In a community like St. Mary’s with
a very long history there are people whose stories are notable for their brief
duration, sometimes tragically or scandalously brief. Others are known for what
we might call spiritual longevity – a combination of commitment, faith, temperament
and circumstance that allows them to engage with the community for a very long
time. We continue today with part three of the Saints of St. Mary’s – a series
of sermons about the people who have had a significant part in the history of
our parish. I had mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I had been convinced
that parts 1 and 2 of the series had exhausted the supply of spiritual forbears
for whom we had adequate information to tell a story. Additional research has
revealed enough subjects for a third series, which we continue today after a
break last week for the blessing of animals.
Edward Clarke Hamill is a name that
some of us have heard or read. He donated the window on the north side with the
picture of the nun and the little girl. It was a gift in memory of his mother
Jennie. The window was installed in 1920. The nun is Sister Mary Frances, a
member of the Order of the Holy Cross that was established at St. Mary’s around
1880. She was a teacher, and archival materials have suggested that the little
girl depicted in the window is Edward Hamill’s mother, Jennie, but the dates
really don’t fit. He had a sister, and perhaps the little girl is meant to
represent her.
He and his mother and sister became
members of the parish when he was baptized by Fr. Betts at St. Luke’s Church on
July 27, 1873 at the age of six. That was when parishioners still worshiped in
the old building at 8th and Walnut, before the parish changed its
name to St. Mary’s and moved here. At
the age of 10, Edward began to sing in the choir. He was confirmed on Ascension
Day, 1881. Fr. Jardine presented him to
Bishop Robertson for confirmation. Young Mr. Hamill was elected to the vestry
for the first time at the age of 18 during the last tumultuous year of Fr.
Jardine’s service as Rector.
Edward Hamill’s professional life
started early and the trajectory of it mirrored his life at St. Mary’s in its
long-term commitment. The story I read describes him as “a very active and
mischievous boy” whose “worried guardian” was anxious to have him employed. In
the materials I found about his life there is only one mention of Edward
Hamill’s father, John. It appears that he died not long after Edward was born
in Leavenworth. Jennie Hamill moved with her young son and daughter to Kansas
City where friends or family took an interest in the children. This guardian of young Edward approached a
small wholesale drug business called Woodward Faxon & Company that had
relocated from Lawrence to Kansas City, establishing itself at 511 Delaware
Street. Edward went to work for them shortly after his 11th
birthday, starting as a messenger boy. His boss, Mr. Horton, is described as
having taken a paternal interest in him. Edward remained with the company which
promoted him into positions of increasing responsibility as he grew older. The
business changed hands and names several times, merged with competitors and
continued to grow. On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of his
employment, the company honored Mr. Hamill with a surprise party to which all
of its employees and customers were invited. By that time Fr. Merrill was
Rector of St. Mary’s. He was also invited to the celebration and was
responsible for getting the guest of honor and his wife to the party without
revealing the surprise. Mr. Hamill’s
colleagues gave him a gold watch, a gift of money and many testimonials.
Honored as he was to have his years of service recognized by the company, he
was back at work the following Monday morning. It appears that he never
retired, but continued to work until he died.
In the account of this celebration,
Mr. Hamill is described as the greeter at Faxon & Gallagher Drug Company.
It’s hard to know exactly what the responsibilities for such a position might
have been, but it had to do with building and maintaining customer
relationships for the company. There is no indication that his formal education
continued much past 5th grade since he went to work at the age of
eleven. He seems not to have had anywhere near the kind of training in
chemistry or pharmacy that would be required
for a technical position in a wholesale drug business. All accounts describe him as friendly, energetic
and genuine. His genius seems to have been in forming relationships and
building community. It was reflected in
the prosperity and longevity of his company and in his service to St. Mary’s.
Twenty years after his first election
to the vestry, Edward Hamill married Rua Ellen Randall in this church on
February 16, 1904. He was 37 years old. Fr. Stewart-Smith officiated at their
marriage. As is true of many of the women parishioners of our church who lived
in the 19th and early 20th centuries, little is known
about his wife. By the time he married, Mr. Hamill had served more than once on
the vestry and had been both Jr. and Sr. Warden. He was the church’s Sunday school
superintendent and continued to sing in the choir. He served as parish’s
delegate to several diocesan conventions and served on various diocesan
committees. It was a rare Sunday when he was not in church.
In addition to his interpersonal
gifts, Mr. Hamill is described as having a remarkable tenor voice. He was a
member of Kansas City’s Apollo Club, a choral group with chapters in several
American cities around the turn of the last century. He sang in the choir at
St. Mary’s until a few months before he died. Other church choirs are said to
have coveted his voice. Several local choir directors tried to lure him away,
but he never looked elsewhere.
Edward Hamill departed this life on
November 11, 1941. At the requiem mass which was celebrated at the church on
November 14, Bishop Spencer gave the eulogy. Mr. Hamill was buried in the
parish cemetery. Eight weeks thereafter, members of the Vestry composed a
written tribute to him, relating all the aspects of his long and faithful
service to the parish and his devotion to his family. The tribute ends with the
words, “all these qualities found their expression in the sanctity of his
spirit and simplicity of his character. He shunned the limelight and still his
memory speaks louder than words. His saintly life is enshrined indelibly in the
hearts and minds of all who knew him. A rare soul has passed from our midst,
but his influence and example will live on and on, undiminished through long
years to come.” Six months after his death, on the feast of Pentecost, 1942, a
memorial fund was established in his name to support the choir of St. Mary’s.
Edward Clarke Hamill was born about
18 months after the civil war ended. He died a few weeks before the attack on
Pearl Harbor. His membership in the church spanned three different versions of
the Book of Common Prayer. His life speaks to the care and nurture of
relationships and of his own spiritual life. Those two forms of stewardship are
at the heart of life in the church. We choose to be here – as members of a
parish and as worshipers on any particular Sunday. God calls us here, but our
response to that call is up to us. Sometimes I wonder if many of you are aware
of it but when you are not here on Sunday you are missed. Your absence isn’t noticed
out of any kind of malice or criticism; it is noticed because you are absent
from a community of mission and prayer whose members care about you. The
relationships we build here are different from friendships at work, in the
neighborhood or in social groups because they are built on the foundation of
our baptismal covenant; they are friendships with a mission, the building of
God’s kingdom. We really need everyone to take part in that. At this time of
year, when parishioners are asked to make a financial commitment to next year’s
operating budget, I hope that you will also consider a gift of your time and
skill to the parish and choose to participate in the life of the parish in some
new way next year.
For the last few years at St. Mary’s
we have put a lot of energy into growing the membership of the parish. It has
been energy well spent, and we will continue to work to build our numbers, but
it’s time also for us to be more intentional about growing in depth. During the
coming year, we will offer opportunities for growth in the knowledge of our
faith and our own spiritual lives. I hope that everyone here will participate
and help to shape the kind of learning and experience St. Mary’s offers.
People are disinclined to speak ill
of one departed this life, but the accounts of Edward Hamill, as a churchman
and as a professional are remarkable in the love and respect that they express.
It’s true that they do not give the details of his rough edges or bad days, but
this man accomplished something quite remarkable. He worked at the same company
and worshiped at the same church for
more than sixty years and was remembered with friendship, respect and
admiration in both places when he died. In Edward Hamill, that care and
attention to relationships reflected a profound knowledge of who and how God
is. That depth of spiritual understanding requires nurture and practice. His
life in this community gives us an example of how to build and care for
relationships with others and our own relationship with God. We give thanks for
the life and legacy of Edward Clarke Hamill.
Photo by Alistair Tutton
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