What characterizes Emmanuel Church in the City of Boston was evident in its founding meeting: forward-thinking and rather free-thinking individuals, who were able to look beyond strict denominational boundaries, were concerned with the well being of their fellow citizens, and encouraged the best in the arts, particularly music.

As the story continues with Leighton Parks, Elwood Worcester, and the Emmanuel Movement, it becomes impossible to write a parish history distinct from the history of our building, music, and social outreach.  Within the first few years, for instance, the annual parish budget for music was equal to one-tenth of what construction of the building had cost!  Recently, the pandemic has made us aware of the advantages of our ventilation system, which was designed to mitigate the threat of tuberculosis transmission.

In 1960 our vestry published Harriet Robeson’s compilation Emmanuel Church, 1860-1960: The First Hundred Years, whose chapters can be downloaded for more detail on that period.

Our Foundation

The plan of forming a new church originated with those residing on the Mill Dam, who have long felt the inconvenience of attendance on distant places of public worship. Many others in favor of extending the sphere and influence of our church, sympathize in the movement. And a third class, who for various reasons wish to connect themselves with some new Society, favor the project.

The impetus for a meeting at the home of Dr. William Richards Lawrence at 98 Beacon Street on the night of March 17, 1860, was thus described. This rather bland description begs as many questions as it answers about the formation of Emmanuel Church. Who were that third group who wanted to form a new society? There are a few important abolitionists in the list of attendees. And, there’s the question of distance:  the selected location at 15 Newbury Street is less than a quarter-mile closer to 98 Beacon Street than is St. Paul’s on Tremont Street. And, in the early records no mention is made of the Civil War;  yet the cornerstone of the new building was laid as the first Battle of Bull Run commenced.

We are told that the lot for the church was privately purchased by William Lawrence. The Lawrence Family played a critical role in arranging the funding for the Back Bay fill project. This William was the brother of Amos Adams Lawrence, and their interest in Beacon Street was not limited to the Back Bay. It was the Lawrence brothers who were most interested in the business potential of the Cottage Farm area of Brookline. They played a central role in developing Beacon Street as an extension of the Mill Dam Road and foresaw the increase in demand that would occur with the improved commute to Boston. Ten years later they founded the Church of Our Saviour in that area as well, using the same architect, Alexander Esty, as had built Emmanuel.

Their father was Amos Lawrence, a great philanthropist and the secretary of the New England Emigrant Aid Company; and Amos Adams’ son was William Lawrence, longtime bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. Yet the person called to be our first rector, Frederic Dan Huntington, was at the time a Unitarian. Eventually he became the first bishop of Central New York. Our second rector, Alexander Hamilton Vinton, had been a mentor of Phillips Brooks; in fact, he was invited by Brooks to give the sermon at the dedication of Trinity Church in Copley Square. Dr. Vinton organized the extensive education and social-service committees, which had formed in the Parish, and promoted the establishment of mission churches in poorer neighborhoods.