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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01094 5977
HISTORICAL SKETCH
OF THE
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS
CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY
EDITED BY DEACON G. W. HUNT
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1779201
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84445 . 51.55
LOWELL, Mass. First Baptist Church. Historical sketch of the First Baptist Church, Lowell, Massachusetts: Centennial anniversary. Ed. by G.W. Hunt. [Lowell,
Mass., 1926]
98,[1]p.
illus.,ports.,plates. 24cm.
On cover: The story of 100 years, 1826- 1926: First Baptist Church, Lowell, Mass.
ICN 70
66-1955
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FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH-1926
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FOREWORD
We have lived over the 100 years of the history of the First Baptist Church of Lowell with personal delight. The struggles, the fears, the hopes, and the tears of all the faithful have been made our very own. We gladly share as best we may the mellow and precious richness of this history with you. No greater hope may be entertained for you than that you may feel its vital pulse, be in- spired with its pages of patient trust, and enthused in your personal outlook upon the Kingdom of God among men as we have been during the compilation of these words.
Just as the grand old church has not been the product of any one man's hand or heart, so this book, simple as it may seem, has not been the product of the Pastor's mind alone. His wife, his assistant, his Editorial Committee, his Contract Committee, and a whole host of kind friends have, by their suggestions, added infor- mations, and encouragements, brought these leaves to your hand. Please accept them, dear friends, not as in any way exhaustive or profound, but as the patient desire of those who love the record of the past, its strong men and its lovely women, and seek one more way of declaring "That their memory shall not perish from the earth."
GRADY D. FEAGAN, Pastor.
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FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH-1826
On Wednesday, the 8th inst. (Feb.) a new Baptist church was consti- tuted in East Chelmsford, Mass. An Ecclesiastical Council, composed of delegates from several neighboring churches, convened on that day, and after the usual inquiries, in regard to the character of the. members, their proceedings, articles of belief, covenant etc., which were unanimously ap- proved, the public service took place in the following order : Introductory prayer by the Rev. Mr. Parkhurst of Chelmsford : sermon by Rev. Gustavus Davis of South Reading, from Isa. 9: 22, 'A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation.' The fellowship of the churches was presented by the Rev. Dr. Bolles, and the concluding prayer was offered by the Rev. C. O. Kimball of Methuen. There is every promise that this infant church will rapidly increase : and we pray that as its members have adopted the 'Apostles' doctrine, they may be assisted to walk steadfastly in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost. There are several persons now ready to be baptized; and as the village is increasing with almost unparalleled rapidity, there can be no doubt, that frequent accessions will be made from the emigrants who will throng thither in search of em- ployment. A meeting-house is needed immediately. Liberal subscriptions, by way of loan, have already been made, and we think that the brethren there have a strong claim on the aid of the Baptist public.
RUGG HOUSE Where the first meeting was held
Officers of First Baptist Church
1925-1926
Pastor-Rev. Grady D. Feagan. Pastor's Assistant-Miss Lorna W. Smith. Clerk-Mabel E. Brown. Treasurer-Wm. W. Buzzell. Collector-Orianna E. Pevey.
Historical Secretary-Arthur J. French.
Deacons-One year, A. J. French, W. W. Buzzell, Thomas Brown; two years, Loring L. Trull, Warren F. Sanborn, Maynard J. Beal, Frank E. Kimball ; three years, Craven Midgley, Geo. W. Hunt, Wm. D. Sheppard, Edwin W. Parsons.
Trustees-One year, A. G. Pollard, Geo. F. Slipp; two years, A. G. Walsh, Walter E. Clement ; three years, Harold Brown, Arthur E. Dyar.
Executive Committee-Pastor, deacons, trustees, assessors, and treasurer ex-officio ; Wm. T. Sheppard, Amos H. Dows, Daniel Line, T. A. Whelan, Noble Charlton, Harry Lomas, W. G. Gard- ner, David Gillis, Harold W. Howe, Clarence Williams, John Thorpe, A. P. Robertson, Robert Friend, Thos. Tiffany, D. W. Manning, Thos. Johnson, Gilman Alcott, F. J. Spooner, Arthur E. Dyar, Matthew Turnbull, A. E. Mellen, S. W. Hands, Geo. B. Fuller, Leon D. Abbott, Harry C. Taylor.
Missionary Committee-Miss Fanny Sheppard, Miss Georgia Norris, Mrs. G. D. Feagan, Mrs. L. D. Abbott, Mrs. John Thorne, Mrs. Edgar Barnes, Mrs. Edwin W. Parsons, Mrs. Bertha Stack, Miss Fannie Trull, Miss Myrtle Mellen, Miss Marion Parker, Wm. T. Sheppard.
Membership Committee-Pastor, assistants, clerk, deacons, pastor of French Mission ex-officio; Minnie F. Taylor, Ella M. Penn, F. J. Spooner, Mrs. F. J. Spooner, Bertha Chapman, Mrs.
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Amos Kendall, S. W. Hands, Mrs. S. W. Hands, Mrs. Geo. Sim- mons, Mrs. Nellie Bowen, Mrs. H. Lomas, A. C. McLaughlin and Baptismal Committee.
Baptismal Committee-One year, Oscar Felch, Clarence Wil- liams, Harry Graham; two years, Mrs. R. Matthews, Josephine Stockwell, Mrs. A. C. Mclaughlin; three years, Cecil Gardner, Harry Lomas, Merle Hill.
Pulpit Supply Committee-One year, T. A. Whelan; two years, Craven Midgley, three years, E. W. Parsons.
Reception Committee-One year, Harold W. Howe, two years, Albert Chasse ; three years, Norman Olsen.
Charitable Committee-Pastor and deacons ex-officio, Super- intendent of Sunday School and Superintendent Primary Depart- ment ex-officio ; one year, Mrs. Craven Midgley ; two years, Mrs. R. Matthews; three years, Miss Lorna W. Smith.
Printing Committee-One year, Norman Olsen ; two years, A. E. Mellen; three years, G. W. Hunt.
Music Committee-One year, Mrs. Harold W. Brown; two years, J. E. Colby ; three years, Craven Midgley.
Ushers-J. F. Flemings, L. L. Trull, Noble Charlton, T. A. Whelan, S. W. Hands, James McAlpine, Cecil Gardner, Harry Lomas.
Plate Collectors-Board of Deacons.
Auditors-Leon D. Abbott, Geo. F. Wagner. Prayer Meeting Pianist-Ella M. Penn, Mabel Reardon. Music Director Prayer Meeting-Craven Midgley. After-Meeting Pianist-Mabel Reardon.
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ARTHUR G. POLLARD
LARKIN T. TRULL
ALONZO G. WALSH
REV.GRADY D.FEAGAN
CENTENNIAL STAFF
FRANKE KIMBALL
JAMES E. FLEMINGS
Centennial Committees
Wm. T. Sheppard William W. Buzzell Abel P. Robertson
William H. Pepin Edwin W. Parsons
Warren T. Reid Mrs. Wm. H. Pepin Miss Clara H. Fenton
T. Arthur Whelan Harold A. Brown Frank J. Spooner Harry Lomas
Abel P. Robertson Arthur E. Mellen Miss Myrtle E. Mellen George W. Hunt
Harry G. Pollard James C. Warner
Publicity Committee Harold F. Howe Mrs. James C. Warner
Exhibition Committee
Mrs. Nellie F. Bowen Miss Mabel E. Brown Gilman S. Alcott Arthur E. Mellen
Decoration Committee Mrs. Annie M. Russell
James F. Flemings John Thorne
Rev. Grady D. Feagan
Financial Committee
Leon D. Abbott Frank E. Kimball George F. Wagner Hospitality Committee George F. Slipp David M. Gillis Mrs. David M. Gillis Music Committee Miss Ella M. Penn Craven Midgley Mrs. James F. Flemings
Reception Committee Norman R. Olsen Cecil H. Gardner Loring L. Trull Ladies' Benevolent Society
Book Committee
Frank E. Kimball Craven Midgley William T. Sheppard Mrs. Grady D. Feagan
Mrs. Gilman S. Alcott Mrs. Craven Midgley Russell Stack Amos S. Dows
Amoma Class
Ushers Loring L. Trull Wm. Herbert Blake
Program Committee Miss Lorna W. Smith, Asst. Sunday School Council
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CENTENNIAL PROGRAM January 3-17 HISTORICAL SERMONS GRADY D. FEAGAN
"EARLY BEGINNINGS."
Jan. 3
(morning)-The Lowell of John Eliot. "Old Wamesit"-East Chelmsford-Lowell. The prayer meetings of Parkhurst and Weston.
Jonathan C. Morrill and Kirk Boott.
Meetings in the Schoolhouse.
The First Baptist Church Organized.
Rev. John Cookson-"The infant is taught to walk."
Rev. Enoch Freeman-"Tell my dear people to be earnest. faithful, zealous, and united in love." Rev. Joseph Ballard-"He came and put his foot down. The troublers were afraid of him. The Kingdom increased."
"FROM DANIEL C. EDDY TO ALEXANDER BLACKBURN" Jan. 10
(morning )-The 21-year old pastor and 19-year old bride arrive. Days of culture, large crowds, dignity, expansion.
Outstanding citizens in the pew. Alden-Stanton-the Two Mallory's-Colwell-Gordon.
Civic Interest-Forceful Preaching-Enterprise. Alexander Blackburn, warrior, diplomat, strategist, theologian. organizer, orator and what else? The papers are full of the First Baptist. Town talk is full of Blackburn. The Kingdom is full of converts. The converts are full of conviction.
"FROM ALEXANDER BLACKBURN TO THE PRESENT DAY." Jan. 10
(evening ) -Extensive repairs to the building. Greatly increased giving to all Kingdom interests. Many organizations clustering around the church. An army of the competent and the willing, "each man standing in his own place around about the camp." The church takes its place as one of the strong churches of Massachusetts. Its people plan in terms of the large and the permanent.
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Aesthetic and cultural appreciations. Moral Leadership in Current Events. Concern for the poor and unfortunate. Former pastors still on the firing line!
"THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH-ITS PRESENT AND ITS FUTURE." Jan. 17
(morning)-General characteristics of the three ages of church life summed up into three sentences descriptive of the whole.
The Past interprets the Present and the Present points the way for the Future.
Great moments of the past greatly met. Will we keep faith today ? Great hearts still among us. Honor to whom honor is due. Recognition of members eighty years old and over. A dream and an answer. Resurgens and excelsior!
JANUARY 31 Re-Dedication to Religious Education
ORGAN PRELUDE
MORNING SERVICE 10.30 "Festival Prelude" "Holy, Holy, Holy" Reiff
PROCESSIONAL
INVOCATION AND LORD'S PRAYER
RESPONSIVE READING
GLORIA
HYMN
SCRIPTURE LESSON
QUARTETTE "The Lord Is My Light" Parker
PRAYER
RESPONSE
OFFERING
OFFERTOIRE "Sketch" Thayer
ANTHEM "Praise My Soul, Thou King" Bullard
ANNOUNCEMENTS
HYMN
SERMON-"Putting First Things First, or Religious Education And The Kingdom" By Professor CHARLES E. CARROLL, Ph. D., Boston University-School of Religious Education.
BENEDICTION ORGAN POSTLUDE "Anniversary March" Erb
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EVENING SERVICE 6.30
Re-Dedication to New Testament Evangelism
ORGAN PRELUDE "Sortie in D" Duncan
PROCESSIONAL
SONG SERVICE
CHOIR HYMN "O That I Had Wings" Haven
SCRIPTURE READING
PRAYER
OFFERING
OFFERTOIRE "Concert Piece" Lee
QUARTETTE "In Thee, O Lord, Do I Put My Trust" Frey
ANNOUNCEMENTS
HYMN
SERMON-By REV. BENJAMIN T. LIVINGSTONE, Executive Sect. of N. E. Evangelistic Assoc. "The Challenge of the New Testament Evangelism"
BENEDICTION
ORGAN POSTLUDE "Postlude in G" Whiting
FEBRUARY 2, TUESDAY 4.45 P. M.
Children's Celebration
Committees
Miss Alice M. Henderson Mrs. T. Arthur Whelan
Miss Louise Perron
Mrs. James C. Warner Miss Ella M. Penn Thomas Johnston
PROGRAM
4.45 Operetta "PEGGY'S DREAM"
6.00 Buffet Supper 7.00 Speaker, a Prominent Story Teller from Boston
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FEBRUARY 3, WEDNESDAY 7.45 P. M.
The Church at Home
Mrs. William H. Pepin
Music Committee
Mrs. George F. Wagner
Reception Committee
Mrs. Gilman S. Alcott
Exhibi: Committee
7.45 Musicale
Community singing ; special numbers by the choir, organ and the quartette.
MISS AGNES CHAPMAN, Reader MRS. MARTHA SHEPPARD WHITE, Harpist
9.00 Informal Reception and Exhibit
The orchestra music will add to the festivities of the informal reception.
FEBRUARY 5, FRIDAY 7.45 P. M. HISTORICAL PAGEANT
"The Story of a Hundred Years"
Miss Lorna W. Smith, Author ; Mrs. Grady D. Feagan, Dramatist ; Mr. Glenn Glazier, Director
Preceding the Pageant the Church Orchestra, assisted by Miss Bernice M. Russell, well-known Lowell 'Cellist, and Mr. Henry Weene, Trumpeter, of Boston, will render several numbers.
FEBRUARY 7
Centennial Sunday
MORNING WORSHIP 10.30 Addresses by Former Pastors
ORGAN PRELUDE "Allegro Jubilant" Milligan
PROCESSIONAL "Holy, Holy, Holy"
INVOCATION AND LORD'S PRAYER
OFFERING
OFFERTOIRE "Offertoire in G" Spinney
ANNOUNCEMENTS
QUARTETTE "Agnus Dei" Tours
ADDRESS "The Minister as an Example" By EDWARD BABCOCK, D. D.
ANTHEM "Glory to God on High" ADDRESS "The Minister as a Man" :
Potter
By O. C. S. WALLACE, D. D. LL.D.
BENEDICTION
ORGAN POSTLUDE "Marche Pontificale" Faulkes
EVENING WORSHIP 6.30
ORGAN PRELUDE
"Grand Choseur" Dubois
PROCESSIONAL
SONG SERVICE
MALE QUARTETTE "Since I Gave My Heart to Jesus" Brown
SCRIPTURE READING
PRAYER
OFFERING
OFFERTOIRE
"Scherzo in A" Munro
ANTHEM
"O Gladsome Light" Sullivan
ANNOUNCEMENTS
HYMN
ADDRESS "The Minister as a Pastor" By SMITH THOMAS FORD, D. D.
BENEDICTION ORGAN POSTLUDE "Finale in E Flat" Faulkes
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FEBRUARY 9, TUESDAY 7.45 P. M. CITY AUDITORIUM
Public Exercises
ORGAN RECITAL from 7.30 to 8
MISS CLARA H. FENTON
ORGAN
"All Hail the Power"
INVOCATION
MASONIC CHOIR
PRESENTATION OF GUESTS
ADDRESS "The Church in the City" JOHN J. DONOVAN
ADDRESS "The Church in Denomination" By HUGH A. HEATH, D. D.
ORGAN SPECIAL
ADDRESS "The Church in the State" By HON. ALVIN T. FULLER Governor of Commonwealth of Mass.
MASONIC CHOIR
ADDRESS "The Church in the Convention" By E. H. RHODES, Jr., Esq.
MASONIC CHOIR
ADDRESS "The Church in Christ" By CURTIS LEE LAWS, D. D.
BENEDICTION REV. APPLETON GRANNIS, St. Anne's Episcopal Church
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CENTENNIAL SERMONS
SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE January 3, 1926
Early Beginnings
I N preaching to you, dear people, during these four Sunday morn- ings on the history of the First Baptist Church, it seems alto- gether fitting that we should make two introductory explana- tions. The first is that it will be utterly impossible for us to be exhaustive, we can only hope to mark the trend-touch upon the most vital and outstanding people and events; the second is that in our use of dates and statistics we must be careful not to give you any too great detail of the various notations concerning the exact progress of the church; we need the time and the space to mark the movements rather than the details.
It seems that the very first consideration in such a sermon should be "early beginnings", and so we divide the sermon of this morning into the beginnings of the city, the beginnings of church life, the formation of the First Baptist Church, and then a study of the first period of the church itself.
In touching on the beginnings of the City of Lowell, we might start with saying that as early as 1647 the banks of the Merrimack were scenes of life. The Numphow Indians held their first semi- civilized court under its overspreading trees; we know that the Apostle to the Indians, John Eliot, came to these parts to preach to the Indians, and to teach them. It was while John Eliot was preaching to the Indians in the vicinity of what is now Lowell that in an angry mood one of the Indians approached him, clearly mis- understanding his presence in their midst. and offered him physical violence, but with the spirit of a prophet and with the feeling of an apostle he said, "I am about the business of the Great Spirit, touch me if you dare, I will go on!"
Proceeding from the time of John Eliot we know that there was a bare settlement in these parts known as Wamesit, and it was
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not until 1655, when the town of Chelmsford was incorporated, that this section was taken into that incorporation under the name of East Chelmsford.
We pass the days of "old Wamesit" and come to 1820, when a committee came to Pawtucket Falls to investigate the advisability of planting a cotton mill here. In that committee was Kirk Boott, a man destined to be famous in the life of early Lowell. As a re- sult of that committee's investigation the Merrimack Manufactur- ing Company was established. It was established in 1822 and duly incorporated under the laws of Massachusetts with a capital stock of $600,000 which was considered perfectly huge in those days.
You might get a picture of this very early settlement that centered around the Merrimack Manufacturing Company by a view of this splendid mill erected on the banks of the Merrimack with a little cluster of little houses nestled in the valley close by and with the house of Kirk Boott, the superintendent, on the ex- treme right, and the building, St. Anne's Church, on the extreme left. That was all that there was of Lowell in those days, but it was certain that a great influx would soon come, for even then young men and women of the best and highest type from the neighboring New England homes were coming to Lowell to get work. They came many times to pay off mortgages on the farms at home, and in other ways to worthily assist their families. As a true picture of the type of young men and women that were thronging to early Lowell in those days, I read you a letter that was sent to Deacon Tuxbury of this church shortly afterwards :
New Hampton, March 26, 1832.
Dear Brother Deacon :
The bearer is Sister Joanna Nichols whom I have had the pleasure of baptizing since I lived in this place. She expects to reside for the present in Lowell.
If you will assist her in obtaining board in a regular pious Baptist family and take such care of her and give her such advice as you would wish me to if she was your daughter and I lived in Lowell and you in this place-
If you will grant this request, it will much oblige me and her parents.
Deacon Moses Tuxbury.
Affectionately yours, Geo. Evans.
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£
Now, with this influx of course the time was soon to be when Lowell would stand as a city, and we know that through the in- strumentality of Warren Colburn and Kirk Boott, two outstanding men, in the Merrimack Manufacturing Company, the city was duly chartered in the year 1826 under the name of Lowell, being only a town then. It was named after Francis Cabot Lowell, a man who was a throbbing center of life and energy in the textile world of America at that time, and a man who contributed very largely to textile advancement and discoveries. Edward Everett Hale, in speaking of Francis Lowell, after whom the City of Lowell was named, said, "No more fitting tribute could be paid to a great American citizen than that an enterprising, honorable community should bear his name." He said, "Some great men have their fame written in marble ; others have it built in massive masonry, but this man has it written upon the face of a very wonderful people."
I think that it needs to be said that in all of this early period Kirk Boott, the agent of the Merrimack Company; was the man of the hour. Kirk Boott was a man of military power, it goes without saying, since he was trained for five years in the British Army. He came to these parts after having finished a course of study at Harvard. It is to be doubted if ever in the life of Lowell he was excelled in his executive ability, in his personal powers, in his sheer force of administration and progress. We know that in those early days that he was forced to go to Boston continually, and it was before the day of the Boston & Maine Railroad, and we are told that he made the trip in a light carriage with a pair of fleet horses, and then, after having spent a hard day's work in Boston, he would turn his face towards Lowell and would reach Pawtucket Falls at nightfall. He was a rapid driver, and did everything else with that same rapidity and strength of purpose.
We come now to the formation of church life in Lowell, and we notice that prayer meetings were held in this section as early as 1822. Rev. John Parkhurst, (as pastor at South Chelmsford) came here and held meetings in various houses. He held meetings in the houses of Nathan Oliver and Abel Rugg, and that house, the house of Abel Rugg, we know is the house situated on the corner of Wamesit and Central streets. It was here that John Parkhurst preached first, and it was here in 1823 that John
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MERRIMACK MILLS, 1825
Equality Weston-who was one of the founders of the great "Watchman" newspaper of Boston-also preached. From these prayer meetings there grew the spirit that ultimately ushered in the First Baptist Church, practically all of the number of those who attended the prayer meetings being Baptist people.
In 1825, with a true regard for the spiritual welfare of its operatives, the Merrimack Manufacturing Company decided that it would be well to plant a church, and of course the various de- nominations could not all be represented with separate churches, so Kirk Boott, the superintendent of the company, being an Episco- palian, and various others in authority being members of the Episcopal Church, it was considered that the Episcopal form of worship might suit and might prove universally satisfactory, as well as any one type. From the very highest and purest of motives the beautiful little church was built on Merrimack street, yet it needs to be said that in the building of this church there was pre- cipitated the foundation of the First Baptist Church, for this little group of people that had been meeting in their Baptist prayer meetings were not willing to dismiss their prayer meetings, and they did not feel that it was fair they should be taxed from their pay envelopes to support a church from which they were receiving small spiritual benefit, due to non-attendance. So Jonathan Mor- rill began holding meetings in his house with a pointed view to the establishment of the First Baptist Church. At that time Jonathan Morrill was a business man in Lowell, and he occupied a house belonging to the Merrimack Manufacturing Company, and so we read that Kirk Boott, feeling that serious times were impending, if he should allow any church to spring up almost within the shadow of the new church, sent word to Jonathan Morrill that the meetings must cease or he must quit the house. Jonathan Morrill sent back word in a fashion so characteristic of many Baptists that he had a right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, and that he would not quit the house and he would not quit the meetings. That was quite an unpopular answer to make, but Jonathan Morrill was a man of influence in this place as well as Kirk Boott. We notice that shortly after this under the ad- ministration of Monroe, Jonathan Morrill was. appointed post- master of the village, and moved with his family over the post
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office, where things were made easier for the little prayer group, because they could meet in Jonathan Morrill's residence without any interference. But the crowd soon became too large for any one man's residence, and so it was voted to have stated worship in the schoolhouse. The schoolhouse referred to stood on the site of the old Green School. Formal invitation to all Baptists residing in the settlement who were interested in the formation of a regular Baptist Church was read from one of the stated services in the schoolhouse. To my mind, it is altogether fitting that the First Baptist Church should have had its first regular and stated services in a schoolhouse, for this church has always stood with high re- gard and feeling of appreciation for scholarship. This fact is re- flected in the type of men that you have called to your ministry in the days that have gone, and in the personnel of the men who have made up your congregation. You have a name to live in these matters. Elias Burnham Smith, afterwards president of New Hampton Seminary, advised with our people concerning the new church, and it was agreed that twenty-eight people should call for their church letters from the various other Baptist Churches. Of these twenty-eight charter members, twenty-one were women and seven were men. A council was appointed on February 8th to ratify the February 6th meeting, and various pastors from neigh- boring cities were called. The feeling was absolutely unanimous that there was room in Lowell for a Baptist Church, and the first sermon was preached by Gustavus F. Davis, of Reading, and in real evangelistic fashion he took for his text "The Little One Shall Become a Thousand and The Small One a Strong Nation." He perhaps did not know how literally that would be fulfilled within the first years of the history of the church.
Now we come to the actual history of the First Baptist Church, which is sketched in this sermon from 1826 to 1846, em- bracing the ministries of Rev. John Cookson, Rev. Enoch Free- man, Rev. Warren Eaton and Rev. Joseph Ballard. Those are periods divided in this historical sketch under the head of charac- ter of the ministries and personnel of the membership and of the activities of the period.
We know of Mr. Cookson that he was called in 1826, soon after the organization. He was a man from England, but more
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REX. E. W. FREEMAN
REV. JOSEPH BALLARD
recently from Malden, and the spirit of the church seemed to be divided at that time as to whom its pastor should be. In the call only nine votes out of twenty-eight were cast, and three of those nine votes were in the negative, yet he came. He felt that it was his opportunity to make his contribution to the future. As a man of quiet nature, a man of maturity, a man of wisdom, a man of judgment, he was just the one to take the young child out of its cradle and teach it to walk. He was installed in the house of Artemus Young. We are told that Mr. Cookson was wise in his coming, and we are told that he was wise in his going within the year of his coming. He was a great soul winner, and in a single year eighty-nine were baptized and twenty received in by letter, making a total of one hundred and nine. He seemed to be just the man to take the plastic conditions and to mould them and get them in shape for someone who was younger and more buoyant and would be able to readily adjust himself to the rapidly aspiring and rapidly growing needs of the new town. This man came in the form of Rev. Enoch W. Freeman, February, 1828, to the fall of 1835. The Rev. Mr. Freeman was a young man, he had just finished his course in Mt. Hebron Academy and Waterville Col- lege. While still in college he had distinguished himself as a young evangelist, and later in his home town at New Gloucester he had been preaching and was beloved by many. He was called to this church on trial for a period of two months. His first sermon he preached February 6, 1828. He took for his text Ezra 10:4, "Arise, for this matter belongeth to three; be of good courage and do it." That very afternoon he baptized in the Concord River, just back of this present church building, where the railroad crosses the stream. Eleven people received the ordinance, nine of whom were women, the men being Moses Tuxbury and Samuel Pillsbury. This church has been noted for its baptisms and its baptisms in the Concord. Many times baptismal services were held in the Concord River when ice was covering the top, and they literally broke their way through. Sometimes as many as four thousand people came to witness these baptisms, which were marked with the utmost solemnity, reverence and impressiveness. Many a man gave his heart to God by the general impression made upon him at the First Baptist baptismal services. We know that
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