THE WAUPACA REPUBICAN

April 22, 1904

 

ST. MARK’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

An Old Land Mark Swept Away by Flames.

 

            The passing of the old Episcopal Church building recalls the fact that another of the old landmarks of Waupaca has vanished never to return.  The brink structures with plate glass fronts on Main Street all, or nearly all, mark a spot where once was an old fashioned wooden building with its primitive small glass and sash front.  Time has changed nearly all the church edifices to those of more modern pretensions.  The old Methodist church building, many years used as a blacksmith shop, still stands as an object of comparison with the quite modern brick structure a little farther south, as well as the new Scandinavian “Our Savior’s Church” corner Division and Badger streets, and the Baptist Church.

            The Episcopal Church building when erected almost fifty years ago was considered at the time a good specimen of church architecture.  To be sure it was not a large church building but it was cozy.  In 1886 a tornado wrecked the spire.  It was repaired eliminating about two-thirds of the steeple.  Last year through the efforts of Father Lucius D. Hopkins a hardwood floor, new windows, new furnace and other improvements made the chapel a most inviting one, which was the cause of remarks of commendation on the part of Rev. Hirst, the present rector, on the occasion of his first visit to this parish before the fire.

            The late Rev. M. F. Sorenson, the first rector when the church was organized some time in the fifties, was the moving spirit toward building the new church.  We can find no one who really seems to know the exact date but it was evidently in 1859 or 1860.  Previous to the building of the church the faithful band of worshipers used G. L. Lord’s hall, a small room on the second floor of a wooden building near where the Lord block now stands.  Later they had services in the old court house.  Among the faithful members were Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Browne, the late Mr. and Mrs. George L. Lord, Mr. and Mrs. Winthrop Lord, the Chesley’s, Woodnorth’s, Pipe’s, Andrews’, Steele’s, Gasman’s of Weyauwega and others contributed much toward its erection.  Mr. George Minton says his father furnished the most of the square timbers.  The late P. S. Woodnorth drew lots of the lumber with his ox team from the saw mills in this city.  Tom Pipe of this city was a young teamster who also used his father’s horses to haul a hill of lumber donated by Judge C. S. Ogden, who had a mill at Ogdensburg.  Hugh Hughes, now living in Waupaca, says he was one of the early members and contributed $5.00 toward the bell, also did some other work.  Dr. Manchester was a carpenter then and did much of the carpenter work.  Also Royal Green helped on the job, in fact most everybody in Waupaca at the time and many outsiders volunteered to help or contribute something.

            M. F. Sorenson, the first rector, was succeeded by Rev. Slade followed by Rev. W. J. Armstrong, then Rev. Geo. Gibson, then Rev. B. F. Trego, then Rev. H. L. Burleson, then Rev. A. G. Harrison, then Rev. L. D. Hopkins, and the present rector being Rev. George Hirst.

            Through the united efforts of Rev. Hirst, the members of St. Mark’s and a generous people we expect to see a more beautiful and substantial Episcopal chapel erected, builded not only for the present but for the future.  Things are moving in the right direction toward that end.  We believe it providential that such an earnest and strong young minister was sent to this parish at this time.

            The passing of the old chapel causes many pleasant and sad reminiscences for there it was where many of the children who are men and women today were baptized and confirmed and made children of God by the bishop, and also many couples have stood at its Holy Altar and plighted their troth and received the ceremony that united them in marriage bonds, and many a solemn chant has been heard as some loved form has been borne from the church to the cemetery.  And again the Christmas and Easter festivities, ordinations, etc., all bring sacred memories and all interested look sadly at the ashes and hope for a new church resurrection.