Installation of Huguenot Memorial Presbyterian Church's First Permanent Pastor in 1877
Huguenot Memorial was founded as the nation's only "Centennial Church" and, thus, opened its doors for its first service on the Sunday after the nation celebrated its July 4, 1876 Centennial. Reverend Waite began service as the pastor of the Church in 1877 and was formally installed in that post on the afternoon of Tuesday, December 4, 1877.
Rev. Waite served as pastor of Huguenot Memorial Presbyterian Church for a little less than three years. He resigned the pastorate in November, 1880. A few years later he founded the tiny little Church of the Covenant at Pelhamville, and was its minister without salary from 1887 to 1889.
Reverend Waite was a fascinating man. While serving as minister of the Church of the Covenant at Pelhamville, he also served as Secretary and Treasurer of the Julien Electric Company, which operated the first street cars propelled by storage battery in the United States. He also was a man of letters. He edited a host of important publications of his day.
I have written about Rev. Dr. Henry Randall Waite before. See, e.g.:
Thu., Sep. 29, 2005: A Brief Biography of Henry Randall Waite, 19th Century Clergyman in Pelham.
Wed., Oct. 25, 2006: A Biography of the Rev. Henry Randall Waite, Ph. D., a 19th Century Pastor of Huguenot Memorial Presbyterian Church.
Tue., Sep. 18, 2007: Installation of the First Full-Time Pastor of Huguenot Memorial Presbyterian Church in Pelham Manor in 1877.
The installation of Rev. Waite as pastor of Huguenot Memorial Presbyterian Church on December 4, 1877 was, of course, a seminal event in the history of the little church. The installation services were conducted in the afternoon of that day. Members of the clergy from throughout the Westchester Presbytery and elsewhere attended the services in the tiny little wooden sanctuary that stood where today's magnificent stone sanctuary stands. The little church was painted red and became a famous landmark because it stood on Boston Post Road, then the principal thoroughfare between New York City and New England. The red church gave the name "Red Church Corner" to the intersection of Boston Post Road and Pelhamdale Avenue where it stood.
Among the clergy present for the installation services that day were: Rev. Washington Roosevelt and Rev. Charles Higbee, both of Pelham Manor; Rev. Dr. Baird of Rye; Rev. Dr. William J. Tucker and Rev. Dr. Lewellyn Bevan, both of New York City; Rev. Robert A. Davison, Moderator of Westchester Presbytery; Rev. Dr. Wilson Phraner of Sing Sing, Rev. Dr. Rollin A. Sawyer of Irvington, Rev. Hiram H. Waite (father of Henry Randall Waite); and Rev. L. Francis of Greenpoint, Long Island.
Rev. Davison, Moderator of the Westchester Presbytery, propounded the constitutional question to Rev. Waite. Rev. Phraner gave the charge to the new pastor. Rev. Sawyer gave the charge to the people of the congregation. Rev. Dr. William J. Tucker of New York City delivered the sermon. According to one newspaper account:
"Dr. Tucker, of this city, preached an admirable sermon on what he called the inspiration of faith, which, he argued, always preceded the inspiration of writing. So that before Moses or David, Isaiah or Paul could write, they must have believed. And had they not been obedient as well as believing, God could not have developed His truth in them with sufficient clearness and power for them to have written it."
Three vocalists ("Miss Phillips and Messrs. O'Brien and Grover") from New Rochelle celebrated the installation with music. Rev. Waite's father, Rev. Hiram H. Waite, delivered the closing prayer. Following the services, the clergy dispersed to the homes of various residents of Pelham Manor and were "entertained by the hospitable Pelhamites at their homes."
A Glass Lantern Slide Created by Pelham Town Historian
William Montgomery Between December 10, 1916 and June
10, 1917. It Depicts the "Little Red Church," the Predecessor
Building to Today's Huguenot Memorial Presbyterian Church
Sanctuary. The Little Red Church was a "Centenary Church"
Opened in July 1876 in Part to Commemorate the Centennial
of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence.
NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.
* * * * *
"WESTCHESTER COUNTY. . . .
A special meeting of the Westchester Presbytery will be held in the Huguenot Memorial Church, at Pelham Manor, on Tuesday afternoon next, for the purpose of installing the new Pastor of the church, Rev. Henry Randall Waite, Ph. D. Among the prominent clergymen who will take part in the exercises are Rev. Washington Roosevelt, Rev. Llewellyn Bevan, Rev. T. Ralston Smith, Rev. William J. Tucker, Rev. Wilson Phraner, Rev. Rollin A. Sawyer, and Rev. Hiram H. Waite."
Source: WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. Times, Dec. 2, 1877, p. 2, col. 5.
"A HUGUENOT INSTALLATION.
-----
THE NEW CHURCH THAT HAS BEEN ERECTED AT PELHAM MANOR.
The Huguenots were an important factor in the morals and politics of Westchester county, N. Y., a century ago, though their history is still unwritten save in sketches. The old Pelham Manor having been laid out in village plots by an association composed largely of New England descendants of the Huguenots a few years ago, they resolved to plant a church there which should be a memorial to their persecuted ancestors. They have built one of the plainest and prettiest country churches anywhere within an hours' [sic] ride of New York, and yesterday the edifice was filled with persons from the city and the villages adjacent between this and Sing Sing to witness the installation of the Rev. Henry Randall Waite, Ph. D., as pastor. Mr. Waite was formerly pastor of the American Chapel in Rome, but has been back about a year. The little Huguenot church was opened for worship on the first Sabbath of the second centenary of American independence, and is therefore properly named the Huguenot Centenary Memorial Church of Pelham Manor. It is the only Huguenot church in the land. Being within the bounds of the Westchester Presbytery a large representation of that body was present at the installation services yesterday afternoon. The exercises were participated in by the Rev. Washington Roosevelt and the Rev. Charles Higbee, of Pelham Manor, the later rector of the Episcopal Church there; by the Rev. Dr. Baird of Rye; Rev. Drs. W. J. Tucker and L. Bevan, of this city; Rev. Robert A. Davison, moderator of Presbytery, who propounded the constitutional question to the new pastor; by Dr. Phraner, of Sing Sing, who gave the charge to the pastor, and Dr. Sawyer, of Irvington, N. Y., who charged the people. The Rev. H. H. Waite, father of the Huguenot pastor, is engaged in the same relation with the Second Congregational Church in Jersey City. He was present yesterday at the installation of his son and made the closing prayer, and the Rev. L. Francis of the First Reformed Church, Greenpoint, L. I., also took part. Dr. Tucker, of this city, preached an admirable sermon on what he called the inspiration of faith, which, he argued, always preceded the inspiration of writing. So that before Moses or David, Isaiah or Paul could write, they must have believed. And had they not been obedient as well as believing, God could not have developed His truth in them with sufficient clearness and power for them to have written it. Dr. Sawyer's charge to the people was a model of its kind. It was delivered extempore and related to their reception of the new pastor as a man and as a minister. As a man, he was theirs; as a minister, they were to be him. The first meant that they should provide adequate support for him; the second that they should hear the Word of God from his mouth, not in a perfunctory manner, but as if Christ, whose ambassador he is, stood before them. A trio from New Rochelle -- Miss Phillips and Messrs. O'Brien and Grover -- furnished the vocal music, and the visitors were entertained by the hospitable Pelhamites at their homes."
Source: A HUGUENOT INSTALLATION -- THE NEW CHURCH THAT HAS BEEN ERECTED AT PELHAM MANOR, N. Y. Herald, Dec. 5, 1877, No. 15,080, p. 4, col. 4.
"Dedication of a Huguenot Church.
The Huguenots were an important factor in the morals and politics of this county a century ago, though their history is still unwritten save in sketches. The old Pelham Manor having been laid out in village plots by an association composed largely of New England descendants of the Huguenots a few years ago, they resolved to plant a church there which should be a memorial to their persecuted ancestors. They have built a plain but handsome edifice, which was filled with people on the 4th inst. to witness the installation of Rev. Henry Randall Waite, Ph. D., as pastor. This is the only Huguenot Church in the land. Being with the bounds of the Westchester Presbytery a large representation of that body was present at the installation services. The exercises were participated in by the Rev. Washington Roosevelt and the Rev. Charles Higbee, of Pelham Manor, the latter rector of the Episcopal Church there; by the Rev. Dr. Baird, of Rye; Rev. Drs. W. J. Tucker and L. Bevan, of New York city; Rev. Robert A. Davison, Moderator of the Presbytery, who propounded the constitutional question to the new pastor; by Dr. Phraner, of Sing Sing, who gave the charge to the pastor, and Dr. Sawyer, of Irvington, who charged the people. A trio from New Rochelle -- Miss Phillips and Messrs. O'Brien and Grover -- furnished the vocal music, and the visitors were entertained by the hospital [sic] Pelhamites at their homes."
Source: Dedication of a Huguenot Church, Eastern State Journal, Dec. 14, 1877, Vol. XXXIII, No. 35, p. 3, col. 3.
"COUNTY JOTTINGS. -- Interesting Items of Happenings in all Parts of this County. . . .
Rev. Henry Randall Waite has resigned the pastorate of the Presbyterian Church at Pelham Manor. . . ."
Source: COUNTY JOTTINGS. -- Interesting Items of Happenings in all Parts of this County, Eastern State Journal [White Plains, NY], Nov. 12, 1880, p. 3, col. 3.
"Westchester County. . . .
Rev. Henry Randall Waite has resigned the pastorate of the Presbyterian Church at Pelham Manor. . . ."
Source: Westchester County, The Port Chester Journal [Port Chester, NY], Nov. 25, 1880, Vol. XIII, No. 627, p. 4, col. 2.
Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.
Labels: 1876, 1877, Henry Randall Waite, Huguenot Memorial Presbyterian Church, Little Red Church, Red Church Corner
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