390-02 Religious Report 2004
THE DEVELOPMENT OF RELIGION IN MIAMI
BEACH: THE MAKING OF
LINCOLN MALL'S COMMUNITY CHURCH
by
Abraham D. Lavender, Ph.D.
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Florida International University
Miami, Florida 33199
January 2004
DO NOT COPY OR REPRODUCE WITHOUT PERMISSION OF AUTHOR
The Background
On March 26,1915, Miami Beach incorporated as a town, with thirty-three
registered voters among a population of 150 people. State law required only twenty-five
registered voters, so, although only men were counted, Miami Beach had more than the
required number. Two years later, on May 21, 1917, Miami Beach upgraded its status to
the City of Miami Beach. The city began growing rapidly, largely under the influence of
Carl G. Fisher who wanted to make the city the winter resort of the United States. Two
other major real estate development interests, John Collins and the Lummus brothers
(John N. and James E.) also were very important partners in the city's founding and
growth. Even at this early date, Miami Beach had a large number of winter-only visitors,
with a relatively small number of permanent residents. By 1917, the 1915 population of
150 had increased to a few hundred. By early 1920, when the city got its first official
census, the population was listed as 644, although this author has shown that at least two
(and probably three) of these people were counted twice. Even a small number of the 644
people were winter-only residents (Lavender, 2002, p. 14). With the rapid growth, and the
emphasis on building a winter resort, much of the emphasis was on the actual
construction of a new city, with religious, educational, and cultural organizations and
structures taking a little longer to get established. To attend religious services, most
people went across Biscayne Bay to Miami. But, it was only a matter of time before
Miami Beach began forming its own religious congregations and constructing its own
houses of worship.
Beginnings of Religious Services in 1917
When 1920 began, there was no separate building serving as a house of worship in
Miami Beach. According to Rev. Elisha King, who became the Congregational Church's
first permanent minister in December 1921 (and served until March 1940), the first
organized religious services in Miami Beach had been held on May 17, 1917, when
fourteen adults and twenty-one children, representing four different Christian
denominations, met for Sunday School services at Smith's Casino at the comer of Ocean
Drive and Biscayne Street. Those services apparently ended in June 1918 when
attendance fell to zero (King, 1942, p. 10; Kleinberg, 1994, p. 64).
Congregational Church Congregation Begins in 1919
On February 2, 1919, nine people met at City Hall at 609 Collins Avenue to
2
discuss organizing another Sunday school, and a week later it was organized. Present
were Reverend and Mrs. Fithian and Reverend and Mrs. Luman H. Royce. Rev. Royce
was the secretary of the Church Building Society of the Congregational Churches of
. America. Soon afterwards, Reverend Royce would begin organizing the Miami Beach
Congregational Church on Lincoln Road, with the Sunday school organized at City Hall
considered the beginning of the Community Church Sunday School. Classes were moved
from City Hall to the Eunice Martin School, on the northwest corner of Lincoln Road and
Jefferson A venue. Mrs. Martin had started her private school, at the time it was opened
the only school in or near Miami built especially for the accommodation of tourists, in a
tiny building on Collins Avenue during the winter of 1916-1917, but had moved into her
new building in 1919. The building was described as "an impressive stucco structure"
with a unique Yale blue and white sign over the entrance (NPE,MM,12-14,5).
The initial service of the Miami Beach Congregational Church was held on
Sunday, January 4, in the Eunice Martin School, on Lincoln Road. Bible school was at 10
a.m., followed by a sermon at 11 a.m. The Reverend Luman H. Royce was the minister.
Mrs. Eunice Martin was in charge of a special musical presentation, with several sacred
songs being rendered by Mrs. Grace Porterfield, sister to Mrs. Martin. Attendance was
thirty-eight and the offering was $3.95 (King, 1942, pp. 41-42).
Building the Church Begins
The Congregationalists had already started building a church, on Lincoln Road and
3
Drexel Avenue opposite the Lincoln Apartments and Hotel, but it had not been completed
(MBC,MM,I-3,3). As Reverend Elisha King, minister of the church from 1921 to 1940,
would write two decades later, "The Church began its helpful ministry' from scratch' in
the midst of a growing community devoted to business and pleasure where church giving
was almost a non-existent idea" (King, 1942, p. 71).
Progress on the Congregational Church in 1920
Two local newspapers, The Miami Herald and The Miami Metropolis, covered
events in Miami Beach in 1920. Progress reports were given frequently on major projects
in the city which had an official census population of 644 residents as 1920 began,
although the city already had a considerable winter population of part-time residents.
Throughout the year, progress on the Congregational Church building was reported in the
newspapers, especially the Miami Metropolis. On January 24, it was noted that work was
progressing rapidly, that the walls of the structure had been erected and that work on the
roof was underway (GA,MM,I-24,3). On Sunday, March 14, 1920, the congregation held
its first religious services in the church. The edifice was far from completion, but work
was sufficiently advanced to begin holding services there every Sunday (NBC,MH,3- 7,7).
It was noted that it would be several weeks before the new edifice was completed, and
that formal dedicatory services would not be held until the next season. The lot was
offered by Carl Fisher, and the building was designed in Spanish architecture by the noted
local architect, Walter C. DeGarmo. The church had "an imposing entrance, flanked on
4
each side by cloisters which will be used as class rooms for the Sunday school until the
Parish house is built" (NMBCC,MH,3-13,9). The congregation had planned to have its
first service at the church on March 7, but those plans were canceled at the last minute
because there were no windows and the weather was cold (TNMC,MM,3-13,3).
According to Carl Fisher, just before Easter he officially deeded the 160 x 200 feet
corner lot to the Congregational Church Building Society, and also gave a $10,000 cash
contribution. On April 5, the estimated cost was given as $47,890.46. This was more than
originally expected. Reverend Luman N. Royce wrote Fisher asking for more money,
noting that he had "hoped that the people of Miami Beach would be willing to contribute
generously, but my expectations have not been realized" (CFP,4-5). A little later, Fisher
gave a 40 x 160 feet lot for he parsonage (CFP,4-20). Carl Fisher's wife, Jane Fisher,
writing in 1947, gave another and more lively version of Carl's contributions. According
to Jane, one evening she and Carl were walking up Lincoln Road (they lived on the
Atlantic Ocean at the eastern end of Lincoln Road) in the oleander-scented dusk, and she
said to Carl, "We need a church, Carl." She could see him scowl, as he said "Nobody on
the beach has time to go to church. We're building a city, honey." But, Jane writes, she
persisted and Carl marked out land which he would donate for a church (Fisher, 1947, p.
140; Kleinberg, 1994, p. 63).
Work was progressing rapidly, and the auditorium was in good condition for the
Easter Sunday service on April 4. Reverend Royce preached the sermon, and Mr.
5
Hamilton Hopkins, an official Miami Beach resident, rendered musical numbers
(SGM,MH,4-3,2). Mr. Hopkins, 38, was a native ofIndiana, with parents from Kentucky
and Indiana. His wife, Elsie, also was from Indiana, with parents from Germany. There
were no children living with them.
The Parsonage and the School
By the end of April, plans had been drawn for and work was to begin soon on the
Congregational parsonage, a modem and up-to-date one story bungalow (CCP,MM,4-
29,4). The manse was being built of concrete blocks finished in stucco in old Spanish
style to correspond with the exterior of the church, and to be on Drexel Avenue so that he
pastor could "step across the boundary of the manse into church property and enter his
church by a side door" (CM,MM,7-30,3). Soon afterwards, the new school was finished
and ready for its interior furnishings. Elaborate lighting and double dark oak pulpits were
in, and the manse was ready for its pews and other appointments. Ornamentation of the
front of the church was well done, and there were two plain rose windows at each end of
the church, with hope that some friends of the church would soon replace them with
stained glass (CCATBF,MM,5-29,8).
Grounds and Equipment
By the end of August, the grounds around the church were being graded
(GTG,MM,8-31,2). By the beginning of October, the equipment for the church had been
ordered, concrete walks had been laid from the sidewalk to the main and side entrances of
6
the church, electrical fixtures and lighting were being put in, and work was continuing
satisfactorily on the manse (RWA,MM,1O-1,5).
The manse was well toward completion by mid-November, with a large reception
hall with a fireplace, several good-sized bedrooms, a study, and a kitchen. It was reported
that two more buildings were planned within the, next five years--a community building
for the comer site and a Sunday school building between the school and the community
building (LHR,MM,II-16,3). Around early December, decorators changed the front of
the church to a darker tone to give the structure the effect of age (BB,MM,12-1O,3).
Rev. Royce Returns
In November, Reverend Luman H. Royce was visiting in Cleveland, Ohio, but
, returned to Miami Beach the first of the year. His work for the winter was to "find some
wealthy persons who will give a pipe organ to the church" (LHR,MM,II-l6,3).
By December 5, The Miami Herald noted that the church had been ready to open
for some time, had been prevented from doing so because of sickness in Reverend
Royce's family, but would open on the first Sunday in January. Although the church was
of the Congregationalist denomination, the members hoped to make it a union church for
Miami Beach and to have services all year if the city people wanted that (NOMB,MH,12-
5,2).
Although all of these activities took place in 1920, 1921 is considered the official
opening of the church. The church was formally dedicated on Palm Sunday, March 20,
7
1921, and by late 1921 was perceived as the nondenominational Community Church
(King, 1942, p. 21).
Other Religious Activities in Miami Beach in 1920
There was not a Catholic Church in Miami Beach in 1920. The Church of the Holy
Name in Miami was too small to accommodate the increasing number of winter residents
and tourists, so in March the Knights of Columbus began a canvas or drive among the
Catholic tourists and residents to raise funds to build a larger church. Although many
winter visitors had already indicated their support, none of the twenty or so leaders of the
drive were permanent residents of Miami Beach (SC,MH,3-3, 1).
The Latter Day Saints (Mormons) also held services on Miami Beach, meeting in
the cottage of Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Johnson on Commerce Street. Forty people attended a
service on August 8, for example, where Mr. Johnson and his brother Townsend Johnson
furnished banjo music. The following Sunday, Elder J.C. Newbeck of Miami performed
the service (BB,MM,8-1 0,3). After six months of meeting at the Johnson house,
attendance outgrew the home, the Latter Day Saints began looking for larger quarters, and
began expressing interest in buying land to build their own chapel (MWE,MM,12-1O,3).
The nationally famous evangelist, Reverend Billy Sunday, was a friend of A.C.
Von Hagen, a permanent Miami Beach resident, and a picture of Reverend Sunday hung
in the Casino on Twenty-third Street. Mrs. George Sunday, daughter-in-law of the famous
evangelist, had spent the previous season in Miami Beach (BB,MM,II-20,6).
8
Occasionally, other religious activities were held on Miami Beach. In July, six
converts were baptized at Fourth Street and the ocean by Reverend I.J. Bolton of the
Pentecostal Church of Miami. About fifty members of the church attended the baptisms,
with the service also attracting many spectators (BB,7-19,6).
As discussed in an earlier report (Lavender, 2003), there were only a few Jewish
people in Miami Beach in 1920, and no synagogue. The Jewish residents or visitors who
desired to attend religious services had to go to Miami. Likewise, considering that
Christian churches were still segregated in Miami in 1920, there was no black
congregational place of worship in Miami Beach. Lincoln Road's Community Church
would remain Miami Beach's only established church in 1920.
References
Carl Fisher Papers, April 5, 1920.
Carl Fisher Papers, April 20, 1920.
Fisher, Jane. Fabulous Hoosier: A Story of American Achievement. New York: Robert M.
McBride, 1947.
King, Rev. Elisha A. Planting a Church in a National Playground, Miami Beach,
Florida. Miami: The Personal Help Library, 1942.
Kleinberg, Howard. Miami Beach. Miami: Centennial Press, 1994.
Lavender, Abraham D. "Ethnic Life in Early Miami Beach." Florida International
9
University, Miami, Florida, for Miami Beach Archives Project, August 2003, 15 pages.
Lavender, Abraham D. Miami Beach in 1920: The Making of a Winter Resort.
Charleston, S.C.: Arcadia Publishing, 2002.
1920 Miami Herald and Miami Metropolis Articles: Chronologically Arranged
"Miami Beach Church toRoId First Services." Miami Metropolis, January 3, 1920, p. 3.
"Getting Ahead Rapidly on New Beach Church." Miami Metropolis, Jan. 24, 1920, p. 3.
"Start Campaign for New Church." Miami Herald, March 3, 1920, p. 1.
"New Beach Church to be Used First Time." Miami Herald, March 7, 1920, p. 7.
"New Miami Beach Congregational Church to be Used for First Time at Sunday Services;
One of State's Prettiest Churches." Miami Herald, March 13, 1920, p, 9.
"Two New Miami Churches to be Opened Tomorrow." Miami Metropolis, March 13,
1920, p. 3.
"Splendid Gift Made Miami Beach Church." Miami Herald, April 3, 1920, p. 2.
"Congregational Church Parsonage to be Built." Miami Metropolis, April 29, 1920, p. 4.
"Congregational Church at the Beach Finished." Miami Metropolis, May 29, 1920, p. 8.
"Beach Brevities." Miami Metropolis, July 19, 1920, p. 6.
"Congregational Manse Being Built on Drexel." Miami Metropolis, July 30, 1920, p. 3.
"Beach Brevities." Miami Metropolis, August 10, 1920, p. 3.
"Grading the Grounds Around Beach Church." Miami Metropolis, August 31, 1920, p. 2,
"Royce Will Again Rave Charge of New Church." Miami Metropolis, Oct. 1, 1920, p. 5.
10
"Luman H. Royce Will be Back at the Beach Soon." Miami Metropolis, November 16,
1920, p. 3.
"Beach Brevities." Miami Metropolis, November 20, 1920, p. 6.
"News of Miami Beach." Miami Herald, December 5, 1920, p. 2.
"Beach Brevities." Miami Metropolis. December 10, 1920, p. 3.
"Mormons Would Erect Temple at Miami Beach." Miami Metropolis, December 10,
1920, p. 3.
"New Pupils Enrolled at Miami Beach School." Miami Metropolis, Dec. 14, 1920, p. 5.
11