Rog Hiemstra’s Blog

In the last newsletter article I described how the stained glass window from our former James St. church, normally on display at the Everson, was on a new journey to three locations. I ended by hoping that someone could travel to one of these locations and see it in person. Fortunately, Harsey and Joyce Leonard for their 50^th wedding anniversary spent time in France for the holidays. They were able to see “New Jerusalem” at the Musée du Luxembourg in Paris. They brought back photos, mementos, and first hand stories not only about the Tiffany exhibit, but how our window was clearly the best piece in the show (I might have added that last comment). I recently added to the web page more information about that window and its journey with a couple of new photos: http://history.mmuus.org/NewJerusalem.htm. Harsey and Joyce did say our window was the 2^nd largest in the exhibit and with some backlighting using foil to reflect the light, it really was a beauty to see. One of the mementos was a 72 page booklet showing the exhibit pieces. All these mementos will go into our archives.

Some may have read the wonderful article about our window’s journey by Dick Case in the Post Standard on January 12. He described his conversation with Deb Ryan, the Everson’s senior curator, who explained how the window was taken apart and packed carefully in three separate wooden crates. Deb will fly to Paris as “New Jerusalem” is taken down and crated for the trip to Montreal. Now, is there anyone taking a trip to Montreal?

Several History Committee members have completed recorded interviews of 24 long time or past church parishioners. We’ve learned much about our history. Here are only three of the many interesting factoids from these conversations:

More than 70 years ago a large room in the James Street church used for religious education classes had movable dividers with opaque glass to create the appearance of rooms for a certain amount of  privacy.

In the James Street church there were many nooks and crannies where a clever and knowledgeable child could hide from parents and teachers if they so desired, sometimes for long periods of time.

When the current church was built, children had to be at least three years old to attend because of concerns with communicable diseases, such as polio.

With more than 40 hours of taped conversation we have gained much such knowledge. Forty more people have been identified whom we hope to interview over the next several months. If you would like to do some interviewing or any of scanning, inventorying, and other tasks the committee undertakes, we would love to have you join us.

Finally, an interesting history-related update. On January 22 Harsey Leonard and I met with Mr. Peter Wilkinson Bragdon, Exeter, NH, great grandson of Sam May. He presented to the church two bibles at one time owned by Sam May and passed down through the family. It was a wonderful occasion and the bibles will soon be on display. See http://history.mmuus.org/bibles.html for more information.

Rog Hiemstra, Chair, History Committee

Written January 15, 2010

You may have read in the Post Standard recently that a Baptist church in Vermont is selling its Tiffany stained glass window that has hung there for almost 100 years to raise much needed cash. The highest bid so far is $75,000. In our former James Street church we had a beautiful Tiffany stained glass window honoring our first church president of record, Edward Judson, who died in 1902. What it is worth today is priceless in terms of our church history. Named the Tiffany Palms and designed by the famous Louis Comfort Tiffany, it was known as the “New Jerusalem.” To see a photo of this window as it stood in our old church go to this link: http://history.mmuus.org/windows.html.

When the James Street church was being razed, it is the only one of the 10 stained glass windows saved and it has hung in the Everson Art Museum for many years. Many May Memorial parishioners and thousands of others have enjoyed its beauty over the years when visiting the Museum. Nancy Pease recently visited the museum and was surprised when looking for it to note its absence and asked officials there where it was. She mentioned this to me and here is the wonderful and honorific story of its current journey.

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts has organized in collaboration with the Musée du Luxembourg in Paris and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond a touring exhibit of Tiffany Glass. This exhibition is one of the most significant ever mounted of Tiffany’s works and celebrates this renowned designer who achieved original and spectacular effects in hand-blown glass vessels, leaded glass windows and lamps, and other decorative objects. The exhibition’s curators are from the Montreal museum, the NYC Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Rutgers University. In addition to choosing pieces from the collaborating museums, the curators visited several venues where Tiffany pieces are housed, including the Everson. From all the Everson Tiffany pieces they chose our window. Everson Registrar, Karen Convertino, even travelled to Paris for its installation there.

The exhibition’s approximately 170 objects includes blown-glass vessels, lamps, leaded-glass windows, and other decorative objects. Currently, in its first 12-week exhibition at the Paris museum until the end of December, it is known as “Tiffany Glass: A Passion for Colour” (Couleurs et Lumière). Starting mid February for another 12 weeks it will be at the Montreal museum where it will be known as the “Fusion of Colour: The Glass of Louis C. Tiffany.” Its final 12 week exhibit will begin at the end of May in the Richmond museum where it will be known as “Tiffany: Color and Light.” Anyone for a trip to Pairs, Montreal, or Richmond for a wonderful experience and seeing in person how our window has complemented this exhibition? If you do visit, take photos.

Rog Hiemstra, Chair, History Committee

Written December 15, 2009

As President Obama struggles with a possible path for peace in the Middle East, I thought about Sam May’s own path to his work with peace. Growing up he would have been introduced to such ancients as Homer, Plutarch, Ovid, and Seneca who all argued for peace. There are, of course, comments about peace and avoiding war in both the Old and New Testaments, but Sam’s early connections with religion would have shown that this often was a bit hypocritical with Popes, Kings, and the Crusaders frequently using war as a means of settling various differences.

His actual involvement with peace probably began when he heard of Rev. William Channing’s sermons or it may have been when as a Harvard student he became aware of the recently established Massachusetts Peace Society. He father, Joseph May, became a member of that Society in 1816, right when Sam was studying at Harvard and beginning to think about many things and becoming acquainted with many people. One was a college friend, Gorham Parsons, who was a neighbor of Rev. Noah Worcester. Noah printed around the same time a famous peace tract entitled, The Solemn Review of the Custom of War. Upon being introduced to Rev. Worcester during a visit to Gorham’s home, Sam later talked about how inspired he was during this meeting and thus began a long friendship with Rev. Worcester.

Soon after Sam became an officer in the Windham County Peace Society and within a short time published his very first of what would be many tracts, entitled the Exposition of the Sentiments and Purposes of the Windham County Peace Society. From that point he began accelerating his work through publications, attendance at peace movement meetings, and various sermons in his first pastorate. These latter created some problems for him as many in that congregation objected to a minister who was so vocal on a complicated issue.

Thus began the ridicule that Sam was to face throughout most of his remaining life for his strong stands on societal issues. Not only did he face criticism within his own church, but within his community of Brooklyn, Connecticut, and increasingly throughout much of the east. His views on peace were greatly enhanced when in 1827 he met William Ladd, who was known at the time as the “Apostle of Peace.” William then enlisted Sam to help form a national peace organization, what would become the American Peace Society.

That beginning led naturally to Sam’s work with injustice of any sort and the abolitionist movement. When he was considering the move to Syracuse, he let our ancestors know exactly what his views were on peace, slavery, and the injustices he saw even in his initial visits to our community. Knowing all of this, our forbearers eagerly invited him to continue his ministry here and the rest is history. It is no wonder that May Memorial has had such a long and rich involvement with social justice issues. Thanks, Sam! To read more about Sam’s path to peace advocacy read the biography, God’s Chore Boy at http://history.mmuus.org/galpin-may.html

Rog Hiemstra, Chair, History Committee

Written November 15, 2009

The history of our church buildings has an interesting twist. Our first church building was on Genesee St., but close to downtown. Our current church, also on Genesee St., is about five miles East of that first building. In essence, it took 125 years to move those five miles.

After meeting in homes, an unoccupied schoolhouse, and even an old Baptist Church on West Genesee St. from 1836 through 1838, our first church building was a small wooden structure not much bigger than our current Memorial Room. It was built for $607 and the first service was conducted in January of 1839. Our first minister, Rev. John Storer, arrived in 1839, too, and after taking his first look at the church building, he called it his “Little Tabernacle,” as it barely held the 40 members usually in attendance each Sunday. Today much of that location is occupied by the Hiscock and Barclay building. Its founder, Judge Frank Hiscock, was an active leader in our church during the early part of the last century. An important note: Where our building stood would have been on part of what is today a parking lot.

That little building served us well for only five years as our membership grew steadily. Standing room only constraints on parishioners resulted in the construction of our second church building at the corner of Burnett and Lock (now State) Street, very near the Erie Canal. The building several times larger than the first one, was completed in the fall of 1843 for the price of $5000. Named the Church of the Messiah, it was an imposing structure. To see photos of this and our other buildings, go to this Internet site: http://history.mmuus.org/churchbuildings.pdf. Today that building is gone, and it its place, you guessed it, a parking lot.

Unfortunately, a railroad track was laid down quite near the Church of the Messiah, and the resulting noise overpowered services, meetings, and even weddings. Thus our next building, named in honor of our second minister, was called May Memorial church, a name we still hold today. It was built at 472 James St. for the cost of  $50,000. This beautiful church served us very well from 1985 through 1964. Unfortunately, we eventually outgrew it and had our current church constructed. Would it surprise you to know that today 472 James St. is a parking lot?

Our 3800 E. Genesee St. church was built for $447,000 and was dedicated on October 10, 1964. It, too, has served us very well for these past 45 years and we do have a fairly large parking lot!

Rog Hiemstra, Chair, History Committee

Written October 13, 2009

Two years ago I wrote about the almost marriage of Fred Wilkinson, grandson of Sam May, to Winnie Davis, a daughter of Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. This article was written primarily from the viewpoint of Fred, as best I could capture it from an historical viewpoint. My colleague, Karen Dau, NYSCU and First Universalist Church of Rochester Historian, subsequently sent me some information that gives the same story from Winnie’s viewpoint. This information comes from Crowns of Thorns and Glory by Gerry Van Der Heuvel (NY: E. P. Dutton, 1988).

When Winnie and Fred fell in love in 1888 after she had visited friends in Syracuse, they both knew there would be problems with their respective parents, especially Jefferson Davis and his wife Varina, who were still smarting over the loss of the Civil War and his imprisonment for a period. Because Sam May, who had died in 1868 three years after the war ended, was still known throughout much of the south as one of those “abolitionists” who had been thought responsible, in part, for causing the war, they were none too happy about this romance. Jefferson was very much against it and let her know it. She had been born in 1864, in Richmond, Virginian, in the “White House” of the confederacy and was actually known throughout the south as the “daughter of the confederacy,” so there was much at stake here. Winnie was so distraught over all the disagreement that she became very thin and run-down. Jefferson then convinced her to go with friends on a cruise to Europe. Unfortunately, when she was in Paris in December of 1889, her father died. Her resulting grief added to the depression she felt over the unfortunate love affair.

Varina then decided that she did not want to sacrifice her daughter’s happiness because of past Confederacy issues and actually announced their engagement in April of 1890. The furor in the southern newspapers was actually much greater than anyone had even anticipated. About this time inquiries were made by some of her family members into Fred’s circumstances and the word came back that he would have trouble supporting a wife and eventual family. As a consequence, Fred learned of these inquiries, became angry, and wrote Winnie a fairly heated letter. One thing led to another and Varina used the newspapers once again to say the wedding was postponed. By the fall of that year the engagement was finally broken off.

It is difficult to know how much that broken engagement affected her. She did go on to become somewhat fairly well know as an author, but her health never regained its full vigor. She died in September of 1898 at the age of 34. She was buried with full military honors. Standing in the back of the church during the services was none other than a very saddened Fred Wilkinson. What could have been was never to be.

Rog Hiemstra, Chair, History Committee

Written September 14, 2009

I begin by encouraging you to read John Allen’s “Going Green” article in this newsletter. I am so pleased to play a role in Rick Weinstein speaking at May Memorial on September 20. I really encourage you to attend as his updated information about climate change is such an eye opener and very sobering. Second, I am pleased to announce that there are two new additions to the MMUUS History Page. One is a beautiful story Doris Sage wrote for her grandchildren before she went to prison. The second includes the testimonies from Doris and 24 other people during their trials. Six of the 25 people were from the Syracuse area: Nick Cardell, Ed Kinane, Megan Rice, Dan Sage, Doris Sage, and Ann Tiffany. Their bravery and convictions, although misunderstood by the U.S. legal system, is to be forever honored. Go to http://history.mmuus.org/ and find those two links at the bottom of the page.

Their bravery was similar to those of our church ancestors relative to stances they took against slavery. This has been mentioned in various ways before, the most famous being Sam May’s work in abolition and with the Jerry Rescue. Unfortunately, and obviously my biases and naiveté in understanding the law are showing in this article, those efforts also were misunderstood within the legal system. Daniel Webster, a well known figure in U.S. history, was a part of this misunderstanding or, perhaps, it was a misappropriation of the legal system for political reasons. I have spoken before about Sam’s disgust with what had happened to his onetime hero Webster, who became increasingly more conservative as he grew older.

In the spring of 1851 former Senator Daniel Webster was barnstorming the country in defense of the despicable Fugitive Slave Law. On May 26 he arrived in Syracuse upon the invitation of the local Whig party (somewhat equivalent to today’s conservative wing of the Republican party) to speak in the old Frazee Hall (located at Washington and Montgomery Streets). He began talking to a large crowd about the Constitution and the sanctity of law and turned to the Fugitive Slave Law. Here are some of his remarks as noted by W. Freeman Galpin (The Jerry Rescue, New York History, XXVI, January, 1945, pp. 19-34):

I am a lawyer . . . and I tell you if men get together and declare a law of Congress shall not be executed in any case and assemble in numbers to prevent the execution of such a law, they are traitors and are guilty of treason and bring upon themselves the penalty of the law . . . It is treason! treason! TREASON! and nothing else . . . Depend upon it the law will be executed in all great cities, here in Syracuse . . . if the occasion shall arise.

That Law was soon to be tested in Syracuse by the imprisonment of Jerry and his subsequent rescue and transportation to Canada – most of you know that history. If you read the testimonies of Doris, Dan, Nick, and all the others, there are chilling similarities between 1851 and 1997 at least in how some lawyers and judges interpreted the letter of the law versus what was right and just. Given the sometimes ugly tones presented today in many cities in what should be civil discussion of issues, it suggests that from 1851 to 2009 some things have not changed, and perhaps they never will. Sad to contemplate isn’t it?

Rog Hiemstra, Chair, History Committee

Written August 12, 2009

I recently returned from Knoxville, TN, where I taught in the University of Tennessee’s summer session. While there I attended the Tennessee Valley UU church, site of the two murders and wounding of others by a crazed shooter one year ago. I’m not sure what I expected to see; I guess visible reminders of the tragedy, memorials, and flowers, but it all seemed quite ordinary, a busy church with many things going on that reminded me of MMUUS. Sure, there probably were and are many related reminders that our friends at Tennessee Valley deal with all the time, but it got me thinking about how our own church has dealt with past crises or tragedies.

Perhaps the most talked about crisis was the Jerry Rescue in October, 1851. Jerry McHenry, a former slave was “an athletic mulatto, who had resided in Syracuse for a number of years . . . as a cooper,” (Sam May, Some recollections of our antislavery conflict, Boston: Fields, Osgood, & Co., 1869, p. 375) was arrested under the infamous and despicable Fugitive Slave Law. This must have been most disconcerting to our church ancestors, and because Sam May was right in the middle of an ultimate rescue of Jerry from jail and the illegal transporting of him to Canada, it no doubt put some church members in a quandary about Rev. May’s actions. However, parishioners continued to shower him with love, concern for his health, and tolerance for his continued work on behalf of abolition. Of course, as we all know they named the church after Sam upon his death in 1868.

Our church experienced a very real tragedy in the winter of 1852 when it was destroyed “by a hurricane which struck the spire; threw it directly upon the ridge pole, crushed down the whole roof, burst out the side and end walls, . . . [demolishing] the entire building excepting the front and the foundation” (May No One Be A Stranger, http://history.mmuus.org/stranger.html, p. 10) After recovering from realizing their church had been destroyed in a few moments, members quickly organized themselves, began holding church services in City Hall, and initiated the process of not only rebuilding the church but also the house next door that had been destroyed by our falling debris. Our church was rebuilt and rededicated in the spring of 1853.

There are several other instances in our history when church members have responded to wars, community tragedies, community problems, and even world conflicts with quiet courage and determination. However, here is one more in recent times that describes how the current “we” dealt with trauma as did our ancestors. In 1998, Dan and Doris Sage as well as long time minister, Nick Cardell, spent several months incarcerated as prisoners of conscience for their active demonstrations against the atrocious School of the Americas at Fort Benning, Georgia (Chronology of SOA Prisoners of Conscience, http://www.soaw.org/article.php?id=339). As a church we addressed these heroic acts of courage by showering Dan, Doris, and Nick with love, correspondence, and even Unitarian Universalist “prayers” during their sentences. After their return this recognition continued and they were honored along with two colleagues by receiving the 1998 Samuel Joseph May Citations for Community Action Award Recipients. Our response reminders are not always immediately visual either, but they are heartfelt and indicative of what we are as a community.

Rog Hiemstra, Chair, History Committee

Written July 14, 2009

“It Happened in Syracuse,” a conference to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the meeting held in Syracuse resulting in a merger between the Unitarians and the Universalists will be held on October 30 and 31 at the Hotel Syracuse. You will be reading more about that event in future newsletters. Long before he ever thought about coming to May Memorial, Nick Cardell played an role in that activity that should not be forgotten.

When he was a minister at the Unitarian church in Plainfield, NJ. Nick was a ministerial delegate to the meeting. His main role was helping to deal with the conflicts between Unitarians and Universalist on the stated principles and purposes. For example, the Universalists were concerned about how language associated with Jesus could or should be included in written material and the Unitarians were not concerned with that aspect. There was some heated discussions and Nick pleaded for a more moderate position. From an interview he had with Jean Hoefer in 1986 he remembered saying this to fellow Unitarians: “Is it going to hurt us to include something that is going to make them feel more comfortable.” We don’t know what the responses were, but can speculate that Nick’s plea for moderation had an impact.

Nick spent most of his time at the War Memorial for the intense discussions taking place there. He only got to the May Memorial building on James Street one time for a service. He also talked about how the communication between Unitarians and Universalists (who were meeting elsewhere – Nick remembered they met at the Universalist church) by telephone as the discussions continued on were very important.

So come to the October 31 meeting to hear more, see some associated displays and photos, and obtain a better understanding of that important meeting. The birth and growth of Unitarian Universalism was its result.

Rog Hiemstra, Chair, History Committee

Written June 10, 2009

Before peaking at the past, I need to provide some updates. To begin with (and thanks to someone who told me but I forgot who), it was reported that Lucretia Coffin May’s headstone was in need of some repair (go here to see a picture: http://www.mmuus.org/who-we-are/history/may-headstone.html). I recently checked them both and each needs to be anchored more firmly back to their pedestals before they fall over and become broken. I reported this to the Oakwood Cemetery officials; they will do an assessment and report back to me.

Some wonderful new additions have been made to the web page (http://history.mmuus.org/): (a) A recent find in one of the Nick Cardell archival boxes is a delightful sermon by John Fuller entitled Slavery, Dr. May, & Jerry, delivered September 30, 1962 (look under Rev. Fuller’s section); (b) a beautiful engraving of the Church of The Messiah building from the 1873 Syracuse city directory (look under MMUUS – Our Buildings); (c) an absolutely wonderful book published by David Ashley’s Mom, Dorothy (a terrific portrait painter), entitled Some Portrait Adventures (you will not be disappointed taking time to look at this book under Miscellaneous Information); (d) a church yearbook for 1897-1898, including wonderful addresses by Susan B. Anthony, Rev. C. D. B. Mills, and Lewis Douglas (Frederick’s son) – in addition, look at the membership list toward the end, a who’s who of prominent families in Syracuse (look under Miscellaneous Information; and (e) the 35^th anniversary celebration on April 26, 1903, of Rev. Calthrop’s installation at May Memorial with delightful pieces on his general influence, as an interpreter of  science, and his impact on our church (look under Rev. Calthrop’s section).

Now for that peak at the past, here are a few handwritten Board of Trustees notes tucked into an archival folder and copied from various board minutes some 35 years ago. Someone no doubt had a delightful time culling out these gems:

• 4/9/74 Nick Cardell to candidate for 8 days, April 28-May 5 “very nearly fitting the ideal candidate for our new minister.”
• 5/5/74 – 128 of those present voted to call Nick C. as minister.
• 6/4/74 – Bob Holmes (then our interim minister) suggested that the congregation move out beyond ourselves for social application of our religious convictions. He warned that so much self-awareness can cause the loss of sight of our outer dimensions of life. President Mal Clark followed up by saying let’s come out of our introspection and reestablish our church as a strong religious force in the community.
• 8/13/74 – The BOT voted to install a soda machine.
• 1/14/75 – Canvass was $49,000 from 289 pledges, $7,000 short of the budget needs (to put that in perspective in terms of our current budget problems, it represented a 12.5% shortfall).
• 5/13/75 – The budget deficit was hoped to be overcome by 2 or 3 large fundraisers and 4 small ones (gee, does that sound familiar?)

[And the beat goes on…………….]

Rog Hiemstra, Chair, History Committee

Written May 8, 2009