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History of the Ogden Congregational Church
A Continuing Series by Dr. Gordon Harrington
Chapters 6 through 8

CHAPTER 6
COMMENTS ON THE PASTORATE OF THE REV. AMOS J. BAILEY. 1886-1892

As noted previously Congregationalism made a great leap forward during the pastorate of Amos J. Bailey. The construction of a church and a new Ogden Academy were only part of what was accomplished during his time in Ogden. Membership, for one thing, grew to 125.

Congregational influence spread beyond Ogden. A New West Education Commission school had been opened at Lynn, now Five Points in Ogden. It was a small three room grade school, but was also used for Congregational services and Sunday school. Miss Mary Pasco, one of the teachers, presided over religious affairs. Both Pastor Bailey and his wife, Lydia, preached there. Christine Peterson, once a student at the Lynn school, reported in Our Book of Golden Memories that "when it was announced that Mrs.Bailey would preach, the room would be well filled, as she was a much better preacher than her husband." Other schools were built by the New West Education Commission in Hooper, Slaterville, Huntsville, Echo, South Weber and Kamas. These schools also were utilized for Sunday schools and religious services by the Baileys.

Concern with the continuing problem of alcohol in Ogden resulted in the formation of the Ogden Prohibition Club No.1. Forty representatives of Ogden churches met on June 4, 1890, at the Congregational Church to organize the club. Henceforth, reports in the The Standard indicate continuing meetings of the club held at the Congregational Church.

On a lighter and more cultural note the ladies of the new church sponsored an Art Loan Exhibition in the assembly hall of the Ogden Academy in January, 1890. The Standard reported, "some of the paintings in the art department are excellent and reflect great credit upon the artists who contributed their works for the use of the exhibition." It was noted that there were also "relics of old days in the shape of flint-lock pistols, chinaware, vases, fancy work, etc .... " Professor Ring contributed a display of natural specimens. Finally the ladies of the church offered a lunch for all visitors to the exhibition. The Standard proclaimed "all who would not miss a treat will attend .... "

Significant in the record of the pastorate of the Rev. Bailey was a sermon preached by him on a Sunday in October, 1891, at the Ogden Mormon Tabernacle. The Standard noted: "This occasion was auspicious from the fact that this is the first time in the history of Ogden that a minister of any other faith than that of the people who built the house has spoken to a Mormon audience at the regular afternoon services."

Bailey's sermon was rather long and involved. One part dealt with his conception of the Trinity, a point upon which Mormons differed with others. More important was his concern for the moral fiber of Ogden and the state of Utah. Implied in this sermon, and other statements made by him, was a disturbance with the fact that the Mormons, although they taught morality to their own kind, did not appear to express themselves on the morals of the overall community. Apparently, as far as we can determine from Bailey, the Mormon church, which by this time had outlawed polygamy and which was attempting to influence the political leaders of the United States to give statehood to Utah, maintained a rather low profile in pronouncements against the sinful state of Ogden. From what can be deduced from Bailey's comments, the Mormons had not wanted to step on the toes of any who might assist them in achieving statehood. This was wrong, Bailey said,

Our religion ought to develop all the good in man, that our children may be taught God's ways and not stray from the truth. This is the power that comes to us when our hearts are cleansed of sin. God's people today have so many enemies as they ever did .... Today there are snares laid at our feet and those of our children to turn us away from the truth; it takes the divine power to escape these snares, for they are besetting us along life's path, while Satan is going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.

Bailey continued, remarking that

The future of Utah depends on the fidelity of her people. The morals of a community never rise above the churches or the religions of that community .... The religious people of this Territory will be responsible for the morals existing in the Territory. We stand firm to bring it to purity and perfection and we need divine power.

This was a call to unity among religious peoples not often spoken by Congregational or other denominational ministers of the day. There was compassion for Mormon views and understanding of their needs in this sermon. In an adroit way there was also a quiet concern for what Mormons were not doing, their sins of omission, but this was done with love, not with hard pounding, fire breathing, anti-Mormon rhetoric common to so many Congregational sermons of the day. One gets the impression that the Rev. Bailey was a man of rare quality and sympathy, despite the fact that some thought his wife was a better preacher.

Amos Bailey remained in Ogden until January, 1892, whereupon he accepted a call from Seattle to become the Superintendent of Rome Missionary Work in Washington State. During his pastorate in Ogden seventy seven persons had been added to the church roster.

CHAPTER 7
THE PASTORATES OF THE REVS. FRANK S. FORBES AND C.W. LUCK. 1892-1897

In February, 1892, the Rev. Frank S. Forbes left Provo to lead the Ogden Church. In September of that year the Rev. B. Fay Mills, an evangelist of some note, preached in Ogden and this resulted in the addition of close to one hundred members to the church rolls. Mr. Forbes remained with the church for a little over two years; finally leaving to become a full fledged Christian evangelist.

Mr. Forbes was succeeded by the Rev. C. W. Luck, who arrived from Pocatello in mid-June, 1894. At that time the church had 137 members. Pastor Luck was from Cleveland, Ohio, had traveled in South America on business for awhile, and then had enrolled at Andover Newton Seminary, graduating in 1887. Later he attended Harvard University, receiving a B.A. degree in 1889. Afterward he became pastor of a parish in Topsfield, Massachusetts. Hearing that there was a shortage of ministers in the west, he left his parish, accepting a call from the Congregational church in Pocatello, Idaho. Thence he moved to Ogden.

The activities of the Ogden church were many fold at this time. A Current History Club studied the Cuban Revolution and the Armenian troubles in Turkey. A lecture series on the subject of Ben Hur was sponsored by the Ladies Aid Society. The Senior Endeavor had socials for the young adults. A Territorial Sunday School Convention was planned for the Ogden church November 29-December 1, 1895. The Church Review, October 13, 1895, remarked to attendees, " ... a hearty welcome awaits you. The Ogden people are noted throughout the state for their hearty good will and their hospitality, and we can assure you that a cordial greeting is in store for those who will attend."

Despite such activities the membership of the church appeared quite fluid. On May 17, 1896, the Church Review noted, at a time when the Rev. Bailey had come to visit, "Up to the time he [Bailey] came 31 members had united with the church. During his pastorate 69 members were added to the roll. Of these first 100 members only 40 remain and six of them are absent. Of the 69 who joined while Mr. Bailey was here, 30 remain with 4 absent. This is a striking commentary on the rapid and constant change going on in the membership of our western churches."

In mid-May, 1897, Pastor Luck became involved in a rather unusual series of events. In that month The Standard reported under a headline "Preacher Mine Jumper-Rev. Charles Luck of Ogden Jumps Some Claims in Idaho." The Standard noted:

A reporter ran across some parties who have just returned from Idaho. They were rather severe in condemning an Ogden divine for attempting to steal two of their mining claims. Hearing the word Ogden mentioned quite frequently, and concluding there was something sensational, the reporter quizzed the gentlemen and the following is the story they tell:

W.S. Harlow, E. B. Critchlow and others, several years ago, located "Lake View" and "The Harlow" claims, and did work to the value of $3,000 on the properties in driving one tunnel 130 feet and another 50 feet, together with buildings, shops, etc. The ore assays $138 in silver, 40 percent in lead, and $2 in gold, which proves it to be a very rich property.

But it seems that the Rev. Chas. W. Luck and H. G. Snyder concluded that the property was too rich for ordinary mortals and took possession, or rather located "The Apex" and "The Snyder" on top of "The Harlow" and "Lake View" and when this was learned by the employees of the old claims they sent word to Mr. Harlow of Salt Lake City that if he would just say the word they would run Mr. Snyder and the preacher off with shot guns. Mr. Harlow, however, who is very friendly to Ogden, had no desire to kill off the only enterprising divine in the junction city, sent word to "leave them alone." Mr. Harlow, however, was sent up to visit the same a week ago last Thursday and late on that night he found the Rev. Chas. W. Luck of Ogden rolled up in the snow in Black Pine mining district, Cassin county, Ida., fearing an attack from the Salt Lake parties, but they were peaceably disposed. Mr. Harlow visited the claims and found a monument built by the Luck party and within the little pile of wood was found the following notice. It is rich and shows the fact that a couple of Ogden attorneys are in it also .... "

The two attorneys referred to were a Mr. Whipple and a Mr. Johnson of Ogden. They apparently had been retained "to defend any suit or suits brought on by any parties setting up and claiming superior rights in said claims ... " According to The Standard, "the only reason given by the attorney's agreement deposited in the monument was that the mere mention of the fact that Whipple and Johnson were the attorneys would be enough to strike terror in the heart of the average miner in Idaho, who might be tempted to question their title." However, The Standard proclaimed, this did not frighten the Salt Lake group who "applied for a patent just the same, as if there were no preacher, no Whipple and no Johnson in the case." The Standard concluded:

"Though the quartet of Ogdenites have been building castles in the air and dreaming of the millions in sight, they will wake up some fine morning and learn it requires more than a Whipple-Preacher-Johnson-Snyder combination to hoodoo Uncle Sam out of a mining claim."

Probably as a result of the above scandal The Standard reported on October 12, 1897, that Pastor Luck had suddenly resigned his pulpit and intended to go to Weiser, Idaho, "where a better field is awaiting him." A reporter asked him why he was departing so abruptly. Luck's answer was that "he was dissatisfied with his work in this charge, and that he had as yet no other place in view." He gave no further explanation. Later in December The Standard reported that Mr. Luck had returned to Ogden, after having been in Indian Valley, Idaho, "where he has been aiding in the erection of a church for that place." To this point there has been found no evidence of what Pastor Luck's Ogden parishioners thought of all of these misadventures.

CHAPTER 8
THE DEMISE OF THE OGDEN ACADEMY AND A STATEMENT ON SUBSIDIES

From the early 1890s there were signs that the Ogden Academy was beginning to falter.  There were a number of reasons for this. First, the Mormon Church changed its position on polygamy. Pressed by the severe criticism of Gentiles in the Utah Territory, aided by powerful allies in religious and political circles in the east, the Mormon Church found itself being squeezed out of legal existence by vindictive federal legislation against the church and polygamy. Thus, in what purported to be a revelation from God, but which most people, including some Mormons, admitted to be pure political expediency, the Mormon Church declared polygamy no longer acceptable in 1890.

The above action produced a second reason. Many in the east now became convinced that Mormonism had become acceptable and opposition to the church began to dissolve. As a result Mormon leadership now moved toward its most important goal, the achievement of statehood and state sovereignty. Statehood was voted by Congress in 1896, which now made it possible for Utahans to control their school systems. Manned by better qualified teachers, who had gained their education from such places as the University of Utah, the state run schools began to compete for students with eastern supported mission schools such as the Ogden Academy.

A third reason for the decline of the Ogden Academy was the fact that in 1893 a national depression wiped out much of the income which had been used to sponsor the Academy and other Gentile educational institutions in Utah. While some in the west still condemned the Mormons and tried to convince eastern colleagues to send more money, the latter were no longer listening.

The Ogden Academy was saved from ruin for awhile because of a major contribution of$10,000 made by Nathaniel Gordon of Exeter, New Hampshire. In gratitude the school changed its name to Gordon Academy. This new funding was not enough to keep the school financially stable for long, however.

Internal problems also split the school. Prof Ring, the principal, was accused by some of his teachers as being too lax with truant students. Further, he was charged with having used the school laboratory for his own purposes. Apparently he had many friends who were miners and to accommodate them he had set up a private assay office in the laboratory. He tested the metals brought to him for their value and then pocketed the fees for his services. This ultimately forced his superiors to request his resignation in 1891.

David A. Currey succeeded Ring as principal, holding the position until June, 1895. He was replaced by Prof William H. Howe, a graduate of Harvard University. Howe was unsuccessful in reviving the school and was forced to witness the leasing of the Gordon Academy to the Ogden city school district in 1896. Private education sponsored by Congregationalists in Ogden came to an end.

At this point, having observed the causes for the demise of the Gordon Academy, it is essential to say something about the continuing financial structure of the Ogden First Congregational Church. Like the Gordon Academy the church was not financially self sufficient. From the beginning the church had depended first upon the largess of the New West Education Commission and then later upon national Congregational agencies to pay its bills. When funds were raised to build a new church at least part of the money was in the form of loans which were not paid back in full. Successive pastor's salaries also were subsidized by national Congregational bodies. Grants of various sorts were given to the Ogden church well into the latter half of the 20^th century. This writer can remember in the early 1970s when church members of the Ogden United Church of Christ, Congregational voted not to receive subsidies henceforth.

In the late 19^th century there were a number of national agencies of the Congregational church which were dedicated to the expansion of the gospel, especially in the west. One was the Congregational Church Building Society which applied its funds "where there seems to be the greatest need and most positive promise of growth." A second agency was the Congregational Home Missionary Society which aided churches "in support of their ministers till those churches are able to assume the whole expense." Up until 1899 this society had dispersed in cash, supplies, clothing and books some $20,883,674 to churches in need.

There were also the National Federation of Woman's Congregational State Home Missionary Organizations and The Woman's Board of Missions of the Interior which contributed funds for selected activities. Finally there was the Congregational Educational Society which dealt with schools around the country and in particular in Utah. This organization attempted without much success to carry on the work of the now bankrupt New West Education Commission. The society noted, "Mormon leaders are making strenuous efforts to extend Mormonism. Its missionaries are active in this country and abroad. The leaders have a distinct political aim to gain firm hold on national affairs to gain greater liberty for their irreligious practices. Mormon church influence controls the public schools in Utah." Later in the 20^th century much of the work of the above organizations was consolidated under the leadership of the Congregational Home Missionary Society.

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