CHAPTER XLIII. BAPTIST. BY OSMAN C. HOOPER. There are nine Baptist churches in Columbus, five of white and four of colored membership. The former, in the order of their organization, are: The .First Baptist Church, the Russell Street Baptist Church, the Hildreth Baptist Church, the Memorial Baptist Church, and the Tenth Avenue Baptist Church. The organizations of colored Baptists, considered similarly, are the Second Baptist Church, Shiloh Baptist Church, Union Grove Baptist Church and Bethany Baptist Church. All of these organizations trace their history back to February, 1823, when Elder George Jeffries came to Columbus from Marlboro, Delaware County, Ohio. He had received ordination as an evangelist in the church at Marlboro and, atter his location in Columbus, began preaching in his own house. As a result of these services Sarah Garrison and Alpheus Tolle professed conversion and were baptized. Eight other persons who had previously been converted to that faith and had moved to Columbus were found, and it was resolved to organize a church. At the request of Elder Jeffries and his fellow-Baptists, a council met in Columbus, May 15, 1824, to consider the propriety of instituting a church. The members of that council were : Elder Jacob Drake, Deacon Leonard Munroe and Brethren Daniel Nettleton and Charles Wafters, of. Liberty Church ; Elder James Petters, Deacon John Swisher and Brother William D. Hendren, of Bethel Church ; Deacon John McLeod, of Harlem Church, and Elder Pleasant Lemay, who was invited by the others to a seat. The council organized by electing Jacob Drake moderator and William D. Hendren clerk. The reasons for the establishment of a Baptist Church in Columbus were stated by Elder Jeffries to the satisfaction of the council which adopted a resolution that those who desired to become members of the church should present their letters. Those who responded and thus became the original members were as follows: George Jeffries, who presented a letter from the church at Marlboro; Elijah Tolle, from Maysville, Kentucky ; William Whittimore and his wife, Leah Whittimore, from Daughty Fork Coshocton County, Ohio ; Patty Booker (colored), from Petersburg, Virginia ; Mary Brod- erick, from Washington, Kentucky ; Lydia Jones (colored), from Kentucky (name of church not on record) ;—George Butcher (colored), from Petersburg, Virginia ; Rosanna Bolin, from Virginia (church not stated); Sarah Garrison and Alpheus [675] 676 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. Tolle, of Columbus, both of whom had been converted and baptized under the ministration of Elder Jeffries. After due deliberation, the council resolved to "fellowship the above named brethren and sisters as a church of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.” Elder Jeffries, having been appointed as a representative of the new church, answered the necessary questions put by the moderator. Elder James Petters addressed the church and gave the right hand of fellowship, and Elder Jacob Drake followed with remarks emphasizing the importance of the engagement into which they had entered. The council session closed with a prayer and praise service opened by Deacon John McLeod. The time stained record of the proceedings is concluded with this sentence: "We can but hope the Lord was with us and that He will bless this little vine and cause it to become a thousand." The organization was called " the First Baptist Church of Columbus ; " a covenant and articles of faith were adopted and the little church of eleven members, three of whom were colored, began its career, which was for some years of doubtful outcome. Meetings were held at the houses of various members and Elder Jeffries from the first performed the duties of pastor, though he was not formally called to the pastorate until April, 1825. Communion service was observed quarterly, but how often there was preaching is not certain, since Elder Jeffries had engagements to preach elsewhere. On July 31, 1824, nine other persons had been admitted to membership, and the first election of officers occurred. Daniel Huddleston was chosen Deacon, and Elijah Tolle Clerk and Treasurer. At this meeting also, application was made by the church for admission to the Colum bus Baptist Association. Elder Jeffries was chosen to write the church letter and at a subsequent meeting this letter was approved and Elder Jeffries, Alpheus Tolle and Elijah Tolle were selected to bear it to the Association. The calling of Elder Jeffries to the pastorate did not have the result of confining his ministrations to the Columbus Church. He continued, as did other ministers in the association, to visit other churches and preach. This arrangement was in accordance with a resolution adopted by the Association and approved by the Columbus church, the necessity being due to the small number of ministers and the meager support that any of the churches was able to give to .a pastor. The poverty of the Columbus church is shown by the minutes, in which it is recorded that after several ineffectual efforts to get from the members a definite statement as to the amount to be given the pastor for his services, four members responded at the meeting of December 7, 1825, with promises to give twentyfive cents each monthly. At this meeting, too, the first proposition to buy a lot and build a church edifice was made and the members were asked to consider the matter and decide on a course of action. Elder Jeffries, in the following August, reported to the church that he had found a suitable lot, but, although all seemed desirous of having a meetinghouse, there were not enough responses to justify definite action. In April, 1828, he made another report to the church to the effect that he had bought a lot which might become the property of the church, if the members would assist in paying for it. This proposition met with no better response than the preceding one, but the pastor was undaunted and erected a small building for the church, on •the south side of Mound Street between High and Front streets. The minutes of the business meeting of January, 1830, show that eleven persons contributed $4.93 and 21 days' work " toward fixing the school house built by Mr. Jeffries for the purpose of having meeting in." The effect of being provided with a regular place of worship seems to have been quite as good as Elder Jeffries had expected. In the following April, he was requested to devote the whole of each Sabbath to the services of the church and he consented, withdrawing all appointments at other places. BAPTIST - 677 On March 31, 1831, the church resolved to buy lot number 222 on Front Street just north of Mound, and Elder Jeffries, E. Davis, S. M. Martin and D. Green were appointed a committee to attend to the purchase and secure subscriptions to the purchase price. On April 30, this committee reported that they had bought the lot for $175, paying $60 in cash and two of them giving their notes for the remainder to run for three years, with interest. It was decided to build and a building committee was appointed. A year was consumed in the work and the new building was occupied for the first time on May 6, 1832. This structure still stands, though it was long since abandoned as a house of worship. It is a plain FIRST BAPTIST MEETING HOUSE, ERECTED IN 1831. one story brick building and after the church had abandoned it in 1837, it was used by Doctor Curtis as a medical college and later as a residence. The capstone bearing the inscription, The Regular Baptist Meeting House, Erected A. D. 1831, was taken down when the building fell into other hands and is preserved as a relic in the present structure of' the First Baptist Church. At the first meeting in the now church, Rev. 0. Owens and Rev. Mr. Jewett, of Granville, and Rev. M. Potter, of Canaan, were present and preached, morning and evening. The occasion was further signalized by one admission to membership, whereupon the church "immediately repaired to the water where the candidate was baptized before a large and 678 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. orderly congregation," On June 2, 1832, the church considered for the first time as far as any record can be found, a proposition to establish a Sabbath school, and decided to inaugurate that kind of effort on June 10. There is no record of the organization of the Sabbath school, but it is probable that it was organized and that the Sabbath school work of the First Baptist Church dates back to that time. The record of the meeting of December 1, 1832, shows that the time of holding Sunday school was fixed at two o'clock in the afternoon. The organization of the Baptists had no formal legal recognition until February 13, 1833, when the legislature passed a bill, granting to George Jeffries, James Turner, William A. Morse and their associates the right to incorporate the First Regular Baptist Church of Columbus, and constituting the men named the first Board of Trustees, to serve until their successors were regularly elected according to the constitution of the society. The act is signed by David T. Disney, Speaker of the House, and Samuel R. Miller, Speaker of the Senate. Although the church was now in its own building, it did not thrive to that extent which had been expected. This was partly due to personal dissensions among the members. It was in the fall of' 1833 that a number of Welsh Baptists organized a church under the leadership of Rev. John Harris, who had recently conic from Newport, England. Mr. Harris preached at first entirely in Welsh, but afterwards, in recognition of the number of English-speaking Baptists who had come to them, sermons were occasionally delivered in the English tongue. Both the English church under Rev. Mr. Jeffries and the Welsh church under Rev. Mr. Harris, were weak. They felt the need of the strength which comes of union, and in the fall of 1834, prominent members of each organization met at the house of Rev. Mr. Harris and decided to ask the American Baptist Home Missionary Society to send to Columbus a preacher under whom the two churches could consolidate. The society responded favorably and, in June, 1835, Rev. T. R. Cressy arrived in Columbus to begin work on the new basis. There was still sonic indisposition on the part of some of Mr. Jeffries's church to consent to the proposed union, but those who had decided on that course went boldly ahead and were on the point of organizing separately when the members of Rev. Mr. Jeffries's church met and voted that to hold out further was useless. That meet- ing was held August 1, 1835. The record states that "on a representation being made to the church by Elder Jeffries of the agreement made with certain of the Baptist brethren in Columbus who expected this day to have been constituted into a church, the church voted that, if said brethren choose to attend this evening and join this church, according to that agreement, they will be received." Elders Drake and Carr, of Granville, were appointed to inform the others of the church's action. There is nothing to show what the precise terms of this agreement were, but the principal feature was the retirement of both Rev. Mr. Jeffries and Rev. Mr. Harris, and the union of the Baptists in the old house of worship under the pastorate of Rev. T. R. Cressy. The proposed meeting of that evening (August 1, 1835) was held. The union under the agreement was approved by. all and the following named persons who would have constituted the new church were received as members of the old : Rev. John Harris, Mrs. Mary Harris, E. Davis, Mrs. Elizabeth Rees, Mrs. Eliza- beth Williams, Rufus Bixby, Mrs. Lucy Bixby, Tunis Peters, Mrs. Nancy Blake, William Richards, Mrs. Mary Richards, John B. Wheaton, Joseph West, Miss Dinah Davis, Mrs. Sally Weaver and Mrs. Jane Roberts. An invitation was unanimously extended to Elder Jeffries to retain his membership with the church, but it was declined and then a letter of dismission was unanimously voted to him. John B. Wheaton was clerk of this memorable meeting and was subsequently chosen clerk of the church, a position which he occupied without interruption for nine years. For his excellent care in recording the proceedings of the BAPTIST - 679 church in that vital period, the Columbus Baptists of today are greatly indebted to him. Writing in 1837 of the events just described, Elder Jacob Drake, who was a member of the council that instituted the church in 1824, and who also played a prominent part in the consolidation of 1835, says : "It soon became evident to the discerning and attentive, who were deeply interested in the Baptist cause in the metropolis of the State; that however pious or zealous Brother Jeffries might be, it was vain to hope that our doctrinal sentiments and peculiarities could ever successfully compete with the Pedobaptists, under the ministry of Brother Jeffries. Baptists were continually coming into the city who kept themselves aloof from the church. The Welsh Baptists formed a little church separately, but neither did this succeed. What can or shall be done ? was the leading question. After considerable anxiety and delay, Brother Cressy, from Massachusetts, came on in 1835, under the patronage of 'the A. R. H. M. Society. In a little time it was thought advisable to form a second church in the city. A council was called for that purpose when, after mature deliberation, it was decided that certain propositions by Brother Jeffries should be complied with, by which Brother Cressy and the members with him came into possession of the meetinghouse, together with all the members of the old church that were willing to come under the pastoral care and administration of Brother Cressy. Brother Jeffries took his letter of recommendation and dismission, and the cause, under Brother Cressy's labors, has prospered and is prospering." A change of location and the erection of a new church building occupied the attention of the church soon alter its reorganization. A committee to choose a site tend present a plan for the building was appointed as follows: Rev. T. R. Cressy, R. Bixby, Tunis Peters, Isaac Cool and Ira Grover. On October 9, 1835, they reported two sites, one at the corner of Town and Third and the other at the corner of Rich and Third streets, their preference being for the first named. Plans for the building and for raising the necessary money were also then presented. The lot on the northwest corner of Rich and Third streets was, however, chosen. This site was then in the outskirts of the town and was, together with adjoining lots, enclosed with a rail fence of black walnut and devoted to the raising of corn aid potatoes. A building committee composed of John Harris, Rufus Bixby, Thomas Worthington, J. B. Wheaton, .Isaac Cool, Ira Grover and Jonathan L. Peters was appointed. .Rev. T. R. Cressy was granted a leave of absence and went East to make a small loan to aid the church in its building project. He succeeded in making arrangements with a number of men in the East by which they were to invest $4,000 in Western land to be chosen by Mr. Cressy. In addition to that amount they were to advance 10 per cent. or $400 to be used in erecting the Baptist Church here. At the expiration of a year, the land thus purchased was to be sold or appraised and from the amount of such sale or appraisement, the whole amount of money advanced with lawful interest added, was to be deducted and one third of the residue was to be paid to Mr. Cressy for the benefit of the Baptist Church of Columbus, with the distinct understanding and agreement that the said church should pay over the same in equal instalments, in two, three and four. years thereafter, to T. R. Green, William Winterton and C. Roberts, to be by them invested and employed at their discretion for the erection of Baptist meeting-houses in the valley of the Mississippi. This rather complicated financial arrangement was endorsed by the church and the responsibilities assumed by the same. The work of erecting.the building was begun, but the financial resources were insufficient to justify time completion of the structure and it was decided that the basement room only should then be completed. This 'course was pursued and 680 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. the first service was held in the lower room of the new structure, April 4, 1837. It was the annual business meeting at which officers were elected. The church worshiped in the basement for three and a half years, and when the building was completed according to the original plans in 1840 it had cost $14,000. Rev. Mr. Cressy's pastorate, which extended over a period of seven years, was most successful. One hundred and thirty members were added to the church during the first year of his ministration. In 1840, the membership was 203 and in 1842, when he resigned, it was 210. During his 'pastorate, the unfortunate differences between the church and Elder Jeffries were continued and were several times the subject of consideration at business meetings. Elder Jeffries associated with himself a few others and organized a church, but it was denied recognition as a regular Baptist Church and apparently soon expired. The first step toward the separation of the colored from the white Baptists was made early in June, 1834, when it was voted' that the colored brethren have liberty to be set off as a branch of this church .and transact business for themselves except in the final reception or exclusion of members, which must be done by this church." The organization of the colored branch, thus authorized, did not take place until January 7, 1836, when a committee consisting of Messrs. Peters, Harris, Bixby, Wheaton and Smith, Revs. Fields and Cressy, met in the capacity of a church council. Messrs. Nickens and Watkins, of Cincinnati, and Elder Jeffries were invited to seats in the council. The colored Baptists reported that they had chosen Rev. Ezekiel Fields as pastor and Pleasant Litchfield as deacon. The liberties granted to the branch were explained, the choice of pastor and deacon was approved and the branch was formally recognized. Rev. Mr. Nickens delivered the charge 'to church artd pastor and the council adjourned. On October 18, 1839, this organization was, by vote of the First Baptist Church, granted an independent existence. It lives today as the Second Baptist Church. Rev. T. R. Cressy's pastorate continued until September 8, 1842. He died in Iowa City, August, 1869, after a long and faithful service as missionary and pastor. The church was without a pastor until July 25, 1843, when Rev. Daniel Eldridge was called and accepted. His service continued without special incident until April 14, 1846. The records show that the church was in financial straits; it was difficult to raise the $600 salary of the pastor and when he resigned, the latter was a creditor of the church, not only for a part of his salary, but also for money loaned. This indebtedness was cleared up and the church continued without a pastor until January 3, 1847, when a call was extended to Rev. D. B Cheney, of Norwich, Connecticut. He accepted and assumed his duties in the following April. The American Baptist Home Missionary Society had been appealed to and had responded with a subscription of. $300 to the pastor's salary for the first year and an allowance of $75 for the pastor's traveling expenses from Norwich, Connecticut. This annual aid was continued until April, 1852, when the church, with thanks to the Home Mission Society, relinquished the assistance and set out on a career of self-support. Owing to ill-health, Rev. Mr. Cheney resigned the pastorate, October 12, 1852, and his resignation was regretfully accepted by the church in resolutions which recorded the appreciation of his " successful efforts to promote the temporal and spiritual prosperity of this church." Rev. Mr. Cheney subsequently held a pastorate in Boston. On November 7, 1852, a call to the pastorate was extended to Rev. Henry Davis, of New York, who entered on the discharge of his duties in February, 1853, but resigned March 5, 1858. Rev. Mr. Davis's pastorate was marked by dissensions which culminated the week following the pastor's resignation in the request of fiftyseven members to be dismissed for the purpose of organizing a new church. The request was granted and on May 12, 1858, the following persons were dismissed for the purpose named: Rev. 0. Allen, Mrs. A. J. Allen, Amelia A. Allen,. BAPTIST - 681 Georgiana Allen, Amelia Case, William Field, Mrs. S. A. Field, Thomas G. Field, George B. Field, Mary Roth, Rev. F. Stanley, Mrs. Mary Stanley, Joshua Vance, Mrs. Harriet Vance, Henry Howson, Sarah Howson, Mr. E. M. Wheaton, Mrs. Elizabeth Wheaton, John B. Wheaton; Elvira Williams, Hannah E. Say, Anna Say, O. P. Hines, Mrs. Mary Hines, Rev. Henry Davis, Mrs. E. H. Davis, Joseph Hall, Mary Hall, Frederick Halley, Mrs. Sarah Halley, John Bagshaw, Mrs. Jane Bagshaw, Bryant Headley, Mrs. E. B. Headley, Elizabeth Syfert, James King, James Stevens, Rachel Crawford, James Scott, Virginia Scott, John Moccabee, RUSSELL STREET BAPTIST CHURCH Ruth M. Coccabeo, Margaret Moccabee, Mary Jane Moccabee, Ann McElhaney, Sarah E. Everett, Israel Lyon, Theodosia Lyon, Charlotte Rakestraw, Josephine Rake-straw, Elizabeth Peckham, Dolly Chambers, W. W. Warner, Elizabeth A. Warner, Lovilia Ackerman and J. N. Farmer. These, with the single addition of Mrs. Sarah S. E.apgood, who had not been a member of the First Baptist Church, organized the Central Baptist Church which sustained a feeble existence only for about three years. Services were first held in the chapel of Starling Medical College, but in November of the same year, the old High School building on Town street 682 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. between Fifth and Sixth streets, was rented and worship seems to have been held there until the abandonment of the effort. Rev. John Burke was the first pastor and was succeeded by Rev. 0. Allen the latter serving without salary. The failure of the effort is thus accounted for by the Rev. Thomas G. Field, who was church clerk : " A perfect procession of removals from the city, with several serious inroads by death, rapidly reduced our numbers to decimation. A deplorable beginning led on to a disastrous ending, in which the very flower of the Baptist force seemed to be sacrificed for naught." After the Central Baptist Church had disbanded, those who remained in the city returned separately to the parent church. Rev. Henry Davis on retiring from the pastorate in 1858, reentered the Home Mission work in which he had been before engaged ; subsequently-became pastor of the Baptist church in Rock Island, Ills., and died there in August, 1869. He was succeeded in the pastorate here by Rev. D. A. Randall, at first only by temporary arrangement. On April 3, 1859, Doctor Randall was formally invited to the pastorate, accepted and served till July, 1865, during which time he made a trip to the Holy Land. During his pastorate, too, the church building was repaired to a considerable extent under his supervision and as a result of his untiring energy. Doctor Randall's resignation as pastor was formally presented to the church April 12, 1865, but was not accepted till several months later. In 1866, Rev. G. S. Chase was invited to the pastorate and accepted July 24, that year. He resigned December 7, 1867, his communication to the church indicating that he believed his work here a failure. The church building had, however, been renovated at a cost of $1,000, and the membership had not diminished. Complimentary resolutions were passed by the church in accepting the resignation. Rev. J. W. Osborn was the next pastor, serving from February 27, 1868, to June, 1871. The church was again repaired at a cost of about $8,000 in 1869-70. The remodeled audienceroom was dedicated Sunday, June 12, 1870. Rev. Mr. Oshorn's pastorate was marked by the first successful mission effort — that on the North Side. The mother church contributed laborers and financial support, and assumed guardianship of the Sundayschool which a committee established, until it grew to be the Russell Street Baptist Church. From June, 1871, the church was without a pastor until August 14, 1872, when a unanimous call was extended to Rev. I. F. Stidham, of Philadelphia. Rev. Mr. Stidham began his duties in the following October. The first year of his pastorate was marked by a revival which brought many additions to the membership. The church flourished, the mission effort on the North Side was prosecuted with vigor, and on January 19, 1881, thirty-eight members were dismissed to organize the new church. The mission work on Twentieth Street, and afterwards on Mt. Vernon Avenue, flourished and gave promise of a similar issue. In 1884, however, after a pastorate of twelve years, Rev. Mr. Stidham, feeling that a change might increase the efficiency of both pastor and people, tendered his resignation to accept a call to the First Baptist Church of Cincinnati. The resignation was regretfully accepted and highly commendatory resolutions regarding the retiring pastor and his work were passed by the church. Rev. Ira J. Bailey was pastor of the church from March 1, .1885, to July 18, 1886, when he was compelled by ill-health to resign. It was during his pastorate, in the latter part of August, 1885, that eighteen persons were dismissed from the membership to organize the Hildreth Baptist Church, the outgrowth of the Twentieth Street mission work. Rev. Mr. Bailey died of consumption soon after leaving his work in this city, Rev. George B. Simons was pastor from November 1, 1886, until October, 1890, when he resigned and accepted a call to' Zanesville. The following month, the present pastor, Rev. B. F. Patt, began his labors. Under his direction, the condition of the church, both temporally and spiritually, has been improved. One of the first things to which he turned his attention was the liquidation of the debt BAPTIST - 683 created by repairs on the church building in 1885 and 1889. As a result the church is now absolutely free from debt and is contributing more money to the various branches of religious work than-it ever did. Successful mission work has been prosecuted on Parsons Avenue near Livingston Avenue, and on Ohio Avenue, near Oak Street. A lot has been purchased and a house of worship .will soon be erected for the accommodation of the former. The Predestinarian branch of the Baptist Church had a weak though somewhat protracted existence in this city. Tunis Peters was the leader of the movement. He was one of 'those who were instrumental in bringing Rev. T. R. Cressy to this city as the pastor of the Regular Baptist Church in 1833, but a few years afterward became alienated from that church and in common with others who believed in an uneducated ministry and a full reliance on the Spirit without resort to what were characterized as purely human agencies, began late in the thirties holding meetings in a building on the site of the old South High Street. engine house. About 1840, Tunis Peters erected a building on the northeast corner of Scioto and Mound streets which served both as a residence and a church—a dwelling with a large hall on the second floor. There he and his associates in belief worshiped until his death in 1855. The services were conducted by him and such ministers as could be secured for occasional duty. Rev. Mr. Davis and Tunis Peters, a nephew of the other bearing the same name, preached. The elder Tunis Peters, at his death, sought to will the use of the room to the church which he had established, but the wording was faulty and the bequest was lost to them. The membership appears to have been large at no time, it being fourteen in 1855 and fifteen in 1856. The last ministers to preach to the church, so far as information can be obtained, were: Rev. Mr. Klipstine, of Virginia, in 1854; Tunis Peters and A. W. Taylor, in 1855, and Tunis Peters, in 1856. The church soon afterwards lost its organization and the building has long since been torn down. The earliest work done by the Baptists in the northern portion of the city was in 1866 when Thomas Humphreys, Henry Field and Miss Lou Bowman began holding Sunday school in the old frame depot. They conducted the school about a year when the departure of Mr. Humphreys from the city and other circumstances made necessary a change and the work was surrendered to the Presbyterians who prosecuted it successfully. Three years after the termination of this effort, or in 1870, the First Baptist Church appointed a committee consisting of B. J. Loomis, Lanson G. Curtis and William Wallace to locate a mission on the North Side. They, in connection with others, prominent among whom were Charles R. Dunbar and John Evans, established a Sunday school at the home of William Wallace on Summit Street. Mr. Dunbar was the first superintendent and B. J Loomis was assistant. The school grew and in October, 1870, was removed to a room in the Courtright block on North High Street. Mr. Loomis became the superintendent and continued, as he had been from the first, to be the principal moving spirit.- He gave his time, energy and money whenever and wherever there was need. In the spring of 1871 it was decided to- buy a lot, and the late Rev. Dr. D. A. Randall and Mr. B. J. Loomis chose a lot on Russell Street, just east of High. It was bought for $800 in the name of the Trustees of the First Baptist Church. One third was paid down, of which Rev. D. A. Randall subscribed $100, Mr. Abel Hildreth $100 and various smaller contributors made up the remaining $66. The notes for the unpaid balance were signed by the trustees of the First Baptist Church, viz. : L. L. Smith, A. Hildreth, B. J. Loomis, J. M. Wheaton, C. E. Batterson, L. D. Myers and E. W. Simmons. A frame structure was immediately erected at a cost of $1,200- which was subscribed in small amounts by a great many persons. Services in. the new structure were begun in June, 1871. An effort was made in September of that year to organize an independent church, but it was thought inadvisable and the mission 684 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. work was continued until January 19, 1881, when the following persons were dismissed from the membership of the First Baptist Church for the purpose of organizing the North (now Russell Street) Baptist Church : John J. Evans, Harriet E. Evans, Mrs. W. M. Powell, Harriet S. Carter, Joseph Woodward, Mrs. E. A. Woodward, Miss Lovina Zinn, Thomas Humphreys, Mrs. L. F. Hudson, W. E. Downey, Mrs. S. M. Babbitt, A. P. Babbitt, A. C. Zinn, Mrs. A. C. Zinn, Rosa Baker, Emma M. Boyle, Mrs. Emma Denune, David Davis, Mrs. David Davis, Mrs. Say, Emma L. Northcutt, Leah Thomas, Anda Morin, A. T. Stevens, John S. Roberts, William J. Evans, E. 0. Spring, Helen G. Spring, Ann Richards, Lizzie Thomas, Mrs. A. H. Ellwell, Mrs. Elizabeth Wallace, Lizzie Wallace, Jessie Jones, Kate Whorley, Mrs. Nancy A. Woolard, Sarah E. Northcutt, Edward Evans and Josie L. Downey. Other Baptists in that section of the city joined these and the church was organized January 24, 1881. The first officers were : Deacons, John J. Evans, William Downey, Thomas Humphreys; trustees, Nathan Wright, John S. Roberts, William D. Maddox, William Downey, Thomas Humphreys ; clerk, A. T. Stevens; treasurer, C. F. Hecker. The council for the recognition of the new church met July 19, 1881, the delegates being Rev. A. Owens and Rev. H. L. Gear, Granville ; Rev. A. W. Yale, Alexandria; Rev. J. V. K. Seeley, Sunbury ; Rev. I. F. Stidham and E. T. Rawson, of the First Church, Columbus. The first pastor of the church was Rev. A. L. Jordan who resigned in November, 1882, and was succeeded by Rev. Frank G. McFarlan. During the latter's pastorate, in 1884, the work of erecting the present handsome edifice was begun. The building committee was composed of the following: Thomas Humphreys, chairman; Harriet S. Carter, treasurer ; John J. Evans, C. Westerman, E. A. Littell and Mrs. Maria Heckler. Under the energetic direction of this committee, the work was prosecuted in the face of many difficulties ; the original frame structure was moved to the rear of the lot and a building costing in money and contributed labor and material not less than $15,000 was erected. Rev. P. J. Ward succeeded Mr. McFarlan in the pastorate in 1888 and served until 1891, when he resigned to accept a call to a church in Southern Ohio. The present pastor is Rev. J. L. Smith. The Hildreth Baptist Church had its origin in a Sabbath-school effort begun in 1870 by a number of members of the First Baptist Church in a little brick schoolhouse north of the site of the present church structure. Prominent among these workers were Mrs. Abel Hildreth, Mr. and Mrs. R. R. Hooper and Mrs. William Field. Mr. Hooper was superintendent of the Sabbath school and the ladies were teachers. The effort was persistent in the face of many adversities and although little progress was made for several years, the workers were encouraged. The neighborhood was continually growing more populous, and a few Baptists were moving into the territory to help in the work which had been begun by those who had to go out from the city every Sunday afternoon for the service. In 1884, Mr. and Mrs. Charles McLeod moved to the city from Central College, Ohio. and built a storeroom and residence on Mt. Vernon Avenue near Eighteenth Street. They were strong Baptists and willingly gave their aid to the struggling Sabbath school. Mr. and Mrs. C. M. Roberts, members of the First Baptist Church, had also moved into the neighborhood and they, too, gave needed assistance. The meeting-place of the Sabbath school was changed from the schoolhouse on Twentieth Street to the room over Mr. McLeod's store ; Mr. Roberts was chosen superintendent and the work took on new vitality. The talk of a church building which had been indulged in for some time received a new impetus from the proposition of Mr. Abel Hildreth to erect such a structure on a lot owned by him at the corner of Twentieth and Atcheson streets. He carried out his proposition and erected a handsome brick church, which, together with the lot, he gave to the First Baptist Church in trust for the Hildreth Baptist Church and to be trans- BAPTIST - 685 ferred to the latter when it should be organized. The church was organized, the building was dedicated, and the first pastor, Rev. J. S. Cleveland, was ordained on the same day, August 25, 1885. At the time of the organization, the membership consisted of the following, all of whom had been dismissed from the First Baptist Church to unite with the new one: Cyrus M. Mrs Cyrus M. Roberts, Grace T. Roberts, Mary W. Roberts, R. B. Hooper, Mrs. Roberts, R. R. Hooper, Simeon H. Hooper, Anna B. Hooper, Mrs. D. L. Auld, Mrs. Rose A. Moore, William T. Robbins, Charles L. Dolle, Sophia R. Russell, Nellie C. Russell, Mrs. C. Moores., Mrs. A. J. Bidleman. Soon afterward, their number was increased by the admission in a similar manner of George A. Quimby, Mrs. George A. Quimby, James Timms, and Mrs. William Brain. The first deacons were R. R. Hooper, George A. Quimby and C. M. Roberts. The first board of trustees was composed of E. A. Hildreth, Charles Atcheson, William T. Robbins, C. M. Roberts and George A. Quimby. The first church clerk was Osman C. Hooper. Roy. Mr. Cleveland continued as pastor for about four years, being succeeded in October, 1889, by Rev. J. A. Snodgrass, who was in turn succeeded in 1891 by Rev. Adam Fawcett, the present pastor. The Memorial Baptist Church, which now occupies its own edifice at the cor- ner of Sandusky and Shepherd streets, West. Columbus, had its origin in mission effort put forth by the First Baptist Church. The earliest result of this effort was the establishment of a Sundayschool which was organized on Sunday afternoon, October 18, 1885, in an upstairs room of a frame business house on West Broad Street, known as the Telephone Building. Prominent among those who helped to organize this school and gave to it their efforts during its early existence were: Mrs. M. Bickner, who was at that time the regularly employed city missionary of the First Baptist Church; Mr. Brice Ellis, who was the first superintendent of the school; Miss Lillian J. Wood, Mr. and Sirs. Thomas Brown, Mr. Z. P. Gilmore and Mr. W. J. Dawson. The school soon outgrew its quarters and a larger room in the same building was secured and occupied until the heat of summer made it untenable. Then the school was a second time moved, this time to a large and well ventilated storeroom on the ground floor. This change proved to be a wise one, for increased comfort brought a larger number of persons to the services and encouraged the older workers in a long cherished ambition to found a Baptist Church on the West Side. In furtherance of that plan, Sunday evening services were begun and conducted for several months with good results. These were finally abandoned, however, because of the large amount of labor they entailed upon a few workers. In the fall of 1888; Rev. C. C. Haskell came into the work and conducted the services during that winter. Another effort was made to organize a church, but the number of persons who could be counted upon to give it support was still small and the organization was postponed. After the departure of Rev. Mr. Haskell, the services were continued afternoon and evening under the leadership of Mr. Z. P. Gilmore. In July, 1889, the Telephone Building, in which the services had been held continuously during the four years since the organization of the Sunday school mission, was destroyed by fire. The Methodists, who had erected a temporary building which they called the Tabernacle further west on Broad Street, tendered the use of their edifice to the homeless mission. The offer was gladly accepted and the Tabernacle was used for preaching and Sunday school services until the organization of the Memorial Baptist Church and the occupancy of the structure at the corner of Sandusky and Shepherd streets, which was the gift of' Abel Hildreth in memory of his deceased wife, Elizabeth Williams Hildreth. This building is a substantial one of brick which had been erected a number of years before by the United Brethren. That society became financially embarrassed and the build- 686 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. ing passed into private hands. It was for a time used by the Catholics and was afterwards vacant until purchased. by Mr. Hildreth and given as previously stated. The building was renovated, remodeled to some extent and made practically as good as-new. In the wall of the church near the pulpit has been placed a tablet inscribed to the memory of the good woman whose life in domestic and church relations had prompted the benefaction. The meeting for organization of the Memorial Baptist Church was held October 18, 1889, on the fourth anniversary of the founding of the mission Sunday-school. Rev. C. C. 'Haskell presided and Z. P. Gilmore was chosen clerk. On the call for membership, it was developed that the following persons held letters of FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. dismissal from the churches named to the Memorial Baptist Church : From the First Baptist Church, Columbus. Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Dawson, Howard Dawson, W. Ellsworth Dawson, Sarah Ritter, Susie Ritter, Mrs. Flora Williamson, Mrs. George H. Moores, Effie Beckett, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Brown, Florence Cook, Grace Upton, Katie Schwartz, J. N. Young, Mrs. J. N. Young, J. P. Gilmore, Susan Schwartz, Edith Gray, and Mrs. L. S. Upton ; from the North Baptist Church, Mrs. Clara Showers, Myrtle Showers, Mrs. Lizzie Myers, Bertha Myers and Etta Schaffer ; from the Baptist Church, Zion Hill, Texas, Rev. and Mrs. C. C. Haskell. BAPTIST - 687 After adoption of the covenant and articles of faith, officers were elected as follows : Deacons, W, J. Dawson, Z. P. Gilmore and Thomas Brown ; trustee, W. J. Dawson ; treasurer, W. Ellsworth Dawson ; -superintendent of the Sunday-school, Mrs. M. Bickner. At a subsequent meeting other officers were chosen as follows : Trustees, Thomas Brown, Z. P. Gilmore, L. S. Upton and George H. Moores; auditor, Mrs. George H. Moores, thus completing the first roster of officers of the new church. At a business meeting held November 13, 1889, a cell to the pastorate was extended to Rev. H. A. Nixon, his services to be continued after January 1, 1890, if the church should be successful in its efforts to obtain aid from the Ohio Baptist Convention. The call was accepted and, under the direction of the pastor, arrangements were begun for the dedication of the remodeled church edifice. These services were held Sunday December 8, 1889, at 2:30 o'clock P. M. Rev. George B. Simons, of. the First Baptist Church, by invitation, preached the dedicatory sermon ; others, including the new pastor, spoke, and a large male chorus under the direction of Prof. J. F. Ransom, sang. The attendance by Baptists from all parts of the city and by the people of the immediate vicinity was very large, and the occasion was a marked event in the history of the West Side. The Council of Recognition of the new church convened at the church building, Thursday, December 19,1889. The delegates were as follows : Rev. J. S. Goff and Doctor J. H. Gearheart, Sunbury ; Deacon George, A. Bockoven, Berlin ; Rev. J. V. K. Seeley, Central College and Jersey; Rev. J. C. Baldwin, Granville ; Deacon John Evans, North Baptist Church, Columbus; Rev. G. B. Simons and Deacon E. D. Kingsley, First Baptist Church, Columbus; Rev. J. A. Snodgrass, Hildreth Baptist Church, Columbus. Rev. G. B. Simons was chosen moderator of the council and Z. P. Gilmore, clerk. In the evening the concluding exercises were held. Rev. IL A. Nixon served as moderator, Rev. J. C. Baldwin preached the recognition sermon, Rev.. J. V. K. Seeley offered the prayer of dedication, Rev. G. B. Simons delivered the charge to the church and Rev. J. A. Snodgrass the charge to the pastor. Rev. H. A. Nixon continued as pastor until June, 1892. The first missionary effort of the North (or Russell Street) Baptist Church was made in 1890 when a Sundayschool was established in a vacant storeroom at 1547 North High Street, near Tenth Avenue. The school grew so rapidly that it was decided late in the year to organize a church, and the meeting         that purpose was held on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 1890. E. F. Roberts   pre- sided and F. W. Sperr was Secretary. The constituent members, most of whom had been dismissed from the Russell Street Church, were as follows: Mrs. Abby Bunker, Miss Kate Bunker, Miss Addie Bunker, Mrs. Cora Coulter, Dolly Engle-hart, Mrs. W. F. Englehart, Mrs. Lucy Englehart, Travis Englehart, Gertic Engle-hart, Edwin C.. Green, Mrs. Allie M. Green, George Gibbs, John Grove, Mrs. Susie Grove, Lemmit Gilmore, J. H. Good, Mrs. Emma Good, Charles Gilmore, Mrs. L. B. Hayward; Charles M. Jaynes, Mrs. Harriet M. Jaynes, Carrie Knight, Grace M. Knopf, James Kennen, Mrs. Mollie Kennon, Catharine Lynas, Nina Long, Rose A. Moore, Maud Moore, Mrs. Mary Maxfield, Miss Anna E. Mehurin, Miss Ella G. Mehurin, S. B. Nichols, Mrs. Jennie Nichols, Harry Nichols, Mrs. Clementine Ogle, Mrs. Nancy Outcalt, Mrs. Alice Robinson, Wm. H. Robinson, Miss Florence Rees, Daniel G. Snyder, Henry Snyder, Mrs. Ann Snyder, Mrs. Anna C. Snyder, Mattie B. Simpson, F. W. Sperr, Mrs. Julia S. Sperr, Mrs. Francis L. Stephens, Miss Sarah Throckmorton, J. D. Warner, Mrs. Laura Warner, Hayward Warner, Mrs. Mary Williams, Kittie Williams, Mrs. Emma Williams ; — total, fifty-five. The council for the formal recognition of the new church was held January 20, 1891. In that body there were pastors and delegates representing the Baptist churches of Columbus, Delaware, Central College and Sunbury; Rev. J. Hawker, 688 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. J. B. Schaff, J. S, Wrightnour and George E. Leonard, of the State Convention Board ; Rev, T. G, Field, District Secretary of the American Baptist Missionary Union, and Mr. B, J. Loomis, of Jefferson, Ohio, one of the founders of the Russell Street Mission, The Council organized by the election of Rev. Mr, Wrightnour as moderator and J. S, Gough as clerk, After the usual formalities of examination, a resolution of recognition was adopted. Rev, J, Hawker extended the hand of fellowship to the church, and Mr. E F, Roberts, the prospective pastor, responded on behalf of the church, Rev, G. E. Leonard delivered the charge to the church, Other participants in the exercises were : Rev, H, A. Nixon, Rev. P. J. Ward, Rev, C, H. Haas and Rev. J. V. K. Seeley, The first officers of the church were as follows: Trustees, Theophilus Reese, S, B, Nichols, C, M. Jaynes, D. J, Burnett, D. G, Snyder, J, D. Warner and F. W. Sperr ; treasurer, F. W. Sperr ; clerk, C, M. Jaynes ; deacons, J. D, Warner, E. C. Green and D. G. Snyder, Mr. E. F. Roberts, who had decided to enter the ministry and who had been. working for some time with the mission, was called as pastor March 22, 1891, In the following June, Mr, Roberts was ordained and formally entered on the discharge of his duties as pastor, The ordination services were held in the Russell Street Baptist Church, Rev, B, F, Patt being moderator ard Rev, H,. A, Nixon clerk, The other ministers participating were; Rev J. V. K. Seeley, Adam Fawcett, Dr. Colby, George E. Leonard, P, J. Ward, C. H. Haas, About this time a room for services was leased at 1413 North High Street, a short distance south of the first site, and there the church is still worshiping, while awaiting the completion of its edifice on Tenth Avenue, a short distance west of High Street. At the end of his year's pastorate, Rev. Mr, Roberts declined to be a candidate for reelection and on May 11, 1892, Rev. E. E. Williams, of Toledo, was called to the pastorate. He accepted and preached his first sermon June 12, As related elsewhere, the Second Baptist Church (colored) was set off as a branch from the First Baptist Church in 1836, although it was not organized as an independent church until October 18, 1839, The original membership of this branch, according to the records of the First Baptist Church, nutnbered sixteen, as follows: Ezekiel Fields, Letha Fields, Miles Fields, Patsy Booker, George and Mary Butcher, Pleasant and Catherine Litchfield, William Gardner, Sarah Wood- son, Priscilla Flood, Phoebe Randall, Shubal Fields, David and Susan Sullivant and Susan Watson. Rev. James Poindexter, pastor of the Second Baptist Church, furnishes the following sketch : The first pastor of the Second Baptist Church was Elder Ezekiel Fields. In a short time after he was chosen, quite a revival occurred, resulting in additions to the church which raised its membership to forty. At the end of three years, Elder Fields resigned the charge and Elder Wallace Shelton, then the ablest colored Baptist' preacher in the West, was chosen pastor. In a year from the time he took charge the membership increased to over a hundred. Elder Shelton held the pastorate four years, and during that time the church purchased the lot and erected the building in which it now worships, at the southeast corner of Gay and Lazelle streets. The next pastor was Elder Allen E. Graham, whose administration was unfortunate, The church divided ; forty members left in a body and organized the First Antislavery Baptist Church of Columbus, [Note by 0. C, H,: This was in 1847. A few years after the separation, the Antislavery Baptists erected a brick church on Town Street between Fifth and Sixth, In 1858, they reported their membership at 104, Rev, James Poindexter was fora time the pastor,] The next pastor was William P. Newman, who served six months the next Elder Charles Satchel, six months ; then Elder F. N. Stewart, four years ; then Elder Allen Brown, two years and six months, Several years elapsed between the end of Elder Stewart's administration and the election of Elder Brown and, during that time, the Antislavery Baptists disbanded and united with the Second Baptist Church. On the resignation of Elder Brown, Rev. James Poindexter, the present pastor, was called to the charge which he has held continuously for the last twenty-eight years, In 1871, sixty mem - bers of the church obtained letters of dismission and organized Shiloh Baptist Church, BAPTIST - 689 whose house of worship is on Cleveland Avenue, between Long and Spring streets. In 1888, sixteen other members obtained letters of dismission and, with four others from other churches, organized Union Grove Baptist Church, whose house of worship is on North Champion Avenue. The immersion of converts to the Baptist faith, a rite which has always proved interesting to the curious, was, until 1858, when the baptistery was con- MEMORIAL BAPTIST CHURCH. structed the First Church, administered in the Scioto River. Crowds invariably gathered and the early records show that it became necessary for the church to protect itself from the ridicule of unbelievers by the appointment of officers to keep order. There is, however, no record of violence, but the annoyance of the crowds, as well as the inconvenience of outdoor baptism made an indoor arrange. 44 * 690 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. ment for the administration of the rite desirable. The baptistery in the First Church was used for the first time on Sunday evening, July 18, 1858, in the immersion of John Williams and Catherine Decker. The most remarkable outdoor baptisms in the history of the city were those conducted by Shiloh Baptist Church from 1879 to 1882. The place where the rite was administered was the Scioto River just north ,of the Broad Street bridge, and the time was in February or March. The announcements were made publicly, in advance, and great crowds were attracted to the river bank. The newspapers gave long and graphic accounts of the unusual spectacle, from one of which the following is taken : The bridge was packed with spectators and the west bank was thronged, while shops, foundries and other buildings were black with humanity, and the entire sweep down the river to below Town Street was crowded with people, gazing from every available point, some with opera glasses. Others, more fortunate and daring, had secured boats and rowed near to the scene. The converts and congregation arrived soon after 12 o'clock noon and were hemmed in so closely that those in front were crowded into the water. The sun shone, but the wind was cold and the spectators were chilled through. The old-time melodies of Shiloh rang out in immense volume to be heard by all. Then prayer was offered, no less distinctly, the aged gentleman having a powerful voice which was heard for a quarter of a mile. The novel part of the exercises, from the standpoint of the curious, next took place, the congregation singing the while. A gentleman was immersed first, when the work was rapidly continued, the majority of the candidates being women. There was considerable demonstration on the part of some of the women who, after being immersed, were with difficulty conducted to the shore. In one instance the reverend gentleman who was administering the ordinance was thrown down, and assistants who came to his rescue were likewise pushed under by superior physical force. Although in nowise to the credit of the immense gathering, these demonstrations were greeted in their turn with unmuffied applause, extending up and down the river to an extent which would have made it difficult under ordinary circumstances, to determine whether the enthusiasm was in recognition of the victor on the homestretch at a National regatta or, as it was, an observance of the holy rite of baptism. Another feature of Shiloh's activity which, like the public baptisms, was well meant but of questionable influence on outsiders, was the series of campmeetings held in 1880-1-2 at what is now Franklin Park. One of the purposes of the campmeetings was to raise money with which to secure a new church home. A small the was charged at the gates and the general public was attracted by programmes announcing " The Killing of the Fatted Calf;" "The Midnight Sermon : Behold the Bridegroom Cometh ;" " The March Around the Walls of Jericho," etc. Thousands of people flocked to the park, many of them with no thought that there was anything sacred about the grotesque demonstrations. The first year, so boisterous and excited was the crowd that the march around the walls of Jericho was dispensed with, but the second year, it was given, the worshipers carrying lanterns and blowing horns and being followed by the rabble with hooting and jeering. The experience of the first two campmeetings taught the wiser ones that such demonstrations accomplished no good, if they were not actually dangerous, and in 1882, the services were more soberminded, though crowds aggregating 5,000 to 7,000 persons continued to attend. The camp meeting lasted each year for fifteen or twenty days and the net profit to the church for the three years was about three thousand dollars. With this money Shiloh Church which had, since its organization in 1871, worshiped in a building on the south side of Long Street between High and Third, paid in part for their present house of worship (formerly Christie Methodist Episcopal Chapel) on Cleveland Avenue. The dedication of the building to its new use occurred August 10, 1884, the services being participated in by Revs. Mitchell, Green, James Poindexter and the pastor, Rev. James Sheweraft. The BAPTIST - 691 work of Shiloh has progressed without notable. incident since that time, until now it has a membership of 340 members. Four pastors have served since Rev. Mr. Shewcraft retired, as follows Rev. L. B. Moss, Rev. G. W. Scott, Rev. W. E. Nash and Rev. W. P. Cradic, who is now in charge. The Union Grove Baptist Church had its origin in a Sunday-school of a nondenominational character begun in 1886 under a tree near. the corner of Hughes and Baker streets. With about a dozen regular attendants, Mrs. Cordelia Thompson, who was superintendent, teacher and chorister, moved soon to a log cabin, now demolished, which stood on Mt. Vernon Avenue, a short distance east of Champion Avenue. Here Mrs. Thompson and others who came to her assistance labored for some time, but Mrs. Thompson's health failed and the school was turned over to the Baptists. It was in December, 1887, that Jesse B. Ridgway, of the Second Baptist Church, took charge of the school which was then given the name the church now bears by a committee composed of Maggie Jackson, Fanny Isbell and the new superintendent. The organization of the church was effected April 29, 1888. Rev. James Poindexter officiated, assisted by Rev. Irving W. Metcalf, of Eastwood Congregational Church, Rev.. W. E. Nash, of Shiloh Baptist Church, and Elder Meredith. The original membership, was twenty, most of which was drawn from the Second Baptist Church. The first business meeting was held on May 10, 1888, and the first officers were then elected as follows: Trustees, John Littleton, Jeremiah Freeland, Thomas E. Isbell, Henry Harris and Lewis Ross; clerk, J. B. Ridgway; assistant clerk, Maggie Jackson. Rev. W. E. Nash was the first pastor of the church, his pastorate extending from September 2, 1888, to April 26, 1891, during which time the membership grew to 168. A lot was purchased on Champion Avenue near Mann Street, which, after it had been enlarged by a donation from Charles Games of four feet frontage, was built upon. The cornerstone was laid July 21, 1889, and the edifice,' which is of brick and now almost complete, will soon be formally dedicated. Rev. A. M. Lewis, the present pastor, began his labors May 10, 1891. The membership is now about 175. Bethany Baptist Church (colored), which is now worshiping in a building of its own at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Sixth Street, had its origin in a Sundayschool, begun in the fall of 1888 on East Fifth Avenue. It was nondenominational, both Methodists and Baptists attending. In the spring of 1889, the Baptists under the leadership of William A. Burk, a member of Shiloh Baptist Church, withdrew from the alliance and began holding services separately at the residence of James Jackson in the same vicinity. Mr. Burk conducted the Sundayschool as superintendent and, in the following summer, a public meeting was called to consider the advisability of erecting a church building. Mr. Burk's proposition to give a lease of a lot for three years, if a building was erected, was accepted, and a frame structure was put up on East Fifth Avenue, being first used in November, 1889. In April, 1890, R. C. Minor, a young minister of the Baptist faith, came to Mr. Burk's assistance and later began preaching at the church. The question of establishing an independent church arose, but was opposed by some on the ground that it would weaken the old churches without doing any special good otherwise. In August, 1890, Mr. Burk resigned as superintendent of the school and was succeeded by Mr. Minor, a strong advocate of a separate church. In October, revival services were begun and a number of persons professed conversion, thus encouraging the idea of independent organization. On January 1, 1891, a meeting was held and it was decided to go ahead with the organization. J. D. Warner of the Tenth Avenue Baptist Church, was moderator and Professor F. W. Sperr, of the same church, was secretary. It was decided that the church should be called Bethany Baptist Church, The articles of faith and the covenant were adopted and thirteen persons were enrolled as 692 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. members, actual or prospective. Of these only four were in good standing as Baptists, viz , R. C. Minor, Harvey Johnson, Mary A. Madden and Liddie Johnson. The others were received to membership after their baptism a few days later. The church, thus organized, called Rev. R. C. Minor to the pastorate: In November, 1891, the building was moved from the leased lot to the present site which had been purchased for $700. The church has grown steadily and now has a membership of forty-two. CHAPTER XLIV. LUTHERAN. 1 The earliest settlers in Columbus belonging to the Lutheran Church were Lorentz Hey! and his wife, together with their two sons, Conrad and Christian, a widowed daughter — Regina Pilgrim — and her family, and a grandson named Christian Meyer ; all of whom arrived in 1813. At the beginning of the year 1818, about a dozen families of the same denomination had taken up their homes here and about as many more were located on farms in Franklin County, east of the Scioto River. The first steps to gather and organize these members into a congregation were taken under the lead of Rev. Michael J. Steck, then of the neighboring town of Lancaster. The first Lutheran service was conducted by him later in the same year, in a secondstory room of Christian Heyl's " 0. H. Perry Inn," afterwards known as the Franklin House, on South High Street. Three or four individuals of the German Reformed Faith, who' were intermarried with Lutherans, united with the congregation, the services and pastors of which, however, were exclusively Lutheran from the beginning and throughout its entire history. The name given to the church was St. Paul's, which it still retains. After Rev. Charles Henkel, from Shenandoah County, Virginia, its first resident pastor, took charge of the congregation in the fall of 1819, the meetings were first held at the house of Conrad Heyl, southeast corner of Rich and Front streets. Among the earliest members besides those abovenamed were Gottlieb Lichtenecker, William Altmann, Jonathan Knieriemer, Henry and Philip Borman, Simon Stahl, John and Peter Putnam, Rudolph Loeliger and their respective families. Among those from the country, chiefly from Madison, Hamilton, Jefferson and Mifflin town- ships, were George, John and David Ridenour, Michael Neuschwender, Jesse Baugh- man, John Saul, " Father" Heltzel (for whom the Heltzel Church, afterwards built six miles southeast of Columbus, was named), and his sons Jacob, Nicholas and Philip, and Frederick Stambaugh, and their families. Some of these lived from nine to twelve miles from Columbus, but nearly or quite all of them were, when the weather or the state of the roads permitted, regular attendants at the church services, usually coming on horseback and often mounted two on the same horse. During sleighing seasons rough, homemade sleds were used as conveyances. Early in 1820 the church lot, Number 561, southeast corner of Third Street and the alley between Town and Rich streets, was bought of John Waddle for two hundred dollars, and the erection of a frame church building thereon was immediately begun in the spring of that year. From a little memorandum book in the handwriting of Christian Heyl, it appears that the first payment on the lot, amounting to $60, was made up of a contribution of $43 by himself and one of [693] 694 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. seventeen dollars by Gottlieb Lichtenecker. An item —" paid postage on letter to Lancaster, 50 cents — is a curious memento of the postage rates in those days. The work upon the church building progressed Slowly, since none of the members and but few of the other citizens had more than- a very moderate supply of this world's goods, but all helped as beg they could to forward the work by small contributions of money, labor, or materials until the building was finally fit for occupation. The pulpit was built in the style then common, being rather high and approached by six or eight steps from the floor. The altar, built on a platform a single step above the main floor in front of the pulpit, was of octagonal form and surrounded by a balustrade, around which, at celebrations of the Lord's supper, the communicants twice circled. each in turn, on arrival at the front, bowing or courtesying before receiving the consecrated bread and wine. There were at that time only two other church buildings in the village ; these were the Presbyterian on Front Street near Town, and the Methodist Episcopal on Town Street between High and Third. The Lutheran church, although very plain, compared favorably with either of them. Columbus then contained less than five hundred inhabitants. Among the first catechumens confirmed by Rev. Mr. Henkel were David, Moses and Eve Altmann, Stacey Baker and Simon Stahl, Junior. The service of the church was at first exclusively in the German language, but after a year or two Mr. Henkel also had afternoon service in English and became quite popular as an English preacher. He subsequently served also the Heltzel congregation and another at Delaware, the latter only once every four weeks, and on week days as time permitted. On June 22, 1825, he was regularly ordained as pastor of the three congregations by the Lutheran Synod convened at Lancaster, the custom of the Synod then being to require r. probation of several years of candidates for ordination who were licensed, ad interim, to perform nearly all the rites of ordained ministers. This is no longer the practice. When sickness or absence prevented Mr. Henkel from officiating, the service was usually conducted by Lorenz Heyl, the senior member of the congregation, who was an excellent reader and had long been accustomed to a similar service at his own family altar. Besides leading the liturgical service and singing, he usually read a sermon appropriate to the Sunday of the church year, from a German book of sermons. He died in the spring of 1832, his loving and faithful wife having preceded' him into eternity a year earlier, after a happy union with him of over sixtythree years.. As the congregation was then without a pastor, Rev. Dr. Hoge, of the Presbyterian Church, officiated at her obsequies. In 1827 Pastor Henkel accepted a call to the Somerset Charge and the Columbus congregation was without a pastor for four years,.and granted the use of its building to the Episcopalians; who had then organized a congregation and had no church edifice. In the fall of 1831 Rev. William Schmidt, a native of Germany, who bad projected the establishment of a theological seminary at Canton,, Ohio, which institution, by action of the Ohio Synod and with consent of its founder, had been removed to Columbus, was called to take charge of the congregation. Professor Schmidt accepted this call and maintained the pastoral relation to which it invited him, until his death in the fall of 1839. During his ministry the German language alone was used in the service of the congregation, then chiefly composed of German immigrants and their descendants. He was a man of great learning and indefatigable energy, very fond of horticultural pursuits and always ready to push a wheelbarrow, swing a scythe or follow a plow when his professional duties would permit. Of pronounced opinions, he was yet of a very kindly nature, unassuming to a fault and accessible to the humblest of his parishioners, in whose welfare he always manifested a lively interest which won their hearts and confidence to such a degree that they came to him for advice and comfort in all their trials and never failed to realize that they had in their pastor a true friend and wise counselor. LUTHERAN - 695 His predecessor, Mr. Henkel, survived him several years. Both were greatly loved and revered, not only by their congregations but by all who knew them. In the fall of 1837, Professor Schmidt paid his last visit to his father and other near relatives in Germany (his mother having died several years: before), and remained away about a year, during which 'interval Rev. Christian Espich officiated in his place both as professor and as pastor. During all the early years of the congregation up to 1841, Christian Heyl was the leading spirit of its lay membership. As a worker in the church and as a contributor to its interest he was alike prominent. His house, the same in which the congregation was first organized, was always open to any Lutheran or Reformed minister who traveled through Columbus. To clergymen and lay delegates the hospitalities of his home were extended without charge. He nearly always represented the congregation at the church conventions and was accustomed to supply from his own pocket any deficiencies in what he regarded as proper contributions to the synodical treasury from the society to which he belonged. In the spring of 1840 Rev. Doctor Charles F. Schaeffer, of Hagerstown, Mary- land. was elected pastor of the church and professor of the Seminary. A pro- found. scholar, thoroughly at home in the German and English languages, he was also an acceptable preacher, and soon reintroduced. the English afternoon services which had been discontinued after Mr. Henkel s resignation in 1827. He also, soon after his installation, started an English Sundayschool in addition to the German one then in successful operation. Rev. F. W. Winkler, of Newark, New Jersey, having been installed as an additional professor in the Seminary in 1842, a disagreement arose between him and Professor Schaeffer in regard to the use of the English language in the instruction at the Seminary and also in the service of the congregation. Because of this trouble and others not of a doctrinal nature, Doctor Schaeffer resigned the pastorate and Rev. Konrad Mees was elected to succeed him. About the same time a lot at the corner of High and Mound streets was purchased, the old lot being accepted as part payment. for the new one and subsequently sold to the -Universalist Society. On the lot newly purchased the church which now stands upon it was soon afterwards erected. The English service was discontinued but the question as to the use of the English language in the Seminary continued to be agitated until, in 1845, it led to action by the Synod which a large proportion of the congregation disapproved and resented by withdrawal. Two new congregations were then organized — a German one under the name of Trinity Lutheran and an English one bearing the name of First English Lutheran, both under the pastorate of Rev. William F. Lehmann, who had been elected sole Professor of the Seminary. The meetings during the first year were held in the chamber known as Mechanics' Hall, occupying the upper story of a building at the southeast corner of High and Rich streets, in other words on the site of the cabin in which Christian Heyl established his home when he first arrived in Columbus in 1813. The two new congregations, composed of substantially the same members, after the first year rented the German Evangelical Church on Mound Street, near Third, and there organized both German and English Sunday schools. In 1850 the congregations, in accordance with their original design, amicably separated and the members of the English division, choosing Rev. E. Greenwald, of New Philadelphia, as their pastor, held their Sunday and weekday services in the old " Covert School" building which the Seminary had purchased for its use in connection with the Capital University. After 1853 they occupied the old Congregational Church on Third Street, above Broad, under the successive pastorates of Rev. Professors D. Worley and E. Schmid. Since their removal to their own building (first on Rich and later on East Main Street) they have been served by Reverends George Beck, Peters and S W. Kuhns. 696 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. The German division, soon after the separation, built the large brick edifice on Third Street below South, under their pastor, Rev. Professor Lehmann. It is pleasant here to record that, while the controversies in 1842 and the succeeding four or five years which were referable almost exclusively to apprehensions, due or undue, as to encroachments of the English language, gave rise to several suits involving property rights, and excited a good deal of personal acrimony, the lapse of time, with a calm retrospect of the unfortunate misconceptions of each others' motives, and adjuster appreciation of the true spirit which actuated both parties, whose common loyalty to and solicitude for the best interests of the church of their choice, are now acknowledged by both, has happily long ago healed all individual wounds, removed personal animosity and fully restored the fraternal relations and mutual confidence which a community of faith and of devotion to its teachings ought never to have allowed to be interrupted. St. Paul's Lutheran Church. 2 — This is one of the oldest church organizations in Columbus. Mention has been made of its successive' pastors antecedent to Rev Konrad Mees, who was called to its pastorate on June 6, 1843, and has now faithfully served it during fortynine successive years. In 1844 its large brick edifice on the southwest corner of High and Mound streets was erected. On October 10, 1866, a fire broke out in a long frame building in rear of this church, which also took fire and was destroyed excepting only its walls. Its organ, then the finest in the city, perished with the building. Unfortunately the church property was covered by no insurance. The congregation decided to rebuild at once and it was due to the indefatigable labors of Rev. Konrad Mees that the first anniversary of the fire was celebrated by the consecration of a new church edifice. In 1871 it was decided to build a spire and remodel the church in general. Major N. B. Kelley, of East Broad Street, was selected as architect and presented plans and specifications for one of the most graceful spires in Columbus. Before the work of erecting it was begun Mr. Kelley died and Mr. Schlapp was appointed to succeed him. The entire cost of the work was about $18,000. In the fall of 1880 the three hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the publication of the Book of Concord was celebrated in a becoming manner. The church was handsomely decorated for this occasion and was crowded at the morning and evening service. In November, 1883, the congregation celebrated the four hundredth anniversary of the birth of Doctor Martin Luther. This was one of the most notable events in the history of the church. In 1890 it was decided to remodel and fresco the interior of the church and repair its organ. The contract for the frescoing was given to C. Jensen, who executed a design of great beauty. The church organ was cleaned and changed by Mr. John Sole, of Massachusetts, and now derives its motive power from a water motor in lieu of the old handpumping system. The entire cost of these improvements was about $3,500. The congregation is now almost out of debt and in a prosperous condition. Among the numerous improvements of which the church has borne the expense during the last twenty years are those of the adjacent streets, for which about $5,000 have been expended. The congregation now contains about 275 voting members. Its present officers are : Trustees, George Beck, J. F. Kaefer and G. W. Beck ; Elders, H. Schweinsberger, F. Grau, Senior, L. Brunn and A. Grunenthal ; Deacons, William Schweinsberger, E. Kramer, G. Wallerman and T. Herboltzheimer ; Treasurer, F. J. Heer. Trinity German Evangelical Lutheran Congregation.3—The original founders of this congregation, fortyeight grown persons, were members of the St. Paul's United Lutheran and Reformed Church of this city. They quitted that church on January 28, 1847, and held divine services under the leadership of Rev C. Spielmann, from time to time, in the Seminary building of the Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Ohio, Rev. W. F. Lehmann being called as a professor to this Theological LUTHERAN - 697 Seminary in the same year, the members of the congregation soon extended a call to him to become their pastor. He accepted that call. On January 28, 1848, these Lutherans organized themselves, by unanimous adoption of a constitution, as the Trinity German Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of' Columbus, Ohio. ST. PAUL'S LUTHERAN CHURCH. In the beginning of February, 1849, the new society rented the building of the German Independent Protestant Church on Mound Street and held its services in that building for eight years. Meanwhile the little flock continued to grow, by the blessing of God under the efficient pastorate of Professor Lehmann, in spite of 698 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. many hindrances and hardships, and soon began to be hopeful enough to cast about for a site for a church of its own. The congregation became from the start a mmber of the Lutheran Joint Synod of Ohio and sent its representatives to the meetings of that body. At the same time Professor Lehmann, the indefatigable worker, preached in the English language from time to time and a separate organization for English-speaking Lutherans was started and maintained. In 1852 a choir leader, Mr. Straus, was engaged at $25 per year, and at the same time the members of the vestry served as deacon in rotation in order to cut down expenses. At this time the rent for the church was $120 per year. The young congregation did not omit to exercise church discipline in several cases. On April 6, 1856, a committee which had been appointed to look up a suitable building lot reported that they had bought the lot on the corner of Third and Fulton (formerly South) streets, and the action was unanimously endorsed by the congregation. On June 8, same year, it was resolved to begin the erection of the new house of God, an edifice 56 x 106 feet in size. The congregation had. by this time more than 250 communicants and went to work with enthusiasm. On July 28, 1856, the cornerstone of the new structure was laid with great joy, Rev. C. Spielmann, Professor D. Worley, Professor D. Martens and Rev. J. A. Schulze, besides the pastor, Professor W. F. Lehmann, taking part in the ceremonies. The new church was dedicated December 20, 1857, by Professor Lehmann, Revs. Wagenhals, J. C. Schulze, M. Loy, J. A. Schulze and Professor D. Worley, the tower and basement rooms being still unfinished. The sum of $10,185 had been subscribed for lot and church, and in the beginning of 1858 $6,185 had been paid in, leaving debts outstanding to the amount of $6,560, against which were uncollected subscriptions amounting to $4,000, reducing the net indebtedness to $2,560. All moneys were raised by freewill offerings, and not a cent by fairs or other questionable means. From now on the male members met monthly and paid twenty-five cents each for the purpose of liquidating the remaining debt, and the ladies of the church started societies for the same purpose. The basement rooms were finished in 1861 and the years following. On March 29, 1863, the vestry passed the following resolution : That henceforth no one shall be received as a member of this congregation who belongs to a secret society, and that no one shall remain a member of this congregation who, being a member, joins such a society. In the same year an organ was bought and set up in the church at a cost of $1,100. In the beginning of 1866, the congregation resolved to establish in its midst a parochial school and a teacher was called. The congregation had now grcwn to about 900 communicants, and as the work in the church and college had increased to much greater proportions, they began to look around for some means to relieve their pastor somewhat, and it was resolved to call an assistant pastor ; but this resolution was rescinded in the following May, 1868. Just a year after this, the teacher was asked to resign, which he did. The parochial school after a short time died out. On June 16, 1872, the congregation, by a strong majority, endorsed the resolution of the vestry regarding secret societies, and ever since it has strictly adhered to that rule. On September 22, same year, the congregation, on the petition of Professor Lehmann and the Synod, resolved to dismiss their pastor, with great reluctance and heartfelt gratitude for his faithful services during nearly twenty-six years, henceforth to serve as Professor of Theology in the Capital University, only. In the following June Rev. R. -Herbst, of Hamilton, Ohio, was called as his successor at a salary of $1,200 a year. In 1876, the steeple was built and three fine bells put into it at a cost of $3,470. LUTHERAN - 699 In the year 1880 a doctrinal controversy on the question of predestination began between the Lutheran Synod of Missouri and that of Ohio, the former leaving the old landmarks of the genuine Lutheran faith and following to a great extent in the footsteps of John Calvin. The Ohio Synod, not wishing to give up its old standards of pure doctrine, separated from the Missouri Synod with which it had been united in the Synodical Conference, a general body of Lutherans. This controversy aroused discussion in the Trinity congregation also, but Reverend Herbst, siding with Missouri, frustrated the attempt of the congregation to take a decided stand for Ohio, to which Synod it belonged. On June 25, 1882, however, a meeting was held in which Reverend Trebel, president of the Western District of the Ohio Synod, presided. There were present 103 voting members or heads of families. It was decided by 71 against 32 votes that the congregation stand by the Ohio Synod. Reverend Herbst having shortly before severed his. connection with the Ohio Synod, his office was, according to the constitution of the congregation, declared vacant, and it was resolved to have another meeting in two weeks for the purpose of electing a new pastor. At that meeting Reverend E. A. Boehme, of New Washington, Ohio, was called, but he declined twice. On September 4, 1882, Reverend C. H. Rohe was called. He had, in the spring, resigned his pastorate in Detroit on account of broken health and was at this time recuperating in Germany. The call met him at Hoboken as soon as he set foot on his native soil again. Meanwhile Reverend Herbst was trying to start an opposition congregation within less than a square of Trinity, but with poor success. On October 8, 1882, Reverend C. H. Rohe preached in this church for the first time, but he was very reluctant for some months to accept the call for fear that his health would again give way. On December 31, 1882, the congregation, at the instance of its new pastor, resolved unanimously to go to work earnestly in reestablishing its parochial school, but circumstances hindered the execution of this resolution until August 26, 1883, when A. W. Lindemann was called as teacher. Reverend Rohe being urged to it constantly, and his health slowly improving, he finally accepted the call of the congregation as their pastor in the beginning of the year and has been at work ever since. In November,, 1883, the four hundredth anniversary of the birth of the great reformer Martin Luther was duly celebrated by Trinity congregation in conjunction with neighboring Lutheran congregations. On December 28, 1884, teacher Lindemann was called as Professor to the Teachers' Seminary at Woodville, Ohio, and II. Amelung was made teacher in his place. In 1886 the steeple and outside woodwork of the church were painted at a cost of $200. On December 29, 1888, teacher Amelung having been called to Wisconsin, C. Linsenmann was called, who is still at his post. During the summer of 1889 the entire inside of the church was renewed, frescoed, carpeted, etc., at a cost of $1,500, and a new and magnificent organ, with water motor and all modern improvements, worth $2,000, was put up by the young people of the church. Grace Lutheran Church. 4— In 1872 a majority of the members of the church known as the First English Lutheran withdrew from the Joint Synod and joined the General Council. Rev. M. Loy, D. D., invited those who wanted to remain in connection with the Joint Synod to meet at the German Trinity Lutheran Church. Late in the year 1872 an organization was effected under the name of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church. Among the first members were Professor M. Loy and family, Professor C. H. L. Schuette and family, Professor G. C. Dasher and family, George Bowman and family, John Bowman and family, David Adkins and family and William Hey' and family. Professor C. H. L. Schuette was called and served as pastor. Services were held for a time at Trinity Lutheran Church and later in the Emanuel Methodist Episcopal Church, then situated near Livingston Avenue and Third Street. In 1873 a lot was purchased on South Fourth Street 700 - HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. near Mound for $2,800. Soon afterward the congregation decided to build a frame chapel on this lot at a cost of $3,000. Professor W. F. Lehmann preached the dedicatory sermon. In 1889 the congregation, having grown numerically, decided to remodel and enlarge the church at a cost of about $5,000. Professor Schuette was assisted by students of the Capital University but, on account of his duties at that institution, he resigned the pastorate and Reverend M. R. Walter was called. After remaining one year Mr. Walter resigned and the pulpit was filled by Professor M. Loy. Rev. D. Simon was then called and remained in charge until invited to another pulpit at Prospect, Ohio, in 1882. After this event the congregation extended a call to Rev. J. Beck, of Lithopolis, Ohio, who accepted and remained with the congregation until August, 1892, when he accepted a call to Richmond, Indiana. At present the Professors of the. Capital University fill the pulpit alternately. St. Mark's English Lutheran Church.—This church was organized in the fall of 1885, at the residence of James Braucher. The organizers were mostly members of the Grace Evangelical Lutheran Congregation residing in the northern part of the city and desiring to establish a church in that section. The original members of the new society were J. B. Braucher, wife and daughter, Thomas Hill, wife and children, J. Liebold and wife, Mrs. J. Blackwood and daughters, William • Ti. Heyl and wife and Charles Hey' and wife. Services were held at the homes of the members. Two• lots for a church on the corner of Dennison and Fifth avenues were bought by Rev. J. Beck, for $1,800. Grace Lutheran Church had borrowed $2,400 from the joint Synod for an indefinite time, and it was proposed to raise this sum at once on condition that the Synod should in turn lend it to St. Mark's Church to assist it in paying for and improving its lots. The Synod consented to this and a new church was erected at a cost of $2,500. The dedicatory services were conducted by Professor A. Pfluger on the first Sunday in June, 1886. Rev. J. C. Schacht filled this pulpit from the autumn of 1888 until May, 1889, when he was succeeded by Rev. J. H. Kuhlman who remained about two years when Rev. W. N. Harley, who is still the pastor, took charge. This congregation is steadily growing. About one year ago a fine pipe organ, which adds considerably to the interest of the services, was purchased. Christ Lutheran Church. — On the removal of the Capital University to its present location from the building now occupied by the Park Hotel, in 1876, a neat brick church was erected in connection with the University on its grounds east of Alum Creek. This congregation has about 150 communicant members and has been served by Professor C. H. L. Schuette as pastor. The students of the Capital University also attend services here during the school term. St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Mission.—For a number of years Professor Theodore Mees conducted a Sunday-school in the northeastern part of the city. This led to a determination by the different Lutheran' congregations to establish a mission in that section as well as in the South Side. Accordingly, a mission society was started which holds monthly missionary meetings and services at the different Lutheran churches successively. This mission society was assisted by the professors of the Capital University until a call was extended to and accepted by Rev. J. P. Hentz, of Lima, Ohio, in the present year-1892. Since Mr. Hentz took charge two suitable lots costing $2,000 have been purchased, and it is intended to erect a neat chapel on these lots at an early day.