Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-04
House of Hope.

| The history of this church dates back to
1866, when Rev. E. D. Neill, after having
severed his connection with the First Pres
byterian society, in November, 1856, an
nounced through circular that the Pres
| byterian mission, which was commenced
| in April, 1S49, and discontinued upon the
organization of the First church would be
resumed by him, and further announcing
| that services will be held every Sunday
afternoon at 315 o'clock in the lower room
of the district school house on Walnut
street, near Fort, commencing Nov. 25,
| 1865" On this date services were held as
announced; the audience from the first
were unexpectedly large, but before one
month had passed it was determined to
perfect a permanent organization. In
conformity with this plan the church was
| organized on Dec. "a, 1856, with J. II.
Stewart, NJ. D., Mrs. William L. Banning,
| Mrs. Henrietta Horne, now Mrs. Colgrave,
and Mrs. Edward D. Neill. The name
chosen was ''The House of Hope" from
the old Dutch redoubt, which in the seven
tenth century, stood upon the present site
of the city of Hartford, Conn. Trustees
were elected Feb. 90, 1856, and held their
first meeting March 4. The first additions
to the society were made on the first Sunday
of the new year, eight communicates be-
ing received by letter at that time
and at the same time MILFORD L. Wilson
was chosen ruling elder. In January,
1857, lots were purchased and prepara-
tions were made to build church and
stone was determined on for the material
Al, H4,% fLa o;o1
crisis of 1857 subdued their desires and on
the 18th of July, 1858, committee was in
structed to build a frame church at the
least possible expenses The society were
at the time occupying Irvine hall, on the
corner of Third and Eagle streets. In De-
cember of that year the chapel was ready
for occupancy and the society numbered
thirty-fve. The building contained
seventy five pews, and of these forty were
rented that day. The cost of the chapel
was $2,775. June 20, 1860, Mr.. Neill re-
signed and the church was supplied for
three months by Rev. Henry W. Ballantyne;
six months by William J. Erdman and by
Rev. Horace Bushnell. On Oct. 20, 1861,
Rev. Frederick A. Noble, D. D., accepted
the call to become the stated supply and
in June, 1862, became their permanent
minister, and on July 16 was duly ordained
and installed He resigned in November,
1867, and Rev. T. ". Flint, as supply, was
secured. At a congregational meeting
held Feb. 10, 1868, the trustees were in
snucted to proceed with the building of
new church to cost not less than $25,0C0.
JAM %, 1869, the corner
stone was laid and the structure was COM
pleted and the main room occupied on the
23d of February, 1873. The service was
conducted by the Rev. R. F. Sample, of
Minneapolis, the pastor, Rev. David R.
Breed, who had accepted the position and
begun his duties in May, 1870, being pros
trated by sickness. The whole debt of the
church, $12,O98.29, was raised by subscrip-
ton on the first Sunday of 1871. The
church structure is Of blue limestone, goth
ic in architecture, and surmounted by a
spire, covered with Vermont slate, which
rises 165 feet. During the past year the
church has undergone a thorough over
hauling, wings having been built, changing
the shape from parallelogram to erusiform.
thus enlarging the main audience room to |
a seating capacity for 1900 persons, and |
the basement enlarged and refitted III the |
most elegant manner. The cost of the i'm |
ptovements amounts to about $4,000. !
Under the pastorate of Rev. MIR. Breed the |
church is experiencing great prosperity at
this time. Under the auspices of this
church a mission chapel has been built at
the Harvester works. and Sabbath school
at the corner of Fort and McBoal streets. !