USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Shelburne > History and tradition of Shelburne, Massachusetts > Part 12
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He had purchased a lot on Severance Street when he made his proposition, and plans for the church were maturing. The first service was held in the church on Easter, April 18, 1884, and the church was con- secrated on May 23rd, exactly a year from the laying of the cornerstone. The building, of Gothic design, was erected by Bartlett Brothers of Whately, built of native granite, with brick and Longmeadow brown- stone trimmings. The interior follows the pattern of English churches with a seating capacity of five hun- dred, and seventy-five seats in the chapel attached. All is in fine proportion, with harmonious colors and exquisite workmanship throughout.
The cost was about $30,000. The windows are all of stained glass. At the west end of the church are the memorial windows, to the father and mother and a sister of Mrs. Montgomery. For twenty years, from the first service in the church until her death, Mrs. John Hoyt was the faithful and efficient organist and choir director.
Through the spring of 1882 services had been held weekly, with different clergymen officiating, until June 1st, when Rev. C. W. Duffield was appointed by the Board of Missions, at the request of the people, to take charge of the work. Mr. Duffield was an earnest, scholarly man, and, as services were held at five in the afternoon, members of other churches also enjoyed the services and profited from his sermons. Mr. Duffield left in 1887, and thereafter the following served as rectors:
Rev. L. L. Ward, 1888 Rev. Arthur Phelps, 1889-1891 Rev. George Fisher, 1892-1898
All who were young people in town, in all the churches, remember the Fisher family and the better type of social gatherings they introduced. During this pastorate, economic conditions caused an exodus from town and eighty-seven were lost from the church roll. The lack of a parsonage was also a great disadvantage. Mr. Montgomery had become involved in financial difficulties and had been unable to complete his plans for the church, which included the building of a parsonage. Later rectors were:
Rev. J. Hugo Klaren, 1899 Rev. W. H. Robinson, 1905 Rev. W. J. Erhard, May to August 1906 Rev. F. C. Wendell, 1909-1911 Rev. George Burgess, 1914 Rev. Frederick Leeds, 1915 Rev. H. W. Elliot, 1920 Rev. George Stockwell, 1922-1930
With the appointment of Mr. Stockwell, a new plan was inaugurated which is still in force. He was declared Vicar of Franklin County and served in other towns as well as here. Subsequent vicars were :
Rev. William H. Cole, 1931-38 Rev. Francis A. Sanborn, 1939-40 Rev. Charles E. Whiston, 1941-45
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In 1945 Rev. Philip Humason Steinmetz became the vicar, with Rev. Albert Henry Baller as associate. Mr. Steinmetz was also pastor of the Congregational Church in Ashfield where he resided. In 1946 he relinquished his charge in Shelburne Falls and took over the Episcopal Church in Ashfield as well as the Congregational Church.
Mr. Baller is minister in charge of Emmanuel Church and also pastor of the Union Evangelical Church in Heath where his family lives. The plan of "cooperative pastors" seems to work satisfactorily to all concerned. The Women's Service League of Emmanuel Church is of strategic help in all ways. The present membership of the church is 75, with a constituency of 90.
From May 23rd to August 12th, 1934, special services were held in recognition of the fifty years of the church since its consecration on May 23rd, 1884. Former rectors, also Dr. Howard Chandler Robbins, and others participated, and holy communion was celebrated in memory of Edwin Augustus Johnson, Mary Wheelock Johnson and Susan Johnson Clark, father, mother and sister of Mrs. Montgomery.
TRINITY FELLOWSHIP
On July 18, 1951, with Rev. Arthur Weil of the Congregational Church as moderator, the Baptist and Congregational Churches approved yoking action which had been under consideration since the previous May 31.
Resolutions voted at this time were - to seek a common minister and, if practical, an assistant, through a joint pastoral committee, with due consideration for the Episcopal as well as the Baptist and Congrega- tional Churches; all three congregations to worship together in one place at one time each Lord's Day ; the deacons and ushers of all three churches to assist in the services to be held on an alternate basis but not on alternate Sundays.
Under the yoking plan, aside from the common ministry and united worship, the churches will con- tinue their own corporations, officers, annual business meetings and names, maintain their own parish mem- bership lists, and their own administration of the rite of Baptism. There will be a joint treasury for operat- ing income and expenses, but the churches will sup- port the benevolences and missions of their own denom- inations and retain their own endowment funds.
Following this, a committee was formed to man- age the myriad of details concerning this proposed church. The first Planning Committee was: Mr. John O. Woodsome, Miss Gertrude Newell, Mr. Walter Gerry, Mr. Winthrop Warriner, Mrs. Jesse Dunnell, Mr. Philip Miller, Mrs. James Warner, Mr. Robert Wishart, and Mrs. George Patch. It was decided that the Baptist parsonage would be used as a home for the new minister. Rev. Thomas Cate, recently retired pastor of the Baptist Church consented to stay and serve until a new minister could be ob- tained. The pulpit committees of the three churches
joined in this search for a suitable pastor.
On Sept. 9, 1951 the first combined service was held in the Baptist Church. On Nov. 20, 1951, the Episcopal Church voted to endorse and share in this program of a united ministry. At that same time, after a report from the Joint Pulpit Committee, the three churches voted in agreement and Rev. Thomas E. Pardue of Cotuit, Mass. became the first minister of this combined effort and began his pastorate in January 1952.
On April 3, 1952, "Trinity Fellowship" was over- whelmingly accepted as the name of this church. In May at a meeting of the members of Trinity Fellow- ship, recommendations presented by the Planning Com- mittee were discussed and accepted.
On Jan. 4, 1953, as a result of study by the indi- vidual churches, denominational leaders, the Planning Committee and the minister, a modified form of wor- ship was instituted.
On May 20, 1953 Articles of Agreement drawn by the Planning Committee were accepted by the mem- bers. These articles concerned the purpose and policies of Trinity Fellowship. It recommended the formation of the Joint Committee, to be made up of three mem- bers from each church to have the management of all business affairs. This first Joint Committee was: Mr. Phillip Hallowell, Mrs. George Turton, Mrs. Gordon Shippee, Miss Betty A. Johnson, Mr. Arthur Eldridge, MIr. E. Archie Ainsworth, Mr. Winthrop Warriner, Mr. C. Stanley Brewer, Mr. Edwin Moseley. Ex- officio: Mr. Deane Jones, Treasurer ; Mrs. Jesse Dun- nell, Financial Secretary; Miss Hazel Streeter, Clerk ; Mr. Thomas E. Pardue, Minister.
At this time the three church buildings were in use for worship as follows: The Baptist Church in the autumn months, the Congregational Church in the winter and the Episcopal Church in the summer. All the women of the three churches formed a major group to be called Trinity Women with Mrs. Deane Jones as the first president. The choirs had joined in their musical efforts. The young people became one group called Trinity Youth, and were very active.
In September 1951 the Baptist and Congregational children joined in a graded program of Church School. The following September the children of the three churches began to operate as one with an enrollment of 151 pupils divided into three departments and 17 classes. The nursery, kindergarten and grades one through three, met in Cora Smith Hall with Mrs. Margaret Loomis as principal. Grades four through the adult classes met in the Baptist vestry for worship and assembly under the leadership of Miss Ardelle Chase.
The year 1955 brought the incorporation of Trinity Fellowship with a corporate seal, to be circular on the interior bearing the words and figures, "Trinity Fellowship, in Shelburne Falls, Mass., Incorporated 1956," and to contain a triangle with the words, "Bap- tist, Congregational and Episcopal" on the sides of the triangle.
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In the spring of 1956 Trinity men volunteered their time and labor for extensive refurbishing of the par- sonage. The second pastor of Trinity Fellowship, Rev. Louis E. Kirlin, assumed his duties on July 1, 1956.
By this time some phases of the original plan of joint operation had proven to be unsatisfactory or definitely impractical.
One of these was the method originally devised for handling income and paying bills for operating expenses and this was readily simplified in the light of experience.
Not so simple to arrange was the use of the three buildings. Shifting the services from one to another at various intervals suited no one. The century-old Baptist structure was a masterpiece of church archi- tecture in its day but was outmoded and in need of repair. The Emmanuel Memorial Episcopal Church, not new but far different from the Baptist and one of the most beautiful sanctuaries in the State, was deteri- orating rapidly ; its heating equipment was useless and it had no facilities for community or social activities. The Congregational Church, with its adjoining Cora Smith Hall, was a good, attractive modern building, but small.
The plan finally agreed upon was to recondition the Emmanuel Memorial and use it as a place of worship throughout the year. The Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts transferred the ownership of the property to Trinity Fellowship for a nominal sum ; new heating equipment, new lighting and other facilities were installed, and an experienced firm of church decorators was engaged to renovate the entire structure. A rededication service was held on May 25, 1958.
In the Congregational building removable parti- tions were installed along the outer walls of the Cora Smith Hall and the sanctuary, to make sixteen class- rooms for the Church School; and the center of the sanctuary, with its organ and pews, became the home of the "Junior Church" where children up through the age of fourteen hold their worship service each Sunday just before the school session. Cora Smith Hall was continued as the social center.
The cost of all this was slightly over thirty thou- sand dollars, plus an untold amount of volunteer labor by members. Of the money, approximately three fourths was already paid or pledged, and it seemed wise to borrow the rest and complete the work at once. The question of the future of the Baptist building is un- settled as this book goes to press.
It may not be out of place to record at this time that the plan of "yoking" used by Trinity Fellowship is unique in several respects and is being closely watched by religious leaders the country over. The most important of these unique features seems to be the method by which each of the component churches retains its own identity and its relations with its own denominational organization. It will be interesting to see what a subsequent history of this town will report on this development in religious co-operation.
THE WILLIAM BUTLER MEMORIAL METHODIST CHURCH
While the William Butler Memorial Church is in Buckland, it has always had devoted members liv- ing on the Shelburne side of the river.
Following the great revival in 1850, under the leadership of Mrs. Margaret Vancot, a goodly num- ber of Shelburne citizens joined the Methodist Church. Later some of them became leaders in other churches in town. Mr. C. L. Knowlton and Mr. C. D. Spencer, Shelburne merchants, were on the building committee of the present attractive church, with its beautiful memorial windows. It was dedicated in 1908, free of debt, largely because of the faith and labors of its pastor, Rev. Thomas C. Martin.
In 1942 the 100th anniversary was observed, with all the churches in town participating. The present pastor is Rev. Wayne Moody, the high standards of the past are being upheld, and the program enlarged.
The Methodist Church has the distinction of being the only one in town to be named for a pastor who later became a missionary, first to India and then to Mexico. His son, John W. Butler, born in the Meth- odist parsonage here, carried on his father's mission in Mexico. The daughter, Miss Clementine Butler, organized the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Church and was a leader in inter- denominational missionary efforts, especially to pro- vide Christian literature for women and children in mission lands. She was present in 1931 at the dedication of a stately church in Delhi, India, named in honor of her father, and gave an impressive address which was translated into Urdu. She is still active in the cause of foreign missions.
SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS
In April 1944, Mr. William Cornell, a Seventh Day Adventist from Clinton, Mass. was impressed to come to Shelburne Falls and make an effort to interest the people of this community in the teachings of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
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For a number of weeks only a small group met together, one of whom was Mrs. Eva Dickinson of Colrain Road, who had joined the Springfield Church the previous year, by profession of faith. Mr. Cornell, acting as leader, conducted a series of illustrated Bible studies and Health lectures.
On learning that Elder James E. Shultz, a retired missionary and pastor of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, was living with his family in Charlemont, a member of the group visited his home and invited the family to attend Sabbath services. Another Ad- ventist family, that of Karl Cady, who was working in Greenfield, was also invited to attend.
The attendance had now grown so that on August 5, 1944 a branch Sabbath School was organized with a membership of twenty. The first baptized members were Mr. and Mrs. Harold Walker of South Street.
About this time Mr. Cornell came to Greenfield and opened a convalescent home on Highland Avenue. On Dec. 20, 1944 the group met at the Cornell home for the purpose of forming a company, and nearly a year later on Sabbath, Dec. 8, 1945 the Seventh Day Adventist Church of Shelburne Falls was organized with a membership of 25. This was the sixty-first Seventh Day Adventist Church in the Southern New England Conference.
Church officers elected were: Local Elder - Wil- liam D. Cornell ; Deacons - Charles Linscott and Karl Hurd; Deaconesses - Mrs. Edith Cornell and Mrs. Eva Dickinson ; Secretary and Clerk - Florence Walker; Treasurer-Harold Walker; Sabbath School Officers - Superintendent, Lawrence Sawyer; Secre- tary, Grace Linscott; Primary Dept. Leader, Eva Dickinson; Dorcas Leader, Nettie Laurange; Mis- sionary Volunteer Leader, Caroline Carter.
At this meeting $892.56 was pledged to start a church building fund. Three months after organiza- tion the church held its first communion service, at which Elder Beaman Senecal of Springfield, and Elder Shultz officiated. The membership had now grown from three to 34.
When the church was first organized it was a mem- ber of the Springfield district and the first pastor was Beaman Senecal. He was succeeded by Pastor Howard E. Greene, and Colporteur evangelists Oliver Libby and Theodore Miller.
Later on, this church was transferred from the Springfield district to the Athol district, with Frank Harvey as pastor. In 1954 Elder Harvey was replaced by Harold E. Knox, who is the present pastor.
The first meetings were held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Walker, but as the membership grew it was necessary to find a larger place, so meet- ings were held at the Baptist Church. Meetings are now held in the Community Room every Saturday, with Sabbath School at 9:30 and Church services at 11:00.
ST. JOSEPH'S CATHOLIC CHURCH
During the year 1858 there were between one hundred and two hundred Catholics that had settled in Shelburne Falls. As no church was built at that time, the services took place in the home of some parishioner, most often in the house of John Mee- han on School Street on the Buckland side of the river. Around the year 1860 Reverend B. V. Moyce was appointed to care for the spiritual needs of all Catholics liv- ing in and around Shelburne Falls. A Sunday School for the instruction of the children of the parish was established. In the absence of the pastor, the Sunday School was presided over by John Meehan. He was assisted by Catholic laymen, including William O'Brien, Joseph Kramer, Thomas H. Short and John Kriser. Mr. Kriser and Mr. Kramer were among the early German Catholic immigrants to this community.
Greenfield was set aside as a parish in 1866 and the Reverend H. L. Robinson became the first pastor of what is now called the Holy Trinity Parish. The Catholics of Shelburne Falls were placed under his jurisdiction.
In 1883 the French-speaking people of Colrain peti- tioned the Bishop of Springfield for a resident priest and the Reverend John F. Lee was sent to administer to them. He took up his residence in Shelburne Falls and, during his pastorate, a small frame church was built in Griswoldville, a part of Colrain. In 1884 the Greenfield parish was divided and St. Joseph's in Shelburne Falls was set off as a distinct parish, with Father Lee as its first pastor. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was offered every Sunday for a considerable period of time in the Odd Fellows Hall, Buckland.
In 1885 Father Lee was succeeded by the Rev. J. A. LeGris. Father LeGris was succeeded in 1887 by the Rev. C. H. Jeannotte. After Easter of 1888 the parishioners rented Whitney Hall for Sunday Mass. About this time the parish showed a marked growth and Father Jeannotte decided that the time had come when the parish should have its own church. Through the generosity of the parishioners, funds totaling $2,500 were raised to make the undertaking possible. A lot was purchased on Monroe Avenue and work on the present building was started. Mr. George Merrill, a prominent contractor at the time, built the stone foundation from which the wooden structure was to rise. Work progressed favorably and on Dec. 2, 1888, Mass was offered for the first time in the present church.
In 1890 Father Jeannotte was transferred to Fitch-
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burg and Rev. Joseph D. Allard was named as his successor. While Father Allard was in charge, he began the work of caring for the spiritual needs of the Catholics living in the township of Rowe. At that time Masses were said on alternate Sundays at Shelburne Falls and Conway and every Sunday in Griswoldville. The Rev. Wilfred Balthasard came as parish priest in February 1893 and remained until the month of April 1899. He was succeeded by Rev. James T. Galvin.
The work of the parish has been carried on through the intervening years by the Rev. M. A. Desrochers (Jan. 1900 - Jan. 1904), the Rev. A. G. Broussear ( Feb. 1904 - Oct. 1904), the Rev. L. Geoffroy (Oct. 1904 - Oct. 1905), the Rev. Edward L. Judge (Oct. 1905 - April 1913). the Rev. Denis P. Sullivan (April 1913 - Nov. 1919). the Rev. John C. McMahon (Administrator from Nov. 1919 - March 1920), the Rev. John Keating ( March 1920 - Oct. 1926), the Rev. John Foran (Oct. 1926 - July 1933), the Rev. Charles L. Foley (July 1930 - July 1933), the Rev. John F. Reilly ( July 1933 - July 1936). the Rev. Michael E. Lahey (July 1936 - July 1944), the Rev. Francis A. Powers (July 1944 - Feb. 1948), the Rev. John J. Foley ( Feb. 1948 - Nov. 1953). and the Rev. Francis E. Shannon (Nov. 1953 - ).
The following are the curates that have been sta- tioned at St. Joseph's from the time of Father Reilly: the Rev. Harry F. Tuttle (July 1933 - Oct. 1935). the Rev. Thomas B. Pierce (July 1934 - Sept. 1935 and July 1936 - Dec. 1936), the Rev. Joseph Johnson. now Rt. Rev. Msgr. - Officials of the Diocesan Matrimonial Court (July + - July 29, 1936) . the Rev. Thomas B. Molloy (July 1936 - Dec. 1936). the Rev. W. Alton O'Toole (July 1937 - July 1944). the Rev. W. Stuart Shea (July 1938 - July 1943). the Rev. John Gearin (July 1943 - Feb. 1945). the Rev. George Friel ( July 1944 - Dec. 1951). the Rev. Leonard Burke (Feb. 1945 - Sept. 1950), the Rev. James E. Cronin (Sept. 1950 - June 1954), the Rev. Anthony J. Jutt (Dec. 1950 - ), and the Rev. Gerald Sullivan (June 1954 - ).
The priests of Shelburne Falls now minister to the spiritual needs of the Catholic people residing in Col- rain, Charlemont, Hawley, Heath, Rowe, Zoar and the outlying districts bordering on these townships as well as in Shelburne Falls. This territory comprises approximately 365 square miles. There is a chapel - St. Christopher's - in Charlemont in addition to the churches at Shelburne- Falls and Griswoldville.
Under the present schedule two Masses are offered each Sunday in Shelburne Falls, 7 a. m. and 9 a. m .; two Masses at St. John's in Griswoldville, 8:30 a. m. and 10:30 a. m .; and at St. Christopher's in Charle- mont, Mass is offered at 8:30 a. m. the year-round. During the summer months there is a second Mass at 10 a. m.
The following societies have been organized in the parish of St. Joseph's: Holy Name Society (117 mem- bers, meeting every second Sunday of the month).
Blessed Virgin Mary Sodality (120 members, meeting every second Wednesday of the month), St. Theresa's Girls' Club (22 members, meeting every first Wednes- day of the month), Troop 86, Boy Scouts (26 mem- bers meeting Tuesday of each week ), nine Altar Boys, and the Confraternity Adult Discussion Group and High School Group (six groups of ten each).
In the above account St. Joseph's Church is spoken of as of Shelburne Falls but those unfamiliar with the locations there should bear in mind that it is situated on the Buckland side of the river in the town of Buckland.
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
The local congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses was formed in August 1952. There were fourteen mem- bers in the congregation with Hyram G. McCrea as presiding minister, George H. Cleveland as assistant presiding minister, and Albert J. Miller as the third member of the congregation committee. This commit- tee was authorized by the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, Inc. of Brooklyn, N. Y. to form and organize and care for this congregation. The meetings were held upstairs at 24 Bridge Street three times a week. Thursday night was the Service Meeting, designed to improve ministerial activities, followed by the Theo- cratic Ministry School, which gives actual training for giving Bible sermons at the homes of the people, as well as in the pulpit. Friday night was the area Bible study where fundamental Bible doctrines are taught. Sunday afternoon was the Watchtower study for the purpose of strengthening faith in God's Word through a study of Bible prophecies now being ful- filled. Among Jehovah's Witnesses there is no clergy- laity class. All are ministers. That is why these meetings are arranged to aid all in their service as ministers.
The meeting place, known as the Kingdom Hall, was moved from 24 Bridge Street to 2 Bridge Street January 1, 1955 due to the 80% increase in member- ship, making it necessary to have a larger Hall. Every- one in the congregation had a part in renovating the new Hall, by volunteering his or her talent and work free of charge, to make it clean and attractive. The Kingdom Hall serves the purpose of a Bible educa- tional center where Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish Bibles as well as Bibles in foreign languages and mod- ern English may be obtained ; also publications designed to answer questions on religion, world conditions and the Bible.
Mr. George H. Cleveland was appointed presiding minister Dec. 14, 1954, succeeding Mr. McCrea. Mr. Cleveland had served in various servant capacities in other congregations prior to coming here. He also spent more than a year at headquarters in Brooklyn, N. Y. Before the local congregation was formed, Mr. Cleveland was assigned to help in organizing a congregation in Brattleboro, Vt. He has given several lectures at circuit assemblies of Jehovah's Witnesses.
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He has been active in ministerial work under the direc- tion of the Watchtower Society for 20 years.
The congregation engaged in some special activities during the past year. In April, local Jehovah's Wit- nesses sponsored the showing of the motion picture film "The New World Society in Action" at the Kingdom Hall. In the same month a special public lecture on "Christendom or Christianity - Which One Is the Light of the World?" was given by Mr. Cleveland, followed by a distribution of the talk in booklet form. During the summer Mrs. John G. Miller of this congregation attended assemblies of Jehovah's Witnesses in London, Paris and Rome.
THE UNIVERSALIST CHURCH
The First Universalist Church was organized in the home of Mr. Dan Foster in Shelburne Falls, on February 26, 1853, with fourteen members. The Rev. John Howard Willis, of Vermont, was called to the pastorate, remaining with the society until 1865. The church organization was completed on December 1, 1864. Thirty members were received by baptism or the hand of fellowship. It was said that the labors of the pastor, Rev. G. H. Deere, were much appre- ciated by the community as well as by the church.
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