ST. JOHN'S CHURCH, EAST WHEELING.
The following account of it has been furnished me by one who
is fully acquainted with its history. St. John's parish, Wheeling,
was organized in the year of our Lord 1849. Previous to that
time St. Matthew's parish embraced the whole of the city of Wheeling,
and was the only Episcopal church in Ohio county.
The location of the church-building was at an inconvenient
distance from the residences of a portion of the congregation.
This, together with the rapid increase of the population and business
of the city, demanded the formation of a new parish. Moved by
these considerations, and an earnest desire to extend the influence
and benefits of the Church, the Rev. William Armstrong, rector of
St. Matthew's Church, on the 31st of July, 1849, called a meeting
of his vestry for the purpose of considering the propriety and expediency
of erecting a church and forming another congregation
in the southern part of the city. The vestry, in pursuance of said
call, met on the second day of August, 1849. The following are
the proceedings of the vestry at said meeting, so far as they relate
to a division of the parish:—
"The petition of Robert C. Woods and others upon the subject of a new
parish being the first business before the meeting, Mr. Brady offered the
following paper:—`A communication from Robert C. Woods, Beverley M.
Eoff, and Henry Tallant,—committee,—was presented and read, signifying
that the necessary means had been raised for the support of a minister of
the Protestant Episcopal Church in a new parish which it is proposed to
organize within the city, and asking the assent of the rector, wardens, and
vestry of this church to such organization.' Whereupon it was unanimously
ordered, that the assent desired be and the same is hereby cordially given,
and that the new parish embrace within its limits all south of Wheeling
Creek.
"Resolved, Moreover, that this vestry would humbly invoke God's blessing
upon the organization contemplated in the communication this day
submitted."
Having obtained the consent of the vestry of St. Matthew's
Church, and being favoured with the hearty support and sympathy
of the respected and beloved rector, the committee promptly called
a meeting of such of the citizens of South Wheeling as were favourable
to the formation of a parish of the Church in that part of the
city. At the meeting so called, the rector of St. Matthew's Church
was present, and, in remarks appropriate and impressive, explained
the object of the meeting. After which, suitable measures were
adopted for the complete organization of the new parish, and provision
made for the erection of a building for the services of the
Church.
On the 6th of August, 1849, the Rev. Jas. D. McCabe was invited
to take charge of the parish as rector thereof, which invitation was
accepted on the 24th of the following month. The rector-elect did
not, however, enter upon the duties of his office until January, 1850.
On the 8th of February, 1850, the building erected by the congregation
was sufficiently near completion to be used, and the pulpit
was, for the first time, occupied on that day by the Rev. Mr. Armstrong.
The services were conducted by the rector, assisted by
the Rev. William L. Hyland. The organization of the parish was
sanctioned and confirmed by the Convention of the Diocese of Virginia,
in May, 1850, as "St. John's Parish, Wheeling." The churchedifice—which
had been erected and completed by the congregation—
was consecrated to the service of Almighty God, by the Rt. Rev. John
Johns, Assistant Bishop of Virginia, on the 1st of November, 1850.
The Rev. Dr. McCabe laboured profitably and acceptably to the
congregation until the 8th of January, 1856, when he removed to
Baltimore, as associate rector of St. Paul's Church, in that city.
The following is part of the proceedings of the vestry of St. John's
parish at the meeting called to act upon the resignation of the
rectorship of the parish by the Rev. Dr. McCabe. This resolution
was adopted unanimously, and heartily concurred in by every member
of the congregation:—
"Resolved, That the Rev. James D. McCabe, D.D., has by courtesy and
kindness, by purity of life and doctrine, and by the faithful discharge of
duties pertaining to his holy office, secured the love and confidence of his
people."
The Rev. George K. Warner was elected rector of the parish in
January, 1856, and took charge of the congregation on the 16th
of March following. St. John's parish was established upon the free-seat
system, which has been found to work satisfactorily. The
rector's salary is provided for by the voluntary subscription of the
members. The incidental expenses, &c. are met by weekly collections
at the Sunday morning services. The parish has a commodious
and convenient dwelling-house, erected in 1855 expressly for the
use of the rector.
St. John's parish has at this time (February, 1857) eighty-six
communicants. The Sunday-school connected with the parish is in
a flourishing condition, and, under the judicious care and management
of the rector, proves an important auxiliary to the Church.
I must add to the above, for the encouragement of others to go
and do likewise, that the rectory mentioned above, and which cost
three or four thousand dollars, was at the sole expense of a very
few zealous individuals. May they be rewarded for it by always
having a faithful minister of God to occupy it!
