Sixty years with Plymouth ChurchGriswold, Stephen Morrell
History
Sixty years with Plymouth Church
Griswold, Stephen Morrell
Plymouth Church (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.)
Plymouth Church has been in charge of five different sextons during its
existence. Mr. McFarlane was its caretaker in its early years. Owing to
his bluff manner he was never very popular with the young people, and
one instance I shall never forget. One evening Charles Dickens was to
lecture in the church. As the price of the tickets was from one to two
dollars, there were not many of the boys at that time who could afford
to pay it. We were bound not to be left out, so a plan was devised to
overcome the difficulty. Accordingly we perched ourselves on a
window-sill outside, where by raising the sash slightly we could hear
and see the lecturer. All went well for a time and we were
congratulating ourselves, when the old sexton discovered us. Then there
was a scampering up Orange and down Henry to Fulton Street with
McFarlane close after. I was one of the unfortunate boys who were
caught, and the pounding which I received made such an impression upon
me that I can see and hear Charles Dickens to this day.
After Mr. McFarlane came Mr. Weld, who was the sexton for many years,
during the most exciting period of the church's history, and when it was
thronged by the greatest crowds. Mr. Weld was faithful to his trust,
never ruffled, kind to everyone and popular with all, and remained at
his post until old age and sickness called him away. His funeral was
large, attended by a great number of the members of the church. When his
body was carried down the aisle Mr. and Mrs. Beecher, arm in arm, headed
the mournful procession. If some great artist could have transferred the
scene to canvas and called it the funeral of the old sexton, it could
have taken its place among the other great paintings of church history.
Mr. George Day, one of the oldest members of the church and who is still
living, followed Mr. Weld, but remained in office only two years, being
succeeded by Mr. Smith, who filled the position for a long time in a
most acceptable manner. After him came Mr. Charles T. Halsey, who has
charge at the present time. I wish especially to mention my obligations
to him for assistance in verifying names and dates.
In close relation to the pastors and assistant pastors have been the
clerks of the church. Perhaps the one who attained the widest fame in
this capacity was Mr. Thomas G. Shearman, whose term of service was long
and included the period of the trials. At the ecclesiastical council he
made his knowledge of Congregational polity and history very manifest,
and contributed not a little to the convincing of the churches of the
denomination that Plymouth Church, while standing firm in its
independency, was yet willing and glad to recognise to the full the
fellowship of other churches, and desirous of doing all that it might
to make that fellowship cordial. The present clerk, Horatio C. King, is
but another illustration of how men of ability and position have
delighted to serve Plymouth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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