Norwalk After Two Hundred & Fifty Years

Of the various characteristics of those pastorates it is needless that I should speak in detail. The work of the church has moved along on strictly Methodist lines, true to the genius of our faith. Revival after revival has passed through our church, and hundreds have bowed at her altars in contrition for sin. Her growth has been steadv from the little band who initiated the movement to the present membership which is the largest of any Protestant church in the township. We say this not in the spirit of boasting, but rather humiliated by the consciousness of how much more might have been done and with a clear vision of the vastness of the work 70 that lies still at our hands. The record of these years if they lead to congratulation ought to lead to consecra- tion ; if they show what God hath wrought ought also to show what is of great value, and that is that our church history is not made, but rather in the making and that we are the inheritors of a church and its prop- erty, whose value lies in the God given work for our community that can yet be exercised by the spirit and controlled by the mind of Christ Our ecclesiastical history may not date as far back on the calendar as some of our sister churches. Let us give them honor for the work they have done and let us remember that the future belongs to both them and us till we all come in a unity of faith, and of the knowl- edge of the Son of God, — and grow up unto Them, in all things, which is the head, even Christ. GRACE CHURCH, NORWALK, CONN. go out and establish her own house- N the early Spring of 1890 a petition was presented to the Bishop and Standing Committee of the diocese of Connecticut asking for the organiza- tion of a new parish in the town of Norwalk. This petition was signed by one hundred and twenty-five persons, including a number of the prominent communicants of St. Paul's Church. The ground for such action was the sincere convic- tion that there was great need of another parish in the central part of the borough, and that the time had come when "a daughter" might, without disloyalty or injury to the "mother,' hold. On Sept. 16th, the Standing Committee, with the hearty approval of the bishop, gave unanimous consent to the formation of the parish, which decision was based on their judgment that a separate organization would be far better than a chapel. On September 24th, Grace Church parish was legal- ly formed, Messrs. A. C. Golding and W. H. Smith were elected wardens ; Gould Hoyt, clerk ; Levi Warner, agent, and Chas. F. Osborn, Robert Van Buren, W. F. Bishop, T. S. Morrison, G. W. Cram and Wm. Lockwood, ves- trymen. To this number were afterwards added Messrs. W. S. Moody, Jr., C. W. Many and W. E. Montgomery. The Hon. James W. Hyatt was made treasurer, with Mr. W. E. Montgomery as his assistant. A subscription paper was immediately started, and a building committee appointed. They had plans pre- pared by Messrs. Thayer and Wallace, of Brooklyn, and recommended that the parish purchase the Belden prop- erty on the angle of Belden avenue and Cross street. This site was finally chosen, the fine old house was removed, and ground was broken for the church about the tenth of November. The work was rapidly pushed forward during the winter under the direction of Mr. A. C. Golding, and the building was completed on April 20th. In the mean- time the ladies had organized a guild and were busy in raising funds for the furniture. They gave, in all, to this object, $1,300. The church is, in many respects, an ideal one for a rural town. Its situation is exceptionally beautiful. The building, constructed entirely of wood, is shingled from peak of tower to foundation, with an interior finish of ash and southern pine. The ground plan is cruciform, So. ft. long, and 48 1-2 ft. wide across the transepts. The nave is 54x25 ft. The choir (25x12 ft.) is outside of the chancel arch, raised three steps above the main floor, and ihe sanctuary (13x10 ft.) is formed by the organ chamber and vestry room. An ambulatory, now used as choir vestry, extends across the church, back of the chancel. Over the intersection of nave and transepts the large square tower rises to the height of 45 ft. affording light and ventilation from twenty small windows. The bap- tistry is in the west transept near the choir. The chan- cel furniture and stalls are of oak ; the pews of ash. The altar stands as a memorial of Margaret and Amelia Bel- den, the former owners of the parish property. The solid silver communion service is given in memory of Edwin and Eliza S. Hoyt by their children. Other special gifts are the brass cross, vases and altar desk, the credence table, the font, alms basins, hymn board and alms boxes. The organ has two manuals and sixteen stops. In construction, quality of tone and power, it is a splendid and thoroughly satisfactory instrument. The windows are of stained glass, in simple designs and bright colors. The approach is by broad steps to an open porch from which three doors give entrance to the nave. From this brief description it can be seen that, while in no sense pretentious, the church is complete in every detail and a model of good taste. The property, as it stands, is valued at $25,000. Current expenses are met by voluntary pledges, paid by the envelope system, and pews are assigned without ref- erence to the amount pledged. On February 17, 189 1, the Rev. S. H. Watkins, of New Haven, was elected rector, and entered upon his duties on April 27. On the evening of this day the bish- op dedicated the church, and preached from Psalm xcvi. 6-9. A large congregation filled the building to over- flowing. The music was rendered by the vested choir under the leadership of Mr. J. H. Baker, of Bridgeport. The Rev. W. F. Watkins, D.D., of Philadelphia, Olin Hallock, of South Norwalk, and the rector assisted in the service. 73 The regular services were begun on the fifth Sun- day the Sunday-school was organized, with eight teach- ers and forty-two scholars. The parish starts with a list of sixty-two families, eighty-seven communicants and 220 individuals — a very satisfactory '"nucleus." But these figures fail to tell of the enthusiasm and zeal which give great promise of the steady growth and make the outlook most encouraging. At the recent convention of the diocese the parish was admitted into union with that body. Thus organized and equipped, the young "daugh- ter" in this old diocese and older parish begins her labors for Christ and His Church. The old house of post revolutionary times was, as mentioned above, moved back forty feet from the rear of the church on Reiden avenue. It has been thorough- ly renovated, restored in olden style and made over into a handsome and comfortable rectory. In the Spring of '92 Mr. N. Ferris took charge of choir after Mr. Baker left. In the summer of 1892 A. D. the Guild Room was built at a cost of about $1,000. Mr. H. Hills. Jr., became organist and choir master in the Fall of 1892. In May, 1894, Miss Jennie K. Nash succeeded Mr. Hills, and was succeeded in turn by Mr. Jas. F. Baker on May 1st, 1897. Mr. Thos. S. Morison, Vestryman, died on April 2 1st, 1894. The entire debt of the Parish (some $7,800) was paid in September, 1896, and the property deeded to the Trustees of Donations and Bequests for Church pur- poses. The contributors were C. F. Osborn, $5,000; E. A. Woodward, $1,000; Robert and Louise Van Bu- ren, W. F. Bishop, T. S. Vanderhoef, Sophia Weed, M. C. Couch, S. H. and Helen R. Watkins, Goold Brush, L. N. Phinney, Munson Hoyt, Wm. Lockwood, Rebecca Matthews, E. K. Gregory, Mary Martin, A. R. Malkin, Miss Emily Mott, Miss Lizzie Hoyt, Miss Fannie Hoyt, Wm. H. Smith. Miss Florence Morison, Levi Warner, Wm. Butterworth, Miss Cornelia Camp. Albert Davis. Rev. S. H. Watkins resigned the rectorship on Feb- ruary 9th, 1897, and the same took effect on Easter Dav, April 18th. Mr. Chas. F. Osborn, Vestryman, died on February 25th, 1897. Rev. Johnson McClure Bellows entered upon his duties, as rector, May 15th ,1897. Church consecrated by the Right Reverend Chaun- cev Burns Brewster, D.D., successor to the Rt. Rev. John Williams, D.D., assisted by the Rt. Rev. Ethel- bert Talbot, D.D., Bishop of Central Pennsylvania, Tuesday, June the twentieth, Eighteen Hundred and Ninety-nine. Parish house leased by Mrs. Chas. F. Osborn, Octo- ber 1st, 1900, being the house, No. 2, Belden Place, own- ed by Wallace Dann, Esq." The total number of families in Grace Parish, No- vember 1st, 1901, was 185; total number of persons, 530; total number of communicants, 316. 75 AT CHRIST CHURCH, EPISCOPAL WESTPORT EV. George Weed Barhydt, Rector, spoke as follows: Tn response to the request that came to us from the Committee on Literary Exercises for the 250th anni- versary of the incorporation of the town of Norwalk, of which town the portion of Westport that lies on the west side of the Saugatuck and south of the old Weston line, was a part for 184 of the 250 years, we have gladly joined with the people of that ancient town in hymns of thanksgiving and praise and have with sincerity prayed that its present and future may be consonant with so worthy a past. It is wise and pregnant with helpful re- sults to lay hold of with thoughtful minds the reverend history that comes down to us as our most precious herit- age. Of the town and nation as of the individual, it is true that honorable and noble standards of principle and conduct in the generations that have wrought and now rest from their labors, give birth to a noblesse-oblige that is all-controlling and can be ignored only with a loss of prestige and a degradation that is as sad as ruinous. The town of Norwalk has an honorable and noble past and we rejoice that the heritage is also ours as the ances- tors of the Westport people helped to win the glories that to-day crown this town's story. So we and especially Christ Church Parish have a rightful part in the rejoic- ings and thanksgivings of this memorable occasion.