Church Archives

The Rev. Lorenzo Davis relates that Mr. Colclazier once held a Quarterly Meeting some thirty miles north of Ann Arbor. "In those days Quarterly Meetings commenced on Saturday c with a sermon. People from all parts of the circuit attended them, and it was the custom to entertain the people over Saturday night, and it often happened that the limited dimensions of the houses were not favorable for great comfort and conveniences. The Love Feast early Sunday morning, therefore, made it necessary for the friends to be astir quite early.

Brother Colclazier was to stay with Brother Bolitwell. There were also many of the brethrell and sisters stopping at the same place. When the time of retiring arrived, Brother Bolitwell took the Presiding Elder to his room for the night, which was at the head of a ladder in a log house with sheets hung up for partitions. Mr. Colclazier thanked the good man for his good bed. Mr. Colclazier said good night, said his prayers, took off his wig - for he was quite bald - and hung it on the bed post at the head of his bed, and soon composed himself to rest.

Mr. Boutwell was the first up in the morning and stepped up the ladder to call his daughter, who occupied a room in the chamber, to get up quickly, for they had many to get breakfast for. He was so near the top of the ladder that he saw the Elder's wig on the post, and it being the only one he had ever seen, he was badly frightened and thought that the Indians had scalped the minister.

So he halooed, " oh, the Indians! the Indians! " This aroused the Presiding Elder, who was also greatly alarmed, and rose up quickly in bed, forgetting his bald head in his fright. This was too much for Mr. Bolitwell. He now was sure that the Indians had been there, and scared almost to death, he screamed, "Murder! Murder! " at the top of his voice, which brought all the family from below and the guests from above to the scene. When all was explained, and the unoffending wig placed in its legitimate position, all were merry at Brother Boutwell's expense. Poor man; he was so chagrined that he rushed below and did not appear at breakfast or at the meeting that day "

MI Pioneer & Historical Collection, Vol. 9, Pg. 160, 1886

HISTORY OF BRIGHTON METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Early History - The Origin of the M. E. Church

The following letter received by Pastor Gray of the M.E. Church, and written by Mrs. Jasper H. Blick, one of the earliest members of the Church here, contains so much history concerning early Methodism in Brighton that we are pleased to print it, especially as this number of the Argus is to be preserved under the corner stone of the new church.

Cambria, Michigan, July 14, 1903

Rev. W.W. Gray Pastor M.E. Church

Dear Brother:

y our letter received and I will do the best I can to answer the questions you ask. There was no class in Brighton when we moved there in 1841 and there was no regular service except as Mr. Clark preached. Soon after we moved there a colporteur came around and distributed Bibles to those who would accept them; he got permission to preach in the ball-room and made an appointment for once in four weeks. He had quite an audience, and among them a few Methodists which he reported to Presiding Elder Colclazier as needing the oversight of the M.E. Church. Elder Colclazier came around but there was no place to hold services. Wm. R. Cobb, then a prosperous merchant, was building a new store and gave us the use of a part of it for a while and we fitted it up and formed a class with Jasper Buck as Class Leader.

Mrs. Buckley was the first to give her name to the record. She came from the East to live with her daughter, Mrs. Wm. McCauley. Mrs. Sarah Maltby, afterwards Mrs. D.C.

Marsh, Mr. and Mrs. Nobles, a man and wife name forgotten. I think there were more that joined at that time.

Soon after this there was as evangelist came to us and wanted to hold a meeting. The only place to be had was an upper room in an old dilapidated building and they decided1o start in and announced a service that evening. The members were there and a few children. He preached at 3 o'clock the next day to the same. He took off his coat, went out on the balcony  and preached to the people of Brighton. His voice was like a trumpet. People began to be stirred and wonder what was going to happen. They came out to see and filled the house to overflowing and he gave them something to think about and told them to come at 3 p.m. the next day and dismissed them. They rushed out and the balcony gave way, a few being injured and the effort closed, but there had been good seed sown and it sprung up and bore fruit to the glory of God and the salvation of souls. " I\ few joined our little class. Mr. and Mrs. Cobb, Mrs. Jane Wordell and a few others - names gone. By this time Mr. Cobb wanted his room and we were out of a church. We opened our houses for a while and finally Mr. Marsh built a new house on the corner - it stands there yet. He kindly offered a part of that for a place of worship and we accepted that for a time. There had been good work done and the foundation laid for our dear old church. That was the beginning of Methodism in Brighton.

The first pastor was Rev. George King. He had a daughter four years old. She died August 9, 1844, and he conducted the funeral service. She was the fourth one to be laid in the cemetery. She and her papa and a little brother lay side by side. The class continued to grow in numbers slowly for a few years. They finally let us worship in the school house and we used that until we built the old church. My husband was one of the first trustees and also one of the building committee.

Mrs. R.M. Buck

Under the Corner Stone (Copy of Subscription Paper for old church)

The old M.E. Church has been leveled to the ground and the corner stone was dug out Tuesday. Sealed in a bottle was a copy of the original subscription paper, which read as follows: "For the purpose of building a Methodist Episcopal Meeting House in the village of Brighton, county of Livingston and state of Michigan, upon the church or parsonage lot in said village belonging to the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Brighton.

We, the undersigned , for value received promise to pay to the trustees of said church and to their successors in office the sums set by us opposite our several and respective names in manner and time hereinafter mentioned, and it is understood and hereby agreed that the walls of said house are to be built of brick, the size thereof thirty by fifty feet and the walls are to be sixteen feet high with a tower or steeple, and any subscriber paying not less than twenty dollars towards the building and completion of said house, may together with his heirs and assigns, hold and enjoy the use of said sum by him paid in the proper and ordinary occupancy of seats therein, consistent with its original design. Brighton, March 18, 1855.

Subscribers Names

Master builder; Frederick D. Acker .
Master mason; John R. Willson.
Trustees of said church: Hannibal Lee, Jasper H. Buck, William T. Tunis, John G. Spencer, Israel Arms.
Building committee; Daniel C. Marsh, Wm. M. Heavner, John G. Spencer, Wm. McCaliley.
Minister in charge, Wm. M.Heavner.
Contract price for building said house, $1600.00 .
Deposited by; Daniel C. Marsh.

Under the Cornerstone - (A list of articles preserved in new M.E. Church wall)

A large number of people gathered at the M. E. Church lot last Thursday afternoon to witness the laying of the cornerstone of the new church. Presiding Elder Haller did not arrive as was expected and Pastor Gray went on with the ceremonies which were carried out according to the ritual of the M.E. Church.

The following articles were deposited and sealed in the cornerstone;

1. Methodist Hymnal

2. Brighton M.E. Church Directory containing names of members, friends, and officials

3. Copy of Brighton Argus date of May 31, 1905

4. Flint District Messenger

5. Topic card of Epworth League containing names of officers and leaders

6. Names of all the Juniors with their officers 7. Public School catalogue

8. Autographs of officers of the Church, also of some of the old residents

9. A historical sketch of the new church to date

10. The old church subscription list taken from the old cornerstone

11. The subscription list for building the new church

12. Two coins - one taken from the old cornerstone bearing the date of 1853, the date of the first subscription list; the other bearing the date of 1903, the date of the subscription list of the new church

Dedicated Free From Debt (September 6, 1905)

The new Methodist Episcopal Church was dedicated Sunday with solemn ceremonies and the best part of it is there is not a cent of indebtedness. Presiding Elder J.G. Haller announced at the morning service that the society needed $500 to free the new building from debt when it was finished and furnished and that unless the amount was forthcoming on that day the church would not be dedicated. He called for fifty dollar subscriptions, but not receiving any, dropped to twenty five and after booking a few, reduced the pledge to fifteen, then ten, five, three, etc.

The total amount subscribed at the morning service was something over $300. At the afternoon session Dr. Seth Reed of Flint, the "grand old man of Methodism", was the principal speaker, preaching from the same text that he used in dedicating the old church fifty years ago, which was a part of Psalm 18:30, "The word of the Lord is tried." Mr. Thomas Hilton, who was at the dedication of the old church, remembered plainly the text used on that occasion as well as some things the speaker said and it was he who suggested using the same text. There were several persons present who heard Dr. Reed a half century ago, including Mrs. Jasper Buck of Cambria, the wife of one of the organizers of this church. Dr. Reed is now 82 years of age, yet he is straight as an arrow and appears to be in the prime of life; he is clear of mind and clear of eye, being able to read the finest print without the aid of glasses.

His address was listened to with great interest. Dr. Haller again asked for pledges in the hope of reaching the amount required, but was compelled to close the service with a deficiency of $100 in spite of the fact that Pastor Gray had pledged $50.

Young People's meeting was held at 6:30 and the evening church service began at 7:30. Short talks were made by Rev. C.L. Adams of Howell, Dr. Reed, and the Presiding Elder.

The later again approaching the matter of finances and plainly stated the condition of affairs.

After $55 of the $100 had been subscribed and it seemed that no more could be gotten and that the dedicational services must be postponed, R.J. Lyon, of the Presbyterian Church, rose and said he had a statement to make. He said that some time ago he wrote his cousin John H. Lyon, of New York City, that the M.E. people of this place were building a fine modern church two doors from him and that if he felt so inclined he could cause a deal of rejoicing among the members by a gift of $100 or such a matter. He received a reply in four days enclosing a check for $100 payable to the M.E. Church, which "R.J." at this time handed in to the clerk. A rising note of thanks was at once taken in favor of Mr. John H. Lyons for his generous donation and Mr. R.J. Lyons for his interest in behalf of the church in securing the gift. The doxology was then sung and the dedicatory service carried out.

The unanimous opinion was that the Methodists have a very beautiful place of worship.

The work of decorating the walls is not complete and the new seats and pulpit have not arrived but it is hoped to have everything completed in the course of a week or two.

Sunday, December 3, 1922 was a big day for Methodism in Brighton! It was the date of the re-opening of the M.E. Church, which had been closed for four weeks for re-decoration and interior alterations. The pulpit platform was moved to the southeast corner of the main room and the seats re-arranged so that now the minister behind the pulpit was in view of the entire congregation even though every seat be filled. The new arrangement is a decided improvement. Other noticeable improvements are electric lighting fixtures and a new carpet all of which adds to the pleasing appearance of the interior of the edifice. Then too, a new furnace has been provided which will amply care for the heating.

Pastor M.G. Ostrander also has other alterations in mind. It is his plan to provide a room in the basement 28 x 40 feet, which will be finished in Georgia pine and this room is to be used as a dining hall for the church, as an assembly hall for amusements or social events or even as a recreation hall where games can be played. It's his idea to provide a place to be used not only by the church but by the community to foster the spirit of good fellowship, to bring about a deeper interest in our fellowman, and to promote the social activities of the community. In connection with the main basement room there will be a kitchen equipped with dishes, utensils and conveniences for furnishing meals with a minimum of labor.

All of these things, together with what has already been done, meant an expense of approximately $1,800. Dr. E.P. Dimond of Flint, District Superintendent, at the morning service Sunday took as his subject, "The Relation of the Church to the Community”. In a wonderful address he pictured the duty of the Christian people so plainly that when the subscriptions were called for at the close of the address, more than $1, 700 was pledged inside of fifteen minutes. The church was packed and the music by the choir accompanied by the Sunday School Orchestra was much enjoyed. The solo by Mrs. Slittler (Ethel Pinney) was another pleasing part of the program. The history of the church by Miss Ella Bidwell will be printed next week.

The house was again filled for the evening service. Dr. H.H. Leeson of Ann Arbor preached from the text Isaiah 66:13, " As one whom his mother comforted, so will I comfort you and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem." Again there was good music. At this service nearly one hundred dollars more was subscribed by those who were not present in the morning. Yes, it was a big day for the M.E. Church in Brighton.

List of Former Pastors of the M.E. Church. Brighton

Rev. John Levington 1870- 72

Rev. L.C. York 1872- 74

Rev. F.W. Warren 1874-76

Rev. A.F. Hoyt 1876-77

Rev. D.J. O'Dell 1877-78

Rev. J.H. Kilpatrick 1878-81

Rev. C. W. Furrell 1881 -82

Rev. G.H. Hastings 1882-83

Rev. S.A. Dean 1883-85

Rev. Samuel Bird 1885-87

Rev. T.J. Purdue 1887-90

Rev. James Jackson 1890-92

Rev. G.W. Carter 1892-93

Rev. O.J. Blackford 1893-95

Rev. N. Dickie 1895-97

Rev. A. Crane 1897-99

Rev. J.D. Hubbell 1899-1902

Rev. W.W. Gray 1902-06

Rev. T.B. McGee 1906-09

Rev. John Bettes 1909-14

Rev. F.A. Blake 1914-16

At the conference, September 1916, no pastor was appointed for Brighton. The members continued to hold Sunday School services until Feb. 17, 1917, when District Superintendent D.W. Baldwin formally closed the church, stating that it was the intention of the conference to sell the property, but it was not sold. 

The Parsonage was rented, and the church was used as a workroom by the Red Cross Society during the war 1917-1918.

The church was reopened with pastor M.W. Weaver, July 1920- September 1921. Then followed:

 Rev. U.G. Ostrander 1921-24

Rev. A.C. Thompson 1924-26

Rev. A.P. Landau 1926-27

Rev. Edgar F1ory 1927-6/'29

Rev. M.B. Rogers/supply June '29 to Sept. '29

 Rev. E.G. Johnson 1929-31

Rev. J.H. Williams present pastor

At the present time, January 1932, the church is functioning normally with good attendances at church and Sunday School, also a progressive Ladies Aid is operating and we have an active Women's Foreign Missionary Society. The social activities are largely attended.

- J.H. Williams, Pastor