History of Swansea, Massachusetts, 1667-1917; - citizen hylbom blog

Churches 121
he resigned. Rev. Wm. T. Fitch, rector of the Ascension,
Fall River, soon assumed the charge, and officiated most of the
time, holding an afternoon service, until about the first of
July, 1881, when Rev. Otis 0. Wright, of Providence, was
elected to the rectorship, and began his labors, residing in the
parish until Feb. 15th, 1888, when he became rector of St.
Mark's, Riverside, R. I. Rev. Ernest Marriett, rector of St.
James, Fall River, was in charge from April 2d, 1888, until
December 12th, 1889, when he resigned to become rector of
St. John's, Stockport, N. Y. Rev. Percy S. Grant, rector of
St. Mark's, Fall River, officiated from about the time that
Mr. Marriett left until he became rector of the Ascension, New
York City, 1893. Rev. Herman Page, rector of St. John's,
Fall River, succeeded Mr. Grant, and continued in charge of
the parish until about 1900. He was consecrated missionary
Bishop of Spokane, Jan. 28, 1915.
The membership of the church, which has always been
small, at present numbers 132, and the Sunday school has 108
scholars.
This parish received financial aid from the Diocesan
Board of Missions during a long period of its history, and for
many years its various interests have been largely sustained
by the liberality of the Hon. Frank Shaw Stevens, whose
generous fortune and good will made the erection of the new
church possible.
The parish records show that at a special meeting, held
March 3d, 1899, it was "Voted to accept the provisions of the
will of the late Frank S. Stevens, relating to the construction
of a church building for the Society, " and also the following
testimonial: "The acceptance of such a gift as the $20,000
church provided for in the will of the late Frank Shaw Stevens
to which Mrs. Stevens added $15,000 more, demands more
than a formal vote of acknowledgment from the parish of
Christ church. As it is otherwise impossible to show our
appreciation, it is but fitting that our gratitude should at
least be expressed upon the records of our parish life.
The new church will stand as a permanent memorial to
the life and character of him who gave it. Mr. Stevens was not
a member of the church, but his interest, and his faith in its
value, were evinced by his unfailing support of this church
both in life and death. He was a faithful vestryman of the
parish for many years, and in spite of his many business cares
always found time to attend our parish meetings. In all
financial matters he was our invaluable adviser and friend.
In fact, it is impossible to see how services could have been
maintained but for his generosity. The new edifice will stand