San Francisco County CA Archives History - Books .....Chapter 4 1900
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Book Title: History Of The First Pastorate Of The Howard Presbyterian Church

CHAPTER IV.



  WE were now so well established as a church and congregation, that our

enterprise was no longer regarded as an experiment.



  The steamers were bringing a few families every month, and some of them made

their homes in the cottages in and near the valley.



  It was pleasant to give them an early welcome, and if there were children,

invite them to join our Sabbath school.



  As weeks and months went by, the church fell into its own line of practical

work as it opened before us.



  From the first we had sought to gather in all the children we could find.



  They were more permanent than most of the grown people, and less under the

excitement and dissipating influence of the time. The Pastor was fortunate in

having a number of very competent and enthusiastic teachers who gave a great

deal of time to their work. Among these were Mr. D. N. Hawley, Mr. T. J. Nevins,

and Major A. B. Eaton.



  There are those living now who were then pupils, and who speak with profound

respect of these men and of the instruction in the gospel received from them.



  With the pastor, his pulpit-preparation was his first care. It was sought not

only in the morning study, but in the afternoon study of men. This latter study

led him to become acquainted with men from many parts of the world, having ideas

and habits respecting religion differing very often from each other and from

those represented by the church we were building. And this study of men was of

the utmost service in this pioneer ministry.



  Our church was situated so far from what was then the center of the city, and

was separated from it by so many ranges of sand-drifts, that it could not expect

to draw the chance crowds, but its duty was more especially to serve a slowly

growing resident population.



  The church and its pastor early discovered that their own upbuilding and

self-support were not their whole duty.



  Although but little more than a year old, our church was more thoroughly

equipped than almost any other, and, consequently, Christians of our order who

were beginning to settle in new towns here and there in the state began to write

to the pastor for information as to the possibility of getting home missionary

help from the East.



  I answered these letters immediately, for I knew how quickly towns of a

hundred people sometimes became little cities of thousands of inhabitants, and

how important it was to be beforehand with the forces of evil, and give good

people an early rallying-point.



  This correspondence grew fast in 1851-52, and necessitated constant writing to

the secretaries of the Home Missionary Society, detailing the facts and

explaining the urgency of the appeal for missionaries.



  But as population poured into the state in increasing numbers and new towns

multiplied, it was manifest that something more was needed as a medium of

information. We saw clearly that we must have a weekly religious paper, through

which needed information could be received and given, and regularly conveyed to

the Home Mission Board, and to some extent to the home churches. But how to get

it, was the question! We talked and figured and corresponded about it for more

than a year, and at last the necessity seemed so pressing that we determined to

venture.



  My church approved of the undertaking, and was willing that I should be one of

the editors and do my share of the work.



  So The Pacific was commenced in August, 1851, with a managing editor and three

associate editors, who were pastors of young churches.



  This involved, for me, at least a day's work a week.



  There were, at the time the publication of The Pacific was commenced, but

little over twenty Protestant churches in California, and they were but

beginnings, scarcely a year old. The new paper, therefore, looked to the mines

for its support, and it found it there. And it more than realized our

anticipations in bringing to the knowledge of our churches, through its

correspondence, the real condition of the state, and making it known to

Christians at the East, who were watching with deep anxiety the course of things

in this far-off region.



  A great many parents in homes there seized with avidity any paper that gave

information that was hopeful concerning the strange country where their absent

sons were. At the same time, the paper was the firm and ardent advocate of

religion and morality in every form, and always exposed and denounced vice, even

when it seemed to be hopelessly prevalent. Party politics it never meddled with,

but it never ceased to urge all citizens to give time and attention to their

duties to the state. And when powerful influences combined to divide the state

in order to open the southern half to slavery, it did its best to expose the

scheme and defeat it. And work of this kind it was obliged to do for years,

because the slavery interest was strong in every successive legislature.



  The Pacific was a power for good in many ways, through all those early years.



  It was our traveling home missionary, going through the mails to all parts of

the state, with little expense for transportation.



  For living preachers, such journeyings were then wellnigh impossible. The

expense was too great, and no man could long endure the fatigue and the exposure

to heat and dust, or cold and wet, which had to be encountered. So the paper

went on its mission every week, preaching the truth, and its support was a part

of our church-work.



  And as I look back upon it now, after all these years, it seems to me that no

part of that work was more permanently effective in the upbuilding of every good

thing in the city and in the state than this.



  The members of the church and congregation were among the foremost in planning

and beginning charitable institutions as they were needed. The exposures and

hardships of the journey to California in those days caused the death of parents

on the way, in some cases, and their orphan children were found destitute in

this strange land.



  Mrs. Warren, wife of Rev. J. H. Warren, and Mrs. Judge Waller knew of such

cases, and set about providing a home for them. Knowing that there would be more

as time went on, they thought it best, even then, to try and begin an asylum for

orphans. The proposition met with general approval, and the result was the

establishment of the Protestant Orphan Asylum, supported by the Protestant

churches of the city generally, and by business men of the city and state.



  It was the first orphan asylum established in California.



  Our church had its part in the work with the others, and in the early years we

had a special relation to it, because the house rented for its use was near our

church, and the first matron was one of our choicest lady members, and the

children inmates belonged to our Sabbath school.



  The origin of the Ladies' Protection and Relief Society was still more closely

connected with our church.



  Very early in the year 1853, the wife and daughter of Major Eaton came from

New York to join him here.



  Mrs. Eaton was a woman who could not content herself to abide anywhere, even

for a short time, without seeking to plant some good influence or institution

that would still be doing good after she was gone. She often expressed this

feeling with regard to her visit to California.



  Major Eaton found a pleasant house for his family home on Broadway, near

Montgomery Street.



  Not very long after the family found themselves settled in housekeeping,

something occurred that directed Mrs. Eaton's thoughts very definitely to a

need, in this new country, of a refuge for women, or women with children,

deprived, by death or otherwise, of their natural protectors.



  The occurrence was this: A young man in the mines wrote to his sister in the

East, asking her to come to California on the steamer of a certain date,

promising to meet her in San Francisco on her arrival.



  She accepted his invitation, and was a passenger on the steamer indicated.



  She was given a place in a state-room with another woman, a well-appearing

lady, apparently in middle life. When the steamer arrived here, the young man,

for some reason, failed to meet his sister. Of course she was in distress; far

from home, in a very strange country, knowing no one, and having not the least

idea where to go.



  The woman with whom she had shared the state-room immediately invited the

young lady to go with her, for the time being, to her own home, which invitation

the lone stranger was only too glad to accept.



  But what was her consternation on discovering, before long, that she was in a

house where no young lady ought to be! Moreover, there were other young women

there, and she became aware that her movements were watched. Terror-stricken,

and not knowing how to escape, nor where to find a refuge, she maintained as

calm a demeanor as she could. But in her despair, watching her opportunity, she

slipped out of the house, without hat or shawl, and ran as for her life! As she

was going down Broadway, past a home-like appearing house, she looked up and saw

a kindly appearing lady sitting at the window, and in an instant it occurred to

her to go in and ask her what to do. Quickly she rang the door-bell, and was

admitted.



  The house was Major Eaton's, and Mrs. Eaton was the lady at the window, whose

look inspired hope in the young girl's heart, and induced her to seek admission

at that door.



  She told her story to Mrs. Eaton, and was believed.



  When Major Eaton came home, on learning the facts he took an officer with him,

and went to the house from which the girl escaped, and got her trunk and her

clothing, and from that time the young girl found herself among friends.



  This incident was enough to suggest to Mrs. Eaton that there would be many

cases in which women in trouble from one cause or another would need protection

or relief, and immediately she began to inquire with herself whether she might

not be the means, during her stay in San Francisco, of founding an institution

that would supply this need.



  As she reflected on it, the thought grew upon her. She talked about it with

other ladies. Mrs. Goddard, wife of one of the elders of our church, became

especially interested in the idea.



  Groups of ladies belonging to other congregations met in our parlor, and

talked the matter over.



  At length Mrs. Eaton drew up a constitution and submitted it for consideration.



  In due time a meeting of all ladies interested in forming a society was called

to meet, if my memory serves me, in the Baptist Church, on Pine Street, near

Montgomery Street. The meeting was held accordingly, and the result was the

formation of the "San Francisco Ladies' Protection and Relief Society."



  The first house secured by the society for a home was situated, I think, on

Clementina Street, near First Street, and was put in charge of an excellent lady

matron, and so the institution began at once to subserve its benevolent purpose.



  Another benevolent work, also, engaged the attention of the church, with

others, in the city. Rev. William Speer came here to see what could be done for

the Chinamen, for they had already become quite numerous. Mr. Speer had been a

missionary in China, and knew the Chinese language well. He very soon became

convinced that a mission ought to be established here for that people. He

proposed it to our Christian citizens generally, and received a good deal of

encouragement, more especially since he himself would remain and head the

enterprise, receiving his own support from the Presbyterian Home Board.



  A building, however, was wanted in which to begin the work, and this must be

provided for here.



  A plan was made for a brick two-story building, to be situated on Stockton

Street, at the corner of Sacramento Street. This was a matter of pretty large

expense in those days, but Mr. Speer was a wise and able man, and he succeeded

in awakening such an interest in the enterprise, that the work was accomplished.

The building was dedicated in June, 1854. The members of our church and

congregation did their full share toward supporting this mission.



  One member of our board of trustees, Henry Haight, [1] manager of Page, Bacon,

and Company's bank, took a deep interest in the undertaking, and was one of the

largest donors to the building fund.



Very soon after the dedication of our church, a lady friend of our congregation,

thinking that our nice new audience-room ought to be furnished with a suitable

organ, mentioned the matter to several business men, friends of hers. [2]



  Perhaps it occurred to her more readily because she was intimately acquainted

with a builder of church organs in the East. At any rate, she became deeply

interested in the idea of our having an organ. It seemed at first that the plan

was premature, for not one of the young churches in the city had yet thought of

providing itself with so expensive an instrument. But when a lady undertook a

thing in those days, it was apt to succeed. So, before long, through the

generosity of the merchants and business men, the purchase-money was obtained,

and the organ was ordered. It was built accordingly, and shipped around Cape

Horn, and in due time it came.



  A man was found who had been trained to the business, and he was engaged to

set it up. The work progressed slowly, and the time seemed long, but at last it

was done, and the inspiring harmonies of the organ filled us with new delight.



  Among the young musicians in the city there were several accomplished organists.



  They came and tried our instrument, and pronounced it excellent. It made the

church seem indeed like home.



  Mr. George F. Pettinos was finally secured as organist and musical director.

He came from Philadelphia, and was a young musician of culture and excellent

taste, and was especially fond of the organ.



  And so was I, for that matter, and we had a long and delightful acquaintance

in the selection of hymns and music for public worship.



  He became, at length, personally interested in the worship itself, and all its

services, and grew more so as years went by.



  He remained in his place as organist long after I left the pastorate.



  I went back on a certain Sabbath to preach in exchange with the minister then

pastor. Mr. Pettinos asked me to select as one of the hymns the one beginning —



    "I heard the voice of Jesus say,

         Come unto me and rest;

    Lay down, thou weary one, lay down

         Thy head upon my breast.'



    "I came to Jesus as I was,

         Weary, and worn, and sad;

    I found in Him a resting-place,

         And he hath made me glad."



  The hymn was sung, and it made an impression on me that I shall never forget.

The organ itself seemed to speak the words, and breathe the sentiment, almost as

if they were its own.



  I never met Mr. Pettinos after that, but when, later, I heard that he had

passed from earth, I thought that in his selection of that hymn that day, when

we were once more in our places, as of old, he wanted to express that profound

and tender trust in Jesus which had become his own personal experience.



  Returning now to the general condition of things in our part of the city, it

should be mentioned that great changes were taking place. Second Street was cut

through from Market Street to Rincon Hill. Other streets were graded. All the

cottages were occupied by families, and many houses were in process of building.



  Captain Cheever and Mr. Dow went even so far away as to the top of Rincon

Hill, and built themselves tasteful homes, though some of their business friends

told them that they had gone altogether too far from the city for convenience.



  As families were coming now in increasing numbers by every steamer, attention

was attracted largely to this section of the city as being easy of access, and

somewhat less exposed to the winds than the northern and western hills, and so

it came to pass at length that some of the finest residences in the city were

built on Folsom Street and on Harrison Street, and, later, South Park became the

fashionable quarter.



  The wisdom of the early location of our church in this section became clear

enough, and the commencement of other churches soon followed.



  Rev. M. C. Briggs of the Methodist Episcopal Church gathered a congregation in

the carpenter-shop as soon as we left it to enter our new church.



  And within a year, I think, thereafter, Rev. Marion McAllister asked for the

use of our church on Sabbath afternoons, for the purpose of forming an Episcopal

church, which request was readily granted, and the result was the beginning of

the "Church of the Advent."



  But notwithstanding the sharing of the field with these new churches, our

church and congregation grew and increased in influence, not only in the city,

but in the state at large.


Notes, Chapter 4

   [1] Mr. Haight was one of our most public-spirited and generous business men.

   He took interest in the founding of the Ladies' Protestant Orphan Asylum, going with them to select the site where it now stands, and helped secure it from the city.

   Every philanthropic and Christian undertaking found in him a generous and open-handed friend.

   [2] This lady's name was Mrs. Wilson, wife of Mr. John Y. Wilson, one of the business men of the time.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:



THE HISTORY OF THE FIRST PASTORATE OF THE HOWARD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 

1850-1862



BY REV. SAMUEL H. WILLEY

THE FIRST PASTOR



SAN FRANCISCO: THE WHITAKER AND RAY COMPANY (INCORPORATED)

1900



COPYRIGHT, 1900

BY

SAMUEL H. WILLEY





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