USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Athol > Athol, Massachusetts, past and present > Part 5
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Rev. Temple Cutler, the successor of Mr. Norton, was installed March 4, 1868, and served eight years, being dismissed April 19, 1876. These were years of great spiritual growth and numerous additions to the church. It was during this pastorate that a parsonage was purchased by forty individual members and presented to the Society. Mr. Cutler is still reg rded with the greatest respect and
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affection here. He was born at Lynn, Mass., May 4, 1828; graduated at Marietta, Ohio, in 1857, and studied theology at Andover, Mass. He was ordained at Skowhegan, Maine. Feb. 20, 1861, and preached there seven years before coming to Athol. After leaving Athol, he spent several years in the service of the American Missionary Associa- tion, preaching and teaching at Chattanooga, Tenn., and Charleston, S. C. He now lives at Essex, Mass.
Mr. Cutler was followed by Rev. Henry A. Blake, who was ordained Sept. 13, 1876, and closed his labors May 1, 1883. This, also, was a period of prosperity in the church. It was during this pastorate that the 50th anni versary of the organization of the church and Sunday school was observed, and the historical addresses delivered by Mr. Blake on these occasions are valuable additions to the church history of Athol. After leaving Athol Mr. Blake became pastor of a church in Providence, R. I., and is now settled over the church at Webster, Mass.
Rev. H. W. Stebbins, a graduate of Andover Theo- logical Seminary, was settled Sept. 1, 1883, and remained five years, terminating his labors Dec. 31, 1888. He was born in Worcester, Nov. 15, 1857. In his boyhood he went to Montpelier, Vt., where he fitted for college, and entered Dartmouth College, graduating in the class of 1878. He studied another year at that place, after his graduation, and entered Andover Theological Seminary ; he was a member of the class of 1882, but as he took an advanced and extra year, did not leave there until 1883, when he came to Athol. While in Athol he married Miss Anna Spear, a well known vocalist and musician, the daughter of Mr. Caleb Spear.
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It was during Mr. Stebbins' pastorate, that the memor- able church trouble, regarding the pastor, occurred that nearly divided the church, and resulted in the calling of one of the most important and exciting ecclesiastical coun- cils ever held in this section of New England ; the council included some of the most eminent clergymen and leading laymen of the denomination in the State. The decision was, that although recognizing the ability and faithfulness of the pastor. and the more than common success of his work. they deemed it for the best interests of the church that he resign at an early date. not later than the end of the calendar year. In accordance with this recommenda- tion Mr. Stebbins tendered his resignation to take effect Dec. 31. 1888. Soon after finishing his labors in Athol, Mr. Stebbins received a call to become the pastor of the Congregational church of West Medford, where he com- menced his duties in October, 1889.
The present pastor, Rev. Edwin S. Gould, was born in New Braintree, Mass .. Feb. 20, 1844. When five years old his parents moved to Oakham. His early education was received in the schools of Oakham and at Williston Seminary. Easthampton, where he prepared for college and was also a student of Phillips Academy, Andover. In the war he enlisted in the 51st Mass. regiment, and was hon- orably discharged with his regiment, at the expiration of the term of service. He also served in the 60th Mass. regiment. After the war he was for three years local and associate editor of papers in Hartford and Worcester. In the fall of 1869 he entered the Hartford Theological Semi- nary, where he graduated in 1872. He studied a year in Andover Theological Seminary as a resident graduate, and
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was ordained to the ministry in Providence, R. I., Oct. 1, 1873, and installed as pastor of the Richmond Street Free Evangelical church in that city. He was married Oct. 20, 1875, to Phebe Sherman Gladding, of Providence. He has held pastorates in West Brookfield, and with the Globe church, Woonsocket, R. I., and came to Athol May 18, 1890.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
In the early town records appears the following : "We, the Subscribers being chosen a Committee by the Society of the people called Antipedo Baptists, who meet together for religious worship on the Lord's Day in Athol to exhibit a list or lists of the names of such persons as belong to said Society or Congregation do certify, that Zadok Hayward, Benjamin Dexter, Silas Kendall, Daniel Lamson, Thomas Lord, Nath'l. Babbitt, Joseph Crosby, Ben'm. Powers, John Ballard, do belong to said Society or congregration and that they do fre- quently and usually, when able, attend with us in our meeting for reli- gious worship on Lord's day, and we do verily believe are with respect to the ordinance of Baptism of the same religions sentiments with us."
WHITMAN JACOBS, Elder, SIMEON CHAMBERLEN, ASA JONES, Committee. August 30th, 1775.
Similar lists dated the previous year give the names of Eliphalet Moor. Simon Haven, Ebenezer Bullard, Martin Morton ; these, with others, constituted the adherents of Elder Whitman Jacobs, who was at that time the second pastor of the Baptist Church in Royalston, but who was a resident of Athol, and of whom Governor Bullock, in his historical address delivered at the Centennial anniversary of Royalston says, " he left many of those marked and de- cisive influences which control a local history."
In May, 1802, three men were baptised in this town by Rev. Ebenezer Burt, pastor of the Baptist church in Hardwick, two of whom afterwards served the church as
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deacons and one as pastor. Soon after, others were bap- tized. all of whom became members of the Baptist church in Templeton. June 24th, 1810, the Athol members were constituted a branch of the Templeton church and Isaac Briggs and Aaron Oliver were chosen deacons.
They were occasionally supplied with a preacher from abroad, but when they were not, the deacons, in turn con- ducted religious services on the Sabbath. On April 13, 1813, this branch was organized as an independent church with 22 members at school house No. 2 on the "Street." For the first seven years of its existence the church had no regular pastor, and the services were generally conducted by the deacons.
The first to be ordained as pastor was Deacon Isaac Briggs, who was called to the pastorate and ordained Oct. 4, 1820, and served the church faithfully for nearly 12 years until, in consequence of the infirmities of age, he re- signed the pastorate of the church March 11, 1832. He died July 12, 1837, at the age of 75 years. This is the longest pastorate in the history of the church.
Services were first held alternately at the school house on the " Street," and at the old brick school house in the Lower Village. The first house of worship was built in 1828 or 1829, and is now the dwelling house of E. T. Lewis, Esq., on the corner of Main and Summer streets at the Highlands. The second and present house of worship, on the corner of Church and Walnut streets, was built in 1848, and dedicated Feb. 14, 1849. The leading spirits in this enterprise were Dea. Job Fry and Dea. Jonathan Wheeler, together with Rev. Lysander Fay, who was then
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pastor of the church at Orange and who canvassed the church and village to obtain funds for the enterprise. An addition was made to the front, and the present stately spire erected in 1859. The interior was entirely remod- eled in 1885 at a cost of about $5,000, including the fine organ which cost $1,800, and the formal re-dedication of the renovated structure took place on Oct. 1st, 1885.
The church has had during the 79 years of its exist- ence as an independent body, fifteen settled pastors. The second settled pastor was Rev. Ambrose Day who came in the spring of 1833 and remained two years ; Rev. J. Gla- zier was settled in April 1835 and served two years; Rev. Asaph Merriam was settled Oct. 13, 1839, and remained until the spring of 1846, a term of six and one-half years ; in May, 1849, Rev. Oren Tracy became pastor and served a little more than a year ; April, 1855, Rev. Charles Far- rar became pastor and held the office three years; in the spring of 1858 Rev. J. D. Reid was settled, but he soon changed his religious doctrines and declared his purpose to return to the communion of the Episcopal church ; he asked a dismission but the church had become greatly at- tached to him and voted to retain him until the end of the year for which he was engaged. This caused trouble and a division of the church and community, and resulted in the closing of the meeting house for a year The next set- tled pastor was Rev. Charles Ayer, who commenced his labors in September, 1862, and remained a year and a half ; April 2d, 1864, Rev. G. L. Hunt became pastor and held the office for three years ; On April 7, 1867, Rev. D. H. Stoddard preached his first sermon to this church and was settled as pastor the 1st of June following; this pas-
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torate continued for seven years, being next to the longest in the history of the church, and was eminently successful.
In 1874 Rev. J. C. Emery became pastor and served two years, when he was succeeded by Rev. E. M. Bartlett, who commenced his labors on the first Sabbath of July, 1876 and continued four and one half years; Rev. J. H. Cox became pastor in 1881 and served six years during which time the church enjoyed a great degree of prosperity.
Rev. Horace F. Brown, the next pastor, was born in Hopkinton. N. H. He attended the schools of his native town and prepared for college at the New London Literary and Scientific institution. New London, N. H. He gradu- ated at Brown University in 1876 and three years later from the Newton Theological Seminary. He was ordained Oct., 1879, as pastor of the Baptist church in Antrim, N. H., where he remained five and one fourth years. After a pastorate of between two and three years at Rumney, N. H., he came to Athol in 1887, and was the loved and popular pastor until March, 1893, when he re- signed to accept the pastorate of the church in East Green- wich, R. I.
Rev. Byron H. Thomas, the present pastor commenced his duties July 1, 1893, and the services held in " Recogni- tion" of the pastor took place on the evening of Sept. 13 following, Rev. Charles A. Eaton of Natick preaching the sermon. Mr. Thomas was born May 22d, 1865, at South Bay in the Province of New Brunswick, and is of Welsh parentage, his father, Benjamin Thomas, coming from Wales to America when a boy. His education was re- ceived in the Boston public schools, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, and the New Brunswick Baptist
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Seminary at St. John's, N. B. He was ordained to the ministry at Maugerville, N. B., June, 18, 1888, and has served successful pastorates at Sackville, Maugerville and Jacksonville, New Brunswick, more than three hundred being added to these churches under his labors. In April, 1889, he was married to Miss Bessie M. Harrison, daughter of C. B. Harrison, a man well-known in the provincial parliament of his country. Mr. Thomas has always been interested in the temperance cause from a boy, and early connected himself with temperance organizations, in which he has held the highest offices ; he is a Past Grand Chief Templar of New Brunswick. Over nine hundred members have been connected with this church, since its organization.
Rev. Ebenezer Burt, a prominent Baptist, although not a pastor of the Athol church, was well known in this town, which was his home during some of the latter years of his life, and where he occasionally preached. He was born in Norton, March 9, 1766, and died in Athol Nov. 25, 1861. He was ordained as a Baptist minister upon a rock in Hardwick, June 20, 1798, Elder Enoch Goff of Dighton preaching the ordination sermon. He lived to preach 4961 sermons, to solemnize 97 marriages, attend 327 funerals and baptize 200 candidates. Of all the sermons he ever preached, it appears that but one was written, and this after he had been fifty years in the ministry.
Among the Societies that have been connected with the Baptist Church, we find the records of one that will be interesting to the members of the church to-day, as showing the self-sacrificing spirit of the sisters of the
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church a half a century ago. This society flourished from 1835 to about 1845, and bore the name of " The Female Judson Plain Dress Society in Athol."
The constitution read as follows:
"ART. 1st. The object of this Society is to lessen our expenses for dress that we may be enabled to increase our charities, and aid in sending the gospel and means of grace to the many millions of our fellow creatures who are perishing for lack of a knowledge of the Savior-And also to encourage the heart of that beloved and devoted Missionary (Mr. Judson) who has recommended that such societies be formed. and is willing to deny himself of many things if he may but give the bread of life to the perishing.
ART. 2nd. All females contributing annually twenty-five cents (or more if they feel disposed) shall be members of this Society.
ART. 3rd. The funds of this Society arising from contributions by the members of the Society. or by others disposed to aid their be- nevolent design. shall for the present. be appropriated to aid in supply- ing the Burmans with the Bible, which is now being printed in their oWII language."
Other articles related to the officers of the Society, their duties, the times of meetings, etc.
The first meeting of this Society was held at the Parsonage, Aug. 11, 1835, and the records of the Secre- tary read as follows : " The meeting was opened with prayer by Sister Dexter, after which the constitution was read and adopted. We then proceeded to choose the officers for the year ensuing, and the following were chosen, viz. : Hannah Glazier, Secretary ; Miss Lucinda Fax, Treasurer ; Mrs. Frances Dexter, Mrs. Hannah Briggs, Miss Hannah Ann Ball, Mrs. Mary W. Brooks, Collectors. The meeting was then adjourned to the second Wednesday in August, 1836. Prayer was offered by Sister Goddard -. May the blessing of Heaven rest on
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this Society, and may our united efforts be a means of putting the Bible into the hands of many a Burman.'"
H. GLAZIER, SEC'Y.
Hannah Glazier, the secretary, was probably the wife of Rev. J. Glazier, who was the third pastor of the church, while the names of the more than 40 members of the Society are those of old Athol families.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The first Methodist meeting held in the village of Athol Depot, as far as can be learned, was in the fall of 1851 at the house now standing at the corner of Main and School Streets, then the residence of George Gerry, and the congregation consisted of three persons. On Novem- ber 30th of that year Rev. Wm. A. Clapp, then the preacher in charge of the Phillipston Church, came to Athol Depot and organized a class of fifteen persons, and appointed Mr. George Gerry as leader. The persons constituting the class were Ephraim W. Weston, Roxanna C. Weston, George Gerry, Sophia Gerry, William R. Bat- tles, Cynthia Battles, James Giles, Parthena Giles, Sumner R. Morse, Mary T. Morse, Edwin J. Decker, Charlotte C. Hinckley, Roswell Graham, Sylvester Davis and Catherine Young.
Meetings continued to be held at the house of Mr. Gerry until the spring of 1852, when the presiding elder appointed Rev. Mr. Heywood of Gill as pastor of the society. Mr. Heywood did not reside in town, but came here every week to preach and visit his people. Services were held at this time in what was known as Hill's Hall, in the upper part of the building, now known as the Old
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Arcade standing at the corner of Main and Canal Streets.
After a few months Mr. Heywood was succeeded by Rev. John Goodwin, who moved into town, and lived under the hall in which services were held, making shoes during the week and preaching on Sunday. Mr. Goodwin was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Rice, who also resided in the village. The next minister. and the first one appointed by the New England Conference, was Rev. N. H. Martin, whose pastorate commenced in the spring of 1855 and continued two years. The ministers since then have been as follows : Rev. Linus Fish, 57-58; Rev. W. J. Hamble- ton. '59; Rev. Increase B. Bigelow,'60-61 ; Rev. John H. Coolidge. '62 ; Rev. F. T. George, 63-64 ; Rev. John Capen, 65 ; Rev. C. H. Hanaford. '66-67 ; Rev. Mr. Harding, 67 ; Rev. N. T. Harlow. '68 ; Rev. C. L. Mc- Curdy, 69-70-71 ; Rev. John Peterson, 72-73-74 ; Rev. Austin F. Herrick. '75-76-77 ; Rev. Lorenzo A. Bosworth, *78-79-80 ; Rev. Wm. Full. '81-82 ; Rev. A. R. Nichols, '83 ; Rev. P. M. Vinton, '84-85-86 ; Rev. W. N. Rich- ardson, '87-88-89-90 ; Rev. Wm. W. Baldwin, '91-92 ; Rev. James H. Humphrey, '93.
At the commencement of the pastorate of Rev. Mr. Martin in 1855 the place of meeting was transferred to Houghton's Hall, the building now occupied by the City Hotel, and in 1861 the present church edifice was erected, the dedicatory exercises taking place Nov. 6th, 1861. In 1887 during the first year of the pastorate of Rev. W. N. Richardson, the interior of the church building was re- modelled and repaired at an expense of about $4000, and was re-dedicated Jan. 25th, 1888. In 1892 a corner tower was erected which adds much to the appearance of the
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building, and the grounds in front were graded and en- closed with a stone curbing. Both interior and exterior now present a most pleasant and attractive appearance. During the 42 years existence of this church 696 persons have been in its membership. The present membership is 224. Sixteen revival seasons have been enjoyed, in which from 20 to 113 names have been entered as pro- - bationers, the latter number being during the ministry of Rev. W. N. Richardson, whose pastorate of four years was the longest of the twenty-two ministers who have served this church as pastors. Two anniversary occasions have been observed by the church ; the first being Nov. 22, 1881, the 30th anniversary of the organization of the church, when Rev. Mr. Full, the pastor, gave an historical address and Mr. C. R. Bruce, Superintendent of the Sun- day School, gave a brief history of the School. At this time the sum of $500 was raised by subscription as a thank offering to pay off the floating debt of the church. There were five of the former pastors present, Rev. N. H. Martin, Rev. Increase B. Bigelow, Rev. C. H. Hanaford, Rev. A. F. Herrick and Rev. L. A. Bosworth. The second occasion was the 40th anniversary which was observed Nov. 29, 1891, with a historical sermon by the pastor, Rev. W. W. Baldwin, a sketch of the Sunday School by the Superintendent, L. B. Caswell, and short addresses by those representing the various departments of the church.
Rev. W. W. Baldwin, pastor in 1891 and '92, was born in Blenheim, N. Y., May 30, 1837, the youngest in a family of twelve children. His father was of the Con- necticut family of that name, and his mother came from a Scotch Presbyterian family who came to this country
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about 1790. Mr. Baldwin was educated at Union College and at the Theological School of Boston University. He was licensed to preach at Seward, N. Y., in August, 1859, and joined the Maine Conference of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, in May, 1862, when he was sent into mission work in northern New Hampshire. In 1865 he was sent into the Colorado Mission among the gold and silver miners. In 1867 he planted the Methodist church in the then new territory of Wyoming, at its capital, Cheyenne. From 1868 to 1873 he labored in Michigan, and from 1873 to 1884 he served churches in Maine, and from that time his pastorates have been in Massachusetts.
Rev. James H. Humphrey, the present pastor, was born in New York State, and when two years of age moved with his parents to Wisconsin. He received his college training at Lawrence University, Appleton, Wis., and afterwards took a law course at the Wisconsin State University. In 1871 he went to Boston and entered the Theological School of Boston University, from which he graduated in 1873, and subsequently received the de- gree of Ph. D. He is a veteran of the war, having served in the 40th Wisconsin Regiment. His first pastorate was at Marshfield, in 1873, and he has since had appointments at Mansfield, Bourne, New Bedford, Reading, Ashburn- ham, Edgartown and other places.
A name dear to Athol Methodists is that of Rev. J. N. Mars, or Father Mars, as he was known among New England Methodists. He was born of slave parents, June 22, 1804. in Norfolk, Conn., but was never a slave, as his father and mother had escaped from bondage, or had committed " An Exodus," as he called it. In a sketch of
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his life, entitled, " Battles with Bondage, or My Life for Three Quarters of a Century," which he prepared for a Methodist publication, he says, " My father, whose name was Jupiter Mars, and mother, whose name was simply Fannie, were not of Puritan stock, but were owned by a Presbyterian preacher, which was no mean inheritance, and what was more, they were both born in Virginia. Married in the South, they were brought to the North a few years later by their master, the Rev. Mr. Thompson, who had come into New England to live. The minister settled in Canaan, Conn., where my father and his family continued to be his slaves." Father Mars had only six months schooling and worked on a farm until nearly 19 years of age, but he was a natural speaker, with a bright intellect, and being profoundly converted to God, labored with most powerful effect as a minister of the gospel and evangelist. At camp meetings his bronzed face would beam with light, and the vast congregations swayed like the tree-tops in the wind under his powerful exhortations, and he would move his audiences as few other men could. During the war he was Chaplain of the First North Caro- lina colored regiment, and had charge of the army stores at Newbern for several months ; he was ordered to Norfolk and Portsmouth, Va., where he was the Chaplain of a number of regiments until 1864, when he was admitted to the New England Conference, and stationed in Clinton, Mass. Afterwards he became presiding elder in the Washington Conference, (colored,) and was also the honored pastor of a large congregation in Baltimore. Returning to New England in 1870, he was stationed at Revere Street, Boston, was city missionary in 1871 and
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stationed in Athol in 1872, which was ever after his home until his death, Sept. 18, 1882.
SOUTH ATHOL METHODIST CHURCH.
The Methodist Church at South Athol was first or- ganized in December, 1831. The members of the first class were Royal Smith, James Giles, Benjamin Cook, James Giles, Jr., Braddyll Smith, Jr., Daniel Hale, Nathan Smith, James Oliver, Elbridge Smith, Asa Adams, Frank- lin Giles. Ebenezer Wilber. Willard Blanchard, Daniel Hager. Their meetings were first held in school houses and private dwellings, and sometimes in the summer in barns.
The present house of worship, which was among the first Methodist meeting houses in this part of the State, was built in 1836. At that time it was within the limits of the town of New Salem. but the next year after its erection that section became a portion of Athol. The first Methodist converts were baptized in a pond called Hacker's pond in New Salem, and the woods were full of people to witness the ceremony. The first minis- ters were a Rev. Mr. Hull, Rev. Hezekiah Coller, Rev. Geo. W. Green, Rev. John Brackett, Rev. Simon Pike, Rev. T. W. Gile, Rev. Amasa Taylor, Rev. Jarvis Wilson. The ministers since 1860 have been as follows: Rev. H. T. Eddy. Rev. Alonzo Sanderson, Rev. Mr. Smith, Rev. J. J. Woodbury, Rev. H. S. Booth, Rev. Randall Mitchell, Rev. Wm. Jagger, Rev. Alphonzo Day, Rev. Mr. Ferguson, Rev. T. C. Martin, Rev. Mr. Ross, Rev. J. J. Woodbury, Rev. Mr. Sherman, Rev. Mr. Bragg, Rev. George Hudson, Rev. Wm. Silverthorne. The present
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pastor is Rev. J. W. Fulton. A large pulpit Bible was presented to the Society at the dedication of the church in October, 1836, by Sumner R. Morse of Athol. The present membership is 29.
THE SECOND UNITARIAN CHURCH.
This Society was legally organized, at a meeting held at Starr Hall, June 11, 1877, and was composed largely of those who had been members and attendants of the Old First Church. The first officers of the Society were: Hon. Alpheus Harding, moderator; Lucien Lord, clerk ; D. A. Newton, treasurer; Edward F. Brown, collector ; and an Executive Committee of ten as follows : Hon. Alpheus Harding, George T. Johnson, E. F. Brown, A. A. Ward, A. L. Newman, D. A. Newton, A. L. Cheney, W. W. Fish, Hon. Charles Field, Lucien Lord. .
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