diverted to Oberlin, caused for years apparent in-
difference on part of the former body of Christians
toward their Synodical College founded fifty years
ago at Wooster, Ohio.
The catholicity of Dr. Haydn's mind was never
more clearly seen than when after his presidency of
GOOD MEASURE 329
Western Reserve University had closed he and
another Cleveland pastor, at the request of the late
Elder Louis H. Severance, investigated the needs of
the distinct Presbyterian college and reported it
worthy of financial assistance. How that honored
Presbyterian elder befriended Western Reserve Uni-
versity, Wooster and Oberlin Colleges is a story well
known to the present generation. Dr. Haydn rejoiced
in the rebuilding of the College of Wooster, after the
visitation of a disastrous fire, and did all in his power
to make the financial campaign for restoration a
success.
In the Presbyterian Union of Cleveland, a volun-
tary association of laymen designed to further the
interests of local church extension. Dr. Haydn had
been a natural leader, thus strengthening that line of
denominational effort, not directly controlled by the
Stone Church. Twice he served as president of this
union, once soon after coming to Cleveland, and a
second time when pastor emeritus. A discouraging
indebtedness had accumulated upon several new
church enterprises, by reason of the failure of the
Presbyterian Union to render proper assistance. A
debt of twenty thousand dollars demanded cancella-
tion; while a similar amount was imperative to meet
the needs of advance work. Dr. Haydn was in no
physical condition to enter this last financial cam-
paign of his strenuous career, and his response to the
call of the church no doubt hastened the end of his
life. The reaction from the effort to raise these funds
caused at Christmas time, 1908, a partial stroke of
330 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
paralysis, leaving the patient partially crippled, until
July 29, 1913, when the speedy effects of a second
stroke brought release.
The funeral services were held on Monday after-
noon, August 4, 1913, in the Florence Harkness
Chapel. They were conducted by the Reverend An-
drew B. Meldrum, D.D., pastor of the Stone Church,
assisted by President Charles F. Thwing, D.D.,
LL.D., of Western Reserve University. The pall-
bearers were Elders Sereno P. Fenn, William E. Cush-
ing, Lucien B. Hall, Martyn Bonnell, Livingston
Fewsmith, Dr. H. H. Powell, Professor H. E. Bourne
and Professor Frank P. Whitman. Later in the year,
on Sunday evening, September 28, 1913, memorial
services were held in the Stone Church. The Rev-
erend Andrew B. Meldrum, D.D., delivered "A Per-
sonal Appreciation;" President Charles F. Thwing,
D.D., LL.D., gave a personal tribute closing:
Dr. Haydn wished me to become president at the college
in 1888. I said, "No, I cannot come." The invitation
was repeated two years after that, and I came. To me,
as Dr. Meldrum has said he was to him, he was as a
father.
The Reverend Paul F. Sutphen, D.D., spoke of Dr.
Haydn as **A Cleveland Minister." The Reverend
Arthur C. Ludlow, D.D., stated clerk of Presbytery,
depicted Dr. Haydn "As a Member of Presbytery."
Addresses were also delivered by the Reverends
WilberC. Mickey, D.D., and Edwards P. Cleaveland,
representing churches founded by the Stone Church;
while Elder Sereno P. Fenn spoke in|behalf of the
GOOD MEASURE 331
session of the Stone Church. Letters from six former
associate pastors were read. These addresses, letters,
and various resolutions prepared at the time of Dr.
Haydn's death were published in a memorial pam-
phlet.
Perhaps the most striking overflow of power in the
life of this servant of God was in his own mental and
spiritual virility almost to the eighty-second year of
life. To the majority of students there comes an
inevitable *'dead-line," no matter how vigorous they
may have been. The busy pastor can not always
follow the swift changes in theological and scientific
thought, and toward the end of life is tempted to
tremble for the future of the work that he so dearly
loves.
Toward the close of his life, in a paper prepared
for the Presbyterian Club composed of ministerial
brethren, Dr. Haydn expressed these thoughts:
There is no new gospel. New emphasis, neglected truths,
new applications, new adjustments to the needs of an
age like this, seething with new ideas and vexed with
new and difficult problems, are called for. The situation,
as related to the minister of the gospel, how different
from that of the pastor of fifty years ago, the end of whose
ministry was personal conversion and the edification of
the church. Now the test of all things, education, wealth,
church, and ministry is the social service test, the indi-
vidual for the sake of the many.
The man educated for the ministry thirty or forty
years ago finds himself in an embarrassing situation. He
is not equipped to handle and cope with the new forces
about him. His knowledge is not equal to his love and
zeal. Wide fields for study have emerged to view since
332 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
he was simply a student, and he has not kept up with
them. Tempted to say something upon matters with
which he is not conversant he often speaks foohshly and
loses the respect of men wiser than he. The social,
ethical, economic problems of the day are too much for
us; the sceptre of leadership has passed from our hands.
A generation of ministers trained broadly today for the
work of today is an imperative need of the hour. This
is not and should not be spoken reproachfully of the
ministry of today.
We of the last fifty years have had our hands and hearts
pretty full to keep up with the new learning that centers
around our precious Bible and the theological adjust-
ments made necessary. The transition for example from
the Calvinistic Sovereignty to a Father Sovereign and a
Sovereign Father is a stride immense, and reaches down
to the depths and out to the utmost verge of theology,
yes, and to the service of man for men, for the kingdom
of God is meant for all men and all time. Yea, further,
it reaches into the life beyond and pervades eschatology.
Or again, the historical approach to the Bible with its
accompanying necessary and inevitable thesis of a pro-
gressive revelation, or disclosing God to man, putting
each of these little books and their authors, so far as
possible, before us in their precise environment in time
and space, of their birth and mission, ends and aims, has
revolutionized exegesis, and given birth to a deal of
helpful and inspiring literature, as well as new editions
of the Bible, following the revision of the King James'
version till the dear old Book speaks to the eye, as well
as to the ear, and through both to the heart, in a trans-
lation probably as faithful to the originals as we are ever
likely to get. These are some of the great achievements
and happenings in my day, issuing in a more catholic
spirit, ever-growing unity of believers, a deeper sense of
the presence of God immanent in the universe, dwelling
GOOD MEASURE 333
in us by His spirit, and moving us to the service of minis-
tration, even as the Christ who came not to be ministered
unto, but to minister and to give His life a ransom for
many. To get these vital matters clearly in hand our-
selves and then wisely give them to our churches as they
are able to bear them, has kept us pretty busy, if we
have really attempted it. We bespeak for those who come
after us more knowledge, wisdom and devotion, and for
ourselves forgiveness and acceptance through Christ our
Lord. A better time in which to live and work seems
scarcely open to any generation of men.
Such a contrast between the earlier and later minis-
try of his long life was drawn in the spirit of true
humility, but few aged ministers have been better
able than was Dr. Haydn to keep abreast of the
times with open and eager mind for the reception of
truth. Thus as pastor emeritus the Reverend Hiram
Collins Haydn might have rested content with blind
Milton's comforting assurance that "they also serve
who only stand and wait." Working on, however, he
who during two pastorates had guided the over-
flowing influence of the Stone Church into local
church extension, into educational upbuilding and
into missionary effort of every kind at home and
abroad, with overflowing mind and heart toward all
things pertaining to the kingdom of God, entered into
rest and his exceeding great reward.
Servant of God, well done;
Rest from thy loved employ;
The battle fought, the vict'ry won,
Enter thy Master's joy.
XL HELPERS ALL
In ancient warfare leaders had attendants to ac-
company them into battle. Thus Jonathan and his
armor-bearer scaled steep walls and routed the garri-
son of the Philistines. Nonconformist churches have
found it difficult to maintain an association of minis-
ters in one parish, and yet the average city church
greatly needs that cooperative service. Assistant
and associate pastorates, however, are increasing.
The Old Stone Church has pioneered in the em-
ployment at one time of a variety of pastors. Per-
haps this has been more successful when the collegiate
church existed, but congenial cooperation has also
reigned when religious activities were confined to one
congregation. The succession of assistant and asso-
ciate pastors has been notable and should not be
minimized in summarizing the influence of the Stone
Church during the last one hundred years.
The greater number of ministerial helpers served
during the pastorates of Dr. Haydn, who treated
them as associates in every respect. Young ministers
generally fear this kind of service as a mere secre-
tarial or administrative experience that will permit
little cultivation of initiative. No young clergyman
associated with Dr. Haydn every found such fears
realized. One of these once gave this testimony:
It is difficult for me now to realize how at first I was not
a little afraid of Dr. Haydn. The feeling was so short
336 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
lived and gave place so early to the opposite that I can-
not realize that I was ever anything but perfectly at
home with him.
The Reverend William H. Goodrich, D.D., was
for three years associate pastor with Dr. Samuel C.
Aiken, and in turn Dr. Hiram C. Haydn was for two
years officially associated with Dr. William H. Good-
rich, although the latter spent those years abroad,
and there was affiliation of the two ministers in
spirit only.
When the Wasonville Mission was inaugurated,
demand for occasional preaching led in 1866 to the
securing of the Reverend Aaron Peck to care for that
field. Born at Orange, N. J., June 7, 1836, he
graduated from Princeton College in 1857. Ill health
interrupted studies for two years, but in 1864, having
graduated from Union Seminary, he was licensed by
the Newark Presbytery and ordained on May 8, 1866,
by the Cleveland and Portage Presbytery. For two
years he labored in Cleveland, and then after Euro-
pean travel he became for nine years pastor of the
Presbyterian Church at Perth Amboy, N. J.
The Williamsburgh Church, Brooklyn, N. Y., was
the next field of service, after which he returned to
Perth Amboy. In 1884 he removed to New York
City, where he lived until the time of death on July
3, 1901. He married in 1859 Miss Julia Manning, of
Newark, N. J., who died in 1909, leaving one daughter,
the wife of the Reverend H. G. Mendenhall, D.D.,
of New York City, who has been for a number of
HELPERS ALL 337
years the efficient moderator of the Presbytery of
New York.
The Reverend B. P. Johnson worked a while in the
Wasonville Mission. His daughter Annie was a
sweet-voiced gospel singer, who went to China as
Mrs. Laughlin, and who died after three years' serv-
ice in behalf of Chinese women.
While this mission, which became the North Pres-
byterian Church, was under the control of the Stone
Church, the Reverend D. W. Sharts served it from
1868 to 1870. He became pastor of the Congrega-
tional Church at Owosso, Mich., and later entered
business in that place. He also served a term in the
state legislature.
From 1877 to 1880 Mr. B. F. Shuart, a layman of
rare fitness for church work, had special charge of
the St. Clair Street Mission and a Sunday afternoon
Bible class. The first effort in behalf of the Chinese
in Cleveland was started in his home. Finally he was
ordained and went to a church in Billings, Montana,
but ill health resulting from an injury caused him to
turn to sheep raising, in which he was very success-
ful. In later life he spent six months in Cleveland
and again did efficient work in the Stone Church.
No particulars relating to more recent years have
been obtained.
As Dr. Haydn was leaving Cleveland in 1880 to
serve the American Board he recommended the secur-
ing of Mr. Rollo Ogden, a recent seminary graduate.
The son of a Presbyterian minister, he was born at
Sand Lake, N. Y., on January 19, 1856; graduated
338 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
from Williams College in 1877, and then spent two
years at Andover and one at Union Seminary. He
was ordained by Cleveland Presbytery, and on No-
vember 30, 1881, married Miss Susan M. Mitchell, the
daughter of the Reverend Arthur Mitchell, D.D.,
pastor of the Stone Church. The young minister and
bride at once entered missionary service in Mexico
City, but were compelled in 1883 to return to Cleve-
land on account of Mrs. Ogden's critical illness. The
Case Avenue Presbyterian Church at once called the
Reverend RoUo Ogden, who served that congrega-
tion until he demitted the ministry in 1887 in order
to enter literary work in New York City. In 1891 he
became a member of the New York Posfs editorial
staff, on which influential paper he rose in 1903 to
become editor-in-chief. That position was held until
1920, when Mr. Ogden became an associate editor
of the New York Times. His home address is 216
Summit Avenue, Summit, N. J. Williams College,
in 1904, conferred upon Mr. Ogden the honorary de-
gree of doctor of literature. Mr. and Mrs. Ogden
have three children, Alice and Nelson residing with
their parents, while Winifred, now Mrs. John Lind-
ley, lives in Cambridge, Mass.
The Reverend John W. Simpson was an associate
pastor from 1882 to 1884. Born at Altoona, Pa., on
May 7, 1852, he received college training at Wooster
University; attended Western Theological Seminary,
1875-1876; ordained in 1879 and served as stated
supply at Rouseville, Pa., 1876-1878. He was pas-
tor of the Presbyterian Church at Olean, N. Y., from
HELPERS ALL 339
1879 to 1882, and then came to Cleveland to work
mainly in connection with Calvary Mission. This
was followed by a pastorate of eight years in the First
Congregational Church, Walnut Hills, Cincinnati,
Ohio, where as president of the Evangelical Alliance
he became influential in efi^ecting municipal reforms.
From 1892 to 1896 he was president of Marietta Col-
lege, and then entered insurance business in Cincin-
nati and in New York City. In the latter place of
residence he died on March 19, 1909, when the apart-
ment house in which he lived was burned, he having
sacrified his life for the saving of others.
At the commencement of Dr. Haydn's second pas-
torate the Reverend Wilton Merle Smith was in-
stalled as associate pastor, and served almost five
years, from October 1, 1884 to April 1, 1889. He was
born at Elmira, N. Y., April 18, 1856; graduated
from Princeton College in 1877, and from Auburn
Seminary in 1881. The Presbyterian Church at Caze-
novia, N. Y., was first served, followed by the Cleve-
land pastorate. He married Miss Zaidee Van Sant-
voord of New York City, on November 19, 1885. In
1889 a call to the Central Presbyterian Church,
New York City, was accepted, a metropolitan pas-
torate that continued until July 1, 1920, a period of
thirty-one years.
This important service was relinquished when the
church was at the height of its prosperity. The
annual benevolences amount to one hundred thou-
sand dollars, used mainly to sustain one of the best
equipped stations in China, having thirty buildings.
340 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
fifteen missionaries, forty assistants and seventy
native helpers. A large mission is likewise supported
in New York City. Dr. Wilton Merle-Smith expects
to devote much time to the interests of the Assem-
bly's Board of Home Missions, of which he is presi-
dent.
His family consists of wife and three children, two
daughters, Dorothy, the wife of David McAlpin Pyle,
of Morristown, N. J., and Anita, wife of James Mc-
Alpin Pyle of the same city. The son. Van Santvoord
Merle-Smith, graduated from Princeton University
in 1911 and from Harvard Law School in 1914. He
served as major during the present war, was twice
wounded and received the distinguished service cross.
He also was military aide and private secretary to
Secretary of State Lansing at the Paris Peace Con-
ference, and was recently appointed Third Assistant
Secretary of State at Washington. Dr. Wilton Merle-
Smith received the honorary degree of doctor of
divinity in 1889 from Princeton University.
When Dr. Haydn assumed the presidency of West-
ern Reserve University the associated service of the
Reverend Wilton Merle-Smith was supplemented by
the engagement of the Reverend Giles H. Dunning.
He was born at Shelby, Ohio, on May 7, 1851, but
when seven years of age the parents removed to New
York State, where the son was educated at Cazenovia
Academy, Syracuse University, and Auburn Semi-
nary. Before entering the seminary he had held two
appointments in the Methodist Episcopal Church,
one at Youngstown, N. Y., and the other at Ham-
HELPERS ALL 341
burg, N. Y., each one two years in duration. He
went from Auburn Seminary to the Presbyterian
Church at Dryden, N. Y., where he remained two
years. The Breckenridge, now West Avenue Pres-
byterian Church of Buffalo, N. Y., was the second
pastoral settlement in the Presbyterian ministry.
Thence he came to Cleveland to help in the Stone
Church work, but all his time was soon demanded
by the West Side Mission, which became Bethany
Presbyterian Church, and of which he served as pas-
tor for a period of thirteen years.
Within six months after he had been installed
pastor of the Orwell Church, on January 8, 1902,
there came a severe stroke of paralysis, from which
there was recovery with the exception of the loss of
speech. This continued until the time of death on
September 29, 1911. The last decade of life, however,
was not one of idleness, for having in youth learned
a trade he kept busy at useful toil in his home until
the end came. The burial was at Knollwood Ceme-
tery, near Gates Mill. Mrs. Dunning and one son
continue to reside in Cleveland. A son lives in Chi-
cago; while the third son, who served in the recent
war, has been under hospital care near Baltimore.
The Reverend Joseph H. Selden was an associate
pastor from 1887 to 1892, when the Stone Church
and Calvary Mission existed in collegiate form. He
resigned to become pastor of the First Congregational
Church, Elgin, 111., where he remained until 1900. In
an industrial city the work was of an institutional
character. In 1898 Beloit College conferred upon
342 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
him the honorary degree of doctor of divinity. Dr.
Selden became in 1900 pastor of the Congregational
church at Norwich, Conn., his native place, and for
eleven years he rendered a progressive service, espe-
cially in the enlargement of church facilities. There
he also became connected with the organized benevo-
lences of his denomination, such as the American
Board, the Board of Ministerial Relief and the Home
Missionary Society. Since the close of the Norwich
pastorate special supply service has also been ren-
dered in churches such as the North Woodward Ave-
nue Church, Detroit, and the United Congregational
Church at Norwich. During the war Dr. Selden was
connected with the Red Cross work. He resides at
Norwich, Conn.
During the last two years of Dr. Selden's Stone
Church pastorate the Reverend Burt Estes Howard
was an associate. His youth was spent in East Cleve-
land, Ohio, where he early became a member of the
Presbyterian church. Having entered Western Re-
serve College at Hudson, Ohio, in 1879, graduation
came from Adelbert College in 1883, and from Lane
Seminary in 1886. The first pastorate of four years,
from 1886 to 1890, was in the First Presbyterian
Church, Bay City, Mich. From that field he came
to the Stone Church and served until 1902, when a
call was accepted to the First Presbyterian Church,
Los Angeles, Cal.
The Reverend Burt Estes Howard went to Harvard
University to study a year and then became assistant
professor of political science at Leland Stanford Uni-
HELPERS ALL 343
versity. After two years' teaching he went to Berlin,
Germany, where in 1903 he received his doctorate.
Research work continued at Harvard University re-
sulted in the publication in 1906 of an important
work on The German Empire. In 1908 he returned
to Leland Stanford University as professor of polit-
ical science, and there remained a popular teacher
until his death in 1913.
When the Reverend Burt Estes Howard resigned
the Stone Church pastorate the Reverend William
Allen Knight was installed in July of 1892, and served
until July 1, 1894. Born at Milton, Missouri, on
October 20, 1863, he was the son of a Disciple minis-
ter who still resides in Cleveland. The father was
once pastor of the Miles Avenue Disciple Church, and
at that time the son, having graduated from the Cen-
tral High School, entered Adelbert College in the
class of 1886. At the close of the sophomore year
young Knight accepted a pastorate of a Disciple
church at Columbus, Ohio, where he remained three
years. This was followed by a pastorate with teach-
ing at Hiram College, where he received in 1889 his
bachelor of arts degree.
Mr. Knight left the church in which he began his
ministry to become pastor of the East Madison Ave-
nue Congregational Church of Cleveland, from which
he was called to the Stone Church. After Congrega-
tional pastorates in Saginaw, Mich., 1894-1897, the
Central Church, Fall River, Mass., 1897-1902, he
became pastor of the Brighton Congregational Church,
Boston, Mass., a pastorate of seventeen years. In
344 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
September of 1919 he accepted a call to the Con-
gregational Church at Framingham, Mass., a parish
founded in 1701, in the neighborhood of the oldest
normal school in the country, in one of whose build-
ings "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" was first
sung. The Reverend William Allen Knight published
in 1904 "The Song of our Syrian Guest," a unique
exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm, and an im-
mense number of copies have been published. This
success has been followed by more than a dozen
literary works. The degree of master of arts was
received in 1905 from Harvard University; that of
bachelor of divinity in 1909 from Oberlin Seminary;
while the degree of doctor of literature was conferred
in 1915 by both Grinnell College of Iowa and Bates
College in Maine.
At the time the Reverend William Allen Knight
was called to the Stone Church the Reverend Robert
A. George was employed as an assistant pastor to
have special charge of the Bolton Avenue Mission,
which formed the third congregation in the collegiate
Stone Church. Reared in the United Presbyterian
Church, he had been pastor of the First United Pres-
byterian Church of Cleveland. He resigned that
charge to enter the work at Bolton Avenue Mission.
The difficulties that there arose prompted the forma-
tion of Trinity Congregational Church, of which the
Reverend Robert A. George was founder and first
pastor for nearly fifteen years. From that field he
went for seven years to the Lake View [now Calvary]
Congregational Church of Cleveland. This was fol-
HELPERS ALL 345
lowed by service in Florida, but recently a call has
been accepted to the Congregational church at Mem-
phis, Tennessee.
The Reverend John Sheridan Zelie was called from
the Congregational church at Plymouth, Conn.,
where he had served from 1890 to 1894, to suc-
ceed the Reverend Robert A. George in the Bolton
Avenue Mission. Born at Princeton, Mass., on May
3, 1866, the son of a minister, he graduated from
Williams College in 1887 and from Yale Divinity
School in 1890. When the collegiate Stone Church
was dissolved this assistant minister became the first
pastor of the Bolton Avenue Presbyterian Church,
and served for six years, until called in 1900 to the
First Reformed Church, Schenectady, N. Y. Then
followed the pastorate of sixteen years in the Cres-
cent Avenue Presbyterian Church, Plainfield, N. J.
In 1904 his alma mater conferred upon him the hono-
rary degree of doctor of divinity.
During the recent war Dr. Zelie served as chaplain
in field hospital and ambulance divisions, and at
Base Hospital 30, American Expeditionary Force, in
France, 1918-1919. Accounts of these war experi-
ences were published in the Atlantic Monthly and in
some of the prominent papers. During his ministry
Dr. Zelie has written many sketches and editorials,
especially for the Sunday School Times. He is also
the author of several books. Recently he became
pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, Troy, N. Y.
When the Stone Church celebrated its seventy-fifth
anniversary the Reverend and Mrs. Frederick W.
346 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Jackson were rendering temporary service. They had
recently returned from Shantung, China, where they
had been from 1892 to 1894. Mr. Jackson was born
at Newark, N. J., on June 1, 1867; was graduated
from Princeton University in 1887; took postgraduate
work at Columbia University; theological studies at
Princeton Seminary; medical courses in Bellevue Hos-
pital Medical College and at Jena University. After
a year as assistant pastor in the South Park Presby-
terian Church, Newark, N. J., the foreign service was
undertaken. The Reverend F. W. Jackson did not
return to China, but became pastor of the Scotch
Presbyterian Church, Jersey City, N. J., 1896-1900;
of the Dorland Memorial Church, Hot Springs, N. C,
1900-1906; professor in Bloomfield Seminary, 1908-
1917; Young Men's Christian Association Secretary
at Camp Gordon; in France, 1918-1919, and has
recently been connected with the Interchurch Move-
ment as survey supervisor for Oklahoma. He resides
at Glen Ridge, N. J.
The Reverend Henry Woodward Hulbert, D.D.,
the last pastor to serve with Dr. Haydn, was the
grandson of the Reverend Henry Woodward, the first
foreign missionary to go from Princeton Seminary,
having been sent to Ceylon in 1820. The father of
this Stone Church assistant was president at one time
of Middlebury College, from which the son graduated
in 1879. After three years of teaching he attended
Union Seminary, where he graduated in 1885. He
immediately went to the Syrian Protestant College,
Beirut, and taught until 1888. After returning he
HELPERS ALL 347
served as professor of history and political science
at Marietta College, 1889-1894; he was ordained to
the Presbyterian ministry in 1889; was professor of
church history at Lane Seminary, 1894-1897, and
then accepted the Stone Church call and continued
in that pastorate from 1897 to 1901, when for five
years he was professor of church history in the Bangor
Congregational Seminary. For four years he was in
the High Street Congregational Church, Portland,
Maine, and in 1914 went to the Congregational
Church at Groton, Conn., where he now serves.
Professor Hulbert is a member of learned societies,
and has been a frequent contributor to religious en-
cyclopedias, dictionaries, and reviews, as well as the
author of several books. His two brothers, Homer B.
and Archer B., have attained high reputations, one
for his educational service in Korea, and the other
for his historical research work. The degree of doctor
of divinity was conferred upon Professor Henry W.
Hulbert by Middlebury and Marietta Colleges in
1900.
Mrs. Hulbert died soon after leaving Cleveland
and the surviving children have followed in the foot-
steps of their parents. Miss Winifred E. Hulbert
graduated from the Woman's College in 1914; studied
a year at Union Seminary; taught a year in The Con-
stantinople College for Women; was fifteen months
in France in war work, and now for the last two years
she has been teaching again in Constantinople.
Chauncey Prime graduated from Dartmouth in 1915;
spent a year at Union Seminary; taught a year at
348 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Robert College, Constantinople; entered the army in
1918, and was second lieutenant at its close. Ralph
Wheelock took his master of arts degree at Columbia
this year. Woodward D. graduated from Dartmouth
in 1918 and was a second lieutenant at the close of
the war. During 1919 he was instructor at Syrian
Protestant College, Beirut. Kathryn graduated from
the Connecticut College for Women in 1920, and sails
soon to be an instructor in the Faculty School at
Beirut, Syria. The youngest child, Hilda Lyman,
graduated from the Free Academy, Norwich, Conn.,
this year.
During the transitional period between the close
of Dr. Haydn's pastorate and the settlement of Dr.
Meldrum, the Reverend Paul R. Hickok proved an
effective assistant for two years. He is the son of a
clergyman and was born in Nebraska City on April
6, 1877. Having graduated from Wooster College in
1897, he attended Auburn Seminary, from which he
came to the Stone Church. He was married on Sep-
tember 6, 1900, to Miss Mary Elliott, the daughter
of the Reverend John C. Elliott, for many years a
member of Cleveland Presbytery. From 1900 to 1909
the young minister was chaplain of the Fifth Regi-
ment, Ohio National Guard, stationed at Cleveland.
From the Stone Church he went to the Presby-
terian church at Delaware, Ohio, where he labored
until 1909, and then accepted a call to the Metro-
politan Presbyterian Church, Washington, D.C. That
charge was resigned recently in order to accept a
call to the Second Presbyterian Church, Troy, N. Y.,
HELPERS ALL 349
where he resides. He has been a member of promi-
nent General Assembly committees, and during 1918
war service was rendered as director of religious work
in the camps at Washington, under the auspices of
the National Council of the Young Men's Christian
Association. For a number of years he has been a
trustee of Wooster College; while Hanover College
at its last commencement conferred upon him the
honorary degree of doctor of divinity.
When the Lakewood Hamlet Mission [now the
prosperous Lakewood Presbyterian Church] was or-
ganized by the Stone Church, a young minister was
secured to care for the new field. The Reverend
Alfred J. Wright has now been for fifteen years the
first pastor of the Lakewood Presbyterian Church,
having guided its fortunes through the days of wor-
ship in a private residence to those of chapel life,
until there came the completion of the splendid struc-
ture on the corner of Detroit and Mario Avenues.
The Lakewood pastor was born on March 28, 1870,
at Springfield, 111., not because his parents resided
there, but for the reason that the advent came when
they were away from their home at Sandusky, Ohio.
After preparation for college at Western Reserve
Academy, Hudson, Ohio, the youth entered Adelbert
College in the class of 1894, and then graduated from
Union Seminary in 1897. His first pastorate of six
years was at Rockville Centre, Long Island; the
second, that of two years, was at Mauch Chunk, Pa.,
whence he came to the Lakewood Mission, concerning
which more will be recorded.
350 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
The last assistant to serve the Stone Church re-
cently passed away, greatly beloved by all who knew
him. Elder Livingston Fewsmith was not an asso-
ciate pastor, in the sense of having received minis-
terial ordination, but in all other respects he merited
that official designation. He was born at Auburn,
N. Y., on March 26, 1849, where his father, the Rev-
erend Joseph Fewsmith, D.D., was professor of homi-
letics at Auburn Theological Seminary. The first
American ancestor of this Smith family, for origi-
nally its name did not have the "Few" family prefix,
came to Albany, N. Y., in 1636.
The father of the Stone Church assistant graduated
from Yale College in 1840, and taught a while at
Western Reserve College, Hudson, Ohio, before going
to Auburn Seminary. From that professorship he
went to the pastorate of the Second Presbyterian
Church, Newark, N. J., where until the time of his
death in 1888, he rendered for thirty-seven years
distinguished service. The Fewsmith Memorial Pres-
byterian Church, Newark, N. J., bears the name of
this faithful servant of Christ. Mrs. Joseph Few-
smith was Miss Emma C. Livingston, and the son's
Christian name was that of his mother's family, and
not that of the African missionary as many have
supposed.
Livingston Fewsmith, after preparation at Newark
Academy and Phillips Academy, entered Yale College
in 1866. Eye difficulty interrupted a student life
before the end of the freshman year. He returned
for the sophomore year, but in a few months the
HELPERS ALL 351
recurrent trouble ended all hope of a college course.
Prolonged confinement in a darkened room alone
saved a degree of normal vision.
Livingston Fewsmith married Miss Anna Lee Grant
on January 12, 1876, at Newark, N. J., and entered
business life in New York City. In 1880 he was sent
to Paris, France, where he represented his firm for
four years. Having returned to this country he en-
tered the insurance business, first in Newark, N. J.,
and then at Chicago, 111. From 1889 to 1897 he
engaged in the insurance and manufacturing business
in Cleveland and Beaver Falls, Pa., returning to the
former city to manage the Peerless Company from
1897 to 1903.
He first became a ruling elder in 1877 in his father's
church, Newark, N. J. In Cleveland his member-
ship was in the Case Avenue Presbyterian church
and then in the Bolton Avenue Church, where it re-
mained until the time of death, although his duties
at the Stone Church necessitated his presence there
at stated times for worship. For seventeen years
pastoral assistance was rendered by Elder Fewsmith,
and although the last few years were marked by
increasing physical weakness, he continued to
serve as strength permitted. He passed away on
March 12, 1920, and is survived by the widow and
five children, Livingston, William Lee, Anna, Joseph,
and Alexander Grant Fewsmith.
In writing to the church at Philippi, St. Paul re-
ferred to women who had labored with him in the
gospel. Women have also rendered special assistance
in the Stone Church, but the record of their labors
352 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
has not been preserved to any extent. A few bore
the title of "missionary assistant," or "city mission-
ary assistant." One of these deserves special remem-
brance. Miss Maria J. Weaver was born on Feb-
ruary 13, 1844, at Fairhaven, Mass., opposite New
Bedford, where her father was a retired sea-captain,
her mother having been a direct descendant of John
Alden. After a common and boarding school educa-
tion, she taught until she came in 1866 to Cleveland,
when twenty-two years of age. For eighteen years
she was connected with the Cleveland Protestant Or-
phan Asylum, first in charge of the boys and then of
the girls. Her efficiency and spirit of self-sacrifice won
the hearts of the children, many of whom in later
years remembered her with an affection like that
given a mother. She was ever seeking the child who
seemed in the lowest estate and making efforts to
lift him up. During her connection with the asylum
work it was a pleasant duty to take the children to
the North Presbyterian Sunday School. In the course
of time she became missionary visitor in the North
Presbyterian Church, carrying into that work the
same spirit that had reigned in her previous service.
Then she came to the service of the Stone Church,
where during the last nineteen years of her life she
acted as missionary visitor, winning the hearts of all
whom she met and leaving a fragrance in the homes
of the poor and destitute. Many outcasts were
turned into paths of usefulness by her consecrated
efforts. In a class of adults connected with the Bible
school she was the leading spirit, loved and honored
HELPERS ALL 353
as a woman of rare good judgment and of absolute
self-forgetfulness.
During May of 1912 representatives of many Stone
Church organizations remembered Miss Weaver with
a substantial token of their love and affection, wish-
ing her length of days in her retirement from active
service, but that was not to be, for on October 26,
1912, she quietly passed away, having for forty-six
years served as matron and city missionary.
Miss Hazel E. Foster, for the last eight years mis-
sionary assistant in the Stone Church, is the daughter
of Mr. Henry B. Foster, editor-in-chief of the Roch-
ester Evening TimeSy but for four generations the
Foster family has resided in Ohio. Miss Foster's
great-grandfather, a Revolutionary soldier, came in
an oxcart from Connecticut to the Western Reserve,
and here the descendants have always been active
in religious and reform work. After having attended
the Cleveland Denison Grammar and Lincoln High
Schools, Miss Foster for two years was a student in
the College for Women. She then taught a year at
Independence, Ohio, before going to Ohio Wesleyan
University, from which she graduated. While teach-
ing for three years in the Cleveland public schools
she also became connected with Hiram House classes
in story-telling, dramatizing, basketry, boys' club
work, and other lines of juvenile instruction. When
about to assume a new position at the Hiram House
Mr. Bellamy, the head of that institution, aware of
Miss Foster's interest in religious and social endeav-
ors, at once recommended her when asked to suggest
354 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
some one as successor to Miss Weaver in the mission-
ary work at the Stone Church. With such splendid
special training, in addition to considerable volunteer
religious and philanthropic service, Miss Foster
assumed her position in the Stone Church on Sep-
tember 1, 1912. At the close of five years' service a
pamphlet was published setting forth the nature of
her daily work in the down-town districts. During
the five years she attended to almost five thousand
calls, distributed forty-six hundred garments, and
handled in relief work twenty-five hundred dollars.
Since then three years have passed, and in the light
of the eight years' devoted missionary service Miss
Foster is one of the most indispensable helpers in
the modern life of the Stone Church.
While Miss Weaver was connected with the Stone
Church activities, she had a peculiarly efficient asso-
ciate in Miss Marie A. Higley, a trained nurse. A
number of the members of the Ladies' Society having
become interested in the possibility of furnishing free
nursing to the poor, supported Miss Higley, who re-
sided at the Goodrich House, where she also engaged
in club work. **The Baker's Dozen," a club of young
college women organized to care for young children,
also became interested in Miss Higley's eff^orts. She
seems to have been the forerunner of the Visiting
Nurses' Association afterwards organized, and of
which she became a member. On account of failing
health Miss Higley was compelled to relinquish nurs-
ing until recently, when she began to give part-time
HELPERS ALL 355
service to the work of the Stone Church in associa-
tion with Miss Foster.
The secretarial office of the Stone Church has been
for four years under the care of Miss Carrie Yindrock,
whose early Christian life was spent in the Woodland
Avenue Presbyterian Church, where she was a valued
member and Sunday School teacher. She came to
the Stone Church work after experience gained in the
office of a leading law firm, and since the death of
Elder Livingston Fewsmith her church membership
has been transferred from the Woodland Avenue to
the Stone Church, in order that she may assist in
the religious activities, especially on the Sabbath, as
well as in the administrative work of the congrega-
tion.
What a noble succession of voluntary assistants
has blessed the Stone Church, such as Sunday School
superintendents and officers of various church organi-
zations. Toward what has seemed to the centennial
historian to be the premature ending of his research,
three ancient Sunday School record books have been
discovered. One contains the names of the pupils in
attendance upon the Stone Church Sunday School
from 1836 to 1840, the names of their parents, thelat-
ter's occupations and places of residence. The open-
ing pages of another record book refer to the forma-
tion of a Sunday School in 1832 in "Cleveland School
District No. 2," probably a mission of the Stone
Church. It was organized in the home of a Mr. Boyn-
ton by Messrs. Davis and Adams, the devoted shoe-
maker Davis who brought the Sabbath to Cleveland,
356 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
and Dr. Adams who became a medical missionary
in South Africa. Two brief notes state that "Mr.
Rouse visited the school on Sunday" and that "Mr.
Severance attended and assisted in conducting the
school."
The rest of this record book tabulates the statistics
of the Stone Church school from 1836 to 1840. Each
page is so ruled that there are columns for attendance
and various other statistics, the last column on each
page having space for "remarks." The originator of
this type of record book printed on the first page
samples for the guidance of the secretary. Those
given for the column of "remarks" are as follows.
The first of course was "Pleasant weather." Then
came,
The pastor of the church visited the school and ad-
dressed the scholars on the duty of repentance.
One of the female scholars admitted today is near
seventy years of age and can only read a, b.
Lydia Mullikin, discharged today, has been in the school
four years and conducted herself very well the last
twelve or fifteen months. She will now remove to the
country, as we trust she will live to the glory of God.
Thomas Wilson, discharged today, is a bad boy; his
parents have put him to a farmer in the country.
It would be better to have the male and female schools
kept in separate rooms, and we hope the congregation
will build a school house.
The high quality of the pioneer Stone Church Sun-
day School is evidenced by the fact that the super-
intendents and secretaries did not pay any attention
to the guiding illustrations given by the copyright
HELPERS ALL 357
owner, with the exception perhaps of the ''weather"
notations. The pioneer weather recorded seems to
have been unfavorable for Sunday School attend-
ance. During the greater portion of one year the
Stone Church and the Second Presbyterian Sunday
Schools united. Elder Truman P. Handy was super-
intendent of the former school during his connection
with the Stone Church. Periodic Sunday evening
public examinations were held in the presence of the
congregation. At one of these tests an offering was
taken amounting to sixty dollars for the purchase of
books for the Sunday School library, which was more
valued then than in these days of public libraries.
The average attendance ran from one hundred to
one hundred fifty, and the number of male often
equalled that of the female pupils in the school.
Deaths of teachers and scholars were faithfully re-
corded in the ''remarks" column, and the superin-
tendent addressed the school upon the sad event. The
following are a few of the notations made :
September 2, 1838 -Mrs. Isabella Williamson died
during the past week. She had been connected with this
school, either as a scholar or a teacher, since its organi-
zation. She gave pleasing evidence of her faith in Christ.
September 30, 1838 - Oms. Blackman died the past
week aged fifteen. Been in school a year. Gave evidence
of piety. Scholars addressed on the subject.
April 15, 1838 -Miss Harriet Brainerd's dying re-
quest communicated to the school, "Tell them not to
put off preparation for death."
Visitors were thus recorded:
September 11, 1838 -Mr. H. W. Castle, about to em-
358 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
bark for the Sandwich Islands, formerly a teacher in
this school, addressed the scholars.
July 21, 1839 - Rev. Mr. Whiting present from Pales-
tine, addressed the school.
October 13, 1839 - School addressed by Mr. Walsworth,
a scholar in this school sixteen years ago, now preparing
for the ministry.
April 12, 1840 - Weather unpleasant. E. D. Severance,
for several years a teacher in this school, died Saturday
morning, April 11th. Funeral to be attended this after-
noon from the church, scholars following in the pro-
cession. He gave bright and cheering evidence of his
hope in Christ. School addressed on the subject by the
superintendent.
That the communion service was often prolonged
in earlier years is proven by this notation:
Communion in the church at noon prevented the exer-
cises of the Sabbath School.
At one time in 1840 Elder John A. Foot was ap-
pointed temporary superintendent during the absence
of Elder T. P. Handy on account of ill health. On
November 1, 1840, there is this interesting note:
"School addressed by Lieutenant Foot of the U. S.
Navy." This was afterwards Admiral Foot of Civil
War fame, a brother of the Sunday School superin-
tendent pro tern. Dr. Delamater was in charge of the
school on May 13, 1840. On January 19, 1840, the
school was so large (one hundred seventy present)
that the session had to be held in the church audi-
torium.
Almost every Sunday a theological theme was dis-
cussed apart from the regular lesson, such as:
HELPERS ALL 359
Do the Scriptures teach that Christ is equal with the
Father? Is a change of heart necessary to fit us for
heaven? Are the Scriptures the Word of God? Is God
eternal ? How great is the power of God ? Is God change-
able?
That the missionary spirit was diligently cultivated
these records show:
January 6, 1839 - Missionary subject, Ceylon. School
examined on this station and very satisfactory answers
given. Collection taken for the purpose of educating a
heathen boy in Ceylon, to bear the name of the super-
intendent [Mr. Handy].
The amount of the offering was ten dollars and
seventy cents. Ceylon and the Sandwich Islands
were frequently considered for the reason that former
members of the school had gone as missionaries to
those fields. Doubtless in later years this was true
of South Africa, to which Dr. and Mrs. Adams went.
Each Sunday the names of the teachers were re-
corded in parallel columns, one containing those of
the male and the other those of the female teachers.
Thus one Sunday the lists were:
Males - Andrews 1, Andrews 2, Younglove, Hewitt, Foot,
Welles, Delamater, Penfield, Lathrop. Females -Day,
Ford, Lathrop, Andrews, Hewitt, Hitchcock, Butler,
Burritt.
The lists changed frequently, but these are noble
examples of the generations of lay helpers who have
served in succession the Bible school work of the
Stone Church. After the seventy-fifth anniversary
celebration of 1895, the book published under the
360 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
title of Stone Church Annals contained the photo-
graphs and names of fourteen superintendents who
had served to that date, namely Elisha Taylor, T. P.
Handy, John A. Foot, George Mygatt, F. C. Keith,
R. F. Smith, George H. Ely, F. M. Backus, H. M.
Flagler, H. N. Raymond, Reverend H. C. Haydn, Dr.
C. F. Dutton, E. C. Higbee, and C. L. Kimball. A
few others had served, such as William Slade, Jr., and
Thomas Maynard. Mr. C. L. Kimball went to Chi-
cago in 1899 and was succeeded by Elder C. Stewart
Wanamaker, who was superintendent until 1905,
when Elder S. P. Fenn, long connected with the North
Presbyterian Sunday School, assumed the home
school's superintendency, which has continued until
this centennial year. Yes, "helpers all" were the Sun-
day School officers and teachers whose names cannot
be tabulated, as well as the names of elders, deacons,
trustees and of the officers of the many organizations
that have assisted in making the Stone Church the
power for good that it has been.
A young peoples' society existed at least as early
as the beginning of the pastorate of Dr. Goodrich,
and the vigorous Christian Endeavor Society has
flourished for twenty-eight years. Would that there
were time to gather and space to record the names
of the officers of the Ladies' Society, the Sisters in
Charge, the Woman's Missionary Societies, the
Church of the Covenant, the Goodrich Society, the
Student Volunteer Fund, the Mothers' Club, the Boy
Scouts, the Intermediate Christian Endeavor So-
ciety, the Westminster Guild, the Auxiliary to the
HELPERS ALL 361
Woman's Societies, the Syrian Mission, and of all the
Stone Church clubs and societies that have existed
for the wholesome recreation and spiritual instruction
of youth. What a host of lay workers, who, without
compensation other than that of the joy of Christian
service, have led the activities of the Stone Church!
If the centennial historian could not find time to
record their names and to extol their deeds, perhaps
someone coming after him will be able to accomplish
this.
One branch of the Stone Church Sunday School,
however, should be described, namely the Chinese
Department, sustained mainly in behalf of a class of
men isolated not only from their country, but also
from those among whom their lot has been cast. The
first effort to reach the Chinese of Cleveland was from
1877 to 1880, when Mr. B. F. Shuart gathered a
group of them in his home for instruction. A Mr.
Stewart from Oberlin also gave assistance in this
work. It was not brought directly under church con-
trol until the pastorate of the Reverend Henry W.
Hulbert, D.D., but the Stone Church had been freely
used for the school prior to that time.
Even in the case of Chinese born on the Pacific
coast, so repressive had been their "Chinatown" seg-
regation that they were often no better versed in
English than their fellows from China; consequently
the first thing essential in helping all of them was
the teaching of English. The Stone Church Chinese
Bible School has usually been held on Sunday after-
noons from two until four o'clock, and for many years
362 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
the main text-book has been an English-Chinese
reader pubhshed by the American Tract Society, with
EngHsh and Chinese reading in parallel columns. Effi-
cient work necessitates a teacher for each pupil, and
the task is very difficult, as it demands much self-
sacrifice and patience on the part of the teachers.
Little progress can be made without persevering
effort and uniform attendance on the part of both
pupils and instructors. The Misses Marion McD.
and Mary F. Trapp have been for over thirty years
devoted to the success of this Chinese work. During
their long term of service the local Chinese popula-
tion has increased from one hundred fifty to over six
hundred. In earlier years the "boys" as the pupils
are familiarly termed were for the most part indus-
trious laundrymen. They and their later countrymen
are warm-hearted and generous to a fault, and need
very little instruction as to the meaning of the fifth
commandment. Care for parents in China is never
neglected. Sons do not wish their parents to labor
after fifty-five and sixty years of age, and they send
financial aid not only to parents, but also to poor
relatives. The Chinese pupils are very fond of sing-
ing in connection with the Sunday afternoon meet-
ing, although it is difficult for them to master our
melodies. This hard-working class of men depend
upon their teachers for advice in many matters of
business, and look to them especially when they are
overtaken by any kind of trouble, such as illness or
petty persecutions to which they are often subjected.
Frequently the vigilance of government officials re-
HELPERS ALL 363
garding passports and the general provisions of the
exclusion act cause trouble, to the hindering of the
work of the Chinese Bible School. This happened
in 1907, when a boy was deported, and again in 1916,
but when such agitations have come, the school,
although smaller in numbers, has often been char-
acterized by more steady attendance.
Naturally there was a great awakening among the
Cleveland Chinese when China in 1912 became a re-
public. The fact that Dr. Sun Yat Sen, the first
president of the republic, had spoken the year pre-
vious in the Stone Church, gave added interest to
his countrymen in Cleveland.
In 1913 Chinese children began to become a factor
in the life of the Stone Church, and one baby was
baptized "Samuel Harvey Meldrum Shum." China's
policy of sending a more educated class of her youth
to attend American colleges and universities brought
a number of these to Case School and Western Re-
serve University. They began early to evince interest
in the welfare of their less favored countrymen. At
first the latter were not inclined to mingle with the
better educated, but since the war the social chasm
seems to have been bridged and at present there is
a spirit of mutual helpfulness.
Dr. Samuel Chiu, a practicing physician of eight
years' standing in China, came to Cleveland to pur-
sue a postgraduate course in medicine. He formed a
club of his people and having been supported by the
Episcopal Church, of w hich he is a member, his club
naturally met in Trinity Church for the Sunday
364 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
afternoon instruction, thus diminishing somewhat
the attendance at the Stone Church. This proved,
however, that in respect to the Chinese, as well as
to all other classes, the Stone Church has sent out
colonies, for this Chinese club was the third organi-
zation of the kind to start from the Stone Church
Chinese Bible School.
Some years ago a group of Chinese went to the
Central Young Men's Christian Association building
and to Plymouth Congregational Church. After that
congregation had disbanded the pupils gathered for
instruction in the Sarah Andrews School. A Chinese
class had also been formed in the Franklin Circle
Disciple Church, but the Chinese Bible School of the
Stone Church is the oldest and in a sense the parent
of the other schools.
Recently a number of Chinese funerals have been
held in the Stone Church, the Reverend Andrew B.
Meldrum, D.D., conducting a Christian service. At
times there has been the additional observance of
some Chinese ancient burial rites, but generally the
Christian service has sufficed. Some of the members
of the Chinese Bible School have united with the
Stone Church; a few have returned to China, where
they have been useful in Christian service, even to the
extent of building churches. With the majority of
the "Chinese boys" the task of the teachers is that
of helping them without immediate enrollment in the
Christian church, but the patient continuance of the
tireless instructors of these strangers within our gates
HELPERS ALL 365
must ultimately be crowned with success in God's
good time.
Not only has generous assistance been given to
home missionary work throughout the land, but
the Stone Church has also had its special represen-
tatives in many foreign countries. Eighty-seven
years ago the first missionary society was organized
in the Stone Church. The Reverend and Mrs. Samuel
Hutchings went to Ceylon; Dr. and Mrs. Adams
to Natal, Africa; Mr. Samuel W. Castle to the Sand-
wich Islands; Mrs. Parsons and her husband to Ar-
menia, where the latter was murdered, and the two
daughters continued the life purpose of their parents
at Harpoot, Turkey, and in China. More than sixty-
five years ago Mrs. Birrill went to India from the
home of Mr. Henry Harvey as a bride equipped by
the Stone Church Missionary Society. Her two
daughters continued the work in India. Miss Sellers
was given a farewell reception and outfit in 1874 as
she was leaving for China. Miss Dascomb and Miss
Kuhl represented for twenty years the Stone Church
in Brazil. Miss Fullerton of India and Miss Belle
Marsh of Japan were for some time especially re-
garded by the Stone Church ladies. Mrs. Bessie
Nelson Eddy and Mrs. Mary Schauffler Labaree rep-
resented the Stone Church respectively in Syria and
Persia, where the husband of the latter became a
martyr. Miss Hattie Noyes Kerr, once a member of
the Stone Church, labored long with a brother and
sister in China. Mrs. Annie Johnson Laughlin spent
three years in China before she passed away. The
366 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
work of Miss Fannie Goodrich, daughter of the Rev-
erend William H. Goodrich, D.D., in behalf of the
Mountain Whites near Asheville, N. C, has always
enlisted the warm interest of the Stone Church in
which her early years were spent.
About 1897 'The Student Volunteer Fund" was
inaugurated for the purpose of supporting a repre-
sentative upon a foreign field. The Reverend Howard
Fisher, who went as a minister and physician to
Ambilla City, northern India, first received the sup-
port of this fund. Then successively the Reverend
Waher J. Clark, of Umballa, India; J. Rutter Wil-
liamson, M.D., and Mrs. Williamson, of Miraji, West
India Mission, were sustained, until about 1909, when
Dr. Robert H. H. Goheen, Vengurla, West India Mis-
sion, became a more stated representative. The salary
of Dr. Goheen is met by the Stone Church and that
of Mrs. Goheen, the daughter of Dr. Ewing, the late
veteran missionary to India, is paid by the Lacka-
wanna Presbytery. The Vengurla mission is in a
purely Indian community of seventeen thousand in-
habitants, whose deep prejudice against all Christians
has waned before this medical service in their behalf.
The other representative of the Stone Church in a
foreign field is Mrs. Eli Mowry, of Pyeng Yang,
Korea.
Among the many Stone Church helpers those who
have led the musical part of divine worship should
not be ignored. There is historical loss in the omission
of the names of organist and choir members from the
annual manual and directory. These names are given
HELPERS ALL 367
in the Weekly Bulletins which have not been pre-
served as carefully as the series of year-books.
From the days when Mr. Tuttle led the singing,
assisted by Mr. and Mrs. T. P. Handy, at the dedi-
cation of the first building; and from the time that
Deacon Hamlen and Mr. DeWitt "pitched the tunes"
and Mr. Benjamin Rouse gave inspiration to the
service of song, down to the present time, the Stone
Church has been spiritually blessed through its musi-
cal services.
Perhaps the first reference to church music on the
trustees' records was that of April 7, 1841 :
Mr. Knowlton was appointed to take care of the singing,
^200 per annum; Edwin Cowles to blow the organ at
$\1 per year.
The trustees set aside annually a maximum sum for
music and appointed a small committee to engage
"an Organist, Chorister and blower," within the fixed
allowance. The organist and chorister w^re of suffi-
cient importance to have their titles capitalized, but
the office of "blower" was always spelled with a small
"b." Usually he was a lad willing to earn a quarter
once a week and perhaps anxious to have a seat in
the choir gallery. Edwin Cowles, the "blower of
1841," became the founder and editor of the Cleve-
land Leader. In 1855 Samuel Gardner was the pipe-
organ's motive power; while the last-named manipu-
lator of the bellows was Julius Zipp, whose recom-
pense had risen in 1876 to fifty-two dollars per annum.
Mr. S. L. Bingham led the choir from 1841 to 1845,
and he was succeeded by Mr. H. S. Slossen, Mr.
368 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Novell, and Mr. George Dunham, all having served
prior to 1860. Then appear in the records the names
of individual choir members, such as Miss Segur, who
commenced to serve in 1859. Mr. D. B. Chambers
led the choir in 1872 and Mr. Frank B. Stedman took
charge in 1875. The distinct quartet choir appears
in the minutes of the trustees in 1876, with the em-
ployment of Miss Suggett, afterwards Mrs. John H.
Ranney, Mrs. M. E. Rawson, and Mr. Spindler, **A11
to supply their places when absent, including the
blower." Miss Dora Henninges succeeded Miss Sug-
gett in 1880, and at the same time Mr. Joseph F.
Isham and Mr. George Duckett were secured. These
three, with Mrs. Rawson, formed a quartet, the cost
of which to the congregation was over two thousand
dollars, and this quartet did not change its personnel
for nine years. Mr. Isham and Mr. Duckett were
tenor and second bass of the famous Arion Quartet,
whose other two members were Messrs. Lang and
Jaster. Miss Rouse took the place of Miss Henninges
for a year, when the latter returned in 1884. Later
soprano singers were Mrs. Seabury C. Ford, Miss
Carrie Louise Beltz, Miss Agnes Grant, Miss Sarah
Lavin, Miss Blanche Armstrong, Miss Anna New-
comb, afterwards Mrs. Wanamaker, who served for
twenty-one years. Mrs. Estelle Chapin Thomson is
the present soprano.
Among the alto singers have been Mrs. O. A. Trei-
ber. Miss Lenora Martin, Miss Jessie Smith, Miss
Grace Upham, Miss Sarah Layton Walker, after-
HELPERS ALL 369
wards Mrs. Black, and Miss Lila Robeson, the pres-
ent member of the choir.
The more recent tenors have been Mr. Henry A.
Preston, Mr. Newcomb Cole, Mr. Samuel Beddoe,
and Mr. Edwin Douglass, who retired this year after
a service of twenty-one years. Mr. J. A. Myers is his
successor. Some of the bass singers since the day
of Mr. George Duckett have been Mr. William Dut-
ton, Mr. Walter Howell, who died toward the close
of thirteen years of service, Mr. Gustave Bernike,
Mr. Arthur Hudson, Mr. Alfred Burr, and Mr. Fred
S. True, the present choir member.
The first organist named in the records was a Mr.
Voss, employed in 1849. Miss Rockwell presided at
the organ in 1852. Mrs. D. B. Wick was organist in
1872, when Mr. D. B. Chambers led the choir, and
the trustees gave a vote of thanks to both for their
gratuitous services. In 1873 Mrs. A. Hills presided
at the organ, and after her Mrs. S. R. Isaacs, Mr.
George Brainard, Mr. F. C. Wade, and Mr. Whitely
served until the commencement of the remarkable
leadership of Professor W. B. Colson, who for thirty
years has been the efficient organist and choirmaster.
Much credit belongs to the present choir leader for
the excellence of the Stone Church music, and many
have been delighted with his annual twilight organ
recitals, during the month of October.
At the construction of the church edifice in 1856
an organ costing three thousand three hundred dol-
lars was installed by Jardine and Sons, of New York
City. This instrument destroyed by fire was re-
370 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
placed by one that was removed in 1877 from the
rear of the auditorium to the northwest corner of
the room. The present magnificent organ was the
gift of Mrs. S. V. Harkness, and a gold plate upon
it bears this inscription:
In Memory
of her beloved daughter
Florence
Sept. 20, 1863 -July 29, 1895.
The gift of Mrs. Anna M. Harkness
to the church of her love.
"Blest be the tie that binds."
At the time of the ninetieth anniversary celebration
in 1910 a set of organ chimes was presented to the
church by Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Tyler and Mr. and
Mrs. S. P. Fenn. Later, in 1917, through the gener-
osity of Elder S. P. Fenn, a beautiful harp attach-
ment was added to the organ; while in memory of
Mrs. Fenn the tower chimes were installed.
Very few know of two series of lettering on the
bell that hangs in the tower. On one side there are
these lines:
Cast for the
First Presbyterian Church,
Cleveland, Ohio.
In the Year of Peace,
1865.
On the opposite side of the bell are the lines:
Samuel C. Aiken,
Pastor Emeritus.
William H. Goodrich,
Pastor.
HELPERS ALL 371
One more line of helpers must not be forgotten.
Although mentioned last the custodians or care-
takers of God's house are not the least of His faithful
servants. Reference has been made to Deacon Ham-
len trimming the candles on the walls of the sanctuary
and relighting those that might have been snuffed
out, by the touch of the candle from the lantern on
his arm. Mr. J. E. James was appointed sexton in
1841 and was paid one hundred dollars a year with
the use of a lot. This custodian evidently owned a
house that stood upon church property. He served
until 1845, when having passed away he was suc-
ceeded by Mr. Chidgey. From the James estate the
trustees purchased the house and the new janitor
was granted the use of house and lot in addition to
a monetary consideration.
Then commenced in 1847 a custodianship which
continued thirty-five years, or until 1882, through
fourteen years of Dr. Aiken's pastorate, all of Dr.
Goodrich's term of service and through the first
settlement of Dr. Haydn into one-half of Dr. Mitch-
ell's pastorate. Of the fidelity of Mr. John Heard,
Mrs. H. K. Gushing, in her paper on "The Ladies'
Society," read at the seventy-fifth anniversary, said :
In these days of modern improvements, in churches as
in homes, it is not easy to recall the emptiness and cheer-
lessness of church rooms, or the disadvantage at which
much of our work was formerly done. In this connection
we are reminded of the sexton, who for more than thirty
years served this church and its societies with a fidelity
to its ministers and its members that made him the per-
372 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
sonal friend of all. The great doors which for so many
Sabbath mornings he swung back were to him the very
gateway to heaven, and the church was to him a temple
and its humblest duties honored him. Faithful John
Heard! We write your name within our book as one
worthy to be remembered.
Mr. John Heard and his sons cared not only for the
Stone Church property but also for the old Central
High School and the Walnut Street Home. The
candles of Sexton Hamlen had given way to artificial
gas, whose jets were set ablaze by a gasoline torch
at the end of a long bamboo pole. In the coldest
spells of winter, in order that the sanctuary might
be comfortable by the time for Sunday morning wor-
ship, Mr. Heard slept Saturday nights either in the
pastor's study or the vestibule of the church, where
there was a stove. Mrs. Mary A. Cole, a daughter
of faithful John Heard, for fifty-eight years a member
of the Stone Church, passed away September 10, 1920.
With steam-heating plants and up-to-date equip-
ment of various kinds a large city church can no
longer be left to any part-time caretaker. Fortu-
nately the Stone Church secured, a third of a cen-
tury ago, Mr. George F. Henderson, then in the very
prime of life. Born in Cleveland a little over sixty
years ago he has given the best part of his days to
the care of the Stone Church property. A "gilder"
by trade in early manhood, he has gone deeper than
mere surface brightening of the things committed to
his trust. The thirty-three years of service have been
characterized by marked fidelity. The late Elder
Livingston Fewsmith, who was in a position to see
HELPERS ALL 373
the daily toil of Mr. Henderson, did not neglect to
bear testimony in annual reports to the faithfulness
of this church custodian. Thus in the 1912 year-book
he wrote :
Mr. Henderson will have been with us twenty-five years
next month, and deserves mention for his faithful and
efficient services during all these years.
Again in another report he recorded:
Our janitor has done more work last year than ever be-
fore, for although it may not be generally known the
work of the janitor of this church is constantly increas-
ing. I have known a good many churches and the kind
of janitors they have, and I think I can say we have
the best.
Yes, helpers all have been the doorkeepers of God's
house, as well as those who have ministered more
directly to the life within the sanctuary.
A servant with this clause
Makes drudgery divine;
Who sweeps a room as for Thy laws
Makes that and th' action fine.
XII. PASTORATE OF THE REVEREND
ANDREW BARCLAY MELDRUM
The first installed pastor of the Old Stone Church ~
the Reverend Samuel C. Aiken, D.D., was a Scotch-
Irish-American whose line of ancestry, extending
from Scotland to North Ireland, finally reached New
England. The present pastor, the Reverend Andrew
Barclay Meldrum, D.D., was born in Scotland and
came to the United States by way of Canada, where
his family had settled when he was about fifteen
years of age.
The author waited long for facts concerning Dr.
Meldrum's life previous to his Cleveland pastorate,
but the bringing of such historical items to light
must be the task of another historian. The Stone
Church pastor may have been apprehensive lest
the reader think that the historical material of this
last chapter had been supplied by the one whose pas-
torate is here delineated, but it can be positively
asserted that the skeleton and data of the closing
period of the existence of the Stone Church were
discovered by the author alone during the last few
days of grace allowed by the publisher.
It is fairly certain, however, that young Meldrum
while pursuing studies at Knox College in Canada
376 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
was invited about 1884 to spend a summer's vacation
supplying a church in San Francisco, Cal.
This led to his remaining on the Pacific coast as
an assistant pastor. After having supplied in 1885
the St. John's Presbyterian Church of San Francisco
he became its pastor and continued in that capacity
until 1887. The second field of service at Rock Island,
111., extended from 1888 to 1890. From 1890 to 1896
he served the Grace Presbyterian Church of Evans-
ville, Ind., and then went to the Central Presbyterian
Church, St. Paul, Minn., where he remained until
called in 1902 to the First Presbyterian Church of
Cleveland.
The transition from St. Paul to Cleveland was
courteously handled by the oflficials of the respective
congregations, the one losing and the other gaining
a highly valued pastor. The session of the Central
Church of St. Paul wrote to their Cleveland brethren :
Owing to the positive and irrevocable tone of Dr. Mel-
drum's letter to the session, and believing that he has
thoroughly, conscientiously, and finally decided what was
his duty in the matter, the session felt constrained to
concur in the request. We would, therefore, submit the
following resolutions, which but faintly express what
is in our hearts to say;
"Resolved, that we, the congregation of the Central
Presbyterian Church, of the City of St. Paul, Minnesota,
in consenting to the dissolution of the pastoral relation of
our church with the Reverend Andrew B. Meldrum, D.D.,
who has been our pastor since December, 1895, do so with
the deepest regret and sorrow, and only because he has
been called to a field that he conscientiously feels needs
his services more than we do. His relations have been
and now are the most cordial with every member of the
Andri:\v H. Mi;i.drl'M
ANDREW BARCLAY MELDRUM 379
congregation, and in his leaving us everyone feels a per-
sonal loss. His courage, ability, tact, and talent as a
preacher, pastor and man, need no comments beyond the
recital of the facts. He came to us from a prosperous,
appreciative church in Evansville, Indiana, when we were
in debt over sixty thousand dollars and had a congre-
gation that did not half fill our large auditorium. He
leaves us with that debt practically paid and with over-
flowing audiences attracted by plain, earnest, and elo-
quent presentation of the simple gospel truth. Hundreds
have united with the church under this preaching, and
it is within bounds to say that thousands have been
benefited."
The Stone Church Session answered the greetings
of the St. Paul brethren:
The session and people of this church most gratefully ac-
knowledge the friendship and brotherly love which char-
acterize the communication now received from the breth-
ren of our sister church. The kind, Christian spirit mani-
fested throughout the trying ordeal is highly appreciated.
We sought your pastor, brethren, not that we loved you
less, or selfishly desired to deprive you of his labors which
have so abounded among you to the advancement of the
kingdom, but because we loved the kingdom more. God
in his providence seemed to us by these very labors to
point clearly to him as the choice for the leadership in the
peculiar and difficult work of our church in this "down-
town" field, and we feel that Dr. Meldrum has been
moved by a like spirit in his decision to undertake this
arduous work; has heard another call than ours, impelling
him and his to sever the ties and to leave the scenes
which are dear to his heart, surely, where he has won so
great a success in the name of our common Master. Pray
for him, brethren, and for us that his success may be
even greater here. We invoke the blessing of God upon
your church and upon the pastor who may be given to
you, that you may prosper in the future as in the past
and abound in the work of the Lord more and more.
380 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
This brotherly spirit characterizing the change of'
Dr. Meldrum's ministerial labors from St. Paul to
Cleveland was a splendid harbinger of the successful
pastorate that has continued in the latter city for
eighteen years. Cleveland in 1900 contained three
hundred eighty-four thousand, one hundred eleven
inhabitants; in 1910 five hundred sixty thousand, six
hundred sixty-three. The 1920 census recently an-
nounced a population of seven hundred ninety-six
thousand, eight hundred thirty-six citizens. Without
including the rapidly growing suburbs of Lakewood,
East Cleveland, and the Heights Hamlets, which are
extensions of Cleveland, the parent city has more
than doubled in population during Dr. Meldrum's
pastorate.
The outlook for the Stone Church when he came in
1902 was that of "holding its own." Almost every
down-town church had moved eastward or was ap-
proaching that inevitable change; the First Baptist
to Prospect Avenue and East Forty-sixth Street;
Trinity Episcopal to Euclid Avenue and East
Twenty-second Street; the First M. E. Church
to Euclid Avenue, corner of East Thirtieth Street.
Plymouth Congregational Church has disbanded.
The Euclid Avenue Presbyterian Church, formerly
at the corner of East Fourteenth Street, is now
located near the University Circle. The Second Pres-
byterian Church on Prospect Avenue and East Thir-
tieth Street contemplates removal. This leaves the
Euclid Avenue Baptist Church, fully a mile away, the
only Protestant neighbor of the Stone Church. Even
ANDREW BARCLAY MELDRUM 381
the St. John's Cathedral (Roman Cathohc) has de-
cided to move to University Circle.
Many Stone Church families residing at a distance
from the Public Square naturally furnished very few
children for the Sunday School, as they usually attend
schools near their homes, even when the parents re-
tain membership in churches at a distance. Thus the
down-town Sunday School was destined to exist
mainly for the children of the congested district, the
majority of whose parents had no church affiliation;
while the church itself must minister in increasing
degree to a floating constituency.
The "grim reaper" was also certain to continue his
ingathering of the vanguard of the Stone Church
membership, splendid men and women who had been
for years connected with the church endeared to them
by many historic and traditional ties. To be called
upon frequently to part with members upon whom
the congregation had confidently depended, was not
a heartening experience for the new pastor; still the
Stone Church lives and works with a vigor productive
of far better results than those of a congregation
merely "holding its own." Faithful members fore-
seeing the inevitable end of their labor of love on
earth bequeathed endowment funds through which
"their works do follow them." The endowments, now
amounting to about two hundred thousand dollars,
help to keep the Stone Church upon its original site,
but there has been no disposition to lean upon such
an assured income without the present generation
382 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
contributing its financial strength to the maintenance
of the work.
When death has taken those whose personal service
and financial support have alike been extra generous,
the question has frequently arisen, "How can we
long continue the work with such inroads upon our
membership?" Yet from unseen sources has often
come assistance equivalent to the losses borne. Won-
derful replenishments have succored the church that
for one hundred years has existed for others.
At the beginning of Dr. Meldrum's pastorate in
1902 the officers of the Church Society were Judge
Samuel E. Williamson, president; trustees: Martyn
Bonnell, W. S. Tyler, Joseph Colwell, W. E. Gush-
ing, and Peter M. Hitchcock. F. C. Keith was
treasurer, and S. A. Raymond secretary. In this cen-
tennial year only one of that board of trustees, Mr.
Martyn Bonnell, remains, and he has served the
church in that capacity over twenty-five years.
The session consisted of Reuben F. Smith, Francis
C. Keith, William P. Stanton, T. S. Lindsey, Sereno
P. Fenn, Joseph Colwell, Henry N. Raymond, Charles
L. Kimball, John A. Foote, Jr., John S. Jennings, Lu-
cien B. Hall, Samuel A. Raymond, James N. Fleming,
George F. Boehringer, C. Stewart Wanamaker. Of
the sixteen elders then in office, but four remain in
service, namely Elders Sereno P. Fenn, Lucien B.
Hall, George F. Boehringer, and James N. Fleming.
Elder Charles L. Kimball resides in Chicago, but
death has claimed the rest. The service of Elder
Sereno P. Fenn as a member of the Stone Church
ANDREW BARCLAY MELDRUM 383
Session has extended over thirty-eight years; while
Elder Lucien B. Hall comes next with a service of
twenty-six years.
The Board of Deacons consisted of A. B. Marshall,
Thomas A. Torrance, Philip A. Ryder, Charles
Shackleton, Clifford C. Smith, Edward M. Williams,
Dr. H. B. Ormsby, Warner W. Elliott, James H.
Burris, Thomas A. Munro, Charles W. Messer, and
Tracy C. Williams. Of the above list only Edward
M. Williams remains a deacon, but six former dea-
cons, namely A. B. Marshall, Thomas A. Munro,
Philip A. Ryder, Thomas A. Torrance, James H. Bur-
ris, and Dr. H. B. Ormsby have become elders.
The Sisters in Charge were Miss Elizabeth Blair,
Mrs. T. H. Cahoon, Mrs. Mary H. Bainbridge, Mrs.
L. B. Hall, Miss Cornelia R. Andrews, Mrs. S. S.
Gardner, Mrs. R. F. Smith, Mrs. H. N. Raymond,
Mrs. F. C. Keith, Mrs. C. A. Nicola, Miss Agnes B.
Foote. Of these eleven Sisters in Charge only Mrs.
S. S. Gardner and Mrs. C. A. Nicola now serve.
This shows how swift the official changes have
been during the last eighteen years. What a noble
line of older men and women such as St. Paul would
not hesitate to call saints on earth have entered into
life eternal during the present pastorate. The great
majority of these were descendants of pioneer mem-
bers, the type of whose character can never be re-
produced.
Perseverance in the heart of a teeming city, in the
face of the loss of such tried and true members, many
of them elders, trustees, deacons, and officials in
384 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
various organizations, demanded Christian courage
and faith. This era of endurance, under the leader-
ship of "Scotch Grit," was inaugurated, however, by
another church expansion movement which has re-
sulted in the establishment of one of the strongest
congregations in the Cleveland Presbytery. True,
the locality in which the Lakewood Hamlet Mission
was planted has become one of the most popular
residential suburbs in which large churches have
swiftly developed, but when the Stone Church as-
sumed control of the mission from which the Lake-
wood Presbyterian Church of a thousand members
has grown in the last fifteen years, the proposition
was very similar to the founding in earlier years of
Windermere and Glenville Chapels.
Thus it was that nineteen persons, representing ten
families, banded together to form a Presbyterian
church. The Stone Church immediately responded
to the needs of the new enterprise, as these records
show:
January 25, 1905 - Dr. Meldrum and Elders Lucien B.
Hall and Samuel A. Raymond appointed to act in the
case of a Lakewood Hamlet church. Three hundred dol-
lars to be raised to assist in organizing.
February 13, 1905 - Committee of three to attend a
special meeting in Lakewood to consider steps to be
taken looking to the organization of that body of be-
lievers and their desired connection with this church.
March 3, 1905 - Voted that the moderator appoint two
or more members of the session to attend with him a
meeting of the Lakewood congregation for the purpose
of receiving into membership of the Lakewood Branch
ANDREW BARCLAY MELDRUM 385
of the First Presbyterian Church, Cleveland, Ohio, a num-
ber who have signified their intention to become such.
March 10, 1905 - A preparatory service was held by
this committee and sixteen received by the session. The
Sunday afternoon following Dr. Meldrum, accompanied
by Elders R. F. Smith, L. B. Hall, S. A. Raymond, T. S.
Munro, Alfred Eyears, and George Boehringer, conducted
a communion service and welcomed nineteen into fellow-
ship with the parent church.
Of the persons received only four had been Pres-
byterians. Six were Congregationalists, two Meth-
odists, three United Presbyterians, and three Dis-
ciples, showing the mixed denominational character
of city missions. There was appointed at once a
Standing Committee on the Lakewood Branch whose duty
shall be to cooperate with that body and perfect such a
system as will facilitate our dealings and keep us in har-
monious and healthful trust with each other financially
and spiritually.
On March 31, 1905, the Reverend Alfred J. Wright
was called by the Stone Church as assistant pastor
in charge of the Lakewood Branch.
A partially unfinished residence was rented for three
years as a meeting-place, but within a year this had
been outgrown and the work moved to Miller's Hall,
which became at once a beehive of activity, not only
developing organizations such as the Sunday School,
Christian Endeavor Society, and Woman's Mission-
ary Society, but also a Men's Club, Ladies' Guild,
Girls' Club, Women's Prayer Meeting, and Boys'
Club. The chapel, located on Mario Avenue,
near Detroit Avenue, with its addition, cost about
386 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
twenty thousand dollars. The first part was dedi-
cated on January 5, 1903; the addition on April 6,
1913. At the end of the fifth year the mission em-
braced two hundred twenty-one members, with one
hundred twenty-five families. The Sunday School
had gained an average attendance of two hundred
nine, and six elders associated with the Stone Church
Session cared directly for the Lakewood Branch.
By the year 1912 the Stone Church, including the
Lakewood Branch, consisted of eleven hundred
eighty-four members, but of this number three hun-
dred forty-two were dismissed April 24, 1912, to form
the Lakewood Presbyterian Church. Its present site,
which cost about three thousand, is now worth ten
thousand dollars. The church edifice, dedicated
April 28, 1918, and costing eighty-seven thousand
dollars, could not be duplicated at present for less
than two hundred thousand dollars. The Lakewood
Presbyterian Church and Sunday School each num-
bers about one thousand members. The Reverend
Alfred J. Wright, who assumed charge of the small
Sunday School fifteen years ago, has remained in this
prosperous pastorate, having been installed May 29,
1912. The Moderator of Presbytery, the Reverend
James D. Williamson, D.D., presided; the Reverend
Thomas S. McWilliams, D.D., delivered the sermon;
the Reverend Andrew B. Meldrum, D.D., charged
the pastor; while Elder Livingston Fewsmith gave
the charge to the people.
The Lakewood Presbyterian Church proves the
remarkable power of the Stone Church to "bear fruit
ANDREW BARCLAY MELDRUM 387
in old age," when it might have turned from exten-
sion plans to husband all resources wherewith to meet
the increasing down-town problems. Already the
Lakewood Presbyterian Church is cultivating the
spirit of its mother. Grace Chapel, which was con-
structed by the Presbyterian Union a few years ago,
was given to the fostering care of the Lakewood
Presbyterian Church. The work has prospered to
such an extent that on Sunday, October 3, 1920, the
Grace Presbyterian Church was formed. The Rev-
erend Lee H. Richardson has been in charge of this
new enterprise.
The growing cosmopolitan character of the Stone
Church is emphasized by such names upon its roll
as George Assad, Woo Let, Maryem and Farceedy
Maalouf, Halvin Najeb, Michael Nassif, Assas Said,
Nahli and Naseef Salim, Foo Lock, Wong King, Car-
los Gomez, Alfonzo Espinosa, and others who, far
from their homelands, have found Christian fellow-
ship in this Cleveland congregation.
Mention must be made of a few who have passed
away during Dr. Meldrum's pastorate, illustrative
of the sterling character of those who form the roll
of honor.
In January of 1906 the Stone Church Session
passed resolutions relating to the death of Elder Ed-
win C. Higbee, although for nine years his member-
ship had been in Calvary Presbyterian Church. He
had come to the Stone Church from Plymouth Con-
gregational Church in 1874; a year later he was elect-
ed an elder and remained for twenty-three years a
388 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
most efficient worker. He was one of Cleveland's
most prominent merchants, a partner of the Hower
and Higbee Company, of lower Superior Avenue, and
founder of the present Higbee Company on Euclid
Avenue. Mrs. E. C. Higbee, who is living, has been
a prominent member of the women's societies and at
the seventy-fifth anniversary in 1895 she read a paper
dealing with the foreign missionary work of the Stone
Church.
In the case of the death of Judge Samuel E. Wil-
liamson, on February 21, 1903, the Stone Church
suffered a great loss, although professional service as
counsel for the New York Central Railroad had
already necessitated his residence in New York City.
A worthy representative of the third generation of
the pioneer Williamson family, a graduate of Western
Reserve College in 1864, and of Harvard Law School,
he became judge of the Common Pleas Court, but
during the greater part of his professional career he
was counsel for railway systems. A man of reserved
temperament, he was recognized as one of the most
eminent lawyers of his time and proved a tower of
strength both to Western Reserve University and
the Stone Church. He gave valuable assistance in
the establishing of his alma mater in Cleveland,
and at the time of the second fire in 1884 he was the
strongest advocate of rebuilding, upon its historic
site, the church in which three generations of his
family had worshiped.
In connection with the loss of Judge Williamson
one naturally thinks of a legal associate, Mr. William
ANDREW BARCLAY MELDRUM 389
E. Gushing, who passed away in 1918. He also
had graduated from Western Reserve College and
from Harvard Law School, and represented the third
generation of a Stone Church family. Dr. H. Kirke
Gushing having been his father and Dr. Erastus
Gushing his grandfather. In his quiet, unobtrusive
manner he served as a trustee the church in which
his whole life had been nurtured, and remembered
generously the old church home in his will.
The death of Mr. Joseph Colwell on December 7,
1908, was a great loss to the Stone Church, with
which he had been connected since 1858, a period
of fifty years. Engaged in the banking business, he
was held in high esteem in the city, and in the church
he had been not only an elder, but at the time of
his passing away he was also president of the board
of trustees.
The death of Mr. and Mrs. Reuben F. Smith
brought to a close lives long associated with the
Stone Church. In the Cleveland Presbytery, the
Synod of Ohio and the General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church, Elder Reuben F. Smith was
also well known. In 1836 his father, Mr. Edwin
Smith, left Windham, Conn., for Ohio, and after a
brief residence at Newark he came to Cleveland in
1840 and at once united with the Stone Church. The
son, Reuben Fairbanks, became a Sunday School
pupil at ten years of age. He entered the railroad
business and finally became president of the Cleve-
land and Pittsburgh Railroad. A trained executive
and financier, he sought to develop in the church
390 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
the spirit of systematic financial support and of be-
neficence. For forty-three years he served the Stone
Church as an elder, and so faithful was he that a
meeting of the Cleveland Presbytery or of the Pres-
byterian Union did not seem natural without his pres-
ence. If there is any place where elders of large
business capacity are needed it is in the meetings of
the courts of the church, and the records made by
such elders as Reuben F. Smith, Edwin R. Perkins,
Edwin C. Higbee, Louis H. and Solon L. Severance,
John Buchan, F. M. Sanderson, John Grant, S. P.
Fenn, Charles W. Chase, W. H. Quinby, and other
busy business men in their attendance upon meet-
ings of Presbytery, are worthy of emulation today. In
later years the older members of Cleveland Presby-
tery recall with gratitude the time when such elders
mingled with their brethren in the regular courts of
the church. It is the personal touch that always
carries the most potent influence. The only member
of Elder Reuben F. Smith's family still connected
with the Stone Church is his daughter. Miss Carrie
B. Smith, who is most active in many lines of church
work.
The Stone Church was strengthened for many
years through the membership of two brothers who
have passed away during the present pastorate.
Samuel Raymond, born in Bethlehem, Conn., settled
in Cleveland in 1835, where he, establishing the firm
of Clark, Raymond and Clark, engaged first in the
retail and then the wholesale dry-goods business.
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Raymond became members of
ANDREW BARCLAY MELDRUM 391
the Stone Church. In 1866 they started to visit
Havana, Cuba, by way of the Mississippi River to
New Orleans, and in a steamboat explosion Mr. Ray-
mond lost his life, but the wife was rescued. The
two sons, Henry N. and Samuel A. Raymond, were
nurtured in the Stone Church and both of them
served many years in different capacities. The old
Raymond homestead was on Superior Avenue on the
site of the Leader-News Building. The brothers
served as elders in the church for many years.
Henry N. Raymond was in later life connected with
the Associated Charities; while Samuel A. Raymond
was clerk of the session and secretary of the board of
trustees. The latter united with the church in 1864,
when nineteen years of age, and thus had been a
member fifty years. Elected a deacon in 1886, he
became an elder in 1899. For many years he was
one of the most faithful teachers in the Sunday
School. He is survived by the widow, a member
of the Centennial Committee, and by six children.
In the year-book for 1916 there is a picture of the
fine memorial window presented to the Stone Church
in memory of Elder Samuel A. Raymond. Of this
gift Elder Livingston Fewsmith wrote:
The beauty and richness of our church has been enhanced
by the new memorial window erected by his family in
memory of Elder S. A. Raymond. It is "a thing of
beauty" and will be a "joy for ever." As a work of art it
is perfect. The theme, "Beside the Still Waters," speaks
the inmost thought of our dear friend to whose memory
it is dedicated, and calms and quiets our hearts as we
gaze upon it. It is a very gracious act thus to embellish
392 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
our church and the three memorial windows we now
have will always be an inspiration to us and of those
who come after us.
At the same time there was this note:
Another beautiful act has been the presentation of the
new Bibles which lie upon the pulpit and desk in memory
of Mrs. Lucien B. Hall, so long admired and beloved
as our loyal fellow member.
The death of Mrs. Flora Stone Mather, January
19, 1909, came with a pecuHar shock and a deep sense
of loss to the church in which her whole life had been
spent and for which from earliest years she manifested
such a wealth of personal devotion as well as financial
generosity. At the time of her departure Miss Harriet
A. Hurlbut paid this tribute:
Mrs. Mather, it is needless to say, filled a unique place
in this church and city. She was fortunate in possessing
rare qualities of mind and heart. With her great quiet-
ness and gentleness of disposition and a deeply religious
nature, was combined a quick, decisive judgment and
great practical common sense. Anyone who has ever
worked with her could not fail to be impressed with the
readiness with which she solved perplexing questions
and the wisdom and value of her suggestions. She came
into the Stone Church in early girlhood and pursued a
steady, consistent course to the end. The keynote of her
life and character was that in all her abundant giving
she gave herself freely, fully, gladly. In the many
branches of the charitable work of this church, she was
not only ready but eager to do her part; and none of
us will ever forget how her face would light up with the
glad smile of ready response to the call for aid and sym-
pathy. It was so in our Ladies' Society and in the Mis-
ANDREW BARCLAY MELDRUM 393
sionary Society, of which she was the inspiration; indeed,
as one expressed it, she was the Missionary Society, and
I think in all her varied interest there was no cause dearer
to her heart than the great work whose field is the world.
Her busy, active life here is ended, but we are sure that
somewhere in God's great kingdom she is still doing His
work. She has seen the light that never was on land or
sea and is satisfied.
The golden evening brightens in the west.
Soon, soon to faithful ones there cometh rest;
Sweet is the calm of paradise to the blest.
To her if to anyone it belongs to be numbered
With the saints who from their labors rest.
Another member to be greatly missed was Mrs.
Sereno P. Fenn, who passed away on January 12,
1917. At the time of her death she was president of
the Ladies' Society. Of her the recording secretary
of that organization wrote :
Many daughters of the Stone Church have done valiantly,
but it seems to be the choice of this gentle little woman
to make the Stone Church, after the claims of the home
were met, the repository of her interest and help, her
strength and time. She did large things, but little deeds
that give pleasure to others were never left undone; her
capacious motor was always at the service of her friends,
and in her long trips of rest or recreation she never forgot
to write to her "Dear Ladies' Society" of the sights she
was enjoying. Bending over her vacant chair on the
morning of January 24, in the room where the Ladies'
Society was accustomed to meet, were tall American
Beauty roses. They were sent by Mr. S, P. Fenn and
Mrs. J. L. Severance, the daughter of Mrs. Fenn. The
sight of the roses awoke in us a sense of our loss, but as
we sensed their perfume we were greatly reminded of
394 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
the all-pervading loveliness of her Christlike spirit, which
had been to us an unfailing inspiration. Mrs. Fenn be-
came a member of the Stone Church in 1862. She became
active in Sunday School work, not only teaching a class
but also playing the piano or singing. She met weekly
with the Haydn Circle during its useful term of years;
was a supporter of the Missionary Society; one of the
Sisters in Charge; treasurer of the Ladies' Society, and
for the last six years its president.
Less than two years of Dr. Meldrum's pastorate
had passed when, on Christmas Day, 1903, Mrs.
Laura R. Meldrum was taken from her family and
from the circle of church members to whom she had
been quickly bound by the ties of genuine affection.
At the time of her departure Mrs. Meldrum was
president of the Ladies' Society and as Mrs. Mather
then said, "It seemed as if her death had drawn us
nearer together." Helen, Andrew Barclay, Douglas
and Dorothy Meldrum were the surviving children.
Four years later Dr. Meldrum married Miss Ella
Herrick, daughter of Mr. Gamaliel E. Herrick, for
many years a trustee of the church. She was also a
granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sherlock J. Andrews,
who came to Cleveland in 1825. Mrs. Meldrum
passed away on August 20, 1914, and of her life and
charater Mrs. William E. Gushing gave this tribute:
A child of the Stone Church from infancy, she claimed for
herself a place in its membership in 1885. She belonged
to the third generation of a family that had looked upon
the Stone Church as a part of its valued heritage since
1825. She never wavered in her loyalty to the church,
whether as the gentle maiden or as the thoughtful matron.
ANDREW BARCLAY MELDRUM 395
In her girlhood she radiated happiness in her family
circle. In her womanhood she became center and soul
of the family circle in her husband's home; while we who
saw her unfailing interest in his and her church wondered
that so much love and kindness could be shed abroad
by one person. Each one of us who watched her, the old
and the young, could have said "This is my beloved and
this is my friend." Her quick mind, her appreciation of
the amusing side of the situation, the sound quality of
her friendship manifested in all possible ways, her ability
to express the sympathy she felt, were some of the quali-
ties that drew us all to her. It was said of the New Eng-
land poet, Emily Dickinson, by a niece, "Aunt Emily
never forgot to be lovely." We too have had one among
us "who never forgot to be lovely." The spirit of her life,
so full of grace, adaptability, and love that was not
withheld, seems interpreted by an expression of Emer-
son's, "The only gift is a portion of thyself." We can
associate neither grief nor tears with the thought of such
a person. Her memory is more than a transient survival
in loyal hearts - it is an immortality.
Upon the wall of the auditorium, near the church
entrance, there is a beautiful tablet bearing this
inscription:
In loving remembrance
of
Ella Herrick Meldrum,
June 4th, 1868 - August 20th, 1914.
Wife of
Andrew B. Meldrum, D.D.
There is no death:
What seems so is transition;
This life of mortal breath
Is but a suburb of the life Elysian,
Whose portal we call death.
396 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
On March 24, 1915, a tablet, the gift of Mr. and Mrs.
W. S. Tyler, was dedicated to the memory of the
Reverend Hiram Collins Haydn, D.D., LL.D. After
the dates of his birth, death and pastorates in the
Stone Church there is this just tribute:
A strong man in faith - pure in life - eloquent
in speech - fearless in the proclamation of
the gospel of Christ - a power in the
religious and educational life of the city
of Cleveland - beloved by his own people -
honored by all who knew him.
"He being dead yet speaketh."
Probably no pastor emeritus was ever more satisfied
with the ministry of his successor than Dr. Haydn
was with the successful pastorate of Dr. Meldrum.
Neither of these ministers of a down-town church
ever depended upon sensational advertising for the
sake of obtaining audiences. One of Dr. Haydn's
younger assistants once prepared a handbill on which
was printed the one word "Hell" in red ink. This
was first scattered over the down-town district, and
then followed by an explanatory announcement in
the papers; while another associate conducted a mu-
nicipal reform campaign bordering upon the sensa-
tional, but that comprised about all the advertising
of that kind that has ever emanated from the Stone
Church.
This does not mean, however, that its audiences
have not listened to virile preaching, all the more
potent because the worshipers had not come to
church keyed with high expectation of the sensa-
tional.
ANDREW BARCLAY MELDRUM 397
For a few years before the electric sign was secured
bearing the name *'01d Stone Church" and now
brightly arching the front of the church, there was
hesitancy as to its use and even slight opposition to
the plans of its promoters. Dr. Meldrum advertises
in the Saturday papers, but of late his sermons have
been announced by reference to the chapter and
verse of the text and not topically. Those who attend
the Stone Church, however, are reasonably certain
of a pungent discourse in which smiles are often
elicited by the humorous tinge of many sentences.
There is a strong personality behind Dr. Meldrum's
sermons, and so forceful have been many of these
that in recent years there has been an increasing
demand for their publication, and issued in neat book-
let form they have been the means of doing much
good. Ten years ago, the year in which fourteen
members departed this life, the sermon, "The Grave
and the Garden" was issued, followed by "Four
Square Man" and "Fidem Servavi." The next year
"The Stars Also" and "Salt" were published.
Among other printed discourses there have been,
"Theodore Roosevelt, a Study in Personality," "The
Universal Brotherhood," "Victory and Thanksgiving
(1918)," "Such as I Have," "Burning and Shining,"
"The Royalty of Manhood," "The Simplicity of
Religion," "The Yoke of Rest," "Our Journey to
Spain," "Grace and Grit," "Nevertheless," and
"The Wealth of Youth." In one year four thousand
copies were judiciously distributed.
Hotel guests spending Sunday in Cleveland have,
398 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
after their departure, sent for copies of sermons to
which they had Hstened, and this casting of bread
upon the waters has been assisted by the deacons,
who have systematically visited the hotels to dis-
tribute church attendance invitations.
Every year-book issued during the present pas-
torate has contained a "Report of Pastor's Assist-
ant," an annual review prepared by the late Elder
Livingston Fewsmith, and his reports never failed
to dwell upon the increasing power of the Stone
Church pulpit and the efficient work of the church
societies. Thus we read in the year-book of 1913:
Dr. Meldrum's preaching during the year has been per-
haps the best that he has ever given us. Our congregations
have kept up well, both Sunday and Wednesday evening.
Our choir has done its usual excellent work, the trustees
and deacons have been as faithful as ever. This church
is certainly richly blessed in the personnel of its official
boards, composed as they are of as fine a class of men of
high character and devoted interest as can be found any-
where. Our women's organizations are composed of a
body of earnest, faithful, devoted members such as it
would be difficult to duplicate. We are proud of our
young people, from the boy scouts up to all ages. They
are a splendid group, to whom we look for great things
as they come forward to fill places of the older members
who are rapidly passing from us.
The year 1918 brought to a close the life of Mr.
W. S. Tyler, who, although not a member of the
church to which his wife belonged, was for ten years
president of its board of trustees. Mrs. Tyler is the
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James F. Clark, who were
loyal to all the interests of the Stone Church. The
ANDREW BARCLAY MELDRUM 399
beautiful individual communion set used since 1911
is one of her many gifts to the church loved by her
parents, her husband and herself.
In the early years of his Cleveland pastorate Dr.
Meldrum conducted the Friday Noon Teachers'
Class, a task demanding careful study and prepara-
tion in detail, in order to assist those who the follow-
ing Sunday were to teach. Sixty different schools
were represented in this class, whose average attend-
ance was one hundred twenty-five.
Dr. Meldrum, furthermore, throughout his Cleve-
land pastorate has probably delivered more lectures,
dedication and installation sermons, and addresses
for annual meetings, commencements and various
functions of the Masonic Order, in which he is the
Grand Prelate of Ohio, than any of his ministerial
brethren. The demands come not only from all parts
of the city, but also from distant places. One of his
lectures, entitled "Scotland and the Scotch," has de-
lighted many audiences. This response to so many
calls, without ever slighting church duties, entails a
heavy tax, but in some way the Stone Church pastor
accomplishes effectively all tasks.
The late Reverend William Gaston, D.D., for a
quarter of a century pastor of the North Presby-
terian Church, was known as the "Marrying Parson,"
a title more recently bequeathed to Dr. Meldrum,
and that without any effort to secure it. Strange to
say the trend of matrimonial business was not toward
the Stone Church when the Probate Court was in
the old court-house, but since the street leading to
400 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
the new court-house runs alongside the church, those
who escape the Justice of the Peace scouts and desire
a reHgious service are wont to stop at the door of the
Old Stone Chapel. It is needless to state that Dr.
Meldrum employs no "runners" in this business,
which is conducted with the same degree of dignity
that characterizes all the Stone Church work.
The reports in the year-books issued during the
last eighteen years reveal unabated activity in every
church organization. The Ladies' Society has never
relaxed its various charities. A sample taken at ran-
dom when Mrs. George A. Garretson was president
in 1909 reveals the wide scope of activities. That
year the society supplied material for Miss Weaver's
missionary service to the poor; for such charities as
the Rainbow Cottage, Perkins Day Nursery, Louise
Nursery, Lakeside Hospital, Babies' Hospital and
Dispensary, Harbison Cottage, and other organized
charities. One thousand three hundred ninety-three
articles were made; five boxes were sent to home
missionary families in Idaho, North Dakota, Ne-
braska, and Virginia, while seventy-six calls were
made upon the shut-ins of the church.
In this centennial year the Stone Church Session
consists of Elders George F. Boehringer, James H.
Burris, Sereno P. Fenn, James N. Fleming, F. C. Gor-
ton, L. B. Hall, A. B. Marshall, W. C. McCullough,
Thomas A. Munro, H. B. Ormsby, Claude C. Rus-
sell, Philip A. Ryder, and T. A. Torrance.
The Board of Deacons is composed of Mark Blinn,
Ray V. Crooks, James Dunn, R. H. Ellsworth, John
ANDREW BARCLAY MELDRUM 401
P. Farley, J. M. Gemberling, Roy R. Moffett, Paul
G. Moore, T. J. Morrison, J. R. Petrie, J. F. Rankin,
Henry A. Raymond, Harry R. Taft, Elliott H. Whit-
lock, and Edward M. Williams.
The Sisters in Charge are Mrs. J. N. Fleming, Mrs.
S. S. Gardner, Mrs. G. A. Garretson, Mrs. H. Judd,
Miss Kate McFarland, Mrs. S. P. Fenn, Mrs. C. A.
Nicola, Mrs. S. A. Raymond, Mrs. T. A. Torrance,
Miss Jessica Eyears, and Mrs. A. B. Marshall.
The Board of Trustees consists of Martyn Bonnell,
president; Charles A. Nicola, Charles W. Bingham,
Sereno P. Fenn, James N. Fleming, Lucien B. Hall,
and Edward M. Williams. A. B. Marshall serves as
treasurer of the society.
The Bible School makes its one hundredth annual
report this year. Elder S. P. Fenn as superintendent
and Elder P. A. Ryder as assistant superintendent,
are ably supported by the following officers: Junior
Department, Miss Dorothy Ruth; Primary Depart-
ment, Miss Hazel Francisco; Home Department, Miss
Hazel Foster; Mothers' and Homemakers' Club, Mrs.
J. N. Fleming; treasurer, J. P. Farley; secretary, Rob-
ert M. Jack; Syrian Department, Miss Mabel Rogers;
Chinese Department, Miss Marion Trapp; Church
of the Covenant, Miss Clyde Abernethy; pianist.
Miss Anna Bruce; chorister, C. S. Metcalf.
The present enrollment in the regular school totals
three hundred eighty-one, a gain of fifty-three over
the previous year; adding the Home Department
Cradle Roll and kindred organizations, the whole en-
rollment is seven hundred forty-three. The receipts
402 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
of the Bible School for the year were two thousand
three hundred thirty-seven dollars. The Sisters in
Charge, Mrs. S. P. Fenn, president; Miss Jessica A.
Eyears, secretary; and Mrs. S. A. Raymond, treas-
urer, distributed last year gifts amounting to five
hundred seventy-five dollars. The Syrian Mission, a
new venture, meets on Sunday afternoon at four
o'clock in Bradley Court. Miss Mabel Rogers is
superintendent, and thirty-five pupils are enrolled,
composed of Syrians, Greeks, and Mexicans. Gospel
services have been recently discontinued on account
of the death of the Reverend U. E. Fattoosh. Many of
the Syrians attend the Stone Church Sunday School.
The Mothers' and Homemakers' Club has forty-
one members, officered by Mrs. J. N. Fleming, presi-
dent; Mrs. J. H. Burris, vice-president; Mrs. M. W.
Zimmer, secretary; and Mrs. Ola O. Boehringer,
treasurer. This organization is affiliated with the
Cleveland Federation of Women's Clubs, Consum-
ers' League, and Congress of Mothers.
The Young Peoples' Society of Christian Endeavor
is in its twenty-eighth year. Hugo K. Hannaford is
president; Robert Johns, vice-president; Mrs. F. A.
Ebeling, corresponding secretary; Miss Alice Black-
well, recording secretary, and Harold J. Smith, treas-
urer. Mrs. H. K. Hannaford, Miss Margaret Jack,
and Miss Florence King serve as pianists. There is
a membership of fifty and over one thousand dollars
was raised last year and distributed in missionary
work.
The Westminster Guild has a membership of
ANDREW BARCLAY MELDRUM 403
twenty. Florence Marceaux is president; Florence
Pitcher, vice-president; Margaret Jack, treasurer;
and Mrs. F. A. Ebeling, secretary.
The Ladies' Society has existed sixty-four years.
Mrs. S. S. Gardner is president; Mrs. S. A. Raymond,
vice-president; Mrs. R. H. Ellsworth, second vice-
president; Mrs. J. N. Fleming, recording secretary;
Mrs. J. M. Gemberling, assistant recording secre-
tary; Miss Anna P. Oviatt, corresponding secretary;
Miss Carrie B. Smith, treasurer; and Mrs. E. C.
Gulliford, assistant treasurer. Last year two thou-
sand one hundred eighty-five articles were made.
Naturally during the recent years much has been
done for war relief in addition to the local charities.
The receipts for the year amounted to almost two
thousand dollars. This society possesses a number
of endowment funds, such as the Louisa Austin, the
Sarah Parsons, the Blair-Whitaker, the Mary A.
Fenn, the Elizabeth Blossom, the Emma S. Ray-
mond Endowments, amounting in all to four thou-
sand five hundred fifty dollars.
This is the forty-sixth year (according to modern
reckoning) of the Woman's Missionary Society, whose
ofl[icers are Miss Carrie B. Smith, president; Mrs.
H. B. Ormsby, first vice-president; Mrs. S. P. Fenn,
second vice-president; Mrs. S. S. Gardner, secretary;
Mrs. R. H. Ellsworth, alternate secretary; Miss
Josephine Eyears, home mission treasurer; Mrs. J. R.
McLaughlin, foreign mission treasurer; Mrs. W. C.
McCullough, secretary of literature. The financial
receipts for the year were: home missions, one thou-
404 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
sand one hundred twenty-six dollars; foreign missions,
one thousand five hundred sixty dollars.
For the work of the missionary assistant, almost
fourteen hundred dollars was disbursed. The Auxil-
iary to the Ladies' Society, an organization five years
old, is planning a sinking fund for the printing of
Dr. Meldrum's sermons. The officers are Florence
McEachren, president; Julia McClurg, treasurer;
Mary Mix, secretary; and Melissa Peters, chaplain.
The Church of the Covenant is in care of Miss
Abernethy.
The membership of the Stone Church reported to
the last General Assembly was seven hundred twenty-
one; congregational expenses, twenty-four thousand
five hundred fifteen dollars; miscellaneous expenses,
thirteen thousand three hundred dollars; benevo-
lences through church boards alone, twelve thousand
sixty-four dollars. During the pastorate of Dr. Mel-
drum twelve hundred thirty-two have been received
into membership. Congregational expenses have
been four hundred fifty-three thousand, six hundred
sixty-six dollars; while the benevolences reported to
the General Assembly alone have amounted to over
three hundred fifty-three thousand dollars, or a total
of nine hundred nineteen thousand dollars for church
support and benevolences.
In his semicentennial sermon Dr. Goodrich esti-
mated that during the half-century one thousand
seven hundred thirty-five had been received into the
Stone Church membership. At the seventy-fifth anni-
versary Dr. Haydn estimated that to that time three
ANDREW BARCLAY MELDRUM 405
thousand nine hundred ninety-one had been re-
ceived. Upon those estimates the total additions for
the century have been five thousand four hundred
seventy-four, fourteen hundred eighty-three having
been received during the last twenty-five years.
According to the last manual issued forty-one
persons now connected with the Stone Church
have been members over forty years. Of these the
following eleven have been members over half a cen-
tury: Mrs. Martha Eyears, sixty-seven years; Mr.
Frederick Backus, fifty-nine years; Mrs. Charles W.
Bingham, Mrs. Mary A. Cole and Mrs. Clara
Simmons, fifty-eight years; Miss Emily A. Harvey,
fifty-six years; Mr. Sereno P. Fenn, fifty-five years;
Mr. James H. Cogswell, fifty-four years; Mr. Lucien
B. Hall, fifty-three years; Mrs. Samuel A. Ray-
mond, fifty-one years and Mrs. Eliza A. Pierce,
fifty years.
During the recent European War all the Stone
Church societies "did their bit" in one way or another.
The pastor served on the Mayor's War Committee,
and from the congregation the following went forth
to military service, forming the Honor Roll of the
Stone Church: Arthur Austin, Frank S. Backus, Ser-
geant Frank R. Beemer, Earl W. Burrows, Harry
Cattrell, Frank Chan, Sergeant Fred. Claire, Captain
Irving L. Daniels, Earl M. Donoghue, James Douglas,
Louis DeSimonde, Lieutenant George Garretson,
Lieutenant Hiram Garretson, George Gilleron, Max
Golberg, Clarence Hall, Hugo K. Hannaford, James
406 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Henderson, Captain Sherlock A. Herrick, Robert W.
Johns, Albert Kuebler, Fred Kahn, Stewart Kuhns,
Harriet M. McDonald, John F. W. McKay, Henry
Meinke, Lieutenant Douglas G. Meldrum, Michael
Nassif, Sergeant William S. Petrie, W. B. Powell,
Ensign S. Edward Raymond, Julia Raymond, Jona-
than S. Raymond, John Russell, Joseph Schanda,
Edward Sills, Charles H. Simpson, Sergeant Harold
J. Smith, Charles Todd, Lieutenant Samuel K. Well-
man, Corporal Ralph E. White, Lieutenant-Colonel
Elliott H. Whitlock, W. L. Witherspoon, Robert S.
Wilson, and Walter E. Willock.
Since returning home Miss Harriet M. McDonald,
who had served as reconstruction aide. Orthopedic
Unit, Base Hospital 114, American Expeditionary
Force, has been engaged in an interesting work, at
present conducted under the auspices of the Stone
Church. At first a free dispensary was opened in the
Primary Room of the Stone Church Chapel, where
Miss McDonald gave massage to wounded soldiers;
also serving them with tea and refreshments.
Then a Christmas party was given the soldiers in the
Ladies' Parlor, and in return the soldiers gave an
entertainment when they were guests of the church
ladies. When Mrs. Dudley Blossom gave her Euclid
Avenue home to the American Legion Club, she at
the same time offered Miss McDonald the use of a
suite of rooms to which she has transferred her dis-
pensary. The session of the Stone Church now par-
tially supports this work.
Ten years ago the Stone Church celebrated the
ANDREW BARCLAY MELDRUM 407
ninetieth anniversary of its founding by a modest
program extending over three days, beginning Sun-
day, October 16, 1910, at the Sunday School hour,
when Elder Charles L. Kimball, an ex-superintendent
who had been a member of the school from 1864
until he removed to Chicago in 1898, was given a
glad welcome. At the Sunday morning church serv-
ice the sermon was delivered by the Reverend Henry
W. Hulbert, D.D., a former associate pastor, whose
theme was, "The Past as an Inspiration." Prior to
the sermon, however. Dr. Haydn, pastor emeritus,
was introduced and spoke as follows:
That I am spared to see this day and share this ninetieth
anniversary with you I am very grateful. It was said
of Moses when one hundred twenty years old that "his
eyes were not dim, nor his natural strength abated." It
was a fine thing to say of him. It was evidence that there
was good stuff in him yet. Something equivalent is need-
ful in long-lived institutions, that Christ's old churches
may still be virile. One happening around this corner
on a Sunday morning will be likely to say, 'The Old Stone
Church corner is still alive." Live people make a live
church, and especially a live pastor makes one. I am
happy that still the tokens of life are many upon the
old church, and the prophecies of decrepit and fore-
shortened days oft writ upon it are as though writ in
sand. It is natural on such occasions to eulogize the
past. We have a past to thank God for, and especially
a record of beautiful, useful, and loving lives upon which
to dwell; but let us strike the note that is full of hope
for the future. Let us anticipate our century age, in
hope of coming up to it with generations of youth able
to take up the record of the past and carry it on with
credit to themselves, and a history full of the spirit of
408 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
their fathers. That is the prophecy of the Old Stone
Church Sunday School for each Lord's Day. May these
days quicken our faith, and set oi-r faces with a forward
look and a resolute heart full of high purposes upon the
work of the future. May there be no faint heart here in
this day of great things and surprising achievements.
These were among the last of Dr. Haydn's public
utterances, and the exhortation appHes to the present
centennial occasion as well as to the one of adecadeago.
At the Sunday morning service the congregation
sang a hymn, written in honor of the occasion by
Professor Howell M. Haydn, son of the venerable
pastor emeritus.
At the Sunday afternoon communion service the
meditation was given by the Reverend Thomas S.
McWilliams, D.D., then pastor of Calvary Presby-
terian Church, but now university professor of re-
ligious education on the Louis H. Severance Founda-
tion at Western Reserve University. Other ministers
participating were the Reverends Edwards P. Cleave-
land, Wilber C. Mickey, and Alfred J. Wright, pas-
tors respectively of the Bolton Avenue, Bethany, and
Lakewood Presbyterian churches, all founded by the
Stone Church. Elders representing the four churches
distributed the elements.
Sunday evening there were special exercises at the
Christian Endeavor Society, followed by the church
service with a sermon on "The Demand for Con-
secrated Manhood" by the Reverend Paul R. Hickok,
of Washington, D. C, formerly an assistant pastor
in the Stone Church. Monday afternoon at three-
ANDREW BARCLAY MELDRUM 409
thirty o'clock there was a ''twilight organ recital
and concert," given hv Professor William B. Colson,
organist, assisted by the choir, composed of Mrs.
Anna M. Wanamaker, soprano; Miss Grace Upham,
alto; Mr. Edwin H. Douglass, tenor, and Mr. Walter
C. Howell, bass.
Monday evening brought a memorial, congratu-
latory, and inspirational service, at which addresses
were made by pastors of churches founded by the
Stone Church, and by the Reverend Henry W. Hul-
bert, D.D., and the Reverend Paul R. Hickok. The
main address of the occasion, however, was that of
Elder Livingston Fewsmith, assistant pastor, who
described the organized work of the past, and of the
period that had elapsed since the seventy-fifth anni-
versary in 1895 he said:
During the last fifteen years we have expended for cur-
rent expenses two hundred thirty-five thousand dollars,
and for benevolences and all other objects of which we
have record three hundred thousand sixty-five dollars,
an average of forty thousand dollars a year. It should
be noted that for every dollar expended toward con-
gregational expenses there has been more than one
given to benevolent work.
No one anticipated with greater interest the ap-
proach of the centennial celebration than did the late
Elder Livingston Fewsmith, who had stood by the
side of the Reverend Andrew B. Meldrum, D.D.,
during almost the full extent of the latter's Cleveland
pastorate. The substance if not the exact language
of what was said at the ninetieth anniversary fitly
410 THE OLD STONE CHURCH
closes this record of Dr. Meldrum*s fruitful work.
Probably no church in the city, and indeed through-
out the country, is as cosmopolitan in character as
the Stone Church. Although from the first it has
numbered among its membership many of the
wealthiest and cultured families of the city, it has
always been the church home of people of moderate
means and of those poor in this world's goods, but
often rich in faith. Throughout its existence an in-
spiring harmony has reigned, a Christian fellowship
recognized by the community in general as an ex-
ample of what a Christian church ought to be.
The effective pastoral labors of Drs. Aiken, Good-
rich, Mitchell and Haydn, whose prolonged service
made him a veritable bishop of the whole Presbyterian
fellowship in Cleveland, have often been eulogized.
Their lives cover the greater part of the history of
the Stone Church. Following them as a worthy suc-
cessor comes Dr. Meldrum, to whom under God*s
guidance is largely due the fact that the venerable
organization shows no signs of decrepitude, but
rather evidence of increasing power. Any eulogy re-
garding the work and character of the present hon-
ored leader must express the virility, the fearless-
ness, and at the same time the sympathetic tender-
ness of his preaching; the marked attainments of his
life as a man, and the unique position which he holds
as a minister in Cleveland. Hope, good cheer, im-
perial duty, in short a well-balanced Christianity,
have characterized the life of the Stone Church dur-
ing the last eighteen years, and under the blessing
ANDREW BARCLAY MELDRUM 411
of God these qualities give promise of continuance
for years to come.
Church of a noble past,
Our hearts' leal love thou hast,
In this glad hour.
We hail thy wealth of days.
And in triumphant lays,
Render to God our praise.
For all thy power.
A host of valiant souls.
Names that illume thy rolls,
Have gone before.
May we as in their sight,
Keep thy lamp burning bright,
Waging in God's own might.
Our holy war.
We have a fight in hand.
If we would loyal stand,
Like them of old.
Thou need'st our watch and care,
Thou need'st our toil and prayer,
And we must do and dare.
Lest love grow cold.
Church of the hundred years,
Our faith upon thee rears.
New hopes today.
May God who's led thee on,
In the dear Christ His Son,
Still crown with victory won.
Thy heavenward way.
—Howell M. Haydn
Princeton Theological Seminary Libraries
1 1012 01217 1478