The herald., 1893-10-01
WHY CHURCH PEWS ARE EMPTY
The History of Methodism in
Los Angeles.
Mr.. J. w. Potts, the Pioneer Pro-
testant, and His Work.
An Interesting Chapter of Reminis-
csnses-How the First M. &c. Church
Was Built-An Incident OF
Last Sunday.


claeses have become, to large degree,
impressed with the belief that the
preachers are not in sympathy with
them. They feel that as genera! thing
they are out OF place in the churches,
and that even when they are asked in
side their portals the welcome received
is not sincere. You might have included
the members of the carpeted churches
in the cities as we'll as preachers. Let
us see if the bread-esrners have any
good reason for these impressions.
am one of the great army OF work
ere am SO years old, 80 years of that
time [ have been O member OF the M. e.
church, 80 years / worked at manual
labor from IL to 16 hours per day, 10
years was a merchant, and 10 years |
was considered a capitalist. When | ar
rived in Los Angeles city Al years ago,
there was not member of any Protest
ant church in the city except myself.
l Immediately engaged in little fruit
business, and closed my business on Sun
day, the first ever closed in the city.
The people would laugh at me and tell
me there was no Sunday in California
or Catholics.
Inl853 Rev. A. Bland was sent hore,
and in the fall found small settlement
Of Americans in El Monte containing a
few church members; he held O pro-
tracted meeting there and organized a
church and / cast in my lot among them.
In 1854 started store in Elmonte and
we had regular services every Sunday
morning and evening. l made money
and gave it freely to the support OF the
church and the minister. We started
the order of Soma of Tenn perance in 1865
of which l was a charter member. In
1869 we started the Temple of Honor of
which | was q charter member. This
order was both temperance and be.
nevolent order. 1t went down when the
war broke out and l lost $1,000 trying to
sustain it.
In 1860 Rev. David Tuthill was sent
to Los Angeles by the NJ. <. church to
preach, but could get no eupport in Los
Angeles, so he came to El Monte and
gave him room and board until he was
forced to leave on account OF the
| prejudice against the North Methodist
| church as they called it. After this the
NJ. e. church abandoned the whole field
| OF Southern California for six years.
During this time helped to support q
| Presbyterian preacher at Wilmington.
/ got up subscription OF $40 per month
for him. General Banning gave $40 per
month and | gave SO per month, and
gave him room and board. There are
others here now who gave $40 per
| month l think, +. E. Hewitt, Mr.. Mil
ner, in the Farmers and Merchants
bank, and A. w. Potts who died few
days since.
In 1865 or 1866 Rev. Adam Bland, who
was then the presiding elder OF the
Stockton district, came down here and
organized class of about 80 members.
This class included all the members in
Los Angeles county. AT the next con-
ference Rev. A. p. Hendon was sent to
Los Angeles and undertook to build q
church. After working for some time
to obtain subscriptions, without any
success, he came to Wilmington, where
| lived then, for me TO canvass for sub
scriptione. was then known by nearly
every man in the county and had great
influence as we'll as come means.
headed the list with $500, then caught
General Phinaes Banning on the wharf
who was then SO busy that he would
hardly etop to talk with brigadier gen.
eral. l succeeded in getting his name
for $50. Then 1 came to Los Angeles and
went directly to J. M. Griffith, who is
the owner of the Potomac block, and was
then running an opposition stage line to
Banning, and obtained subscription
from him of $50. With these three
names to head the list l went to Jews
and gentiles, merchants and gamblers,
and in about two weeks hard work sue
| ID0 ar;h nod
in sums of So and $40. Old Father A.
NJ. Hazard subscribed $50 with the
understanding that he would work it out
on the church, which he did. Mr.. Whis.
ler eubscr bed $50 and he and the
preacher settled that according to their
own ideas OF what was right and ex-
pedient when the doctor paid 5000 OF
$500 for what he had paid little par
sonage for during the time the III. E.
church had abandoned this work.
The question of lot to build on then
came up and the preacher and most OF
the members wanted to purchase q LOT
on Spring street near First, to cost more
than all the money collected, but !
stuck to the lot where the church now
stands on Broadway, and we bought it,
l20x165 for $3.50. Then had TO pledge
myself for the brick and the brick ma
con and the lumber. have the receipt
in my scrap book from P. Banning for
+. e. Hewitt for balance on lumber fol-
NJ. E. church, Los Angeles.
When the church was finished we
needed $1,000 before it could be dedica.
ted. Mr.. Hendon found that Gov. J. G
Downey had money to loan. When he
spoke to him of giving a trustee note
the governor laughed at him, but as
soon as he told him that l was to sign
the note he told him he could have the
money. When l signed the note in
Governor Downey's Office. Mr.. Hendon
remarked that as soon az the other
trustees signed it he would want the
money. Downey toli him he could
have it now, as he had all the names
he wanted.
Before this note became due, Judge R.
NJ. Widney, now president of the Uni
versity bank, and DR.. J. P. Widney,
came to the city to live, and by the
judge's advice we incorporated church
society in accordance with late law and
gave new note for the $1,000, both oi
these gentlemen signing it with me and
others. Those brethren gave from that
time on with great llberality for the
support of the minister, each of them
and myself giving from $3.50 to $3.50 per
annum for the support of the minister,
and neither of US very wealthy in this
worlds goods.
In 1872, G. w. Morgan came to the
city, in 1873 J. H. Blanchard and his
mother came to Los Angeles, and in
1874 @. ii. Bradley arrived. All OF
| theea brathran mt their eh0u1dars IN