Our History

ST. PAUL'S CHURCH CENTENNIAL
February 28, 1999

Remarks appropriate to be spoken by Mr. Frank L. Moore:

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I think it not presumptuous to address you as your warden, since I held that post for 31 years and certainly did not live to see anyone else take over the job. I'm told that there have been a number of wardens since 1938, but as I say, not in my lifetime!

Concerning that lifetime - I'll give you a few more or less boring details about myself. Then if you wish to go to sleep you will have a good excuse! I was born in 1846, in New York City. I recall a political rally in 1860, where Abraham Lincoln spoke as a candidate. My older brother talked me out of enlisting in the Union army when war broke out. That was one of the few things I held against him, although I was very fond of my brother. In 1867 I was graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institutes as a Civil Engineer. I designed a machine to add and subtract mechanically, which I suppose qualifies me as a computer person. In the 1870's I spent some time in the West, riding the prairies, forests, and mountains in Oregon and California. I was offered 350,000 acres of land in Oregon once, at the price of 5 cents an acre. I bet some of you would just love to get a real estate deal like that! My business was real estate and construction for some time in Denver - I built the first brick building in that city. It was used as the state capitol for a while. They approached me as a possible contractor for the building of the Brooklyn Bridge, but I had other plans. My wife and family and I moved to Chatham after a short residence in Poughkeepsie, where I had a chicken business. In 1885, the Sunnywoods Greenhouses got started, and I raised roses from then on. Our Bridesmaid rose became famous - I was amazed to find that it was popular as far away as Australia. You know that, in the florist business, you had better stay at the top of your game. We shipped our roses in on the 6:15 train to arrive in the city ahead of the Hudson County and Long Island competition.

You good people have asked me here to tell you a few things about the early days of St. Paul's church. You my way of thinking, this will be a pleasure, because we got our church in spite of some steady opposition. Some of you young whippersnappers could learn a lesson from it I suppose. Of course, Jesus Christ says we should never take "no" for an answer when we're trying to do the right thing. At any rate, they told us there were already four churches in Chatham and that was enough. Bunch of nincompoops! It took us eight or nine years, but in February of 1899 we had our first Episcopal service, and the rest, I guess you could say, is history.

St. Paul's has always been a wonderful place for me and my family. Many of you remember my youngest boy, Jared Moore. He taught church school, learned to be a fair musician playing the oboe, and served in what you call World War I. He told some of you a few years back about going to church in a buggy, long time ago. Are there any horses left in Chatham? Raise your hand if you own a horse! I bet you got rid of all of them. The horse and buggy days were pretty much over in the '30s. The automobiles were hard to get used to, but believe me, the streets around town are a lot cleaner. Jared's daughter, Frances, is here today. We knew each other years ago. I must have seemed like a pretty crusty old coot to that little girl, but underneath that gruff exterior is a heart full of love for her. You must remember that in my day, men were not supposed to make a show of affection. Let us hope the culture has matured away from such a position.

You just had the Diocesan Convention a few weeks ago. I recall going to one of those when they announced that "Last October the Reverend Guy Emery Shipler became the MISSIONARY at St. Paul's." I tell you, that really got my dander up. I jumped up and told them in no uncertain terms that, and I quote, "The Warden PROTESTS that the people of St. Paul's are not heathen and not in need of a MISSIONARY!"

While we were still having church services at the Fish and Game clubhouse, the Reverent Mr. Lylburn was occasionally called to fill in for Mr. Butterworth at Calvary Church in Summit, and I had the pleasure of conducting the service in Chatham. I believe I learned enough about the procedure to lead the congregation in prayer. So, let us pray:

Almighty and Everliving God, who hast filled the world with beauty, we give you thanks and heartfelt praise for blessing your church in this place. You have given us faithful people, grace to know and to do your will, the power of your Holy Spirit in our lives, and your everlasting love in the companionship of your Son. May we praise you with our lips and give you glory in our lives, through that same Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.