NOTES TOWARD A HISTORY OF CHRIST CHURCH PARISH 1900 - 1960 PART I 1 PART I Dr. Edwin S. Lindsey's Centennial History of St. Episcopal Church, 1953, suggests that about 100 members of 81. Paul's asked permission to start a new Church and thus paved the way for the beginning of a new Parish on the east side of town. This may very well be true, for two of the early documents that I find concerning the beginnings of Christ Church are lists of donors who “agree to give our earnest support to the new parish and contribute the amount set opposite our names for the annual support of the same.” There are about 44 names (more or less) on the two lists. Considering that wives and children came along with quite a few of the men whose names are listed, this would have meant close to a hundred people. One of the two lists of donors is dated “November 1900.” The other is undated, but is very likely a. continuation of the first list. Copies of both are included as Section 1 of the appendices. Among the few early documents concerning Christ Church there is a letter from Bishop Gailor to Professor J. R. Baylor concerning the forming of a new Parish in Chattanooga. This letter is of such import that it is reproduced in full. Diocese of Tennessee Office of the Bishop Sewanee, Tennessee November 9, 1900ii My Dear Mr. Baylor: I have your letter and hasten to reply to it this morning before I go away. I am particularly anxious to have everything connected with the Church in Chattanooga clearly understood; and so I venture to repeat what I said to you at my last visit. I told you that there were four members of St. Paul's vestry present at Mr. E. G. Richmond's; that the conversation was pleasant and the feelings seemingly kind and good; that they told me they would have a meeting the following Tuesday night and proposed to consent to, or at least not to oppose; .the formation of the new Parish. 'They said, however, that they thought it would be unfortunate to start the Parish right now and give reason for the popular impression that there was a split in St. Paul's based on sectional feeling; and that they would like to see some compromise agreed upon, and that they would be willing to talk the matter over in good feeling with those who wanted the new Parish. It was also suggested that I, as Bishop, should undertake to quiet the desire on the part of those who were interested in the new Parish, and perhaps persuade them to desist. I remember telling you this much. I do not remember telling you what I said. My reply to the Vestry was that while I deplored the idea of having it understood that this movement was in bad spirit; yet that I did not believe it was; and that it lay with the members of the congregation to decide whether they would have a new Parish or not; that, if a sufficient number of people meet together and pledged a proper support for this new Parish, I felt sound to admit their right to do so and would not oppose it, for the reason that a new Parish, started in good faith and feeling, and with support guaranteed by a number of substantial people, would be a good thing in Chattanooga and would mean growth and not decline. You must remember that this movement means work and responsibility; that many people are good to talk, but do not give much help when the strain comes. If, however, I receive a paper in reply to my communication (which I shall transmit whenever I hear from the Standing Committee) giving a list of names of people desirous of forming a new Parish, with subscriptions appended amounting to enough to support the work, then I shall authorize those people to go to work, elect a provisional Vestry and call a rector. The thing is being done every day in cities over all over the country. Chattanooga is the only city in this state where it has not been done before. 2 I do not know what the Vestry of St. Paul's has done. Probably their consent has been given and has been sent to the Standing Committee who are waiting to see me. If you wish to communicate with me please address at 345 Poplar St., Memphis. Most sincerely yours, (Signed) Thos. F. Gailor Prof J. Roy Baylor, Jr. P. S. I have sent a copy of this letter to Mr. Goodman, who is ex-officio of St. Paul's Vestry. In discussing the reasons for the formation of Christ Church Parish, Dr. Lindsey says: “Some older members of St. Paul's say that many Southerners in the congregation left because they felt that Dr. Pettis, a Southerner; had been treated unfairly by the Northerners in the congregation. This sounds likely, but is difficult to establish definitely.” Indeed it is difficult to establish, but Bishop Gailor's letter leads me to believe that Dr. Lindsey's conjecture is extremely well founded. The next definite action of which there is record came in December of 1900, and once again, the document is of such import that it must speak for itself. It was dated December 13, 1900, and reads: A preliminary meeting was held this day at the residence of Mr. C. A. Lyerly for the purpose of organizing a Parish, and to consider other matters with regard to the building of the proposed new Episcopal Church on the “East Side.” Meeting called to order by Mr. F. F. Smith who nominated Prof J. Roy Baylor for Tem. Chairman. Prof Baylor was unanimously elected and opened the meeting with prayer. On motion of Mr. J. C. Guild, E. H. Nall was elected Tem. Secretary. The Chairman stated that a letter had been received from Bishop Gailor in which he had given his consent for the new Parish to be organized and heartily approved the move and he suggested that those interested call a meeting and organize it by the election of a Vestry consisting of either 9 or 11 members to begin work. On motion it was decided to begin with 9 Vestrymen and the following gentlemen were elected: J. Roy Baylor, F. F. Smith, Joe C. Guild, C. E. Danforth, W. A. Terrell, John Cowen, J. C. Howell, W. A. Fairchild and E. H. Nall. The Chair gave notice that the Bishop would be in Chattanooga for a few hours on Friday afternoon next and desired to meet all the members at the Parish at 3 P. M. at the residence of Mr. Baylor. Mr. Guild proposed the name “Christ Church” for the Parish which was adopted. No other business; meeting adjourned. E. H. Nall, Tem. Secty. Four days later the following letter came to Prof. J. Roy Baylor: Calvary Church Rectory 78 Market Street Memphis, Tenn. My Dear Mr. Baylor: At the first monthly meeting of the Standing Committee after the receipt of the action of St. Paul's Parish, Chattanooga, unanimous consent was given to the formation of a new Parish on the eastern side of Chattanooga under the provisions of Canon IX of the Canons of the Diocese of Tennessee. The Committee asked me to suggest to you that we would be obliged if you would send us under date of Sept. 15th, 1900, the formal application provided for in Canon IX. This is merely to complete our records. Bishop Gailor sent his approval on Sept. 19th based on your letter of the 15th stating that you wrote “In behalf of some forty or fifty communicants as a certainty,” and also enclosing a list of subscribers. This last list we returned to the Bishop - leaving in our hands only 3 your letter as quoted above. Technically this was a defect in the papers but the Committee felt free to act under the Bishop's letter and we did. Just address your application to him, signed by yourself and at least nine other communications to the Rt. Revd. Thomas F. Gailor, D. D., Bishop of Tennessee, but forward it to us please as we already have the Bishop's “hearty consent.” If you have no copy of the Canons of the Diocese, write the Revd. A. H. Noll, Secretary of the Diocese of Tenn. at Somerville, Tenn. and he will send you a copy wherein you will find on pp 159-160 all the directions for your proceeding. Of course all action so far is only preliminary. Your application as provided by Canon Nine be made to the Convention of the Diocese and “upon a vote of the Convention the Parish shall be duly established.” The next Diocesan Convention will meet in May, so you have plenty of time to get the application to the Convention ready and I would suggest that you get all you can to sign it, for just the legal ten looks very small. With kind regards and best wishes for the fine school that I hear so much of, Yours sincerely, F.P. Davenport, Prest. Standing Com. Diocese of Tenn. The first meeting of the Vestry was held the day after the foregoing letter was written. Since the minutes are so clearly and succinctly stated I think it advisable to quote them in full: The first meeting of the Vestry of Christ Church, Chattanooga was held at the residence of Prof. J. R. Baylor on December the 18th 1900.