Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/482

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��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COimTY.

��warehouse of E. P. and E. Sturges, in which they for a time assembled.

In 1835, this association resolved to have a church building, and formed a meeting-house association, of which Thomas Smith was Presi- dent ; P]. P. Sturges, Treasurer ; Williamson Carothers, William Maxwell, C. L. Avery, C. T. Sherman and Robert McComb, Directors. The}' proceeded to purchase four acres of ground, on West Market street, upon which they erected a substantial brick l;)uilding, with basement for lecture and Sabl)ath-school purposes. April 8, of the same year, the Congregational Church of Mansfield was organized, by the Rev. P]. Judson and Rev. Enoch Conger, memljers of the Pres- bytery of Huron, Ohio. The}' made the follow- ing minute of the organization : " We, the un- dersigned, being present at Mansfield, Richland Co., Ohio, on the 3d day of April, A. D. 1835, as missionaries of the American Home Mis- sionary Society, proceeded, in compliance with their request, to organize the persons whose names follow, into a Congregational Church of the Lord Jesus Christ : George L. Hovey, Elizabeth Hovey, Sarah G. Nelson, Belinda Curtis, Jerusha M. Sturges, James Loughridge, John E. Palmer, Edwin Grrant, Mariah B. Suth- erland, John Walker. Sarah Hoy and Nancy Smith."

Thus, in brief, was founded the church, which has made for itself a history, has become an ornament and honor to the city, and whose channel of usefulness is broadening and deep- ening with each succeeding year.

Shortly after l)uilding the church, a comfort- able frame parsonage was erected on the same lot. During the first year, more than forty members were added to the church, most of whom had counseled its organization, and part of whom joined by letter from other churches. Thomas Smith, Daniel Cook, William Maxwell, John E. Palmer and 3Iathias Day were chosen Deacons. The following are the names of the Pastors: Seth Waldo, from August, 1835, to

��August, 1836 ; Theodore Keep, from October, 1836, to May, 1837 ; Leonard Parker, from No- vember, 1837, to September, 1840. Rev. Parker was succeeded by John Keep, who labored dur- ing a portion of the year 1842, and was suc- ceeded by James B. Walker, who remained four years. Greorge M. Maxwell was in charge from 1846 to 1850, when Mr. Walker was re- called, and remained several years. During his absence in Europe, in 1854, Rev. Mr. Ely, of Rochester, N. Y., occupied the pulpit. Follow- ing Mr. Walker, were W. W. Woodworth, Starr H. Nichols, J. G. W. Cowles. J. E. Twitchell, E. B. Fairfield and S. B. Bell. The latter was not installed, but supplied the pulpit for eighteen months.

During Mr* Fairfield's pastorate, occurred some of the most important events in the his- tory of the church, by which it gained a national reputation. The Pastor's stand regarding the troubles of Plymouth pulpit is well known to the reading world. On the 18th of August, 1870, the old church, around which clustered many tender memories, was destroyed by fire. This fire seemed almost to have been a provi- dential occurrence. The old church was some- what dilapidated ; seemed, as it were, to have outlived its usefulness ; was not up to the re- quirements of the time, or the needs of the con- gregation, and }'et was too good to abandon. Some of the members were in favor of building new, but many yet clung to the old ; the fire .came to end this controversy. Subscription papers were immediately circulated, money pledged both inside and outside the organiza- tion, and, in the course of time, the present magnificent edifice .was an accomplished tact. Mr. Fairfield was an incessant worker in the building of this church. It was dedicated June 8, 1873, and is a building of which the entire city is jvistly provid. One thing only remained to mar the pleasure and dampen the hopes which the building of this church brought with it ; a debt of $40,000 hung like a pall over it ;

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