The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-05

churches are there in the city which
can show more enviable record for
that period of time than the one which
Is the subject of the present sketch.
Composed as it is of most solid and
substantial portion of the community
st. Marks Church is one whose career
has been and no doubt is destined 10
be one of the most broadly helpful and
useful of any of its years in Worces-
ter.
Though the church and parish are
To-day such flourishing organizations,
? st. Marks Church as it was planned
from the beginning and as it is still
intended to be, does not exist, The
present church edifice is only the chap
ell of the proposed edifice, for the mem
bers of the church have from the be-
ginning wisely adopted the plan Of
waiting until everything they desired
10 nave could be paid for in ready
cash before possessing themselves of it.
AIthough but chapel, however, the
present house of worship is a very
naposome and commodious one, hay
ing been erected at a cost fully equal
II not greater than that of many an
ClluFCH III the CITY.
The present chapel and parish house
has cost in the neighborhood of 800. 900
ana IN the years to come there will be
aooed d church proper that will make
the whole establishment one of the
most extensive churches in the city.
81 Marks Church, situated at the
corner of Main and Freeland streets,
haq It's beginning in a mission organ
lzed in the fall of 1887. This mission
y began work by the organization of a
sunday school to which was later add
eu an afternoon service conducted by
Rev. Mr.. Nickerson of Rochdaie.
These services were held for some
months in the South Baptist chapel.
This kindness on the part of the BaD-
fist Society in furnishing the mission
place of Worship, was reciprocated
by st. Marks during the period when
the Main Street BaptiStS were erect
ing theiF present new and attractive
church where the old chapel formerly
stood =
The first service of the mission was
helq on the first Sunday of October,
1881 During the fall Of 1887, the Rev
Langdon G. Stewardson, formerly rec
tor of the Episcopal Church in Web
- ster and who had just returned from
four years course Of study in the
German universities was given a call
and accepted it, to act as missionary
f1rst services on Easter Sunday, April.
1883, and on the reorganization of the
.-4parish in the fan of 1888, became its
first rector.
st. Marks mission, early N 1883, pur-
chased land at the corner of Main and
Freeland streets, for u church, parish
house and chapel. 1t was deemed best
TO build the chapel and parish house
nrst and contract was entered into
with Norcross Brothers for the erec-
ton of brownstone chapel and par
lsh house on Freeland street, located
with reference to the church to follow
later and to be located on Main straet
whenever the needs of the parish de-
manded it. The first service in the
chapel was held Feb 18th. 1889. and it
Is this event that will be celebrated
by the parish this week and especially
by the services of today.
Rev l.. c. Stewardson remained in
charge as rector until December 31st,
1897, when to the great regret of his
parishioners, he felt it his duty to re-
sign and to accept the chaplaiEcy and
the chair of philosophy in the faculty
y of Lehigh University, Lehigh, Pa.
He was succeeded as rector by Rev.
Willis H. Hasard of Westchester Pa
VINO entered upon his clerical duties
on the 2Sd of April, 1898. Rev Mr.
Hasard had received a thorough liter
airy and theological training having
taken a postgraduate course at Har-
ward University and pursued his stud
les abroad. Unfortunately, the recur-
renee of a nervous trouble from which
be had suffered in early life. made him
doubt the expediency of attempting to
continue for the present, at least the
clerical aNocation, and he resigned on
September LIST, 1898, and accepted po-
sition on the editorial staff of the
"Churchman' published in New York
n f,t. 7
mirably fitted.
The present rector cf the church is
the Rev. Henry Bradford Washburn.
born in Worcester and the son of the
late Charles F. Washburn
Mr. Washburn is a graduates of Har-
yard University and of the Cambridge
theological school. After completing.
his course at Cambridge, he spent two
years in study in Germany and at OK
ford University, England. Upon his
return TO this country, he became as
slstant rector to Rev. DR.. Richards of
81. Johns Church, Providence, where
he remained for two years and which
position he left to become the rector
of st. Marks, commencing his duties
On Advent Sunday 1898 .
strong attachment had grown up be-
TWEEN him as assistant rector. and the
people OF st. Johns church, and it was
Win mutual sorrow and regret that
He came to st. Marks, however. 10
receive cordial welcome from united
parish and commenced his work under
the happiest auspices.
Few clergy have within short minis
. Try, more strongly impressed their own
personality upon their pensioners than
did the first rector of ST. Marks. Rev.
Mr.. Stewardson, upon his people. Under
MS leadership, the growth and devel-
opment of the parish and its methods
have been in many ways unique From
its beginning as a mission to the pres
ent time, 1T has received no extraneous
aid. From its beginning, all it's services
have been free to all those of whatever
class, creed, race or nationality who
have seen fit to come there to worship.
Within the walls of st. Marks there is
no distinction of persons From the be-
ginning, all money raised Tor current
expenses and for all other purposes
has been by voluntary contributions.
Since its organization as a parish. il
has raised no money by church fairs
or entertainments of any sort.
AS parish 1t has believed in and at
tempted to put in practice the principles
of paying its honest debts in full. ask
ing no discounts or donations and rem
dering an equivalent for services rem
dered or goods received, on the ground
that to do otherwise would be to coun-
tenance church mendicancy, and to
lower its ethical standard.
1t is a parish that has never prose-
'-lyted. 1t is one of the unwritten laws
that no person having any other church
connection, shall be Influenced in any
way to sever such connection i'm order
to become worshipper al st. Marks
The officials Of the parish are as fol-
lows: Rev. Henry b. Washburn, rec