Jim and Lizzie Cheetham: A Love Story (Part 5 of 0)

Earthquakes and Divisions – Part Five

While the Cheetham’s difficult personal lives must have been a distraction at this time, James continued to lead the little Oakland ecclesia as Recording Brother and keep the brotherhood informed about what was happening there. He wrote to The Christadelphian magazine in 1903 saying, “Brother and sister Strickler [from Buffalo, New York] and son have lately visited San Francisco. Brother Strickler lectured on two consecutive Sunday nights (February 1st and 8th), the subjects being, “The World Approaching a Great Crisis” and “The End of the World’s Cri­sis.” Good audiences attended on both occasions, which must have been a source of gratification to Brother Strickler as well as to ourselves. Brother Strickler was out chiefly for recreation, but he has contrived to cheer and encourage others at the same time. We are glad he has visited us; we were sorry to part, but it is only for a little while. The Lord will soon be here.1. Allen (A.D.) Strickler was a lead­ing American brother at the time and a book that he would write about 10 years later, called “Out of Darkness, Into Light”, would later still become a flashpoint for the next division in around 1923. This would force James to once again painfully choose sides within the brotherhood. As he had done during the 1901 division, James decided to stay with those backed by The Christadelphian magazine while much of California switched to the new ‘Berean’ fellowship that sprang up partially as a reaction to Bro. Strickler’s book.2

The Great Earthquake

Difficult events in the Cheetham’s lives were not limited to ecclesial problems. On April 18, 1906 a great earthquake and subsequent fire struck the San Francisco area. No member of the Bay Area ecclesias was injured in the earthquake, but several lost their belongings. The Cheethams were forced to camp outside. They nicknamed their tent “Camp Necessity” and placed a stove inside for cooking their meals. James appears to have been in Stockton at the time or to have gone there soon after to find work as employment in the city came to a standstill after the quake. He sent a letter dated April 23rd, 1906 to Bro. C.C. Walker, editor of The Christadelphian magazine.

“Greeting in Christ Jesus our Lord. A terrible earthquake occurred here on Wednesday morning, April 18th, at 5.13 a.m., followed by a fierce fire, which has destroyed three-fourths of the city, and left over 300,000 people homeless, camping in Golden Gate Park, the Government reservation at the Presidio, in the streets, and all public squares. The fire swept the city from north to south about four miles, and east to west about two miles. We are thankful that God has, in His goodness, preserved us amidst all these dangers. The brethren and sisters here are all safe, though the place where we met (Oddfell ows’ Building) is totally destroyed, and all our Bibles, hymn books, and records of our meetings are destroyed, if not by fire, then they are buried underneath tons of brick. Public Buildings, City Hall, Free Library, Hall of Justice, Academy of Science, Hopkins Art Institute, are totally destroyed, and most of the schools and hospitals. Martial law exists. The Government has taken possession of stores, and are distributing food in different parts of the city. A great number of people lost their lives in the earthquake, and thousands of people were injured. Quite a number of persons have been killed by the soldiers for pillaging, and left lying in the streets — in some places as a warning to others. The city is in darkness at night; not a light or fire is allowed in any house or building. We have had a great many shocks since the one which wrecked the city. In some places the streets have been thrown up several feet high; and other portions have sunk several feet. One cannot fail to see what a mighty power was at work. The scenes which we have witnessed are indelibly impressed upon our memory. How few realize how weak and puny we are in the grip of such a mighty power, and how few recognize the hand of God at work, and what terrible judgments will eventually be poured out upon the nations.

“One can realize what the result will be when the prophecy spoken of in Zechariah 14 is fulfilled, when the Mount of Olives shall cleave in two… Our little company met together Sunday morning at Brother A. W. Baldwin’s house, 4105, 21st Street, for breaking of bread, where we shall probably meet for a short time…The Roman Catholic churches and others have suffered severely. I am told in one place alone 75 priests were killed. Their fine edifices were totally demolished. It reminds us of what will befall Rome herself at the time appointed. Thank God there is a glorious future beyond these things. Ere long the kingdom of God will be ushered in. “The night is far spent, and the day is at hand, when the Sun of Righteousness will arise with healing in his beams.” “Weeping may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning.” May it be ours to participate in that joy, and have bestowed upon us the glory and honour which Christ has promised to bestow upon all his faithful servants at his appearing and kingdom.

“With love and fraternal greeting from our small body here, I remain, your brother in the glorious hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord, James Cheetham .”3

There was another victim of the 1906 earthquake. Like much of the city, the Cosmopolitan Hotel, where Bro. Roberts died in 1898, was destroyed by the earthquake and subsequent fire.4

Five years later, in 1911, James reported to The Christadelphian that Sister Bingley joined the Amended ecclesia in Oakland. That same year the ecclesia started hav­ing fraternal gatherings at Rock Ridge, a suburb of Oakland. This would continue for many years, with several of the brothers and sisters buying cabins in the Rock Ridge area. In 1912, James wrote to the magazine that a number of the members had purchased homes there. “…an out-door fraternal gathering was held at Rock Ridge, the home of ten of our brethren and sisters. About twenty brethren and sisters were present.”

About this time James wrote to The Christadelphian magazine about an event that he and other members of the Oakland ecclesia attended. “On Sunday evening, July 23rd, several of our brethren and sisters went to the memorial services for Dr. [Theodore] Herzl, held in the Temple Beth Israel, San Francisco. Some interest­ing remarks were made by Dr. Rabbi Myers and Mr. Sapero. The remarks were listened to with rapt attention by a fairly good audience, all at the close rising and singing the “Hatikvah,” Zionist National Anthem. The services were held under the auspices of the Agudath Zion.”5. Theodore Herzl is considered the father of modern Zionism, the movement for the development of a Jewish nation in Israel.

Like most Christadelphians, James was very interested in the return of the Jews to their land. He had placed a newspaper clipping about this subject in the pages of his copy of the book “Seasons of Comfort” by Bro. Robert Roberts that had been a gift to him when he left England in 1888. The article, written in July 1897 and entitled To Establish a Jewish Kingdom began “The representatives of the Baron Hirsch chari­ties here seem to take very seriously the scheme of Dr. Theodore Herzl of Vienna for the formation of an independent Jew­ish state in Palestine. It is stated that the Hebrews are organizing in all parts of the world.” The article went on to say, “If Tur­key should refuse to give Palestine up, he says that the Ottoman Empire will surely disintegrate and the Jewish company ob­tain Palestine when the powers divide up the Turkish Empire territory.” James would see this happen about 20 years later at the end of World War One. The most interest­ing part of the article is the statement by Herzl that “If it proves impossible to get Palestine he will turn to Argentina” as a homeland for the Jews. Obviously God had a different outcome in mind, as He had declared through several of the Old Testament prophets.

Caring for those in isolation

Despite the illness and unemployment they endured in their lives, James and Sarah’s love for God and His people motivated them to devote their limited energy and money to serving God. James took on the thankless task of caring for those who were in isolation, and Sarah accompanied him in his labor of love. To fully appre­ciate what this sacrifice meant requires understanding the difficulties of traveling long distances in those days. James would have been somewhat used to making these uncomfortable journeys, though, because during the early 1900s, he would often travel to Stockton to do odd jobs when he was out of work. He was there for two weeks in 1915 and seven weeks in 1916. Still, it would have been difficult for the couple to afford the time and money to make the 100 mile round trip journeys to Stockton to meet with the brothers and sisters there. His love and concern for his isolated brothers and sisters in Christ can be seen in his letter to The Chris­tadelphian magazine in 1916. “I thought I would write a few lines that brethren and sisters might know there are a few earnest brethren and sisters scattered up and down the State, though in isolation, who would undoubtedly appreciate the company of any brother or sister who might be in the vicinity.”

James also kept in touch with someone else who was in isolation. This brother, however, was not in isolation due to his physical distance from other Christadelphians, but because he was out of fellowship. R.C. Bingley did not join his wife when she became a member of James’ ecclesia five years earlier. Now, nearly twenty years after Robert Roberts’ falling asleep in San Francisco, Bro. Bingley joined him in the grave. “Brother R. C. Bingley (San Francisco) died on March 8th in his 79th year. He was known to many of the older brethren of Dr. Thomas’s and brother Roberts’ time. He was out of fellowship with the [Central] Christadelphian body for a few years prior to his death. A few brethren and sisters were present at the funeral. He made the remark to me a few days before he died that The Christadelphian was the best paper published among the brethren, and that the Doctor was correct in what he said about Russia being King of the North, and was very much opposed to substitution views.” 6

James and Sarah made another visit to the brothers and sisters in Stockton in 1920 and he made it the theme of a letter to The Christadelphian that year. Note how he lists the “long” distances that had to be traveled, all of which would take less than an hour today. “Five of our meeting made a visit to Stockton, Cal. Sisters Chauncey, McCarty, Cheetham, Edith Cheetham and the writer. Arrangements were made to hold the meeting at sister Buckles’s home, and have the brethren and sisters from Modesto and Turlock and Morada meet with us. The result was brother and sister Peterman came in from Morada, 8 miles; brother and sister T. Woolcock, from Turlock, 44 miles; and brother and sister J. M. Epperson, from Modesto, 30 miles, making in all, 12 brethren and sisters, besides five interested strangers. Brother T. Woolcock and brother Epperson gave us the words of exhortation. A very pleasant and profitable time was spent together. We hope to continue to keep in touch as often as possible with the brethren and sisters who are in isolation. It shows what can be done when an effort is put forth.”

The gathering together for fellowship with isolated brethren was repeated later that same year. “…I am pleased to say another effort was made Sunday, September 5th, to co-operate with the brethren and sisters in isolation in Central California. To that end, a meeting for breaking of bread was arranged to be held at the home of sister Buckles, Stockton. Nine brethren and sisters from the Oakland meeting were present. Brother and sister Ben Epperson (Stirling City) and family; brother and sister J. Epperson (Modesto); brother and sister T. Woolcock (Turlock); and brother and sister Peterman (Morada); making 18 brethren and sisters, besides seven interested strangers. Brethren Baldwin (Oakland) and Woolcock spoke words of cheer and comfort. It was enjoyed by all present, and well worth the effort made in the long journeys of the brethren and sisters to meet together. After the meeting refreshments were provided out on the lawn. We all feel we have derived much benefit by getting together in this manner, and hope to do it as often as possible.” 7. As often as possible appears to have been three years later. “…The last Sunday in May nine of our brethren and sisters visited Stockton and had meeting at sister Buckles’ home; also, on October 22nd, brother and sister Lees, brother and sister Bain, the writer and sister Cheetham, and sister Buckles from Stockton, journeyed to Turlock and had meeting with brother and sister T. Woolcock, who are in isolation. We try as much as as possible to meet with those in isolation once or twice a year.— JAMES CHEETHAM , Rec. Bro.”8

The Berean division and visit of C.C. Walker

Isolation was not the only problem that brothers and sisters faced in the early part of the twentieth century. Ideas of Christ dying as our substitute had plagued the body as far back as the 1870’s. In 1923 the ecclesias across North America were affected by a new division centered on the nature of Christ and how he related to his death. Those who separated from the Central Fellowship were known as Bereans. The division greatly affected California, and several cities such as Pomona, Los Angeles, and Santa Barbara had a Central ecclesia and a Berean ecclesia. A number of well-known and respected brothers such as Henry Moore in Pomona, J.T. Irwin and Forrest Brinkerhoff in Los Angeles, John Seagoe in Santa Barbara and James Cheetham in Oakland remained with the Central Fellowship.

This was the second major division that James Cheetham would face since mov­ing to America. Baptized in 1885, he was not yet a brother during the first major Christadelphian separation: the Renunciationist division in 1873. Renunciationism (also called the ‘Free Life’ theory) concerned the nature of Christ, his relation to Adam and humanity, and the nature of his sacrifice for sins. Those who held this belief ‘renounced’ their previous understanding that Jesus was born of Adam’s line. Instead of seeing Jesus as a representative, they proclaimed that Jesus had a ‘free life’ and that he gave this life as a substitute for sinners.9. This belief is also sometimes known as ‘clean flesh’. The Partial Inspiration division in 1884, which was still causing controversy when Robert Roberts visited San Francisco, occurred the year before James was baptized.

Bro. Roberts had borne the brunt of the first two divisions as the editor of The Christadelphian magazine, falling ill at the end of the Renunciationist controversy. Bro. Charles Curwin (C.C.) Walker, the next editor, faced similar trials during the Amended/Unamended and the Berean/Central divisions. “Although Walker had a gentle and moderate temperament, as often shown in his articles and editorials, he was unable to prevent a further separation of the influential Clapham meet­ing in South London, led by his former travelling companion to Palestine Frank Jannaway, and most of the remaining North American Christadelphians, into the Berean Christadelphian fellowship in 1923”.10

During a trip to California, Bro. Walker visited the Oakland ecclesia in 1927 on his way back from Yosemite National Park, arriving in San Francisco on August 26. The entire trip was covered in detail in The Christadelphian magazine of 1927. Bro. Walker wrote in the magazine:

“This morning, on coming down to go out to the cafeteria for breakfast, we found brother Cheetham, of Oakland, waiting for us in the lounge of the hotel. It was twenty-nine years before this that he had written us from this city on the occasion of the death here of the late editor of this magazine. And it was longer still since I had met him as a comparatively young man at Sowerby Bridge, in Yorkshire. And now we are both “old and grey headed.”…But the hope of “renewed youth” remains in our Lord Jesus Christ, who is a young man forever! There was something of a kindly providence in the way in which the late editor fell into the hands of friends here at the time of his death… Brother Cheetham wanted us to visit him at his home at Oakland across the bay, and we arranged to go over there in the afternoon.

“After breakfast we drove round the north of the city through the area that some twenty years ago had been devastated by earthquake and fire, of which, however, there were scarcely any evidences remaining. And then we went to the Golden Gate Park. This is quite an extensive area (about 1,000 acres) reclaimed from the sand-dunes by the sea on the southern headland of the Golden Gate and transformed by grassing and planting and irrigation into a perfect little paradise… We…drove quietly back to Oakland, and after getting some refreshment made our way to the outskirts to brother Cheetham’s home, where we met brother and sister Cheetham, brother and sister McCarl and brother Caton. After some conversation, and seeing it was now too late to see any more of Oakland, we arranged to come over again next morning, and driving back to the ferry were soon back at San Francisco and at rest in the hotel.”

The next day the visit continued. “Crossed over to Oakland this morning accord­ing to promise, and were met by brother and sister McCarl with another car, and repaired first to the City Hall for a view of the city from its tower. “The tallest building in California” naturally commands a striking view of the city (and other cities) and the beautiful bay. …The drive along the “Sky-line Boulevard” was more to my taste, because there was more of nature in it. This is a fine road which traverses a mountain ridge to the end of Oakland, and commands fine views of the surrounding country. Returning to Oakland, and being unwilling, as a party of five persons, to impose upon the hospitality of the brethren here, we took leave of brother and sister McCarl and brother and sister Cheetham in the city, and making one call on a sister by the way returned to the ferry and were back in San Francisco for lunch. In the afternoon, we paid another visit to the Golden Gate Park and its fine picture gallery, aquarium, etc.”

After spending some time in San Francisco, the Walkers headed off toward Southern California. On the way they planned to stop and visit Bro. Lyman and Sis. Lillie Wade who were in the Unamended Fellowship and living in isolation in San Luis Obispo.

“… after a perfect run of perhaps some 70 miles further, we reached San Luis Obispo at about 5 p.m., found congenial quarters, and broke bread at the hotel. “As at other places meals were obtained outside the hotel. After tea we made our way round to Dr. Wade’s and spent a pleasant evening in conversation, which would have been more pleasant still but for the tangle that has arisen over questions of fellowship. Sister Wade gave me a pamphlet she had written on the subject, and we returned presently to the hotel. ‘On that night could not the king sleep,’ so I read the pamphlet through in the middle of the night, and found myself in perfect agreement with it. Sister Wade said, truly enough, that it was unreasonable and unkind to require babes to form judgments upon certain writings which were scarcely intelligible to aged experts, or even to the writers themselves, and to disfellowship them if their judgments did not agree with those of their inquisitors! Still, there is the situation, and individuals have to adjust themselves to it painfully as best they can. The question of the resurrectional responsibility of willful rejecters of the Truth is one that produces disunion here. More than thirty years ago it did not trouble the brotherhood. But when the late brother J. J. Andrew, of London, forced the issue, strife and division ensued; and this embittered the last days of the late editor of this magazine [Bro. Roberts], who was torn to pieces between extremes of hypercriticism and latitudinarianism, but who faithfully upheld the Truth himself. The present editor expects to share the same experience to the end.”11

The later years

As often happens as people age, the final years of the Cheethams’ lives were spent accommodating the issues that come with declining health. Sarah, who had struggled with many health problems during the years, eventually lost her hear­ing. In 1930 she spent some time staying at her daughter and son-in-law’s home in Los Angeles.12. Four years later, James and Sarah moved to Los Angeles, but returned to Oakland shortly after.13. While James had been by far the healthier of the two, he died ten years before Sarah. James’ walk in Christ ended in Oakland on January 31, 1942, two weeks shy of his 75th birthday and less than a year short of the Cheethams’ 50th wedding anniversary. His golden wedding anniversary was not the only event that James did not live to see. He had died six years too soon to witness the birth of the nation of Israel in 1948, a prophetic event that had so interested him in his earlier years.

James’ death was a devastating blow to the Oakland ecclesia. The leadership that he brought to the small ecclesia is the main theme in a couple of articles about his falling asleep in Christ. One, written at the time of his death, spoke of his service to the ecclesia:

“The Oakland Christadelphian ecclesia has suffered a great loss in the death of its beloved brother James Cheetham, who passed away on Jan. 31, 1942, shortly before attaining his 75th year. He was one of the pioneers in the Truth in Oakland and S.F. where he lived for more than fifty years and had served as secretary of the Oakland Ecclesia for most of that time. He was baptized into Christ and united with the Christadelphian body in 1888, shortly before leaving Halifax, England, where he was born and ever since has been a strong and faithful advocate of the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ as taught by that body. He will be greatly missed not only by his own ecclesia but by many through­out the fellowship as he was a most faithful attendant and earnest worker for the Truth. He was laid to rest in Mt. View Cemetery, Oakland, Feb. 3rd to await the call of the Master he had served so faithfully and long.”14

Another testament of James’ care for the Oakland ecclesia recalls the years of work he gave on behalf of his brothers and sisters in isolation. “A sad loss for this little Ecclesia came in 1942 with the death of Bro. James Cheetham, who had been Re­cording Brother for 40 years. He had shepherded this little flock carefully through all its “ups and downs’, caring especially for those in isolation in the outlying districts. He attended to his duties as presiding and exhorting brother diligently and was seldom absent, except when at other ecclesias, or on account of sickness. He was greatly missed for his care and devotion, and soundness in the faith.”15

While James was the one who was most well known in the ecclesias of California, Sarah also loved God deeply and put her trust in Him as is evidenced by various letters that she wrote. A good example is the letter she sent to sis. Lillie Wade concerning their children Howard and Rosamond’s relationship:

“I suppose you know we are seeing quite a lot of your son of late and that it is not Robert or I he visits, and no doubt you are anxious as I have been very much so. I should like to write you pages and pages but just cannot. However, I think Howard is just fine and Rosamond, well I think she is worthy of the best. She is so dear and sweet. I’ve wondered sometimes how she could have come to me. I’m sure you would love her if you knew her and so I shall just pray earnestly for our Father to guide them and leave them to work out their own destiny knowing that He will guide and guard them if they put their trust in Him. Goodbye my Sister. With kind regards to the Doctor [Bro.Wade, who was an M.D.] and love to you. Your sister in the one hope.”16

Another example of Sarah’s spiritual­ity is seen in the letter she sent to her daughter Rosamond during Rosamond’s first pregnancy: “Yes mother knows how weary the waiting is but it will soon be over now and happily we trust with a dear little babe of your own to love and care for and to love and comfort you as you did your mother and I hope and pray with our Heavenly Father’s loving care over you both…now my darling I must say good night and may our Heavenly Father bless you with His rich blessing and health and you know you have the largest share of your own Mother’s love. Father sends love…”17

A final example is this letter also written to her daughter Rosamond a few months after James death: “Dearest and Precious, With Loving greetings I send this. Read and dwell on this verse (The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms…Deut 33:27) and I will also and let us trust and believe and do our best. God our Father has promised that if we do that He will supply strength for every need. Now this, dearest girl of mine, is no more for you than for myself and others all who trust in Him. We have a fine example in our reading for today which I finished reading with my breakfast out on the porch…so we should realize we must take the good and the bad together, sunshine and rain and that was about my feelings after the readings when King Asa trusted wholly in God. He allowed or enabled him to overcome the hosts who outnumbered them but when he relied on other men then they fell before their enemies and then in Ezekiel we read of the life giving waters and in John we have comforting words of Jesus ending with ‘These things I have spoken unto you that in me you might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ So why fret and worry instead of earnest prayer for guidance and trying all we can to find out the cause of sickness… ”18

After James’ death, Sarah struggled with her hearing loss and the challenge of living alone. She had become a widow during World War Two, at a time when California was considered a prime target for a Japanese military attack. At times, a blackout would be signaled by the wail of a neighborhood air raid siren. Unable to hear the alarm, Sarah became the target of resentment in her neighborhood when she left her lights on. This caused her to finally move to Los Angeles for good to live with her daughter and son-in-law.19. Ten years after James’ death, Sarah joined him, asleep in the earth and waiting for Christ’s return, in Los Angeles on December 9, 1952 at 84 years of age.

Sarah’s many years in the truth had come to an end. So long ago she had given up the love she had for a young man because he would not accept the truth she believed with all her heart. As she later counseled her daughter to do, she had trusted in God to direct her life and took the good with the bad. In return, God had given Sarah a man that loved her, but more importantly He had given her a man who truly loved the truth and shared it with her for nearly 50 years. May we all make the same wise choice to put our lives in God’s hands and accept His plans for us with the belief that He knows best.

  1. The Christadelphian,1903.
  2. The Christadelphian,1903.
  3. The Christadelphian,1906.
  4. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Cosmopolitan_Hotel_%28San_Francisco,_%3F-1906%29.
  5. The Christadelphian,1911.
  6. The Christadelphian,1917. His death was also recorded as one of several Brethren who had died, in the Fraternal Visitor for 1917.
  7. The Christadelphian,1920.
  8. The Christadelphian,1923.
  9. Sects and Society, Bryon R. Wilson, University of California Press, 1961, page 242.
  10. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Curwen_Walker
  11. The Christadelphian,
  12. The Christadelphian,1930.
  13. The Christadelphian,1934.
  14. Obituary — date and source unknown — appears to be hand typed newsletter.
  15. History of the Oakland, or Bay Area Ecclesia, by Bro. Ishman.
  16. Personal letter from Sarah to Lillie Wade, March 5, 1921.
  17. Personal letter from Sarah to Rosamond Wade, shortly before October 10, 1923.
  18. Personal letter from Sarah to Rosamond Wade, October 21, 1942.
  19. Interview with Sis. Elsie Simmons (James and Sarah’s granddaughter), April, 2010.