The following is an excerpt from Early History of the Disciples in the Western Reserve by Amos S. Hayden.
The first discourse in this city, on the “ancient gospel” as plead by the disciples, was delivered by the pioneer, William Hayden. It occurred under the following circumstances: Coming to Armon O’Connor’s, a new convert from Euclid, then living in Brooklyn, two miles west of the Cuyahoga River, Bro. O’Connor asked him to preach in the village, down near the river. This was before even “Ohio City” was known or named. Hayden replied that he would do so, if an audience could be obtained at 10 o’clock on a certain Monday morning which he mentioned. O’Connor agreed to these terms. About 8 o’clock of the appointed morning, Bro. O’Connor started and canvassed the entire community, visiting every house. One hour and a half accomplished the patrol. Every family was invited, and nearly every one came. The preacher took up the subject of “election,” much discussed those times, and in a full and vigorous argument he stated and replied to the leading proofs relied on in support of the foreordination of a select few to eternal life; and in contrast with this unscriptural hypothesis, he opened a free salvation through faith and obedience to Jesus Christ. The sermon was listened to with marked attention, as well for the boldness and novelty of the preacher’s manner, as for the freshness and power of the scriptural views he presented. This was in October, 1833. The ground thus gained was never lost. He introduced Bro. Moss and Bro. Green, who astonished the people by their knowledge of the Bible and power in teaching it. Among the first converts were Mrs. Armon O’Connor, baptized by Bro. Moss; and W. B. Storer and his wife, who were baptized by Hayden at the yearly meeting in Richfield, September, 1834. Bro. Hayden preached in the old academy in Cleveland to full assemblies. Some of the converts recently gathered into the church are the fruits of those sermons delivered thirty years before.
At the conclusion of the meeting held on Mr. Wightman’s farm, in 1835, it was arranged for Mr. Campbell to preach in the court-house on Monday afternoon at 4 o’clock. It was the old court-house which stood on the south-west corner of the public square. There were only two hours to circulate the word. No time for hand-bills. This appointment was at the solicitation of Thomas Hawley, an intelligent disciple, who not long before had moved from Shrewsbury, England, and was then a resident in Cleveland, At his suggestion, his son Joseph and Armon O’Connor went through all the principal streets, and in clear ringing tones announced in stores, shops, and private houses, that Alexander Campbell would preach in the court-house at 4 o’clock. These messengers were young and active. The whole city heard, and the court- room was overflowing before the hour arrived, all anxious to hear him.
Sheriff Wightman’s influence was great with the officials, and with the people, by whom he was much respected. Through him the court- house was opened several times for William Hayden, whose discourses were listened to by full audiences. His brother held a two days’ meeting in it. Discourses were delivered there by Moss, Williams, and Collins. These sermons, like the leaven in the meal, were doing their work. They opened the way for the harvest which ere long was reaped in the city. But it was in June, 1836, the greatest advance was made in Cleveland. On a trip to New England, Mr. Campbell stopped in the city and delivered some discourses in favor of the Bible. These sermons aroused the skeptics in the city, and Irad Kelley volunteered as the defender of infidelity. A few speeches and rejoinders were made, when Mr. Campbell urged the infidel junto, for it appears they had no defined organization, to put forth their champion, as the discomfiture of any other would not be acknowledged by them as the overthrow of their cause. Skepticism in the city of Cleveland was then delivered into the hands of the intrepid Dr. Underbill, to make for it the best defense in his power. As court was to open the next day, the first Presbyterian church, of which the venerable Dr. Aiken was pastor, was freely granted for the continuance of the discussion.
The conclusion of this debate of four days, which attracted the attention of the whole city, is thus declared by Mr. Campbell:
“After hearing some other reiterations from Taylor, and some explanations from Mr. Kelley, and some very flattering compliments from my friend Underbill, with the greatest urbanity and good nature we came to a close—I recapitulating the whole, and showing that now, after so long and so patient a session, we had heard these leaders of the skeptics of Cleveland display, if not all they had, certainly the best and the strongest allegations they had to offer. It could not be difficult to see the nakedness of the land of infidelity, the poverty of its soul, when such an assiduous cultivator as my opponent had raised so poor a crop after the toils of so many moons. We contrasted the bearings, the prospects, and the ultimate termination of the two hopes—that of immortality, and that of eternal sleep; the present pleasures of religion and the pains of skepticism; and after a word of friendly exhortation to my antagonists, I bade them adieu.
“Thus, after enjoying, with many others, the very kind hospitalities of our benevolent brother Hawley and his amiable family for several days, and various demonstrations of respect and good will from all parties, we retired in the evening of that day to our good but afflicted brother Wightman’s, in the country; and, after spending a pleasant evening with himself and family, on the next morning we embarked on Lake Erie for the State of New York.
“We had the pleasure,” Mr. Campbell adds, “in the midst of our discussions, to be called to the river to hear the confession of six converts who were immersed into Christ by our brother Adamson Bentley.”
This, it is presumed, is the first instance of baptism by our brethren in the city of Cleveland. The occasion is memorable. The administrator was as venerable as a patriarch; and the converts were trophies of a signal victory achieved over the allied forces of infidelity in the city.
The gentlemen who presided, at different times over this discussion, were Elder Bentley, Thomas Hawley, and Tolbert Fanning, of Nashville, Tenn., one of Mr. Campbell’s companions in travel.
It is eminently worthy of special attention, that all the participants in that scene are now dwellers among the countless tenants of the grave. Campbell, Bentley, Fanning, Hawley, Wightman; M. S. Clapp also, and William Hayden. Bro. Clapp made two speeches in the discussion, in consequence of Mr. Campbell’s hoarseness. All these have wheeled into the ranks of that long procession of immortal spirits who are awaiting their crowns. Dr. Underbill sleeps. And now, within a few days, Irad Kelley, Esq., the lone survivor of that group of historic names, is brought from the seaboard where he died, to rest among his kindred dead.
From that day the cause of infidelity withered. It was the blasting of the fruitless fig-tree. Long afterward in a public assembly of the citizens, Rev. Mr. Aiken declared that to Mr. Campbell was to be credited the downfall of infidelity in the city of Cleveland. In this opinion he only expressed the concurring judgment of other intelligent citizens, some of whom, legal gentlemen of reputation, have so said to me.
The cherished purpose of planting the ancient gospel in Cleveland seemed to be delayed by the death of Col. Wightman. This warm- hearted Christian was no less active than influential. On January 12, 1837, he fell asleep in good hope, after a long and painful illness. The removal of Bro. Hawley and family to Detroit, about this time, was also a blow to hope. It was not long, however, before a door of faith was opened, and in the following manner:
Capt. J. G. Nickerson and his brother, having moved to Cleveland, they importuned Henry to come and preach in the city. This panoplied chieftain opened the siege Friday, the 11th of February, 1842. In three days the meeting was all ablaze. Great numbers were not able to gain admittance. The overpowering mastery of that matchless man held his audiences for an hour and a half to two hours as under a charm. Gentlemen, and sometimes ladies, stood during the sermon unconscious of the time. During the ten days of his meeting there were twenty-six conversions. Three others united, and on Lord’s day, the 20th of February, 1842, the church was constituted and left under the general oversight of Dr. J. P. Robison and A. S. Hayden. D. P. Nickerson and Geo. B. Tibbitts were the elders. The next Lord’s day, Robison preached and baptized six more. Bro. Jones, whose prowess scents the battle from afar, was quickly on the ground, and made many accessions to the infant church. Soon after, the amiable and gifted Collins, with Robison, held a meeting which resulted in thirty conversions.
On the 10th of December, 1843, the church removed to Apollo Hall, east side of the river. In this and in Empire Hall it met about two years—Dr. Robison and A. S. Hayden alternating in preaching; then, in 1846, the congregation re-established itself in Ohio City. Soon after this, Bro. L. Cooley, who had been an early member here, became their preacher. He was succeeded, in 1852, by Bro. Green, following whom, Bro. Cooley was again employed. In 1860, Bro. C. C. Foot became the pastor; then brethren B. A. Hinsdale, James Canon, and S. E. Shephard served the church successively; the present incumbent is Bro. A. Wilcox.