The Washington times., 1894-12-03
The Work Being Done by Hamline
Methodist Episcopal Members.
A PASTOR BELIEVES IN BOYS
Or. Todd Works Among the Young People
and Has a Growing Tithing Society
Practical as Well as Peculiar-The Sing
ing Striking Feature of the Worship.

west, in discussing his methods OF church
work. Il attribute great deal OF any sue
cess which may have attended my ministry
to the fact that have always tried to get at
the young people. In Hamline Church now
we have at least 25O members among the
young folks. and any Sunday evenings con-
gregation will show that we are young peo-
pies church. The results speak for them
selves. We have a church membership of
| $50, Sunday-school 1,12S strong, and an
| Epworth League OF 203 members"
| Dr. Todd brought to this charge the expe-
rience gained in many and widely separated
fields of labor, and the result is that his work
has been most successful. and his congrega-
| ton is simply delighted in him. He was born
in Michigan, and educated at Western Col
lege He then attended Union Theological
! Seminary, in New York, and afterward Gar
ret Biblical Institute, IN illinois. Fully
! equipped, he was sent to China as mission
! ary, and was among the first Methodists to
| pant the banner of the cross in Central
! China. Here he would probably have been
! to-day but failing health made IL necessary
| TO return to this country. Thirteen years were
| spent III California, mostly in san Francisco,
and then he was transferred to New York.
Afterward he came to Baltimore and is now
/ finishing his fourth year at Hamline. Sorry,
! indeed, Will his congregation be when the
| lltth and last year is ended.
A PASTORS WORK.
This pastors first idea is TO attend strictly
to the business of his church. He seldom goes
away and can always be easily found. he
| believes in the organization Of the members
of his church and never let's an opportunity
Of forming a new society go by. -Four years
! of this kind OF work has increased the mem
| bership of the church $50 and awakened a
wonderful interest. The most peculiar and
| ut the same time the most practical OTganlza-
| tion he has formed is the TithiDg Society. II
! is composed mostly OF young business men
who have solemnly promised>t 10 give Tor be-
neyolent purposes One-tenth OF their income.
! 1t has only been in existence one year and
half and the membership has more than
doubl d. 1t started with twenty-five and now
| has fiity-siX young Len. The members are
! delighted, and from a business standpoint
alone say they would not give it up.
The obligation of the society makes il
necessary thar u man should keep q strict ac-
! count OF each penny, and II Is said that the
members are better and more careful busi-
ness men now than every before. But DR..
! Todd did not stop with the young men; he
came down among his favorites the boys.
He got hold OF them, and now has a society.
| twenty-eight strong, composed entirely Of
J bows who pledge themselves not to smoke
drink swear. or be idle, and who further
| promise 10 respect old age, treat girls with
respect, and in every way 10 behave them
| selves as little Methodist gentlemen. The
society meets each Tuesday, and Ezra Steven
son IS president, Harry Williams secretary.
and Fred Wooll treasurer.
| With such organizations and such a director
| it is no wonder Hamiine is 1ourishing. Not
satisfied 10 work inside its own walls it has
! gone outside, and IN two years has placed
three missions. Two of these are self-sup-
| porting now, and the third Will soon be. The
| first was at BrOOkland, and then Tacoma
came. Each of these has its regular pastor
now and bids fair TO become power IN the
| community where it Is located. The third is
| at Brightwood Park. and the good people of
Hamline will see that it is taken care OF until
able TO stand alone. The young people of
this church also helped in founding the
church at LangdOn, and DR.. Todd intends TO
! always keep them busy at home missionary
work.
ORGANIZING A CHURCH.
Hamline NJ. E. Church. named in honor of
Bishop l. L. Hamline, was organized Sunday
afternoon, July 2, 1865. by Rev. Elisha P.
Phelps presiding elder, at Union League
Hall, 432 Ninth street. For a time the
| organization was known as the Ninth Street
! NJ u. Church. Those who became members
| of the organization at this meeting all on
letters of membership from Mekendree NJ. Z.
! Church, were kinsey Dyer, Ann L. Dyer,
Texana DYER, Josephine Dyer, Clara L. Cut
ter, Thomas L. Roach. Rebecca Rabbit Cor
neia b. Christy, Daniel S. Christy, Addie Il.
| Bushby, E. b. Godfrey. Walter r. Baker,
Sarah A. Baker, Thomas II. Langley, Mary i.
| Langley, Emma p Cook. ohm Talbot. James
II. Bushby, Catherine Bushby, Rev. William
A. Cook and Rev. William S. Fort. local
elders. and Rev. ". 1. Pond, local deacon.
Its first official meeting was held Septem-
Der II, 1865, under tho presidency Of Elder
| Phelps, and its ofliciary then consisted of
Rev. W. a. Cook, Rev. W. 5. Fort, and Rev.
W. l. Pond, local preachers: John Talbert.
james H. Bushby, W. S. Fort. and D. S.
Christy. all previously appointed, class
leaders, and Henry Turner, kinZy Dyer, w.
S. Fort, T. II. Langley. I. L. Roach, Horace
Bagley. and j. Ii. Bushby, stewards. and
Harry Turner, W. P. NJ. Keldon, William
! Rutherford W. r. Baker and W. l. Pond
trustees. The stewards and trustees were
elected at this meeting. The first church
edi1ice was a frame building dedicated July |,
1866 This was succeeded by the present
brick structure dedicated November %. 1878.
This was afterward enlarged, reconstructed,
and rededicated March Is. 1880
During its lifetime the church has had
eleven pastors. four of whom are now dead.
The pastors were Revs. John r Effinger.
BENJAMIN B. Emory, John W. Hoover Luther
| T. Weiderman. Greenleaf g. Baker. Robert
W. Black, William l. DIcKenny, Samuel NJ.
Hartsock, Job A. Price, Henry S. Naylor, and
DR.. Todd. Its present of1iciary consists of:
| Pastor, Rev. Ebert S. Todd d. D.: super
numerary preacher, Rev. Charles H. Nytin-
ger; superanuated preacher, Rev. William
c. Mullin; recording steward Gin charge of
finances), E. l. Booraem; clerk lin charge of
church records), j. III. Benton
Local preachers-Rev. John Harries, Sep
tember 4, 1880; Rev. John r. Wright. d. D.,
April 8. 1892; Rev. Philip A. Crist, June 10,
1888; Rev. Sidney P. York, July 5, 1891. Ex-
horters-H. A. Hall, J. II. Benton George
C. Hough, E. w. Williams. Robert E. Red
ding. Glass leaders-D. s. Christy, L. H.
Martin, Mrs. @. L. Roach, J. H. Benton, j.
r. Wright, W. A. Proctor. Miss Ida Miner
Mrs. Fanny Polkinhorn, and L. B. Snyder.
The lay officials ofthe church are: Stewards,
Thomas II. Langley, Thomas L. Roach, John
II. Benton. Joseph r. Quinter. Edgar l.
Booraem, David c. Re1nohl. Henry H. Hough.
Luther B. Sny Ter, L. Z. Lunt, L. 1. O'Neal.
Anton Coe, and H. J. Playter; trustees, James
Mayse. Thomas B. Towner, John B. Scott,
Hosea B. Moulton. E. D. Godfrey, G. W. F.
Swartzell, and F. P. Nash, and Mark A. Wat
son, as president of the Epworth League
The Sunday-school is one of the largest in
the city. The adults all meet in the Qudito-
rum and there are twelve classes of them.
The younger people meet in the lecture room.
The officers and teachers number ten, and
the school is provided with organs and pi-
amos. OF the main school Thomas H Martin
is superintendent and Edgar Williams assist
| ant superintendent. In the adult department
D. G. Reinohl, assistant superintendent, is in
charge Miss Emma Williams has charge of
the intermediate department, and Mrs. Clara
E. Roach OF the infant class. Mr. Frank
Roach is chorister, Miss Fannie Bischoff, or
ganist, and Miss Nora Wentz assistant choris-