Early History of the Third Presbyterian Church and Prospect Park 125th Anniversary talk

The former Third Presbyterian Church at 420 9th St. is now the home of the Chester Historical Preservation Committee and is being preserved and restored by them.

 

 

 

HISTORY OF THE THIRD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

                The Third Presbyterian Church of Chester, Pennsylvania, is the outgrowth of a mission located at the southwest corner of Twelfth and Upland Streets, started by the congregation of the First Presbyterian Church, then located at Fourth and Welsh Streets, in the city of Chester.  The construction of the mission chapel was commenced in 1871, but before its completion a number of those interested in it decided to organize a new church, and after a number of meetings, a petition was presented to the Presbytery of Chester for its approval of a new church organization.  This approval was procured and on October 16, 1872, the Committee of Presbytery met in the unfinished chapel and organized a new church, with forty-nine members.  On the following Sabbath, nine additional members were received into the church.

                Of the original members, Mrs. Sarah E. Brown is the only one who still is a member of our church.

                Pending the completion of the chapel, the congregation met in Fulton Hall.  The first session consisted of six elders, namely, Adam C. Eckfeldt, Dr. Stephen Parsons, John B. Hinkson, Henry B. Black, Lemuel H. Boole and Granville Yeager.

                On November 6, 1872, the Sabbath School of the church was organized and Stephen Parsons chosen as superintendent.  Shortly thereafter John B. Hinkson was chosen as assistant superintendent, and Chas. E. Thomas as secretary.

                On November 29, 1872, a charter granted by the Court of Common Pleas of Delaware County to “The Third Presbyterian Church of Chester, in Delaware County, Pennsylvania,” and the following were thereby constituted trustees:  William Hinkson, Sr., James Stephens, John B. Hinkson, Samuel Black, Lewis Ladomus, Hugh Shaw, Theodore Hyatt, Adam C. Eckfeldt and Henry B. Black.  On January 1, 1873, the First Presbyterian Church conveyed to the new church the lot and chapel at the southwest corner of Twelfth and Upland Streets.

                At a meeting of the congregation of the church held on February 12, 1873, Rev. Charles F. Thomas, D. D., F. S. Sc., was chosen pastor, the call was placed in his hands by Presbytery, and installation services were held on April 16, 1873.  Up to this time, Rev. Edwin R. Bower, D. D., had been the stated supply.

                The chapel, as originally constructed, was soon found to be too small to accommodate the growing congregation, and on June 25, 1873, the trustees decided to construct an extension of twenty feet along the western end of the chapel, in addition to a recess of five feet of pulpit, and the contract for this work was let on July 14, 1873.  During these alterations, regular services were held again in Fulton Hall.  The building thus enlarged was dedicated on October 5, 1873.

                On February 7, 1878, Rev. Charles F. Thomas tendered his resignation as pastor, but continued to act as such until the following June.

                At this time the membership of the church was one hundred and seventy-two.

                At a congregational meeting held April 3, 1878, Rev. Edwin R. Bower was chosen pastor, and the call placed in his hands by Presbytery.  He, however, declined it, as he had declined a former call at the formation of the church, deciding to continue his professorship at the Lincoln University, where he remained until his death.  On May 31, 1878, Rev. Thomas McCauley, D. D., was chosen pastor.  The call was placed in his hands by the Presbytery, and Dr. McCauley entered upon his duties as pastor on June 23, 1878, the installation services being held on October 10, 1878.

                On December 22, 1880, a board of deacons was chosen, and the first deacons elected were John Davis and David Smith.

                The affairs of the church prospered under the pastorate of Dr. McCauley, which continued until June, 1893, when he resigned, carrying with him the well wishes of the entire congregation.  During the summer of 1893 the pulpit was supplied mainly by Rev. C. H. Dunlap.  At a meeting of the congregation held on November 8, 1893, Rev. Malcolm James MacLeod was chosen unanimously as pastor, the call placed in his hands, and on November 28, 1893, Mr. MacLeod was duly installed.

                At this time the membership of the church was two hundred and forty.

                On October 5, 1893, at a meeting of the trustees, the project of building a new church was formally introduced, and a committee of three chosen to select the site.  On January 24, 1894, the congregation authorized the purchase of the Miller property, on the north side of Ninth Street, between Potter and Upland Streets, then occupied by John Cochran, having a front of one hundred and twenty feet, and a depth of three hundred and fifty feet, more or less, extending to Tenth Street, for the price of fifteen thousand dollars.  This property was purchased and the deed recorded by March 15, 1894.

                A building committee was appointed, consisting of Messrs. H. B. Black, Maxwell Ocheltree, J. Frank Black, elders, and George D. Howell, I. E. Cochran, Jr., and William Hinkson, Jr., trustees (the last being later succeeded by William Hinkson, Sr.).

Isaac Purcell was chosen as architect, the plans submitted by him were adopted, and the contract for the construction off the church building, which is now occupied by the congregation, was let to William Provost, Jr.  The total cost of the land, buildings, organ, furniture and fittings was about sixty thousand dollars.

The ceremony of “turning the first sod” was performed on May 7, 1895, in the presence of a large gathering of people.  The cornerstone was laid on Jul 11, 1895, and the opening services in the new church were held on May 17, 1896.

At this time the congregation of the church consisted of four hundred and eleven members.  The session was composed of Rev. Malcolm J. MacLeod, moderator, and Messrs. Henry B. Black, M. Ocheltree, B. F. Beatty, John B. Hinkson, John R. Sweeney, and J. Frank Block, elders, J. Frank Black being the clerk of the session.  The Board of Trustees was composed of William Hinkson, president; John B. Black, secretary; John C. Hinkson, treasurer; William R. Murphy, Engle Cochran, Jr., George d. Howell, James E. Caldwell, H. C. Farson and John C. Hinkson.

A very attractive souvenir was published and distributed in connection with the opening exercises held in the church.  This souvenir states that from the total amount of money raised for all purposes from the beginning of the church up to that time, not including Sabbath school work, was one hundred and twenty-eight thousand one hundred and eighty-six dollars.

The upper portion of the old plot facing on Twelfth Street was sold on January 7^th, 1894 to Samuel R. Bell, Jr., for four thousand three hundred and sixty dollars.  Mr. Bell also purchased from the church on September 14, 1898, for the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars a plot of ground fronting on Tenth Street, one hundred and eighteen feet front by ninety feet in depth.  On December 8^th, 1890, the church sold to the Methodist Episcopal Church Board of Church Erection of the United States, for the sum of three thousand dollars, the old church property on Upland Street, and it has since been used as a place of worship for our colored brethren.

                Dr. MacLeod served well and faithfully as pastor of the church until January 1900, when he resigned.  His resignation as accepted with the keenest regret, and he left with the universal well wishes of his congregation, who have followed him in his pastorates in Pasadena and New York City, and rejoice that he who served us so successfully and has attained to such real heights of success in other fields.

                Mr. MacLeod was succeeded by Rev. William Charles Hogg, Ph. D., who was installed as pastor on June 14, 1990, the installation services being in charge of Rev. J. L. Russell, Moderator of Chester Presbytery.

                At this time the congregation numbered four hundred and sixty-two.

                Dr. Hogg remained with the church as its pastor for more than three years, resigning in October, 1903.  During his pastorate the influence of the church broadened, and it grew in spirit and in membership.  As was true in the case of his predecessor, his congregation have with interest followed him in his later career, and his success in his Williamsport pastorate, and his activities in the General Assembly have brought pleasure to the hearts of his Chester friends.

                The present pastor Rev. Abraham Lance Lathem, Ph. D. D. D., was called as pastor of the church to succeed Dr. Hogg, and he was installed on February 18, 1904, the installation services being in charge of Rev. Philip H. Mowry, D. D., pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Chester.

                At this time the membership of the church was six hundred and forty-five.

                Up to this time the church had no manse, and to supply this need the trustees were on Maya 4, 1904, authorized at a congregational meeting to purchase the Kenworthy property, at the Northwest corner of Ninth and Potter Streets, for the sum of ten thousand dollars, and the frame dwelling located upon this plot was used as the manse from that time until the construction in 1911 of the present ornate and stately home for our pastor.

                From the organization of the church until 1907 the pew system prevailed.  In that year it was found that the church was growing so rapidly that it was becoming difficult to apportion pews and sittings among those applying for the same, and accordingly on March 20, 1907, the pew system was abolished and all pews and sittings declared free and without restriction.  At the present time all pews of the church are free at all services.

                On February 20, 1910, the church was dedicated, very impressive services marking the dedication.  At the time of the erection of the church in 1896, it had been found necessary to create a mortgage, which had been carried for fourteen years before it was paid, and the church rejoiced at its freedom from the old debt.

                At this time the membership of the church was eight hundred and twelve.

                The church continued to prosper, and the next forward step, from a material standpoint, was the erection of the new manse.  Early in 1911, a Building Committee was appointed, consisting of John C. Hinkson, chairman; John B. Black, Stacy G. Glauser, Joseph M. Harper, J. Frank Black, Edwin A. Howell, Esq., and Rev. A. L. Lathem.  As a result of competitive sketches submitted Messrs. Price and McLanahan were chosen architects, and on April 27, 1911, the contract was let to Thomas Oliver for the sum of ninety-two hundred dollars.

                On November 19, 1918, the purchase by the trustees of two dwellings, Nos. 421 and 423 East Tenth Street, in the rear of the church from James Tisdale, Sr., for seven thousand dollars, was approved by the congregation.  One of these dwellings has since been used as the home of the sexton, Mr. Frederick W. Heard, who has served in that capacity most faithfully and acceptably for many years.

                On September 10, 1920, Dr. Lathem and Mrs. James L. Rankin, superintendent of the Sabbath school, appeared before the Board of Trustees and urged the construction of an addition to the Sabbath school, to take care of the growing needs of the Sabbath school and of the Summer Bible School.  The trustees approved of the suggestion and planned the construction of an addition and after approval by the congregation contracts were let with Barclay & White for foundation work; Robert R. Scroggins, general contractor; M. H. Bickley Co., painting; Jacob C. Dankleman, plumbing, and Robert James, Jr., heating and this new addition, thirty-three feet wide and one hundred and fourteen feet deep, constructed at the rear of the Sabbath school, along the eastern side of the church plot, has just been finished and for the first time will be used in connection with the services marking the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Church.  Mr. George M. Ewing, a member of the church, was the architect who planned and superintended the construction of the addition.

                The church building as now constructed is of Avondale marble, trimmed with Indiana limestone, and roofed with Conosera terra cotta tile.  The outside dimensions of the main building are one hundred and sixteen feet front by one hundred and forty-nine deep.  The front of the church property is eighty-five feet wide, the remaining width being occupied by the Sabbath school building and porte cochere.  To this has been added the recent addition for Sunday school purposes referred to above, the latter building being so constructed as to harmonize with the rest of the church property.  In its general style the building is Gothic.  The doorways and cloisters surrounding the auditorium are broken by spire and projections, thus enhancing the effect of the dome issuing out of its classic setting and giving dignity and grace to the whole structure.  The supporting roof trusses rise from heavy pillars and meet in the center high over the heads of the audience.  The church auditorium has been the assembly place of many large congregations during the past twenty-six years.

                In the effort to carry out its Christ imposed duty of spreading the Gospel throughout the world, the church has assumed the responsibility of paying all of the salaries of its missionaries from time to time, and now is entirely supporting the following eight me of God, who are devoting their lives to His service in the following fields:

                Rev. Dario Tedesco, pastor of First Italian Presbyterian Church, Chester, Pa.  (Mr. Tedesco receives $150 from Presbytery aside from $1500 from the Third Church)

                Rev. N. Santelia, Range Parish, Minnesota

                Rev. M. A. Pearson, among the Indians in Oklahoma

                Rev. Lee H. Downing, British East Africa

                Rev. Frederick Jansen, Philippine Islands

                Rev. J. C. Whitener, Hokkindo, Japan

                Rev. John Y. Crothers, Korea (or Chosen)

                Rev. Ernest Janvier, India

                These eight men are the direct representatives of this church in their fields, but work under the agency of the Chester Presbytery in the case of Mr. Tedesco of the East African Inland Mission in the case of Mr. Downing, and of the Home and Foreign Mission Board of the General Assembly in the case of the others.

                During 1912, Dr. Lathem commenced the work of the Summer Bible School and this has grown and has proven to be a wonderful stimulus to the spiritual life off the church and community, and is now spreading to many parts of the United States.

                The industrial conditions which have prevailed during the past eighteen months have convinced this church that it owes the duty of taking care of its own members when needy cases develop.  In order to meet this need, and also to provide a fund to take care of all of its members in time of sickness and to provide death benefits, and ultimately a home for the indigent and orphans, the Third Presbyterian Mutual Welfare Society was organized, and on March 1, 1922, began to receive dues.  The Board of Deacons has, for many months, in a diligent and intelligent manner, relieved the needs of many families.

                It would be impossible to refer to the many individuals who have contributed so largely to the success of our church for the past fifty years.  The ladies of the church, through their Mite Society and Missionary Society, have done untold good; the men in their Men’s and Young Men’s Classes, Ushers’ Association, and Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip, have contributed largely to the spiritual and material growth of the church; the young people, through the Christian Endeavor Societies, have helped; and lastly, the Boy Scouts in the last two years, have been active and willing workers.

                The many personal workers have aided Dr. Lathem in the most important task of keeping in touch with the community, the newcomers in our midst and of those without church affiliation, and through their ministry many have been brought to a saving knowledge of Jesus, and into the membership of the church.

                During the fiscal year ending March 31, 1921, the amount of money contributed to the church for congregational expenses was nineteen thousand ninety-one dollars and seventy-five cents, and for missionary work and benevolences, twenty thousand nine hundred and forty-five dollars and four cents.

                At the present time the membership of the church is 1388.

                Four members of our church are preparing themselves for the ministry:  Messrs. George B. Leeder, George Thompson, Oswald Schwalbe and Wayne Munroe.

                The finances of the church for thirty-one years have been taken care of most efficiently and faithfully by John C. Hinkson, Esq., treasurer.  His fidelity to his duties, his breadth of vision and his good judgment have contributed very largely to the successful conduct of the business affairs of the church for many years; and as Sabbath School teacher and in many other ways he has played a most important part in the spiritual growth of the church.

                It is impossible to adequately praise Dr. Lathem for the very large part he has taken in all of the accomplishments of the church since he became its pastor, eighteen years ago.  Active and able, he has planned many of the forward steps taken, and in all of them he has labored zealously and efficiently.  He has endeavored by deep and constant study to know the Word, and he has honestly and fearlessly preached it.  He leads his people by example, as well as by precept.  He lives as he preaches.  He has set a most glorious example to all by the consistency of his life, the industry of every hour, his sincere desire to do good at all times, and his constant effort to win sours for Christ.  And in all of his activities, Mrs. Lathem has helped him to the uttermost.

                Our present wholesome spiritual condition is a tribute to his work.  He planned and has guided the Bible School since its inception; he is always active in the promotion of the work of the Sabbath School and Christian Endeavor Societies; he more than anyone else has established the high missionary tone of the church; his was the vision of the addition to the Sabbath School; and by his honest preaching and faithful pastoral work has created and maintained the deep interest taken by our members and the community in our church.

                He is “a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  Of him we can truly apply the words of the Psalmist:  “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he mediate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season, his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

 

 

inkson, HH