King's Pocket-book of Providence, RI

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from "King's Pocket-book of Providence, R.I." Moses King, Cambridge, Mass., 1882 Tibbitts, Shaw & Co., Providence, RI

The interesting and most important public features of the City of Providence, Rhode Island, in 1882

KING'S POCKET-BOOK OF PROVIDENCE - U

Copyright, 1882, by Moses King.

UNION AMERICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH (colored), L. V. St., was org'd in 1874, and incorp'd June 1, 1882. The present house of worship was purchased May, 1881. Before that time services were held at junc. of Mill and North Main Sts., in a hired room. Present membership, 63; pastor, Rev. W. A. Jackson. Membership of Sunday school, 76.

UNION CLUB is centrally located at No. 90 South Main St. Org'd in 1856 as the 'S. B.' society, it adopted its present name in 1875, and in 1876 removed to the quarters now occupied. It is social in character, and numbers upon its roll about 80 prominent citizens. The initiation fee is $50, annual dues $40. Admission to the rooms on invitation of members only. Sec'y, Lemuel Hayward.

UNION CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH on Broad St. near Stewart St., completed in 1872, is a fine brick edifice in Gothic style, designed by Wm. R. Walker. Its trimmings are of stone. It has two towers or steeples of unequal height. Its interior is handsomely finished, and the seats are arranged as in an amphitheatre. The society worshipping here was formed by the union of the Richmond-st. and High-st. Congregational Churches in 1871. In the rear of the church is a chapel, similar in architecture, used for Sunday-school purposes.

UNION FOR CHRISTIAN WORK, occupying pleasant quarters at 135 Broad St., is a benevolent organization, asking only, as a qualification for membership, 'a sincere desire to do good and help men upwards'. The active members pay $1 a year, and carry on the work. Fine members pay not less than $5 a year, and may vote for officers, but need not take active part in the work. The rooms comprise a reading-room and a library of 3,000 vols. These are free to all, week-days from 4 to 10 P.M.; and the reading-room is open Sundays from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. A room open Saturday nights during the winter months furnishes to street-boys books, games, and kind influences. The Union also maintains three branch-rooms for this purpose in other sections of the city. A Flower Mission collects and distributes on Saturdays flowers to the sick and infirm, in the hospital, the homes for aged men and women, etc.

UNION RAILROAD COMPANY. -- See Horse-cars.

UNITARIAN DENOMINATION is represented in Providence by three churches, -- the First Congregational, the Westminster Congregational, and the Olney-st. Congregational. The First Congregational was formed in 1720, not without an earnest protest on the part of leading members of the Baptist Church. In 1721 the erection of a house of worship was begun on High St., but the edifice was torn down when in an unfinished state. In 1723 another house was built, on the cor. of College and Benefit Sts., which in 1794 was sold to the town for a town-house. In 1794-95 a fine church edifice was built on the cor. of Benefit and Benevolent Sts., which was burnt June 14, 1814. In 1815-16, the spacious and elegant structure now occupied by the society was erected, being dedicated Oct. 31, 1816. The pastors have been Josiah Cotton, 1728 - 1747; John Bass, 1752 - 1758; David S. Rowland, 1761 - 1774; Enos Hitchcock, 1783 - 1803; Henry Edes, 1805 - 1832; Edward Brooks Hall, 1832 - 1866; Arthur May Knapp, 1868 - 1871; Carlton Albert Staples, 1872 - 1881; Thomas Roberts Slicer, 1881, now filling the pastorate.

The Westminster Congregational was org'd in 1828. A church edifice was built in 1829, on Mathewson St., near Westminster St., and is still occupied by the society. The pastors have been Frederic Augustus Farley, 1828 - 1841; Samuel Osgood, 1841 - 1849; Frederic Henry Hedge, 1850 - 1856; Augustus Woodbury, 1857, who is the present incumbent.

The Olney-st. Congregational grew out of the Benefit-st. Ministry at Large, which was org'd in 1841. A chapel was built on the cor. of Benefit and Halsey Sts. in 1846. A more commodious and larger edifice was built on Olney St. in 1871. The Ministry at Large has been mainly supported by the members of the First Society and the Westminster Society, and its ministers have been Henry Francis Harrington, 1842 - 1844; William Gustavus Babcock, 1844 - 1847; Edwin Martin Stone, 1847 - 1877; Alfred Manchester, 1878. In 1879 the Olney-st. Congregational Society was incorporated, and Alfred Manchester became its pastor.

The three churches and their ministers have labored earnestly and faithfully in the illustration and enforcement of the principles of Liberal Christianity. The Ministry at Large still continues in existence, supported by the Unitarian churches. It has had a noble history of beneficent Christian work. -- Augustus Woodbury.

UNITED ORDER OF THE TRAIN OF ARTILLERY OF THE TOWN OF PROVIDENCE, an independent infantry org'n, numbering about 100 officers and man, with flute and drum corps of 18 pieces, was chartered in 1775. Armory, 121 Canal St.

UNIVERSALISTS. -- The Rev. John Murray, the father of American Universalism, preached frequently in Providence as early as A.D. 1772, and other preachers of the denomination held services here from time to time. But the first society was not incorporated until Oct. 1821. Since then this society has had a prosperous existence. It occupied two churches on Westminster St. before erecting the spacious building which it occupies at the cor. of Greene and Washington Sts. The second society, known as 'The Church of the Mediator', was established A.D. 1845, and occupies the substantial edifice on Cranston St., cor. of Burgess St. Besides these two parishes there are in Rhode Island three Universalist parishes: one in Woonsocket, one in Pawtucket, and one in East Providence where a new church edifice was dedicated Oct. 24, 1882. There are Universalist chapels at Valley Falls and Cumberland; and for some years a State missionary has been maintained, who has preached at Burrillville, Anthony, Harmony, and other places in the State. The number of Universalist families in the State is about 700; of church-members, about 1,650; and of attendants in the Sunday schools, about 1,500. The value of the church property of the denomination in the State is about $250,000. H. I. Cushman.