The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-10-23


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had occasional preaching, but all failed
to settle with them as pastor until Rev.
Timothy M. Hopkins, of New York,
came. Mrs. Hopkins and her husband
were experienced school teach
ers, and both quite vigorous and ac-
tive. Very soon after their settlement
in Canton they started a select school
that soon got the reputation of being
better than any other ever opened in
Canton before. Our public school sys-
tenn was not then established. 1t was
almost four years from the time that
Rev. Morrow resigned before Rev. Hop
kins was settled as pastor.
Rev. II. M. Hopkins and wife were
quite well qualified for their work. Very
soon the house of worship was put in
order, the Sabbath school established
and things began to move forward. 1t
was during this time that first began
to attend Sabbath school. and well re-
member as boy the impressions made
upon my mind. I have never forsaken
Sabbath school work from that day to
this. Among the old workers of the
Sabbath school during Rev. Hopkins's
pastorate, / recall Almon Sortwell,
Thomas Goodman and William Lem
mon the two latter yet living, but well
advanced in years. If Rev. T. NJ. Hop
kins was living today I am afraid some
people would call him a crank, for he
was an outspoken temperance man and
was not afraid to speak plainly on this
question. l believe that things then
said by him on this burning question
had much to do in moulding the charac-
ter of some in the Sunday school.
After the pastorate Of Rev. Hopkins,
came that of Rev. w. b. Reeves. He
was good man but hardly able to
cope with his predecessor. 1t was while
he was in charge as pastor that Rev.
]. F. Avery, the evangelist, from Cleve-
land, held protracted meeting in said
church, which resulted in quite
number of additions to all the churches
in Canton, but more especially to the
Presbyterian; and the work in said
church became so heavy that the pastor
accepted a call to a smaller congrega-
ton; and very soon thereafter Rev. s.
f. Porter commenced his labors as
pastor of the church, which continued
for two years, after which Rev. w. w.
Taylor became pastor, He was most
excellent man: a man Of decided con-
victions, and not afraid to utter them,
and, withal, fluent speaker; and to
him probably more than any other pas
tor should be given the credit Of bring
ing the congregation up to new school
ideas, and forsaking the old, to which
some had been trained. The physical
strength of Rev. Taylor was not up to
the average; had it been, he might have
stayed here longer-as 1t was, he was
only here about four years, after which
came the pastorate Of Rev. E. Bucking-
ham.
The pastorate of Rev. Buckingham be-
gan in 1S46 and continued for 26 years,
which has been much the longest Of
any other pastor connected with said
church. He was a man of more than
average ability, and firm In his con-
victions of right and duty. and. withal,
quite industrious. He left the church
and congregation greatly enlarged and
improved to what 1t ever had been be-
fore; not only the church and con-
gregation, but the whole community felt
the loss Of Rev. e. Buckingham when
he could no longer be counted as one Of
the ministers of Canton.
A very short time after the close OF
Rev. e. Buckinghams pastorate, a
call was extended to Rev. w. ]. Park,
who was at that time the pastor Of the
Presbyterian church In Fredericksburg,
Wayne county. Ohio. He accepted and
gave promise of great usefulness for a
while, but after several years he became
complicated in charges that would re-
fleet against any pastor and in the fall
OF 1879 he was suspended from the
pastorate. A minister by the name OF
j. H. Ritchie supplied the pulpit until
1880. when the church was fortunate in
securing Rev. David Z. Platter. OF New
Jersey, as their regular pastor. He was
a man well qualified for the position and
was popular not only in his own con-
gregation, but In the community. He
continued to be their pastor for about
ten years. and would have continued
longer had his health permitted; con.
slant preaching 80 affected his throat
that he was compelled to give up the