Lizzie's church involvement - pre & post Europe

[camgarsky4]

Newspaper reports tell us that Lizzie disengaged from church activities before taking off on her trip to Europe, but did not re-engage to the same degree upon her return. Reverend Jubb, pastor of Central Congregational Church, said "family circumstances" caused Lizzie's disengagement.

What do we think the 'family circumstances' were or was there another reason for her pull back from community involvement? We know she didn't shut it down completely since she was hurt in the 'infamous' dumb waiter accident, June '92 while apparently helping serve food at a social event at the church.

Was Andrew's real estate dispute (see sourced info below) with the CCC (Central Congregational Church) the source cause of the 'circumstances"? Family turmoil? Where the 'circumstances' an excuse to back away, if the church involvement had served its purpose? Was any of this a precursor to August 4th?

As a reminder, and to add more context, the Borden home burglary occurred June 1891, a month after Carrie Borden was elected VP of the Fruit & Flower Mission and Lizzie appears to have decided not to 'reup' her leadership role in that same organization.

Also of note, Jubb mentions that Emma was also interested in teaching a church classes also. Without more information, we'd assume she was assigned her own class. Not sure we've ever given Emma 'credit'.

Thoughts?
--------------------------

Source: Fall River Daily Herald March 21, 1890
Lizzie Borden elected Secretary and Carrie Borden Treasurer of the Fruit & Flower Mission.

Source: Fall River Daily Evening News May 29, 1890
Lizzie Borden and Carrie Borden resign from Fruit & Flower Mission board of officers due to upcoming extended trip to Europe.

Source: Fall River Daily Evening News May 9, 1891
Carrie Borden reelected as Vice President of the Fruit & Flower Mission.
No mention of Lizzie Borden.

Boston Post August 8
Reverend Walker Jubb, pastor of Central Congregational Church
"After joining the church Lizzie and her sister expressed a desire to take classes. I gave Lizzie a class of boys, but she was rather diffident and
could not seem to handle them. She came one day, with tears in her eyes, and said, "Mr. Buck, I am discouraged; I can't keep those boys in order." I then gave her a class of girls, and she evinced an interest, and under her tutelage the class made good progress. When she went to Europe she gave it up, and when she returned there was some family circumstances, in consequence of which she did not care to resume teaching."

Fall River Globe August 16, 1892
Reverend Walker Jubb, pastor of Central Congregational Church.
"Mr. Holmes, by the way, is the leading deacon in my church, of which Mr. Borden was also a member. He (Andrew Borden) never attended, however, out of pique toward Mr. Holmes. Mr. Borden had a piece of property that the corporation desired to buy, but would not accede to Mr.
Borden's price. Mr. Holmes voted against paying the price, as he thought it too high, and as a result Mr. Borden never attended the church
afterwards."

[Reasonwhy]

Found this statement by Agnes de Mille in her 1968 book, “Lizzie Borden: A Dance of Death,” about de Mille’s ballet, “Fall River Legend.”

“She was all but cut in church although she continued to attend throughout her life.” (p. 88)

This is the first mention I have seen of Lizzie going to church after she received the cold shoulder on her first visit after the trial. Has anyone seen this anywhere else?

[camgarsky4]

Sure would be nice if these authors provides footnotes and references for their anecdotal comments. It would take some time to filter thru newspaper articles to find this information. I don't think she was an ardent church attender post-trial, but doesn't mean she didn't go periodically for the duration of her life.

[Kat]

I actually read a news item in Rebello last night where a reporter stated that Lizzie had returned to church and attended somewhat habitually after her trial (I did not take a note of pg #), and then on pg 320 there are remarks by Helen Leghton, who should know (unless that was made-up too..):

Miss Helen Leighton, a close friend of Lizzie's, made the following comments to the Fall River
Herald, June 12, 1927. (article could not be located; see David Kent's Lizzie Borden Sourcebook, 1992, 340.)

"Lizzie Borden was one of the first to contribute to the league's work [Animal Rescue
League of Fall River] and she was delighted by the splendid progress made by the
organization. She personally inspected the new headquarters soon after they were opened ..."

"She went to church but once after her acquittal, the Congregational church in which she had been an active worker for years. Women drew their skirts about them and turned away from her and men whom she had known for years passed her without a word of greeting."…

—all the edits were me trying to post picture

Portrait by FRHS quarterly report: Helen Leighton

[Kat]

Rebello, Leonard. Lizzie Borden: Past and Present. Al-Zach Press, 1999

Rebello, pg 265:
Lizzie Borden Goes to Church

"Lizzie at Church / The Borden Murder Prisoner at Last Makes Her Appearance," Fall River Daily Globe, Monday, July 24, 1893: 7.

"Rev. [Dr. Michael] Burnham preached at the Central Congregational Church yesterday, and Miss Lizzie Borden attended the morning and evening services. Miss Borden joined the church under Mr. Burnham's pastorship and Mr. Burnham was one of the interested spectators during the last day of the trial."

"Yesterday morning, Charles J. Holmes and Dr. Bowen called at the Borden house and escorted Miss Lizzie to the church. In the evening, she was accompanied by Mrs. Brigham, who showed her so much attention while she was a prisoner in the Central Station."

"Miss Lizzie Borden attended morning and evening services at the Central Congregational Church yesterday." Fall River Daily Herald, July 24, 1893: 8.

And Rebello pg 291,
Boston Advertiser:
On Sundays, she frequently attends service at the church where she has so long been a member, and at such times, she and her sister occupy the old pew, where so many times she sat with her father. ... The Borden pew, No. 22, is upon the side aisle, slightly in the rear of the centre of the church and quite near one of the slender gilt pillars that support the roof. The pew is not always occupied, but Miss Borden is frequently there and joins devoutly but quietly in the services. She is not especially active, however, in church work and takes no part in the conduct of the Sunday school.

In short, Miss Borden's attitude since her acquittal has been such as might be expected from a well-poised, conscientious, Christian woman. She lives her life unobtrusively, neither affecting a retirement nor causing criticism by demonstrative action. ...

--Who to believe?

[Kat]

APNews 1987 published
The Central Congregational Church
Fall River, Massachusetts Circa 1892
Lizzie Borden's Pew

[camgarsky4]

Both of the articles Rebello publishes (Boston Advertiser, June 5, 1894 and Fall River Daily Globe, Monday, July 24, 1893) are within one year of the acquittal. The articles were posted by Kat two posts above.

Helen Leighton is quoted from an interview in 1927. It seems a fair guess that Helen is recounting what Lizzie shared with her in the years after 1893/94. So the fact that Lizzie didn't attend church much at all after the trial doesn't seem to be contradicted by the possibility that she might have attended more than once in '93 and '94.

The debate would be more around the precision....one visit to church or a small handful in the year following the trial. It does seem that Lizzie/Lizbeth, disengaged from formal church attendance for most of her life after 1894.

[Reasonwhy]

Thank you both so much, Kat and Camgarsky, for the excellent and generous research!!
Your last post seems reasonable, Camgarsky, and where information we have is contradictory, maybe this is the best guess. Yet I keep thinking how sensitive Lizzie seemingly was to rejection (her non-renewal of their lease after the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union members socially rebuffed her, for example).
According to one of the newspaper stories above, she fortified herself with accompanying friends on her morning and evening visits on that first (only?) church visit after trial (and note, Emma did not go with her!). This suggests to me that she may have been nervous about her welcome. Though one sees exaggeration frequently in her press coverage, reporter/s said the congregation turned away from her. Prickly, proud, and sensitive, and relying on the armor of Rev. Buck and their church’s support, would Lizzie have returned to face this humiliating experience again?
To me, it is highly doubtful.
What are others’ opinions?

[Kat]

Well, The Advertiser doesn’t give a date and Helen Leighton’s “comments” were after Lizbeth died.

But notice the Rev Dr Burnham- maybe Lizzie liked his ministry and attended church when he was there. Have we looked him up- does his name sound familiar?

[camgarsky4]

Per Rebello page 291, Boston Advertiser, June 5, 1894..

Miss Helen Leighton, a close friend of Lizzie's, made the following comments to the Fall River
Herald, June 12, 1927. (article could not be located; see David Kent's Lizzie Borden Sourcebook, 1992, 340.

[Kat]

Yes Helen Leighton's *interview* or *statement* was made after Lizbeth died, in 1927. I have the full article in The Lizzie Borden Sourcebook if you'all want a pic of it.
The Sourcebook, unfortunately has sporadic attributions.

Maybe this Rev. Dr Burnham was inspiring?

[Kat]

The Lizzie Borden Sourcebook, Kent & Flynn, Branden Publishing, Boston 1992, pg 340
plz clic on pic