The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-26
GIFT OF A $65,OOO CHURCH.
CONGREG iTTONiLISTs TURN TT
OVER TO EPISCOPIIIiNS
4 Woman Had Put Every Cent She Had
In II and Died In Poverty -tonEre-
cation Could Not support II Its
Members May Become Eplscopalians.

Members May Become Eplscopallans
NORTH BRooKFIELp, Mass. Feb. 25.-
/ The action Of the society Of the Union Con-
gregational Church Of this town in turning
over to the Episcopal Diocese Of Western
Massachusetts its $4,000 church, the
finest building Of the kind between Worces-
ter and Springfield, j. said 20 be without a
precedent because the property is entirely
free from debt. without dissenting
voice, tho members OF the Congregational
society voted three weeks ago TO make
the change
The church will now lie turned into an
Episcopal mission While the socIety's
action was undoubtedly due to the poverty
OF the Congregational society, the seeds OF
the Episcopal teachings were sown years
ago by the Rev. Joseph j Spencer who
after inducing the late Mrs Nancy Hunter
Tucker OF this town TO eIpend her entire
estate IN building the church, adopted -ome
II tho forms used in the Episcopal service.
After leaving the church Mr.. spencer
decided to enter the Episcopal ministry.
and while he was preparing to take orders
he died in California. The change does not
mean that all the members Of the Congre
gationa society viii Immediately become
Episoopalians, but most Of them are likely
to do so eventually.
The Mon Congregational Church was
founded by abolitionists who, in the stress
OF the anti-slayery agitation ffty-one years
ago withdrew from he First Congrega-
tional Church and organized society
OF their own. They built two story
wooden edifce just across the street from
the First Church Tho leader Of the
movement was Prof Amasa Walker, father
OF Gen. Francis a. Walker
The Union church is also know as the
! Tucker Memorial Church. and was erected
ten years go at a cost of Sos 600. the money
being furnished 10y Mrs Nancy Tucker
She put every cent OF her money into tho
building and died in poverty, being sup
ported in her last DAYS by charity. but
leaving the church editioe M memorial
Of herself, her husband and her son
The edifice is strikingly like an Episcopal
church in appearance Il is in the form
of cross and has the deep chancel the
eagle lectern, the raised pulpit at one side
Of the chanoel and the prayer desk.
The Rev. Mr.. Spencer was the person
who persuaded Mrs Tucker to put her
money into the edifoe. He ordered the
architect to produce all tho characteristics
OF an Episcopal church. and not content
with external appearances, he changed
the form Of worship considerably until it
closely resembled tie Episcopalian
The Older members thought he was a
little revolutionary. but as he had pro-
vided a s65 900 structure. they allowed
him TO make such changes as he pleased
Succeeding pastors returned 10 tho Con-
gregational form OF service. eliminating
some OF the innovations Of MIR Spencer,
but the seed sown ten years ago has now
ripened into the unanimous call for an
Episcopal administration.
Financial weakness Ia the reason given
by the most earnest advocates of the new
policy. The society is small and its re-
sources are not sufficient 10 maintain so
expensive a church.
The church has been without a pastor
FOR eighteen months. The last settled
minister was the Rev Leo NJ. Dean. who
came fresh from the theological school
for salary Of $500, all the church could
pay He was 30 successful that he received
call soon after his year at North Brook
field ended and went TO Westbrook. Me.
at a salary three times that paid him here
and no other clergyman could be secured
for the small pay offered
Mrs. Tucker was not n emlAr Of the
! Union church, nor even an attendant when
the pastor, Mr.. spencer solicited her aid
in 1892 At that time the old wooden ,truct-
ure was in ed OF repairs. Mrs Tucker
was supposed to be worth about 500 600,
and she had no immediate relatives
One day, 10 the surprise Of the church
officers, Mr.. Spencer announced that Mrs
Tucker had offered $4,000 to repair the
building If the society would furnish 81. 900.
Later. while the officers were considering
what alterations should DO made. Mr.
Spencer informed them that Mrs Tucker
wished to build new church as a memorial
This ofer was accepted
When the building was nearly completed
il was learned that the enterprise would
exhaust the resources Of Mrs Tucker. 50
the society sold the old church and the
land it stood upon and gave some of the
furnishings 10 equip the new edihce. The
building was completed in 1904 and repre-
Sented every dollar Of Mrs. fuckers pos
sessions, and she died penniless two years
later
In the succeeding years the church had
a short period Of prosperity, but with the
loss Of the shoe industry here the mem
bership dwindled and Of late years the
maintenance Of the church has taxed the
resources Of its members. The church has
only three deaCons. They are Emerson n.
Stoddard market gard ner Of East Brook
field. William Valley, a retired shoemaker.
and Robert Morse. a colored man. who acts
as sexton. He Is n fireman in a stationary
power plant. and is probably the only negro
in New England who IS deacon in a church
Of this character