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Wisconsin
Supplement file to First Congregational Church
First Congregational Church SUPPLEMENT
Former: 504 S Fourth, Now home of First Brigade Band
and D/JCGS
New:
1909 Interesting
Address by J. T. Moak
Watertown Gazette, 12 03 1909
At the reunion of former members
of the Congregational Church of this city last week, or rather at the
homecoming exercises, J. T. Moak of Ft. Atkinson, a former resident of this city
and who was for many years postmaster here, delivered the following very
interesting address. It will be read
with keen interest by The Gazette
readers not only in this city, but wherever it circulates:
At the suggestion of someone who
meant well, but I fear advised him wrongly, Mr. Rehm was induced to invite me
to give you this evening a chapter of reminiscences of the Congregational
Church. Having a distrust of my ability
to do this satisfactorily, at least to myself, my first impulse was to decline. The request was couched in such complimentary
terms, and evidently with so much sincerity, that I hesitated, for a time; when
remembering how loyally Mrs. Moak and I were entertained by this people when we
left the city three years ago, I determined to lay aside all delicacy and
respond to the call as one that you or your representatives had a right to
make.
Therefore I am here to fill the
part assigned me in the program to the best of my ability. If my efforts to entertain you shall prove
disappointing, I implore you to deal with Mr. Rehm, for bear in mind that his
advent in the city was subsequent to my departure and he could not be expected,
from want of personal knowledge, to act with full understanding. If it turns out that he was the victim of
misplaced confidence he should not, in all fairness, be held accountable for
results.
As already indicated I am to deal
with some of the early recollections of the church going back thirty, forty or
fifty years, which antedate the birth of many of you and will serve to revive
the memories of some of your seniors. My
first associations with the church date
back to 1854, the year of my coming to the city. It had been organized then about nine years
and the pastor was Rev. W. A. Niles. The
church edifice was then considerably smaller than in later years, and the usual
attendance was in size commensurate with the building. Mr. Niles remained about six years and was
succeeded by Rev. Chas. Boynton, whose successors in the order named were the
Revs. W. H. Ryder, C. C. Cragin, W. A. Hendrickson, R. C. Bedford, J. M.
Campbell, A. O. Wright, G. C. Weiss, Wm. Fritzemeier and T. B. Thompson.
This covers a period of 52 years
during which time I sat under the droppings of the sanctuary, and I am
compelled to confess, which I do in the deepest humility, that notwithstanding
the efforts which these faithful workers in the Lord's vineyard put forth for
the regeneration of souls and the salvation of sinners, I never maintained any
closer relation to the church than that of a brother-in-law. However, my good wife was gathered into the
fold which may, in a measure, have been taken as part satisfaction. How often have I wondered that she has not
grown round-shouldered under the weight of these doubled responsibilities.
As a member of the board of
trustees for many years, I was quite familiar with its affairs, internal and
financial. We had often to wrestle with
difficult problems. How
to pay the minister and meet other obligations when due was sometimes no easy
matter. The current revenues were
not always available or sufficient and it was not unusual for the trustees to
put their hands in their pockets and supply the necessary funds. At other times having credit at a friendly
bank, we would join in a note and have it discounted. Another of our resources was to head a
subscription list and then invoke the aid of some of the women in the church to
go out and circulate the same, as they were found to be more successful in that
work than the men. Looking back upon
this I will admit that it was a most cowardly thing to do, and for one I crave
forgiveness for having been a party to any such transaction.
There was an organization among
the ladies known as the Mite Society, its purposes being similar to the present
one known by the more euphonious name of the Clover Club. And it was very useful in its way, too,
besides furnishing amusement and promoting sociability among the church
attendants. I am not certain that it was
not in some respects an improvement on the more modern methods. In those days there were no church parlors in
which to meet—we had not attained the dignity—and the gatherings were
migratory. And they were always well attended. There were readings, recitations and the
like, not forgetting music and thereby hangs a tale.
For hilarity and good fellowship
there were several who could always be depended upon, but the leading spirits
among them and the provokers of the most fun, I think, were good old Deacon Coe
and Jonas Sleeper. Their specialty was
singing and they were always ready to display their talents in that line on
call. I do not think that either would
have taken first rank in a high-class musical organization nor would they
perhaps have been able to hold a position long in your present choir. I am
certain that the Mite Society could not have gotten along without them. The play of Hamlet with Hamlet omitted would
[not] have been quite as satisfactory.
Speaking further of their singing, one of their favorite selections was
entitled "Nicodemus," and as the song never may have been heard by
some of you perhaps I will be pardoned for giving some of the words; though out
of regard for your feelings I will confine myself to a single verse and the
chorus, which seems infliction enough.
It was as follows . . .
1912 Rev. N. Carter Daniell
at the Confirmation Class
Watertown Gazette,
04 04 1912
The Congregational Parsonage Watertown, April 5, 1912
To the Editor of The Times:
My Dear Sir: My attention has been called to a reference
to me in the April Fool's Day edition of your
paper. It was therein stated that my
address at the confirmation exercises was "in line with" an alleged
statement of Miss Perdue, concerning the moral condition of Watertown. The enclosed manuscript contains the sum and
substance of my address on that occasion and of that section which refers to
the moral condition of Watertown; much is a verbatim report.
This I attest and so also attest
several prominent citizens, who were at the service in question and to whom I
have read the contents of this manuscript.
Trusting you will extend to me the courtesy of your columns, as have the
other editors, so that the interest aroused in your April Fool Day edition may
be gratified. I remain
Yours obediently,
N. Carter Daniell.
Mr. Daniell
is a writer, traveler and preacher. His special interest is in youth, their
moral and spiritual equipment for the battle of life. His knowledge of boys and girls after
extended study and observation in England, India and America, specially fit him
for youth's leadership and instruction.
In India over 1200 children attended his schools, and both in England
and America he has had daily facilities for the study of the best conditions
for the production of successful young men and women.
That was his theme at the
confirmation class.
FIRST: He spoke of the pleasure
the class had given him. He had worked unremittingly in the young people's
interests; even because no available text book had satisfied him, compiled a
concise, adequate and simple profession of faith for them.
SECOND: He paid a gratifying
compliment to the boyhood and girlhood of Watertown. He doubted whether it would be possible to
find a sturdier, brighter, more intelligent group of young people than could be
found right in our own city.
THIRD: It is the boyhood and girlhood
of the community, he said, which vitally relate us to the nation. A nation's great asset is not military power
not intellectual achievement, nor material wealth. A nation's greatest asset is good, clean,
honest, capable men and women. Rome had
military power and Rome as a nation perished.
Greece . . .
I plead that you give our young
people a chance, the best chance possible, to lay the foundation necessary for
their future success. I voiced the
future interests of these boys and girls when I asked the parents present,
won't you help me and others bring about these conditions, of cleanness, order
and purity, which make the necessary bases [basis] of their equipment for the
battle of life.
Rev. Daniell received a letter from
Miss Perdue on Thursday denying what The
Times stated regarding her in its issue on April 1st.
