San Francisco County
Biographies
ALL SAINTS
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
All Saints Episcopal Church of San Francisco, California, situated at 1350 Waller street, was founded in the year 1900 as a mission of St. Stephens parish. Services were first held in a small building on Oak street. The second location of the church was on Haight street near Central avenue; the third was at Haight and Masonic; and then in 1905 removal was made to the present site on Waller street. Additions were made to the church structure here. Some damage was suffered during the fire and earthquake of 1906, but the church was enabled to provide refuge for many of those who were homeless during this period of disaster. Rev. Edward Hayes was the first rector of the church, and served five years. Other rectors were Rev. Harvey S. Hanson, Rev. Schuyler Pratt, Rev. Arthur W. Farlander, and the present incumbent, Rev. Arthur J. Child, who came March 18, 1930, and a biography of whom appears elsewhere in this history. In 1930, the twenty-fifth anniversary of All Saints Church was celebrated. A publication of the church at this time contains paragraphs which will be of interest to the reader of a future generation; they follow:
“It is often said of All Saints Church building that it has the quiet dignity of a well seasoned cathedral. Its doors are open all day long, and every day, for meditation, rest and prayer. Its influence is peculiarly felt in the neighborhood, which was recently well expressed by a leading San Francisco daily paper in this way: ‘Holding to all the traditions while gradually reaching into new fields of activity made necessary by the modern age, All Saints Episcopal Church, 1350 Waller street, is unostentatiously ministering to the needs of the people in its vicinity. A quiet little brown-shingled building, All Saints is a church with an open door. People drift in at all times for rest, meditation and prayer.’
“It is a pleasure, and a cause of deep satisfaction and thankfulness that a large and growing membership is found in each of its many activities, viz: Church; Sunday School; Adult and Junior Choirs; Women’s Guild; Woman’s Auxiliary; Young People’s Fellowship; Altar Guild; Bible Class; Prayer Group and Little Helpers.
“The parish has three lay readers, who really do something--Messrs. William J. Langstaff, James A. Sanders, and Dr. Ed J. Stevens.
“Its vestry is composed of the following: William J. Langstaff (senior warden); Richard P. Hobbs (junior warden); Willard C. Henderson (treasurer); Edmond L. Merwin (vestry clerk); Colonel James B. Brown; Albert Lea; Captain Arthur D. Layne; Lloyd V. Newton; and Dr. Ed J. Stevens. The attendance at vestry meetings is generally one hundred per cent good.
“An outstanding feature of this twenty-fifth anniversary of the life of the parish was “The Burning of the Mortgage’ at the parish dinner last evening in the parish house. Thankful, indeed, and most encouraged are we that we can now start the next quarter of a century of its life entirely free of debt. This, of course, speaks volumes for those faithful members who have prayed and worked so many years for this much desired and enviable position.
“But we are a grateful parish, and we look to do much greater things for God’s cause locally, in the diocese and world at large in the future. ‘Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward’ we now again make as our motto and goal.”
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Byington, Lewis Francis, “History of
San Francisco 3 Vols”, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1931. Vol. 3 Pages 260-262.
© 2008 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S SAN
FRANCISCO BIOGRAPIES