The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1911-02-18
DEATH OF BISHOP WHITAKER
How He Managed to Raise Funds
to Build st. James Church
in Eureka

Right Rev. OH W. Whitaker. Bishop Of
the Protestant Episcopal diocese Of
Pennyslvania. died at his residence at
Philadelphia on February O..
Bishop Whitaker was born at New
Salem, Massachusetts,, May 10, 1880,
and was therefore in his Slst year. He
was ordained a deacon in 1868 and or
dained as a priest in the same year.
His first charge was at Gold Hill, Me-
vada, where he was pastor of St. Johns
Church from 1868 to 1865. He went
from there to Englewood. N. J. and
remained there until 1867. when he
returned. to Nevada aud. was pastor of
st. Paul's Church at Virginia City.
He was consecrated Missionary Bishop
of Nevada in 1869. remaining in that
position until 1886 when he became
Assistant Bishop of the Diocese Of
Pennsylvania. He became Bishop Of
the Diocese upon the death OF Bishop
Stevens in 1887.
Builds First Church In Eureka
While he was Bishop Of Nevada he
made frequent visits to Eureka and
became we'll acquainted with our
people.
Judge O. @. Goodwin of Salt Lake
City, we'll remembered in Eureka by its
pioneers. has described in ais paper
how the late Bishop o. w. Whitaker
of the Pennsylvania diocese Of the
Episcopal Church managed to raise
funds in the early sixties to build st.
Paul's Church in Virginia City, and
the SENTINEL will now relate how he
managed to raise funds to build St.
James Church. in Eureka in the early
seventies:
Rev. Mr.. Whitaker was then pastor
of the Episcopal Church at Virginia
City. The stages used to'leave Palisade
at 4 o'clock in the afternoon and arrive
in Eureka at s o'clock the next morn
ing. He arrived in Eureka on a Sun
day morning in the Summer time, and
stopped at the Parker House. After
washing aud breakfast he started out
to hunt for a place to hold religious SER
vices. He obtained the use of the first
school house used in Eureka, on lower
Main street, subsequently used for
quite different purposes. Then he
started out to raise a congregation.
He could have raised it at that time by
hiring the brass band, or firing bombs
and f~ire-crackers, but likely he did not
think Of the expedient. However. the
first person he addressed for assistance
was ALT. Chartz, then pressmsn and
carrier of the SENTINEL. Mr.. Chartz
readily consented to assist and get a
crowd together = then understanding
the meaning OF the word "crowd"
better than the meaning of the word
congregation" He went around
amongst the sports and in the saloons
and managed to get an overflow meet
ing. The congregation was composed of
dead game sports. because they attend
ed and took chances on the roof not
falling down. Mr.. Whitaker delivered
a common sense address, using words
that struck in the ear instead of flying
overhead. In closing he told his mis-
sion, and that was TO build a church.
The matter was taken up by the
congregation Immediately, and a
collection of about $1100, in the
way of subscriptions and cash.
was obtained in less than an
hour, also a lot was donated on Spring
street, where the church still stands.
Grading was commenced as soon as
workmen could be obtained, and many
deposited their labor for collection in
the hereafter. There can be no doubt
but that Mr.. Whitaker built other
churches in a similar way. Eureka bows
in sorrow over his bier. in common
with every community that has en-.
joyed the profit of his unselish SER
vices. and the joy of meeting him.