The First 50 Years - Dr. Jaquess

DR. WILLIAM T. JAQUESS

From the very inception of the idea of a Royal Oak church until his death on Lincoln's birthday in 1933, Dr. William T. Jaquess was closely associated with The Royal Oak Presbyterian Church. Whenever the congregation was without a minister, or required some special pastoral assistance, Dr. Jaquess was called upon and he invariably responded. Earlier in this narrative it will be recalled that it was Dr. Jaquess who explained the method of procedure to the interested persons who were desirous of organizing a Presbyterian church in Royal Oak. He moderated several of the organizational meetings, and his name frequently appears in the Session minutes in the early days of the church.

When the Reverend Mr. Blocher was compelled to retire as the minister because of ill health, it was to Dr. Jaquess that the congregation turned. He had a part in the dedication services when the original building was dedicated, and moderated the Session meetings during the pulpit vacancy.

Again, when the pastorate of the Reverend Mr. Webber was dissolved, it was Dr. Jaquess who served the church and congregation. So it was only natural that when Dr. Rolofson requested a dissolution of the pastoral relation that an effort was made to secure the services of Dr. Jaquess as our regular pastor. Although Dr. Jaquess was 73 years of age when Dr. Rolofson left for Ashtabula, in spirit he was a young man.

A committee was duly appointed to secure a successor to Dr. Rolofson. In September of 1931, the Session requested that Dr. Jaquess be secured as Stated Supply, which resulted in his beginning to serve the church in such capacity on the first of October of the same year. At a special meeting of the congregation held on Sunday, February 14, 1932, action was taken to extend a formal call to Dr. Jaquess as pastor. The call, however, was never formally presented to Presbytery, although Dr. Jaquess continued to perform all pastoral services for the congregation until his death a year later. In the early part of 1933, Dr. Jaquess, who had been suffering somewhat from heart attacks, contracted a bad cold and was confined to his bed. He never again occupied the pulpit .

A fitting tribute to Dr. Jaquess , prepared by Elder Alex Thorburn , appears as an historical note in the minutes of Session, and parts of it are here reproduced, as they accurately express the sentiments of a large portion of the church membership:

"During the late fall and winter (1932), Dr. Jaquess had suffered somewhat from heart attacks, but refused to give up preaching. The Session however insisted that the midweek service and all visiting be discontinued. In spite of this, Dr. Jaquess continued to visit every sick person, or any who, in his opinion, needed his pastoral care. His ailment was not at first deemed to be very serious, but in January he caught a severe cold which confined him to his house, and he never again entered the pulpit. Up to the week preceding his death there were good hopes of his recovery, but during the last week it was manifest that the silver cord was about to be loosed. He was called to join his Master, whose gospel he had preached with such power, early on the morning of February 12, 1933. No one who had listened to his Sabbath morning sermons during the last few months of his active life could fail to be impressed by the vividness and power with which the gospel was preached, and particularly was this noticeable in his last communion address on January 8th. Never given to outward display of emotion, when he stepped to the table for the blessing and distribution of the Elements, he was visibly affected. None of his characteristic traits was more manifest during his later years than his love for and sympathy with young people of all ages, a love and sympathy which they returned in full measure, and no more beautiful picture was ever seen than that of the old man, lightly bearing the burden of his 74 years, with mind and eye as keen as ever, surrounded by a crowd of boys and girls, who displayed by their attitude and bearing the perfect sympathy and fondness that existed between them."

On the morning of his death, which happened to be on a Sunday, a resolution, prepared by Elder J. C. Austin, was read by the Clerk of the Session to the congregation during the regular morning service, and approved "by standing and remaining while Dr. Pearson offered prayer." The resolution follows:

"Whereas, it has pleased Almighty God in his Infinite Wisdom to call from his abundant and fruitful labors among us, our beloved friend and minister, Dr. William T. Jaquess, and

Whereas, this Church and Congregation was first organized by Dr. Jaquess and owes so much of its later development to his untiring effort,

Now, therefore, be it Resolved that we, the members and adherents of the First Presbyterian Church of Royal Oak, do hereby express our great love for our deceased minister and our appreciation for his labors among us, and Be it further resolved that we express to Mrs. Lottie B. Jaquess and her son, Norwood B. Jaquess, and to the other members of their family our sincere and heartfelt sympathy in their bereavement,

Be It Also Resolved that a copy of this resolution be spread upon the minutes, and copies furnished to the Presbytery of Detroit and the Synod of Michigan."

One month later the morning service was devoted to a memorial service for Dr. Jaquess. A printed program contained a likeness of the good doctor, with a detailed statement of his many works for the church.