THROOP CHURCH HISTORY, NOTES <author>David S.Lawyer <tt><url url="mailto:dave@lafn.org"></tt> <date> August 2003 <toc> <sect>WHAT's in these NOTES This contains historical notes which were too detailed to put into the Throop History article. It also contains references to other documents. <sect>MISCELLANEOUS NOTES <sect1>Swami Vivekananda 1900 Swami Vivekananda delivered a lecture at the Pasadena Universalist Church, on January 28, 1900: "The way to the Realisation of a Universal Religion". Excerpts from it are to be found on the Internet. It's widely acclaimed by his various Hindu followers. Although Vivekananda is of the Hindu religion, he sounds quite a bit like a Universalist. A follower of Vivekananda wrote a piece on the Internet about visiting the old church building just before it was demolished in order to see where Vivekananda spoke. Source: Internet. <sect1>Flagpole Dedicated to Carl F. Henry, D.D. Feb 16, 1930. A gift from Mr. Wel Wood. Set in concrete by Boy Scout Troop 28 under the director of Benjamin Robinson. Per data in archives. <sect1>Florence Kollock (first minister ??) Florence Ellen Kollock 1848-1925. There's a file on her at the Andover-Harvard Theological Library: 900/10(2). She was ordained in 1877 and married Joesph H. Crooker (1850-1939) on June 18, 1896 at age 48. Florence Kollock served at Throop for 2 short periods: 1886 and again in 1893-4. She preached sermons, but what was her position in the church? Was she ever the minister? The answer is likely no. In 1886 per Bradley, she "labored for a few months organizing the parish. Later that same year Rev. E. L. Briggs served for a short time." Then Rev. E. L. Conger become pastor in March 1887. The church wasn't incorporated until Jan. 1887 so it looks like Conger was the first pastor (and not Kollock nor Briggs). Regarding the second period of her service in 1893-4 Bradley writes: "Dr. Conger's health broke under the strain, and in 1893 Rev. Florence Kollock was called as associate. In 1894 Dr. Conger withdrew from the pastorate, and in a few months Miss Kollock resigned, and returned to the East." It's obvious that she was Associate Minister in 1893 and it's not clear if she was promoted to be the full Minister in 1894 after Dr. Conger withdrew. The fact that Miss Kollock resigned a few months later seems to imply that she wasn't promoted to full minister which could well be one of the reasons for her resignation. Also, if she had become the pastor, one might expect Bradley to mention that fact but he didn't. Cahill writes that she resigned to get married, but she didn't marry Joseph H. Crooker until June 18, 1896 (per the Internet). She was nearly 50 years old when she got married and lived from 1848-1925. In 1877 (age 29), she was ordained as a Universalist minister and served in a number of churches besides Throop. There is a file folder on her at the Andover-Harvard Theological Library: bMS 900/10(2) <sect1>Finance 1972 stock market crash hurt endowment fund. After realizing that they couldn't fund budget in 1970's, may have cut budget in Jan. of each year. Kept taking money from endowment fund and then used edowment fund to pay back loan for Henry House. <sect>References in Church Archives This is Your Church .. what will you make of it in 1968?: 312 members, 185 pledging units. During 1962-1967, about 12k/yr withdrawn from endowment of $176k. (This endowment was exhausted later on. In the 1970s ?) Pleads for more $ from congregation. 1967 Parish Poll showed the average pledge was 1.85% of gross income. Goal was 3% of income which would eliminate the deficit. Pledges about 30k. Mean pledge $162. Pacific Coast Universalism, by Asa Mayo Bradley (mostly written 1900-1910 ??). See the "Pasadena" section. 1929-30: Report to the California Univ. Convention. Membership: 275 families, 499 individuals (includes families), 120 members of church school (includes adults), 15 teachers. <sect>References from Pasadena Historical Museum Reid, Hiram "History of Pasadena" 1895, Pasadena: A History Company, Publishers. See pp. 492-3: First Universalist Church. Covers founding, purchase of Methodist church building, building church on N. Raymond, Throop's opposition to such a costly building. <sect>References from Pasadena Star News Jan. 31, 1936 "Anniversary for Church Planned; Throop Memorial to Be 50 Years Old Soon". Short account on the founding of Throop. April 12, 1937: "Universalists Hold Annual Dinner" Mortgage of $15 thousand paid off. Existed since church built in 1923. </article>