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 35th 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
