John Guest Atterbury, from Detroit, Michigan, was installed as pastor of Second Presbyterian Church, the same day as the dedication of the new edifice. He served from August of 1851 to July, 1866. Shortly after his installment, a religious revival took place at Second Presbyterian. At the invitation of Atterbury, the guest preacher during this week-long meeting was the Rev. Henry Little. Little was a very strong anti-slavery man, who spoke out openly against slavery, and his presence for the week-long revival is indicative of the anti-slavery, if not abolitionist, attitudes present at Second Presbyterian.
