times, and judged him, as he is apt to judge men, more by his prayers than his sermons, for he was a man of much prayer. His appearance in the pulpit was very striking, his face pale, his skin dark, his mouth wide, with a singular cast in one eye bordering on a squint; he was full of native wit, almost gestureless, and vehement in denunciation, yet so cool in his deliberation that with the greatest ease he gave every trying circumstance its appropriate but unexpected turn." Elder Knapp died March 3, 1874, on his farm north of Rockford, and was buried in the West side cemetery, with his feet toward the west, in accordance with his strange request. Miss Kittie Sherwood, his granddaughter, has been laboring for many years as a home missionary among the colored people in the south. Elder Knapp's Autobiography was published in 1868.

The immediate successor of Elder Knapp was Rev. Ichabod Clark, D. D. He came from Galena, Illinois, in July, 1849, and labored continuously for five years. Mrs. Clark died September 16, 1854. Dr. Clark desired a change of scene and labor, and November 5th of that year he left Rockford to engage for a time as superintendent of missions for the Illinois Baptist General Association. During his absence the pulpit was regularly supplied by Rev. Justin A. Smith, D. D., the veteran editor of the Standard, the Baptist publication in Chicago. In August, 1855, Dr. Clark resumed the active pastorate, which he retained until July, 1860. This was the longest pastorate in the history of the church. Four hundred and fifty-two members were added to the enrollment, of whom two hundred and eleven were by baptism.

The stone edifice now occupied by the church was completed in 1850, and was then the finest church building in the village. The dedicatory sermon was preached June 20th, by Rev. Jirah D. Cole, before the Rock River Baptist Association, which was then in session with the church. The building cost six thousand dollars; the total cost of the lots, building and furniture was seven thousand five hundred and eleven dollars and seventeen cents. Among the prominent pew-holders were William Hulin, Charles I. Horsman, J. B. Howell, H. W. Loomis, Daniel Dow, Isaac Andrus and John Beattie. Not all the pew-holders were members of the church, and a few were not even included in the congregation. This church is the oldest house of worship in the city. Its solid walls have resisted the tooth of time and the fury of the elements for a full half century. When the old frame

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church was vacated, it entered upon a career of itineracy. It was sold to the Unitarians, who removed it to their lot. Still later it was used by another church, and for secular business before it was torn down.

Revival services were frequently held from 1850 until Rev. Clark's resignation. In 1858 there were one hundred and two baptisms. June 6th of that year fifty-eight received the right hand of fellowship. This year the church reached its high-water mark. After fifteen years of long and faithful service, Dr. and Mrs. Haskell adopted Spiritualism, and severed their connection with the church in 1853 and '54, respectively.

July 31, 1858, letters were granted to thirty-four members who wished to organize another church in East Rockford. The New Hampshire confession of faith was adopted by the First church January 2, 1859. When Dr. Clark closed his pastorate in 1860, the church had a membership of two hundred and seventy-seven. When he came to Rockford there were one hundred and sixty Baptists in the town; when he went away there were three hundred and fifty-seven. Dr. Clark died at Lockport, Illinois, in 1869, and was buried in the West side cemetery.

Several members of the church were licensed to preach. Among these was Rev. Samuel Haskell, a nephew of Dr. Haskell, to whom reference was made in Chapter XXIII. Mr. Haskell went from Rockford to Suffield, Connecticut, where he prepared for college. In 1845 he was graduated from Brown university, and in 1847, from Hamilton Theological institution. From 1847 to 1852 he was pastor of the First church in Detroit, Michigan; from 1852 to 1871 in Kalamazoo, and from 1871 to 1888 in Ann Arbor. In 1866 he was president of the Michigan State Convention. He is now retired from the pastorate, and lives in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Other licentiates were T. Adna Orcott, J. P. Curry, T. L. Breckenridge, J. A. Dobson, Volney Powell, and George Bornschlegel.

Early clerks of the church were: George Haskell, M. D., December 2, 1838, to November, 1844; Duncan Ferguson, November 2, 1844, to June, 1846; Volney Powell, June, 1846, to June, 1847; Duncan Ferguson, June, 1847, to March, 1848; Volney Powell, March, 1848, to October, 1853; Giles Mabie, December, 1853, to April, 1855; Henry Sears, October, 1855, to July, 1857; O. A. Goodhue, July, 1857, to September, 1858; S. P. Crawford, September, 1858, to October, 1862; W. G.

J

Ferguson, October, 1862, to July, 1865; Ahaz Paxson, July, 1865, to November, 1866.

Dr. Clark was succeeded by Dr. Thomas Kerr, who received a call immediately after the resignation of his predecessor. Dr. Kerr was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, May 24, 1824. He received a liberal education at Gordon's college and the University of Aberdeen. The latter is one of the oldest of two or three universities in Scotland. Dr. Kerr has a brother who for forty years was professor of architecture at King's college in London, and is now professor emeritus. Dr. Kerr came to America in 1844. He arrived in New York September 1st. While in that city he attended a winter's course of scientific lectures in Columbia college. In 1850 Dr. Kerr received his degree in medicine at the Iowa state university, then located at Davenport, but now at Des Moines. The same year the Doctor began the practice of medicine at Elgin, Illinois, where he remained seven years. During the latter part of this period Dr. Kerr felt constrained to enter the ministry; and in June, 1857, he was ordained as a Baptist clergyman at Elgin, by the Fox River Association. Among those who officiated at his ordination was Rev. Charles Hill Roe, of Belvidere, an honored name in local Baptist history. Dr. Kerr became pastor of the Baptist church at Dundee, in Kane county, in the latter part of 1857. During this pastorate he continued to practice medicine at Elgin, as he found he could not absolutely retire at once from his former profession. In the autumn of 1859 Dr. Kerr was called to Waukegan; and June 1, 1860, he began his pastorate in Rockford.

To Dr. Kerr belongs the honor of preaching the first war sermon in Rockford after the bombardment of Fort Sumter. Sunday morning the news came that President Lincoln had issued a call for seventy-five thousand men. It was one of those critical moments in the nation's life. Under its solemn inspiration, Dr. Kerr preached an impressive patriotic discourse in the afternoon in the First church, and for the first time in local history the American flag was displayed from the pulpit. Dr. Kerr preached the first funeral discourse over a dead soldier, a brother of Lucius Day, whose remains had been returned to Rockford for burial. These memorial services were held in the street in front of the old court house.

After one year's service, Dr. Kerr was given a vacation of three months, during which time he visited Palestine. In 1864 Dr. Kerr was a member of the Christian Commission for three

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weeks, under the appointment of its chairman, George H. Stuart. His commission was signed as secretary by B. F. Jacobs, the famous Sunday-school worker. Upon his return Dr. Kerr raised several hundred dollars, by popular lectures on his observations at the front, for the benefit of the Christian Commission fund. Dr. Kerr's official reports were highly complimented by Chairman Stuart. These appointments of clergymen were always for a short time, in order that a large number might be invited to serve, and because such appointees were usually in charge of their own local fields.

Dr. Kerr's first Rockford pastorate closed November 1, 1866, when he was called to Hannibal, Missouri. After a brief pastorate by Rev. James Lick, D. D., Dr. Kerr was again called to his old charge in Rockford, and he began his second pastorate July 11, 1869. His discourses were not considered evangelical, and he was charged with not preaching Baptist doctrines. Dr. Kerr tendered his resignation August 28, 1870. In October the church called a council. This council met on the 14th, deposed Dr. Kerr from the Baptist ministry, and advised the church to exclude him from membership. Upon this advice, Dr. Kerr and forty-eight members were excluded, who, though owning the larger part of its property, left the church undisturbed in its title to, and possession of it. With his friends, Dr. Kerr organized the Church of the Christian Union, upon a basis of liberal religious thought. It is now the oldest independent church of its kind in the country; and preceded by five years a similar movement led by the late Prof. David Swing, in Chicago. Dr. Kerr, with a slight intermission, has preached in Rockford nearly forty years. American church history records compartively few parallels of such long service in one community. The career of Dr. Kerr after his radical departure and of his church belongs to a later period of local history.

Dr. Kerr is a commanding figure and a strong personality. His presentations of religious thought, though not expressed in evangelical terms, are inspirational, restful and spiritual; and enkindle a spirit of reverence in responsive hearts. The question as to whether essential Christianity can be permanently maintained in the hearts of men, apart from the historic and personal Christ, is the fundamental point at issue between evangelical and liberal Christianity; and upon this question the latter is on trial for its life.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

VILLAGE INCORPORATED.—LAND SALE.—FIRST TEMPERANCE CLUB.

EA

ARLY in 1839 the little village aspired to the dignity of an incorporated town. The general law of 1831 provided that "whenever the white males over the age of twenty-one years, being residents of any town in this state, containing not less than one hundred and fifty inhabitants, shall wish to become incorporated for the better regulation of their internal police," it should be lawful for them to do so. The ambition of the village was sustained by the required population.

A meeting of the citizens of Rockford was held, pursuant to public notice, at the Rockford House, April 1, 1839. David Goodrich was called to the chair, and James Mitchell was chosen clerk. It was resolved that the two villages of Rockford, east and west sides of Rock river, be incorporated into one town. Committees were appointed to ascertain the number of inhabitants within the prescribed boundaries of Rockford; to draft an act of incorporation for the town; and to confer with Mr. Brinckerhoff concerning free ferriage for the citizens of the county.

An adjourned meeting was held April 3d, but no business was transacted. A second adjourned meeting was held on the following evening. The committee on census reported that the number of inhabitants was two hundred and thirty-five. The committee appointed to confer with Mr. Brinckerhoff made a report to the effect that he would furnish free ferriage to the citizens of the county on condition that the trustees of the town would remunerate him, at the close of each year, with such sum as a committee of three should determine, after ascertaining the receipts and expenses of the ferriage. One member of the committee was to be chosen by the trustees, another by Mr. Brinckerhoff, and these two were to appoint a third. At this meeting, by a two-thirds vote, as required by law, the town was incorporated. An election for five trustees was held April 10th. There were chosen Dr. Goodhue, Daniel S. Haight, Samuel Little, Ephraim Wyman and Isaiah Lyon.