From Tent to Temple by Eugene Pease, 1959 and Earlier U
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The 120-Year Story of University Temple United Methodist Church (1890–2010) University Temple United Methodist Church 1415 NE 43rd Street Seattle, Washington 98105 Contents Foreword ................................................................................................................ i Preface .................................................................................................................. iv 1. How Firm a Foundation ............................................. 1 Methodism on Seattle's Northern Frontier (1) A Growing Congregation's Ambitious Plans (4) “I Will Build My Church” (5) A Walk Through God’s House (8) The Sanctuary Stained Glass Windows (13) A Block-Long Methodist Presence (16) The Education Wing Sander Memorial Chapel The Church Library Where The Money Came From (23) A Brief Financial History The Crisis of 1935 The Memorial and Endowment Funds 2. The Pastors and Staff .................................................. 30 The Preaching Ministry (30) The Music Ministry (57) Religious Education (73) The Church Office (75) 3. The Congregation .......................................................... 79 United Methodist Women (80) A Brief History The Christmas Gift Banquet The Quilting Group The Sewing Group Wesleyan Service Guild/Jennie Fulton Guild Susannah Wesleyan Service Guild Christian Social Relations Fellowship and Service Groups (93) Triple F and Supper Club Young Adult Beacon Club Meriweds/In-Betweeners Temple Two’s/The Collection Methodist Men Organization Temple Men: The Working Methodists ROMEOS: The Eating Methodists Tuesday Noon Group/The Chrismon Tree Caring Groups Reaching Across to the Campus (102) U. Temple and The Wesley Club Student Ministry Wesley Club in the Late Forties Reaching Out to the Community and the World (125) U. Temple’s Missions Commission The Story of the Thrift Store Rising Out of the Shadows (ROOTS) Appendices 1. Original 1901 Articles of Incorporation .......................................................... 178 2. Stained Glass Artist Anton Geza Rez ..................................................... 179 . CHAPTER 1 How Firm A Foundation… Methodism on Seattle's Northern Frontier1 “Not all at once will I give thee the Kingdom, but little by little” he year was 1890 and a small group of Methodists living in the unincorporated Brooklyn T area north of Seattle’s Lake Union had begun holding prayer meetings in their homes. Much of Brooklyn was woods and small farms. University Way (known to us as “The Ave.”) was little more than a cow path. Records are sparse, but the original Methodist families living in this pioneer north shore community included Mr. Mrs. Enoch and Cora Breece, Mrs. A. V. Freeman, Mrs. J. R. Edwards, and Mrs. S. S. Paysee. Mr. Breece, a deputy Sheriff and later a Seattle police officer, was one of the founders of this group and services were often held in his house (the site is now the intersection of Campus Parkway and University Way). The pastor of the First Methodist Church downtown (Rev. Dr. E. M. Randall) would occasionally “cross the Rubicon” (Lake Union) to hold services for the little congregation in the Paysee hotel or the old Latona schoolhouse in what is now the Wallingford District. In 1891, the Latona Bridge was built (near the site of the present University Bridge) linking downtown Seattle with the unincorporated area north of Lake Union. Seattle soon annexed this area, moving the city limits out to NE 65th Street, and platted both the Brooklyn addition (now the University District) and the Latona addition (now the Wallingford District). At that time, Wallingford (the Latona addition) was the center of civilization north of Lake Union. It boasted a sawmill, grocery store, dry goods store, post office and the Paysee Hotel. There was a boat dock at the foot of Latona Avenue and from there, the steam ferry “Mud Hen” carried the residents back and forth across Lake Union to downtown Seattle. In 1895, the University of Washington moved from downtown Seattle out to the Brooklyn addition. Within a few years, the area became known as the University District and soon rivaled 1 After From Tent to Temple by Eugene Pease, 1959 and earlier U. Temple histories written by Edna Kerr and Warren Kraft Sr. (Archive Catalogue # 0.4. 2); the U. Temple history by Fred Lackmann in the 2001 Church Directory, and Parish History 1901-1996 by The Committee on History and Archives (Archive Cat. # 0. 4. 8). - 1 - From Tent To Temple Chapter. 1. How Firm A Foundation Wallingford as a desirable residential neighborhood. By 1900, the population of the U. District was about 400 people, not including the University of Washington’s 37 professors and 600 students — most of whom lived in downtown Seattle and commuted by taking a five-mile electric trolley ride over the Latona Bridge or on the ferry Mud Hen. As can be seen in this 1901 view, the U. district streets were dirt and the students and professors also walked The U. District ca. 1901, looking east on 41st Street toward to class on dirt paths through the brush the UW campus. Photo UT archives between the three buildings on campus. Sometime during the year 1900, Mr. Enoch Breece and the other U. District Methodists decided that the time was ripe to organize and build a church of their own. In doing this, the congregation received considerable encouragement from the pastors of the First Methodist Church in downtown Seattle and the Asbury Methodist Church that had recently been built in Wallingford. Rev. A. E. Burrows, pastor of Asbury Church, had been holding occasional preaching services in U. District homes for several years. According to a brochure in the archives, in 1901 Mr. William Frankhauser drove a group of U. District Methodists in his hay wagon to an organizational meeting at Asbury Church with the Bishop. The little group soon raised $200 and purchased a lot at 42nd and Roosevelt Way. In the summer of 1901, they pitched a tent on the property and Rev. Burrows of Asbury Church began holding revival services. A membership roll was started and a Sunday school and an Epworth League for youth were organized. A Ladies Aid society was organized by Mrs. W. J. Gillespie. In September 1901, the Bishop appointed Rev. Rial Benjamin as their first pastor. A few months later in December of 1901, papers to legally incorporate the congregation as the “University Methodist Episcopal Church of Seattle” were filed with the Secretary of State in Olympia.2 Thus it was that University Temple first became a legally recognized church — in a tent, with 15 families, no money, kitchen chairs to sit on, no electricity — only kerosene lanterns for light — and a second-hand pump organ to accompany hymn singing. In bad weather, the services were moved to the homes of the members. Two of the incorporators were Dr. Thomas H. Kane, president of the University of Washington at that time (Kane Hall is named after him), and Dr. Almon H. Fuller, Dean of Engineering. Dr. Fuller was a life-long Methodist who later retired to Wesley Gardens in Des Moines, WA where 2 See Appendix 1. Also, a framed copy of the original Articles of Incorporation with the signatures of our founding members is on display in the archives. From Tent To Temple Chapter. 1. How Firm A Foundation he died in 1961. The other founding members listed on the articles of incorporation are: Watson Allen, Enoch E. Breece, C. B. Bremiser, Charles W. Davis, Thomas Doubt, D. Frankhauser, J. G. Lawrence, W. O. Litchfield , and Joseph Sturgeon. The purpose of the new corporation was listed by the state of Washington to be: “for the purpose of the promotion, preaching, teaching, and expounding of the religion of the true God, in accordance with his revealed will and the law as found in the holy scriptures...as well as to borrow money, and issue bonds, notes, or other collateral to secure the payment thereof.” Unfortunately, the title to the lot at 42nd and Roosevelt proved defective, so in 1902 the congregation raised $500 more and purchased another lot at 42nd and Brooklyn, two blocks from the campus. They soon built a small wood frame chapel which they rented on weekdays to the Seattle Public Library while the University Branch Carnegie Library at 50th and Roosevelt was under construction. By the end of the 1902 conference year, the church had 45 members. A sad event in the life of the U. Temple's first church building , 42nd congregation occurred in July of and Brooklyn, ca. 1902. Drawing by Kathryn Hodges 1902 when founding member Enoch E. Breece, U. Temple’s first Sunday school superintendent and a Seattle police officer, was killed in the line of duty attempting to apprehend an escaped convict3 who had previously taken a Seattle family hostage. Officer Breece’s name is listed on the Fallen Hero register maintained by the Seattle Police Department and in 1998 he was posthumously awarded the Law Founding member Enforcement Medal of Honor by the State of Washington. A stained glass Officer Enoch window in our present sanctuary was dedicated to the memory of Enoch and Breece ca. 1900. Cora Breece by their children in 1927. It's the first window on your left as you enter the sanctuary. Stop and reflect a moment next time you go in. By 1905, more and more people were joining University Methodist, as it was now informally called, and the growing congregation needed a larger building. In 1907, under the leadership of their new minister Rev. W. H. Leech, the congregation secured a $3,000 loan from the denomination, purchased an adjacent lot, and built a larger church at a cost of about $9,000. The original chapel remained a separate building. 3 The outlaw Harry Tracy, was a member of Butch Cassidy’s “Hole in the Wall” gang. Tracy had recently escaped from a federal penitentiary in Oregon, killing three people in the process. From Tent To Temple Chapter. 1. How Firm A Foundation By 1910, the center of business in the U.