ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRAR
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3 1833 03288 2356
Gc 974.702 M79s
Souvenir history of St.
Matthew's parish, Moravia
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Mtixtmarh
To all who make up the Moravi-i of this day, the
Parish of your forefathers sends its most siucere greet-
ings. To many of you the history of the early days and
doings are of necessity unknown, and it is because of this,
and also on account of the interesting facts that are a part
and parcel of the history of St. Matthew's Parish, that
tliis book is now^ put forth. The chief value, perha[)s,
of history lies in its ability to inspire the present to
greater and better deeds in the future by its recital of the
doings, the devotion, and the daring of the men of former
days. If this be true, then it is well worth the time to
study carefidly the history of this Parish, for contained
therein are records the mere recital of which ought to and
must insj)ire the men of Moravia in this day to greater
doing and better living. And anything that will be of
service in making the life of this fair village still better
and more in accord with that which it ought to be is well
worth the effort. Therefore with no apologies for the
motive that prom[)ts this publicatioji, but craving your
kindly indulgence for its many imperfections, we leave
with you, our townspeople, this Souvenir History of
Saint Matthew's Parish, of Moravia, New York.
ADDENDUM.
The name of the Reverend Harry Briggs Heald is to be added to the i,st
of clergymen who have been Ordained from this Parish, thus making fourteen
mstead of thnteen as noted.
^oxtmarii
To all who make up the Moravi-i of this day, the
Parish of your forefathers sends its most sincere greet-
ings. To many of you the history of the early days and
doings are of necessity unknown, and it is because of this,
and also on account of the interesting facts that are a part
and parcel of the history of St. JNIatthew's Parish, that
this book is now put forth. The chief value, perhaj^s,
of history lies in its ability to inspire the present to
greater and better deeds in the future by its recital of the
doings, the devotii^n, and the daring of the men of former
days. If this be true, then it is well worth the time to
study carefully the history of this Parish, for contained
therein are records the mere recital of which ought to and
must inspire the men of Moravia in this day to greater
doing and better living. And anything that will be of
service in making the life of this fair village still better
and more in accord with that which it ought to be is well
worth the effort. Therefore with no apologies for the
motive that prompts this publication, but craving your
kindly indulgence for its many imperfections, we leave
with you, our townspeople, this Souvenir History of
Saint Matthew's Parish, of Moravia, New York.
This book is to be sold for the benefit of St. Matthew's Hospital.
The advertisements in this book are those of the best and most
reliable business men in Moravia, and we trust that you who
read these pages will remember to patronize the men Avho
advertise here.
SPRINGER & MEAD
WHOLESALE DEALERS IN
HAY, GRAIN
AND PRODUCE
RETAILERS OF
^ten County Public Library
90O Webster Street
P3 Box 2270
F)rt Wayne, IN 46801-2270
COAL, LUMBER,
PHOSPHATE, &c.
Highest Market Price Paid for All
Farm Products
STEAM HEAT ELECTRIC LIGHTS
GOODRICH HOUSE
J. E. REID, Proprietor.
Rates $2.00 Per Day. MORAVIA, N. Y.
C. E. MILLER
Fire, Life and Casualty Insurance
GET MY RATES BEFORE YOU INSURE
Office over old Postoffice building. MORAVIA, N. Y.
JOHN MORSE
DEALER IN
Choice Groceries, Confectionery
STATIONERY, FRUITS, ETC.
INTERNATIONAL STOCK FOOD.
Union Block, Main Street. Moravia, N. Y.
WILLARD CUTLER
UNDERTAKING ESTABLISHMENT.
Embalmer and Funeral Director
Rooms and Residence South Main Street.
Telephone Connection for Day or Night Calls.
LADY ASSISTANT WHEN DESIRED.
^t.
ilattli^m s Purtalj
Founded June 25 th,
822. Organized July 14th. 1823
^
THE CORPORATION
RECTOR
William
8rTHERLANi) Stevens, M. A.
Wardens
Hi
ram H. Alley
\VV1)1> J. (ireenfield
Vestkymex
S.
Edwiu Day
R. A. Harter
W.
J. H, l^arker
C'larenoe Wilfoni>
T.
A. Hilliard
R. W. Hawley
^^^
K. (ireenfield
C. H. Sperry
Parish (Jlerk
Wing T. Parker
The (\>r|)or
ition of St. Matthew's Parisii coiidiu'ts
tht
affains of St.
Matthew's Clnuvh and of St. Matthew 's
Hospital, both o]
which are located in the Village of
Mc
)ravia, (.'ounty
of C^aynga, State of New York.
THIS IS
JENNINGS'S
WHERE
GOOD SHOES
COME FROM
Highest Quality !
Lowest Prices !
BEST
Lehigh Valley Coal
AT
O'Hara & Sellen's
Iltatorg of ^t. ilatttjf lu f artali
It is not a little interesting to trace things to their origin.
Institutions frequently take their rise in circumstances which, hefore-
hand, seem of a nature to produce almost any other result than the
one wliich at last actually appears. Incidents in the life of very
humljle individuals are so connected with the great system of Divme
I'rovidence as finally issue in events which, desirable as they were
unexpected, furnish occasion for devout admiration to succeeding
generations.
The origin of an humble Church in a country village, although
of little interest to the great world, is, however, a matter of much
interest to its own members ; and their gratitude, at least, demands
that the efforts of its founder be had in remembrance. The origin
and progress of The Church in Moravia are chiefly to be ascribed,
under God, to the unassuming but firm and judicious exertions of
Mr. Dudley Loomis. His worthy parents, formerly residing in
Otsego County, were attached to the communion of the Presbyterian
Society, and their son was educated in all the strictness of the
principles of that denomination. The reflection, however, of a riper
age led him to relinquish his faith in the tenets of Calvinism. In
tlie year 1809 he removed to Fairfield, Herkimer County, and thence,
in 1812, to Burlington, in Otsego. During his residence at the latter
place he was led to examine the great points in question between
Churchmen and Presbyterians. He perused Dr. Aliller's letters on
that subject, and desiring to read the answer of Dr. Bowden, he
was furnished with it by the Reverend Daniel Nash ; and after a
candid examination of both sides of the question, his judgment
was satisfied with the evidence which led him contrary to the bias
of early education, and his convictions of the truth of the Church s
claims to Apostolic Institution are dated from that period.
In the year 1816 he came, with his family, and in the autumn
of his age, to the cjuiet village of Moravia. Although a man of
laborious industrx- and unblemished integrity, he had, twice in his
life, been sorely tried by the loss of nearly all earthly property; but
the virtues which did not save him from calamity yet gained for
him that which is "better than precious ointment," a good name. In
a few years the blessings of the Most High brought him to the
enjoyment of a competency, and he had little to wish for except the
privilege of public worship in the Communion of The Church, whose
forms of devotion so naturally draw after them the affections of an
ardent, yet sober and intelligent, piety. Pong and anxiously did he
reflect upon the ])roject of organizing a Churcii. There was not. in
the \'illage, one family that could be called Churchmen, and only
two or three Communicants in the neighborhood. The case seemed
Moravia National Bank
CAPITAL
SURPLUS
$50,000.00
30,000.00
S. Edwin Day
J. P. Cady " -
J. A. Thomas
W. E, Greentield
OFFICERS
President
Vice President
Cashier
Assistant Cashier
INTEREST PAID ON DEPOSITS
WHEN IN
NEED OF
DRUGS and MEDICINES
L. M. WHEAT & CO., DRUGGISTS
We have a full line of Drugs, Chemicals, Dye Stuffs,
Pharmaceutical Specialties, Patent Medicines and
Druggists' Sundries.
We also carry a good line of CLOCKS, WATCHES
and JEWELRY at prices to suit the times.
REMEMBER THE PLACE
Corner Main and Church Streets. MORAVIA, N. Y.
to Ije almost without liope ; and yet the general state of things
demanded an effort. During the six }xars of his residence at
Moravia Mr. Loomis had observed several things which favored
the belief that the Doctrines and Worship of The Church would
Imd a favourable reception if they coul 1 be fairly submitted to the
examination of the people. The Calvinistic doctrines of the Congre-
gational Society had been from the first strongly and constantly
])roclaimed bv its ministers, and warmly avowed by the leading
members. It was clear, in the case of many, that the light in which
these doctrines were presented had made them unwilling to connect
themselves with the society, and too .often caused a neglect of that
attention to religious things which mtist always precede a state of
confirmed piety. The occurrence of somewhat freqtient dissentions
in the societv, and about matters which, sometimes, were of little
consequence except to the individuals immediately concerned, and
the unpleasant feelings resulting from the agitation of the subjects
of dispute before the whole society as judges, were also causes oper-
ating against the increase of the existing denomination, and likely
to favour tlie introduction of any other system that might be less
Cahinistic, and tlie internal concerns of which should be more
(hscreetly managed.
It was a favourable circumstance that the individual wlio was
instrumental to the introduction of Church Services into this N'illage
was a man of "good report," of blameless integrity, of sound judg-
ment, of steady but unobtrusive piety, and universally esteemed
for Ins plain and honest worth as a citizen, a neighbor, and a friend.
Me lived, therefore, aliove the suspicion of improper motives; and
his example carried with it an influence more steady, and, in the
end, more prevailing, than any principle of mere interest or of party
strife. He was sincerely attached to The Church, and he believed
that her Services would prove to be a general and public benefit
to his neighborhood. With this persuasion, and after having several
times attended public worship with the congregation at Auburn, he
obtained fnMii the clerg\'man of that place a promise to visit the
"Flats."
The Reverend Lucius Smith, Rector of St. Peter's Churcli,
Auburn, and one of the Diocesan Missionaries, made his first visit
to Moravia on Monday the 23d of June, 1822. On the evening of
that day he officiated and preached in the brick school house ; and
a second Service was held on the next day, the Feast of St. John
l'.ai)tist, at the Methodist Chapel in Locke. There Mr. Smith
preav-bcd and administered the Sacrament of The Lord's Supper to
six meml)ers of the Church; the following are the names of these
first six Communicants: Dudley Loomis, James Masters, Heber
lM)ot, Patrick G. Monaghan, John Locke, and Henry Burdick. The
enjoNinent of religious privileges after a long season of destitution
is frecjuently attended with the revival of unwonted zeal. The
moxement which followed in the present instance may have been, in
some degree, owing to this awakening of religious affections; l)ut it
is presumed that something also is to be ascribed to the warm and
enterprising spirit of Mr. Smith. On the very next day, June 25,
1822. a meeting was convened at the house of Mr. Laurence \\'ormer,
in tlie neighlxirliood of tlie Chapel, for the purpose of the organiza-
FRED S. HAWLEY & SON
DEALERS IN
Pure Drugs and Medicines,
SCHOOL BOOKS.
STATIONERY, ETC.
PURE SPICES OF OUR OWN GRINDING.
AGENTS FOR THE CELEBRATED DEVOE PAINTS
Andrews' Block. MORAVIA, N. V.
Clothing for Men, Boys and Children
VISIT OUR STORE
"THE HOME OF STYLE"
AND
"BIRTHPLACE OF LOW PRICES."
J. Boutstone Clothing and Shoe House
Hoyt Block MORAVIA, N. Y.
DRY GOODS CARPETS
W. D. CUYKENDALL
MORAVIA, N. Y.
CLOAKS WALL PAPERS
F. A. HICKCOX
DEALER IN
Fancy Groceries and Provisions
FINE CROCKERY AND CHINA
MORAVIA, N. Y
tion of a Church Congregation. The Reverend Mr. Smith presided,
and it having been- resol'vefd to be ex'pedient to orgainize a Congrega-
tion of the Church, a X'estry was chosen ta conduct- the affairs of
the same, which assumed the title of St. Peter's Church, Moravia.
Defective as were these proceedings, in having been held without
the Canonical Notice, and^ in a place (iistant five miles from the
location of the proposed Church, it is, nevertheless, evidence of the
>.cirne>tne^s with which they were conducted, that the meeting was
not adjourned until the appointment of five persons "as a committee
to draft and circulate a subscription for 'the purpose of building a
Church, to be located at the Village of Moravia." The effort did
not end with the adoption of resolutions; for,' from subscription
])apers dated two days afterwards, June 27th, it appfears that the
\alue of about eight hundred dollars in money and materials for
the building "was pledged for the purpose of raising, covering,
fiooring, and glazing a House of Worship." This sum, considering
the means of the subscribers, was certainly liberal. The following
were the zealous members of the Committee : Dudley Loomis,
John Locke, James Masters, Heber Foot, and Daniel Thorp.
The work of building, however, was riot commenced Hmtil the
following Spring. The frame of the Church was put up about the
first of June, 1823, and in the following August the work of covering
it was so far advanced that it was occiipied by a congregation
assembled for public worship, and the Reverend Mr. Smith had the
])leasure of conducting the Service.
The work of building was-not Conducted rapidly to its com-
pletion, although the Church is small, being 30 feet fronCwith a
depth of- 40 feet, and 'built in the plainest manner, differing from
a parallelogram only by the projection in front of a plain tower
which rises one section above the roof and is ornamented simply
witli pilasters, a cornice, and four plain quadrangular pyramids.
The i^ews, the Chancel, and a small gallery over the western door
were l)uilt in the winter of 1823, and the plastering was- finished
in the ensuing Autumn. The painting of the interior did not take
place until th^ Suihmer of 1832.
What Services were performed at Moravia by the Reverend
Atr. .Smitli during- the Summer and Autumn of 1822 it does not
appear, but from a subscription paper dated the 13th of Jamlarv.
1823, it is' inferred that an arrangemeht was made ' during that
w inter by which the Rector of St. Peter's, Auburn, was to officiate at
Moravia one-fourth of the time. This being carried into effect, the
Services were conducted in the \'illage Schoolhouse for several
months, the Reverend Burton H. Hickox, Deacon, officiating in the
stead of Mr. Smith, who at this time was absent from his parish
as an agent to obtain subscriptions for Hobart College at Geneva.
The informality of the organization in Locke was, this year,
1(S23, superceded b}' a regular meeting in the \'illage of Moravia,
on the 14th of jul\-, at which the Parish was organized under the
title of St. Matthew's Church, and ^lessrs. Dudley Loomis and
Warren Rowley were chosen Church Wardens.
The Reverend Mr. Hickox ceasing to officiate for the Rector of
the (."hurch at Auburn, his place was supplied by the Reverend
Orsamus H. Smith, who continued to visit Moravia, until, being
FRED G. GREEN
Garage and Automobile Supplies
FLOUR AND FEED
PAINTS AND OILS
F. E. MILLIARD
MANUFACTURER OF
Fina Havana and Domestic Cigars
Retail Dealer in Choice Cigars and Tobaccos of all Grades.
Confectionery, Fishing Tackle, Guns and Ammunition
Hilliard Block, Main Street. MORAVIA, N. Y.
FARMERS' SUPPLY HOUSE
DEALER IN
CARRIAGES, HARNESS, CUTTERS
Robes, Blankets, Fur Coats and Farm Machinery.
W. PITT PARKER, Proprietor.
BOTH PHONES.
Central Street. MORAVIA, N. Y.
SOUTH MARKET
D. D. WARNER, Prop.
PROMPT DELIVERY— ^
^ COURTEOUS TREATMENT
invited to settle there, he, on Advent Sunday, XovemLer, 1823.
took charge of St. Matthew's Parish as its Rector. The reports of
Mr. Smith to the Convention in 1824 and 1825 do not mention the
amount of Services rendered at Moravia, but it is believed he
officiated there one-half of the time, bestowing the remainder of
his services for the beneht of Congregations in the adjacent towns
of Tully and Genoa.
Moravia was received into the number of Diocesan Missionary
Stations in 1825, and the Reverend Air. Smith as the Missionary
continued to officiate during the three succeeding years, until his
removal to Paris, Oneida County, August 1, 1828. It may be
mentioned in this connection that the Congregation at Aloravia not
only received benefit from the pecuniary aid furnished to its
Ministers as Diocesan Missionaries, but imparted benefit also as a
channel of religious intercourse to the regions beyond it ; and thus
it stands, a link in the chain of the Church's extension from village to
village and from county to county. Twenty years before this a
congregation was organized, by a Missionary, at Geneva in the
County of Ontario. The Church at Auburn was the fruit of labours
of the Missionary from Geneva ; a Missionary from Auburn organ
ized the Church at Moravia ; and a Missionary from Moravia subse-
quently one congregation at Homer and another at McLean.
The first visit of the Bishop of the Diocese to the Congregation
at Moravia was on the 10th day of September, 1826, on which
occasion the Church was solemnly consecrated to the worship or
Almighty Ciod, and seventeen persons were confirmed.
After the removal of the Reverend Mr. Smith, in 1828, the
Congregation had no regular clerical services for a period of seven-
teen months. The Church, however, was regularly opened for
Divine Service on the Lord's Day, and the services were conducietl
by the Senior Warden, Mr. Dudley Loomis, acting as Lay Reader.
Thus sustained, the Congregation lost scarcely any of the ground
which it had gained, but was rather strengthened by new accessions,
and that of those who, coming in, not as "summer friends," were
more likely to remain in the Church for the sake of its Scriptural
Doctrines, its pure aid primitive worship, and its xApostolic Order.
The example of the Congregation in employing the services of a
Lay Reader, rather than close the doors of the Church, cannor be
too highly commended. At the same time it is evidence of that
rare but genuine piety which values the Services of God's 1 louse
rather for the worship than the preaching, it is proof that (lod
verifies His promise in sending a blessing U]~)on those who "foisake
not the assemblmg of themselves together."
The Reverend Amos G. Baldwin visited the Church at Moravia
in the Summer of 1829, officiated several times, and administered
the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper. On the 10th of
September in the same year the Congregation was visited a second
time by the Bishop of the Diocese (the Right Reverend John Henry
Hobart), and on this occasion Mr. James Selkregg was admitted to
the ?Ioly Order of Deacons, and five ])ersons were confirmed. In
January, 1830, the Church obtained the services of the Reverend
David Huntington, who remained until the first of Mav. when he
was succeeded bv the Reverend llenr\- (iregorw wlm remained a>
Rector of the Parish until February 11, 1833. when he resigne 1
an;l removed to the Parish of Homer.*
Reverend Timothy Minor was the next Rector of the Parish ;
he only remained for a short time. On the 26th day of December.
icsoi). the \ estry called the Reverend Seth VV. Beardsley as Rector,
who was succeeded in 1840 by the Reverend Beardsley Northrup,
who remained t.ntd the latter part of the year 1845, when, for' a
few weeks, the Services were supplied by the Revef-ehd Mr. Eaton.
During the incumbency of the Reverend Father Northrup, on the
morning following the visitation of the Bishop, May 14, 1842,
the Church was burned, nothing being saved from the fii-e. On the
same day. Saturday, May 14th. the X'estry called a meeting of the
Congregation and it was decided to immediately rebuild the Chur^di ;
and for this purpose a committee was appointed to gather funds
for the work ; a building committee was also appointed at that time.
.At the same meeting a committee was appointed to request the use
of the Moravia Institute as a place in which to hold Services during
the building of the new Church ; this committee was able to an 1 did
report to this same meeting before adjournment that they had
secured the Institute as requested ; and on the next day, being
Sunday, the Services of the Church were held, so that the burnmj[
of the Church caused ho interruption in the work of the Parish.
■Phe second Church building was consecrated October 10. 1843.
On the 15th day of August, 1845, the Reverend Charles E.' Phel])s:.
who died at Xew Brunswick. N. J.. Jan. 19, 1910, w-as elected Rector
i>f St. Matthew's Parish, and was instituted as such by P)ish6p De-
Lancey March 1, 1846. Mr. Phelps remained as Rector for aljout
four years, during which Rectorat^ the present Church biell was pro-
cured, and also a pipe organ. The Reverend George C. Foote
supplied Services for a few months in the "year 1849. and was suc-
ceeded by the Reverend E. W. Hager. Chaplain of Auburn Prison,
who supplied Services for about one year, when lie was succeeded
\)y the Reverend John Leach, who was Rector ot the Parish and also
Principal of the Aloravia Institute. He was followed in the Rector-
ship by the Reverend Martin Moody, who was also Principal of the
Moravia Institute. The Reverend Edward Pidsley was Locuiu
Triiciis in 185'' and 1860. The Reverend Charles E. IJeardsiey
became Rector September 20, 1861, and resigned July 1. \S<h2.
owdng to illness of a tul)ercular nature; he continued, however, tn
officiate until onl}- a few weeks before his death, which occurred in
the then Rectory January 11. 1863. During the next eighteen
mduths the Parish was without a Rector. On July 1, 1864. the
Reverend Alexander H. Rogers was called to the Rectorate and
remained in office till 1857, when he removed to Three River.s.
Michigan ; in 1870 he returned to this Parish as its Rector, remaining
with tlie Congregation till the last of the year 1872. During tb,e
period between the two Rectorships of the Reverend Father Rogers
the Parish w'as supplied with Services by Otis G. Parker, lion. S.
I'.ilwin Day, and Wing T. Parker acting as Lay Readers, and witli
occasional Clerical Services by the Reverend Peyton Gallagher and
tlie Reverend B. F. Taylor. The Reverend John B. Calhoun assumed
*The history to this point is trom the pen of the Rev. Henry
Gresoi'.v, who wrote it out in 18 36 for Mr. Dudley Loomis. spolven of above.
the Rectorship May 13, 1873, and resigned the same June 14, 1874.
He was succeeded immediately by the Re\erend E. W. Hager,
then a Chaplain in the United States Navy, as Locum Tcncns; he
remained until October, 1874. The next Priest in charge was the
Reverend C. Collard Adams, who withdraw from the Parish in
May, 1875. On June 1, 1875, the Reverend John A. Bowman
became Rector and remained as such until January 1, 1878. In the
Fall of 1879 John Henry Hobart DeMille was called as Rector of
the Parish, resigning in September, 1881. He was succeeded by
the Reverend Joseph Cross, D. D., LL. D.. who was Rector until
January 1, 1883. The Reverend Charles T. Ogden, of Portland,
Maine, was Priest in charge from January 1, 1883, until May 1st
of the same year, when he was followed by the Reverend George
Bowen, also Priest in charge, who remained until January, 1886.
John William Henry Weibel was Rector from January 1, 1886,
to November 1, 1888. From the resignation of Father Weibel to
September 1. 1890, the Services were in charge of students of St.
Andrew's Divinity School of Syracuse. On September 1, 1890.
the Reverend A. Mead Burgess became Rector, remaining until
October 1, 1892. During his Rectorship fifty-five were Confirmed,
the greatest number during any single Rectorate in the history of
the Parish. About January 1, 1893, the Reverend James B. Murray.
D. D., came to the Parish as its Rector, and remained until
November, 1896. On January 1, 1897, the Reverend Mytton Maury.
D. D., a Clergyman resident at Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y.,
being there engaged in revising and editing a text book on geog-
raphy, was asked to take vSunday duty and supply services in the
I'arish, and, in accordance with request of the Vestry and on these
terms, supplied the Sunday Services until September, 1901. Dr.
Maury was never resident in the Parish, only coming to Moravia
on Saturday and leaving Monday for his duties at Cornell. Easter
Day, 1902, the Reverend (irant Paul Sommerville. D. D., became
Rector, and resigned January 1, 1908. On June 26, 1908, the
Reverend William Sutherland Stevens, M. A., became Priest in
charge, and on October 26th of the same year the X'estry elected
him Rector of St. Matthew's I'arish.
On October 10, 1897, the Church, which had done good service
since 1843, was used as a place of Worship for the last time,
and immediately thereafter was taken down to make room for the
present Church. This new Church, the third one to be built by the
Parish, was consecrated on Deceml^er 13, 1898. by the Right
Reverend Frederick Dan Huntington, I'ishop of Central New "S'ork.
All three Churches have been built upon the same lot, which
was given by the Honoural^le Rowland Day for that i)urpose in
1822, he being a memljer of the first X'estry and continuing in that
office until his death in 1843.
The Parish has owned and used in its Ser\ices three |)ipe
organs. The first organ, bought in 1832, which was burned in 1842,
was built by a blacksmith at Drytlen ; the second organ, used in the
second Church, was bought from Mr. Lucius .Smith of Cuilford,
in 1843; this organ was given to the Church at Smithboro, X. \'..
in 1884, at the time that the third organ, which was given to the
Parish 1)\' tlie Ilonourable .^. Ivlwin 1 )a\ as a memorial to hi^
sun, Harry Day, was installed. This last organ is now in tlie
Lliiirch an ; has proved to be a most excellent instrument.
On L ctober 5, 1908, the Cross, which is of iron and weighs 207
pounds, \\as erected on the front gable of the Church and lUessed
to the Greater Glory of Almighty God and in honour of .St.
Piacidus, on whose Feast Day it was put in position.
The Eucharistic. and the X'esper candlesticks now in the Church,
were used for the first time at the Eucharist on .St. Luke's Dav,
October IS. 1908.
The present handsome Church was made possible largely by the
generous liberality of the late William Keeler and his son-in-law.
the Honourable S. Edwin Day.
St. Matthew's Parish has been especially liberal in furnishing
to the Church additions to the ranks of the Clergy, having giveii
thirteen of her sons to the Holy Ministry, as follows: The Reverend
Messrs. James Selkregg. Joseph G. Knapp, Spencer M. Rice. Julius
Townsen 1. Smith Townsend, John G. Webster, George W. Dunbar,
Fayette Royce. Lyman Phelps. Thomas P)ell, Thomas Duck, Robert
W. P)0wman, and the Right Reverend William Paret. now Bishop of
Maryland. Among those who have served the Parish as Lay
Reader and have since been Priested we may well mention, for the
good work done h\ him while here, the Reverend William D.
P.enton. D. D.
In the last sixty-live _\ears the Parish has had but two Choir
Masters, .Samtiel E. Day and his son, the Hon. S. I^lwin Daw whtj
still acts in that capacity. Under the direction of these men the
mrsic at St. Matthew's Church has always been of an unusualh-
high degree of e.xcellence.
Among the items of interest to be found in the Parish Registers
nia}- l:e mentioned the recur 1 of the marriage of the Honourable
Aiiilard Fillmore, afterwards President of the L'nited States, to Miss
A])igail Powers, in St. Matthew's Chiuvh, on Sundav evening, tlie
: th of February, 1820. 1die Townsend Prothers and S. AL Rice
who were ordained from this Parish were converts from the Metho-
dist Connection, the latter having been pastor of the local societ}-.
The cornerstone now in the foundation of St. Matthew's
Church, in the northeast corner, is the same one that was placed in
the foundation of the old Church in 1822. and still bears the name
of Rowdan I Day. and the date 1822. The original Certificate of
Consecration of the first St. Matthew's Church is also still in
existence and un exhi])ition in the present Church. The first volume
of the I'arish Register is now in the possession of the present Rector,
as is also the original co])}- of a sermon which was preaclied in
St. Matthew's Church on September 30. 1832. Ijy tlie then Rector,
the Reverend Henr\' Gregory. D. D.
The first \'estry of St. Matthew's Parish was composed of
the following men : Dudley Loomis and Warren Rowley. Church
Wardens; Rowland Da\-, David Annal)le, Gersham Morse, George
Ward, Sylvester Olmsted, Chad Southwick, Charles E. Ford and
Warren Parsons, X'estrymen.
The present X'estr}- of St. Mattliew's Parish is comi)osed of the
following men: lliram 11. Alle\- and Wel)b [. (ireenfield, I'hurch
Wardens; lion. S. !•. Dav, W. |. II. Parker, T. A. i fillianl, W. I-..
( '.rcentielcl. R. A. llarter. C H. S])erry, R. W. Hawley, Clarence
Wilton^. X'estryinen.
This venerable Parish of St. Matthew was founded in Aloravia
for a very definite purpose and for that alone, not that its members
might build three Church buildings, not that they might buy three
organs, not that they might purchase a bell, not that they might
possess the best choir and produce the best music in town, not
that they might delight themselves with the most beautiful and
aesthetically satisfying services to be had ; but it was founded
simply and solely in order that the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ
might be preached, that Almighty God might be worshipped in the
way which he appointed, that the Sacraments might be validly
administered, and that through the appointed means of Grace as
Clirist left the same to the Church to be used by her forever,
the men and the women of this whole community might be brought
to that state of Godly and of Godlike perfection to which it is the
hounden duty of every child of man to attain unto at the last. Such
was the end and the aim of the Parish at its inception, and such is
still its only reason for being; and for this only will it labour
through all the coming days. As we look back over the history of
this small village Parish which had only six communicants at the
first and now after a lapse of nearly ninety years has somewhat
less than two hundred on its Communicant roll, as we note its
losses and its gains, its discouragements and its victories, we may,
perhaps, be saddened by the story ; but though rectors may come and
go. and administrations change, and the members of the Parish pass
on, one by one, to their rest in Paradise, there to await the Judgment
Day. yet we cannot but be inspired by the fact that, in spite of all
the changes that time can bring, St. Matthew's Parish zvill go forever
oil with her beneficent mission in the world, inspired by the cer-
tainty that, if she but prove true to the Faith as given by her Lord
and 1 lead, she shall be victorious at the last, since the gates of
riell can not prevail against her.
FRED SMALL & SONS
DEALERS IN
Shelf Hardware, Tinware, Glass, Etc.
CUTLERY AND AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS
SEWER AND GAS PIPE, PAINTS, OILS AND VARNISHES
W. J. GREENFIELD
DEALER IN
Clover, Timothy, Garden Seeds
Poultry and Poultry Supplies
U. S. SEPARATOR— EMPIRE DRILL.
MORAVIA, N. Y.
H. E. ANTHONY, M. D.
Special Attention Given to the Eyes
and Fitting of Glasses
Church Street. MORAVIA, N. Y.
H. B. CLOSE
MERCHANT TAILOR ^^^
/-^^ MEN'S FURNISHINGS
MORAVIA, N. Y.
:kman m
ERY INC. |s|
JUNE 98
™___® N MANCHPSTFR I
