The herald., 1896-06-01

erty was situated on the southwest COR
ner of New High and Temple streets,
and now forms part of the courthouse
grounds. 1t had been bought, and the
brick shell Of a building erected chiefly
by the subscription of Protestants of
all denominations. The title was taken
in the name of the trustees of the Pres
byterian church, who had obtained a
loan of $500 from their church extern
sion society, which went into the build
ing.
At the diocesan convention held in
May, 1867, Rev. II. H. Messenger was
appointed to take charge of the Los An
geles mission, having resigned his mis-
sion in Butte county for that purpose.
The report of st. Athanasius church
for that year shows c. L. Strong, senior
warden; " A. Hoover, Junior warden.
The vestry, ignorant of the bishops
plans, called Rev. William l.. Citizens
of ST. Louis to succeed Mr. Birdsall.
Mr. Citizens when he reached San Fran
cisco found the field occupied by Mr..
Messenger, and after a few months stay
on the coast returned to st. Louis. To-
ward the end of 1867 Mr.. Messenger re-
signed and Rev. I. B. Gray of Alabama,
who was at the time visiting California,
was called to the rectorship of the par
ish. Mr.. Gray made arrangements to
establish a girls school, and bought a
lot for that purpose, leaving the Rev
turned to Alabama to make his final
arrangements for moving his family and
taking up his Los Angeles work. He
was, however, delayed in his movements
and the congregation "despairing of see
ing him again. as the record states it,
with the consent of the bishop. called
the Rev. I. T. Talbot. who remained for
about a year The parish was then
served temporarily by the Rev. c. f.
Loop, Rev. H. H. Messenger, Rev. Geo.
c. Lane, deacon. and Others until final
ly in November 1870, the Rev. ]. g. Gray,
having been again called, assumed
charge of the parish.
We find the following officers Of the
church reported in 1869: w. s. Mar
shall, senior warden: Vincent Hoover,
Junior warden; c. H. Larabee, clerk;
John NJ. Griffith treasurer, who with ].
Joughin and William Mckee, consti-
tuted the vestry. There We're fifteen
communicates and a Sunday school Of
1870.
The parochial report for 1870 makes
good showing: Forty communicates
and a total of offerings of nearly $1,000.
Rev. I. B. Gray continued in charge
for over three years. resigning Febru-
ary 90, 1874. after faithful rectorship,
though hedged about by many difficult
ties.
In 1874 the parish was represented in
the diocesan convention for the first
time by a lay delegate, E. M. Ross. At
this convention the northern and south
ern missionary jurisdictions of Califor-
mia were recommended by the commit
tee and the bishop signed his assent to
their creation. Mr.. Hill continued in the
rectorship until 1880. On July, 1874, the
parish was incorporated and the church
property was decided by Bishop Kipp to
the church corporation. About the same
time the bishop also conveyed to the
corpora ton the thirty-five acre lot now
bounded by Seventh street, Lucas ave-
nue., Sixth street, and former line of
Ffgueroa street.
The parish prospered under the Rev.
MI. Hill for several years. as shown by
the parochial reports; but his health
failing him. he resigned in March, 1880.
The Rev. Peter S. Ruth of Pomona was
engaged in the veStry to conduct SER
vices. In June the Rev. Thomas d.
Pitts was elected rector, but after long
consideration he declined In Septem.
Der Rev. Elias Birdsall was called by the
vestry to the former scene of his labors.
ana i'll November he arrived and fool,
charge of the parish.
Mr. Birdsall entered vigorously upon
his work, and was heartily welcomed
pack Dy his many friends in the church
ana the community at large. He i'm
mediately set on foot measures to dis
pose OF the old church property on the
corner OF Temple and New High streets.
and to build a new church on a more
el1gible site; and he did not rest until
he had accomplished his purpose. Al
that time, however, real estate was very
much depressed and it was no easy task
to fnd purchaser, although the price
was fixed at $5000 Defects of title pre-
vented sale. In February, 1881. a large
and enthusiastic parish meeting was
called by the rector to consider the oues-
tion of new church, and COMMITTEES
with full power to sell the old site and.
determine upon a new one, and select
plans for the building, was appointed as
follows: N. r. Vail, J. M. 'Griffith, VIM.
Lacy and H. T. Lee. Mr.. S. H. Mott was
afterward added to the committee. In
September the committee reported to
the vestry the offer of Mr.. j. M. Griffith
to sell to the parish the two lots 'front.'
ing 12O feet on Olive street between Fifth
and Sixth streets, the site of the present
church building, for $780, being the price
he paid for the lots several years before.
The offer, 1t is needless to say. was at
once accepted There was soon, after
ward given to the church by Mr. N. r.
Vail an additional strip of thirty feet in
depth reaching across the rear of the
lots first purchased. making the church
lot 120x200 feet, and in September. 1894.
Mr.. c. ]. Fox further enlarged the prem