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A history of the First Baptist Church of Riverside, California, with particular reference to its relation to the community

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A history of the First Baptist Church of Riverside, California, with particular reference to its relation to the community

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Content A HISTORY OP THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OP RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA,
WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO ITS RELATION TO THE COMMUNITY
A T h e s is
P r e s e n t e d to
th e F a c u l t y o f th e D ep artm en t o f H i s t o r y
U n i v e r s i t y o f S o u th e rn C a l i f o r n i a
I n P a r t i a l F u l f i l l m e n t
o f th e R e q u ire m e n ts f o r t h e D egree
M a ste r o f A rts
by
S a n fo rd V andever S m ith
Sep tem ber 1950
UMI Nuiiibei. EP67521
All rights reserved
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Faculty Committee
Chairman
INTRODUCTION
The w r i t i n g o f any h i s t o r y p r o v i d e s i t s own u n iq u e
d i f f i c u l t i e s , and one o f th e m ain p ro b lem s c o n n e c te d w i t h
t h i s t h e s i s stem s from th e n a t u r e o f a B a p t i s t c h u rc h .
B a p t i s t s have e v e r c o n s i d e r e d th e m se lv e s a s e q u a l s , and
e a c h one i s c o n s id e r e d t o have a s much v o ic e as th e n e x t
i n th e c o n t r o l o f th e c h u rc h . T h e r e f o r e , no g ro u p , even o f
e l e c t e d o f f i c e r s , has a b s o l u t e c o n t r o l o f a B a p t i s t c h u rc h ,
and i t has b e en d i f f i c u l t , and a t tim e s im p o s s i b l e , to d e t e r
mine w hat p a r t th e c h u rc h p la y e d i n some a c t i v i t i e s o f c i v i c
im p o r ta n c e .
The o t h e r m a jo r p rob lem in v o lv e d i n t h i s stu d y was
th e l a c k o f m a t e r i a l f o r c e r t a i n p e r i o d s . A th o r o u g h ly
c o m p e te n t h i s t o r y o f R i v e r s i d e i s y e t to be w r i t t e n , and th e
b e s t o f th e v a r i o u s a tt e m p t s ends i n 1913. T h e r e f o r e , th e
community back g ro u n d has n o t alw ay s been a s f u l l a s i t s h o u ld
have b e e n . The R i v e r s i d e P u b lic L ib r a r y p o s s e s s e s a mass o f
m a t e r i a l on th e h i s t o r y o f R i v e r s i d e , b u t th e p r o c e s s in v o lv e d
i n a th o ro u g h s e a r c h th ro u g h t h a t s o u rc e would a lo n e be
s u f f i c i e n t to p r o v id e f o r a n o th e r and a more advanced s tu d y
th a n i s encom passed i n t h e s e p a g e s . The c h u rc h has n o t
ta k e n much c a r e i n p r e s e r v i n g i t s m a t e r i a l , and f o r th e
p e r i o d c o v e r in g th e t u r n o f th e c e n t u r y , I was f o r c e d to c u l l
w hat i n f o r m a t i o n I c o u ld from n e w sp a p ers, m in u te s o f a s s o c i
a t i o n and c o n v e n tio n m e e tin g s , and th e r e m in is c e n c e s o f
I l l
o l d e r members o f th e c h u rc h .
My method i n t h i s stu d y has b e e n to f i r s t e s t a b l i s h
a g e n e r a l p i c t u r e o f an e r a i n R i v e r s id e * s h i s t o r y and th e n
t o a tt e m p t to f i t th e h i s t o r y o f th e c h u rc h i n t o t h a t
p i c t u r e . Of c o u r s e , much o f th e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t th e
church* s d ev elo p m en t has l i t t l e , i f any, r e l a t i o n to th e
m ain t r e n d o f R i v e r s i d e h i s t o r y . However, t h i s i n f o r m a ti o n
had to be i n c l u d e d to g iv e a c o m p le te p i c t u r e o f th e c h u rc h .
I n d e v e lo p in g th e h i s t o r y o f b o th c h u rc h and community,
I have a tt e m p t e d , i n s o f a r a s i t was p o s s i b l e , to d e a l w ith
movements and t r e n d s i n s t e a d o f p e r s o n a l i t i e s . The n o t a b l e
e x c e p ti o n to t h i s has b e en t h e r e f e r e n c e s to th e v a r i o u s
p a s t o r s , b e c a u s e , i n a r e a l s e n s e , th e y a r e th e r e p r e s e n t a
t i o n o f th e c h u rc h i n t h e community. T h e r e f o r e , I have
th o u g h t i t w o rth w h ile to p r e s e n t t h e i r g e n e r a l a t t i t u d e s and
o b j e c t i v e s when t h e s e c o u ld be a s c e r t a i n e d .
My d e b t to o t h e r s i n th e p r e p a r a t i o n o f t h i s stu d y
i s g r e a t , and I would l i k e to acknow ledge Miss A lic e H o l l id a y ,
u n o f f i c i a l h i s t o r i a n o f th e F i r s t B a p t i s t C hurch, f i r s t i n
t h i s r e s p e c t . M iss H o llid a y has c o l l e c t e d much i n f o r m a ti o n
a b o u t R i v e r s i d e and th e c h u rc h , and she h as g iv e n f r e e l y o f
h e r tim e , know ledge, and m a t e r i a l to h e lp me i n t h i s
e n d e a v o r. O th e r members o f th e c h u rc h to o numerous to
m e n tio n have g iv e n en co u rag em en t and a s s i s t a n c e . The
R i v e r s i d e P u b lic L i b r a r y a llo w e d me much freed om i n t h e use
iv
o f i t s new spaper f i l e s and m a g n i f i c e n t R i v e r s i d e H i s t o r y
F i l e , f o r w hich I am d u ly g r a t e f u l . Mr. Avery Edwin F i e l d
was m ost g r a c i o u s i n p e r m i t t i n g me to u se p h o to g ra p h s i n
h i s c o l l e c t i o n w hich he h as a c q u i r e d a t no s m a ll e x p en se to
h i m s e l f . And f i n a l l y , I w is h to acknow ledge th e u n d e r
s ta n d in g and en co urag em en t g i v e n to me by P r o f e s s o r Owen G.
Coy.
TABLE OF GONTÈNTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I . THE SETTLING OF RIVERSIDE, AND THE
ESTABLISHMENT OP THE FIRST BAPTIST
CHURCH ........................................................................................ 1
I I . STABILIZATION IN CHURCH AND COMMUNITY,
1874-1882 14
I I I . BOOM IN COMMUNITY AND CHURCH...................................... 33
r v . DEPRESSION, PROHIBITION, STABILIZATION . . . 51
V. INCREASING MATURATION IN CHURCH AND
COMMUNITY.............................................................................. 70
V I. WORLD W AR I AND A F T E R ..................................................... 84
V I I . PROSPERITY AND D E P R E S S IO N ........................................... 98
V I I I . CONCLUDING YEARS OF DR. CATHERWOOD'S
PASTORATE.............................................................................. 110
CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS ............................................................................. 125
BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................................................................................ 130
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
ILLUSTRATION PAGE
1. I n d i a n s L iv in g n e a r Mt. Roubidoux i n
th e E a r l y Days
The C e n te r o f R i v e r s i d e , c . 1875 ............................... 22
2 . One o f th e E a r l y C i t r u s F a i r s
R i v e r s i d e from Mt. R oubidoux, c . 1883 . . . . 39
3 . The F i r s t B a p t i s t C hurch, 1882-1904
The F i r s t B a p t i s t C hurch, 1904-1908 68
4. The F i r s t B a p t i s t C hurch, 1909-1928
The F i r s t B a p t i s t Church Today ..................................... 95
5 . G ro u n d b re ak in g Ceremony f o r th e E d u c a ti o n a l
U n i t , November 6, I 927
G ro u n d b re ak in g Ceremony f o r th e M exican
B a p t i s t Church B u i ld i n g , May 2 7 , 1945 . . . I 05
6. One o f th e Young P e o p le * s R adio
B r o a d c a s ts
T y p ic a l A c t i v i t y i n t h e C . S . 0 ..................................... 114
7 . R i v e r s i d e from Mt. R oubidoux, 1950 ....................... 124
CHAPTER I
THE SETTLING OP RIVERSIDE, AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
I n a m anner t y p i c a l o f s o u t h e r n C a l i f o r n i a , th e c i t y
o f R i v e r s i d e had i t s b e g in n in g i n a la n d boom. The o r i g i n a l
p l a n o f th e p ro m o te rs was to c o n v e r t a ra n c h o i n t o a f o r e s t .
A v i s i t o r to th e p r e s e n t c i t y would s u s p e c t , w i t h good
r e a s o n , t h a t th e f o r e s t was to have b e e n composed o f o ra n g e
t r e e s , b u t such was n o t th e c a s e . I f th e p l a n had b e en
c a r r i e d o u t t h e r e would have b e en m u lb e rry t r e e s where th e
V a le n c ia and n a v e l o ran g e g ro v e s now s t a n d .
I n th e y e a r s f o l lo w in g th e c i v i l w ar, th e la n d o f
s o u th e r n C a l i f o r n i a was p a s s i n g from g r a z i n g u se to a g r i
c u l t u r a l d e v e lo p m e n t. I t was n o t y e t known w hich c ro p s
were b e s t , and e x p e rim e n ts w ere l i k e l y to r e s u l t i n o v e r-
e n t h u s i a s t i c e n t e r p r i s e s . One i d e a w h ich d e v e lo p e d was t h a t
C a l i f o r n i a c o u ld become a g r e a t p ro d u c e r o f s i l k . C u l t i
v a t i o n o f m u lb e rry t r e e s began i n v a r i o u s p a r t s o f s o u th e r n
C a l i f o r n i a , and i n 1866 th e s t a t e o f f e r e d c a s h premiums to
th o s e who c o u ld s u c c e s s f u l l y p ro d u c e t r e e s and c o c o o n s .^
Under t h e l e a d e r s h i p o f L o u is P r é v o s t , a Frenchm an
^ R. G. C le l a n d , C a t t l e on a Thousand H i l l s , p. 235.
who was a c q u a in t e d w i t h th e b u s i n e s s o f s i l k p r o d u c t i o n , a
S i l k C e n te r A s s o c i a t i o n was form ed, and i t was d e c id e d to
l o c a t e a s i l k p ro d u c in g c o lo n y on th e s i t e o f th e p r e s e n t
c i t y o f R i v e r s i d e . More th a n f i v e th o u sa n d a c r e s o f la n d
w ere b o u g h t and a rra n g e m e n ts had b e e n made to buy o v e r
t h r e e th o u sa n d more when P r é v o s t d i e d in A ugust, 1 8 6 9.^
L ack in g an e x p e r ie n c e d l e a d e r , th e A s s o c i a t i o n d ro p p ed i t s
p l a n s , and i t was l e f t to T. W. C over, one o f i t s members,
to s e l l th e l a n d .^
The n e x t s t e p to w a rd s th e s e t t l i n g o f R i v e r s i d e came
on March I 7 , I 8 7 O. On t h a t d a t e . Ju d ge J . W. N o rth o f
K n o x v i l le , T e n n e sse e , is s u e d a p r o s p e c t u s se e k in g any who
m ig h t be i n t e r e s t e d i n fo u n d in g a c o lo n y i n C a l i f o r n i a . ^
He w anted to g e t a t l e a s t one hund red f a m i l i e s who c o u ld
i n v e s t one th o u sa n d d o l l a r s each i n th e p r o j e c t . I t was
p ro p o se d t h a t enough la n d would be b o u g h t f o r a c o lo n y o f
t e n th o u sa n d p e o p le , and t h a t each s u b s c r i b e r would be
a llo w e d to buy I 60 a c r e s o f farm in g la n d and two town l o t s .
D uring th e f o llo w in g m onth. Ju dge N o rth and a
^ J . H. Roe, N o te s on th e E a r l y H i s t o r y o f R i v e r s i d e ,
C a l i f o r n i a , 4.
^ E. W. Holmes, H i s t o r y o f R i v e r s i d e C o u n ty ,
C a l i f o r n i a , 22, 23.
^ "A Colony f o r C a l i f o r n i a , ” i n R i v e r s i d e H i s t o r y
F i l e , R i v e r s i d e P u b lic L i b r a r y .
co m m ittee came w e st to buy la n d and a f t e r f o u r m onths
d e c id e d on th e San P a s q u a l Rancho (now th e s i t e o f P a sa d en a )
They w ere n o t c o m p le te ly s a t i s f i e d w i t h t h i s l o c a t i o n ,
how ever, and a t h i s own e x p e n se , T. W. Cover to o k two o f
them t o see th e S i l k A s s o c i a t i o n l a n d . 5 it* was th e n
d e c id e d to buy t h i s la n d i n s t e a d , and n e g o t i a t i o n s were
c o m p le te d on S eptem ber 14 o f th e same y e a r . T h e ir p u r c h a s e
c o n ta in e d 8735 a c r e s and was composed o f th e Rubidoux
ran c h o and Abel S te a rn s * J u ru p a ra n c h o . The p r i c e i s
r e p o r t e d to have b e en a b o u t t h r e e d o l l a r s an a c r e , ^ an
i n c r e a s e o f f i f t y c e n t s an a c r e o v e r th e p r i c e S te a rn s *
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s p ro p o se d to th e S i l k A s s o c i a t i o n . ?
The t a s k o f c o l o n i z i n g th e lan d began a lm o s t immedi
a t e l y . A f t e r th e f i r s t s i x th o u sa n d a c r e s had b een p u r
c h a s e d , Ju d g e N o rth moved to t h e s i t e o f th e c o lo n y , and
a b o u t a d o zen o t h e r men, some w ith f a m i l i e s , accom panied
o r soon fo llo w e d h im .8 I n c lu d e d i n t h i s g ro u p w ere T. J .
Wood and Mr. and Mrs. D. C. Twogood, who w ere to become
^ Roe, N o t e s , 2.
6 I b i d . . 2 .
^ C l e l a n d , C a t t l e on a Thousand H i l l s . 234. I t
seems t h a t th e A s s o c i a t i o n a c t u a l l y c o m p le te d t h i s p u r c h a s e .
I f so , th e y made a s m a ll p r o f i t on t h e two t r a n s a c t i o n s .
^ Roe, N o t e s , 3 .
c h a r t e r members o f th e F i r s t B a p t i s t G hurch, and A, J .
Twogood, who l a t e r became a member o f th e c h u rc h . In
December o f th e same y e a r i t was d e c id e d t h a t th e l i t t l e
colony sh o u ld be c a l l e d " R i v e r s i d e .
One can w e l l im ag ine t h a t th e la n d d i d n o t p r e s e n t
a v e r y a p p e a li n g p i c t u r e to t h e f i r s t s e t t l e r s . A t r a v e l e r
th ro u g h th e a r e a i n 1872 w ro te t h a t " a s i t i s a l a r g e , open,
t r e e l e s s p l a i n , w i t h b u t a few s m a ll h o u se s s c a t t e r e d o ver
i t , i t d o es n o t lo o k v e r y i n v i t i n g . "10 i t m ust have lo o k ed
v e r y much a s u n i r r i g a t e d p o r t i o n s o f th e a r e a lo o k t o d a y - -
v e r y a r i d w i t h a lm o s t th e o n ly g ro w th b e in g t h e d ry sage
b r u s h . T here seem to have b e en some i s o l a t e d s e t t l e r s , b u t
th e y w ere p r o b a b ly to o few to p r o v id e much company f o r th e
c o l o n i s t s . "At th e fo u n d in g o f R i v e r s i d e th e w hole o f w hat
i s now th e c o u n ty h ad b u t a few s c a t t e r i n g s e t t l e r s on our
b o tto m la n d s i n c l o s e to u c h w i t h w hat few s tre a m s o f ru n n in g
w a te r t h e r e w ere d u r i n g th e lo n g , d r y , r a i n l e s s su m m e r." H
Not t h e l e a s t o f th e d i f f i c u l t i e s c o n n e c te d w ith th e
b e g in n in g o f a c o lo n y i n s o u t h e r n C a l i f o r n i a was th e pro b lem
9 R o b e rt H ornbeck, Roubidoux* s Ranch i n th e 7 0 ' s ,
1 1 9 . Roe, N o t e s , 3» sa y s i t was A p r i l , 1 8 7I .
C h a r le s N o r d h o f f , C a l i f o r n i a f o r H e a l t h , P l e a s u r e
and R e s i d e n c e , p. 146.
Boyd, R i v e r s i d e , 349»
o f t r a n s p o r t a t i o n . T here was no r a i l r o a d to Los A n g e les;
t r a v e l e r s from th e e a s t came to San F r a n c i s c o by r a i l - - a
slow and e x p e n s iv e j o u r n e y . 1^ The t r i p to Los A ng eles
c o u ld th e n be made by s h ip i n two d a y s . A f t e r a l l t h i s
one s t i l l had to ta k e a tw o-day wagon r i d e to g e t to
R i v e r s i d e . 1^
A cco rd in g to R o b e rt H ornbeck, n a t u r e i t s e l f seemed to
be a g a i n s t th e c o l o n i s t s . 1^
The a n im a te f o r c e s o f n a t u r e seemed le a g u e d a g a i n s t
them. The g o p h e r was n o t o n ly th e w o r s t enemy o f th e
i r r i g a t i n g c a n a l s , b u t had a l i k i n g f o r t e n d e r r o o t
gro w th ; th e g r a s s h o p p e r s and r a b b i t s i s s u e d from th e
h i l l s i n c o u n t l e s s swarms to f e e d upon g r e e n g ro w th ;
c a y o t e s d e v e lo p e d a t a s t e f o r p o u l t r y and g r e a t e n t e r
p r i s e i n s e c u r i n g m eals o f young c h ic k e n s n a t u r e l *;
f l i e s , f l e a s , a n t s , s c o r p i o n s , c e n t i p e d e s , t a r a n t u l a s
and r a t t l e s n a k e s added b u rd e n s and d a n g e rs to d a i l y
l i f e ; th e f i r s t w i n t e r s e a s o n in tr o d u c e d th e * n o r t h e r * ,
a h o t wind w hich sw ept down th e C ajon P a ss from th e
d e s e r t c a r r y i n g c lo u d s o f d i s c o m f o r t i n g d u s t and sand.
A n o th e r s o u rc e o f h a r d s h i p was th e n o - f e n c e o r t r e s
p a s s law . T h is e a r l y C a l i f o r n i a s t a t u t e d i v e s t e d c a t t l e m e n
o f any r e s p o n s i b i l i t y i f t h e i r r o v in g c a t t l e e n t e r e d un
fe n c e d la n d and c a u se d damage. Of c o u r s e , t h i s c o m p e lle d
th e f a rm e rs to f e n c e i n t h e i r la n d . In a l e t t e r w r i t t e n
Boyd, R i v e r s i d e , 359*
Roe, N o t e s . 13.
H ornbeck, Ranch, 123, 124.
J a n u a r y 29, 1872, Ju d g e N o rth s a i d ,
A p o o r n e ig h b o r h as p u t i n t e n a c r e s o f w h e at.
He m ust now expend n e a r t h r e e hu ndred d o l l a r s to
f e n c e i t ; to g u a rd a g a i n s t o t h e r p e o p l e 's s t o c k .
I f o t h e r s w ere o b l ig e d to ta k e c a r e o f t h e i r own
s to c k ho c o u ld p u t i n f i f t y a c r e s more.
The m ost p r e s s i n g p ro b lem a t f i r s t was th e w a te r
s u p p ly . The work b e g an on an i r r i g a t i n g c a n a l i n O c to b e r,
1 8 7 0, and by th e summer o f th e n e x t y e a r i t was d e l i v e r i n g
w a te r f o r d o m e s tic and i r r i g a t i o n p u r p o s e s . T h i s c a n a l
was f a r from p e r f e c t , b u t i t s e rv e d th e im m ediate need.
When i t was c o m p le te d , t h e w hole p o p u l a t i o n o f R i v e r s i d e ,
t w e n t y - f i v e p e o p le , tu r n e d o u t to c h e e r th e f i r s t stre a m
o f w a te r i t b ro u g h t to t h e c o l o n y . I t was o f an open
d i t c h ty p e o f c o n s t r u c t i o n , c a r r y i n g w a te r a c r o s s l i t t l e
v a l l e y s by means o f wooden flu m e s w hich b ro k e o c c a s i o n a l l y .
H a lf o f th e w a te r t u r n e d i n t o i t was l o s t by se e p a g e , l e a k
a g e , and e v a p o r a t i o n .^ ^ One e a r l y s e t t l e r rem a rk ed , "The
f i r s t tim e I saw R i v e r s i d e , i t had a f u t u r e and a d i t c h ,
and th e f u t u r e was i n t h e d i t c h .
R. G, C le la n d , W ild e r n e s s to E m p ire , 2 7 9 , 280.
Roe, N o t e s , 6 .
P h i l T. Hanna, C a l i f o r n i a Land Names, 233.
H ornbeck, R anch, 113.
Roe, N o te s , 6 .
7
From th e v e r y b e g in n in g t h o s e who p la n n e d th e c o lo n y
in te n d e d t h a t i t sh o u ld be d e v o te d to t h e grow ing o f sem i-
t r o p i c a l f r u i t , 20 a lt h o u g h o l d - t i m e r s i n th e a r e a r i d i c u l e d
t h e i d e a . 21 B e fo re th e c a n a l was c o m p le te d , t h e r e f o r e ,
some s e e d l i n g t r e e s w ere o b t a i n e d from San G a b r ie l and
p l a n t e d . A f t e r t h e c a n a l was c o m p lete d more t r e e s w ere
b ro u g h t i n , and a good showing was made a t th e end o f th e
second y e a r . 22 D. 0 . Twogood, a B a p t i s t whom we have
m e n tio n e d b e f o r e , had an a c t i v e p a r t i n t h e o r i g i n o f th e
o ra n g e i n d u s t r y , f o r he s t a r t e d ( p r o b a b ly i n I 8 7 1 ) t h e f i r s t
n u r s e r y , p r o d u c in g t r e e s from se e d s o b t a i n e d from T a h i t i . 23
T hus, an e a r l y b e g in n in g was made to w ard w hat was to be th e
c i t y ' s g r e a t e s t p r o d u c e r o f w e a l t h .
I n 1 8 7 3, a n o t h e r s t e p fo rw a rd was ta k e n . I n t h a t
y e a r L. C. T i b b e t t s r e c e i v e d some n a v e l o ra n g e t r e e s from
t h e D epartm en t o f A g r i c u l t u r e i n W ash in g to n , D. C.2^ I t i s
a wonder t h a t th e y l i v e d , f o r Mr. T i b b e t t s , an e c c e n t r i c
man, r e f u s e d to buy w a te r from th e Colony A s s o c i a t i o n . Mrs.
T i b b e t t s w a te re d them w i t h h e r d i s h w a t e r , how ever, and th e y
20
Boyd, R i v e r s i d e . I , 356.
H ornbeck, R anch. 122, 123.
1 3 6 .
22 I b i d . . 1 2 5.
23 Roe, N o t e s ♦ 10.
2^ M innie T i b b e t t s M i l l s , " L u th e r C a lv in T i b b e t s , "
8
grew to s u p p l a n t o t h e r v a r i e t i e s and make R i v e r s i d e f a m o u s . 25
T h is b r i e f p i c t u r e shows t h a t i n i t s e a r l y d a y s
R i v e r s i d e f a c e d a d e s p e r a t e s t r u g g l e i f i t was t o become a
s u c c e s s f u l c o lo n y . Ju d g e N o rth had had h ig h h o p e s, b u t th e
one h und red f a m i l i e s he so u g h t to b e g in t h e e n t e r p r i s e
tu r n e d o u t to be a m ere h a n d f u l i n s t e a d . T h is m ust have
b e en a d i s a p p o in tm e n t to th o s e who f i n a n c e d th e la n d p u r
c h a s e , and i t p r o b a b ly r e s u l t e d i n a h i g h e r p r i c e f o r la n d ,
p l u s a w i l l i n g n e s s to a c c e p t c o l o n i s t s a lm o s t a t t h e i r own
te rm s . Such a p i c t u r e i s g iv e n by th e t r a v e l e r , N o r d h o f f : 26
The p r i c e a sk e d f o r la n d i s h ig h f o r t h i s r e g i o n ,
and th e company p r o p o s e s no r e s t r i c t i o n s a b o u t l i q u o r -
s e l l i n g , n o r c o n d i t i o n s f o r th e p l a n t i n g o f shade t r e e s ,
o r t h e s t y l e o f im p rovem ents— n o r, in d e e d , do th e y
s t i p u l a t e t h a t a p u r c h a s e r s h a l l im prove a t a l l .
However, th e p i c t u r e was n o t c o m p le te ly b l a c k . The
c o l o n i s t s had come s e e k in g a b e t t e r p l a c e to l i v e , and th e y
d i d w hat th e y c o u ld to overcom e th e d i f f i c u l t i e s . Homes
w ere b u i l t im m e d ia te ly , and p l a c e s o f b u s i n e s s w ere soon
e r e c t e d . 27 /ad justm ents w ere made to m eet th e c i r e urns ta n c e s - -
su ch a s D. C. Twogood moving h i s house and n u r s e r y n e a r e r
t h e i r r i g a t i n g c a n a l . 26 In t h e summer o f 1871 t h e f i r s t
25 H ornbeck, R an ch , I 6 5 .
N o rd h o ff, C a l i f o r n i a . 146.
Holmes, H i s t o r y . 146.
26 Ibid., 33.
s c h o o l v a s b u i l t - - T , J , Wood b e in g one o f th e t r u s t e e s - - a n d
by 1874 th e a t t e n d a n c e had grown from a b o u t tw e n ty p u p i l s
to f o r t y . 29 I n 1 8 7 2, c o n t a c t w ith th e r e s t o f t h e w o rld
was a s s u r e d by t h e e x t e n s i o n to R i v e r s i d e o f t e l e g r a p h
f a c i l i t i e s .3 0 r q one was m aking much money, f o r o ran g e
t r e e s ta k e s e v e r a l y e a r s to d e v e lo p , b u t th e c o lo n y was
a p p ro a c h in g a l e v e l o f s e l f - s u p p o r t by 1873.31 As Jam es
Boyd, an e a r l y s e t t l e r , has p u t i t , "T here w ere no r i c h
and t h e r e w ere no p o o r and we w ere a l l a happy f a m i l y . "32
By th e end o f I 8 7 1 R i v e r s i d e had begun to r e s e m b le
a town b u t i t s t i l l p r e s e n t e d a r a t h e r b l e a k p i c t u r e . 33
T h ere w ere p e rh a p s t w e n t y - f i v e f a m i l i e s i n a l l .
By p u b l i c and p r i v a t e e n t e r p r i s e , to m eet a l r e a d y
e x i s t i n g n e e d s , t h e r e had been p r o v id e d a com pany's
o f f i c e , a s c h o o l h o u se , a h o t e l , a s t o r e , and a shop
eac h f o r a c a r p e n t e r , a b l a c k s m i t h , a b u t c h e r and a
shoem aker . . . . Most o f th e h o u se s w ere s m a ll and
o f cheap c o n s t r u c t i o n . The s e t t l e r s w ere c h i e f l y
from th e " i n t e r i o r " o r t h e " f a r e a s t . " None o f them
knew a n y th in g a b o u t i r r i g a t i o n o r c i t r u s f r u i t
c u l t u r e . They had i t a l l to l e a r n .
O rg a n iz e d r e l i g i o u s a c t i v i t y began i n R i v e r s i d e i n
Roe, N o t e s . 9 .
I b i d . . 12.
3 1 Holmes, H i s t o r y . 45.
32 Boyd, R i v e r s i d e . 357.
33 H ornbeck, R anch. I 5 0 .
10
November, I 8 7 I , a t w hich tim e , th e Rev, Mr. I . W. A th e rto n
came t o th e c o lo n y from Los A n g e l e s . T h e f i r s t r e l i g i o u s
s e r v i c e was h e ld b e f o r e h i s a r r i v a l i n t h e summer o r e a r l y
f a l l o f t h a t y e a r and was c o n d u c te d by an o r d a in e d m i n i s t e r
from Oompton named H ig b ie , who was w orking f o r th e A s s o c ia
t i o n a s a s u r v e y o r . The s e r v i c e was h e ld i n th e s c h o o l
b u i l d i n g w here Mr. A th e r to n l a t e r c o n d u c te d s e r v i c e s f o r
more th a n a y e a r .
Mr. A th e r to n was a G o n g r e g a t i o n a l i s t and was s e n t
to R i v e r s i d e by t h a t d e n o m in a tio n . Of c o u r s e , a v a r i e t y
o f r e l i g i o u s o p in io n s w ere p r e s e n t i n th e s m a ll community.
T here "were r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f e v e ry p h a se and ty p e , b o th
o f b e l i e f and u n b e l i e f . ”^5 B ecause o f t h i s and th e d i f f i
c u l t y o f s t a r t i n g any r e l i g i o u s work i n an a r e a w here th e
i n h a b i t a n t s w ere b u rd en e d w ith much t o i l , th e m is s io n a r y
a tte m p te d to b r i n g a l l C h r i s t i a n s t o g e t h e r i n a u n io n
c h u rc h . He was u n s u c c e s s f u l i n t h i s a t t e m p t , a lt h o u g h he
o rg a n iz e d a c h u rc h w ith th e somewhat n e u t r a l name o f " F i r s t
C hurch o f C h r i s t o f R i v e r s id e " i n A p r i l , I 8 7 2 . In r e a l i t y ,
t h i s was a C o n g r e g a tio n a l C hurch, f o r a l l i t s se v en members
3^ H ornbeck, R an ch . 148. Most o f th e i n f o r m a t i o n i n
th e n e x t f o u r p a ra g r a p h s i s ta k e n from A t h e r t o n ’ s own a c c o u n t
i n pp. 146-160 o f t h i s w ork.
^5 I b i d . . 152.
11
w ere G o n g r e g a t i o n a l i s t s . 36 However, p e o p le o f o t h e r c o n
v i c t i o n s w o rsh ip p e d w i t h them. "T h is was t r u e . . . o f th e
Twogoods, o f th e R oes, o f Mr. T ra v e r and o t h e r s who w ere
B a p t i s t s . " ^ ? In f a c t , " i t used to be s a i d t h a t th e s e r v i c e s
c o u ld n o t b e g in u n t i l th e B a p t i s t wagon a r r i v e d . "36
The f i r s t c h u rc h b u i l d i n g was c o m p lete d i n th e
s p r i n g o f 1873 and was l o c a t e d on a l o t d o n a te d by th e
A s s o c i a t i o n f o r t h a t p u rp o s e . T h is seems to have e s t a b l i s h
ed a p r e c e d e n t , f o r i n a c i r c u l a r s e n t o u t by Judge N o rth
on S eptem ber 10, 1873> we f i n d t h i s s t a te m e n t : " N e a rly a l l
th e r e l i g i o u s d e n o m in a tio n s a r e r e p r e s e n t e d here and a c h u rc h
l o t i s d o n a te d to e ac h when th e y w ish to b u i l d . "39
Under th e l e a d e r s h i p o f Mr. A t h e r t o n , t h e c h u rc h was
v e ry c o o p e r a t i v e r e g a r d i n g th e u se o f i t s b u i l d i n g . The
E p i s c o p a l i a n s , M e t h o d is ts , and B a p t i s t s w ere a llo w e d to
h o ld m e e tin g s t h e r e , and when i t was p o s s i b l e f o r them to
s e c u r e men to o f f i c i a t e a t r e g u l a r i n t e r v a l s , th e d i f f e r e n t
g ro u p s rem a in e d a s one c o n g r e g a t i o n and w o rsh ip p e d t o g e t h e r .
The M e th o d is ts w ere th e f i r s t t o b r e a k away from th e
Holmes, H i s t o r y , 159*
H ornbeck, R anch, 159.
K ate Gandee and o t h e r s . H i s t o r y o f th e F i r s t
B a p t i s t Ghurch o f R i v e r s i d e , G a l i f o r n i a , 23.
39 Boyd, R i v e r s i d e , 3 5 9 -3 6 0 , g i v e s th e c o m p le te
docum ent.
12
o r i g i n a l g ro u p — t h i s p r o b a b ly t a k i n g p l a c e on J a n u a ry 10,
1 8 7 4.^ ^ They, t o o , used th e s c h o o l b u i l d i n g u n t i l th e y were
a b le to c o n s t r u c t t h e i r own house o f w o r s h ip .
W ith in a m onth, th e F i r a l Bap L is t Church o f R i v e r s i d e ,
was o r g a n iz e d . On S a tu r d a y a f t e r n o o n , F e b r u a r y 'J, 1874, a
s m a ll g roup g a th e r e d a t th e C o n g r e g a tio n a l C h u r c h . M . V,
W rig h t, a l o c a l r e s i d e n t , r e a d a p a s s a g e o f s c r i p t u r e and
l e d i n p r a y e r , f o l lo w in g w h ich . Rev. J . C. C u r t i s o f Los
N ie to s p re a c h e d a serm on. They th e n p ro c e e d e d to th e b u s i
n e ss o f o r g a n i z i n g , and we w i l l l e t t h e R eco rd s o f th e
Church C le r k t e l l t h a t s t o r y i n i t s own e n g ag in g w a y . ^2
T h is i s to c e r t i f y t h a t th e B a p t i s t b r e t h r e n and
s i s t e r s o f R i v e r s i d e , C a l i f o r n i a , and v i c i n i t y have
a sse m b le d a t t h e C o n g r e g a tio n a l C hurch o f t h i s p l a c e
a t two o ’c lo c k P.M. f o r th e p u rp o s e o f o r g a n i z in g a
R e g u la r B a p t i s t C hurch. B ro. Jam es H. Roe was
c h o se n M o d e ra to r, and D. C. Twogood, C l e r k P ro . Tern.
Hymn sung i n w hich a l l j o i n e d w ith e n th u s ia s m .
R eading o f s c r i p t u r e and p r a y e r by Rev. M. V.
W rig h t.
M o d e rato r th e n p r e s e n t e d th e o b j e c t o f th e m e e t
in g .
By r e q u e s t o f M o d e ra to r, B ro. W rig h t made some
e x p la n a t o r y rem ark s as to p r o p e r mode o f o r g a n i z i n g .
M o d e rato r th e n gav e o p p o r t u n i t y f o r a l l t h o s e who
Holmes, H i s t o r y , IO8 .
4 l
Candee, C h u rc h , 1.
^2 F i r s t B a p t i s t C hurch o f R i v e r s i d e , C a l i f o r n i a ,
R ecords o f th e C hurch C le r k , F e b ru a ry 7> 1874.
13
had no l e t t e r s t o r e l a t e t h e i r C h r i s t i a n E x p e r ie n c e
and F a i t h i n C h r i s t . The f o l lo w in g b r e t h r e n and
s i s t e r s r e s p o n d e d , t o w i t : B ro s. M. V. W rig h t, T.
J . Wood, Jam es H. Roe, and D. C. Twogood, S i s t e r s
.e W rig h t, A. L. Twogood, and Id a Jo h n s o n .
B ro. D. A. C o d d in g to n -- a new c o n v e r t — th e n r e l a t e d
a v e ry i n t e r e s t i n g C h r i s t i a n E x p e r ie n c e - - s h o w in g good
e v id e n c e o f t r u e c o n v e r s i o n and s t r o n g f a i t h i n
B a p t i s t D o c t r i n e , p r e s e n t i n g h i m s e l f a s c a n d i d a t e f o r
b a p tis m .
A C hurch L e t t e r was th e n r e a d by C le r k from C hurch
o f M a rs h a llto w n , Iowa, recommending s i s t e r L a v in a Roe
to any c h u rc h o f same f a i t h and o r d e r . S i s t e r Roe,
by v i r t u e o f h e r l e t t e r , was r e c e i v e d i n f u l l f e l l o w
s h ip .
By r e q u e s t . C le r k r e a d " A r t i c l e s o f F a i t h " a s s e t
f o r t h i n th e E n c y c lo p e d ia o f R e l i g i o u s Knowledge.
B ro. W rig h t moved t h a t we o r g a n iz e u n d e r s a i d
" A r t i c l e s o f F a i t h " - - m o t i o n a d o p te d .
C hurch O f f i c e r s w ere e l e c t e d , to w i t :
D, C. T w o g o o d --ls t Deacon
Jam es H. Roe— 2nd Deacon.
B ro . D. A, C o d d in g to n a c c e p te d a s c a n d i d a t e f o r
B a p tism and e l e c t e d to be C hurch C le r k a f t e r
b a p tis m , and th e "Hand o f F e l l o w s h i p ."
B ro. W rig h t moved t h a t th e name we a d o p t b e . The
F i r s t B a p t i s t C hurch o f R i v e r s i d e - - s a i d name a d o p te d .
Rev. M. V. W rig h t was c a l l e d to t h e p a s t o r a t e o f th e
c h u rc h .
A p p r o p r ia te hymn sung.
M eeting c l o s e d by b e n e d i c t i o n .
D, C. Twogood
C l e r k , P ro . Tem.
CHAPTER II
STABILIZATION IN CHURCH AND COMMUNITY, 1874-1882
On t h e day f o llo w in g t h e i r o r g a n i z a t i o n , th e
B a p t i s t s to o k c h a rg e o f th e w o rs h ip s e r v i c e a t th e C ongre
g a t i o n a l c h u rc h , Mr. C u r t i s p r e a c h e d a sermon from th e
t e x t . P r o v e r b s 9 5 1 -6 , and g ave t h e c h a r g e to t h e p a s t o r ,
d e ac o n s and c h u r c h .^ A f t e r he had g iv e n th e hand o f f e l l o w
s h ip to th e c h u rc h , th e c o n g r e g a t i o n "p ro c e e d e d to th e w a te r"
w here th e new c o n v e r t and c l e r k - e l e c t , D. A. C o d d in g to n ,
was b a p t i z e d , 2 In th e e v e n in g t h e c h u rc h a sse m b le d to p a r
ta k e o f t h e L o r d 's S u p p e r, and t h e i r f i r s t day o f s e r v i c e s
c l o s e d w i t h t h e s i n g i n g o f th e D o xology .3
A lth o u g h th e c h u rc h had s t a r t e d o u t w i t h p r a i s e and
t h a n k s g i v i n g , en co u rag e d by a new c o n v e r t and d e te r m in e d t o
do i t s b e s t to d e v e lo p a B a p t i s t w i t n e s s i n R i v e r s i d e ,
s e v e r a l l e a n y e a r s l a y a h e a d . The r e c o r d s a v a i l a b l e do n o t
i n d i c a t e much a c t i v i t y f o r th e r e m a in d e r o f 1874. T here a r e
e n t r i e s i n t h e C hurch C l e r k 's R eco rd s f o r o n ly two o t h e r
d a y s , March 7 and A ugust 8. However, t h e r e m ust have been
^ F i r s t B a p t i s t C hurch, R eco rd s o f th e Church C l e r k ,
F e b r u a ry 8 , 1874.
^ I b i d . . Feb. 8 , 1874.
3 I b i d . . F eb. 8 , 1874.
15
a m e e tin g o f some k in d e v e ry m onth, b e c a u s e th e March e n t r y
r e f e r s to a m e e tin g to be h e ld th e n e x t m onth, and t h e e n t r y
o f J a n u a r y 9, 1875 sa y s t h a t th e " R e g u la r Ghurch m e e tin g was
h e l d . " ^
The i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t i s a v a i l a b l e g i v e s us an i n t e r
e s t i n g i n s i g h t i n t o th e c h a r a c t e r o f t h e young c h u rc h .
When th e group met on March 7 t h , two new members w ere
r e c e i v e d , and i t was v o t e d t h a t an o f f e r i n g f o r home m is s io n s
sh o u ld be ta k e n q u a r t e r l y . 5 At th e August 8 t h m e e tin g ,
d e l e g a t e s w ere a p p o in te d f o r t h e m e e tin g o f th e Los A n geles
B a p t i s t A s s o c i a t i o n . ^ E v i d e n t l y , even amid t h e p roblem s and
d i f f i c u l t i e s w hich f a c e d i t , th e c h u rc h was c o n c e rn e d a b o u t
o t h e r s and was a n x io u s f o r f e l l o w s h i p w i t h t h o s e o f l i k e
m ind.
D u rin g th e f i r s t m e e tin g o f 1875> M. V. W rig h t
r e s i g n e d a s p a s t o r . ? He c o n tin u e d to be a c t i v e i n th e
c h u rc h how ever, and l a t e r , when fu n d s w ere a v a i l a b l e , he
p r e a c h e d two serm ons a m onth f o r t e n d o l l a r s T h e l i t t l e
^ G hurch, R e c o r d s . J a n . 9> 1875.
5 I b i d . . March 7 , 1 8 7 5 .
6 I b i d . . A ugust 8 , 1 8 7 5.
I b i d . . J a n u a r y 9> 1875.
8 I b i d . . March 2 0 , 1877.
16
c o n g r e g a t i o n a c c e p te d t h e r e s i g n a t i o n and v o te d to m eet on
t h e f i r s t Sunday o f each month " f o r p r a y e r and c o n f e s s i o n , "
t h e r e a d i n g o f th e c h u rc h c o v e n a n t, and th e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n
o f th e L o r d 's S u p p e r.
The l o s s o f p a s t o r a l l e a d e r s h i p w a s, no d o u b t, a
g r e a t d is a d v a n t a g e t o t h e c h u rc h . As lo n g a s th e y w ere a b le
to a c c e p t th e h o s p i t a l i t y o f th e C o n g r e g a t i o n a l i s t s and c o n
d u c t th e s e r v i c e s t h e r e a t r e g u l a r i n t e r v a l s , t h a t p r i v i
le g e would te n d to s t r e n g t h e n th e g ro u p . Having no p a s t o r ,
th e y w ere now u n a b le t o ta k e c h a r g e o f a p r e a c h in g s e r v i c e ,
and many o f t h e i r m e e tin g s w ere h e ld i n homes d u r in g 1875
and 1 8 7 6. ^ New members w ere b e in g added r e g u l a r l y , how ever,
and th e s t r u g g l i n g B a p t i s t s c o n tin u e d to lo o k to t h e f u t u r e .
At th e c h u rc h m e e tin g on December 2 9, 1875^ a comm it
t e e was a p p o in te d to s e c u r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t th e p u r c h a s e
o f a l o t . W h e n t h e c o m m ittee r e p o r t e d a week l a t e r t h a t
a l o t c o u ld be o b t a i n e d f o r f o r t y d o l l a r s - - o n e t h i r d down
and th e re m a in d e r i n two y e a r l y p a y m e n ts --a n d t h a t th e com
pany would d o n a te a l o t , i t was d e c id e d to a u t h o r i z e th e
p u r c h a s e . T h e l o t s f i n a l l y s e t t l e d upon w ere l o c a t e d on
9 Gandee, G hurch, 3 .
C hurch, R e c o r d s , D ec. 2 9 , 1875.
I b i d . . J a n . 5 , I 8 7 6 .
17
E i g h t h S t r e e t ( " t h e b ro a d s t r e e t " ) w here Lemon S t r e e t now
c r o s s e s . 12 Thus a b e g in n in g was made to w a rd s s e c u r i n g a
home f o r th e c h u rc h .
A p p a r e n tly t h e r e was now a g r e a t amount o f e n t h u s i
asm r e g a r d i n g th e e r e c t i o n o f a c h u rc h b u i l d i n g . T r u s t e e s
and a b u i l d i n g co m m ittee w ere e l e c t e d on F e b r u a r y 2 , I 8 7 6 ,
and a d d i t i o n s w ere made to th e f i n a n c e c o m m i tt e e .13 At
t h i s same m e e tin g , an i n t e r e s t i n g s u g g e s t i o n was made by
T. J . Wood, a member o f a l l t h r e e c o m m ittee s and a C arpen
t a r i a whose house was p r o b a b ly th e second b u i l d i n g e r e c t e d
i n R i v e r s i d e . 15 He p ro p o se d t h a t th e c h u rc h r a i s e money
f o r d o o r s , w indows, and n a i l s ; t h a t e a c h member f u r n i s h one
th o u sa n d f e e t o f lum ber w i t h i n a y e a r ; and t h a t a c h u rc h
b u i l d i n g be p u t up t h e f o l lo w in g w i n t e r . However, th e
e n th u s ia s m was a l i t t l e p r e m a tu r e , f o r i t was s e v e r a l y e a r s
b e f o r e th e c o n g r e g a t i o n was a b le to m eet i n i t s own p l a c e
o f w o rs h ip .
L a t e r i n th e y e a r , th e c h u rc h d e c id e d t o have Mr.
Wood, a t r u s t e e o f t h e l o c a l s c h o o l, s e e i f t h e s c h o o l house
w ould be a v a i l a b l e f o r m e e tin g s th e second Sunday m orning
1^ C andee, C h u rc h , 4.
13 C hurch, R e c o r d s , Feb. 2 , I 8 7 6 .
1^ H ornbeck, R anch, 110.
15 Holmes, H i s t o r y , 3 3 .
18
o f e v e ry month and e v e ry Sunday and W ednesday e v e n in g .
P e r m is s io n to meet t h e r e seems to have b e en g i v e n , and th e
c h u rc h a sse m b le d t h e r e f o r i t s m e e tin g s a t l e a s t th r o u g h
J a n u a ry 12, iSjS,
The c h u rc h was w i t h o u t a p a s t o r th r o u g h o u t 1875 and
1 8 7 6, and i n J a n u a r y o f 1877 s t e p s w ere ta k e n to s e c u r e a
p a s t o r f o r th e y e a r . T here was some d i s c u s s i o n o f s e e k in g
to have th e Rev. Mr. A lle n o f San B e r n a r d in o spend h a l f o f
h i s tim e w i t h t h e R i v e r s i d e c h u r c h , 1? b u t l a t e r M. V.
W rig h t was i n v i t e d t o p r e a c h tw ic e a m o n th .18 He a c c e p te d
t h e i n v i t a t i o n and c o n ti n u e d th r o u g h o u t th e y e a r b u t
r e s i g n e d J a n u a r y 12, 1 8 7 8 .^ 9 The c l e r k ' s r e c o r d f o r t h a t
d a t e p r e s e n t s a r a t h e r p a t h e t i c p i c t u r e . A m i n i s t e r named
Ambrose o f S t . H e len a had w r i t t e n to i n q u i r e i f th e c h u rc h
needed a p a s t o r , a n d , a lth o u g h Mr. W rig h t had j u s t r e s i g n e d ,
th e r e p l y had to be s e n t t h a t s u p p o r t f o r a w o rk er was n o t
a v a i l a b l e .
D u rin g March and a p r i l , I 8 7 8 , a r e v i v a l was h e ld
w hich s t r e n g t h e n e d t h e c h u rc h g r e a t l y . Almost a y e a r
e a r l i e r t h e r e had been some d i s c u s s i o n o f s e c u r in g someone
C hurch, R e c o r d s . Ju n e 28, I 8 7 6 .
I b i d . , J a n . 2 0 , I 8 7 6 .
18 I b i d . , March 2 0 , 1877.
19 I b i d . . J a n . 12, 1 8 7 8.
19
“ f o r a s e a s o n ," b u t n o th in g had. been done a t th e time.
Now, tw e n ty d o l l a r s w ere borrow ed from th e Sewing C i r c l e
fund and s e n t to th e Rev. Mr. C. G. Batem an, G e n e ra l
M is s io n a r y o f th e C a l i f o r n i a B a p t i s t S t a t e C o n v e n t i o n . t o
e n a b le him to come to R i v e r s i d e . H e came, and th e c l e r k
r e c o r d e d t h a t “m e e tin g s have b e e n h e ld a f t e r n o o n and e v en
in g by B r o t h e r Bateman w i t h i n c r e a s i n g i n t e r e s t . H e
h e ld th e m e e tin g s i n R ow e's h a l l th r o u g h m ost o f A p r il^ ^ i n
w hat has b e e n d e s c r i b e d as th e f i r s t " n o t a b l e " r e v i v a l i n
t h e c i t y . 25 D urin g t h i s tim e th e c l e r k l i s t e d e i g h t p e o p le
who j o i n e d t h e c h u rc h by l e t t e r and e i g h t e e n new c o n v e r t s
who w ere b a p t i z e d . A m o n g th e l a t t e r g ro u p was A. J .
Twogood, one o f th e o r i g i n a l s e t t l e r s and h i s w if e .
In S ep tem b er, I 8 7 8 , t h e c h u rc h c a l l e d i t s secon d
p a s t o r , th e Rev. Mr. J . G. F o r b e s , D .D ., o f San F r a n c i s c o ,
who had b e e n recommended by Mr. Batem an. B ecause o f th e
^8 C hurch, R e c o rd s , A p r i l 18, 1877.
( a . G r a n t ) , H i s t o r y o f Los A n g eles B a p t i s t
A s s o c i a t i o n , 47.
Candee, C h u rc h , 4.
C hurch, R e c o r d s , March 25, I 8 7 8 .
I b i d . , A p r i l 2 1, I 8 7 8 .
Roe, N o t e s , 2 6.
^8 C hurch, R e c o r d s , e n t r i e s th ro u g h A p r i l 2 4 , I 8 7 8 .
I b i d . . S e p t. 8 , 1 8 7 8 .
20
f i n a n c i a l c o n d i t i o n o f th e c h u rc h , he had to l e a v e on J u l y
1, 1 8 8 0 .2 8 Most o f t h i s tim e th e c h u rc h c o n tin u e d to m eet
i n R ow e's h a l l , a b u i l d i n g f o r m e r ly u sed a s a s t o r e , 29 b u t
by May, I 8 8 O, Lhe% had begun to m eet i n homes a g a i n , 50
Forw ard s t e p s ta k e n d u r in g h i s p a s t o r a t e w ere th e b e g in n in g
o f a Sunday s c h o o l w i t h D. C. Twogood a s s u p e r i n t e n d e n t , ^ ^
and th e i n c o r p o r a t i o n o f t h e c h u rc h to make i t l e g a l l y
q u a l i f i e d to h o ld p r o p e r t y . 52
When th e c h u rc h was f i r s t o r g a n i z e d . R i v e r s i d e was
s t i l l i n a somewhat p r i m i t i v e c o n d i t i o n . In f a c t , t h e r e
w ere a b o u t two h u ndred M is s io n I n d i a n s who camped n e a r town
and l i v e d c h i e f l y by d o in g odd jo b s f o r th e c o l o n i s t s .
An im p o r ta n t f a c t o r i n th e g ro w th o f th e community was th e
i n f l u e n c e o f J . A, Sayward and S. G. E v an s. E a r l y i n 1875
th e y b u i l t a c a n a l to w a te r t h e i r t r a c t - - t h e p r e s e n t s i t e
o f A r l i n g t o n - - a n d i n May o f t h a t y e a r th e y b o u g h t c o n t r o l l
in g i n t e r e s t i n th e S o u th e rn C a l i f o r n i a C olony A s s o c ia t io n
28 C hurch, R e c o r d s , May 3 I 3 I 8 8 O.
29 Roe, N o t e s , I 6 .
^8 C hurch, R e c o rd s, May 51^ I 8 8 0 .
C andee, C h u rc h , 5*
52 C hurch, R e c o r d s , Ju n e I 9 , I 8 8 O.
H ornbeck, Ranch, 179, I 8 0 .
21
and u n i t e d th e two w a te r s y s t e m s . D u r i n g 1875 th e company
e n la r g e d and im proved t h e u p p e r c a n a l , t u r n i n g o f f t h e w a te r
f o r as lo n g a s two weeks a m onth i n o r d e r to do th e w ork.
One e a r l y h i s b o r i a n g i v e s t h i s p i c t u r e o f th e c i t y : ^ 5
I n 1875 t h e p o p u l a t i o n o f th e R i v e r s i d e s e t t l e m e n t s
was e s t i m a t e d a t one th o u s a n d . The town th e n had w i t h
i n i t s l i m i t s one c h u rc h e d i f i c e , a s c h o o lh o u s e , a
h o t e l , two r e s t a u r a n t s , a c a r r i a g e and wagon f a c t o r y ,
t h r e e g e n e r a l m e rc h a n d is e s t o r e s , a d ru g s t o r e , a
l i v e r y s t a b l e and two s a l o o n s . A n o th er s a lo o n was
added to th e number e a r l y i n I 8 7 6 .
He c o n c lu d e s t h a t i t was a p p a r e n t l y a “w ide open"
town.
L i f e was s t i l l f a r from e a s y f o r th e c o l o n i s t s . 36
B e s id e s h a v in g th e w a te r s h u t o f f f o r a l a r g e p a r t o f 1 8 7 5 ,
t h e r e was a s e v e r e f r o s t t h a t s p r i n g . The w i n t e r o f I 8 7 6
p ro d u ce d two o u t b u r s t s o f n a t u r e - - a h a i l and s l e e t sto rm
and an e a r t h q u a k e - - a n d 1877 was d ry and d u s t y . Some o f th e
s e t t l e r s m ust j a v e w ondered i f C a l i f o r n i a was r e a l l y th e
U to p ia th e y had e x p e c te d . Added to th e d i f f i c u l t i e s c a u se d
by t h e w e a th e r was th e f a c t t h a t th e o r c h a r d s d i d n o t b e g in
to be v a l u a b l e f o r w hat th e y c o u ld p ro d u c e u n t i l a b o u t I 8 7 8 .
One e a r l y s e t t l e r r e p o r t s t h a t i n 1 8 9 5:^ ?
W. H. H a l l , I r r i g a t i o n i n C a l i f o r n i a , 222 f f .
g i v e s an e x te n d e d h i s t o r y o f R i v e r s i d e w a te r d e v e lo p m e n t.
35 J , M. G uinn, S o u th e r n C a l i f o r n i a , 200.
^8 Roe, N o t e s , 2 0 -2 5 .
^7 M i l l s , “L. C. T i b b e t s , " 140.
22
I n d i a n s L iv in g n e a r Mt. R oubidoux
i n th e E a r l y D ay s
The C e n te r o f R i v e r s i d e , c . 1875
\
2 3
R e p e r c u s s io n s o f th e W all S t r e e t p a n ic o f 1873
w ere b e in g s e v e r l y f e l t on th e P a c i f i c C o a st i n th e
s c a r c i t y o f c i r c u l a t i n g money. I t was a q u e s t i o n
i f th e c o lo n y c o u ld s u r v i v e .
I t i s no wonder t h a t t h e B a p t i s t s found i t i m p o s s i b l e to
s u p p o r t a p a s t o r r e g u l a r l y , e s p e c i a l l y when we remember
t h a t t h e i r t o t a l m em bership was o n ly a b o u t f i f t y a s l a t e as
1880.58
I n s p i t e o f th e h a r d s h i p s p r e s e n t e d by l i f e i n th e
c o lo n y . R i v e r s i d e c o n ti n u e d to grow. The p o p u l a t i o n was
o v e r th e th o u sa n d mark by I 8 7 6 , and b r i c k b u i l d i n g s b e g an
to a p p e a r i n tow n.^9 The i n h a b i t a n t s c o u ld lo o k fo rw a rd to
a d e q u a te t r a n s p o r t a t i o n f a c i l i t i e s a s t h e S o u th e r n P a c i f i c
R a i l r o a d b e g an to c r e e p e a s tw a r d from Los A n g e le s, r e a c h i n g
C o lto n i n t h e f a l l o f 1875 and Yuma i n J u n e , 1877*^8 Of
more im m ediate a s s i s t a n c e was th e e r e c t i o n o f a b r i d g e sp a n n
in g t h e S a n ta Ana R iv e r b e tw een C o lto n and R i v e r s i d e i n
November, 1 8 7 8.^ ^
I f th e town o f R i v e r s i d e was g ro w in g , th e t h i n g w hich
was to make i t fam ous, th e o ran g e i n d u s t r y , was d e v e lo p e d to
no l e s s an e x t e n t . In I 8 7 6 , th e T i b b e t t s ' o ra n g e t r e e s b o re
C hurch, R e c o rd s , m em bership l i s t ,
Roe, N o t e s , 22*.
^0 I b i d . . 19, 25.
I b i d . , 30.
24
f r u i t w hich was v e ry s u p e r i o r to t h a t o f th e e a r l y s e e d
l i n g s , ^ 2 and “a s th e y e a r s p a s s e d b y - - 1877, I 8 7 8 , 1879,
l 8 8 0 - - i t became more e v i d e n t t h a t th e one t h i n g to p l a n t a t
R i v e r s i d e was t h e n a v e l o r a n g e . “43 By 1879 th e o ran g e
g ro w e rs f e l t s t a b l e enough to h o ld a c i t r u s f a i r . 44 i t was
h e ld i n F e b ru a r y and was such a s u c c e s s t h a t t h e e v e n t
became an a n n u a l a f f a i r , s p r e a d in g th e fame o f th e town
th r o u g h o u t C a l i f o r n i a . About t h i s same tim e a f r u i t g ro w e rs
a s s o c i a t i o n was o r g a n iz e d w i t h D. C. Twogood a s one o f th e
t r u s t e e s . 45 As a r e c e n t h i s t o r i a n has w r i t t e n , “ i n
S o u th e r n C a l i f o r n i a i n I 8 8O, t h e t r a n s f o r m i n g power o f
i r r i g a t i o n was m ost s t r i k i n g l y a p p a r e n t a t R i v e r s i d e , w here
t h e p o o r e s t g r a z i n g la n d o f Rancho J u r u p a had been made a
show p l a c e o f c i t r u s c u l t u r e . “46
The c u l t u r a l and i n t e l l e c t u r a l l i f e o f R i v e r s i d e was
m aking p r o g r e s s hand i n hand w i t h i t s economic d e v e lo p m e n t.
F o r i n s t a n c e , m e n tio n i s made o f c o n c e r t s g iv e n by a p h i l
harm onic s o c i e t y w hich was i n e x i s t e n c e by 1878.47 I n t h i s
42 H ornbeck, R an ch , I 66 f f .
4^ I b i d . , 212.
44 Roe, N o t e s , 31.
45 I b i d .
48 J , w. Caughey, C a l i f o r n i a , 481.
47 Roe, N o t e s , 29, 30.
2 5
same y e a r , th e f i r s t s u c c e s s f u l n ew sp ap er, th e w eek ly P r e s s ,
was e s t a b l i s h e d w i t h Deacon Roe a s i t s e d i t o r . 48 H is work
was h i g h l y p r a i s e d by R i v e r s i d e h i s t o r i a n s , 4^ and one r e
p o r t s t h a t p a r t o f th e p r o f i t s o f th e p a p e r w ere a p p l i e d to
t h e p u r c h a s e o f books w hich l a t e r became t h e p u b l i c
l i b r a r y . 80 T h is l a t t e r i n s t i t u t i o n was fo un d ed i n 1879 and
was l o c a t e d in Mr. R o e 's d r u g s t o r e , he b e in g th e l i b r a r i a n
f o r se v en y e a r s . 81 I t i s o f i n t e r e s t to n o te t h a t A, J .
Twogood was one o f th e t h r e e o r i g i n a l t r u s t e e s o f th e
l i b r a r y a s s o c i a t i o n . 82
As t h e y e a r 1 8 8 0 a p p ro a c h e d , i t seemed t h a t t h e
f u t u r e o f R i v e r s i d e was no l o n g e r i n d o u b t. P e o p le were
becom ing more p r o s p e r o u s a s t h e o ran g e i n d u s t r y grew , and
Roe sa y s t h a t t h e community a c q u i r e d t h e r e p u t a t i o n o f b e
in g a p l a c e w here e v ery o n e had “ a p ia n o and to p b u g g y . “83
D u rin g 1 8 8 0 r e a l e s t a t e s a l e s amounted to $ 2 6 7 , 2 0 1 and new
b u i l d i n g s w o rth $ 7 4 , 8 0 0 w ere e r e c t e d . 8 4 i n t h i s y e a r , 0 . T .
48 Holmes, H i s t o r y , 373*
49 Boyd, R i v e r s i d e , 6o4; H ornbeck, R anch, 2 08 , 209*
80 Boyd, R i v e r s i d e , 6 0 5 .
81 Holm es, H i s t o r y , 97.
52 Boyd, R i v e r s i d e , 5 2 8 .
88 Roe, N o t e s , 32.
84 I b i d .
26
D y er, an I l l i n o i s b a n k e r and l a t e r a t r u s t e e o f th e B a p t i s t
C hurch, a r r i v e d and opened t h e f i r s t b ank i n R i v e r s i d e . 85
The ro a d ah ead a p p e a re d i n v i t i n g , a lt h o u g h t h e r e was s t i l l
h a rd w ork to be don e.
I n 1881 r e a l e s t a t e a c t i v i t y a lm o s t d o u b le d th e
t o t a l s o f t h e p r e v i o u s y e a r a s “ a s t e a d y s tre a m o f s e t t l e r s
k e p t coming i n , l a r g e l y men o f m e a n s--a n d b r a i n s . “86 The
summer o f 1882 w i t n e s s e d th e op en in g o f a c a n n e ry em ploying
a b o u t two h u n d red p e o p le , and a f i v e th o u s a n d d o l l a r
p a v i l i o n was e r e c t e d f o r th e C i t r u s f a i r h e ld t h a t y e a r . 87
I t was a l s o i n 1882 t h a t R i v e r s i d e was f i r s t a llo w e d th e
lu x u ry o f a p a r k , w hich was named a f t e r A. S. W hite i n
g r a t i t u d e f o r h i s e f f o r t s i n b e a u t i f y i n g i t . 88 The c o lo n y
o f a dozen f a m i l i e s was on i t s way to becom ing a c i t y .
The m ost r e a d i l y a p p a r e n t c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f th e F i r s t
B a p t i s t C hurch i n t h e s e e a r l y days was i t s c o n tin u o u s s t a t e
o f f i n a n c i a l e m b a rra ssm e n t. As n o te d b e f o r e , Mr. W rig h t
r e s i g n e d tw ic e when t h e r e was no s a l a r y a v a i l a b l e , and Dr.
F o rb e s had to le a v e f o r th e same r e a s o n . In O c to b e r, 1875,
88 Holmes, H i s t o r y , 5 9 .
86 Roe, N o te s , 5 0 , 5 8 .
I b i d . . 5 9 , 6 3 .
5 8 Holmes, H i s t o r y , 68.
27
t h e c h u rc h a p p o in te d a f i n a n c e c o m m ittee w hich o r g a n iz e d a
“M ite S o c ie ty " to r a i s e f u n d s . 89 L a t e r , th e fu n d s c o l l e c t e d
by t h e s o c i e t y w ere used to make t h e f i r s t paym ent on th e
c h u rc h l o t . 60 i n t h e e f f o r t s to r a i s e money, th e women
seem to have p la y e d an im p o r ta n t p a r t . When t h e l o t had
b e en p u r c h a s e d and e n th u s ia s m was m a n i f e s te d o v e r th e
p r o s p e c t s o f e r e c t i n g a b u i l d i n g , th e c h u rc h v o te d to add
“ a l l th e l a d i e s " to t h e f i n a n c e c o m m itte e . 6 l
T here i s one i n t e r e s t i n g p i c t u r e o f c h u rc h d i s c i p l i n e
a t work i n th e c l e r k ' s r e c o r d s . E a r l y i n 1879 t h i s sim p le
s t a te m e n t i s g i v e n , “B ro s. Deacon Twogood and G a r le to n w ere
a p p o in te d to v i s i t B ro. W illia m Jo h n so n and i n q u i r e i n t o h i s
p a s t c o n d u c t . “62 T hree m onths l a t e r t h e co m m ittee recom
mended th e e x c l u s i o n o f th e e r r i n g member “ f o r u s in g p r o f a n e
la n g u a g e and n e g l e c t i n g th e means o f g r a c e . “ 63 A f t e r some
d i s c u s s i o n , th e recom m en dation was f o llo w e d .
Looking b a c k on th e f i r s t few y e a r s o f t h e c h u r c h 's
h i s t o r y , an e a r l y member h as d e s c r i b e d i t as a tim e o f
89 C hurch, R e c o r d s , O ct. 15, 1875*
60 I b i d . . J a n . 12, 1 8 7 6.
I b i d . . Feb. 2 , 1 8 7 6.
82 I b i d . . J a n . 4, 1879.
85 I b i d . . A p r i l 5 , 1 8 7 9.
28
“ s t r u g g l e f o r even e x i s t e n c e . “64 rphe r e n t i n g o f Rowe’ s
h a l l f o r th e m e e tin g s h e ld by Rev. Bateman was th e f i r s t
a t t e m p t to have a m e e tin g p l a c e th e c h u rc h c o u ld c a l l i t s
own, and f u r n i s h i n g i t f o r w o rs h ip s e r v i c e s was a r e a l
community p r o j e c t . The d e a c o n s ’ w iv es made a p u l p i t o u t o f
d ry g o o d s boxes and g r e e n b u r l a p , th e men w h itew ashed th e
i n s i d e w a l l s , and Mrs. Roe p la y e d h e r o rg a n , th e o n ly one in
town, w hich was c a r r i e d from h e r home and b a ck f o r e v e ry
s e r v i c e . 65 The d e v o ti o n o f t h e s e p i o n e e r members c o u p le d
w i t h th e grow ing m em bership o f th e c h u rc h and th e i n c r e a s i n g
p r o s p e r i t y o f R i v e r s i d e i n s u r e d b e t t e r d a y s , how ever, and i n
1880 th e s t e p s w ere ta k e n w hich l e d to t h o s e b e t t e r d a y s .
A f t e r th e w eekly p r a y e r - m e e ti n g h e ld on Septem ber 50,
th e c h u rc h c a l l e d Rev. C h a r le s B u tto n a s i t s p a s t o r . 66 a
week l a t e r l e t t e r s w ere p r e s e n t e d f o r h i s w if e and h i m s e l f
from M a r q u e tte , M ich ig an , and th e y w ere r e c e i v e d i n t o th e
m em bership o f th e c h u r c h . 6? H is coming h e r a l d e d th e b e g i n
n in g o f w hat has b e en a p t l y d e s c r i b e d a s “ a new e r a . “68
64 Candee, C h u rc h , 5.
65 I b i d . , 22.
66 C hurch, R e c o r d s , S e p t. 5 0 , I 8 8 O.
67 I b i d . , O ct. 7 , 1 8 8 0.
68 Candee, C hurch, 5*
29
The c l e r k ' s r e c o r d s f o r th e n e x t few m onths g iv e e v id e n c e
t h a t th e c h u rc h now had e f f e c t i v e and e n e r g e t i c l e a d e r s h i p ,
and a c t i v i t y i n c r e a s e d in a l l p h a se s o f c h u rc h l i f e .
The suprem e e f f o r t s o f b o th p a s t o r and c h u rc h w ere
d i r e c t e d to w ard s th e e r e c t i o n o f a house o f w o r s h ip , and by
th e c l o s e o f th e y e a r th e y had i n c r e a s e d t h e i r p r o p e r t y i n
a n t i c i p a t i o n o f t h a t e v e n t . ^9 i n th e s p r i n g o f I 8 8 I , p l a n s
w ere a d o p te d f o r th e b u i l d i n g , and t h e n e c e s s a r y c o m m itte e s
w ere a p p o i n t e d . 7^ A lth o u g h t h e f i n a n c i a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y
was more t h a n th e c h u rc h c o u ld s h o u l d e r , Mr. B u tto n had a
s o l u t i o n f o r th e p ro b lem . He r e q u e s t e d , and was g r a n t e d ,
p e r m i s s io n to r e t u r n to t h e E a s t and " s o l i c i t a id " from h i s
fo rm e r p a s t o r a t e s . 71 " T h is was a v e ry d i f f i c u l t b u t s u c c e s s
f u l u n d e r ta k in g a s th e b u i l d i n g e r e c t e d a t th e c o r n e r of
E ig h th and Lemon s t r e e t s , and c o m p le te d Ju n e 10, 1882,
t e s t i f i e d . O n e o f th e g i f t s he r e c e i v e d was a Mason and
H am lin o rg a n w hich i s s t i l l i n t h e p o s s e s s i o n o f th e churchT^
The d e d i c a t i o n o f th e new b u i l d i n g on Sunday m ornin g,
Ju n e 11, 1 8 8 2, was a g ra n d e v e n t i n th e h i s t o r y o f th e
69 Roe, N o t e s , 48.
70 C hurch, R e c o rd s , A p r i l I 9 , May 5 and May 22, I 8 8 I .
7 1 I b i d . , Ju n e 9 and 12, I 8 8 I .
7^ Candee, C h u rc h , 5 .
73 I b i d . , 22.
3 0
c h u rc h . The o t h e r c h u rc h e s i n town w ere i n v i t e d to be
p r e s e n t and th e y su sp en d e d t h e i r own s e r v i c e s to a t t e n d . 74
Accompanied by p ia n o and o rg a n , th e c h o i r o f e i g h t v o i c e s
sang f o r th e o v e rflo w c o n g r e g a t i o n , and i n t h e o p i n io n o f a
l o c a l c r i t i c , “no b e t t e r m usic was e v e r f u r n i s h e d to a
R i v e r s i d e a u d i e n c e . “75 A f t e r th e serm on, o v e r e i g h t e e n
hu nd red d o l l a r s was r a i s e d by th e c o n g r e g a t i o n , w hich, w ith
o u t s i d e p l e d g e s , was enough t o l i q u i d a t e th e d e b t o f $2100.
The c h u rc h b u i l d i n g , w hich c o s t a b o u t $6000 to b u i l d was
d e s c r i b e d a s7 ^
. . . a v e r y f i n e one, a l i t t l e odd i n a p p e a r a n c e ,
b u t n e a t l y f u r n i s h e d w i t h s t a i n e d g l a s s windows,
c h a n d e l i e r s , s i d e l i g h t s , e t c . The a i s l e s a r e
c a r p e t e d and t h e w hole i n t e r i o r and e x t e r i o r i s such
as t o make b o t h p a s t o r and m em bership f e e l p ro u d o f
t h e i r new p l a c e o f w o r s h ip .
The e a r l y y e a r s o f Mr. B u t t o n 's p a s t o r a t e p ro d u c e d
o t h e r a t t e m p t s to s t r e n g t h e n th e c h u rc h . One was th e
a p p o in tm e n t o f Deacon Roe a s c h o r i s t e r and Mrs. Roe a s
o r g a n i s t . 77 T h is i s th e f i r s t r e f e r e n c e to o r g a n iz e d m usic
i n th e w o rs h ip s e r v i c e s . A n o th e r s t r e n g t h e n i n g e f f o r t was
d i r e c t e d to w ard th e c h u rc h o r g a n i z a t i o n . I n th e f a l l o f i8 6 0 .
74 R i v e r s i d e , P r e s s and H o r t i c u l t u r i s t , Ju n e 17, 1882.
75 I b i d . . Ju n e 17, 1882.
7 8 I b i d . , Ju n e 1 7 , 1 8 8 2.
77 Churoti, R e c o r d s , O ct. 14, 1880.
51
th e p a s t o r had w r i t t e n a s e t o f b y -la w s f o r th e c h u rc h , and
th e y w ere u n an im o u sly a d o p te d on December 9 t h o f t h a t y e arT ^
O th e r e f f o r t s w hich fo llo w e d t h e e r e c t i o n o f th e b u i l d i n g
w ere th e r e o r g a n i z a t i o n o f t h e Sunday S c h o o l and th e s e t t i n g
a s i d e o f th e f i r s t p r a y e r m e e tin g o f e v e ry month a s a u n io n
m is s i o n a i y m e e tin g w ith th e G o n g r e g a t i o n a l i s t s .79
The c o o p e r a t i o n b etw een th e v a r i o u s d e n o m in a tio n s
w hich was so m arked a t th e b e g in n in g o f r e l i g i o u s l i f e i n
R i v e r s i d e seems to have c o n tin u e d . T h a t th e B a p t i s t s p a r
t i c i p a t e d i n community v e n t u r e s i s o b v io u s from th e m is s i o n
a r y m e e tin g n o te d above. A n oth er exam ple showing th e
f r i e n d l y p a r t i c i p a t i o n o f th e B a p t i s t s i n a c t i v i t i e s o f th e
o t h e r g ro u p s i s th e d e d i c a t i o n o f th e A r l i n g t o n (now
M ag n o lia Avenue) P r e s b y t e r i a n c h u rc h . T h is m e e tin g was h e ld
on A p r i l 24 , 1881, w ith Mr. B u tto n a s s i s t i n g and J . H. Roe
and 0. T. Dyer s i n g i n g i n a q u a r t e t . 60
A f t e r more th a n e i g h t y e a r s o f s t r u g g l e and d i s
a p p o in tm e n t th e F i r s t B a p t i s t Church o f R i v e r s i d e f a c e d
t h e f u t u r e w i t h hope and c o n f i d e n c e . I t had a r e s i d e n t
p a s t o r o f d e v o ti o n and a b i l i t y , a new house o f w o r s h ip , and
a g row ing m em bership. Most im p o r t a n t o f a l l , how ever, was
76 C hurch, R e c o rd s , D ec. 9, I 8 8 O.
79 C andee, C h u rc h , 6.
60 Roe, N o t e s , 5 2.
52
i t s f e e l i n g o f t h a n k f u l n e s s to God w h ich was e x p r e s s e d i n a
s p e c i a l m e e tin g o f p r a i s e a f t e r th e d e d i c a t i o n o f th e
c h u rc h b u i l d i n g . 6^
C hurch, R e c o r d s , Ju n e 15, 1882.
CHAPTER I I I
BOOM IN COMMUNITY AND CHURCH
The p e r i o d now u n d e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n was a tim e o f
r a p i d g ro w th and m a t u r a t i o n i n th e com m unity. Between 1880
and 1884, t h e p o p u l a t i o n d o u b le d , g o in g from 1250 to 2 5 0 0 . ^
The i n h a b i t a n t s w ere o c c a s i o n a l l y rem in ded o f R i v e r s i d e 's
p r i m i t i v e b ack g ro u n d when b an ds o f I n d i a n s on h o rs e b a c k ro d e
th r o u g h t h e i r c i t y , whooping and s h o u tin g t h e i r way home
a f t e r a d r i n k i n g s p r e e on t h e e a s t s i d e . 2 No lo n g e r a
d e s e r t . R i v e r s i d e was d e s c r i b e d by an e a s t e r n v i s i t o r a s
“ a g a rd e n to w n sh ip w i t h o u t a w a s te d a c r e . "5 i t was to o b ig
a town to be g o v e rn e d by th e c o u n ty b o a rd o f s u p e r v i s o r s
w hich met i n San B e r n a r d in o , and a g i t a t i o n f o r i n c o r p o r a t i o n
b e g an . The r e s u l t was t h a t a v o t e was ta k e n on S eptem ber
25, 1885, and R i v e r s i d e was i n c o r p o r a t e d a s a c i t y o f th e
s i x t h c l a s s . 4 One o f th e f i v e t r u s t e e s c h o se n f o r t h e c i t y
a t t h i s tim e was A. J . Twogood.
The c h r o n i c l e r o f t h i s p e r i o d g i v e s two main c a u s e s
b e h in d t h e i n c o r p o r a t i o n movement— a d e s i r e by th e c i t i z e n r y
^ Roe, N o t e s , p. 8 4.
2 Mrs. Eva S u l l i v a n i n a p r i v a t e c o n v e r s a t i o n , J u l y
2 9, 1950.
5 Q uoted i n B in d le y , C a l i f o r n i a o f th e S o u t h , p . 262.
4 Roe, N o te s , p . 7 5.
54
to r e g u l a t e b o th th e w a te r r a t e s and t h e l i q u o r t r a f f i c .
However, t h e power t o c o n t r o l w a te r r a t e s d i d n o t work o u t
e x a c t l y a s e x p e c te d . When r a t e s w ere lo w e re d t h e company
r e t a l i a t e d by g i v i n g p o o r s e r v i c e and r e f u s i n g to make
needed r e p a i r s . The o n ly way o u t o f t h e s i t u a t i o n was f o r
th e c i t i z e n s to buy th e w a te r sy stem , and t h i s was done
a b o u t a y e a r a f t e r i n c o r p o r a t i o n . 5 A f t e r th e p u r c h a s e ,
im provem ents w ere made i n th e system w hich t r e b l e d i t s
c a p a c i t y so t h a t th e c i t y a c t u a l l y d i d b e n e f i t by i t s
fo rm e r a c t i o n .
The tem p e ra n c e movement began e a r l y i n R i v e r s i d e . In
1876 t h e r e was a Good Tem plar lo d g e in e x i s t e n c e w i t h f o r t y
members on th e r o l l , 6 and i t may have b e en o r g a n iz e d
e a r l i e r . One B a p t i s t a c t i v e i n t h e movement was M. V.
W rig h t, who was an o f f i c e r i n th e lo d g e i n 1880 and r a n f o r
C o n g ress on th e P r o h i b i t i o n t i c k e t two y e a r s l a t e r . As
d e s i r e f o r t h e i n c o r p o r a t i o n grew , two o t h e r tem p era n ce
g ro u p s w ere o r g a n i z e d , t h e W .C.T.U, i n F e b r u a r y and th e
N a t i o n a l Tem perance U nio n, a p p a r e n t l y a men’ s o r g a n i z a t i o n ,
i n J u l y , 1 8 8 3 .7 B a p t i s t s to o k a p ro m in e n t p a r t i n th e
a c t i v i t i e s o f t h e s e o r g a n i z a t i o n s , and Mrs. B u tto n had th e
5 Roe, N o t e s , p . 80 f f .
8 I b i d . . p. 2 2.
7 I b i d . . p . 68, 7 1 .
35
ho n o r o f a c t i n g on b e h a l f o f th e women o f th e c i t y i n p r e s e n t
in g a tem p era n ce p e t i t i o n a t t h e f i r s t m e e tin g o f t h e c i t y
o
t r u s t e e s . T h is p e t i t i o n , th e second ite m o f b u s i n e s s to be
c o n s i d e r e d by th e t r u s t e e s , r e q u e s t e d a one hun d red d o l l a r a
m onth t a x on s a l o o n s , and i t was g r a n t e d p ro m p tly .
I n 1885 a p r o j e c t was u n d e rta k e n w hich g r e a t l y i n
c r e a s e d t h e a r e a o f p r o d u c t i v e la n d n e a r R i v e r s i d e and t h u s
e n a b le d i t t o grow i n b o t h p o p u l a t i o n and w e a l t h . Matthew
Gage, a j e w e l e r who p r a c t i s e d h i s t r a d e i n R o e’ s d r u g s t o r e ,
had some la n d n o r th w e s t o f town and was a n x io u s to s e c u r e
w a t e r f o r i t . I n t r y i n g to s o lv e t h i s p ro b le m he c o n c e iv e d
th e p l a n o f b u i l d i n g a n o t h e r c a n a l f o r t h e i r r i g a t i o n o f
t h a t t e r r i t o r y . 9 He s e c u r e d f i n a n c i a l b a c k in g and r i g h t o f
w ays, and soon th e c a n a l was begun and c o m p le te d . I t was
h a i l e d a s a b r i l l i a n t a c h ie v e m e n t, and th e Gage c a n a l i s
s t i l l a u s e f u l p a r t o f th e comm unity.
I n th e o ran g e i n d u s t r y . R i v e r s i d e c o n ti n u e d to show
m arked l e a d e r s h i p . The c i t r u s f a i r s w ere h e ld y e a r l y ^ ^
u n t i l th e p a v i l i o n b u rn e d i n 1 8 8 6,^ ^ and a f t e r t h a t .
R i v e r s i d e o ra n g e s won f i r s t s a t n a t i o n a l and i n t e r n a t i o n a l
6 Holmes, H i s t o r y , p. 84.
9 Roe, N o t e s . p . 87 f f .
E x c e p t f o r 1884, when a f l o o d f o r c e d i t s c a n c e l l a
t i o n , Roe, N o t e s , p. 75.
Holmes, H i s t o r y , 64, 77-
36
e x h i b i t s . D u rin g th e 1888-9 s e a s o n , g ro w e rs sh ip p e d 922
c a r l o a d s o f f r u i t from R i v e r s i d e . ^5 Under th e l e a d e r s h i p
o f T. H. B. G ham blin, th e Pachappa Orange Growers A s s o c i
a t i o n was i n c o r p o r a t e d i n 1 8 9 2 .^ 4 T h is o r g a n i z a t i o n , th e
f i r s t o f i t s k in d , was a b i g h e lp to th e g ro w e rs . A n o th er
s o u rc e o f a i d to th e g ro w e rs was th e d e v elo p m e n t o f r a i l
f a c i l i t i e s d u r in g t h i s p e r i o d .
Roe r e c o r d s t h a t i n A u g u st, 1885,^5
. . . th e S a n ta Fe R a i l r o a d c r o s s e d th e C ajon P a s s ,
and e n t e r e d th e San B e rn a rd in o v a l l e y , soon a f t e r
r e a c h i n g th e c o u n ty s e a t and c o n n e c tin g San Diego and
R i v e r s i d e by an a l l r a i l r o u t e w i t h C hicago and th e
e a s t .
The o p en ing of a l i n e from E a s t R i v e r s i d e (now H igh grove)
to Los A ngeles by th e S a n ta Fe e a r l y th e n e x t y e a r l e d to
a s i x t y d o l l a r a c a r r a t e r e d u c t i o n on o r a n g e s . I n 1893,
R i v e r s i d e f i n a l l y o b t a i n e d f u l l y s a t i s f a c t o r y r a i l f a c i l i
t i e s when th e S a l t Lake l i n e was c o m p lete d d i r e c t l y th ro u g h
t h e c i t y .
T h is marked d e v elo p m e n t o f r a i l r o a d s i n th e e i g h t i e s
^2 Holmes, H i s t o r y , 75 f f . , 78 .
^5 R i v e r s i d e , P r e s s and H o r t i c u l t u r i s t , Ju n e 2 9 , 1889
^4 c i e l a n d and H ardy, I n d u s t r y , 109.
^5 Roe, N o t e s , 91.
^6 Holmes, H i s t o r y , 6 9 .
37
h e lp e d s e t o f f th e g r e a t s o u t h e r n C a l i f o r n i a r e a l e s t a t e
“boom" o f 1 8 8 7- 8 . F o r a b o u t a y e a r o f t h i s tim e , r a i l r o a d
f a r e s betw een th e M i s s i s s i p p i and C a l i f o r n i a rem a in e d n e a r
t w e n t y - f i v e d o l l a r s , a s th e S o u th e r n P a c i f i c and th e S a n ta
Fe t r i e d to choke o f f each o t h e r ’ s b u s i n e s s . ^7 Of c o u r s e ,
t h i s h e lp e d in d u c e th o u sa n d s o f p e o p le to come to C a l i f o r n i a ,
and many o f them s ta y e d a f t e r th e c r a z e d ie d o u t. A lth o u g h
a few p e r s o n a l f o r t u n e s w ere s e r i o u s l y d e p l e t e d i n t h e c r a s h
w hich f o llo w e d , m ost o f t h e l o s s e s i n c u r r e d w ere o n ly on
p a p e r . A c t u a l l y , th e “boom“ h e lp e d S o u th e rn C a l i f o r n i a by
b r i n g i n g a l a r g e i n c r e a s e i n p o p u l a t i o n and by g i v i n g
c o m m u n ities an added i n c e n t i v e f o r c i v i c b e t t e r m e n t . In
1912 one l o c a l h i s t o r i a n rem ark ed t h a t more im provem ents
w ere u n d e rta k e n i n I 887 th a n i n any su b s e q u e n t y e a r i n
R i v e r s i d e . ^6
S e v e r a l i n d i c a t i o n s o f th e d ev elo p m e n t o f th e c i t y
p r e s e n t th e m s e lv e s t o u s . New b a n k s w ere o r g a n iz e d i n
1 8 8 3, 1 8 8 5, and 1891 to m eet th e g ro w in g n eeds o f th e c i t y J 9
When th e c i t i z e n s became i n t e r e s t e d i n h a v in g a h ig h s c h o o l,
th e a p p r o p r i a t e s u b j e c t s w ere added to th e s c h o o l c u r r i
culum f o r t h a t p u r p o s e , and th e f i r s t h ig h sc h o o l c l a s s
^7 s , s . Dumke, The Boom o f t h e E i g h t i e s , 25, 26.
^6 Holmes, H i s t o r y , 8 9 .
19 I b i d . , 81, 8 3 .
38
g r a d u a t e d i n 1 8 9 0 .2 0 E a r l y t h i s same y e a r a “P h ilh a rm o n ic
S o c i e t y " was o r g a n iz e d w i t h a b o u t s i x t y m em bers.21 An
o u t s i d e r lo o k in g a t R i v e r s i d e i n I 892 would s e e a c i t y o f
a b o u t sev en th o u sa n d p e o p le w i t h a lm o s t one a c r e i n f r u i t
f o r e v e ry i n h a b i t a n t and an " e x c e p t i o n a l l y w e a lth y " popu
l a t i o n , “th e p r o s p e r i t y a l l coming from th e f r u i t t r e e s . "22
We l e f t th e c h u rc h w i t h i t s new b u i l d i n g d e d i c a t e d ,
a p p a r e n t l y d e b t f r e e , and now we r e t u r n to resum e i t s
s t o r y . The f i r s t t h i n g t h a t p r e s e n t s i t s e l f i s th e p ro m i
nence th e c h u rc h b e g in s to assume i n S o u th e r n C a l i f o r n i a
B a p t i s t r a n k s . On F r i d a y , S ep tem ber 8 , l8 8 2 , th e Los
A n g eles B a p t i s t A s s o c i a t i o n convened i n R i v e r s i d e f o r i t s
a n n u a l m e e t i n g . 23 The l o c a l p a p e r r e c o r d s t h a t two days
b e f o r e t h i s c o n v e n tio n " t h e B a p t i s t b e l l was p l a c e d i n
p o s i t i o n i n th e b e l f r y . "24
The f o l lo w in g y e a r , t h e a s s o c i a t i o n met i n San D iego ,
w i t h Mr. B u tto n p r e a c h i n g th e a n n u a l serm on and Deacon Roe
a c t i n g a s c l e r k . 25 i n I 8 9 2 , a f t e r th e Los A ng eles
20 Holmes, H i s t o r y . 101.
21 R i v e r s i d e , P r e s s and H o r t i c u l t u r i s t , May I 7 , I 8 9O.
22 I b i d . , March 5 , I 8 9 2 , q u o t in g an a r t i c l e from th e
C a l i f o r n i a F a rm e r .
23 (A. G r a n t ) , H i s t o r y o f Los A n g eles B a p t i s t
A s s o c i a t i o n .
24 R i v e r s i d e , P r e s s and H o r t i c u l t u r i s t . S ep tem ber 9,
1 8 8 2.
25 Los A n g eles B a p t i s t A s s o c i a t i o n , “M in u tes o f Annual
M e e tin g . " 1 8 8 3 •
39
One o f th e E a r l y C i t r u s F a i r s
R i v e r s i d e from Mt. R oubidoux, c . 1883
(The c h u rc h b u i l d i n g i s i n th e r i g h t
c e n t e r , w i t h c e n t r a l s p i r e . )
-I I #
S i
40
A s s o c i a t i o n was d i v i d e d . R i v e r s i d e was h o s t to t h e S a n ta
Ana V a l l e y A s s o c i a t i o n . 26 The i n c r e a s e d a w a re n e s s o f i t s
p l a c e w i t h i n t h e B a p t i s t movement m ust have b e e n a g r e a t
e n co u rag e m en t to t h e c h u rc h a s i t so u g h t to p r e s e n t i t s
m essage to th e community o f w hich i t was a p a r t .
P r o h i b i t i o n was i n t h e a i r a b o u t t h i s tim e , and e v i
d e n c e s o f i t s i n f l u e n c e may be s e e n i n th e l i f e o f th e
c h u r c h . On S ep tem b er 2 , 1882, t h e new spaper r e p o r t e d t h a t
Mr. B u tto n had p r e a c h e d th e p r e v i o u s week a g a i n s t S a b b a th
b r e a k in g and " t h e u n r e s t r a i n e d t r a f f i c and u se o f i n t o x i
c a t i n g l i q u o r . "^7 S e v e r a l weeks l a t e r t h e c h u rc h a d o p te d
a r e s o l u t i o n p r o h i b i t i n g t h e u se o f f e rm e n te d w in es i n th e
L o r d 's S u p p e r , 28 and e a r l y th e n e x t y e a r t h e c l e r k r e c o r d e d
t h a t e le v e n w ere b a p t i z e d a f t e r h e a r i n g à tem p era n ce
l e c t u r e . 29
The p o s s e s s i o n o f a b u i l d i n g o f i t s own gave th e
c h u rc h a b e t t e r o p p o r t u n i t y to d e v e lo p i t s work among t h e
y o u th . A c c o r d in g ly , a f t e r th e f i r s t p r a y e r m e e tin g h e ld
i n t h e new c h u rc h , t h e Sunday S c h o o l was r e o r g a n i z e d . 5^ A
26 S a n ta Ana V a l le y A s s o c i a t i o n , M inutes o f Annual
M e e tin g , 1892.
27 R i v e r s i d e , P r e s s and H o r t i c u l t u r i s t , S e p t. 2 , 1882
26 C hurch, R e c o r d s , S eptem b er 2 8 , 1882.
29 I b i d . , F e b r u a r y 1, 1883.
30 C hurch, R e c o r d s , J u n e 15, 1882.
41
c o m m ittee v a s a p p o in te d to make re c o m m e n d atio n s, w ith th e
r e s u l t t h a t nev o f f i c e r s v e r e e l e c t e d and th e s c h o o l b e g an
to grow s t e a d i l y . A l s o d u r i n g t h i s y e a r th e C h r i s t i a n
E ndeavor was o r g a n iz e d " th r o u g h th e e f f o r t s o f Miss K ate
Candee and Mr. E. G. L o v e ." ^ ^ The m e e tin g s w ere h e ld on
Wednesday e v e n in g s and t h e u s u a l a t t e n d a n c e was a b o u t
tw e n ty .
The f e e l i n g o f f r i e n d l i n e s s and c o o p e r a t i o n b etw een
t h e v a r i o u s c h u rc h e s seems t o have c o n ti n u e d . The m o n th ly
m is s i o n a r y c o n c e r t w hich was m e n tio n e d i n th e l a s t c h a p t e r
was s t i l l b e in g h e ld a s l a t e a s t h e summer o f 1 8 87.^^ Not
lo n g a f t e r t h e i r b u i l d i n g was e r e c t e d , th e B a p t i s t s had an
o p p o r t u n i t y to p a s s on t h e f a v o r w hich t h e G o n g r e g a tio n a l-
I s t s had g r a n t e d to them i n th e e a r l i e r d a y s . I n th e f a l l
o f 1 8 8 3, a m i n i s t e r o f t h e C h r i s t i a n d e n o m in a tio n , D. A.
C o n n e ll, p r e a c h e d a s e r i e s o f serm ons i n th e F i r s t B a p t i s t
c h u rc h , and a C h r i s t i a n c h u rc h was o r g a n iz e d by th e l a s t
p a r t o f S e p te m b e r .-^ The c h u rc h and a u d it o r iu m was a l s o
made a v a i l a b l e f o r a c t i v i t i e s such a s u n io n p r a y e r and
T h a n s g iv ln g s e r v i c e s and th e o r g a n i z a t i o n m e e tin g o f th e
1883.
Candee, C h u rc h , I 7 ,
I b i d . . 1 8, 1 9 .
C hurch, R e c o r d s , J u l y 14, I 8 8 7 .
Roe, N o te s , 73# C hurch, R e c o r d s , Septem ber 2 7 ,
42
Y.M.C.A.3f5
The p ro b lem o f d i s c i p l i n e c o n tin u e d to command th e
a t t e n t i o n o f th e c h u rc h d u r in g t h e s e y e a r s . On May 2 4,
1 8 8 3, cl co m m ittee composed o f Deancons Roe and Twogood and
B r o t h e r T in k e r was a p p o in te d " t o lo o k a f t e r d e l i n q u e n t o r
i n a t t e n t i v e m e m b ers.” They r e p o r t e d tw ic e d u r i n g th e yea,r,
and e a c h tim e t h e c h u rc h f o llo w e d t h e i r recom m endatio ns
and d ro p p ed members from th e r o l l . ^ ^ D u rin g 1883> 1884,
and 1 8 8 6, th e c h u rc h r e p o r t e d a t o t a l o f n in e p e r s o n s ex
c lu d e d from t h e membership. While we c a n n o t be s u r e , we
may assume t h a t t h i s a c t i v i t y , s i n c e i t was n o t c a r r i e d to
e x c e s s , had a wholesome i n f l u e n c e on th e c h u rc h members.
A f t e r th e p r a y e r m e e tin g o f Ju n e I 7 , I 8 8 6 , an
i m p o r t a n t b u s i n e s s s e s s i o n was h e ld a t w h ich th e c h u rc h was
p r a c t i c a l l y r e o r g a n i z e d . ^ ^ At t h i s tim e a "p erm a n en t
c h u rc h c o m m itte e ” was e s t a b l i s h e d to h a n d le v a r i o u s ite m s
o f c h u rc h b u s i n e s s . T h is c o m m itte e , w hich was to be
composed o f t h e p a s t o r , d e a c o n s , c l e r k , and a "Lay Member,"
was su pposed to m eet when c a l l e d , and t h r e e c o n s t i t u t e d a
R i v e r s i d e , P r e s s and H o r t i c u l t u r i s t . November 22 ,
1884, and J a n u a r y 5 , 1889.
" ^ C hurch, R e c o r d s . A ugust I 6 , and O c to b e r 2 9 , 1883.
^7 M in u tes o f A nnual M eeting o f Los A n g e le s B a p t i s t
A s s o c i a t i o n , I 8 8 3 , 1884, 188SI
C hurch, R e c o r d s . Ju n e 1 7 ^ I 8 8 6 .
4 3
quorum . I t s p u rp o s e was to c o n s i d e r a p p l i c a t i o n s f o r
m em bership and c o m p la in ts a g a i n s t d i s o r d e r l y members and to
a d v i s e t h e c h u rc h on su ch m a t t e r s . In t y p i c a l B a p t i s t
f a s h i o n , i t i s e x p r e s s l y s t a t e d t h a t " t h e o p in io n o f t h i s
c o m m ittee s h a l l n o t be f i n a l : b u t a d v i s o r y and s h a l l be
made a s o f t e n a s t h e c h u rc h may r e q u i r e . " Thus, th e B a p t i s t
p r i n c i p l e o f th e s o v e r e i g n t y o f t h e l o c a l c h u rc h was p r o
t e c t e d .
E a r l y i n I 8 8 5 , Mr. B u tto n t r i e d w i t h o u t s u c c e s s to
r e s i g n , a s th e t r u s t e e s r e f u s e d to a c c e p t h i s r e s i g n a t i o n .
Two y e a r s l a t e r t h e c h u rc h r e p o r t e d to th e Los A ngeles
B a p t i s t A s s o c i a t i o n , "We s t i l l e n jo y th e l a b o r o f o u r
p a s t o r . Rev. C h a r le s B u tto n , who r e c e i v e s and w e l l d e s e r v e s
o u r f u l l e s t c o n f i d e n c e . I n a g lo w in g r e p o r t , a l l
d e p a r tm e n ts o f c h u rc h l i f e w ere d e s c r i b e d a s " a c t i v e " and
" f l o u r i s h i n g , " and a s p e c i a l i n t e r e s t i n th e te m p e ra n c e
movement was a l s o m e n tio n e d .
D u rin g t h e p a s t o r a t e o f Mr. B u tto n , t h e r e was much
a c t i v i t y c o n c e rn in g th e c h u rc h p r o p e r t y . Of c o u r s e , th e
e r e c t i o n o f th e b u i l d i n g was th e m ost i m p o r ta n t s t e p ta k e n .
However, l e s s th a n t h r e e y e a r s a f t e r i t s c o m p le tio n one o f
C h urch , R e c o r d s , F e b r u a r y I 9 , I 8 8 5 .
Los A n g e les B a p t i s t A s s o c i a t i o n , M in u tes o f
A nnual M e e tin g , I 8 8 7 .
44
t h e l o t s had to be sold, to pay th e d e b t a g a i n s t t h e c h u rc h ^ I
E v i d e n t l y , some o f t h e p le d g e s w ere n o t p a id w hich had b e en
made so e n t h u s i a s t i c a l l y when th e b u i l d i n g was d e d i c a t e d .
I n IOO7 i t was d e c id e d to s e l l th e l o i s on w hich Lhe c h u rc h
was l o c a t e d and buy la n d a t th e c o r n e r o f N in th and Lemon,
th e p r e s e n t s i t e o f th e c h u r c h . ^2 The e f f e c t o f th e "boom"
i s e v i d e n t from th e p r i c e a sk e d f o r t h e o ld l o t - - t w o hun
d re d d o l l a r s a f r o n t f o o t .
Mr. B u tto n s e r v e d t h e c h u rc h a s p a s t o r th ro u g h th e
m onth o f J u n e , I 8 8 9 , and t h e n r e t i r e d from t h e a c t i v e
m i n i s t r y . He s ta y e d i n R i v e r s i d e , how ever, and c o n tin u e d
to s e r v e th e c h u rc h i n o t h e r c a p a c i t i e s . He was an
e n e r g e t i c and a b le p a s t o r w i t h a v i s i o n w hich to o k i n th e
l o c a l s i t u a t i o n b u t w ent beyond i t .
D u rin g t h e y e a r b e f o r e th e b u i l d i n g was com
p l e t e d , w h ile th e s e r v i c e s w ere h e ld a t e v e n in g
i n t h e C o n g r e g a t io n a l c h u rc h , he p re a c h e d i n th e
m orning a t San B e r n a r d in o , and l a t e r , when th e
c h u rc h was housed i n i t s own home, he and Mrs.
B u tto n would d r i v e a c r o s s t h e c o u n t r y , o v e r r o a d s
n o t alw ays e a s y , to San D ieg o , t o a i d i n work
t h e r e .
Once he was g r a n t e d a l e a v e o f a b s e n c e t o go to P a l l b r o o k
C hu rch , R e c o r d s , A p r i l 4, I 8 8 5 .
I b i d . . O c to b e r 2 0 , 1 8 8 7.
C andee, C hu rch , 6.
45
to help the Baptists there o r g a n i z e . 44 He led the church
through its critical period of stabilization and continued
to hold the respect and trust of his fellow Baptists in
Riverside and throughout southern California until his
death in 1899^5
The successor to Mr. Button, the Rev. Mr. Charles
Winbigler, seems to have been a very Interesting person.
He visited in Riverside for two months during the winter of
1889 and became pastor in July of the same year. He was
described as "fair, round faced" with "a heavy black
mustache, and a clear and powerful voice."4? The numerous
references to him in the local papers agree that he was an
exceptionally able speaker. Mr. Winbigler was originally
a minister of the Winebrennarians, a small sect which broke
away from the German Reformed church in favor of principles
similar to those held by Baptists.
The position of the church in the community at this
C hurch, R e c o rd s , F e b r u a r y 12, 1885.
D u ring th e 9 0 * s h i s name o f t e n a p p e a rs a s c h a i r
man o f an i m p o r t a n t Com m ittee i n th e M in u tes o f th e
S o u th e r n C a l i f o r n i a B a p t i s t C o n v e n tio n .
R i v e r s i d e , D a ily P r e s s , J u l y 6, 1889.
R i v e r s i d e , P r e s s and H o r t i c u l t u r i s t , J a n u a r y 2 6 ,
1889.
E. T. C l a r k , The S m all S e c t s i n A m e ric a , 8 l , 82.
46
tim e may be se e n from t h e a c c o u n t o f th e r e c e p t i o n i t gave
t h e W in b ig le r s soon a f t e r t h e i r a r r i v a l . Over t h r e e h und red
p e o p l e , i n c l u d i n g n e a r l y a l l t h e o t h e r p a s t o r s i n th e c i t y ,
w ere i n a t t e n d a n c e a t th e a f f a i r w hich was h e ld i n th e
p a r l o r s o f t h e H ow ell H o t e l. The o c c a s i o n was d e s c r i b e d a s
"one o f th e m ost b r i l l i a n t s o c i a l e v e n t s t h a t have e v e r
o c c u r r e d i n R i v e r s i d e . M r . B u tto n welcomed th e new
p a s t o r on b e h a l f o f th e c h u r c h , and i n h i s r e p l y Mr.
W in b i g l e r spoke o f h i s r e c e n t a c c e p ta n c e o f B a p t i s t d o c t r i n e
" w ith s t r o n g w ords o f f a i t h . "
The change o f p a s t o r s seems to have made l i t t l e
change i n th e g e n e r a l em p h a sis o f t h e c h u rc h p ro gram . The
p o l i c y o f f r i e n d l i n e s s and c o o p e r a t i o n w i t h o t h e r denonim a-
t i o n s c o n ti n u e d , and an o u t s t a n d i n g exam ple i s t h e f u n e r a l
o f Dr. G re v e s. When t h i s R i v e r s i d e p i o n e e r d i e d , th e
f u n e r a l was h e ld i n th e B a p t i s t c h u rc h and was c o n d u c te d by
a woman s p i r i t u a l i s t m i n i s t e r from Los A n g eles and th e
l o c a l U n i v e r s a l i s t m i n i s t e r .
The te m p e ra n c e q u e s t i o n c o n tin u e d to be o f u tm o s t
im p o rta n c e i n th e c i t y , and th e d i s c u s s i o n r a g e d a s to
w h e th e r s a lo o n s sh o u ld be p r o h i b i t e d o r ta x e d o u t o f
e x i s t e n c e . 5 1 The B a p t i s t s , l e d by t h e p a s t o r and h i s w i f e .
R i v e r s i d e , P r e s s and H o r t i c u l t u r i s t . J u l y 13,
1 8 8 9 .
I b i d . , O c to b e r 5 , 1889*
51 Holmes, H istory, 84.
47
w ere v e ry a c t i v e i n l a b o r i n g to have th e s a lo o n s o u tla w e d .
Mr. W in b ig le r spoke a t mass m e e tin g s and p re a c h e d a s e r i e s
o f serm ons on te m p e ra n c e , w h ile h i s w if e was a c t i v e i n th e
W.G.T.U. and w ro te a s e r i e s o f a r t i c l e s a b o u t t h a t o r g a n i
z a t i o n f o r a l o c a l p a p e r . 52 D u rin g much o f t h i s tim e , th e
r e g u l a r m e e tin g p l a c e o f th e W.G.T.U. was t h e B a p t i s t
c h u r c h . 53 The l i q u o r q u e s t i o n c o n tin u e d to t r o u b l e R i v e r -
s i d e r s f o r s e v e r a l y e a r s a f t e r th e tim e c o v e re d by t h i s
c h a p t e r .
By 1890 t h e C h in e se and N egroes had assum ed im p o r t
an ce a s s o c i a l g ro u p s i n R i v e r s i d e , and t h e B a p t i s t s showed
an i n t e r e s t i n them . D u rin g th e v e ry p e r i o d when m e e tin g s
w ere b e in g h e ld to p r o t e s t th e u se o f C h in e se l a b o r , a
u n io n C h in ese m is s i o n was e r e c t e d on W alnut S t r e e t and Mr.
W in b ig le r was one o f t h e two l o c a l m i n i s t e r s on th e program
o f d e d i c a t i o n . 54 a c o l o r e d B a p t i s t c h u rc h was o r g a n iz e d on
May 11, 1 8 9 0, and s e v e r a l members o f th e F i r s t B a p t i s t
c h u rc h became c h a r t e r members o f th e Negro g r o u p . 55 E v i d e n t
l y som eth ing o c c u r r e d to n e c e s s i t a t e i t s r e o r g a n i z a t i o n , f o r
R i v e r s i d e , P r e s s and H o r t i c u l t u r i s t , March 8 and
2 2 , 1 8 9 0.
55 I b i d . . May I 7 , I 8 9 O.
54 R i v e r s i d e , P r e s s and H o r t i c u l t u r i s t , F eb . 2 2 , I 8 9O
R i v e r s i d e W eekly B u d g e t, March 2 5 , 1899, i n th e
A le x a n d e r G ra n t C o l l e c t i o n . Many n e g ro B a p t i s t c h u rc h e s i n
S o u th e r n C a l i f o r n i a w ere o r g a n iz e d i n t h i s way.
48
Mr. W in b ig le r i s g i v e n c r e d i t f o r o r g a n i z i n g th e Second
B a p t i s t c h u rc h on Sep tem ber 2 1 , I 8 9 O, by a p la q u e i n t h e i r
p r e s e n t b u i l d i n g , and t h e l o c a l p a p e r t e l l s o f a r e c o g n i
t i o n m e e tin g f o r th e new c h u rc h on S e p tem b er 2 3 , 1 8 9 0 .^ ^
Work was u n d e r ta k e n among th e s e t t l e r s on th e e a s t s i d e i n
M arch, I 8 9 2 , when la n d was a c q u i r e d on P a rk Avenue f o r a
m i s s i o n . 57
The Sunday S c h o o l and young p e o p le * s a c t i v i t i e s
c o n ti n u e d to grow , and by I 892 t h e r e w ere two h und red
s c h o l a r s i n t h e Sunday S c h o o l and n i n e t y - f o u r members o f
t h e C h r i s t i a n E n d eav o r S o c i e t y . 5^ Sometime d u r i n g Mr,
B utton* 8 p a s t o r a t e an o r c h e s t r a was e s t a b l i s h e d w hich was
l a t e r to d e v e lo p i n t o a f i r s t c l a s s m u s i c a l o r g a n i z a t i o n .
I t p r o v id e d m usic a t t h e r e c e p t i o n f o r Mr. W i n b i g l e r , 59
and i t was on t h e prog ram o f o u t s i d e a c t i v i t i e s such as th e
a n n u a l Y.M.O.A. b a n q u e t o f 1895*
The c h u rc h was s t i l l grow ing r a p i d l y and th e member
s h ip was g i v e n a s two h u ndred and f i f t y a t t h e I 8 9O a n n u a l
5 5 R i v e r s i d e , D a i ly P r e s s , S ep tem b er 2 2 , I 8 9O.
57 R i v e r s i d e W eekley B u d g e t, March 25, 1899•
5^ Los A ngeles B a p t i s t A s s o c i a t i o n , M in u tes o f Annual
M e e tin g . I 8 9 2 .
R i v e r s i d e , P r e s s and H o r t i c u l t u r i s t , J u l y 13,
1 8 8 9.
5 * 1 I b id .. January 7 , 1895.
49
b u s i n e s s m e e t i n g . 5 l The serm ons by th e p a s t o r w ere draw in g
l a r g e a u d ie n c e s , and on a t l e a s t one o c c a s i o n , some had to
be t u r n e d a w ay .52 T h is g ro w th o f m em bership and c o n g r e
g a t i o n p ro d u c e d " o c c a s i o n a l e x p r e s s i o n s o f th e need o f
e n la r g e d a c c o m m o d a tio n s ,"55 and a t th e a n n u a l m e e tin g
m e n tio n e d ab o v e, t h e t r u s t e e s w ere a u t h o r i z e d to remove
th e p a r t i t i o n b etw een t h e l e c t u r e room and a u d i t o r i u m . 54
A n o th e r b u i l d i n g pro g ram o f m a jo r Im p o rta n c e c a r r i e d
o u t a b o u t t h i s tim e was th e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f a p a r s o n a g e .
I t was begun i n M arch, 1890,55 and was c o m p le te d i n May.
A t w o - s t o r y house l o c a t e d a t th e c o r n e r o f N in th and Lemon
S t r e e t s among some o ra n g e t r e e s , i t was d e s c r i b e d a s "a
ve3?y a t t r a c t i v e lo o k in g and commodious r e s i d e n c e " and was
b u i l t a t a c o s t o f t w e n t y - f i v e hundred d o l l a r s . Mrs.
W in b ig le r to o k an a c t i v e p a r t i n t h i s e f f o r t by a i d i n g i n
t h e p la n n in g and h e lp i n g s u p e r v i s e th e work o f c o n s t r u c
t i o n . ^ ^
R i v e r s i d e , P r e s s and H o r t i c u l t u r i s t , J a n . 11, I 8 9 O.
52 I b i d . , March 8 , I 8 9 0 .
55 C andee, C h u rc h , 6.
54 R i v e r s i d e , P r e s s and H o r t i c u l t u r i s t , J a n . 11, I 8 9O.
55 I b i d . . March 2 2, I 8 9O.
55 I b i d . , May 17, I 8 9 0 .
57 C andee, C h u rc h . 11.
50
A f t e r t e n y e a r s a s an i n c o r p o r a t e d c i t y . R i v e r s i d e
was f l o u r i s h i n g . The o ra n g e g r o v e s and t h e w e a l t h d e r i v e d
from them w ere h e lp i n g R i v e r s i d e r s d e v e lo p t h e i r l i t t l e
o a s i s i n t o a r e g u l a r p a r a d i s e o f homes, s c h o o l s , c h u r c h e s ,
and e v e r y t h i n g t h a t g o e s to make a c o m f o r t a b l e c i t y . A f t e r
t e n y e a r s a s a c h u rc h w i t h i t s own h o u se o f w o rs h ip , th e
F i r s t B a p t i s t Ghurch was a l s o f l o u r i s h i n g . T here was
a l r e a d y a need f o r a l a r g e r a u d it o r iu m . A ll b ra n c h e s o f
th e c h u rc h * s a c t i v i t y seemed to be v e r y l i v e l y ; i t owned a
f i n e p a r s o n a g e ; i t was s e r v e d by an e lo q u e n t p r e a c h e r ; and
i t was h e ld i n h ig h r e g a r d by th e com m unity. The f u t u r e
lo o k e d b r i g h t in d e e d f o r b o t h R i v e r s i d e and i t s F i r s t
B a p t i s t C hurch.
CHAPTER IV
DEPRESSION, PROHIBITION, STABILIZATION
The p e r i o d w hich we a r e a b o u t t o c o n s i d e r was one i n
w h ich C a l i f o r n i a s to p p e d i t s m e te o r ic r i s e , s t r e n g t h e n e d
i t s f o u n d a t i o n s , and th e n w ent on to a c c o m p lis h b i g g e r and
b e t t e r t h i n g s . The g r e a t p a n ic o f 1893, w hich was f e l t
th r o u g h o u t t h e n a t i o n , d e s c e n d e d on C a l i f o r n i a on Ju n e l 4 t h
o f t h a t y e a r and s t r u c k f i r s t i n R i v e r s i d e . On t h a t d a t e ,
0 , T. D y e r 's R i v e r s i d e B anking Company f a i l e d . I As th e
news re a c h e d o t h e r c o m m u n itie s, p a n ic k y d e p o s i t o r s r u s h e d
t h e b a n k s , c a u s in g some o f them to f a i l . Many o f t h e s e
banks re o p e n e d l a t e r , b u t th e e f f e c t on C a l i f o r n i a economy
was su ch t h a t th e m a t e r i a l p r o g r e s s o f th e s t a t e rem a in e d
s t a t i c f o r a b o u t f i v e y e a r s . Thus, R i v e r s i d e had th e v e r y
d u b io u s honor o f b e in g th e p o i n t o f d e p a r t u r e f o r a r e a l
d e p r e s s i o n , a lt h o u g h R i v e r s i d e i t s e l f was n o t a s h a rd h i t
a s some o t h e r a r e a s . As a l o c a l new spaper s a i d , "T hese a r e
p r e t t y d u l l t im e s , b u t r e a l e s t a t e i s moving i n R i v e r s i d e
j u s t t h e s a m e . D u r i n g I 8 9 6 , i t was s a i d o f R i v e r s i d e
t h a t i t had " a g r e a t e r p e r c a p i t a w e a l t h th a n any o t h e r
I R. G. Cl e la n d and Osgood H ardy, March o f I n d u s t r y ,
2 3 9 .
^ R i v e r s i d e , P r e s s and H o r t i c u l t u r i s t , F e b r u a r y 2 9 ,
1 8 9 6 .
52
c i t y i n th e U n ite d S t a t e s . "5
S e v e r a l m onths p r e v i o u s to t h e bank f a i l u r e , an
e v e n t o c c u r r e d w hich was to have b e n e f i c i a l r e s u l t s f o r th e
c i t y . As e a r l y a s 1881, a g i t a t i o n was u n d e r way f o r th e
c r e a t i o n o f R i v e r s i d e C o u n ty ,4 and i n 1891 a b i l l p r o p o s
in g su ch a c t i o n su c c e e d e d i n p a s s i n g th e s t a t e s e n a t e . 5
The n e x t s e s s i o n o f t h e l e g i s l a t u r e saw th e f u l l a c c o m p lis h
ment o f t h i s g o a l , and on March 11, 1893, th e c o u n ty was
c r e a t e d "from t e r r i t o r y w hich had p r e v i o u s l y b e lo n g e d to
San D iego and San B e r n a r d in o c o u n t i e s . "5 T h is added to th e
p r e s t i g e o f R i v e r s i d e , a s w e l l a s i n c r e a s i n g i t s com m ercial
p o s s i b i l i t i e s .
Among o t h e r t h i n g s , h o s p i t a l f a c i l i t i e s and th e
te m p era n ce q u e s t i o n were a f f e c t e d by th e c r e a t i o n o f a new
c o u n ty w i t h R i v e r s i d e as th e c o u n ty s e a t . The B oard o f
S u p e r v i s o r s soon p r o h i b i t e d th e s a l e o f l i q u o r , b u t th e
c i t y o f R i v e r s i d e , w hich was o u t s i d e i t s j u r i s d i c t i o n ,
c o n tin u e d to t r y to r e g u l a t e th e t r a f f i c by a l i c e n s e f e e
o f two th o u sa n d d o l l a r s .7 I n 1897 a com prom ise was a d o p te d
^ W a lte r L in d le y and J . P. W idney, G a l i f o r n i a o f th e
S o u t h , 264.
4 Owen G. Goy, G a l i f o r n i a County B o u n d a r ie s , 41.
5 I b i d . , 45.
6 I b i d . . 207.
7 Boyd, R i v e r s i d e . 635.
53
w h ic h a b o l i s h e d th e s a l o o n , b u t p e r m i t t e d t h e s a l e o f w ine
and b e e r i n th e l a r g e h o t e l s . A f t e r th e c o u n ty was e s t a b i s h
ed , a " m a k e s h if t" h o s p i t a l was opened n e a r th e S a n ta Fe
d e p o t i n R i v e r s i d e , b u t th e seco n d B oard o f S u p e r v i s o r s
moved th e i n s t i t u t i o n to San J a c i n t o , w here i t rem a in e d
u n t i l th e b u i l d i n g was w reck ed by a n e a r t h q u a k e .^ The
d e c i s i o n was th e n made to r e l o c a t e th e h o s p i t a l , and a s i t e
was c h o se n on M ag n o lia Avenue i n A r l i n g t o n , The new
h o s p i t a l was c o m p le te d i n November, I 9OO, and R i v e r s i d e
p o s s e s s e d f i r s t - c l a s s f a c i l i t i e s f o r m e d ic a l c a r e . ^
The c i t r u s i n d u s t r y a t R i v e r s i d e a g a i n made g r e a t
s t r i d e s d u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d and th e community m a i n t a i n e d i t s
p o s i t i o n as th e m ost n o te d o ra n g e s e c t i o n i n s o u t h e r n
G a l i f o r n i a . T h e P a c happa O range Growers* A s s o c i a t i o n had
b e en w e l l r e c e i v e d , and t h e R i v e r s i d e F r u i t E xchange was
e n t h u s i a s t i c a l l y o r g a n iz e d i n A p r i l , 1 8 9 5 . Following
R iv e r s id e * s l e a d , o t h e r c i t i e s form ed e x c h a n g e s , and soon
th e y u n i t e d to form th e S o u th e r n C a l i f o r n i a F r u i t Exchange
w hich becam e, i n 1905, t h e C a l i f o r n i a F r u i t Growers*
E x c h a n g e . P r o b l e m s o f p r o d u c t i o n , m a r k e tin g , a d v e r t i s i n g .
5 Boyd, R i v e r s i d e , 659, &nd Holmes, H i s t o r y , 137.
9 R i v e r s i d e , D a i ly P r e s s , November 2 8 , I 9 0O,
B in d le y and W idney, G a l i f o r n i a o f th e S o u t h , 2 6 l .
11 Holm es, H i s t o r y , 122.
12 G le la n d and H ardy , March o f I n d u s t r y , I 09 f f .
54
and so on, w h ich w ere to o complex f o r th e i n d i v i d u a l g ro w e r,
were s o lv e d i n a c o m p e te n t manner by t h e s e c o o p e r a t i v e s .
A n o th e r acc o m p lish m en t i n t h i s f i e l d was t h e im provem ent o f
C a l i f o r n i a lemons by G. W. G a ro e lo n , a R i v e r s i d e p i o n e e r .
L a r g e ly b e c a u s e o f h i s e f f o r t s , by I 900 lemon grow ing was
second o n ly i n im p o r ta n c e to th e o ra n g e i n d u s t r y . 15 S e v e r a l
new o r g a n i z a t i o n s f o r women w ere o r g a n iz e d i n R i v e r s i d e
b e f o r e I 9OO. C h ie f among t h e s e w ere t h e Y.W.G.A. and th e
R i v e r s i d e Woman’ s C lub. The fo rm e r was o r g a n iz e d on
November 5 , 1895, and t h e l a t t e r on J a n u a r y 7 , 1 8 9 6 .^ 4 Mrs.
B u tto n was an i m p o r t a n t member o f t h e Woman’ s C lu b , s e r v i n g
a s i t s second p r e s i d e n t and a c t i n g a s f i r s t c h airm a n o f t h e
g ro u p i n c h a r g e o f b u i l d i n g t h e c lu b h o u se .
I n 1901 an a d d i t i o n was made to th e c i t y w hich
enhanced i t s a t t r a c t i v e n e s s f o r t o u r i s t s a s w e ll a s g i v i n g
i t th e a d v a n ta g e o f a f e d e r a l p a y r o l l . A governm ent s c h o o l
f o r I n d i a n s f o r m e r ly l o c a t e d a t P e r r i s was moved to R i v e r
s i d e i n 1 9 0 2 .1 5 The b u i l d i n g prog ram o f th e s c h o o l m ust
have b e en q u i t e an econom ic a d v a n ta g e to t h e com m unity, f o r
n in e b u i l d i n g s w ere e r e c t e d d u r i n g t h e y e a r p r e v i o u s to
May, 1 9 0 2, and th e c o m p le te d s c h o o l was to c o n t a i n tw e lv e
G le la n d and H ardy, March o f I n d u s t r y , 105•
Holmes, H i s t o r y . 118, 127 f f .
15 I b i d . , 119.
55
b u i l d i n g s v a lu e d a t $ 1 5 0 , 0 0 0 .^ 5
M u n ic ip a l im provem ent i s r e f l e c t e d by s e v e r a l
a c t i v i t i e s d u r in g t h i s tim e . I n 1895, th e c i t y b o u g h t a
t r a c t o f t h i r t y a c r e s to o b t a i n p a v in g r o c k f o r t h e m ain
s t r e e t s , and a f t e r th e r o c k had been u s e d , th e t r a c t was
tr a n s f o r m e d i n t o P a irrao u n t P a r k , 17 E l e c t r i c l i g h t i n g ,
w hich had been r e q u e s t e d a s e a r l y as 1886 by 0 . T. Dyer
and o t h e r s , became an a c t u a l i t y i n 1896 when a f o r t y th o u
sand d o l l a r m u n ic ip a l e l e c t r i c p l a n t was b u i l t and p u t i n t o
o p e r a t i o n , ^5 B u i ld i n g p r o j e c t s f o r I 9 0 I i n c l u d e d a t h i r t y
th o u sa n d d o l l a r h ig h s c h o o l and a t h i r t y - f i v e th o u s a n d
d o l l a r c o u r t h o u s e , 19 and i n I 9OI th e c i t y r e c e i v e d tw e n ty
th o u s a n d d o l l a r s from Andrew C a r n e g ie f o r th e e r e c t i o n o f
a l i b r a r y . 20
T here a r e v a r i o u s e v id e n c e s o f econom ic and c u l t u r a l
d e v elo p m e n t n e a r th e t u r n o f t h e c e n t u r y . The P r e s s r e c o g
n iz e d a "Wave o f P r o s p e r i t y " i n 1 8 9 9 ,^ ^ and new b anks w ere
l5 G uinn, S o u th e rn C a l i f o r n i a , 205.
17 Holmes, H i s t o r y , 93 f f .
I5 Boyd, R i v e r s i d e , 6 1 6- 6 1 7 •
19 G uinn, S o u th e r n C a l i f o r n i a , 205.
20 Holmes, H i s t o r y , 9 8 .
R i v e r s i d e , D a i ly P r e s s , November 4 , 1899#
56
e s t a b l i s h e d i n 1903 and 1 9 0 6 .2 2 D u rin g t h i s tim e , m an u fac
t u r i n g re m a in e d u n im p o r ta n t, and m ost o f th e a c t i v i t y was
i n a g r i c u l t u r e , b u i l d i n g and th e d a i r y b u s i n e s s . An ama
t e u r d r a m a tic o r g a n i z a t i o n was i n e x i s t e n c e i n 1 8 9 9,^ ^ and
B a p t i s t s w ere a c t i v e i n f o u n d in g a l i t e r a r y s o c i e t y and a
d i s c u s s i o n g ro u p a b o u t th e same t i m e . 24
A n o th er c u l t u r a l a d v a n ta g e to th e c i t y was th e
R i v e r s i d e J u n i o r Band, w hich was o r g a n iz e d i n th e f a l l o f
1 9 0 0 .2 5 T h is g rou p gave o c c a s i o n a l c o n c e r t s and f i n a l l y
d e v e lo p e d i n t o th e R i v e r s i d e M i l i t a r y Band. A ll i n a l l .
R i v e r s i d e seems to have become a p r o s p e r o u s , w e ll- r o u n d e d
community and th e coming o f th e f i r s t a u to m o b ile i n 1899
(a n e l e c t r i c m odel) h e r a l d e d th e a p p ro a c h o f a new e r a . 2 o
The e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f R i v e r s i d e C ounty gave th e
tem p era n ce e n t h u s i a s t s i n town a n o t h e r o p p o r t u n i t y to p r o
m ote t h e i r i d e a s a s to t h e p r o p e r m ethod o f d e a l i n g w i t h th e
l i q u o r q u e s t i o n . A c c o r d in g ly , we f i n d a number o f them
a p p e a r in g b e f o r e th e c o u n ty B oard o f S u p e r v i s o r s a t one o f
22 Holm es, H i s t o r y , 8 1 -8 3 .
25 R i v e r s i d e , D a ily P r e s s , A p r i l 1 5 , 1899•
24 Boyd, R i v e r s i d e , 5 2 6 .
25 I b i d . . 645 f f .
^5 R i v e r s i d e , D a ily P r e s s , O c to b e r 3 0 , I 8 9 9 .
57
i t s f i r s t m e e t i n g s , 27 Among th o s e who p la y e d a p ro m in e n t
p a r t a t t h i s m e e tin g w ere Mr. W in b ig le r and Mr. B u tto n .
I n c i d e n t a l l y , t h i s e p is o d e i s p r o b a b ly an exam ple o f th e
c o o p e r a t i v e s p i r i t w hich e x i s t e d b e tw ee n th e two men. A
l e a d e r i n th e W.G.T.U. d u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d was Mrs. B u tto n ,
who s e rv e d a s s t a t e p r e s i d e n t i n 1 8 9 5 .2 8
In 1 8 9 4, th e p a s t o r r e s i g n e d to a c c e p t a c a l l to
a n o t h e r l o c a l i t y , and th e c h u rc h was s o r r y to see him go.
Mr. W in b ig le r had b e e n an o u t s t a n d i n g l e a d e r i n th e te m p e r
an ce movement, and h i s f r e q u e n t m e n tio n i n th e new sp ap ers
show him to have b e en an i n f l u e n t i a l and r e s p e c t e d member
o f th e com m unity. I m p o r ta n t a s t h e s e t h i n g s w e re , how ever,
o f more im p o rta n c e t o t h e c h u rc h i s th e p a r t he p la y e d i n
h e l p i n g i t t o i n c r e a s e i n s i z e . At h i s f i n a l s e r v i c e on
E a s t e r Sunday, 1894, i t was r e v e a l e d t h a t t h r e e h und red and
t h i r t y p e o p le e n t e r e d t h e c h u rc h d u r i n g h i s f i v e - y e a r p a s
t o r a t e , 29 and t o t a l m em bership f i g u r e s show a b o u t a f o r t y
p e r c e n t i n c r e a s e f o r t h i s p e r i o d . 50 U n d o u b te d ly , h i s
e lo q u e n c e was l a r g e l y r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h i s g ro w th , b u t he
27 R i v e r s i d e , P r e s s and H o r t i c u l t u r i s t , J u n e 10
and 1 7 , 1 8 9 3.
28 I b i d . . May 2 7 , 1895.
29 I b i d . . March 3 1 , 1894.
5 0 I b i d . , J a n u a r y 11, I 8 9O, and S o u th e r n C a l i f o r n i a
B a p t i s t C o n v e n tio n , M in u tes o f th e A nnual M e e tin g , 1894.
58
was a l s o e n e r g e t i c i n such p a s t o r a l d u t i e s a s c a l l i n g . 5%
He r e t u r n e d a t tim e s on i n v i t a t i o n and on a t l e a s t one
o c c a s io n was g r e e t e d by a f u l l house t o h e a r him, and was
h o n o red by a f u l l column s y n o p s is o f h i s m essage i n th e
n e w s p a p e r . 52 a t r a g i c n o te was i n j e c t e d i n t o h i s d e p a r t u r e
by th e a c c i d e n t a l d e a t h o f one o f h i s c h i l d r e n . 55
The s u c c e s s o r t o Mr. W in b ig le r was th e Rev. Mr. G.
A. G le a v e la n d , who came from M e lro s e , M a s s a c h u s e tt s , to
b e g in h i s d u t i e s i n May, 1 8 94.^4 Mr. G le a v e la n d was n e i t h e r
a g r e a t o r a t o r n o r an o u t s t a n d i n g c i v i c l e a d e r i f we ju d g e
from th e a c c o u n ts o f h i s a c t i v i t i e s i n th e n e w sp a p e rs , b u t
h i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f f i n a n c i a l m a t t e r s s t r e n g t h e n e d th e
c h u rc h d u r i n g t h e y e a r s o f d e p r e s s i o n f o l lo w in g th e p a n ic
o f 1 8 9 3 . He i s a l s o rem embered a s one who e x c e l l e d i n
su ch p a s t o r a l d u t i e s a s c a l l i n g and "m ixing" w i t h h i s co n
g r e g a t i o n . 55 One o f t h e o l d e r members o f th e c h u rc h r e c a l l s
A lic e H o l l i d a y , H i s t o r y o f F i r s t B a p t i s t Ghurch
R i v e r s i d e , G a l i f o r n i a , r e c o r d s t h a t i n I 8 9 I th e c h u rc h
v o t e d one h u n d red d o l l a r s f o r buggy h i r e f o r th e p a s t o r to
u se i n m aking h i s c a l l s .
R i v e r s i d e , D a ily P r e s s , May 2 2 , 1899#
Mrs. Eva S u l l i v a n , i n a p r i v a t e c o n v e r s a t i o n ,
J u l y 2 9 , 1 9 5 0.
G andee, G h u rch , 6 7 #
55 S a n ta Ana V a l l e y B a p t i s t A s s o c i a t i o n , M in u tes o f
t h e Annual M e e tin g , 1899#
5 5 Mrs. F. W. O sb o rn e, i n a p r i v a t e c o n v e r s a t i o n ,
A ugust 1 3 , 1 9 5 0.
59
t h a t h i s p a s t o r a l e f f e c t i v e n e s s was g r e a t l y im p a ire d by
h i s w i f e ’ s p o o r h e a l t h and by h i s in v o lv e m e n t i n a p e r s o n a l
d i f f i c u l t y b e tw ee n two members o f th e c h u r c h . 57 D u rin g h i s
p a s t o r a t e th e m em bership o f th e c h u rc h d e c r e a s e d somewhat,
se e m in g ly a s t h e r e s u l t o f many p e o p le moving away. The
r e c o r d s a v a i l a b l e show t h a t many members were d i s m is s e d by
l e t t e r and o t h e r s had t h e i r names e r a s e d from th e r o l l s
b e c a u s e th e y c o u ld n o t be l o c a t e d . 5 8
Mr. G le a v e la n d was f o llo w e d i n November, 1899, by
D r. W. F. T a y lo r , a man se e m in g ly h e ld i n h ig h r e s p e c t by
th e w hole com m unity.59 Dr. T a y lo r had e n jo y e d a s u c c e s s f u l
p a s t o r a t e i n th e e a s t , and he l e f t a l a r g e c h u rc h i n D ay to n ,
O hio, to s e c u r e a more h e a l t h f u l c l i m a t e f o r one o f h i s
s o n s . 4*^ He was w e l l e d u c a te d and im p re s s e d th e l o c a l news
p a p e r a s "a man o f more th a n o r d i n a r y i n t e l l e c t u r a l f o r c e . "41
Mrs. S u l l i v a n rem embers t h a t he som etim es spoke " o v e r o u r
h e a d s ." B e fo re s tu d y in g f o r th e m i n i s t r y . Dr. T a y lo r had
M rs. Eva S u l l i v a n , i n a p r i v a t e c o n v e r s a t i o n , J u l y
2 9 , 1950.
C o n v e n tio n , M i n u t e s , I 8 9 5 - I 8 9 8 .
59 C andee, G h u rc h , 7*
4*^ R i v e r s i d e , D a ily P r e s s , S ep tem b er 2 2 , 1899*
I b i d . , November 6 , 1899*
42 P r i v a t e c o n v e r s a t i o n , J u l y 2 9 , 1 9 5 0 .
60
b e e n an a r t d e a l e r , and he was i n c o n s t a n t demand i n th e
e a s t a s a l e c t u r e r on a r t . 4 5 H is b ro a d i n t e r e s t s a r e e v i
d e n t from t h e f a c t t h a t he fo u n d ed th e " P r e s e n t Day C lu b ,"
a forum f o r d i s c u s s i o n o f c u r r e n t e v e n t s , ^4 and s e rv e d a s a
t r u s t e e o f t h e l o c a l l i b r a r y . 45
Tem perance a c t i v i t y c o n ti n u e d to be i m p o r t a n t to
B a p t i s t s u n t i l th e com prom ise s e t t l e m e n t m e n tio n e d e a r l i e r
i n t h i s c h a p t e r was r e a c h e d . At a T h a n s g iv ln g s e r v i c e h e ld
a t t h e c h u rc h i n 1894 t h e r e was some d i s c u s s i o n a b o u t th e
l i q u o r q u e s t i o n , 45 and a y e a r and a h a l f l a t e r an A n ti-
S a lo o n mass m e e tin g was h e ld t h e r e . 4?
An i m p o r t a n t p a r t o f th e c h u r c h ’ s a c t i v i t y d u r in g
t h e l a t t e r p a r t o f Mr. W i n b i g l e r ’ s p a s t o r a t e and Mr.
G l e a v e la n d ’ s p a s t o r a t e , a r e th e a t t e m p t s t o do c h a r i t a b l e
work i n th e comm unity. An o u t s t a n d i n g exam ple o f t h i s work
was done a t C h r is tm a s , 1 8 9 4 .4 8 G i f t s f o r t h e needy w ere
45 R i v e r s i d e , D a ily P r e s s , O c to b e r 20, 1905. His
serm on t o p i c f o r March 2 0 , 1904: "Gan S p i r i t u a l R e l i g i o n
be t a u g h t by Means o f P i c t o r i a l A rt? "
Boyd, R i v e r s i d e , 5 2 6 .
45 Holmes, H i s t o r y , 99*
45 R i v e r s i d e , D a ily P r e s s , December 8 , 1894.
47 R i v e r s i d e , P r e s s and H o r t i c u l t u r i s t , A p r i l 4 ,
1 8 9 6 .
48
I b i d . , December 2 9 , 1894.
61
c o l l e c t e d by t h e Sunday S c h o o l, and th e l a d i e s o f th e
c h u rc h w orked l a t e C h r is tm a s Eve t o p r e p a r e e v e r y t h i n g f o r
th e men, who t h e n d e l i v e r e d s e v e r a l w a g o n -lo a d s o f a r t i c l e s ,
w o rth more th a n one h und red d o l l a r s . The B a p t i s t seemed to
be th e o n ly c h u rc h d o in g su c h work on t h i s p a r t i c u l a r
C h r is tm a s , and p e o p le o u t s i d e th e c h u rc h d o n a te d to th e
e f f o r t a l s o . B e n e v o le n t a c t i v i t y was c a r r i e d on d u r in g th e
y e a r , a s w e l l , and c h u rc h r e c o r d s r e v e a l a few i n s t a n c e s o f
g r a n t s o f money from th e "P oor Fund" to f a m i l i e s i n n e e d . 4 9
T h is em phasis on c h a r i t a b l e work i s an i n t e r e s t i n g commen
t a r y on th e econom ic c o n d i t i o n o f R i v e r s i d e d u r in g th e
n i n e t i e s .
The work o f th e P a rk Avenue M is s io n c o n tin u e d to
grow d u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d . F a i t h f u l w o rk e rs c a r r i e d on th e
p r o j e c t , c o n d u c tin g a Sunday S c h o o l i n th e a f t e r n o o n . 5*^
D u rin g May, 1 8 9 5 , p l a n s w ere s e t i n m o tio n w h ich r e s u l t e d
i n th e e r e c t i o n o f a b u i l d i n g on la n d p r e v i o u s l y p u r c h a s e d
f o r t h e m i s s i o n . 5 1 By 1 8 9 7 a w eekly p r a y e r m e e tin g was
b e in g h e ld on F r i d a y e v e n i n g s . 5 2 i n A p r i l 1 8 9 9 , r e g u l a r
49 F i r s t B a p t i s t C hurch o f R i v e r s i d e , C a l i f o r n i a .
M in u te s o f O f f i c e r s and Deacons M e e tin g s , March 11, 1894,
F e b r u a r y 28 and O c to b e r 13, l 8 9 5 •
C andee, C h u rc h , 17.
51 C h urch , M in u te s , May 1, 1895.
52 The C hurch B u l l e t i n , O c to b e r 2 3, 1897.
62
e v e n in g s e r v i c e s b e g a n ,55 and t h e c h u rc h l a t e r r e p o r t e d to
t h e a s s o c i a t i o n "The work a t P a rk Avenue c h a p e l i s i n a
r e m a rk a b ly t h r i v i n g c o n d i t i o n . "54 The m is s i o n was an im
p o r t a n t o u t l e t f o r C h r i s t i a n s e r v i c e and was c a r r i e d on
l a r g e l y by young a d u l t s who t a u g h t c l a s s e s and o r g a n iz e d
s o c i a l g a t h e r i n g s f o r t h e i r l e s s f o r t u n a t e n e i g h b o r s . 55
F i n a n c i a l l y s p e a k in g , th e f i s c a l y e a r 1892-3 was
an e x c e p t i o n a l one f o r t h e F i r s t B a p t i s t C hurch of R i v e r s i d e .
The c o n v e n tio n m in u te s f o r 1 8 9 3 r e v e a l t h a t $ 1 1 1 3 . 2 5 had
b e en g i v e n by th e c h u rc h f o r c o o p e r a t i v e work w i t h o t h e r
B a p t i s t s — a b o u t o n e - t h i r d o f t h e t o t a l incom e o f th e c h u rc h ? ^
The d e p r e s s i o n ended a l l t h i s , how ever, and i n 1 8 9 5 i t had
to r e p o r t t h a t i t s f i n a n c i a l c o n d i t i o n was a t "ebb t i d e , "
o n ly $5 6 6 .0 0 g o i n g to c o o p e r a t i v e w o rk .57 The n e x t y e a r
t o l d th e same s t o r y : "We have f e l t t h e heavy hand o f f i
n a n c i a l d e p r e s s i o n , m aking i t d i f f i c u l t t o m eet c u r r e n t
e x p e n s e s , and c r i p p l i n g o u r e f f o r t s f o r t h e s u p p o r t o f th e
b e n e v o l e n t work o f th e d e n o m i n a t i o n ."5^
55 R i v e r s i d e , D a i ly P r e s s , A p r i l 1, 1899.
5 4 A s s o c i a t i o n , M i n u t e s , 1899.
55 Mrs. F. W. O sb o rn e, i n a p r i v a t e c o n v e r s a t i o n ,
A ugust 1 3 > 1 9 5 0.
5 5 S a n ta Ana V a l l e y A s s o c i a t i o n , M i n u t e s , 1895.
57 C o n v e n tio n , M i n u t e s , 1895.
5 5 A s s o c ia t i o n , M in u te s, I 8 9 6 .
63
The s i t u a t i o n soon changed and " l a r g e l y owing t o th e
e f f o r t s o f P a s t o r G le a v e la n d ," th e c h u rc h g o t o u t o f d e b t , 59
th e m o rtg a g e on th e p a rs o n a g e h a v in g b e en b u rn e d a t h i s
l a s t s e r v i c e a s p a s t o r . 5*^ The m ethods he used to a c c o m p lis h
t h i s f e a t a r e n o t c l e a r , b u t i t i s r e p o r t e d t h a t two hun d red
d o l l a r s w ere r a i s e d a t an a l l day m e e tin g i n 1 8 9 7, and
e a r l i e r he had b e en a b l e to s e c u r e a lo a n f o r th e c h u rc h
from some o f h i s fo rm e r p a r i s h o n e r s i n M a s s a c h u s e t t s . *^2 op
c o u r s e , economic c o n d i t i o n s w ere on th e u p g ra d e i n s o u t h e r n
G a l i f o r n i a , and th e d e p r e s s i o n was o v e r by 1899*55 T h is
good f i n a n c i a l c o n d i t i o n was m a in ta in e d th r o u g h o u t Dr.
T a y l o r ’ s p a s t o r a t e . 54
I f any one word c o u ld c h a r a c t e r i z e th e r e l i g i o u s l i f e
o f R i v e r s i d e d u r i n g th e p e r i o d now u n d e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n ,
t h a t word would be " c o o p e r a t i o n . " The n ew sp apers a r e f u l l
o f announcem ents f o r u n io n m e e tin g s o f a l l k i n d s — T hanks
g i v i n g , M em orial Day, C h r i s t i a n E n d e a v o r, Sunday S c h o o l, and
1897.
5^ A s s o c i a t i o n , M in u te s , 1899*
50 R i v e r s i d e , E n t e r p r i s e . Ju n e 2 7, 1899*
R i v e r s i d e , P r e s s and H o r t i c u l t u r i s t , O c to b e r 9,
52 C hurch, M i n u t e s , J u l y 25, 1894.
55 G le la n d and H ardy, March o f I n d u s t r y , 239.
54 A s s o c i a t i o n , M in u te s , 1903 and 1904.
64
so on. I n 1 8 9 4, t h e U nion Sunday S c h o o l p i c n i c was a t t e n d e d
by more th a n s e v e n t e e n h u n d red p e o p l e , 55 a b o u t o n e - f o u r t h
o f th e t o t a l p o p u l a t i o n . When u n io n s e r v i c e s o f any k in d
w ere h e ld i n a c h u rc h , th e m ain s p e a k e r was u s u a l l y th e
p a s t o r o f one o f th e o t h e r c h u r c h e s . T h is c o o p e r a t i v e
s p i r i t e x te n d e d to t h e e v a n g e l i s t i c e f f o r t s , and th e c h u rc h e s
o f t e n c o o p e r a te d i n s p e c i a l m e e tin g s f o r t h a t p u r p o s e , two
66
su ch cam paigns som etim es b e in g h e ld i n one y e a r . By 1897
a M i n i s t e r i a l A s s o c i a t i o n had b e e n form ed and w eek ly B i b le
c l a s s e s w ere b e in g c o n d u c te d a t th e Y.M.O.A. u n d e r i t s
a u s p i c e s . 57
The o r c h e s t r a o f th e B a p t i s t C hurch assum ed th e p r o
p o r t i o n s o f a v e ry c o m p e te n t m u s ic a l o r g a n i z a t i o n d u r i n g th e
n i n e t i e s . I t e n jo y e d some v e r y c a p a b le l e a d e r s h i p - - M r . H.
N. Hawes, who owned a m usic s t o r e i n tow n, and P r o f . H a rd in g
Kennedy, an o u t s t a n d i n g m usic t e a c h e r i n th e com m unity. I t
p e rfo rm e d a t th e c h u rc h s e r v i c e s , a t r e c e p t i o n s , and a t
s i m i l a r m e e ti n g s , and i t o c c a s i o n a l l y gave p u b l i c c o n c e r t s .
One o f t h e s e c o n c e r t s was d e s c r i b e d a s a " p a l a t a b l e f e a s t
o f e a s i l y d i g e s t e d m u s ic ," and i t i n c l u d e d su c h num bers as
55 R i v e r s i d e , P r e s s and H o r t i c u l t u r i s t . Ju n e 2 3 , 1894.
55 A s s o c i a t i o n , M in u te s , I 9 0 5 .
57 R i v e r s i d e , P r e s s and H o r t i c u l t u r i s t , December 11,
1 8 9 7.
65
s e l e c t i o n s from " R i g o l e t t o . B y 1897 th e o r c h e s t r a was
th e l a r g e s t i n town, w i t h t w e n t y - t h r e e members, and was
a d d in g r e a l s t r e n g t h to th e work o f th e c h u r c h . ^9
One o f th e g r e a t e s t s o u r c e s o f s t r e n g t h i n th e
c h u rc h was th e g ro u p o f r e t i r e d m i n i s t e r s who were members.
I n 1896 th e l e t t e r to th e A s s o c i a t i o n s a y s , "we a r e p e c u l
i a r l y f a v o r e d i n h a v in g s e v e r a l B a p t i s t m i n i s t e r s among o u r
number. T h e ir s e r v i c e s a r e f r e e l y g i v e n to c h u rc h w o r k . "70
Of c o u r s e , Mr. B u tto n was one o f t h e s e , and a n o th e r was th e
Rev. Mr. J . H. Sampson, who o f t e n p r e a c h e d a t th e P a rk
Avenue M is s io n and a l s o i n th e r e g u l a r c h u rc h s e r v i c e s d u r
in g t h e summer a f t e r Mr. G le a v e la n d * s r e s i g n a t i o n .
The p r a c t i c e o f c h u rc h d i s c i p l i n e c o n tin u e d much as
i t had i n t h e e a r l i e r d a y s . T here was a d e c r e a s e i n member
s h ip i n 1 8 9 5, and i t was p a r t i a l l y due to t h e e x c l u s i o n o f
some members b e c a u s e o f t h e i r " d i s o r d e r l y w a l k . "71 A ppar
e n t l y , th e c h u rc h s t i l l f o llo w e d th e p r o c e d u r e o f a p p o i n t i n g
a s h o r t - t e r m co m m ittee to i n v e s t i g a t e su c h c a s e s , 72 and
68
R i v e r s i d e , D a ily P r e s s , March 18, 1899.
55 The G hurch B u l l e t i n , O c to b e r 2 3 , 1897, i n B a p t i s t
G hurch F i l e , R i v e r s i d e P u b l i c L i b r a r y .
7 0 A s s o c i a t i o n , M in u te s , I 8 9 6 .
7 1 I b i d . . 1 8 9 5.
72 F i r s t B a p t i s t G hurch, M in u te s , Ju n e 26, 1894.
66
t h e r e seems to have b e en a y e a r l y r e v i s i o n o f th e m em bership
r o l l by th e rem o v a l o f th e names o f t h o s e who m a n i f e s te d no
i n t e r e s t i n th e c h u r c h . 7^^ The q u e s t i o n o f d i s c i p l i n e i s
n o t c o m p le te ly n e g a t i v e f o r a t tim e s i t seems to have l e d to
t h e r e s t o r a t i o n o f some o f th e e x c lu d e d m em bers.7^ An
i n t e r e s t i n g p r a c t i c e fo llo w e d d u r i n g t h i s tim e was th e
r e f u s a l to g r a n t l e t t e r s o f d i s m i s s a l t o members who had n o t
p a i d t h e i r f i n a n c i a l p l e d g e s . 7 5
The e v a n g e l i s t i c em ph asis w hich had la g g e d a l i t t l e
a f t e r Mr. W in b ig le r * s d e p a r t u r e p ic k e d up somewhat w i t h th e
coming o f D r. T a y lo r . S e v e r a l e v a n g e l i s t i c m e e tin g s a r e
m e n tio n e d i n th e m in u te s o f th e A s s o c i a t i o n , and a good
number w ere b a p t i z e d and r e c e i v e d a s members o f t h e c h u rc h .
However, th e m em bership c o n ti n u e d to d e c r e a s e s l i g h t l y due
to th e g r a n t i n g o f many c h u rc h l e t t e r s and th e e r a s u r e from
th e r o l l s o f th e names o f th o s e who c o u ld n o t be l o c a t e d .
By 1 9 0 4, th e m em bership s to o d a t o n ly t h r e e h und red and
s e v e n ty .
7 6
75 L e t t e r from th e F i r s t B a p t i s t C hurch to th e S a n ta
Ana V a l le y B a p t i s t A s s o c i a t i o n , 1905, i n F i r s t B a p t i s t
C hurch H i s t o r i c a l F i l e ,
7^ A s s o c i a t i o n , M in u te s , I 9OI.
75 L e t t e r from W. C. and Z. ¥ , S t . P i e r r e t o I . S.
Kennedy, A ugust 8 , 1903, i n C hurch, H i s t o r y F i l e .
7^ C o n v e n tio n , M in u te s , 1904.
6 7
A m a jo r a c t i v i t y o f th e c h u rc h d u r in g t h e p a s t o r a t e
o f D r. T a y lo r was t h e r e n o v a t i o n o f th e c h u rc h b u i l d i n g .
A f t e r r a i s i n g money f o r more th a n a y e a r , th e c h u rc h had
IL s b u i l d i n g moved to th e c o r n e r o f N in th and Lemon S t r e e t s
i n Decem ber, 1903, and th e r e p a i r s w ere c o m p le te d i n M arch,
1 9 0 4 .7 7 C hurch n o t i c e s i n t h e n e w sp a p ers r e v e a l t h a t th e
h ig h s c h o o l and Y.M.C.A. g e n e r o u s l y lo a n e d t h e i r f a c i l i t i e s
t o th e c h u rc h d u r i n g t h i s tim e . A f t e r i t s r e n o v a t i o n , th e
b u i l d i n g was p r a c t i c a l l y a new s t r u c t u r e . 78
The m ain a u d it o r iu m has b e e n e n t i r e l y r e j u v e n a t e d ,
w i t h new p l a s t e r , d e l i c a t e l y t i n t e d , hardwood f l o o r ,
new c h a i r s , e t c . Opening from i t on th e e a s t i s a
l a r g e Sunday S c h o o l room, w h ich w i l l i n c r e a s e th e
s e a t i n g c a p a c i t y c o n s i d e r a b l y , and th e b asem en t has
b e e n f i t t e d up w i t h a k i t c h e n and a l e c t u r e room.
Betw een 1893 and 1905 t h e r e was much a c t i v i t y i n a l l
p h a s e s o f th e c h u r c h ’ s l i f e . The Sunday S c h o o l m a in ta in e d
a s t e a d y g ro w th , and th e young p e o p l e 's g ro u p s w ere a c t i v e - -
c o o p e r a t i n g w i t h t h e o t h e r young p e o p le i n th e c i t y i n
m is s i o n p r o j e c t s 7 9 and r a i s i n g money to be g iv e n to B a p t i s t
m i s s i o n a r y work.^*^ The women c a r r i e d on a m u l t i t u d e o f
77
A s s o c i a t i o n , M in u te s , 1904.
7 8 R i v e r s i d e , D a i ly P r e s s , A p r i l 4, 1904.
7^ O andee, C h u rc h , 19*
8 0 Mrs, Eva S u l l i v a n , i n a p r i v a t e c o n v e r s a t i o n ,
J u l y 2 9 , 1 9 5 0.
The F i r s t B a p t i s t Church, 1882-1904
The F i r s t B a p t i s t C hurch, 1904-1908
Il
BO
HI HI H H
69
p r o j e c t s d u r i n g t h i s tim e , i m p o r t a n t ones b e in g such c h a r i
t a b l e work a s has a l r e a d y b e en m e n tio n e d , p r o v i d i n g c l o t h e s
f o r th e P a rk Avenue M is s io n , m i s s i o n a r y a c t i v i t y , and th e
r a i s i n g o f tw e lv e h u n d red d o l l a r s f o r th e f u r n i s h i n g s o f th e
r e n o v a t e d c h u rc h b u i l d i n g . I t i s to D r. T a y l o r ’ s c r e d i t
t h a t u n d er h i s l e a d e r s h i p harmony p r e v a i l e d i n th e c h u rc h
to su c h an e x t e n t t h a t i t i s e i t h e r m e n tio n e d o r o b v io u s
"b etw e e n th e l i n e s " o f e v e ry a s s o c i a t i o n a l l e t t e r w r i t t e n
on b e h a l f o f th e c h u rc h d u r i n g h i s p a s t o r a t e . When he d i e d
on O c to b e r 19, 1905, The F i r s t B a p t i s t C hurch and a l l
R i v e r s i d e w ith i t m ourned h i s p a s s i n g . 8^
8T A s s o c i a t i o n , M in u te s , 1904.
8^ R i v e r s i d e , D a ily P r e s s , O c to b e r 2 0 , I 9 0 5 .
CHAPTER V
INCREASING MATURATION IN CHURCH AND COMMUNITY
C a l i f o r n i a h i s t o r y im m e d ia te ly p r i o r to W orld War I
has b e e n c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n s e v e r a l w ays. Looking a t i t from
t h e p o l i t i c a l s t a n d p o i n t i t i s "The E r a o f R e f o r m . H o w
e v e r , i f we c o n s i d e r t h e s t a t e from an econom ic o r s o c i o l o g
i c a l p o i n t o f view i t p r e s e n t s a p i c t u r e o f econom ic r e v o l u
t i o n and r a p i d l y i n c r e a s i n g p o p u l a t i o n . ^ One o f th e m a jo r
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f C a l i f o r n i a t h r o u g h o u t i t s p e r i o d o f Amer
i c a n s t a te h o o d has b e e n i t s r a p i d g ro w th , and d u r i n g th e
p e r i o d now u n d e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n t h i s g ro w th p ro d u c e d a lm o s t
u n b e l i e v a b l e ch an g e s i n u rb a n c e n t r a l i z a t i o n and i n d u s t r i a l
d e v e lo p m e n t. Of c o u r s e . R i v e r s i d e was a p a r t o f a l l t h i s
d e v e lo p m e n t, b u t b e c a u s e o f t h e n a t u r e o f th e community i t
d i d n o t undergo any v a s t c h an g e .
One o f th e ways i n w hich R i v e r s i d e f o llo w e d th e
t r e n d was i n a d d in g to i t s p o p u l a t i o n . I n t h e f i r s t d e c a d e
o f t h i s c e n t u r y , C a l i f o r n i a e x p e r ie n c e d a s i x t y p e r c e n t
i n c r e a s e , and R i v e r s i d e h e lp e d l e a d t h e way by a lm o s t
^ R. G. Cl e l a n d , C a l i f o r n i a i n Our Tim e, t i t l e o f
c h a p t e r 4.
2 I b i d . . 1 0 5 .
71
d o u b lin g i t s e l f . 5 I n s p i t e o f t h i s r a p i d g ro w th , how ever.
R i v e r s i d e c o n tin u e d to be much th e same s o r t o f town i t
had b e en b e f o r e i t f e l t t h e "grow ing p a i n s . " B etw een I 909
and 1 9 1 4, t h e " i n d u s t r i a l r e v o l u t i o n " spoken o f by O le la n d
and Hardy was s c a r c e l y f e l t i n th e q u i e t a g r i c u l t u r a l
c e n t e r . ^ As one r e a d s t h e l o c a l n e w sp a p e rs , lo o k s a t p h o to
g r a p h s ta k e n a t t h i s tim e , and a t t e m p t s i n o t h e r ways to
f a m i l i a r i z e h i m s e l f w i t h th e c o n d i t i o n s o f t h a t d a y , he
f e e l s t h a t t h e r e th e V i c t o r i a n e r a was g e n t l y l i n g e r i n g on.
Good exam ples o f t h i s V i c t o r i a n mood a r e t h e a c t i v i
t i e s o f H i v e r s i d e r s w h ich b r o u g h t fame to t h e i r c i t y . Her
r e p u t a t i o n a s a s a l o o n l e s s c i t y was w e l l known, and ite m s o f
s p e c i a l i n t e r e s t w ere h e r t r e e - l i n e d s t r e e t s and t h e M is s io n
I n n . A pro gram o f t r e e p l a n t i n g and c o n s e r v a t i o n r e s u l t e d
i n more th a n two th o u sa n d t r e e s b e in g s e t o u t i n b o t h I 908
and 1 9 0 9 ,8 and th e c i t y soon r e c e i v e d r e c o g n i t i o n f o r t h i s
e f f o r t i n two n a t i o n a l m a g a z in e s .^ The M is s io n I n n , "an
in n w i t h a s o u l , "7 was a h o t e l w hich had b e en rem o d e le d
5 A b s t r a c t o f th e 1 3 th Census w i t h S u pplem en t f o r
C a l i f o r n i a , 5 6Ô , 57^.
^ Cl e la n d and H ardy, I n d u s t r y , 138 ff., 2 6 5 .
5 Boyd, R i v e r s i d e , 483.
8 W o rld ’ s Work, May 1912, 1 2 0, and S u r v e y , Ju n e 20,
1 9 1 4, 3 2 3.
7 R uth K. Wood, The T o u r i s t s ’ C a l i f o r n i a , 42.
72
i n 1902 to re s e m b le a S p a n is h m i s s i o n , and a s i t s owner
s p e n t h i s l i f e f i l l i n g i t w i t h t r e a s u r e s o f a r t and h i s t o r
i c a l i n t e r e s t from E u r o p e , 8 i t became one o f t h e w onders o f
s o u th e r n C a l i f o r n i a . One w id e ly c o p ie d I n n o v a t i o n was th e
Mt. Rubidoux E a s t e r s u n r i s e s e r v i c e . B e g in n in g i n I 909 as
a s m a ll, i n f o r m a l s e r v i c e , t h e e v e n t grew i n fame so t h a t
by 1915 an e s t i m a t e d tw e lv e th o u sa n d p e o p le w ere i n a t t e n d
ance .8
P e rh a p s t h e r e a s o n t h a t m a n u f a c tu r in g was n o t d e v e l
oped i n R i v e r s i d e d u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d was t h e f a c t t h a t th e
community p ro d u c e d a b u n d a n t w e a l t h w i t h o u t i t . The c i t r u s
i n d u s t r y was s t i l l g ro w in g , and i t to o k g r e a t s t r i d e s d u r in g
t h e e a r l y y e a r s o f t h i s c e n t u r y . 1^ As t h e home o f th e n a v e l
o ra n g e and a c e n t e r o f c i t r u s c u l t u r e . R i v e r s i d e was c e r t a i n
to p a r t a k e o f th e b e n e f i t s o f t h i s d e v e lo p m e n t. A s se sse d
v a l u a t i o n i n t h e c i t y jumped from $ 4 ,5 0 0 ,0 0 0 i n I 900 t o more
th a n $ 9 ,4 0 0 ,0 0 0 I n 1910^^ and $ 1 0 ,4 0 0 ,0 0 0 i n 1 9 1 2 .1 2 To
v i s i t o r s , th e community s t i l l seemed to be a " p o p u l a t e d
8 R i v e r s i d e Chamber o f Commerce, Book o f F a c t s , 14.
8 Boyd, R i v e r s i d e , 330 f f .
10 C le la n d and H ardy, I n d u s t r y , 106 ff ., 264.
11 Chamber o f Commerce, Book o f F a c t s , 23.
Holmes, H i s t o r y , 8? .
73
o ra n g e g r o v e , ” ^5 and a s a r e c o g n i t i o n b o th o f i t s c o n t r i b u
t i o n t o th e c i t r u s i n d u s t r y and i t s a d a p t a b i l i t y f o r c i t r u s
c u l t u r e , th e U n i v e r s i t y o f C a l i f o r n i a e s t a b l i s h e d i t s C i t r u s
E x p e rim e n t S t a t i o n t h e r e i n 1913. A s e v e r e f r e e z e
d e s t r o y e d m ost o f th e o ra n g e c ro p t h a t y e a r , ^8 b u t th e
s l i g h t d e p r e s s i o n w h ich f o llo w e d i n 1914 d o e s n o t seem to
have b e en v e r y s e r i o u s . ^8
By 1 9 0 6, i t had become o b v io u s t h a t th e t r u s t e e form
o f m u n ic ip a l go vern m en t was outm oded, and a c o m m ittee was
e l e c t e d to f o r m u la te a s p e c i a l c h a r t e r . ^7 T h is r e s u l t e d i n
th e a d o p ti o n o f th e m a y o r - c o u n c il form o f g ov ernm en t by th e
c i t i z e n s o f R i v e r s i d e and t h e e l e c t i o n o f o f f i c i a l s on
May 14, I 9 0 7 . I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o n o te t h a t a t t h i s tim e
S. C. E v an s, th e son o f t h e e a r l i e r p i o n e e r d e v e l o p e r , was
e l e c t e d m ayor.
The C h r i s t i a n f o r c e s o f R i v e r s i d e c o n ti n u e d to m ani
f e s t c o o p e r a t i o n a s i n t h e p a s t . The F i r s t B a p t i s t Church
a s s i s t e d i n u n i t e d e f f o r t s , and th e e d i t i o n s o f th e B u l l e t i n
^5 Wood, C a l i f o r n i a , 3 6 I .
R i v e r s i d e Chamber o f Commerce, Book o f F a c t s , 7«
^8 G a b b e rt, H i s t o r y , 8 8 .
^8 C hurch, R e c o r d s , A s s o c i a t i o n a l L e t t e r o f 1914.
^7 Holmes, H is t o r y , 90*
74
abound w i t h r e f e r e n c e s to such a c t i v i t i e s . E a r l y i n I 909
th e women’ s m is s i o n a r y s o c i e t i e s i n s t i t u t e d an a n n u a l I n t e r
d e n o m in a tio n a l M is s io n a r y C o n v e n tio n , ^8 Q^^d t h e r e was a Lay
m en’ s M is s io n a r y C o n fe re n c e f o r th e men th e n e x t y e a r .
The young p e o p le m a i n t a i n e d a c i t y C h r i s t i a n E n deavor u n io n ,
and m e n tio n i s f r e q u e n t l y made o f s e r v i c e s th e y h e ld a t th e
c o u n ty h o s p i t a l and a t th e M exican s e t t l e m e n t o f Casa
B la n c a . Of c o u r s e , t h e s e a r e m e re ly e x am p le s, f o r some such
a c t i v i t y was g o in g on a lm o s t e v e ry week w i t h th e R i v e r s i d e
C hurch F e d e r a t i o n , t h e Y .M .C .A ,, and th e Y.W.C.A. l e a d i n g th e
way.
As th e c a s e u s u a l l y i s i n an a g r i c u l t u r a l com m unity,
t h e r e was a g ro u p i n R i v e r s i d e w hich w orked f o r low and un
d e p e n d a b le w a g e s - - th e M e x ican s. T here had b e e n M exicans i n
t h e a r e a s i n c e th e e a r l i e s t days o f t h e c o lo n y , and th e y had
b e e n , and s t i l l a r e , a c t i v e l y eng ag ed i n th e v a r i o u s ty p e s
o f work demanded to p ro d u c e c i t r u s f r u i t . A p p a r e n tly , th e
f i r s t o r g a n iz e d e f f o r t t o h e lp them b e g an i n I 912 w i t h th e
fo u n d in g o f a s e t t l e m e n t house p r o j e c t c a l l e d th e C ity Home
L e a g u e . A b u i l d i n g was a c q u i r e d i n 1915, and th e p r o j e c t
was p a r t i a l l y s u p p o rte d by g i f t s from m is s i o n a r y s o c i e t i e s
18 C hu rch , B u l l e t i n . March 2 8 , I 9 0 9 .
I b i d . . March 2 0 , I 9 IO.
J . R. G a b b e rt, H i s t o r y o f R i v e r s i d e G lty and
County, 320.
75
o f th e v a r i o u s c h u r c h e s . The work was l a r g e l y c a r r i e d on by
v o l u n t e e r w o rk e rs , and i n s t r u c t i o n and a s s i s t a n c e was g iv e n
i n such m a t t e r s as se w in g , c a r p e n t e r i n g , m a t e r n i t y c a r e ,
r e c r e a t i o n , and S c o u tin g to t h e S p a n i s h - s p e a k i n g p e o p le and
a few o f th e N eg ro s,
A f t e r th e d e a t h o f D r. T a y lo r , th e c h u rc h l o s t l i t t l e
tim e i n s e e k in g p a s t o r a l l e a d e r s h i p f o r i t s e l f . An A c tin g
P a s t o r was s e c u re d i n D ecem ber, I 9 0 3 , i n th e p e r s o n of
Edward H, E m e tt, a young evangelist, The c h u rc h was e v i
d e n t l y q u i t e p l e a s e d w i t h h i s w ork, f o r i t soon e x te n d e d to
him a c a l l to become t h e i r p e rm a n en t p a s t o r . However, he
r e f u s e d th e c a l l , to re m a in i n s t e a d i n e v a n g e l i s t i c w o r k , ^5
and th e c h u rc h lo o k e d e ls e w h e r e f o r l e a d e r s h i p . A f t e r v o t
in g tw ic e on t h e m a t t e r , i t was d e c id e d t h a t Dr. W. Leon
T u c k e r, o f K ansas O i t y , sh o u ld be c a l l e d as p a s t o r . The
c a l l was e x te n d e d to him on March 2 9 , I 9 0 6 , and he assumed
h i s d u t i e s on May 13, 1 9 0 6 .^ 5 He and th e c o n g r e g a t i o n d id
Boyd, R i v e r s i d e , 6 .
C hurch, L e t t e r s , W. G. R a n d a l l, C hurch C l e r k , to
M iss H e len W ebber, December 4 , 1905.
C hurch F i l e , L e t t e r from E. H. E m e tt to Deacon
D. C. Twogood, (n.d .).
C hurch F i l e , R e s o l u t i o n o f March 2 0 , I 9 0 6 .
^8 C hurch, L e t t e r s , W. G. R a n d a l l, Church C l e r k , to
Q. A. Thomson, May 3 1 , I 9 0 6 .
7 6
n o t " ta k e " to e a c h o t h e r to o w e l l , and he r e s i g n e d on
S eptem ber 1, 1 9 0 7, to a c c e p t a p a s t o r a t e i n Los A n g e l e s ,
I n h i s s u c c e s s o r . D r. George F r e d e r i c k H o l t , th e
c h u rc h fo u n d e n e r g e t i c and c a p a b le l e a d e r s h i p . H is m i n i s t r y
was one o f " r a r e i n f l u e n c e , "^7 and g e n u in e harmony s i m i l a r
to t h e d ay s o f D r. T aylor* s p a s t o r a t e p r e v a i l e d . He came
from M in n e a p o lis i n D ecem ber, I 9 0 7 , and re m a in e d th r o u g h
F e b r u a r y , 1 9 1 6 .^ 8 I t w ould be d i f f i c u l t , i n d e e d , to c h a r
a c t e r i z e h i s m i n i s t r y i n R i v e r s i d e . He had w ide i n t e r e s t s ,
and e v e ry form o f c h u rc h a c t i v i t y seems to have r e c e i v e d
new l i f e u n d e r h i s g u id a n c e . H is i n t e r e s t i n th e work o f
th e c o n v e n tio n i s a p p a r e n t from th e sp a c e i t was a c c o rd e d
i n th e B u l l e t i n , and h i s numerous c i v i c a c t i v i t i e s o b t a i n e d
f o r him r e s p e c t a s "one o f th e m ost p o p u l a r p a s t o r s i n th e
c i t y . "^8 Among o t h e r t h i n g s , he s e r v e d a s p r e s i d e n t o f th e
P r e s e n t Day Club f o r one y e a r . 50 i t was " w ith r e l u c t a n c e "
t h a t th e c h u rc h a llo w e d him to d e p a r t a f t e r more th a n e i g h t
y e a r s o f s e r v i c e , 51
C hurch F i l e , R e s i g n a t i o n o f W. L. T u ck e r,
S ep tem b er 1, I 9 0 7 .
1 9 1 6 .
^7 O andee, C h u rc h , 9*
C hurch, B u l l e t i n , December 1, I 9 0 7 , F e b r u a r y 2 7 ,
R i v e r s i d e , D a ily P r e s s , F e b r u a r y 2 6 , I 9 1 6 .
5 0 G a b b e rt, H i s t o r y o f R i v e r s i d e C i t y and C o u n ty , 286.
5 1 C hu rch , R e c o r d s , R e s o l u t i o n o f F e b r u a r y 17^ 1916.
77
D u rin g t h e y e a r s c o v e re d by t h i s c h a p t e r , th e F i r s t
B a p t i s t C hurch fo llo w e d t h e t r e n d o f i n c r e a s e d p o p u l a t i o n
by i n c r e a s i n g h e r m em bership more th a n f i f t y p e r c e n t . D r.
H o lt was v e r y i n t e r e s t e d i n e v a n g e lis m , and s p e c i a l m e e tin g s
f o r t h a t p u r p o s e w ere h e ld f r e q u e n t l y d u r i n g h i s p a s t o r a t e .
From f o u r h u n d red and t w e n t y - e i g h t i n I 9 0 7 , th e number o f
members grew to s i x h u n d red and f o r t y - f o u r i n I 9 1 6 , and
many o f t h e a d d i t i o n s w ere new c o n v e r t s . 52 The p r a c t i c e o f
e x c lu d in g members f o r m is c o n d u c t a lm o s t d i s a p p e a r e d . Only
f o u r i n s t a n c e s , a l l i n th e I 9 0 9 -IO c h u rc h y e a r , b e in g
r e c o r d e d . A h e lp to b o t h p a s t o r and c o n g r e g a t i o n was th e
a d d i t i o n o f a P a s t o r ’ s A s s i s t a n t i n 1 9 1 2 - - J e s s e A. H un g ate,
an o r d a in e d m i n i s t e r and member o f th e c h u r c h . 55 U nder h i s
l e a d e r s h i p t h e B ro th e rh o o d Men* s c l a s s became one o f th e
s t r o n g e s t g ro u p s i n t h e Sunday S c h o o l. A lthou gh th e Sunday
S c h o o l d i d n o t keep up w i t h th e c h u rc h i n th e m a t t e r o f
g ro w th , f o u n d a t i o n s w ere l a i d f o r f u t u r e d e v elo p m e n t by t h e
s u c c e s s f u l c o m p le tio n o f a t h r e e - y e a r T e a c h e r T r a i n in g c o u rs e
u n d e r M iss K ate O a n d e e , a n d o t h e r s i m i l a r c o u r s e s . Work
among th e young p e o p le r e s u l t e d i n a need f o r d i v i d i n g th e
8 ^ C hu rch , R e c o r d s , S t a t i s t i c s from I 908 to I 9 1 6 .
55 C h urch, B u l l e t i n , F e b r u a r y 11, 1912.
5 4 I b i d . . J u n e 21 , 1914.
78
C h r i s t i a n E n deavor S o c i e t y i n t o two s o c i e t i e s i n 1 9 1 3 .8 8
As u s u a l , th e women c o n ti n u e d t h e i r c o n s t r u c t i v e work i n
m is s i o n s and l o c a l c h a r i t y .
The g r e a t e f f o r t o f t h e c h u rc h d u r i n g D r, H o l t ’ s
p a s t o r a t e was th e e r e c t i o n o f th e p r e s e n t c h u rc h e d i f i c e ,
e x c lu d in g th e e d u c a t i o n a l an n ex . A f t e r t h e c u sto m a ry p r e
lim i n a r y p r o v i s i o n s , work was begun by a g r o u n d - b r e a k in g
cerem ony on A ugust 18, I 9O8 .8 6 on May 2 , 1 9 0 9, one y e a r
a f t e r th e b u i l d i n g p l a n s w ere f i r s t commenced, th e d e d i
c a t i o n s e r v i c e s w ere h e ld and R i v e r s i d e B a p t i s t s had "one
o f th e m ost a t t r a c t i v e , commodious and c o m f o r ta b le p l a c e s
o f w o rs h ip t o be foun d i n t h e c i t y . "87 The b u i l d i n g was
d e d i c a t e d a lm o s t f r e e o f d e b t , b u t a s m a ll n o te a t th e bank
was n o t r e t i r e d u n t i l I 9 1 7 .8 8 The i n c r e a s e d f i n a n c i a l
r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f th e new b u i l d i n g and th e p o o r c i t r u s y e a r s
o f 1912 and 1913 c a u s e d a l i t t l e d i f f i c u l t y f o r th e t r u s t e e s ,
b u t t h e c h u rc h re s p o n d e d t o t h e i r p l e a w i t h a s p e c i a l e f f o r t
i n 1915 w hich p r a c t i c a l l y w iped o u t t h e d e b t . 89 The L a d i e s ’
85 C hurch, B u l l e t i n , 1913 A nnual R e p o rt Number.
8 6 R i v e r s i d e , D g lly P r e s s , A ugust 1 9 , I 9 0 8 .
87 I b i d . , May 3 , 1909.
8 8 C h urch , B u l l e t i n , Annual R e p o r t Number, 1917.
89 I b i d . , A nnual R e p o rt Number, 1915.
79
A id S o c i e t y p la y e d a l a r g e p a r t i n t h i s e f f o r t , even a s th e y
d i d i n p r o v i d i n g m ost o f th e f u r n i s h i n g s f o r t h e new b u i l d
in g .
N a t u r a l l y , t h e c h u rc h was p ro u d o f I t s new b u i l d i n g ,
and a rr a n g e m e n ts w ere made t o h o ld t h e a n n u a l m e e tin g o f
t h e S o u th e r n C a l i f o r n i a B a p t i s t C o n v e n tio n i n R i v e r s i d e
d u r i n g J a n u a r y , 1 9 1 0 .^ 0 T h is was t h e f i r s t tim e R i v e r s i d e
had b e en h o s t to t h a t body, b u t t h i s had b e e n due t o i n
a d e q u a te f a c i l i t i e s r a t h e r th a n a l a c k o f i n t e r e s t . D r.
H o lt was an a c t i v e and r e s p e c t e d w o rk e r i n th e c o n v e n t io n ,
on one o c c a s io n t r a v e l i n g to Orange to p r e s e n t t h e c a u s e
o f Home M is s io n s to B a p t i s t s i n t h a t c i t y . ^ ^ The c h u rc h
a l s o had laym en who w ere p ro m in e n t i n th e work o f th e co n
v e n t i o n . One o f t h e s e , J . M. D a v iso n , a n e x c e p t i o n a l l y a b l e
man who fo u n d ed and t a u g h t t h e p o w e r f u l Comrade Sunday
S c h o o l G la s s f o r many y e a r s , was p r e s i d e n t o f t h e c o n v e n tio n
w hich convened i n 1 9 1 6 .^ ^ He d e l i v e r e d su ch an a b l e a d d r e s s
a t t h a t m e e tin g t h a t he was i n v i t e d t o r e p e a t i t i n one o f
th e r e g u l a r w o rs h ip s e r v i c e s o f th e c h u rc h . One o f th e m a jo r
p r o j e c t s o f th e c o n v e n tio n d u r i n g t h i s tim e was th e
C hu rch , B u l l e t i n , A nnual R e p o rt Number, J a n . 9 ,
1 9 1 0 .
I b i d . . Ju n e 2 8 , 1914.
I b i d . . January l 6 , I 9 1 6 .
80
e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f th e U n i v e r s i t y o f R e d la n d s , The F i r s t
B a p t i s t C hurch o f R i v e r s i d e to o k up s p e c i a l o f f e r i n g s to
h e lp f i n a n c e th e b e g in n in g o f t h i s w ork and c o n ti n u e d to
c a r r y i t a s a r e g u l a r ite m o f th e b u d g e t f o r e a c h s u c c e e d
in g y e a r , ^8 and two o f th e young p e o p le w ere e n r o l l e d as
s t u d e n t s i n i t s second y e a r o f e x i s t e n c e .
An i m p o r t a n t e m p h asis o f D r. H o l t ’ s m i n i s t r y was
th e work o f f o r e i g n m i s s i o n s . Q u ite o f t e n th e e v e n in g
s e r v i c e would be d e v o te d t o some p a r t i c u l a r m is s i o n f i e l d
and th e m essage would be i l l u s t r a t e d by th e u se o f s t e r e -
o p t i c a n s l i d e s . M i s s i o n a r i e s o f th e N o r th e r n B a p t i s t
C o n v e n tio n w ere f r e q u e n t v i s i t o r s a t t h e c h u rc h , sp e a k in g
a t t h e Sunday w o rs h ip s e r v i c e s o f th e T h ursday p r a y e r m e e t
in g s i f th e y w ere i n town on th o s e d a y s and u s u a l l y b e in g
ho no red g u e s t s a t a r e c e p t i o n . D u rin g 1915> M iss K ate
Candee d e p a r t e d f o r C h in a to a c t as t e a c h e r o f some o f th e
m i s s i o n a r i e s ’ c h i l d r e n f o r a few y e a r s , and h e r l e t t e r s
added new e n th u s ia s m to th e a l r e a d y gro w in g i n t e r e s t i n
m is s i o n w o r k . ^5
M a t te r s o f s o c i a l s i g n i f i c a n c e b eg an to r e c e i v e more
4 3
C hu rch , B u l l e t i n , J a n u a r y 12 and 19, 1908.
I b i d . . S ep tem b er 2 5 , 1910.
45
I b i d . , Annual Report Number, I 915
81
a t t e n t i o n from th e c h u rc h d u r i n g t h e s e y e a r s . The B r o t h e r
hood Sunday S c h o o l c l a s s was e s p e c i a l l y a c t i v e i n t h i s r e
s p e c t , and d u r i n g 1Q1 2 , f o r exam ple, engaged i n such e f f o r t s
a s a t t e m p t s to r e g u l a t e th e c i t y ’ s p o o l rooms and th e s e c u r
in g o f employment f o r f i v e men i n n e e d .^ ^ About t h i s same
tim e th e y e n c o u ra g e d th e mayor o f R i v e r s i d e i n h i s e f f o r t s
t o e n f o r c e th e l i q u o r l a w . ^7 The women o f th e c h u rc h w ere
a c t i v e i n th e C i t y Home L e a g u e , ^8 and some o f th e a c t i v i t i e s
o f t h e young p e o p le w ere o f a d i s t i n c t l y s o c i a l n a t u r e . The
p a s t o r ’ s i n t e r e s t i n such e f f o r t s may be i l l u s t r a t e d by one
o f h i s serm on t o p i c s , "The C h ild - L a b o r P r o b l e m . "^9
The P a rk Avenue M is s io n d i e d o u t i n I 9O8 , and th e
c h u rc h t r u s t e e s d e c id e d to s e l l t h e p r o p e r t y .5 0 T h is was
p r o b a b ly due t o t h e s e t t l i n g o f t h e a r e a by N egroes who had
t h e i r own c h u r c h .51 O th e r o p e n in g s f o r s e r v i c e a r o s e to
r e p l a c e t h e P a rk Avenue w ork, b u t none o f them gave such
e x t e n s i v e o p p o r t u n i t i e s a s t h e m i s s i o n had o f f e r e d . I n
C hu rch , B u l l e t i n , Annual R e p o r t Number, 1912.
^7 C h urch, F i l e , u n d a te d r e s o l u t i o n o f 1912-13 ,
^8 C hu rch , B u l l e t i n , Ju n e 4 , 19I 6 .
^9 I b i d . , November 2 9 , I 9 0 8 .
5 0 ]vîps. O sborne i n a p r i v a t e c o n v e r s a t i o n , A ugu st 13,
1950.
5 ^ In 1 9 1 4, th e c h u rc h h e lp e d t h e s e p e o p le g a t h e r
f u n d s f o r th e im provem ent o f t h e i r b u i l d i n g . C hu rch , B u l l e t i n ,
May 1 7 , 1 9 1 4.
82
c o n n e c ti o n w i t h th e o t h e r R i v e r s i d e P r o t e s t a n t g r o u p s , th e
c h u rc h h e lp e d e s t a b l i s h a C h r i s t i a n w o rk e r a t Sherman I n s t i
t u t e , 5^ and s u p p o r te d t h o s e e f f o r t s f i n a n c i a l l y y e a r by
y e a r . I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o n o te i n c o n n e c ti o n w i t h t h i s
w ork t h a t t h e c h u rc h s e n t a t y p i c a l l y B a p t i s t r e s o l u t i o n to
P r e s i d e n t T a ft5 5
t h a t t h e s a c r e d d o c t r i n e o f s o u l l i b e r t y and
t h e f u n d a m e n ta l p r i n c i p l e o f o u r go v ern m en t o f
th e s e p a r a t i o n o f c h u rc h and s t a t e may be i n v i o l
a t e and t h a t so t h e r e be no r e l i g i o u s d i s t i n c t i o n s
f e a t u r e d i n o u r g ov ernm en t I n d i a n S c h o o ls w h e th e r
t h o s e d i s t i n c t i o n s be B a p t i s t o r R o m a n ist.
P r o j e c t s a b o u t w hich t h e r e i s l i t t l e i n f o r m a t i o n , such a s a
r e s c u e m is s i o n and a c i t y m i s s i o n a r y , w ere a l s o h e lp e d by
g ro u p s i n t h e c h u rc h . An e f f o r t t o h e lp " s h u t - i n s " was made
by i n s t a l l i n g a t r a n s m i t t e r i n f r o n t o f th e p u l p i t so t h a t
th e y c o u ld l i s t e n to th e s e r v i c e s a t home o v e r t h e i r t e l e
p h o n e s .54
S om ething o f th e c h a r a c t e r o f t h e c h u rc h and th e
q u a l i t y o f l a y l e a d e r s h i p i t e n jo y e d may be s e e n by sc a n n in g
th e l i s t s o f o f f i c e r s d u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d . Among t h e more
p ro m in e n t w ere J . T. L aw ler and H arry O re e, who o c c u p ie d
r e s p o n s i b l e m u n ic ip a l o f f i c e s ; E. 0. R i c k a r d , G len Chapman,
52 C hurch, B u l l e t i n , J a n u a r y 2 6 , I 9 0 8 .
55 C hurch, R e c o r d s , A p r i l 2 , I 9 1 2 ,
5 4 C h urch, B u l l e t i n , November 2 8 , 1909»
83
and ¥ . T. D insm ore, who w ere among th e f i n a n c i a l l e a d e r s o f
th e comm unity; and A. M. Lewis and W a lte r D. C l a r k , o u t
s t a n d in g b u s i n e s s men. i^ o n g th e women, two fo rm e r p a s t o r s *
widows, Mrs. B u tto n and Mrs. T a y lo r , w ere l e a d e r s i n b o t h
c h u rc h and com m unity.55 Of c o u r s e , t h e r e w ere many l e a d e r s
i n th e c h u rc h who w ere n o t p ro m in e n t i n th e l i f e o f th e
com m unity, b u t t h e s e y e a r s seem to be a h ig h p o i n t i n t h a t
r e s p e c t .
D u rin g th e p a s t o r a t e o f D r. H o l t , many o f th e o l d -
tim e members p a s s e d away, and th e second g e n e r a t i o n l e a d e r
s h i p was assu m in g more im p o r ta n c e , C a p t. J . T. L a w le r,
f a i t h f u l and e f f i c i e n t i n f i n a n c i a l m a t t e r s , h e lp e d g u id e
th e c h u rc h th ro u g h t h e b u i l d i n g p ro g ram s o f 1904 and I 9 0 9 ,
and a f t e r h i s d e a t h i n I 9 1 0 , th e c h u rc h d e d i c a t e d one o f
th e c o l o r e d windows i n th e m ain a u d i t o r i u m a s a m em orial t o
h im . 5 6 I n I 912 t h e f i r s t p a s t o r , M. V. W rig h t, d i e d , 57 and
t h r e e y e a r s l a t e r he was f o llo w e d by D. C. Twogood, a n o t h e r
c h a r t e r member who had s e r v e d a s d e a c o n s i n c e th e c h u rc h * s
f o u n d i n g . 5 8 As I 9 1 6 a p p ro a c h e d , th e F i r s t B a p t i s t C hurch
o f R i v e r s i d e c o n ti n u e d to grow , and t h i s f a c t , p ro m is e d new
l e a d e r s h i p and th e new e n th u s ia s m o f th e y o u n g e r g e n e r a t i o n .
55 G a b b e rt, H i s t o r y o f R i v e r s i d e C i t y and C o u n ty , 2 9 6 ,7
5 6 C h u rch , B u l l e t i n , December 4 , 1910,
57 I b i d . , F e b r u a r y 11, 1912.
5 8 I b i d . , F e b r u a r y 2 1 , 1915.
CHAPTER VI
WORLD WAR I AND AFTER
Of suprem e s i g n i f i c a n c e f o r a l l A m ericans d u r i n g th e
p e r i o d I 9 1 6- I 924 was th e f a c t t h a t t h e U n ite d S t a t e s was f o r
two y e a r s en gaged i n a g r e a t w ar. The econom ic l i f e o f th e
n a t i o n was a f f e c t e d by t h e g ro w th o f w a rtim e i n d u s t r i e s and
t h e g o v e rn m e n t-s p o n s o r e d bond d r i v e s and fo o d cam paigns to
a i d th e war e f f o r t . To many f a m i l i e s , t h e s e e x t e r n a l m ani
f e s t a t i o n s w ere o f s m a ll im p o rta n c e i n r e l a t i o n to th e
d e p a r t u r e o f lo v e d ones f o r th e armed f o r c e s . A f t e r t h e
w ar, t h e p ro b lem s o f r e a d j u s t m e n t o c c u p ie d s e v e r a l y e a r s
b e f o r e t h a t s t r a n g e e r a c a l l e d "n o rm alcy " was u s h e r e d i n .
B o th d u r i n g and a f t e r t h e w ar, d e v a s t a t e d a r e a s o f th e w o rld
c a l l e d f o r s p e c i a l a t t e n t i o n , and r e l i e f p r o j e c t s f o r A rm enia,
B elgium , and o t h e r n a t i o n s w ere th e o r d e r o f th e day .
Of c o u r s e . R i v e r s i d e fou nd i t s p l a c e i n th e b u s t l e o f
w a rtim e a c t i v i t y . T h ro u g h o u t C a l i f o r n i a , m a n u f a c tu r in g
f a c i l i t i e s w ere expanded t o t h e i r l i m i t s , ^ and R i v e r s i d e was
a f f e c t e d , a l t h o u g h n o t a s much as some o t h e r c o m m u n itie s.
Her m a n u f a c tu r in g wage e a r n e r s c lim b e d from 277 i n 1914 to
421 i n 1 9 1 9, and th e number had d ro p p e d o n ly to 402 by 1 9 2 5. “
^ C le la n d and H ardy, March o f I n d u s t r y , 147.
^ I b i d . . 2 6 5 .
85
The t o t a l v a lu e o f m a n u f a c tu r e d goods m a i n t a i n e d a c o n s t a n t
i n c r e a s e d u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d , and th e a b s e n c e o f any s p e c t a
c u l a r boom made th e tim e o f p o s t - w a r r e a d j u s t m e n t l e s s
d i f f i c u l t th a n i t m ig h t o t h e r w i s e have b e e n . The p o p u l a t i o n
i n c r e a s e d slo w ly p r i o r t o 1 9 2 0, r e a c h i n g 1 9 ,3 4 1 i n t h a t
y e a r . 5
The war made a t l e a s t one p e rm a n e n t c o n t r i b u t i o n to
R i v e r s i d e - - a n a i r - f o r c e b a s e . T h is b a se i s l o c a t e d a b o u t
t e n m i l e s s o u t h e a s t o f R i v e r s i d e , and i t was a c t i v a t e d on
March 6 , 1918, a s M arch F i e l d . 4 Many young men w ere b r o u g h t
to R i v e r s i d e a s a r e s u l t , and th e community as a w hole was
c h a l le n g e d to do so m eth in g f o r t h e i r w e l f a r e . About a y e a r
l a t e r t h e S e c r e t a r y o f War announced t h a t March F i e l d would
be a p e rm a n e n t b a s e , 5 and s i n c e t h a t tim e R i v e r s i d e has b e en
to some e x t e n t a n army tow n, w i t h a l l th e p ro b lem s and
econom ic a d v a n ta g e s o f t h a t s t a t u s .
The l i q u o r p ro b le m was coming to a h e a d , and th e p r o
h i b i t i o n p e o p le w ere g e t t i n g t h e b e s t o f th e a rg u m e n t. As
one m ig h t e x p e c t . R i v e r s i d e , t h e s a l o o n - l e s s c i t y , s u p p o r te d
t h e p ro p o s e d E i g h t e e n t h .(Amendment. However, s i n c e th e
8 Chamber o f Commerce, F a c t s , 1 9 5 0 , 21.
^ I b i d . . 13.
5 R i v e r s i d e , D a ily P r e s s . March 19, 1919.
8 6
p ro b le m was n o t a v i t a l one i n th e c i t y i t s e l f , i t d i d n o t
a r o u s e th e same e n th u s ia s m t h a t i t had i n th e n i n e t i e s .
R a l l i e s w ere h e ld i n s u p p o r t o f p r o h i b i t i o n , how ever, and
i t s b a c k e r s h e ld j u b i l a n t c e l e b r a t i o n s a f t e r th e v i c t o r i o u s
e l e c t i o n .
D u rin g t h e s e y e a r s th e c i t r u s i n d u s t r y c o n tin u e d to
be th e backbone o f R i v e r s i d e * s economy. I t a l s o m a i n t a i n e d
i t s phenonm enal g ro w th th r o u g h o u t th e s t a t e , 6 e l o q u e n t l y
t e s t i f y i n g to th e p r o f i t a b l e r e t u r n s i t b r o u g h t to i n v e s t o r s .
The d e v e lo p m e n t o f th e lemon i n d u s t r y , w h ich had b e en s t a r t
ed somewhat l a t e r th a n th e o ra n g e i n d u s t r y , showed a p a r t i
c u l a r l y r a p i d im provem ent. As one o f th e o l d e s t c i t r u s
c e n t e r s . R i v e r s i d e was e n jo y in g a b u n d a n t re w a rd s f o r i t s
l a b o r . At th e b e g in n in g o f t h i s p e r i o d i t c o n ta in e d f o u r
t e e n p a c k in g h o u se s to p r o c e s s t h e f r u i t grown i n th e a r e a . 7
A t l i r i v i n g a g r i c u l t u r a l com m unity, b e n e f i t t e d e c o n o m ic a lly
more th a n i t was harmed by t h e w ar, i t was e n t e r i n g i n t o an
e r a o f h i t h e r t o u n s u r p a s s e d p r o s p e r i t y .
An i m p o r t a n t comm unity p r o j e c t o f th e im m ediate
p o s t - w a r p e r i o d was t h e e r e c t i o n o f a new h o s p i t a l . The
o ld R i v e r s i d e H o s p i t a l b u i l t i n 1903> was f a r from
^ O le la n d and H ard y, March o f I n d u s t r y , 106 f f .
7 Chamber o f Commerce, R i v e r s i d e , C a l i f o r n i a , 1£1£,
i n L i b r a r y H i s t o r i c a l C o l l e c t i o n .
87
s u f f i c i e n t f o r th e g ro w in g c i t y , h a v in g f a c i l i t i e s f o r o n ly
t w e n t y - f i v e p a t i e n t s . R e a l i z i n g t h i s f a c t , c i v i c l e a d e r s
f o s t e r e d a fu n d r a i s i n g cam paign t o p r o v i d e f o r a new h o s p i
t a l . T h e ir cam paign was s u c c e s s f u l , and t h e $30 0,00 0
Community H o s p i t a l , w i t h w ix ty b e d s and modern e q u ip m e n t,
was c o m p le te d i n 1 9 2 5 .8 a l a t e r w r i t e r i n d i s c u s s i n g th e
h o s p i t a l ’ s " r i o t o f sp a c e and t h e d i s d a i n o f economy" co n
c lu d e d t h a t i t "was b o r n o u t o f th e e n th u s ia s m o f t h e p o s t
w ar u rg e f o r m a g n i f ic e n c e , i f n o t p e r f e c t i o n . "9
The u n e x p e c te d r e s i g n a t i o n o f D r. H o lt to o k th e c h u rc h
members by s u r p r i s e , b u t th e y soon r a l l i e d th e m s e lv e s and
b e g an to lo o k f o r a new p a s t o r . The s e a r c h l e d to D r. H a rry
A. Boardman o f W a lla W a lla , W ash in g to n , who assum ed th e
p a s t o r a l d u t i e s i n S e p te m b e r, 1 9 1 6 .IO D r. Boardman was an
o u t s t a n d i n g s p e a k e r whose e d u c a t i o n a l b ack g ro u n d a s a c o l l e g e
p r e s i d e n t m a n i f e s te d i t s e l f i n h i s a c t i v i t i e s w h ile a t
R i v e r s i d e . H o w e v e r , a f t e r two and a h a l f y e a r s as p a s t o r ,
he r e s i g n e d to become m anaging s e c r e t a r y o f th e R i v e r s i d e
^ G a b b e r t, H i s t o r y , 43.
9 G. B. M angold, A S o c i a l S u rv ey o f R i v e r s i d e ,
C a l i f o r n i a , 6.
C hu rch , B u l l e t i n , S ep tem b er 3> 1916.
C hu rch , R e c o r d s , P u l p i t Com m ittee R e p o r t, May 14,
1 9 1 6.
88
Chamber o f C o m m e r c e , D u r i n g th e n e x t t h r e e y e a r s he co n
t i n u e d to be a c t i v e i n th e w ork o f th e c h u r c h , b u t e a r l y i n
1922 he r e q u e s t e d a l e t t e r o f d i s m i s s a l so t h a t he m ig h t
e n t e r a n o th e r d e n o m i n a t i o n .15 The r e a s o n f o r t h i s a c t i o n
was t h a t he had a d o p te d l i b e r a l t h e o l o g i c a l v iew s and was
th u s " q u i t e o u t o f harmony w i t h p r e v a i l i n g s t a n d a r d s o f
d o c t r i n a l r e g u l a r i t y B a p t i s t i c a l l y ," The c h u rc h g r a n t e d h i s
r e q u e s t and m e n tio n e d i t s r e s p e c t f o r "a man who, no lo n g e r
a B a p t i s t , has th e c o u ra g e to say s o . "^4
H is s u c c e s s o r , t h e Rev. Mr. R ic h a r d E l l s w o r t h Day,
came from San D iego to t a k e up th e work o f p a s t o r on A p r i l
2 0 , 1919*^5 Mr. Day was a v e r y e n e r g e t i c w o r k e r , a c t i v e i n
c i v i c and r e l i g i o u s work beyond th e c o n f i n e s o f th e l o c a l
c h u rc h . He was i n c o n s t a n t demand a s a s p e a k e r , b o t h i n
and o u t o f R i v e r s i d e , y e t he was even a b l e t o se r y e f o r a
tim e a s S o u tm a s te r o f one o f th e c h u r c h ’ s S c o u t t r o o p s .
When he r e s i g n e d on November 4 , 1923^ to go t o P h o e n ix ,
A riz o n a , a s p a s t o r , i t was w i t h " d e e p e s t r e g r e t " t h a t th e
1 p
C hurch, R e c o r d s , D r. Boardman* s S ta te m e n t o f
November 2 4, I 9 I 8 .
^8 I b i d . , D r. Boardman*s S ta te m e n t o f J a n u a r y 19,
1 9 2 2.
14
C hu rch , B u l l e t i n , J a n u a r y 2 2 , 1922,
15 I b i d . , A p r i l 2 0 , 1919.
89
c h u rc h a llo w e d him to d e p a r t .
D r. Boardman* s p a s t o r a t e found th e c h u rc h g r e a t l y
c o n c e rn e d w i t h demands p l a c e d upon i t by th e w ar. The s a l e
o f L i b e r t y Bonds and th e a p p e a ls o f Red G ross and Y.M.C.A.
w ar work a l l r e c e i v e d t h e s u p p o r t o f t h e c h u r c h . ^7 When
c a l l s f o r A rm enian, S y r i a n , B elgium , and E u ro p ean r e l i e f
b e g an to come i n , t h e s e , t o o , w ere a n sw ered by s p e c i a l
c o l l e c t i o n s f o r t h a t p u r p o s e . ^8 The p r e s e n c e o f March F i e l d
gave th e c h u rc h an o p p o r t u n i t y f o r s e r v i c e c l o s e r to home,
and th e young p e o p le r e s p o n d e d by f i t t i n g up a S e r v i c e Men’ s
Club i n t h e b a sem e n t o f th e c h u rc h b u i l d i n g . D r. Boardman
was a p p o in te d camp p a s t o r a t t h e a i r f i e l d , b u t b e f o r e he
c o u ld b e g in any work t h e r e , th e p o s i t i o n was a b o l i s h e d by
a u t h o r i t i e s i n W ash in g to n . B e fo re t h e c o n f l i c t en d ed , s ix ty -
one o f th e young men o f th e c h u rc h had e n t e r e d t h e armed
f o r c e s , and th e c h u rc h r e j o i c e d i n th e f a c t t h a t th e y a l l
r e t u r n e d a f t e r th e end o f th e h o s t i l i t i e s . one i n c i d e n t
o f th e w a rtim e y e a r s , t h e i n f l u e n z a e p id e m ic , c a u se d an
1A
C hu rch , R e c o r d s , November 4, 1923.
IT C h u rch , B u l l e t i n , Ju n e 10, 1917.
^8 I b i d . , Annual R e p o rt Number, 1917, and J a n u a r y
9 , 1921.
I b i d . . 1918.
I b i d . , Annual Report Number, 1919-
90
" u n p r e c e d e n te d i n t e r r u p t i o n " o f th e w o rs h ip s e r v i c e s .
A f t e r f o u r w eeks, th e e p id e m ic had se e m in g ly r u n i t s c o u r s e ,
and t h e c h u rc h met a g a i n f o r w o r s h ip . However, th e Board
o f H e a l t h soon p r o h i b i t e d s e r v i c e s a g a i n , and th e work o f
t h e c h u rc h was c a r r i e d on l a r g e l y th r o u g h a p a s t o r a l l e t t e r
f o r s e v e r a l w eeks.
D u rin g th e y e a r s I 9 1 6 - I 9 2 3 , t h e p r o h i b i t i o n f i g h t
was w axing h o t and h e av y , and th e F i r s t B a p t i s t C hurch o f
R i v e r s i d e p i t c h e d i n to do i t s s h a r e . V a r io u s r a l l i e s and
mass m e e tin g s w ere a d v e r t i s e d i n t h e B u l l e t i n , and g e n e ro u s
s u p p o r t was g i v e n to t h e work o f th e W .C .T.U .^^ When.
P r e s i d e n t W ilso n p ro p o s e d th e r e p e a l o f th e w a r - tim e p r o
h i b i t i o n a c t r e g a r d i n g w ine and b e e r , a r e s o l u t i o n o p p o sin g
su ch a c t i o n was p a s s e d to send to R e p r s e n t a t i v e K e t t n e r
i n W a s h i n g t o n , a f t e r a n o t h e r r e s o l u t i o n had b e e n p a s s e d
e a r l i e r i n f a v o r o f th e E i g h t e e n t h Amendment.^5 Even th e
p a s s a g e o f th e V o l s t e a d Act d i d n o t end t h e b a t t l e , f o r th e
n e x t two s t a t e e l e c t i o n s w ere m arked by a t t e m p t s to r e n d e r
PI
C hu rch , B u l l e t i n , A nnual R e p o rt Number, November
1 0 , 1 9 1 8.
P2
C hurch, F i l e , L e t t e r from D r. Boardmian to th e
c h u rc h m em bers, December 1 2 , I 9 1 8 .
C hurch, B u l l e t i n , March 2 1, 1920.
C h u rch , F i l e , R e s o l u t i o n o f May 24, 1919*
Church, R ecords, November 2 5 , 1917*
91
p r o h i b i t i o n u n o p e r a t i v e , and members o f th e c h u rc h w ere
u rg e d to c a s t t h e i r v o t e s a g a i n s t th e l i q u o r i n t e r e s t s a t
pA
t h e p o l l s .
E s p e c i a l l y d u r i n g Mr, Day’ s p a s t o r a t e , th e c h u rc h
p la y e d an i m p o r t a n t p a r t i n th e work o f th e S o u th e r n
C a l i f o r n i a B a p t i s t C o n v e n tio n . He was i n f r e q u e n t demand
a s a s p e a k e r f o r t h e v a r i o u s r a l l i e s o f young p e o p l e ’ s and
o t h e r g r o u p s , and t o g e t h e r w i t h o t h e r members o f th e c h u rc h
he s e r v e d a s an o f f i c e r i n th e c o n v e n t i o n . ^7 D r. Boardm an’ s
p r e v i o u s e x p e r i e n c e a s a c o l l e g e p r e s i d e n t was p u t t o use
by h i s f e l l o w B a p t i s t s , and he s e rv e d a s a t r u s t e e o f th e
U n i v e r s i t y o f R e d l a n d s . A h i g h p o i n t i n c o o p e r a t i o n w i t h
o t h e r B a p t i s t s was r e a c h e d i n I 920 when t h e c h u rc h o v e r s u b
s c r i b e d i t s $ 6 8 ,0 0 0 q u o ta i n th e "New W orld Movement" o f
t h e N o r th e r n B a p t i s t C o n v e n tio n .
I f th e c h u rc h was a c t i v e i n i t s a s s o c i a t i o n s w i t h
o t h e r B a p t i s t s , i t was no l e s s a c t i v e as a v i t a l p a r t o f th e
c i t y o f R i v e r s i d e . Twice d u r in g t h e s e e i g h t y e a r s th e
a n n u a l M em orial Day s e r v i c e was h e ld w i t h t h e B a p t i s t c h u rc h
C hu rch , B u l l e t i n . O c to b e r 2 4 , 1920, and O c to b e r
1 3, 1 9 2 2.
I b i d . , J a n u a r y 18, 1920.
I b i d . . June 29, 1919.
^9 I b i d . , May 1 6 , I 9 2 0 .
92
- - t h e p a s t o r s b r i n g i n g th e m e s s a g e . T h e Chamber o f
Commerce t e s t i f i e d to Dr. Boardman*s v a lu e a s a c i v i c l e a d e r
by c h o o s in g him a s i t s m anaging s e c r e t a r y i n I 9 1 8 . D uring
Mr. Day* s p a s t o r a t e , th e v a r i o u s program s f o r c i v i c b e t t e r
ment r e c e i v e d ample a t t e n t i o n i n th e p u l p i t and i n th e
B u l l e t i n . Wlien fu n d s w ere b e in g r a i s e d f o r t h e Community
H o s p i t a l , a p a r t o f one Sunday m orning s e r v i c e was g iv e n to
a p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h a t c a u s e . S e r v i c e c lu b s w ere a lm o s t a
f a d d u r in g t h i s tim e , and when th e K iw anis Club was o r g a n iz e d
i n R i v e r s i d e , Mr. Day and s e v e r a l o t h e r members o f th e
c h u rc h w ere c h a r t e r members.
The m a jo r d e n o m in a tio n s i n R i v e r s i d e c o n tin u e d to
m a n i f e s t a c o o p e r a t i v e s p i r i t and worked t o g e t h e r i n many
ways. U nion o r g a n i z a t i o n s o f men, women, and young p e o p le
c o n ti n u e d to f u n c t i o n w i t h g ro u p s from th e F i r s t B a p t i s t
C h u rc h a s p a r t i c i p a n t s . One o f th e m a jo r c o o p e r a t i v e p r o
j e c t s was th e P r o t e s t a n t work a t Sherman I n s t i t u t e . The
c h u rc h e s o f R i v e r s i d e s u p p o r te d a C h r i s t i a n w o rk e r f o r th e
s c h o o l , and Miss E d i t h Menzer o f th e B a p t i s t c h u rc h f i l l e d
C h urch , B u l l e t i n . May 27 , 1917 and May 2 2, 1922.
I b i d . , F e b r u a r y 2 1 , 1921.
K iw anis Club C h a r t e r N ig h t P rogram , A p r il 23 , 1921,
i n W a lte r D. C lark* s s c r a p b ook.
9 :5
th e p o s i t i o n f o r some t i m e L a t e r , th e need f o r a "build
in g was f e l t , and a f u n d - r a i s i n g cam paign was h e ld f o r t h i s
p u r p o s e , i n w hich th e c h u rc h c o n t r i b u t e d f r e e l y . D u r i n g
t h e w ar, th e p a s t o r o f th e C o n g r e g a t io n a l c h u rc h e n t e r e d
Red C ro ss w ork, and D r. Boardman s u g g e s te d t h a t some o f th e
c h u rc h e s u n i t e " f o r th e d u r a t i o n . T h e C o n g r e g a t i o n a l i s t s
and P r e s b y t e r i a n s gave t h e i d e a s e r i o u s c o n s i d e r a t i o n , b u t
t h e B a p t i s t s soon w ith d rew from th e p ro p o s e d u n io n .
R i v e r s i d e B a p t i s t s had alw ays b e en i n t e r e s t e d i n
C h r i s t i a n m is s io n w ork, and one o f th e b i g g e s t p r o j e c t s o f
t h e war and p o s t - w a r e r a w ere th e s c h o o ls o f m is s i o n s w hich
t h e c h u rc h c o n d u c te d . G l a s s e s w ere h e ld f o r s i x Sunday
n i g h t s i n s u c c e s s i o n b e f o r e th e e v e n in g s e r v i c e . I n t e r e s t
was h ig h i n t h e s e s c h o o l s , and i n 1919 th e a v e r a g e a t t e n d a n c e
was 2 1 6 .^ ^ B e s id e s d e e p e n in g th e i n t e r e s t i n home and
f o r e i g n m is s i o n e n d e a v o r, work was a c c o m p lis h e d o f p r a c t i c a l
im p o rta n c e to th e R i v e r s i d e a r e a . A c l a s s f o r men p r e p a r i n g
f o r c i t i z e n s h i p p a p e r s was o ffered , i n th e 1919 s c h o o l ,^ ? and
C hu rch , B u l l e t i n . March I 8 , 1917.
I b i d . . A nnual R e p o rt Number, November 11, 1923.
N ewspaper c l i p p i n g o f J a n u a r y 5^ 1918, i n C la r k * s
s c r a p book.
C hu rch, B u l l e t i n . December 2 8 , 1919.
I b i d . , November 3 0 , 19^9.
94
b e f o r e t h e s e s s i o n was o v e r i t was d e c id e d to a s s i s t i n
e f f o r t s underway among M exicans a t H ig h g ro v e , " i n v o l v i n g
Sunday S c h o o l t e a c h e r s and s e t t l e m e n t ty p e o f s o c i a l w o rk ." ^ ^
V a r io u s d e p a r tm e n ts o f th e c h u rc h c o n ti n u e d t o c a r r y
o u t work o f a d i s t i n c t l y s o c i a l n a t u r e i n t h e comm unity.
The L adies* Aid was e s p e c i a l l y a c t i v e i n t h i s ty p e o f w ork,
g i v i n g c l o t h e s to t h e C i ty Home League and h e l p i n g needy
f a m i l i e s i t c o n t a c t e d i n o t h e r ways. D u rin g 1922 th e y had
a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e i n t h e League who gave th e r e s t o f th e
s o c i e t y a d e e p e r i n t e r e s t i n th e work t h e r e . 59 The B r o t h e r
hood c l a s s seems to have had i t s ups and dow ns, b u t a t
tim e s i t was q u i t e a c t i v e i n h e lp i n g some o f t h e s i c k and
u n e m p l o y e d . I n t h e p a g e s o f th e B u l l e t i n a n o te o c c a s i o n
a l l y a p p e a r s a b o u t t h e Negro c h u rc h e s i n tow n, and one o f
t h e s e i s r a t h e r i n f o r m a t i v e a s to t h e c o o p e r a t i o n g iv e n by
t h e F i r s t c h u rc h t o t h e i r b r e t h r e n .
On T h ursday e v e n in g o f t h i s week we w i l l h o ld no
P r a y e r S e r v i c e , o u r m e e tin g b e in g m erged w i t h th e
s e s s i o n s o f th e C a l i f o r n i a G e n e ra l B a p t i s t C o n v e n tio n ,
(N e g ro ), w hich i s u s in g t h i s b u i l d i n g d u r i n g th e t h r e e
d a y s , J u l y 1 -3 . By unanim ous and c o r d i a l v o t e we have
e x te n d e d to t h e s e b r e t h r e n th e u se o f o u r e d i f i c e • • •
Come T hu rsday and e n jo y t h e s e r v i c e s w i t h them.
C h urch , B u l l e t i n . December 19, 1919*
59 I b i d . . A nnual R e p o r t Number, 1922.
I b i d . , A nnual R e p o rt Number, I 9 1 8 .
I b i d . , Ju n e 2 9 , 1919.
95
The F i r s t B a p t i s t Church, I 9O9 - I 9 2 8
The F i r s t B a p t i s t Church Today

96
U nder Mr. Day t h e p ro g ram f o r young p e o p le was e n
l a r g e d and seems t o have b e e n f i l l e d w i t h new l i f e . One o f
h i s f i r s t p r o p o s a l s was t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n o f Boy S c o u t
T r o o p s . T h e r e a f t e r , t h e c h u rc h m a in ta in e d one to t h r e e
t r o o p s w here r e l i g i o u s t r a i n i n g was added to th e g e n e r a l
p ro g ram o f s c o u t i n g . By 1920 th e p a s t o r was a b l e to r e p o r t
t h a t th e c h u rc h was " l i t e r a l l y a t h r o b w i t h young l i f e . "^5
Among th e g ro u p s m e n tio n e d a t t h i s tim e w ere th e B a p t i s t
Young P e o p le * s U nion , w h ich has become th e second s t r o n g e s t
young p e o p le * s s o c i e t y i n R i v e r s i d e , an o r c h e s t r a , th e Boy
S c o u t s , and a p ro p o s e d boys* c h o i r . I n 1919 th e c h u rc h ,
f o r e s e e i n g a f u t u r e e d u c a t i o n a l a d d i t i o n , b o u g h t th e v a c a n t
l o t n e x t t o t h e b u i l d i n g , a n d i n 1921 i t was made i n t o a
r e c r e a t i o n c o u r t , ^5 One c a n im ag in e t h a t i t was u se d f r e e l y
by th e grow ing g ro u p o f young p e o p le and was an a s s e t to t h e
community a s w e l l a s t h e c h u rc h .
D u rin g D r. Boardman*s p a s t o r a t e th e c h u rc h d i d n o t
e x p e r i e n c e th e norm al g ro w th i t had b e e n u se d to u n d e r D r.
H o l t , a s he was " u n a b le to command th e u n i t e d and
iiP
C h u rch , B u l l e t i n , A nnual R e p o rt Number, 1919#
^5 I b i d . . Annual R e p o rt Number, 1920.
C hu rch, R e c o r d s , A s s o c i a t i o n a l L e t t e r f o r 1919*
C h urch , B u l l e t i n , A p r i l 24, 1921.
97
e n t h u s i a s t i c f o l l o w i n g and c o o p e r a t i o n o f h i s c o n g re g a
t i o n . " ^ ^ W ith th e coming o f Mr. Day, how ever, a g r e a t
p e r i o d o f e x p a n s io n b e g a n . U nder h i s l e a d e r s h i p th e member
s h ip grew from 622 t o 8 l 7 . ^ ? T h is p e r i o d was one o f g r e a t
f i n a n c i a l s u c c e s s i n t h e c h u r c h . Many a p p e a ls f o r s p e c i a l
o f f e r i n g s w ere made f o r u n e x p e c te d p u r p o s e s , b u t th e y w ere
alw ays m et, se e m in g ly w i t h o u t i n j u r y to t h e l o c a l b u d g e t.
An i n d i c a t i o n o f th e f i n a n c i a l s t a t u s o f th e c o n g r e g a t i o n
and o f R i v e r s i d e , p r o b a b l y , i s th e s a l a r y p a id to th e
p a s t o r d u r i n g t h e s e y e a r s . The l a s t y e a r l y s a l a r y p a i d to
Dr. H o lt was n i n e t e e n h u ndred d o l l a r s ; t h i s i n c r e a s e d to
t w e n t y - f i v e h u n d red d o l l a r s when D r. Boardman came; and i t
had r e a c h e d t h i r t y - s i x h u n d red d o l l a r s by th e c l o s e o f Mr.
D a y 's p a s t o r a t e . I f th e c h u rc h was n o t w e a lth y , i t was
a t l e a s t a b l e to p r o v i d e f o r i t s own need s and g i v e g e n e ro u s
s u p p o r t t o B a p t i s t m is s i o n s and o t h e r w o rth y c a u s e s . The
grow ing m em bership, good f i n a n c i a l c o n d i t i o n , i n c r e a s i n g
i n t e r e s t o f young p e o p le , and t h e c h u r c h 's a w a re n e s s o f
w o rld and l o c a l n eed s h e ld much p ro m is e f o r th e f u t u r e .
C hu rch , R e c o r d s , D r. B o a rd m a n 's s t a t e m e n t o f
November 2 4, 1918.
^7 C hu rch , B u l l e t i n , A nnual R e p o rt Numbers, 1918 and
1 9 2 3 .
^8 I b i d . , A nnual R e p o rt Numbers, 1915, 1916, and 1923
CHAPTER V II
PROSPERITY AND DEPRESSION
The p r o s p e r i t y o f t h e p o s t - w a r p e r i o d was o b v io u s i n
s o u t h e r n C a l i f o r n i a by 1924. I n f a c t , i t was r e a c h i n g su c h
a p e a k t h a t th e y e a r s p r i o r t o I 929 have b e en com pared to
th e boom y e a r s o f I 887 and 1 8 8 8 .^ An e f f o r t by th e Chamber
o f Commerce to l o c a t e more i n d u s t r y i n R i v e r s i d e seems t o
have b e e n m e e tin g w i t h some s u c c e s s , f o r a v a r i e t y o f
a r t i c l e s i n c l u d i n g to y b a l l o o n s , m a t t r e s s e s , cem ent and
p e rfu m e , w ere b e in g made i n o r n e a r th e c i t y by 1 9 2 6. ^ W ith
t h e a u to m o b ile becom ing more and more e s s e n t i a l to C a l i f o r n i a
economy, t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t r a n s c o n t i n e n t a l highway 60
th r o u g h t h e c i t y i n t h e l a t e t w e n t i e s made a n i m p o r ta n t
c o n t r i b u t i o n t o i t s d e v e lo p m e n t.5 An i n d i c a t i o n o f i t s
p r o s p e r i t y may be se e n i n t h e v a l u a t i o n o f n i n e t e e n m i l l i o n
d o l l a r s a s s e s s e d i n 1 9 5 0. ^
When t h e s t o c k m a rk e t c r a s h e d i n 1929, R i v e r s i d e was
n o t a s s e r i o u s l y a f f e c t e d a s some o t h e r p a r t s o f th e
^ C l e l a n d , Our Tim e, 126.
2 The R i v e r s i d e r , S e p te m b e r, I 9 2 6 , i n Chamber o f
Commerce P i l e , R i v e r s i d e P u b l i c L i b r a r y .
5 G a b b e rt. H i s t o r y , 146 f f .
^ Chamber o f Commerce, P a c t s , 1950.
99
c o u n t r y . 5 Some p r i v a t e f o r t u n e s w ere w iped o u t , b u t t h e
d e p r e s s i o n d i d n o t become w id e s p r e a d u n t i l a b o u t 1 9 3 2.
Economic c o n d i t i o n s grew i n c r e a s i n g l y w o rs e , how ever, and
r e a c h e d t h e i r lo w e s t p o i n t i n 1935* D u rin g t h a t y e a r a l
m ost o n e - t h i r d o f th e p o p u l a t i o n o f R i v e r s i d e County was on
r e l i e f , and t h r e e - f o u r t h s o f t h e r e l i e f e r s w ere e s t a b l i s h e d
c o u n ty r e s i d e n t s . By 1934, t h e a s s e s s e d v a l u a t i o n o f th e
c i t y had d ro p p e d t o l e s s t h a n f i f t e e n m i l l i o n d o l l a r s . ^
The p o p u l a t i o n o f s o u t h e r n C a l i f o r n i a i n c r e a s e d by
l e a p s and bounds a f t e r th e w a r, and R i v e r s i d e was a b l e to
f o l lo w s u i t . D u rin g th e t w e n t i e s i t e n jo y e d a f i f t y p e r
c e n t a d v a n c e , g o in g from n i n e t e e n th o u s a n d t o t w e n ty - n in e
t h o u s a n d ,? and by 1930 i t was th e c e n t e r o f a t r a d e a r e a o f
s i x t y th o u sa n d p e o p l e . 8 Even th e d e p r e s s i o n c o u ld n o t s to p
t h e flo w o f p e o p le to th e la n d o f s u n s h in e and o r a n g e s ,
a l t h o u g h i t d i d slow down t h e r a t e o f flo w a l i t t l e . R i v e r
s i d e ' s p o p u l a t i o n c o n ti n u e d to i n c r e a s e , a l b e i t more s lo w ly ,
and r e a c h e d 3 3 ,1 5 6 i n 1 9 3 5*^
^ G a b b e r t. H i s t o r y . 43 f f .
b Chamber o f Commerce, F a c t s . 1950.
? I b i d . . 1 9 5 0.
8 G. B. M angold, S o c i a l S u rv ey o f R i v e r s i d e .
C a l i f o r n i a . 5 .
^ G abbert, H i s t o r y . 3 6 .
100
One r e s u l t o f t h e l a r g e p o s t - w a r i n f l u x o f i n d u s t r y
and p o p u l a t i o n i n t o s o u t h e r n C a l i f o r n i a was th e d e v e lo p m e n t
o f a s t r a n g e s o c i e t y w hich seemed to be headed many d i f f e r
e n t ways a t th e same tim e . The d i f f i c u l t y i n v o lv e d i n
f i n d i n g a n a t i v e C a l i f o r n i a n i s p r o v e r b i a l , and th e f a c t
t h a t su c h a l a r g e p a r t o f th e p o p u l a t i o n h a i l e d from o u t s i d e
th e s t a t e means t h a t t h e r e was no common b a ck g ro u n d to g i v e
u n i t y to th e v a r i o u s e le m e n t s . A lso , th e te n d e n c y to w a rd s
i n d u s t r i a l i z a t i o n was c e r t a i n t o p ro d u c e some c o n f l i c t s
when i t came i n t o c o n t a c t w i t h s e t t l e d , s e m i - a g r i c u l t u r a l
l i f e su c h as R i v e r s i d e p r e s e n t e d . As C le la n d s a y s , s o u t h e r n
C a l i f o r n i a became a s o c i e t y " d i v e r s e i n o b j e c t i v e s and com
m u n ity o f i n t e r e s t s . "18
I n R i v e r s i d e a b o u t 1930, one o f t h e o u t s t a n d i n g
s o c i a l p ro b lem s was p r e s e n t e d by th e M e x i c a n s . D e l i n q u e n c y
among t h e i r young p e o p le was f r e q u e n t , b u t i t was l a r g e l y
due to th e c o n d i t i o n s u n d e r w h ich th e y l i v e d . The Community
S e t t l e m e n t , l o c a t e d n e a r th e c e n t e r o f tow n, was f u n c t i o n i n g
w e l l , b u t no a d e q u a te work was b e in g done i n th e l a r g e
M exican s e c t i o n o f C asa B la n c a .
I n s p i t e o f t h e i n c r e a s e o f m a n u f a c t u r in g . R i v e r s i d e 's
o ran g e i n d u s t r y was s t i l l t h e b a s i s o f i t s economy. I n 1929
C l e l a n d , Our Tim e. 212.
I I M angold, S u r v e y . 5 , 12, 13.
101
t h e r e w ere more th a n f i f t e e n th o u sa n d a c r e s o f o ran g e
g r o v e s w i t h i n th e c i t y l i m i t s . A s t h e g r i p o f th e d e
p r e s s i o n i n c r e a s e d , c i t r u s f r u i t c o n ti n u e d to be a s o u rc e
o f l i v e l i h o o d f o r many R i v e r s i d e r s , and t h e v a l u e o f th e
c ro p was more th a n s i x m i l l i o n d o l l a r s i n 1932.15
A f t e r th e r e s i g n a t i o n o f Mr. Day, th e c h u rc h immedi
a t e l y s e t to work t o f i n d a new p a s t o r , and th e Rev. Mr. W.
W. G atherw ood o f S a n ta B a r b a r a was soon c a l l e d . S h o r t l y
b e f o r e he was to come to R i v e r s i d e , how ever, one o f h i s sons
d i e d , and due to t h i s and h i s own p o o r h e a l t h , th e c h u rc h
p e r m i t t e d him to p o s tp o n e h i s coming f o r s e v e r a l w eeks. He
a r r i v e d i n A p r i l , 1924, and f i l l e d th e p u l p i t f o r th e f i r s t
tim e on t h e f i r s t Sunday m orning o f t h a t m o n t h . T h e new
p a s t o r soon won h i s way i n t o th e h e a r t s o f h i s p e o p le , and
i n 1 9 2 6, a s a to k e n o f t h e i r l o v e , th e y s e n t him to h i s o ld
home i n I r e l a n d f o r a v i s i t w i t h h i s m o t h e r . 15 H is f e r v e n t
and e f f e c t i v e p r e a c h i n g won many c o n v e r t s , and i n 192? th e
S o u th e r n S c h o o l o f D i v i n i t y , h i s alm a m a t e r , c o n f e r r e d th e
d e g r e e o f D o c to r o f D i v i n i t y on him i n r e c o g n i t i o n o f h i s
C arey M cW illiam s, S o u th e r n C a l i f o r n i a C o u n tr y , 2 l 6 .
15 Chamber o f Commerce, T h is i s R i v e r s i d e , 1954.
C h urch , B u l l e t i n . A p r i l 6, 1924.
15 I b i d . . A nnual R e p o r t Number, I 9 2 6 .
102
C h r i s t i a n l e a d e r s h i p .
W ith th e coming o f D r. C ath erw ood , th e c h u rc h e n t e r e d
a new p h a se o f g ro w th e x c e e d in g a n y th in g i t had e x p e r ie n c e d
b e f o r e . D u rin g th e 1925 c h u rc h y e a r , t h e a v e ra g e a t t e n d a n c e
a t th e n i n e t y - o n e r e g u l a r w o rs h ip s e r v i c e s was a lm o s t se v e n
h u n d re d , a f i f t y p e r c e n t i n c r e a s e o v e r t h e p r e v i o u s y e a r . I ?
By 1935 th e m em bership had c lim b e d beyond th e f i f t e e n hu nd red
m a r k - - a lm o s t tw ic e th e amount i t had b e en when t h e p a s t o r
a r r i v e d i n R i v e r s i d e . l 8 i n r e a l i t y , t h e c h u rc h was grow in g
so f a s t t h a t th e members c o u ld n o t keep up w i t h t h e v i s i t o r s
who came and o c c a s i o n a l e x p r e s s i o n s had to be made u r g in g
a l l to be f r i e n d l y . 19 The p o p u l a t i o n i n c r e a s e and th e
p a s t o r ' s e lo q u e n c e w ere t h r e a t e n i n g to t u r n th e c h u rc h i n t o
an a u d ie n c e .
I n c i v i c a f f a i r s , th e c h u rc h seems n o t t o have t a k e n
to o g r e a t an i n t e r e s t . I t was l a r g e l y o c c u p ie d w i t h i t s own
f l o u r i s h i n g w ork, b u t i te m s o f m o ra l im p o rta n c e c o u ld and
d i d a r o u s e i t to a c t i o n . D u rin g th e y e a r s when t h e p ro p o s e d
r e p e a l o f th e E i g h t e e n t h Amendment was a l i v e i s s u e , t h e
B u l l e t i n c a r r i e d many an n o un cem ents o f p r o h i b i t i o n m e e tin g s
R i v e r s i d e , E n t e r p r i s e . S e p tem b er 3 0 , 1931.
17 C hu rch , B u l l e t i n . Annual R e p o rt Number, 19^5.
H o l l i d a y , F i r s t B a p t i s t C h u rc h .
C h u rch , B u l l e t i n . May 4 , 1930.
103
and s u p p o r te d Hoover a g a i n s t S m ith on th e b a s i s o f t h e
l i q u o r q u e s t i o n . ^8 L a t e r , when t h i s b a t t l e had b e e n l o s t ,
a c t i v e s u p p o r t was g i v e n to t h e e f f o r t s to p r o v i d e f o r
l o c a l o p t i o n , and t h e U n ite d Dry F o r c e s m et a t t h e c h u rc h
t o p l a n t h e i r d r i v e f o r t h i s l e g i s l a t i o n . ^ !
The C h r i s t i a n a c t i v i t i e s o f R i v e r s i d e r s c o n ti n u e d
to r e c e i v e t h e s u p p o r t o f th e F i r s t B a p t i s t c h u rc h , and t h e
c h u rc h b u i l d i n g was o f t e n u se d t o h o use u n io n m e e tin g s . A
t y p i c a l exam ple was t h e R i v e r s i d e Community S c h o o l o f Re
l i g i o u s E d u c a tio n f o r C hurch S c h o o l W o rk e rs, h e ld i n th e
f a l l o f 1926 u n d e r th e s p o n s o r s h i p o f th e R i v e r s i d e C hurch
F e d e r a t i o n . O t h e r exam ples o f p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n c o o p e r a
t i v e a c t i v i t i e s w ere th e A nnual Week o f P r a y e r i n J a n u a r y ,
and th e W .C.T.U. A lth o u g h th e d e a c o n s p r o t e s t e d i n 1925
t h a t t h e p r a c t i c e "was n o t c o n d u c iv e to th e b e s t i n t e r e s t s
o f o u r c h u r c h , "23 u n io n e v e n in g s e r v i c e s w ere h e ld e v e ry
summer i n c o o p e r a t i o n w i t h o t h e r c h u rc h e s i n th e c i t y . The
c h u rc h was a l s o a c t i v e i n B a p t i s t w ork, and th e p a s t o r was
f r e q u e n t l y i n v i t e d to sp e a k a t d e n o m in a tio n a l m e e ti n g s .
28 C hurch, B u l l e t i n , A ugust 12, 1928.
21 I b i d . . S ep tem ber 2 0 , 1934.
22 I b i d . , O c to b e r I 7 , I 9 2 6 .
23 I b i d . , A nnual R e p o rt Number, 1925.
104
At f i r s t th e f i n a n c e s o f t h e c h u rc h c o n ti n u e d to be
on sound f o o t i n g , and by 1 9 3 0, t h e p a s t o r ' s s a l a r y had b e e n
i n c r e a s e d to f i f t y - o n e hun d red d o l l a r s a y e a r . 24 However,
m e n tio n l a made o f t h e f a c t t h a t a s p e c i a l e f f o r t had to be
d i r e c t e d to w a rd s th e r a i s i n g o f fu n d s d u r i n g t h a t y e a r . An
e v id e n c e o f t h e d e t e r i o r a t i o n o f c h u rc h f i n a n c e s by 1934 i s
t h e f a c t t h a t d u r in g t h a t y e a r th e B u l l e t i n b e g an to a p p e a r
i n m im eograph i n s t e a d o f p r i n t e d form on a v e r y ch eap g ra d e
o f p a p e r . I n 1928, when money had b e e n more p l e n t i f u l , th e
c h u rc h p u t i t s e l f i n d e b t by a d d in g a n i n e t y th o u sa n d d o l l a r
e d u c a t i o n a l u n i t t o th e b u i l d i n g , and t h i s b u rd e n rem a in e d
th r o u g h o u t th e d e p r e s s i o n y e a r s . 25
I n t e r e s t i n m i s s i o n a r y a c t i v i t y r e c e i v e d a new im p e tu s
i n 1924 when th e c h u rc h a d o p te d t h r e e m i s s i o n a r i e s a s i t s
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s and u n d e rto o k to pay t h e i r s a l a r i e s . 26 One
o f t h e s e . D r. Lena B enjam in o f I n d i a , c o n ti n u e d to be
s u p p o rte d i n t h i s way f o r many y e a r s a s t h e c h u rc h m a i n t a i n e d
th e p o l i c y o f d e s i g n a t i n g i t s m i s s i o n a r y money f o r s p e c i f i c
i n d i v i d u a l s . When t h e s e m i s s i o n a r i e s r e t u r n e d on f u r l o u g h
th e y v i s i t e d th e c h u rc h and t o l d t h e v a r i o u s c h u rc h g ro u p s
a b o u t t h e i r w ork. A p a r t i a l e v id e n c e o f grow ing i n t e r e s t i n
2^ C hurch, B u l l e t i n , A nnual R e p o rt Number, 1930.
25 R i v e r s i d e , E n t e r p r i s e , S ep tem b er 3 0 , 1931.
26 C hurch, R e c o rd s . A ug ust 3 , and December 11, 1924.
105
G ro u n d b re a k in g Ceremony f o r t h e E d u c a t i o n a l
U n i t , November 6, 192?
G ro u n d b re a k in g Ceremony f o r t h e M exican
B a p t i s t C hurch B u i l d i n g , May 2 7 , 19^5
a m #
106
m i s s i o n s i s se e n i n th e e le v e n th o u s a n d d o l l a r m is s i o n a r y
b u d g e t a d o p te d i n 1929, and i n th e d e p a r t u r e f o r C hina and
A f r i c a o f some o f th e c h u r c h 's own young p e o p le i n 1935*27
The i n c r e a s i n g m em bership gave th e c h u rc h an o p p o r
t u n i t y to a f f e c t th e l i v e s o f many p e o p le i n t h e community
and i t d i d t h i s i n many w ays. The m a jo r e m p h asis o f D r.
G atherw ood h as a lw ay s b e e n e v a n g e lis m , t h e r e f o r e p e o p le w ere
i n f l u e n c e d to ta k e th e s t e p o f becom ing C h r i s t i a n s . 28 The
Sunday S c h o o l a t t e n d a n c e i n c r e a s e d s t e a d i l y , g o in g from 482
i n 1925 to a b o u t 7 5 0 i n 1 9 3 5 ,^ ^ and th r o u g h t h i s means
p e o p le o f a l l a g es r e c e i v e d s y s te m a t i c i n s t r u c t i o n i n th e
B i b le and C h r i s t i a n l i v i n g . To p r e p a r e a d e q u a te t e a c h e r s
f o r th e s c h o o l, t e a c h e r t r a i n i n g c l a s s e s w ere h e ld p e r i o d i
c a l l y . A nother medium o f i n s t r u c t i o n was u t i l i z e d by a
co m m ittee w hich h e lp e d in f o r m m o th e rs a b o u t C h r i s t i a n ed u
c a t i o n i n th e home.50
Under D r. G atherw ood, work among th e young p e o p le
r e c e i v e d g r e a t em p h asis and t h e i r a c t i v i t i e s came to occupy
a m a jo r p a r t o f th e c h u rc h p ro g ram . D u rin g th e f i r s t two
27 C hurch, B u l l e t i n , Ju n e 2 , I 929 and A p r i l 7 , 1935#
H o l l i d a y , F i r s t B a p t i s t C h u rc h .
29 I b i d .
50 C hu rch , B u l l e t i n , Annual R e p o r t Number, 1930.
107
y e a r s o f h i s p a s t o r a t e , th e two s o c i e t i e s grew i n t o f i v e
w i t h an a v e r a g e a t t e n d a n c e o f 1 3 2, and d i r e c t o r s o f young
p e o p l e 's work w ere n e c e s s a r y to s u p e r v i s e them . One o f th e
m ost i m p o r t a n t s t e p s ta k e n was th e b e g in n in g o f th e young
p e o p l e 's a n n u a l summer encampment i n 1 9 2 9. T hese camps
w ere h e ld f o r a week o r t e n d a y s e a c h summer, and th e y soon
came to be t h e dynamo o f a l l y o u th w ork. They w ere an
i n s t r u m e n t b o t h to d e e p e n t h e s p i r i t u a l l i f e o f th e C h r i s t i a n s
and to e v a n g e l i z e o t h e r s , some from f a m i l i e s o u t s i d e th e
c h u rc h , who came a lo n g m e re ly f o r a summer o u t i n g . As th e y
i n c r e a s e d i n numbers and i n t e r e s t , g o s p e l team s w ere o r g a n
i z e d , and t h e young p e o p le o c c a s i o n a l l y c o n d u c te d th e w o rs h ip
s e r v i c e i n th e p a s t o r ' s a b s e n c e . 51
Work o f a s o c i a l n a t u r e was a l s o c a r r i e d on d u r i n g
t h e s e y e a r s ; how ever, much o f i t was p r i m a r i l y f o r an e v a n
g e l i s t i c p u r p o s e . Under th e h e a d in g , " The F i r s t B a p t i s t
C hurch B e l i e v e s - - , " t h i s s t a t e m e n t a p p e a re d i n a copy o f t h e
B u l l e t i n : 5 2
We b e l i e v e i n m i n i s t e r i n g to a l l t h e REAL n eeds
o f men, r e a l i z i n g t h a t s o c i a l and community s e r v i c e
i s n o t i n i t s e l f an end, b u t o n ly means to th e REAL
end; nam ely, a p e r s o n a l and v i t a l r e l a t i o n s h i p to
J e s u s C h r i s t .
51 C hu rch , B u l l e t i n , Ju n e I 6, 1929*
52 I b i d . . May 2 6 , 1929.
108
A good i d e a o f l o c a l m is s i o n work b e in g done a b o u t
t h i s tim e i s g i v e n i n a I 928 B u l l e t i n . 55 At t h i s tim e t h e r e
w ere m is s i o n s a t C asa B la n c a among t h e M ex ican s, i n town
among t h e J a p a n e s e , and f i v e v o l u n t e e r w o rk e rs w ere te a c h i n g
B i b l e c l a s s e s a t Sherm an I n s t i t u t e . B e s id e s t h i s , r e g u l a r
m e e tin g s w ere b e in g h e ld a t t h e County C h ild re n * s Home,
March F i e l d , and th e W o o d craft Home f o r th e a g e d , and young
p e o p l e 's d e p u t a t i o n team s r e n d e r e d o c c a s i o n a l s e r v i c e i n
" o u t l y i n g d i s t r i c t s . " Most o f t h i s work c o n ti n u e d th r o u g h o u t
th e p e r i o d i n q u e s t i o n and p r o v i d e d a v a l u a b l e o u t l e t f o r
C h r i s t i a n s e r v i c e .
A c t i v i t y o f a more d i s t i n c t l y s o c i a l n a t u r e was a l s o
a p a r t o f th e c h u rc h l i f e . Two Boy S c o u t t r o o p s w ere m ain
t a i n e d and a G i r l S c o u t tr o o p was a c t i v e p a r t o f th e tim e ,
and t h e s e w ere a good means o f r e n d e r i n g s e r v i c e t o th e
y o u th o f R i v e r s i d e . C o r d i a l r e l a t i o n s c o n ti n u e d w i t h th e
Negro c h u rc h e s i n tow n, and i n 1926, one h u n d red d o l l a r s was
c o n t r i b u t e d to t h e b u i l d i n g fu n d o f one o f th e m .5^ B e fo re
1929 th e d e a c o n s and v a r i o u s c h u rc h o r g a n i z a t i o n s d i d c h a r i
t a b l e work among th e n eed y , b u t a f t e r t h e s t o c k m a rk e t c r a s h
t h i s became more o f a c h u rc h p r o j e c t . A W e lfa re Com m ittee
was o r g a n iz e d to d i r e c t t h i s p h a s e o f th e c h u r c h 's w ork, and
i n 1931 th e c h u rc h d o n a te d $5 5 3 .CO b e s i d e s fo o d and c l o t h i n g
53 Church, B u l l e t i n , A p r il 1, 1 92 8.
34 I b i d . , Annual R ep ort Number, 192 6 .
109
w h ich th e co m m ittee used to h e lp one h u n d red f a m i l i e s .35
I n 1924 th e g o ld e n a n n i v e r s a r y o f th e c h u rc h a r r i v e d ,
and i t was c e l e b r a t e d by s p e c i a l s e r v i c e s i n w h ich some o f
th e fo rm e r p a s t o r s and o l d e r members o f th e c h u rc h to o k
p a r t . 5 6 W ith in a few y e a r s , how ever, t h e l a s t c h a r t e r
member, Mrs. Roe, p a s s e d a w a y , 57 and w i t h h e r p a s s i n g , th e
c h u rc h seemed to m ark t h e end o f an e r a . The o l d e r members
w ere p a s s i n g on and o t h e r s w ere coming to ta k e t h e i r p l a c e s .
However, many who w ere now assum in g l e a d e r s h i p w ere new i n
R i v e r s i d e and i n th e c h u rc h . They w ere n o t a c q u a in t e d w i t h
a l l t h e t r a d i t i o n s and custo m s o f t h e c h u rc h , and newcomers
w ere a r r i v i n g to o r a p i d l y to be c o m p le te ly a s s i m i l a t e d .
The community s p i r i t o f e a r l i e r days was w e a k e n in g , i n b o th
R i v e r s i d e and th e F i r s t B a p t i s t C h u rc h , and b o th w ere b e in g
m o d if ie d i n o u t lo o k and method by th e i n j e c t i o n o f new
b lo o d and new i d e a s .
55 O hurch, B u l l e t i n , A nnual R e p o r t Number, 1931.
5 6 I b i d . , F e b r u a r y 10, 1924.
37 I b i d . , S e p tem b er 1 9 , 1 9 2 6 .
CHAPTER V I I I
CONCLUDING YEARS OF DR. GATHERWOOD»S PASTORATE
T h i s , t h e f i n a l p e r i o d o f o u r h i s t o r y , b e g in s i n th e
d e p th s o f d e p r e s s i o n and ends i n t h e h e i g h t o f p r o s p e r i t y .
A lth o u g h bad tim e s w ere t o c o n t i n u e f o r s e v e r a l y e a r s a f t e r
1 9 3 5, th e s i t u a t i o n d i d n o t a g a i n become q u i t e so d e s p e r a t e .
By 1 9 3 9, f i f t y - e i g h t p e r c e n t o f th e f a m i l i e s i n R i v e r s i d e
owned t h e i r own h o m e s ,! and b e t t e r d a y s w ere j u s t a ro u n d th e
c o r n e r . The p o p u l a t i o n c o n ti n u e d t o i n c r e a s e , ev en more
r a p i d l y a f t e r 1940, when i t r e a c h e d 3 8 ,2 2 7 , and s to o d i n th e
n e ig h b o rh o o d o f 5 0 ,0 0 0 t e n y e a r s l a t e r . 2 An a v e ra g e o f more
th a n f i v e h un dred new homes have b e e n b u i l t e a c h y e a r s i n c e
th e war and th e l a t e s t a s s e s s e d v a l u a t i o n i s $ 5 7 ,2 8 8 ,7 6 0 * 5
Of c o u r s e , th e f a c t o r w hich made m ost o f th e d i f f e r
ence i n th e econom ic p i c t u r e was th e w a r. I t b r o u g h t new
i n d u s t r y to th e community and expanded w hat was a l r e a d y
t h e r e . I t a l s o expanded t h e m i l i t a r y p o p u l a t i o n and p a y r o l l
beyond th e i m a g i n a t i o n o f l o c a l i n h a b i t a n t s . March F i e l d
was e n la r g e d ; Camp Haan, an a n t i - a i r c r a f t camp, was opened
! Chamber o f Commerce, F a c t s . 1939.
2 I b i d . . 1 9 5 0.
5 I b i d . . 1 9 5 0.
I l l
a c r o s s t h e highw ay; and o t h e r l a r g e e s t a b l i s h m e n t s f o r
se rv ic e m e n w ere m a in ta in e d i n th e R i v e r s i d e a r e a . Thousands
o f t h e s e men p o u re d i n t o R i v e r s i d e e v e ry weekend to crowd
t h e i r way a lo n g th e s i d e w a lk s , e n r i c h t h e l o c a l m e r c h a n ts ,
and p r e s e n t an a lm o s t i n s u p e r a b l e s o c i a l p ro b le m to th e
comm unity.
The p r o c e s s o f i n d u s t r i a l e x p a n s io n has c o n tin u e d
i n R i v e r s i d e and s e v e r a l i m p o r t a n t m a n u f a c t u r e r s have
r e c e n t l y l o c a t e d p l a n t s i n o r n e a r th e c i t y . B e s id e s e q u ip
ment c o n n e c te d w i t h th e c i t r u s i n d u s t r y , m a n u f a c tu r e d p r o
d u c t s from R i v e r s i d e now i n c l u d e : V e n e tia n b l i n d s , b r i c k
and t i l e , s u r g i c a l s p l i n t s , k i tc h e n w a r e , and a i r - c o n d i t i o n
in g . ^ I t i s a l s o a w h o le s a le and jo b b in g c e n t e r whose n e t
s a l e s a p p ro a c h f i f t y m i l l i o n d o l l a r s a y e a r . S in c e th e
w ar, th e b u i l d i n g i n d u s t r y h a s p a r t i c i p a t e d i n th e r e a l
e s t a t e boom sw eeping s o u t h e r n C a l i f o r n i a by a v e r a g in g s i x
m i l l i o n d o l l a r s w o r th o f b u s i n e s s a y e a r . The q u i e t , s e r e n e
c i t y o f e a r l y d a y s has d i s a p p e a r e d , and a b u s t l i n g young
com m ercial c e n t e r i s t a k i n g i t s p l a c e .
The coming o f w ar a l s o b r o u g h t a boom to a g r i c u l t u r e
i n th e R i v e r s i d e a r e a . A l l fo rm s o f a g r i c u l t u r e p r o f i t e d ,
b u t none any more th a n t h e c i t r u s i n d u s t r y . B etw een 1943
^ Chamber o f Commerce, F a c t s , 1950.
112
and 1945 th e v a lu e o f th e c i t r u s c ro p a lm o s t d o u b le d , r e a c h
in g a b o u t tw e n ty -tw o m i l l i o n d o l l a r s i n R i v e r s i d e County
d u r i n g th e l a t t e r y e a r .5 i t p r o v i d e s employment f o r a b o u t
s i x t y - f i v e h u ndred p e o p le a y e a r , ^ b u t "a c o n s i s t e n t l y
u n p r e d i c t a b l e c i t r u s m a rk e t, i n c r e a s i n g c i t r u s t r e e and
f r u i t d i s e a s e , grow ing c o m p e ti t io n " and s i m i l a r c o n s i d e r
a t i o n s a r e l e a d in g c i t r u s g ro w e rs to s e e k some o t h e r c ro p
a s a r e p l a c e m e n t .7 A R i v e r s i d e w i t h o u t c i t r u s a s i t s fo u n d
a t i o n i s h a rd to c o n c e iv e , b u t su ch a s i t u a t i o n m ig h t w e l l
be i n k e e p in g w i t h th e g e n e r a l t r e n d o f d e v e lo p m e n t,
A g r e a t t r a n s i t i o n has b e e n t a k i n g p l a c e i n C a l i f o r n i a
s i n c e th e f i r s t W orld War, and i t was p a r t i a l l y d e s c r i b e d in
t h e p r e v i o u s c h a p t e r . 8 At f i r s t , th e i n c r e a s i n g i n d u s t r i a l
i z a t i o n had l i t t l e e f f e c t on R i v e r s i d e , and i t c o u ld be s a id
i n 1 9 3 5, "T rad e u n io n is m . . . i s u n i m p o r t a n t . "9 However,
th e community s p i r i t has d e t e r i o r a t e d c o n s i d e r a b l y i n r e c e n t
y e a r s a s newcomers moved i n and many h e i r s - a p p a r e n t o f th e
o l d e r f a m i l i e s moved away. "W ith t h i s i n f u s i o n o f new b lo o d .
5 M a r s h a ll Beauchamp, E d ., C a l i f o r n i a A lm anac, 517*
6 Chamber o f Commerce, F a c t s , 1950.
7 R i v e r s i d e , P r e s s , May 12, 1950.
8 See a b o v e, p. 100.
9 G a b b e rt, H i s t o r y , 42.
113
so m eth in g o f th e co m p act, c o l o n y - i n s u l a t e d , homogeneous
c h a r a c t e r o f th e c i t r u s c o m m u n ities has begun to d i s
a p p e a r . I t c a n no l o n g e r be s a i d t h a t c o o p e r a t i o n i s
th e key word; n o t b e c a u s e t h e r e i s a n t i p a t h y b e tw ee n th e
two g r o u p s , b u t b e c a u s e o f d i f f e r i n g b a c k g ro u n d s and c i r c l e s
o f a c q u a i n t a n c e s .
Even b e f o r e th e war b e g a n , th e c h u rc h was t a k i n g an
i n t e r e s t i n th e g ro w in g number o f se rv ic e m e n i n R i v e r s i d e .
E a r l y i n 19^1, th e women p r e p a r e d a d i n n e r f o r them a f t e r
th e Sunday m orning w o rs h ip s e r v i c e , a n d t h e same t h i n g
was done o c c a s i o n a l l y by o r g a n iz e d g ro u p s w i t h i n t h e c h u rc h .
Two y e a r s l a t e r , a f t e r s e v e r a l weeks o f p l a n n i n g , th e 0 . 8 . 0 .
( C h r i s t i a n S e r v i c e O r g a n iz a t i o n ) was opened i n th e s o c i a l
h a l l , ^ ^ and from t h a t tim e on i t was a p o p u l a r c e n t e r f o r
se rv ic e m e n . I f one was on a weekend p a s s i n R i v e r s i d e , he
c o u ld e a s i l y spend h i s tim e a t t h e c h u r c h , f o r r e c r e a t i o n ,
lo d g in g , and s e v e r a l m ea ls w ould be f u r n i s h e d t o him. The
G .S.O . was by f a r t h e m ost i m p o r t a n t w a rtim e a c t i v i t y o f t h e
c h u rc h , b u t an e x t e n s i v e pro g ram was a l s o c a r r i e d on t o m ain
t a i n c o n t a c t w i t h i t s own young p e o p le who had d e p a r t e d f o r
C arey M cW illiam s, S o u th e rn C a l i f o r n i a C o u n try , 222.
C h urch , B u l l e t i n , March 2 3 , 1941.
12 I b i d . , Ju n e 2 7 , 1943.
114
One Ox th e Young P e o p l e ’ s R ad io B r o a d c a s ts
T y p ic a l Activity in the 0. S. 0

115
m i l i t a r y s e r v i c e . A n o th er exam ple o f a c t i v i t y r e f l e c t i n g
th e war was th e d r i v e f o r c l o t h i n g f o r E urope h e ld e a r l y
i n 1 9 4 7 .1 2
As i t was i n th e e a r l i e r p a r t o f D r. C a th e rw o o d ’ s
p a s t o r a t e , t h e m ost i m p o r t a n t e n d e a v o r i n w hich th e c h u rc h
engaged w i t h o t h e r c h u r c h e s o f th e c i t y was th e tem p era n ce
movement. A tem p era n ce co m m ittee was i n e x i s t e n c e , and
b o t h a c i t y - w i d e mass m e e tin g and a W .C .T .Ü. c o n v e n tio n w ere
h e ld i n th e c h u rc h b u i l d i n g . 14 When th e l o c a l o p t i o n p r o
p o s a l was on th e b a l l o t i n 1948, t h e r e w ere c o n s t a n t r e
m in d e rs o f th e i s s u e s in v o lv e d , b o th from th e p u l p i t and i n
t h e B u l l e t i n . The c h u rc h p a r t i c i p a t e d i n th e u n io n summer
e v e n in g s e r v i c e s th r o u g h o u t 1941; b u t s i n c e t h a t tim e i t has
h e ld i t s own s e r v i c e s , and th e y have b e e n w e l l a t t e n d e d . I t
has n o t b e e n o b l i v i o u s to t h e a c t i v i t i e s o f o t h e r c h u r c h e s ,
how ever, and when th e F i r s t M e th o d is t C hurch b u i l d i n g was
d e s t r o y e d by f i r e , an i n v i t a t i o n was e x te n d e d to t h a t c o n g r e
g a t i o n t o make use o f th e B a p t i s t b u i l d i n g i n any way t h a t
was c o n v e n i e n t .
The c h u rc h has n o t b e en a c t i v e i n c i v i c a f f a i r s d u r
in g th e p a s t f i f t e e n y e a r s . B e fo re th e war how ever, th e
C hurch, B u l l e t i n , F e b ru a r y 9 , 1927.
^4 I b i d . , March 2 , 1941, and O c to b e r 6, 1946.
C hurch, R e c o r d s , F e b r u a r y 5 , 1947.
116
men* s B ro th e rh o o d o c c a s i o n a l l y had c i v i c and p o l i t i c a l l e a d
e r s sp e a k to them . O u ts ta n d in g exam ples w ere t h e r e p o r t on
h i s t r i p th r o u g h Communist R u s s i a , g i v e n by Assemblyman
(now C ongressm an) J o h n P h i l l i p s i n 193^, and t h e p a n e l
d i s c u s s i o n o f c i v i c q u e s t i o n s h e ld on November 1, 1938.
V a r io u s i n d i v i d u a l s have t a k e n a c t i v e p a r t s i n th e l i f e o f
th e c i t y , b u t t h e c h u rc h a s a w hole h as l a r g e l y d e v o te d
i t s e l f to r e l i g i o u s m a t t e r s .
The f i n a n c i a l c o n d i t i o n o f th e c h u rc h and th e com
m u n ity was v e r y bad i n 1 9 3 5, and th e y d i d n o t im prove
r a p i d l y . The p a s t o r ’ s s a l a r y had d ro p p e d to f o r t y - f i v e
h u n d red d o l l a r s , and i n 1939 I t was s e t a t f o u r th o u sa n d
d o l l a r s . 17 The p l e d g e s and b u d g e t w ere c o n s t a n t l y i n
a r r e a r s , and s p e c i a l cam p aig ns to r a i s e fu n d s w ere h e ld
r e g u l a r l y a t t h e end o f th e c h u rc h y e a r . The coming o f w ar
tim e p r o s p e r i t y a l t e r e d th e s i t u a t i o n , and i n 1945 th e
c h u rc h a g a i n b e g a n to p r i n t t h e B u l l e t i n on good p a p e r .
D u rin g th e n e x t y e a r a n a tt e m p t was made to p u r c h a s e p r o p
e r t y im m e d ia te ly e a s t o f th e c h u rc h b u i l d i n g f o r p u r p o s e s
o f e x p a n s io n , b u t a p r i v a t e p a r t y a c q u i r e d t h e p r o p e r t y
C hu rch , B u l l e t i n , J a n u a r y 12, 1938, and O c to b e r 25,
1938.
17 I b i d . , J u l y 3 0 , 1939.
18 I b i d . , May 2 0 , 1945.
117
b e f o r e th e c h u rc h c o u ld p l a c e a n o f f e r w i t h th e o w n e r . 19
However, a b u i l d i n g fu n d i s b e in g m a i n t a i n e d f o r f u t u r e u s e .
A f u r t h e r i n d i c a t i o n o f th e p r e s e n t f i n a n c i a l s t a b i l i t y i s
t h e s a l a r y o f s i x th o u s a n d d o l l a r s now b e in g p a id to Dr.
C ath erw o o d .2 0
The c h u rc h c o n tin u e d to m eet i t s s o c i a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y
i n a way c o n s i s t e n t w i t h i t s b e l i e f s . The women*s g ro u p s
p 1
c o n ti n u e d to s u p p o r t t h e w ork o f S e t t l e m e n t House, and th e
W e lfa re Com m ittee m a in ta in e d f a c i l i t i e s f o r d i s t r i b u t i n g th e
n e c e s s i t i e s o f l i f e to th o s e i n n e e d .22 T here was much
a c t i v i t y d u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d d i r e c t e d to w a rd s h e lp i n g th e
M exican p e o p le on t h e e a s t s i d e o f town e s t a b l i s h a c h u rc h .
A m is s i o n was m a i n t a i n e d f o r some t im e , and by 1941 a c h u rc h
was i n e x i s t e n c e whose p a s t o r r e c e i v e d p a r t i a l s u p p o r t from
t h e F i r s t B a p t i s t C h u r c h .23 ^ b u i l d i n g t o m eet t h e i r n eeds
was e r e c t e d f o r them i n 1 9 4 5 ,^ ^ and th e p o r t a b l e o rg a n used
by th e c h u rc h i n th e e a r l y days was lo a n e d to th e m .25 Con
c e r n was a l s o m a n i f e s te d r e g a r d i n g i n d i v i d u a l m a t e r i a l n e e d s .
^9 C hurch, R e c o r d s , T ru s te e s * Annual R e p o r t, 1947.
20 I b i d . , B udget f o r 1948-1949.
21 C hurch, B u l l e t i n , O c to b e r 18, 1938.
22 I b i d . , O c to b e r 8 , 1940.
23 I b i d . , O c to b e r 12, 1941.
I b i d . , O c to b e r 2 1, 1945.
28 C hurch, R e c o r d s , T ru s te e s * Annual R e p o r t, 1947.
118
and o c c a s i o n a l g i f t s w ere s e n t f o r t h i s p u r p o s e . 28
W ith th e p o p u l a t i o n i n c r e a s i n g a l l o v e r s o u t h e r n
C a l i f o r n i a , some a r e a s b e g a n t o be p e o p le d beyond th e c a p a
c i t y o f th e e s t a b l i s h e d c h u r c h e s . The a r e a i n and a ro u n d
R i v e r s i d e was n o t an e x c e p t i o n to t h i s d e v elo p m e n t and s i n c e
th e w ar, th e F i r s t B a p t i s t C hurch has h e lp e d e s t a b l i s h two
o t h e r c h u rc h e s to m eet community n e ed . The f i r s t o f t h e s e
was i n th e c i t y o f F o n ta n a , w here t h e K a i s e r s t e e l m i l l had
b r o u g h t p e o p le and p r o s p e r i t y . One o f t h e young men from
R i v e r s i d e a c t e d a s p a s t o r u n t i l th e work was w e l l e s t a b l i s h e d ,
w h ile t h e c h u rc h c o n t r i b u t e d to h i s s u p p o r t and s e n t an
a d v i s o r y co m m ittee t o h e lp p r o v i d e s t a b i l i t y to t h e e f f o r t . 27
The o t h e r c h u rc h has b e en e s t a b l i s h e d r e c e n t l y i n A r l i n g t o n ,
th e a r e a o r i g i n a l l y d e v e lo p e d by S. G. E v an s, and a b u i l d i n g
pro g ram now i n p r o g r e s s sh o u ld p ro d u c e th e f i r s t u n i t , a
c h a p e l , d u r in g O c to b e r , 195 0 .2 8 The work s t a r t e d a s a
m is s i o n o f th e F i r s t B a p t i s t c h u rc h i n J u n e , 1948, and i t was
o r g a n iz e d a s a c h u rc h i n O c to b e r , 1949, w i t h a n o t h e r one o f
t h e l o c a l young men a s p a s t o r . 29 T h is ty p e o f work seems to
28 C hu rch , B u l l e t i n , J a n u a r y 2 , 1944.
27 C h urch, R e c o r d s , May 7 , 1947.
28 R i v e r s i d e , P r e s s , A ugust 27, 1950.
29 I b i d . , A p r i l 11, 1 9 5 0.
119
have b e e n q u i t e s u c c e s s f u l , and th e c h u rc h h as s e t up a
fu n d f o r s i m i l a r p r o j e c t s i n th e f u t u r e . 80
The p a s t o r ’ s e m p h asis on e v a n g e lis m h a s c o n tin u e d
th r o u g h th e y e a r s , and t h i s s t a te m e n t from a 1957 B u l l e t i n
i s an a c c u r a t e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f h i s i d e a l and pro gram f o r
th e c h u r c h : 81
One i s s u e : J e s u s C h r i s t .
One o b j e c t i v e : S o u l w in n in g .
Our aim: To b r i n g men to C h r i s t ,
Our m ethod: To b r i n g C h r i s t t o men.
I n t h i s e f f o r t t o make new c o n v e r t s , th e c h u rc h has b een
v e r y s u c c e s s f u l . D u rin g D r. Catherwood* s p a s t o r a t e more
th a n two th o u sa n d have b e e n b a p t i z e d , and th e t o t a l member
s h ip has c lim b e d t o a b o u t t h r e e t h o u s a n d .82 T h is phenom enal
g ro w th has n o t b e e n w i t h o u t i t s d i s a d v a n t a g e s , how ever, f o r
i n su c h a l a r g e g ro up i t i s i m p o s s ib le f o r t h e members t o be
w e l l - a c q u a i n t e d w i t h e a c h o t h e r , and much o f th e e a r l y f e e l
in g o f u n i t y h as b e e n l o s t . As e a r l y a s 1956 an a tt e m p t t o
p rom o te f r i e n d l i n e s s was made by d i v i d i n g th e m em bership
i n t o d i s t r i c t s f o r th e p u rp o s e o f h o ld in g s o c i a l s , 88 and
d u r i n g t h e n e x t y e a r a c h u rc h c a l l e r was em ployed to a s s i s t
86 O hurch, R e c o r d s , J a n u a r y 19, 1949.
81 C hurch, B u l l e t i n , May 2 0 , 1957.
2^ I b i d . , A p r i l 2 3 , 1950.
2? I b i d . . F eb ru ary 2 , 1936.
120
I n su c h p a s t o r a l d u t i e s a s v i s i t i n g t h e s i c k , th e new
members, and o t h e r s who n eeded h e l p . 84
The c h u rc h h as c o n tin u e d to be a l e a d e r i n th e
S o u th e r n C a l i f o r n i a B a p t i s t C o n v e n tio n , b u t i t s o p p o s i t i o n
to l i b e r a l t h e o l o g i c a l t e n d e n c i e s h as c a u s e d i t to l o s e some
o f i t s c o n f id e n c e i n th e N o r th e r n B a p t i s t C o n v e n tio n . Bap
t i s t l e a d e r s have spoken from th e p u l p i t a t n o t to o i n f r e
q u e n t i n t e r v a l s , how ever, and i n 1946 t h e p a s t o r was c h o s e n
to o f f i c i a l l y r e p r e s e n t s o u th e r n C a l i f o r n i a a t th e a n n u a l
m e e tin g o f th e N o r th e r n B a p t i s t C o n v e n tio n .85 An o u t s t a n d
in g exam ple o f c o o p e r a t i o n came a f t e r t h e war when th e c h u rc h
made a r e a l a t t e m p t to do i t s s h a r e i n th e W orld M is s io n
C ru sad e and C ru sade f o r C h r i s t th r o u g h E v a n g e lism o f N o r th
e r n B a p t i s t s . D i s s a t i s f a c t i o n has b e en m ost c l e a r l y r e g i s
t e r e d w i t h r e g a r d to e d u c a t i o n a l i n s t i t u t i o n s o f th e c o n
v e n t i o n , a l t h o u g h s e n tim e n t i s d i v i d e d on t h i s p o i n t . S tr o n g
f i n a n c i a l s u p p o r t i s now b e in g g i v e n t o W estm ont C o l le g e , an
i n t e r - d e n o m i n a t i o n a l p r o j e c t , and t h e new C a l i f o r n i a B a p t i s t
T h e o l o g ic a l S e m in a ry --tw o i n s t i t u t i o n s r e p r e s e n t i n g a c o n
s e r v a t i v e t h e o l o g i c a l p o i n t o f v ie w . 88
84 O hurch, B u l l e t i n , O c to b e r 5 1 , 1957.
I b i d . , May 19, 1948.
C hu rch , R e c o r d s , May 5 , 1948, and T r e a s u r e r ' s
R e p o rt f o r 1947-1948.
121
I n t e r e s t i n m i s s i o n a r y work h as alw ay s been h ig h i n
th e c h u rc h , and even d u r i n g th e d e p th s o f th e d e p r e s s i o n
a b o u t se v en th o u sa n d d o l l a r s a y e a r w ere g i v e n f o r m i s s i o n s ? ^
However, d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n w i t h c o n v e n tio n a c t i v i t y has c a u se d
c o n s i d e r a b l e c o n f u s i o n r e g a r d i n g m is s i o n a r y s u p p o r t . As
e a r l y a s 1958 a n o te a p p e a re d i n th e B u l l e t i n g i v i n g a s s u r
ance t h a t no m is s i o n a r y money was s p e n t on s a l a r i e s f o r
c o n v e n tio n w o r k e r s , 8 8 and i n th e 1948-1949 c h u rc h y e a r a
l a r g e p o r t i o n o f th e m is s i o n a r y b u d g e t was d e s i g n a t e d f o r t h e
r e a c t i o n a r y C o n s e r v a t i v e B a p t i s t F o r e i g n M is s io n S o c i e t y . 89
I n s p i t e o f t h i s , th e m a jo r s h a r e o f c o n t r i b u t i o n f o r m is
s i o n s c o n t i n u e s to go th r o u g h c o n v e n tio n c h a n n e ls , and m ost
o f t h e women's m is s i o n a r y a c t i v i t y i s done i n s u p p o r t o f
c o n v e n tio n m i s s i o n a r i e s .
The m ost c o n s t r u c t i v e work o f t h e c h u rc h has b een
among th e young p e o p le , and th e y a r e now a s t r o n g f a c t o r ,
c o n t r i b u t i n g t o i t s l i f e a s w e l l a s d ra w in g from i t . The
summer camp c o n t i n u e s t o be t h e i r m a jo r s o u rc e o f i n s p i r
a t i o n , and th e e n r o l l m e n t h a s been a ro u n d t h r e e h u n d red eac h
y e a r s i n c e b e f o r e th e w a r . ^6 p o r a lm o s t two y e a r s th e y
87 H o l l i d a y , F i r s t B a p t i s t C h u rc h .
88 C hurch, B u l l e t i n , A ugust 14, 1958.
89 C h u rch , R e c o r d s , B udget f o r 1948-1949*
C hurch, B u l l e t i n , August 2 5 , 1940.
122
m a in ta in e d a w eekly r a d i o p r o g r a m , a n d t h i s p r o j e c t was
d i s c o n t i n u e d o n ly when th e s t a t i o n d e c id e d to u se th e tim e
f o r a d i f f e r e n t b r o a d c a s t . The s u c c e s s o f th e G .S .O . was
due i n a l a r g e p a r t to them , f o r th e y w ere g e n u in e ly f r i e n d l y
and made t h e v i s i t i n g s e rv ic e m e n and women f e e l welcom e.
D uring th e e a r l y p a r t o f t h i s p e r i o d . Moments o f Melody and
F e llo w s h ip H our, s e r a i - s o c i a l m e e tin g s f o r s i n g i n g and
r e f r e s h m e n t s , b e g an t o be h e ld a f t e r t h e Sunday e v e n in g
s e r v i c e , and th e y h e lp e d b o t h t o p o p u l a r i z e t h e e v e n in g
w o rs h ip s e r v i c e and to p r o v i d e r e c r e a t i o n f o r t h e young
p e o p le . A f t e r th e w a r, th e G .S .O . rooms w ere t u r n e d i n t o
a y o u th c e n t e r f o r c r a f t w ork, r e c r e a t i o n , and s o c i a l f u n c
t i o n s . ^2 The y o u th p ro gram has b e e n p r o v i d i n g a s t e a d y
s tr e a m o f l e a d e r s h i p , and th e f a c i l i t i e s and p ro g ram a r e
p o s s e s s e d to c o n ti n u e th e p ro g ram .
O th e r p h a s e s o f t h e c h u rc h p ro g ram have b e e n c o n
t i n u e d w i t h p r o f i t d u r i n g t h i s tim e . The Sunday S c h o o l
a t t e n d a n c e e n c o u n te r e d a slump d u r i n g th e w ar y e a r s , ^8 b u t
by th e end o f th e I 9 4 9- I 9 5O c h u rc h y e a r i t had gone f a r
C h u rch , B u l l e t i n , A ugust 2 5, 1942, and March 26,
1944.
lip
C hu rch , R e c o r d s , Y outh C e n te r Com m ittee R e p o rt o f
O c to b e r 5 0 , 1946.
^8 I b i d . , B oard o f C h r i s t i a n E d u c a ti o n , R e p o rt o f
May 4, 19431
125
beyond i t s p r e v i o u s h ig h p o i n t to a v e r a g e 1008 p e r Sunday,
V a c a t io n B i b l e S c h o o ls have b e en h e ld d u r i n g th e summer
m o nths, and i n 1949, s i x t e e n c h u rc h e s w ere r e p r e s e n t e d i n
t h e e n r o l l m e n t o f 218, The e n la r g e d p ro g ram o f th e c h u rc h
made added l e a d e r s h i p a d v i s a b l e , and e a r l y i n 1946 th e
Rev. Mr. C y r i l R e id assum ed th e p o s i t i o n o f a s s i s t a n t p a s t o r .
On A p r i l 2 , 1 9 50 , l a r g e l y a s a r e s u l t o f d i s s e n s i o n
stemming from th e more r e a c t i o n a r y c o n s e r v a t i v e e le m e n t.
D r. C atherw ood p r e s e n t e d h i s r e s i g n a t i o n to th e c h u r c h . 45
A lth o u g h he s t a t e d t h a t i t was " f o r th e b e s t i n t e r e s t s o f
t h e F i r s t B a p t i s t C h u rc h ," th e c h u rc h v o te d l a t e r n o t to
a c c e p t i t . However, a f t e r two m on th s, he r e q u e s t e d t h a t
h i s r e s i g n a t i o n be a c c e p t e d e f f e c t i v e O c to b e r 1, 1 9 5 0 .^ 8
T h is tim e h i s w ish was g r a n t e d , and an e r a i n t h e c h u r c h 's
l i f e i s d raw in g to a c l o s e a f t e r more t h a n t w e n t y - s i x y e a r s
u n d e r th e p a s t o r a t e o f D r. C atherw oo d. The A d v iso ry Com
m i t t e e i s now s e e k in g a new p a s t o r , and a n o t h e r e r a i s
a b o u t to b e g in .
C h urch , R e c o r d s , B oard o f C h r i s t i a n E d u c a tio n
R e p o rt o f May 5 , 1950.
^5 I b i d . , A p r i l 2 , 1950.
I b i d . . J u ly 2 , 1950.
124
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CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS
( l ) The h i s t o r y o f R i v e r s i d e h as b e en a c c u r a t e l y
r e f l e c t e d i n th e l i f e o f th e F i r s t B a p t i s t C h u rc h ,
I n th e e a r l y d a y s o f th e c o lo n y , th e s u c c e s s o f e ac h
s e t t l e r depended i n p a r t on h i s n e i g h b o r 's s u c c e s s . U n le s s
th e y c o u ld s u p p o r t i t t o g e t h e r , b u s i n e s s would d i e o u t and
l i v i n g c o n d i t i o n s would become a lm o s t i m p o s s ib le f o r p e o p le
n o t accu sto m ed t o p i o n e e r l i f e . T h is f a c t i s o b v io u s i n
t h e e a r l y n e w sp a p e rs. T here seems to have been no j e a l o u s y
o v e r a n o t h e r 's good f o r t u n e , and e v e ry i n d i v i d u a l s u c c e s s
i s r e p o r t e d h a p p il y a s a n o t h e r s t e p i n th e d e v elo p m e n t o f
t h e comm unity. The d e v e lo p m e n t and s u c c e s s o f th e c i t r u s
i n d u s t r y o n ly i n t e n s i f i e d t h i s f e e l i n g , f o r c i t r u s f r u i t
became th e c ro p o f R i v e r s i d e , and th e p r o s p e r i t y o f th e
w hole community d ep en ded on th e p r o s p e r i t y o f th e c i t r u s
g ro w e rs . I t i s w o rth y o f n o te t h a t t h e f i r s t c i t r u s c o
o p e r a t i v e was o r g a n iz e d i n R i v e r s i d e ,
T h is community s p i r i t was c a r r i e d o v e r i n t o th e work
o f th e c h u r c h e s , f o r t h e g ro u p s t h a t w o rs h ip p e d t o g e t h e r on
Sundays w ere composed o f th e same p e o p le who w ere c o n c e rn e d
w i t h e a c h o t h e r ' s w e l f a r e d u r i n g th e week. The v a r i o u s
c h u rc h e s c o o p e r a t e d i n a l l l i n e s o f t h e i r w ork, and i n th e
B a p t i s t c h u rc h , a t l e a s t , th e p r e v a i l i n g harmony was a p p a r
e n t .
126
As th e c i t y grew , how ever, and a s new i n d u s t r y h as
d e v e lo p e d , th e f e e l i n g o f m u tu a l c o n c e rn and f r i e n d l i n e s s
a lm o s t d i e d o u t. The o l d e r r e s i d e n t s s t i l l f e e l a m u tu a l
k i n s h i p , b u t t h e newcomers r e p r e s e n t a new and d i f f e r e n t
o u t lo o k . I t was n o t by a c c i d e n t t h a t m u n ic ip a l p o l i t i c s
som etim es assum ed a n unaccu stom ed b i t t e r n e s s a f t e r t h e
f i r s t W orld War.
T h is d e v e lo p m e n t, p l u s th e g ro w th o f l a r g e , u n w ie ld y
c o n g r e g a t i o n s , h as ended m ost o f th e e f f e c t i v e c o o p e r a t i o n
b e tw ee n c h u r c h e s , and t h i s i s one o f t h e r e a s o n s t h a t th e
B a p t i s t c h u rc h has te n d e d to become more and more s e p a r a t e
from th e a c t i v i t i e s o f th e r e s t o f R i v e r s i d e . I n t h i s , i t
i s b u t f o l lo w in g a community t r e n d .
The w r i t e r w onders a l s o i f t h i s i s n o t a p a r t i a l e x
p l a n a t i o n o f th e p r e s e n t c o n f u s i o n r e g a r d i n g s u p p o r t f o r
N o r th e r n B a p t i s t C o n v e n tio n w ork. Of c o u r s e , an a p p a r e n t l y
s i n c e r e d i s l i k e f o r t h e d o c t r i n e s o f r e l i g i o u s l i b e r a l i s m
prom pted t h e o r i g i n a l p r o t e s t s and p ro d u c e d th e c h a s t e n in g
a c t i o n o f w i t h h o ld i n g s u p p o r t from v a r i o u s c o n v e n tio n a c t i v i
t i e s . I n l i k e m anner, t h o s e who have f a v o r e d u n l i m i t e d
s u p p o r t o f th e c o n v e n tio n have done so i n s i n c e r i t y . How
e v e r , i f th e community s p i r i t o f e a r l y d a y s had p r e v a i l e d ,
th e c h u rc h w ould , no d o u b t, have a r r i v e d a t some s o r t o f
a g re em e n t r e g a r d i n g th e g r a v i t y o f th e s i t u a t i o n and th e
s t e p s to be ta k e n .
127
(2) The o u t s t a n d i n g i n f l u e n c e o f th e c h u rc h on t h e
community has b e e n th ro u g h e v a n g e lis m .
From t h e f i r s t " n o t a b l e " r e v i v a l u n d e r Mr. Bateman i n
I 878 to th e p r e s e n t e v a n g e l i s t i c p a s t o r a t e o f Dr. C atherw ood,
th e c h u rc h has m a n i f e s te d g r e a t c o n c e rn o v e r t h e uncon
v e r t e d . S p e c i a l e v a n g e l i s t i c m e e tin g s have b e en h e ld r e g u l a r
l y th r o u g h o u t i t s h i s t o r y , and one o f th e o l d e r members has
rem ark ed t h a t i t i s now th e o n ly one o f t h e e a r l y c h u rc h e s
to c o n ti n u e d o in g s o .^ P a r t o f th e tim e i t has grown much
f a s t e r th a n t h e c i t y . D u rin g Dr. C atherw ood*s p a s t o r a t e , f o r
i n s t a n c e , i t has i n c r e a s e d a b o u t tw ic e a s f a s t a s th e c i t y ' s
p o p u l a t i o n . S in c e e v a n g e lis m has been i t s m ajo r e m p h a sis,
i t s i n f l u e n c e has l a r g e l y b e e n on i n d i v i d u a l s r a t h e r th a n on
c i v i c o r s o c i a l m ovem ents, and such i n f l u e n c e i s i m p o s s ib le
to t a b u l a t e .
( 5 ) The c h u rc h has b e e n one o f th e e f f e c t i v e e d u c a
t i o n a l i n f l u e n c e s i n th e com m unity.
E v e r s i n c e th e o r g a n i z a t i o n o f th e Sunday S c h o o l, i t s
p ro gram has been em p h asized by th e c h u rc h . D u rin g 1949, th e
a v e r a g e d a i l y a t t e n d a n c e i n th e p u b l i c s c h o o ls was 1 0, 2 8 5 ,2
and th e a v e ra g e Sunday s c h o o l a t t e n d a n c e o f IOO8 f o r 1949-50
1 9 5 0.
^ Mrs. Eva S u l l i v a n , i n p r i v a t e c o n v e r s a t i o n , J u l y 29,
2
Chamber o f Commerce, F a c t s , 1950.
128
i s a b o u t o n e - t e n t h o f t h a t am ount. When we add to t h i s work
th e l a r g e V a c a t io n B i b le S c h o o l and th e many b r a n c h e s of
young p e o p l e 's a c t i v i t i e s , we m ust c o n c lu d e t h a t th e F i r s t
B a p t i s t Church has no s u p e r i o r s , and p r o b a b ly no e q u a l s , a s
a s o u rc e o f m o ra l and r e l i g i o u s te a c h i n g i n R i v e r s i d e to d a y .
(4) The c h u rc h h as b e en i m p o r t a n t t o t h e community
as a s o u rc e o f o t h e r c h u r c h e s .
A lth o u g h m ost e f f o r t s a lo n g t h i s l i n e have been
c a r r i e d o u t r a t h e r r e c e n t l y , a s e a r l y a s 1885 we fou nd th e
c h u rc h a llo w in g an e l d e r o f th e C h r i s t i a n d e n o m in a tio n t o
u se i t s b u i l d i n g w h ile o r g a n i z i n g a c h u rc h , and we a l s o
n o t i c e d t h a t some o f th e c h a r t e r members o f th e f i r s t Negro
c h u rc h came from th e F i r s t B a p t i s t C hurch. The e a r l y C h in ese
m is s i o n , th e P a r k Avenue m is s i o n , and th e v a r i o u s m is s io n
a c t i v i t i e s o f th e e a r l y y e a r s o f Dr. C a th e rw o o d 's p a s t o r a t e
a l l to o k th e p l a c e o f a c h u rc h f o r t h o s e who a t t e n d e d , a l
th ough th e y w ere n e v e r o r g a n iz e d a s su ch . W ith in r e c e n t y e a r s
t h r e e c h u rc h e s have b e en o r g a n iz e d i n o r n e a r R i v e r s i d e , and
a s th e c h u rc h i s r e c e p t i v e to f u r t h e r o p p o r t u n i t i e s a lo n g
t h i s l i n e , su c h work w i l l p r o b a b ly be c o n ti n u e d .
F u r t h e r a t t e m p t s to d e v e lo p c o n c l u s i o n s from th e d a t a
a t hand would p r o b a b ly c a r r y th e a u t h o r beyond th e f i e l d o f
h i s t o r y to th e re a lm o f h o m i l e t i c s , b u t p e rh a p s he w i l l be
a llo w e d to q u o te i n c o n c l u s i o n a s t a te m e n t p r e p a r e d by M iss
K ate Candee on t h e o c c a s i o n o f th e c h u r c h 's f i f t i e t h
129
a n n i v e r s a r y : 8
The . . . y e a r s commemorated h e re w i l l n e v e r
d i e , b u t w i l l be l i v e d on, and i n t o y e a r s to come
be woven a s a m ig h ty i n f l u e n c e f o r good o r i l l .
We c a n n o t say f a r e w e l l to them and t a k i n g up o u r
t a s k anew go fo rw a rd i n t o u n t r i e d f i e l d s o f th o u g h t
and l i f e — t h e P a s t i s alw ay s w i t h u s . We l i f t o u r
h e a r t s i n g r a t i t u d e to God t h a t He has b l e s s e d and
b r i g h t e n e d a l l th e way th ro u g h w hich t h e s e y e a r s
have l e d , and p r a i s e Him f o r t h e b l e s s e d t e a c h i n g
w hich H is s e r v i c e b r o u g h t . We p r a y H is b l e s s i n g s
on th e y e a r s t o come, t h a t i n i t s f u t u r e l i f e t h i s
C hurch may know a f u l l e r , more a b i d i n g lo v e f o r
Him and t h o s e f o r whom He d i e d .
^ Church, B u l l e t i n , F eb ru ary 1 0 , 1924.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
A. PUBLISHED MATERIAL
1. Books and P e r i o d i c a l s
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Beauchamp, M a r s h a ll , e d i t o r , C a l i f o r n i a Alm anac. Los A n g eles:
C a l i f o r n i a Almanac C o ., 1947•
Brown, Jo h n J r . , and Jam es Boyd, H i s t o : ^ o f San B e rn a rd in o
and R i v e r s i d e C o u n t i e s . 5 v o l s , (num bered c o n s e c u t i v e -
l y ) C hicago: Lewis P u b l i s h i n g C o ., 1922.
Caughey, Jo h n W., C a l i f o r n i a . New Y ork: P r e n t i c e - H a l l , 1940.
C le l a n d , R o b e rt G ., C a l i f o r n i a i n Our Tim e. New York:
A l f r e d A, K nopfl 1947•
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L i b r a r y , I 9TT.
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P o w e ll P u b l i s h i n g C o ., I 9 2 9 .
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Coy, Owen C . , C a l i f o r n i a County B o u n d a r ie s . B e r k e le y :
C a l i f o r n i a H i s t o r i c a l S urvey Com m ission, 1925.
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A n g e le s: A utom obile Club o f S o u th e rn C a l i f o r n i a , 1946.
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C a l i f o r n i a . Los A n g e les: H i s t o r i c R ecord Co., 1912.
H ornbeck, R o b e r t, R o u b id o u x 's Ranch i n th e 7 0 ' s . R i v e r s i d e :
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I n g e r s o l l , L. A . , C e n tu ry A nnals o f San B e r n a r d in o County
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L in d le y , W a l te r , and J . P. W idney, C a l i f o r n i a o f th e S o u th .
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Growers E x ch a n g e . Los A n g e le s: n . p . , 1925.
M angold, G. B . , S o c i a l S u rv ey o f R i v e r s i d e , C a l i f o r n i a ,
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M cG roarty, Jo h n S te p h e n , C a l i f o r n i a o f t h e S o u th . C hicag o:
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M cW illiam s, C a rey , S o u th e rn C a l i f o r n i a C o u n tr y . New York:
D u e l l , S lo a n & P e a r c e , 1946.
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C a l i f o r n i a , X V :1 2 7 -l6 l.
R ic e , G eorge, S o u th e r n C a l i f o r n i a . Los A ng eles: 1885.
S o u th e r n C a l i f o r n i a B ureau o f I n f o r m a t io n , S o u th e r n C a l i f o r n i a .
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D urand, E, D . , D i r e c t o r , B ureau o f th e C e n su s, D ep artm en t o f
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S upplem ent f o r C a l i f o r n i a . W ash in g to n : Government
P r i n t i n g O f f i c e , 1915.
H a l l , W. H ., I r r i g a t i o n i n C a l i f o r n i a . 2 v o l s . S acram en to :
S t a t e P r i n t i n g O f f i c e , l8 8 8 .
5 . P a m p h le ts
H o l l i d a y , A l i c e , H i s t o r y o f F i r s t B a p t i s t C hurch, R i v e r s i d e ,
C a l i f o r n i a . 1955.
R i v e r s i d e Chamber o f Commerce, Book o f F a c t s . e d i t i o n s o f
1954, 1955, 1959, 1 9 4 5, and 1 9 5 0.
_________ , R i v e r s i d e , C a l i f o r n i a . I 9 1 9 .
_________, T h is i s R i v e r s i d e . e d i t i o n s o f 1955 and 1954.
4 . N ew spapers
R i v e r s i d e D a lly P r e s s , 1895-1950.
R i v e r s i d e E n t e r p r i s e , I 8 9O -I 9 5 O*
R i v e r s i d e P r e s s , J u n e , I 8 7 8--D ecem b er, I 8 7 9 .
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C andee, K a te , and o t h e r s . H i s t o r y o f th e F i r s t B a p t i s t Church
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E l l i s , Iv a n C. , O r i g i n and D evelopm ent o f B a p t i s t C hurches
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M a s t e r 's t h e s i s , th e U n i v e r s i t y o f S o u th e rn C a l i f o r n i a ,
1958.
F i r s t B a p t i s t C hurch o f R i v e r s i d e , C a l i f o r n i a , L e t t e r s ,
November, I 9 0 5 --N ovem ber, I 9 0 7 .
_______ , M in u tes o f O f f i c e r s and Deacons M e e tin g s . A p r i l ,
1395— O c to b e r, 1895.
, R eco rd s o f th e C hurch C leric. 1874-1887, 1907-1925,
1 9 4 6- 1 9 5 0.
, Sunday S c h o o l R e c o rd . I 8 9 8 .
( G r a n t, A.), H i s t o r y o f Los A n g eles B a p t i s t A s s o c i a t i o n . MS.
( 1 8 8 7) a t S o u th e rn C a l i f o r n i a B a p t i s t C o n v e n tio n Head
q u a r t e r s , Los A n g e le s.
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A ugust 8 , 1 9 0 5, i n C hurch, H i s t o r y F i l e .
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C o n v e n tio n H e a d q u a r te r s , Los A n g e le s.
F i r s t B a p t i s t C hurch o f R i v e r s i d e , C a l i f o r n i a , H i s t o r y F i l e .
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L i b r a r y .
Roe, Jam es H ., N otes on t h e E a r l y H i s t o r y o f R i v e r s i d e ,
C a l i f o r n i a . MS. i n R i v e r s i d e P u b l i c L i b r a r y .
S crap b o o k o f Mr. W a lte r D. C l a r k .
S c rap b o o k o f M iss A lic e H o l l i d a y .
ORAL SOURCES
O sb o rn e, Mrs. P. W., p r i v a t e c o n v e r s a t i o n o f A ugust 15, 1950.
S u l l i v a n , Mrs. E va, p r i v a t e c o n v e r s a t i o n o f J u l y 2 9 , 1950.
(T hese two women r e s i d e i n R i v e r s i d e and have b e en members
o f th e F i r s t B a p t i s t C hurch f o r many y e a r s . Mrs. S u l l i v a n
j o i n e d th e c h u rc h i n 1885, and Mrs. O s b o r n e 's l a t e husband
d i r e c t e d th e work a t th e P a rk Avenue M is s io n d u r in g m ost of
i t s e x i s t e n c e . )

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Creator Smith, Sanford Vandever (author)

Core Title A history of the First Baptist Church of Riverside, California, with particular reference to its relation to the community

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Degree Master of Arts

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