The record-union., 1899-11-27
FIFTY YEARS USEFULNESS.
RECTORS WHO HAVE OFFICIA-
TED IN ST. PAUL'S.
Rev. Mr.. Mel Briefly Reviews the
History Of the Local Epis-
copal Church.

The services at ST. Paul's Church yes
terday in honor of the fiftieth annlver-
sary of Episcopalianism in Sacramento
We're very interesting and largely at
tended. The musical feature was quite
elaborate, especially in the evening
When the full choir participated Inc
rector, Rev. c. L. Mel, delivered a dis
course in the forenoon in which ne
briefly reviewed the history of the
church in this city.
In August, 1S49 the Rev. Flavel
Scott Mines, the founder and first rec
tor of Trinity Church, San Francisco.
visited Sacramento, and on the first
Sunday in the month held service and
preached This was the first service
OF the Episcopal Church held in this
city. After the service, the few per-
sons present held a meeting and re-
solved to organize a parish Then and
there a vestry was elected as follows:
]. w. Winans Senior Warden; F. w.
Morse, Junior Warden; A. M. Winn, H.
E. Robinson, Volney Spalding, J. F.
Morse, ]. NJ. Mckenzie, E. j. Barrett,
P. B. Cornwall and W. Brierly, vestry-
men.
In the early part of September of the
same year the Rev. Mr.. Burnham visit
ed Sacramento and held service. Very
shortly after he was called to the rec
torship of the parish Mr. Burnham
entered upon the duties of his rector
ate on the last Sunday in November,
1919. After filling the post for only a
few weeks Mr.. Burnham was stricken
with a mortal illness and died early in
the year 1850.
After Mr.. Burnham's death the par
1sh was visited by the Rev. Mr.. More
house, who held occasional services un-
til the month of September in the same
year. In November following, the Rev.
Orlando Hartman took charge of the
parish, as rector, but being in very
feeble health he was not able to Off
ciate regularly. Mr.. Hartman left
Sacramento in March, 1852, and re-
turned to the East. After his depart
ure there was a long vacancy in the
rectorate of the parish during which
the very existence of the church was
we'll nigh forgotten. Occasionally the
scattered flock were called together by
the accidental visit of clergyman
During the following year divine SER
vice was held few times by the Rev.
DR. Clark, Rev. John Reynolds Chap
lain Z. s.. A, and Rev. John Morgan. a
missionary of the General Board of
Missions. In the spring Of 1852 a new
vestry was elected, composed of new
members entirely, with the exception of
j. w. Winans.
While this vestry was endeavoring to
secure a rector the great fire of No
vember. 1852 swept Sacramento ruin
ing many members of the young parish
and discouraging church work for some
time. By this fire all the minutes of
the yestry and other important paroch-
ial papers were destroyed On Easter
Monday. 1851, a new vestry was elect
ed, and shortly after the parish was
incorporated under the name of Grace
Church. In the fall of this year Sac
ramento was visited by Bishop William
1ngraham Kip. Missionary Bishop IF
California, for the first time Bishop
Kip held service in the Methodist
Church on Seventh street, which the
congregation kindly offered for that
purpose.
In the May following the Bishop gain
visited the parish and held service in
the same place, and in August repeat
ed his visit and administered the holy
communion to twenty-one persons In
the month preceding the vestry had
elected the Rev. Horace L. Pratt as rec
tor Mr.. Pratt accepted the call and
held his first service in Sacramento on
the 10Th of September, 1854. This SER
vice was held in Concert Hall on K
street, and the church continued to oc-
cupy this building until August 1, 1855.
" b4r a
on J street.
In July of this year the lot on which
st. Paul's now stands was purchased
and the old brick building known as
Grace Church was erected in the sum-
mer of 1856 In April of that year Mr..
Pratt resigned the rectorate, and on
May 1st the Rev. William H Hill, of
sanity memory, was called as rector,
and shortly after entered upon his
duties. Mr.. Hill preached the sermon
at the opening of the new church on
September 1th, and on the Tth of the
following November it was consecrated
by Bishop Kip in the presence of very
large congregation.
The history of st. Paul's Church
really begins with Mr.. Hills rectorate.
All through his fourteen years the par
ish had a hard struggle. He was d
faithful pastor
Mr.. Hill was succeeded by Rev. J. II.
c. Bonte. D. D., who became rector oe
Grace Church on June /, 1870, and
held the post for seven years. DR.. Bonta
was succeeded by Revs. Carroll NJ Da-
Wis, f. II. Ward, ]. A. Won Herrlish.
G. A Ottman and C. l.. Mel, in the
order named. Mr. Mel has been rector