Seventy-five
years ago, on October 20, 1895, the Reverend George W. Williard,
D.D, preacher, writer, scholar, college president (Heidelberg College,
Tiffin, Ohio), retired from the Reformed denominational scene to
organize a congregation of the Reformed Church in the east end of
Dayton, Ohio, at the corner of Fifth and Van Lear Streets.In
that year Grover Cleveland was president of the United States; electric
street cars, called "monsters" were being introduced for transportation;
war with Spain was talked about; the horse and buggy was still popular;
and 65 charter members with a faith inspired by Dr. Williard put
their hearts and hands to the building of a church at the present
site of 2338 East Fifth Street.
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Car
Barn - First Meeting House
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Memorial Church, named for the large gift contributed in memory
of Mrs. Emma Hivling Williard, has been served by twelve pastors in
its history, including the present minister, the Reverend Edward
Smith who was installed in Jully 1995. The church and Sunday
School grew in membership with the development of the East end,
as the once farm area was transformed into a new part of the city
of Dayton.Brief reports of the early days in the church are quaintly
told in the following accounts from the newspaper: Exerpt from the
DAYTON JOURNAL: "The new auditorium of
the Memorial Reformed Church on East Fifth Street was dedicated
yesterday with special services in the morning and evening which
brought together large concourses of people. The new auditorium
has just recently been completed and the congregation has now one
of the handsomest houses of worship in the East end.""The growth
of this church has been remarkable and from a little Sabbath school
in the old Fifth Street car barn to a prosperous church organization,
all in Rev. George W. Williard the course of three years, and all
brought about by the noble efforts of a self-sacrificing pastor
and congregation. The people of Memorial Reformed Church are certainly
to be congratulated upon the handsome edifice.
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Interior
of Church - 1900
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"The pastor,
Rev. G.W. Williard, came to Dayton, April 1895, from Lar.caster,
Pa., and on October 20th of that year he organized a church with
65 charter members. On January 19, 1896, the chapel was dedicated
and now the auditorium built of pressed brick and stone is completed
and the congregation numbers 230 members. The handsome sum of
$700 was raised at the morning service for the church and a Goodly
sum was received in the evening. (1898)" From the Dayton
Journal, November 1909: "Burning Embers Bring Joy
as Church Mortgage is Burned" Smoke alone and ashes left to tell
story of freedom from debt one of Gods palaces."After fourteen
years of faithful struggle Memorial Reformed comes from shade
into sunshine and starts stronger than ever.""As the burning embers
crackled, the angry flames shot heavenward and in a few
moments all traces of the mortgage which had been hanging over
the congregation for the past fourteen years was destroyed at
the evening services of the Memorial Reformed Church on East Fifth
Street Sunday night. The aroma floated through the atmosphere,
bring to each and every worker the reminiscences of the hard struggle
to cancel the obligation. As the blaze died down the soft strains
of "Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow" wafted in its vibrations
until the last whirl of smoke announced the culmination of the
solemn service.
"Excerpts
from the recorded minutes of Memorial Reformed Church:"May 4,
1896--Brother Eckert moved that Bros. Williard and Francis be
appointed a committee to have hitching posts put in the yard in
the rear of the church. Carried."Brother Rowe--that a Committee
be appointed to procure tree boxes for the trees in front of the
church. -"Resolved that if possible other plans be devised to
raise finances from other sources other than the congregation
and further that every encouragement be given the Ladies Aid Society
in their noble work which has assisted us so much in the past..."
Jan. 5, 1897, C.E. Rowe reported that he conferred with the officers
of the Sunday School about the coal bill and they donated $10.00
toward the same.""Brother Francis reported that he had purchased
coal from the Southern Ohio Coal Company at $2.50 per ton, as
much as needed for the winter, Oct. 4, 1897."September 2, 1898,
Dr. Williard advised us that owing to his continued ill health
he would not be able to continue to take charge of the work which
depended upon him as pastor of the congregation. And advised us
to be on the look out for a good man to fill the vacancy caused."
Moved that a Committee be appointed to draw up plans of the pews
and to discuss plans for getting the names of the persons which
would occupy the pews regularly on the chart, the same to be placed
on the wall inside the church.
That the Music
Committee purchase 6 Reformed hymnals for the use of the Committee
in organizing a chofr. (Feb. 2, 1899)"Excerpts from recorded minutes
of Consistory:"Brother Burghalter reported the following names
of families-- admonishing those found at home (name).. .partly
carelessness, and partly poverty, will be on hand this month and
promised to be more regular...(name)...not at home, ... (name)
...promised to come, .. . (name)... mother an invalid, talked
to the boys."(May 2, 1899)"On motion, Dr. Leaman was authorized
to correspond with the Welch Grape Juice Co., Westfield, N.Y.
in regard to Communion wine and purchase three gallon of same
as reasonable as possible. (Oct. 31, 1899)""Brother Rowe reported
that caps had been placed over the gas lights in the Main room."
Resolution
on the death of Rev. George W. Williard: Whereas, in the fullness
of time God has seen fit to remove by death from labor to rest
the aged and greatly reverend Pastor Emeritous, Rev. George Williard
of Memorial Reformed Church, therefore be it resolved that this
Consist ory and congregation mourn his loss, his companionship
and kindly council and although he is dead yet speaketh in the
example he has left to us as an ardent, earnest Christian advisor;
yet our loss is infinite gain to him and we know that he is with
the Lord whom he loved and trusted. Be it resolved that this body
bow in submission to Divine Providence, knowing that Dr. Williard
has entered into the rest that God has preferred for all those
who so humbly trust Him, and like the Apostle Paul: "For we know
that if our earthly house be dissolved we have a building from
God; not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." (2 Cor. 1)
CHARTER
MEMBERSGeorge W. Williard, D.D., Mrs. Mary E. Williard,
Win. H. Rike, Mrs. Ma Rike, Louie Rike, Jessie Rike, William K.
Eckert, Sarah J. Eckert, Edward Eckert, David Heister, Sarah Heister,
Harry Heister, William E. Bickler, Mrs. Belle Bickler, Esther
Dille, Ada Dille, Jacob Mitman, Mrs. Laura Mitman, Mrs. Sarah
Engle, Dr. Charles H. Leaman, Mrs. Elisa Leaman, Ammon Francis,
Mrs. Ca thrine Francis, Miss Mary Ann Francis, Miss Kate Francis,
Miss Elis. Francis, C. Lester Coleman, William L. Traqh, Mrs.
Emma Tragh, Mrs. Mary Frances Good, Miss Julia Shearer, Lottie
V. Kefauver, Earl Kefauver~ Mrs. Alice Wise, Mrs. Mary Hudson,
John K. Freed, Mrs. Clara Freed, Fred H. Miller, Forrest Mitman,
Miss Clara lVlitinan, Mrs. Jennie Engle, Mrs. Lizzie Hume, Mrs.
Mary C. Wetzel, Miss Mary C. Wetzel, Mrs. Louella Ankeny, Charles
Caho, Mrs. Virginia Caho, Mrs. Lulu Rich tsteiner, Miss Mary Garlaugh,
Charles E. Rowe, Mrs. Jennie Rowe, John Heilman.Mrs. Sophia Heilman,
Fred Heilman, George W. Coleman, Mrs. Rachael Coleman, Emanuel
Heister, Mrs. Anna Heister, Belle Miller, Mrs. Julia Harmon, George
W. Leonard, Fredericka Leonard, Ben F. Ewry, Mrs. Rose Ewry, Jessie
F Wry.
Denominational
Name:
- Memorial Reformed
Church, 1895-1934.
- Memorial Evangelical
and Reformed Church, 1934-1957, (merger)
- Memorial United
Church of Christ, 1957 (merger of the Evangelical Reformed denomination
and the Congregational Christian Church)
Pastors
- The Rev.
George W. Williard, D.D., 1895-1899.
Pastor Emeritus 1899 until his death on September 17, 1900.
Burial Woodland Cemetary
- The Rev.
Daniel Burghalter, 18 99-1 901, resigned to become Editor of
the "Christian World."
- The Rev.
Henry J. Christman, D.D., 1901-1902, resigned to become President
of Central Theological Seminary, located on Huffinan hill, Huffman
and Seminary Avenues.
- The Rev.
H.H. Hartman, 1902-1913. (The parsonage at 2334 East Fifth Street
was purchased.)
- The Rev.
Orris W. Haulman, D.D., 1915-1921. (The pipe organ was installed.)
- The Rev.
Edgar V. Loucks, D.D., 1922-1928.
- The Rev.
Grady H. Shoffner, D.D., 1 929-1934. (Merger of the Reformed
denomination and the Evangelical Synod of North America.)
- The Rev.
William F. Kissel, 1935-1942.
- The Rev.
Edward A. Puff, 1942 - 1982
- The Rev. Kenneth Knife, 1982 - 1984
- The Rev John
E. Konz, 1985 - 1995
- The Rev. Eward E. Smith, 1995 - ??
New parsonage, 1958, purchase of four houses for parking purposes,
100% payment of Our Christian World Ministry for more than 27
years, revival of church witness in the community and support
of all denominational programs, developement (sic) of Memorial
Gifts and Fund established.The governing body of the church was
designated the Consistory, consisting of five members.
The Church and the Organizations
Now the membership of the Consistory is ten Elders and ten Deacons,
twenty in all. The pastor serves as presiding officer.The Church
School (Sunday School), the choir and organizations such as the
Williard Bible Class, the Christian Worker's Bible Class (George
Molter, teacher for 45 years), the Aurigas, the Amitiae, the Dorcas
Missionary Society, the Women's Guild, the Memorial Couples, the
Men's Club, the Cradle Role, Scouting have played an important part
in the growth and teaching aims of the church throughout the years.Hundreds
of members have passed through the doors of Memorial during the
past seventy-five years. The membership now numbers nearly 600.
Some eighty per cent of the present church role has been received
in the last twenty-seven years. The church has played an increasing
part in the changing enviromen t of Dayton. The Monarch Area Improvement
Association was an outgrowth of the church's desire to influence
better housing standards in the neighborhood. A clothing center
has been established also.The church has always been mission minded--in
supporting the founding of two new churches in Dayton, cooperating
with denominational causes, in aiding missionaries, students for
the ministry, and Church World Service projects. The church employs
a custodian, choir director, organist, youth director and a secretary.Memorial
has been ecumenical in spirit, entering into the merger in 1934
(with the Evangelical Synod of North America) and in 1957 (with
the Congregational Christian Church) when the name was changed to
Memorial United Church of Christ. We have had a fine relationship
with neighborhood churches, the Church Federation of Greater Dayton,
and our Roman Catholic brethren at Holy Family parish.Many memorial
gifts have been presented to the church in loving memory of loved
ones, either by wills and bequests, or gifts such as pulpit and
church furniture, the mural painting, the tower chimes, the altar
ware, hymnals, church pews, pianos, and money gifts toward repairs,
renovation and remodeling of many of our church rooms, including
the first parsonage which was remodeled as an educational building.In
1958, the congregation purchased an eight room parsonage at 1327
Huffman Ave., which now provides a home for the pastor and family
as well as a meeting place for fellowship. The buying of $60,000
worth of church parking has enabled our church to be useful to the
community through this convenience of space.Harmony and progress
for the kingdom of God has been the keynote of our church whose
membership now comes from the greater Dayton community.
Historical
Clippings, Photos and Other Items of Interest...
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Memorial had
its own baseball team! This photo was taken around 1911-1912.
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This
handsome group was photographed outside the Fifth Street
entrance around 1912. |
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The
church program for the Fifth Anniversary of 1905 was a simple
leaflet. |
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THE ASCENSION MURAL
(Located in the
sanctuary of Memorial
Church)
The image of Jesus
Christ ascending into the heavens on Ascension Day, 40 days after Easter,
(Acts) is an impression copy by the artists Mr & Mrs Makk, of the German
painter, Gottlieb Bierman, (1758 – 1844). He stands suspended for a moment,
with downcast eyes and hands out-stretched in benediction upon the infant
Church—that little group of disciples that witnessed with yearning eyes. His home-going from the hills near Bethany.
To Jesus’ right is the
figure of Peter, the rock, as Jesus called him, with the keys of the kingdom. In back of Peter is John the Baptist, the
fore-runner of Jesus, baptizing in the Jordan,
calling people to repentance and crying: “Prepare ye the way of the Lord."
Also to be seen is Elizabeth, John’s mother, the cousin of Mary,
and next to her is the prophet Isaiah, who prophesied, “His name shall be
called wonderful, counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, the Prince of
Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6). To the back of Isaiah is Micah, who prophesied: “And thou
Bethlehem of Ephratah, out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel.
(Micah 5:2)
On the left of Jesus,
stands Paul the Apostle, the missionary, who went forth with the depicted
symbol, ”the sword of the spirit” and his Epistles or
letters, as he wrote Thessalonians, Corinthians, Romans, Ephesians, Galations,
etc. The group of people in back of Paul represent the early Christian church
which he organized in his three missionary trips around by the succeeding ages,
when the Reformer—Zwingle, Luther, Calvin brought the Bible, the Word of God to people from the 16th
century unto the present.
All on the left
represent the communion of the Saints. The shield is the reminder of all those
who, as Paul put it, “put on the whole armor of God”—the symbol of “Onward
Christian Soldiers, with the cross of Jesus—going on before. Ephesians 6:10-17.
The mural covering a
wall space of 28 feet long and 12 feet high is in a half circle. The many
beautiful colors as well as the dimensional effect of the characters is admired by all.
The mural is a
memorial gift of Mrs. Alberta Rollman, in memory of her husband, Ford E.
Rollman and also Harvey Brown, a long time servant of
Memorial
Church.
The Ascension Mural
was dedicated on September
13, 1964.
Additional
information:
To
Memorial
Church Consistory—
A special request:
As donor of the mural “Christ’s
Ascension” in memory of my husband , Ford Rollman,
(August, 1964 and realizing its value and beauty, as well as a witness to Jesus
Christ.
I hereby request that
in the event of the sale of the church building at any time in the future, that
the Mural be taken down, and the canvas painting, (three sections) be offered
and presented to a church, who will display this great painting in a church
sanctuary or an appropriate room, where its beauty and message will be honored
for many years to come. Please carry out my wishes and concern for this gift.
With appreciation,
Mrs
Alberta
Rollman and Diana
December
, 1988
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