USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > North Adams > Addresses and papers presented at the Diamond Jubilee, 1827-1902, May 11-14 (First Congregational Church of North Adams) > Part 7
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JAMES HUNTER
SYLVANDER JOHNSON
10000000
W.S. BLACKINTON.
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61chr
A.P. BUTLER.
JOEL BACON.
CHURCH BUILDING COMMITTEE
Our Church Buildings-Their Care and Contents
DEACON JAMES E. HUNTER
On the afternoon of the day of Mr. Yeoman's ordination, November 12, 1828, the new house of worship was dedicated to the service of God, a sermon being preached by the pastor. This building was of brick, on the site of the present edi- fice. It was 42 feet by 62 feet in size, with a seating capacity of 400. The total cost was about $4,000. The heating of the church was from two stoves, one on each side, with the front of the stoves in the vestibule, so that firing would not disturb the members, and coals could be procured for the foot stoves, then used by the old and infirm of the congregation. The lighting of the church was by oil lamps. The "dim and religious light" was common in these days.
The society purchased in 1839 or 1840 of Messrs. Andrews of Troy, N. Y., an organ at a cost of $600. This was the first organ in town.
April 23, 1844, a committee of three was appointed to solicit funds from the three societies, Congregationalist, Baptist and Methodist, for the purpose of paying a man for ringing the bell. At this time this was the only church bell in town, and was probably placed in the tower when the church was completed in 1828 and used by the three societies.
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Also a committee of three was appointed to repair the church, with instructions to proceed with the work at a cost of $500. In September the committee reported that the work was completed and had exceeded the amount raised by $90. The committee consisted of J. Q. Robinson, James E. Marshall and Elisha Harris.
This work included removing the two stoves used for heating, and placing larger ones in the basement where they were bricked in, leaving an air chamber around the stoves, which was connected with a register in each aisle. This was a new plan for heating churches and an improve- ment upon the old one. The stoves were long, so that 4-foot wood could be burnt without cutting.
All meetings of the church and society were held in the church, there being no small room for meetings of any kind. There was a gallery on two sides and on the south end of the church. The organ and singers' seats were in the south end, the pulpit in the north end. The congrega- tion turned around during the singing, and then but few could see the singers on account of the high gallery. This was the excuse the boys gave their parents for wanting to sit in the gallery.
April 3, 1847, a committee was appointed to consider the question of repairing and enlarging their meeting- house, and report at an adjourned meeting. April 13 the committee reported favorably to building an addition 18 feet by 26 feet for the use of the organ and singers. This addition consisted in taking out the south end of the gal- lery and the south end of the church, and building on a wooden addition to accommodate the organ and the singers, also a room called a vestry under the singers' seats for evening meetings, of which the church stood greatly in
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need. This was heated by a stove and lighted by oil lamps. There was no connection between church and vestry. A door on the west end was the only entrance. The committee were E. S. Hawkes, N. H. Stearns, James E. Marshall and H. L. Dawes.
On July 20, 1863, agreeable to a warrant, a meeting was held at two o'clock in the afternoon, and it was voted to choose three appraisers to appraise the pews in the meeting-house belonging to private individuals (five pews were owned at this time in the old church), also to see if in their judgment it was suitable for public worship and report. After examination the committee reported the building unsafe for public worship.
A meeting was held July 1, 1863, when it was voted to build a new church, and a building committee was ap- pointed as follows : Sylvander Johnson, William S. Black- inton, A. P. Butler, Joel Bacon and James Hunter. This committee secured plans and specifications for the present church from Charles Edward Parker of Boston, architect. The builders were Pierce & Horton.
The specifications in part of the present Congrega- tional church are as follows: "The building will consist of a church to finish, 88 feet long by 64 feet wide, exterior dimensions, exclusive of a tower, 18 feet square, at one corner, and an organ room, II feet by 17 feet, at the oppo- site corner. In the rear of the church will be a chapel 38 feet wide by 52 feet long, outside dimensions, and a ladies' chapel, 21 feet by 14 feet, in the clear.
"The side walls of the church will be 21 feet high above the floor, and those of the chapel will be 12 feet high above the floor.
" The church will finish 36 feet clear height under the collar beams, and the chapel 21 feet high to the ceiling.
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" There will be a gallery finished over the front vesti- bule and two rooms in the tower will be finished off, one for a committee room and one for a study."
The corner-stone of the present edifice was laid Octo- ber 6, 1863. Prayer was offered by Dr. Ballard with singing by five of the choir, E. Rogers, leader. Dr. Hawkes was master of ceremonies, and I quote this extract from his speech : "I deposit the following documents: First of all, I deposit the Holy Scriptures. Resting on this I lay the records and present membership of the church, with the names of the building committee, through whose untiring perseverance the work has progressed to its present condi- tion. I deposit this scroll containing the names and sub- scriptions of all who have generously contributed to this work, also the names of the builders, Messrs Pierce & Horton."
Then came the depositing of various articles-business cards, coins, sample of new postage currency, some Jeff. Davis "shin plasters," copies of News and Transcript. The corner stone was moved to its position by the building com- mittee, Wm. S. Blackinton, James Hunter, S. Johnson, A. P. Butler and Joel Bacon, and cemented in place. Professor Tatlock spoke in a happy vein of the changes he noted since he first came to preach in the old church removed to make place for the new.
Dr. Ballard read Isaiah, 28th chapter, 16th verse, Psalm 144th, 12th. Rev. Jay Dana gave the hymn "All hail the power of Jesus' name." Dr. Ballard made some very im- pressive remarks. Professor Tatlock pronounced the benediction.
The chapel was completed February 21, 1864, and that was used for worship until the main edifice was finished.
SAMUEL J. WHITTON Donor of the Bell
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The church was planned to seat 700. The entire cost, with bell and organ, was about $40,000, $8,000 of which was pledged the week of the dedication to have it free from debt. The beautiful rose window in the north front was the gift of the late Sylvander Johnson. The Bible and hymn book were presented by Mr. and Mrs. A. F. Wilmarth. The chairs in the pulpit were the gift of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. S. Blackinton. The center one has a carved garland across the back with the promise, "Lo, I am with you alway." They also presented the silver communion service and the black walnut chairs for the choir; the chairs now used by the deacons are some of them. The communion table was given by the daughters of the late Clement Harrison; the carpet was red and black and was made by the women of the church.
Mr. Samuel J. Whitton of Colrain, Mass., formerly of this town, made in memory of his mother, who was a member of this church, a most magnificent gift to the Congregational society which consisted of $1,000 for the church building, $600 for the organ, and the bell, the cost of which exceeded $3,000.
The bell was made by Messrs. Meneely of West Troy and was pronounced by them to be the largest church bell made in the United States at that time, (1865). Its weight with the yoke is nearly 6,000 lbs. Its height is 41/2 feet, its diameter 6212 inches. The following inscription is cast upon it :
" Presented to the Congregational church of North
Adams, Mass., by Samuel J. Whitton, A. D. 1865."
"This bell is beautiful in shape and of rich bronze color ; it is keyed on 'C' and the vibrations fall deep, rich and prolonged like the diapason notes of an organ."
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It requires more than one man power to produce the full grandeur of its melodious tones.
Mr. Whitton not only presented the bell, but every- thing connected with its hanging, even to the rope, also paid its shipment to the front of the church. For several days as you came in sight of the new church, a group of men would be seen, with Mr. John Orr, special guardian, tapping it with their pocket knives to test its sensitive tones.
It was brought on a special car over the Troy & Bos- ton railroad and was met by a large delegation of friends. A great fire in West Troy, the day it was to have been shipped, prevented its removal on the day appointed, and it was not in time to be rung at the dedication of the church, but it arrived in time for the first services held on Sunday.
Mr. A. E. Wilson, the inventor of the Wheeler & Wilson sewing machine, begged the privilege of striking the bell first in honor of its donor, offering to pay one dollar per stroke. Permission given, he made its first tones reverberate through the valley, as with a sledge he struck thirteen blows. As the echoes ceased he handed a twenty dollar bill to Joel Bacon, saying, " That was the sweetest melody I ever heard." This money was given to Mrs. James T. Robinson for the Ladies' Aid society, and it was used in furnishing the interior of the new church.
The question of owning a house for the minister was decided in the spring of 1868 by buying on April I of that year what was known as the Nehemiah Hodge place on Church street. This was occupied first as a parsonage by Dr. Gladden and then by Dr. Pratt. But the house was old and lacked modern improvements, and it gradually became
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COLONEL JOHN BRACEWELL
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inadequate to the needs of the pastor and his family. After Dr. Munger came the present parsonage was built on the same site, Deacon James Hunter and his wife taking the initiative by starting the subscription with $1,000, Mrs. Hunter saying that she could not bear to live in a better house than her minister. Others followed their lead gen- erously, and April 15, 1887, it was voted to build a new parsonage from plans made by E. C. Gardner of Springfield, Mass.
The trustees, who were James E. Hunter, H. Torrey Cady, and J. C. Goodrich, served as building committee. The old parsonage was sold. It was cut into two parts and moved into what is now Arnold place, where it still stands as parts of two houses. The building committee discharged its duties carefully, and there was no debt to meet after their work was finished, the subscriptions fully covering all cost.
June 5, 1888, it was voted to appoint a committee to procure plans for the extension of the chapel. E. B. Penni- man, John Bracewell, George W. Chase, W. H. Bixby, Mrs. Dr. Lawrence, Mrs. A. W. Hunter and Mrs. George W. Chase were that committee.
July 31, 1888, it was voted to make such alterations as plans called for, not to exceed $10,000, and voted that the trustees and three others be the building committee. The following were the committee : E. B. Penniman, Alexander McDougall, C. E. Ketchum, D. J. Barber, George W. Chase and J. C. Goodrich. The society was greatly indebted to the committee and E. B. Penniman for the great interest manifested and great amount of time spent in rebuilding and enlarging our chapel.
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April 12, 1899, our chapel was partly destroyed by fire. The church and organ were damaged by smoke and water. The following committee was appointed for renovating the church : James E. Hunter, E. B. Penniman, C. H. Cutting, R. L. Chase, Mrs. John Bracewell, Mrs. F. E. Swift, George French, A. H. Barber, C. W. Ford and two members from the Ladies' Aid society.
In rebuilding the chapel, repairs were also made in the church. The church was wired for electricity; the slips were repaired ; the walls were cleaned and painted; the organ was repaired and the key-board set in front of the singers, and all the modern improvements in organ con- struction were made. A new carpet was purchased, and the pulpit chairs repaired and covered. The music com- mittee and Mr. Hadfield, organist, were appointed a com- mittee to repair the organ.
At an adjourned meeting May 22, 1899, James E. Hunter, Charles W. Ford and Martin C. Jewett were appointed a building committee, with authority to rebuild the present chapel according to plans furnished by E. T. Barlow of North Adams, the chapel to be lighted by elec- tricity. The expense to the society over the insurance received for the damage by fire was $4,000.
The builder was Alexander Pecor of North Adams. The church and chapel were wired by the Berkshire Elec- tric Co., and the decorations of the church were made by Prince & Walker of Pittsfield.
PRESENT PARSONAGE, ERECTED IN 1878
The Music of the Church
DEACON GEORGE W. CHASE.
The early records of the church have little to say about the music. Therefore we have had to depend upon family history and the memory of a few old members for the early history of the music of our church. Our first pastor, Mr. Yeomans, was a good singer and musician, and the Wil- liamstown members who came with him were quite musical, as some of them were members of the Williamstown band, notably Charles Butler and Thomas Palmer Goodrich. Singing meetings were held from house to house. Many of the families were all singers. Deacon Merriam owned a small melodeon which he carried from house to house and played at these singing meetings. He also played the bass viol in the church.
When first organized the church had no organ, and sang from "Watts and Select", without tunes. The families of the Merriams, Munns, Whites, Stewarts, Goulds and others contributed large numbers to the choir.
In 1839 Mr. Charles Butler raised six hundred dollars to purchase an organ. It was built by Andrews of Troy, and Mr Butler, who was leader of the choir, walked to Troy to inspect the organ and after accepting it walked home. An orchestra accompanied the organ and Mrs. Gardner White was a violinist. Her first appearance in the choir was objected to, as lady violinists were a novelty.
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Singing schools were much in evidence, and parts of the oratorios and anthems from the "Carmina" were taken up. The conductors were Mr. Butler, Nelson Dewey, Daniel P. Merriam and Mr. Goodrich. Edwin Rogers came over from Conway in 1842, and on his first Sunday at church played his flute.
In 1847 an addition was built to the south end of the church to make a better place for the choir gallery and organ, and also for a vestry room underneath. In the early fifties William F. Sherwin came to town and taught music. He and Rogers conducted the choir as long as he remained in town, Rogers continuing for many years after the new church was built. Some of those most prominent as solo- ists during this period were the Kings-Nahum, Lucy and Mary-Helen Randall Walton, Maria Gleason Holbrook, Roba Holden Jewett, Mrs. Homer Smith, the Misses Daily and Mrs. James E. Hunter. Mr. Rogers sang most of the tenor solos and Mr. King most of the bass solos.
Musical conventions were held alternately here and at Keene, Bennington and Hoosac Falls under the leadership of Sherwin, Frost, Johnson and others who left their im- press upon the music of the churches. These conventions usually lasted a week at one place. The organists in the old church were Charles Munn, Mr. Merriam, Sherwin, V. A. Whitaker, Mr. Blakeslee, Mrs. Smith and William E. Brown. Mr. Brown was engaged also as teacher, and a large choir was organized under his leadership. No instru- ment was used in the prayer meeting in the early days, and after the announcement of the first hymns by the leader, the singing was "spontaneous", being started by anyone.
Until the fifties Sunday School singing was limited to hymns of the church. Bradbury's publications were intro-
EDWIN ROGERS Conductor of Music for Nearly a Quarter of a Century
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duced about this time by Mr. Brown. Mrs. Holbrook and Mrs. Jewett followed Mr. Brown as leaders of the singing in the Sunday School.
When we entered the new church an advanced step was made in music. Mr. George B. Perry and family had moved here. He had conducted one of the best choirs in the west, and Mrs. Perry had been a soloist in our commun- ity, and a pupil of Sherwin before her marriage. Dr. Gladden, the new pastor, was a good musician and in thorough sympathy with the choir. New books were in- troduced into the prayer meeting and Sunday School. Good concerts were given for the benefit of the organ fund. A notable concert was the one of March 12, 1867, at the dedi- cation of the new organ, and under the direction of Mr. Perry. During Dr. Gladden's pastorate many tunes were composed by him and handed to the choir in manuscript, named mostly after members of the choir.
Dr. Pratt, who followed Dr. Gladden, showed the same deep interest in our music. Robinson's "Songs for the Sanctuary" were introduced, and a great effort was made to promote congregational singing. Mr. Blackinton presented the church with a fine cornet, which was played by Mr. A. J. Wheeler. (Lack of space prevents the recording of many incidents connected with the music of this period, and the names of those participating.)
Dr. Munger came to us in 1877. During his pastorate Mr. Charles A. Darling resigned the position of organist, which he had held since the building of the new church. His resignation was much regretted by the congregation, but realizing that the conditions at the time demanded more attention than he could give to them, he asked the church to secure Professor Frank P. McCormick to carry on the
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work. Professor McCormick was with us from the spring of 1884 until 1887, and music of a high order was rendered. Professor McCormick says of this period, "Although I have had some twenty-five years' connection with churches as organist and director, I do not know of any such fine con- gregational singing as used to be of weekly occurrence at your church." It was during this period that Dr. Blodgett conducted a series of oratorios which were very helpful to the singers of North and South Adams.
Mr. Way followed Mr. McCormick, and Miss Alice Porter succeeded him. For several years the congregation had been led by a quartette, and in August, 1890, Professor George A. Mietzke became organist and director, giving the most of his time to building up the music of the church.
The large chorus he trained so successfully and the annual musical festivals he directed have left an influence which will stand for years as a testimonial to his work. Mr. Jones came to us from the west to succeed Professor Mietzke, but hardly remained a year.
Our present director, Mr. Hadfield, began his work with us in 1898, and has filled the position with great sat- isfaction to choir and congregation. From the time when Mrs. John F. Arnold was engaged to teach the young people to sing, until the present, the pastors and business men of the society have ever kept in mind the importance of the music of the church. We can all testify to the large finan- cial aid rendered in making this effective by many whose contributions for this purpose were never reported in the receipts of the treasurer. Deacon Hunter, Mr. Blackinton, Mr. Johnson, Colonel Bracewell and others were always helpful in this line. Especial mention should also be made of Deacon Perry, who from first to last during his forty
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years of life among us devoted so much of his time to this part of the church service. He planned the present organ in 1867, and after the late fire planned its rebuilding. A member of the music committee almost constantly, he was ever strenuous for the highest and most worshipful ideals, and for the character of those who should take part in this service as leaders of others.
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1851-DEACON SAMUEL GAYLORD-1862
The Patriotic Record of the Church
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CAPTAIN J. Q. ERWIN.
Aroused by the firing of the first shot on Sumpter, patriotic services were held in every church, and our church was no exception to the general rule. Our pastor, the Rev. Albert Paine, gave us a powerful, thoughtful sermon. Never, in my opinion, were the thrilling strains of America more solemnly and tenderly rendered than on that day by our choir under the leadership of Edwin Rogers, and never did our old organ sound forth such grand and impressive strains as on this occasion under the management of Mrs. Homer A. Smith. Comrade Henry Orr and myself also assisted on this occasion, as we presided at the bellows.
The full force and significance of war did not reach this community at first, as the first troops called for were short service men who were easily obtained from the militia already organized in the eastern part of the state. Later, when the call was issued for three years troops, the war came home to us, and our community and its societies and organizations became thoroughly imbued with the war spirit. Public meetings were held, money raised by pledge and subscription, ways and means provided and enlistments fostered and encouraged. There were speeches, drills, pro- cessions and marchings.
In all this work of preparation, the members of our church and society took a prominent part. Among some of those that should be mentioned are Sylvander Johnson,
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Henry N. Brown,
William F. Darby,
John C. Robinson,
Orson Dalrymple, James McArthur, Lyman E. Fields,
Robert Hunter,
Sam'l L. Montague, Sanford B. Gleason, E. D. Church,
William Erwin,
John Q. Erwin,
F. W. Merriam,
Thomas Pierson,
J. Henry Orr, Augustus W. Locke,
Thomas G. Mallory,
Truman E. Brigham,
Robert B. Harvie,
Joseph W. Bently,
Charles L. Frink,
John Rouse,
William McAdoo,
Charles P. Pitt,
John C. Cunningham,
Frank N. Ray,
Addison G. Wheeler,
George Rosenvelt,
Isaac Rosenvelt,
Robert McKay,
Samuel Mclellan, N. D. Worth.
Among those of our number who felt it their duty to answer the president's call for troops to uphold the honor and dignity of the nation in the later wars in which we were engaged, we find the names of Paul Goodrich, Harry King, Robert Prentice and Harry Browne, and some of these are yet in their country's service.
Of those who served with us in the civil war, some re- turned unscathed, others shattered in health and limb, and are living lives of usefulness, object lessons of patriotism and love of country, honored and respected in a land they helped to save.
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John A. Chickering,
Gilbert L. Jewett,
Otis K. Ladd,
Thomas K. Ladd,
1860-DEACON JAMES HUNTER-1891
The Diaconate
REV. GEORGE A. JACKSON.
Brethren of My Old Church and Parish:
I have been asked to speak about the deacons of the church at your anniversary celebration. Only the impera- tive need of being with my family this week prevents my complying. It is a real deprivation to me not to come. To you it need not be, since the other one of the two Georges, who were boys together in the church, will read my address. "Next to the election of a minister" says Ian Mac- Laren, "nothing stirred the parish of Thorngreen like an election of elders, and it may be truthfully said the people were far more concerned about the men whom they ap- pointed to this sacred office than about the man whom they sent to represent them in parliament. The people had also a keen sense of the kind of man who was fit to be an elder."
That is what I wish we might say of every Congrega- tional church, concerning its election of deacons. For there is a sense in which it is more important to a church who its deacons are than who its minister is. Because a minister is popularly regarded as an official Christian ; though he be a very saint, it is all taken as a matter of course ; he comes so little into the tug and strain of busi- ness, and is so shielded from the grosser temptations, that the hazards are very small that he should go wrong. Whereas the deacons, who give character to a church even more than its ministers, are just simply men among men. They are in the shops and stores and banks; they buy and
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sell; they run for office; their personal habits are open to the world ; their reputations are not given them with their titles, but have to be made by their own every-day lives.
And a Board of Deacons who always pay a hundred cents on a dollar; who always give sixteen ounces for a pound; who work for their employers as they would for themselves, or trust their employees like brother men ; who are ready, not simply to say to those in need, "Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled," but to give of their substance to help them; who are ready too to give what is often better than money, even sympathy, and moral support to men who are under a cloud and need to feel that they are still God's children, and His friends are their friends ; who in a word, stand in the community for integrity and honor and cleanness and kindliness ;- such a Board of Deacons could carry a church unscathed through the pastorate of a Judas.
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