USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > North Reading > History of North Reading > Part 6
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During the course of the years the religious work among the young people has gone up and down. There has been a Sunday School all through the years, but the work of the Christian Endeavor has at times lagged. In 1902, on the sixth day of September there was organized a Baptist Young Peoples' Union, with Miss Abbie Parker as president. This group continued to work with some enthusiasm and in 1911, when Mrs. E. Ethel Little was president, they joined the Progressive Union of Christian Endeavor, a union of the Christian Endeavor Societies of the district. After a time the interest waned a bit and with the destruction of the church by fire in 1927 the society ceased to meet. Later when Rev. Elmer Bentley was pastor of the church a re-organization was effected and Allen W. Franz became president. Since that time the Christian Endeavor Society has maintained an active program of fellowship and worship.
The central doctrine of the Baptist Church has always been a personal experience, signed and sealed in baptism by immersion. Reading the records of the church in North Reading one can see how this doctrine worked itself out in practical church affairs. After the regular service the members tarried to listen to the "experience" of the prospective members. If the narrator showed evidence of a genuine religious experience he was forthwith accepted and was certified for baptism. Occasionally one of the number might fall from grace and imbibe too freely of intoxicating drinks, then he was visited by the brethren and if he showed no signs of repentance he was excommunicated or at least cut off from the communion service. Thus were standards of rectitude maintained and the religious life of the church made attractive to those who wanted something more than a formal religion.
For some time the Martin's Pond area, quite generally was inhabited by those who came out from the larger places for a summer vacation. On general principles one would say that, for that reason, it was not very
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good soil for starting a church, even though it was some distance from the churches at the center of the town. Of course, not nearly so far as the original inhabitants of the town had to journey in going to the church at Wakefield, but a little too far for we moderns. None the less there was an interest, on the part of the parents, in the religious instruction of their children. So, on the 28th of April 1934, a few mothers got together and organized the Martin's Pond Union Sunday School, and since this group was largely of Baptist leanings the lesson materials were secured from the Baptist Publication Society.
This school continued to meet regularly at the various homes in the community. During the fall of the first year there was formed an auxil- iary society to help in planning for the aid of the religious instruction of the children and to aid financially. From time to time various programs intended to interest adults were held. And by the end of the second year it was necessary to look about for larger quarters. Not finding a hall con- veniently located the Ladies' Auxiliary were thus inspired to make plans for the future. They began to raise money through pledges and fairs, until they had a sum of $250.00. With this as a down payment they pur- chased two lots, the lots where the church now stands.
This beginning of something concrete and definite could not do other than inspire the husbands of the women who had been working so loyally. When the new building was started in March, 1927, it was not difficult to
THE MARTIN'S POND UNION BAPTIST CHURCH
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enlist the men in doing the actual work of building. In this they were superintended by a Mr. Musgrave. The work progressed so well that by the first Sunday in June of that year, Sunday School, with an attendance of thirty, was held in the new building. As time has progressed and the num- ber of "all year" residents has increased it has been possible to add to the original structure. Within the last two years a basement has been dug, an addition placed on the back, and a vestibule added to the front. And the work of completion still goes forward. As opportunity offers, the en- terprising pastor, Mr. Smith, together with some of the members, do some work.
The work of inspiring the adults as well as the children began to bear fruit gradually. In the summer of 1926, the Rev. Mr. Tuttle of the Wood Memorial Church, South Lawrence, held afternoon preaching serv- ices. Some of these services were held in a hall on the west side of the lake. Due to the shifting of the population not much was accomplished during the next two years. During the fall of 1929 and the spring of the next year Rev. George Gage, of the North Reading Baptist Church, gave some lectures for the adult population of the area, but it remained for the women to again come to the rescue and start the Martin's Pond, Union Baptist Church. First they got in touch with the Massachusetts State Secretary. Through his influence, a student from the Andover-Newton Theological School was secured for the Summer of 1931 and 1932. Mr. J. Allie David- son not only preached but he conducted a "daily-vacation-Bible-School" among the children. For the next two years various students from this same school continued to superintend the Sunday School and hold preach- ing services.
Then it was suggested that it might be a good thing if this church would combine with the church in North Reading. Accordingly arrange- ments were made and Mr. Bentley, who was then the pastor of the North Reading Baptist Church, conducted services in the afternoon, each Sun- day for two years. He was followed by Robert Stansfield and Leonard E. Sweet. Then Edwin D. McLane began to hold evening services and Mr. Sweet withdrew. At the present time Mr. George Smith, a student at the Gordon Bible Institute, is the pastor and the church is now independent and on its way.
While the Baptists were getting under way during the first half of the nineteenth century another religious group was in the making. This group was Armenian in theology and opposed to the Calvinism of the Congregationalists and the Baptists. Their special emphasis was on the necessity of a personal experience and the assurance of rightness with God. In other words John Wesley's Methodists had at last come to town, and in 1835 the State Conference of the Methodist Church appointed a man to serve the parish of North Reading. Under the impetus of their initial
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enthusiasm they prospered, so that a Church was built. It was of modest proportions and was located just back of the house built for Rev. Daniel Putnam in 1720. After carrying on for a little more than twenty years this small group of religionists no longer felt capable of supporting regular preaching, so the church building fell into disuse for a time. In 1868 when the High School was formed the building was moved to the corner of Bow and Willow Streets where it served in a new capacity for a number of years. When the High School ceased to be, the old building was bought by Mr. J. E. Turner and Son and moved a little distance to Park Street where it served as a paint shop until it was destroyed by fire.
The Methodist spirit apparently did not entirely pass with the aban- donment of the meeting house. For a time it was in hibernation, but with the coming of the trials and tribulations engendered by the economic panic of 1872 and of the nineties it was brought to life. Again it blossomed forth and Methodists met for their services in the old Third Meeting House. Rev. Gilbert R. Bent for a time created a great deal of enthusiasm, but with his going interest again lagged. Then in 1893 it was decided to effect a union with the Congregationalists. And some of those Methodists of the eighties are still active and serving the Lord in their new home.
Just recently there has come to the Liberty Acres section of town one of those fundamentalist groups which chooses to call themselves Plymouth Brethren. Their assembly was formed in 1943 by Arthur W. Dewhurst, and at the present time they are holding services in Gordon Hall in the Liberty Acres section.
ST. THERESA'S CHAPEL
The early records show that there were Irish Catholic settlers here and there, even prior to the year 1828. None of these was in what is now North Reading, but they were in Wakefield, Reading and Stoneham. As there was no local church, these hardy souls made their way to St. Mary's at Charlestown. Some of those who had horses and carriages, however, went to Lynn or Salem. This continued until 1846 when a Mission was established at Woburn by Rev. James Strain. Then two years later St. Peter's at Cambridge was built and the residents of South Reading found their way to that church for worship. Some of the residents of the north part, about this time began to find their way to a newly-established church in Lawrence. This latter church, by the way, is now the very beautiful structure of St. Mary's.
By the year 1852 the number of the Catholic population of Reading had so increased that St. Joseph's Mission was established in what is now Wakefield. The Civil War period still further increased the Catholic pop- ulation, for it was necessary to have more laborers. So the French
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Canadians began to come. This made possible the establishment of a Catholic church at what was the old Wood End parish. The first mass was celebrated on February 5, 1883, by Rev. M. F. Flatley in the old Lyceum Hall. Fr. Flatley was under the jurisdiction of St. Joseph's of Wakefield, which had been raised to Parochial standing in 1873. When the next year he was transferred to Malden, Rev. Patrick J. Hally took his place and continued with the services at Lyceum Hall.
This work in Reading continued to mount in importance and in 1886 land was purchased with the idea of building a church on Washington Street. By the next year the building was completed and the Reading Chronicle for April 30, 1887, gave the notice of the first Mass to be cele- brated in St. Agnes' Church. In the meantime Fr. Hally had been suc- ceeded by Rev. Jeremiah E. Millerick and the new church continued to have a steady growth. Under the priesthood of the successor to Fr. Mil- lerick, who was Rev. John D. Colbert, the population had so increased that there were more than five hundred adults and one hundred children. A Sunday School was established and it was necessary to have two Masses on Sunday. In the meantime the land bordering on the Church property had been purchased. As it so happened this lot included the Old Parker Tavern. It was deemed advisable, however, to change the location of the newly-proposed church, so Rev. Dennis F. Lee sold the newly-acquired land and bought the site where the present St. Agnes' Church now stands.
Another milestone in the history of Catholicism in Reading was passed when Archbishop Williams gave St. Agnes' Church parochial stand- ing and Fr. Lee became the first parish priest. There was no parochial home, so the Whelton family generously offered him a home in their Washington Street residence. Here he continued to live until he rented a home which was located on the corner of High and Mt. Vernon Streets. By way of adding a little local coloring, it might be mentioned that there was a Cummings family who moved from North Reading to Reading and Miss Mary Cummings became the organist of St. Agnes' Church.
It was the Holden's pasture on Woburn Street, that was purchased by Fr. Lee as the proposed site of the new church. First the old Holden resi- dence was moved to its present site where it serves as the parochial resi- dence. Then after much difficulty sufficient funds were on hand, so that ground was broken in the fall of 1908. The cornerstone was laid June 10, 1909, by Bishop Bradley. The speaker for this joyous occasion was Rev. John L. McCoy, LL.D., of Worcester. The first Mass was celebrated by Fr. Lee on Christmas Day, 1909, and on that same day, assisted by Rev. Richard Donahue, C.SS.R. and Rev. William Cahill, a Solemn High Mass was celebrated. The first marriage in the new church was that of Miss Hanna Whelton and Mr. George Meaney, October 25, 1909.
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After his valiant labor in managing the erection of the new church and looking after the spiritual needs of an increasing population Fr. Lee was transferred, in June, 1910, to Amesbury and Rev. Francis Walsh came to take his place. Fr. Walsh came from Charlestown and was already known by all those who had come to Reading to live from that town. There were the Heffron, Wood, and Hogan families who had been former parishioners of his in Charlestown. And this, as it proved later, was a happy coincidence. During the summer of 1910, many of the friends and former parishioners of Fr. Walsh, journeyed out from Charlestown to do their bit towards raising funds for the new church. One of those old, open, summer cars was especially chartered for the trip. After stopping at the old watering trough on the Square, for a drink after the order of local tradition, the car proceeded down Woburn Street to the church. This part of the ride was especially memorable, for at the moment a strong wind was blowing and some of the passengers lost their hats. Among these were Miss Heffron and her niece. This niece, Mrs. Alice Magee, still has a vivid recollection of how Fr. Walsh improvised a hat from her uncle's handkerchief so that she might be properly covered on entering the new church.
Among those making this journey from Charlestown to Reading were the late Lt. Timothy J. Heffron, Miss Mary Heffron, and their niece, Miss Alice Wood. These friends and many others lent their aid so that the new church was well on its way. After serving the parish faithfully for seven years, Fr. Walsh was succeeded by the Rev. Daniel F. Whalan who com- pleted the church and saw the number of communicants greatly increased.
Meanwhile the Catholic population of North Reading had been in- creasing. There were quite a number of regular residents besides the sum- mer visitors at the Martin's Pond area. Among the regular residents were the Kings, Beaumonts, Orpens, Richards, Magees, Peters, Murphys, Caseys, McCarthys, Forests, Wistubas, Heffrons, Woods, Galvins, McNeils, Foxes, Boyles, Bradleys, Wheelers, Todds, Mahers, Coxes, Buckleys, Dugans, Fraumenis, Meehans, Hogans, Hanleys and Jackmans. These along with some of the summer residents visited Fr. Whalan and besought him to hold Mass on the Sundays during the vacation period. This request was gra- ciously acceded to and the first Mass was said in North Reading in the summer of 1923.
At the beginning conditions were quite primitive and a number of things had to be improvised. Through the co-operation of the Martin's Pond Social Club, a store building near Sandy Beach was secured. This building had been used for social and dance purposes and therefore had a piano. With the top of the piano as an altar, and Dr. Edward M. Hal- ligan serving as altar boy, Fr. Whalan conducted services during that first
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summer. The services were also enriched by the singing of Miss Stella King, who, along with a sister, happened to be a summer resident.
In those early days it was rather difficult for those who lived any distance from the Martin's Pond area to attend church. The Sunday schedule of the Street Car Company left much to be desired, and a number of would-be attendants were without the benefits of a privately-owned car. In order to obviate this difficulty Vincent Fraumeni, the proprietor of a fruit and produce business located on the corner of Main Street and Lowell Road, fitted out his truck with benches and drove about to pick up all those outlying residents who desired to attend church. These services were continued through the summers of 1923 and 24. The following families remember with gratitude the helpful spirit of Mr. Fraumeni: Fox, McNeil, Cox, Meehan, Todd, Heffron, Wood, Magee, Wistuba, and Galvin.
Meanwhile the summer residents of the Martin's Pond area and others had been busy raising money with the idea of eventually having a Chapel. The situation had even reached the point where a location was being considered. At first a site on Burroughs Road was considered. The situation advanced far enough, so that a foundation for a new building was erected. Later considerations made this location seem inadvisable so the work was abandoned. In the midst of all this planning, on the 30th of November, 1924, Fr. Whalan died. It was a great shock to his many parishioners and a severe loss to the community. He was succeeded by Rev. Dennis W. Brown, Curate of St. Mary's Church in Cambridge.
As the Martin's Pond Social Club had been quite active in furthering plans and raising money for the new project, it was thought at first that it might be feasible to have a building that would serve as a social service center, a recreation hall and Chapel combined. After Fr. Brown had looked over the situation, he conferred with the church authorities and decided that such a plan would not be possible. In the first place there would be the difficulty in securing a valid legal title at some later date, should such be desired. In the second place, it is always more conducive to worship in a place entirely dedicated to that purpose. So the former project on Burrows Road was abandoned and land was secured on Main Street.
Meanwhile, under the leadership of Alice Wood Magee, a new organi- zation had come into being. The membership roster of this North Read- ing Catholic Association contained these names: Walsh, Curtis, Thurston, Wheeler, Peters, Murphy, Wistuba, Magee, Fox, Cox, Galvin, McNeil, Forest, Hall, Boyle, Beaumont, Richards, Dugan, Spindler, Jackman, Haf- feran, Heffron, Wood, Buckley, Bradley, Orpen, Tarbox, Schultz, Manley and others. This group set out actively to raise money for the new project. There were sales, lawn and garden parties, card parties and raffles. And
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the more work done the greater became the interest in securing a place for worship.
Fr. Brown was active both in visitation among the people and in securing a place for worship. Mr. and Mrs. John Magee and Miss Mary Heffron generously offered their home for the purpose. In earlier years this building had housed the poor, and in the upper hall the North Reading Dancing Academy had held classes, so why should not this building be put to a new and more sacred use? But the Diocesan authorities thought it would be better to have a more public building. So, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Boyle, who owned the Blue Hill Tea Room on the corner of North and Main Streets, were approached and permission secured for the use of their place of business. During the Summer of 1925 and the following winter these humble quarters were used by a continually growing audience. Naturally there was a great deal of discomfort, so for the next summer the new, and enlarged rooms of the Martin's Pond Social Club were used.
It was during this same year, 1925, that Alice Wood Magee started in her home a Sunday School which shortly grew to the number of twenty- three children. Many of these have gone out and some are now serving in the United States Army. This work was but one more evidence of the growth of interest in the new Church project. Mr. Charles Sullivan gener- ously donated land in the area, popularly called Sullivan's Island. Later additional land was secured by purchase and work on the new Chapel was at last under way. Much of the labor was donated and things moved along to such an extent that the first Mass was celebrated in the new Chapel, in May, 1928. For the occasion Fr. Brown brought along an altar boy from the church in Reading.
Many hands make light work, is an old and trite saying. So it was in the construction of St. Theresa's Chapel. Besides the names already mentioned there was this group from the State Sanatorium: Scott, Dou- cette, Buckley, Harnette, Buck, Leary and Gordon. Many others also helped with time and money. Among the more tangible donations to the Chapel are: The Stations of the Cross, donated by Dr. Edward M. Halli- gan in honor of his parents; Miss Hannah Hartnett, Mrs. James Craven in memory of her sister, Helen Sullivan; and Mrs. Esther Walsh in mem- ory of her daughter, Marie. The crucifix, on the simple white and gold altar, was given by Mrs. Anna Casey in memory of Mrs. Margaret McCarthy. Mrs. Casey also gave the altar railing in memory of Mary Anderson McCarty of Winthrop.
Among the more interesting altar pieces are the brass candlesticks. These were secured through Mrs. Margaret Richards, the mother of Mrs. Eli Beaumont. During the summer of 1928, Mrs. Richards returned for a visit to her native home in Scotland. When she returned she brought
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with her a pair of candlesticks that had been in the home for generations. These were given as part of the Altar appointments. The well veined, marble front is the gift of Alice Wood Magee. One of the beautiful stained glass windows was given by Timothy, John and Catherine Hogan in honor of their mother, the other by Mrs. Theresa Becker in memory of her husband, George J. Becker. The organ is the gift of the St. Theresa's Guild. The statue of St. Joseph was given by Mrs. Katherine Skillings and that of the Blessed Virgin was presented by the Grimes family in memory of Leo Grimes. The statue of the Sacred Heart was generously given by Mrs. Andrew J. Blair. The beautiful altar laces are the handi- work of Mrs. Frank Hall and Mrs. Margaret Benson.
ST THERESA'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHAPEL ON MAIN STREET
The work of the new Chapel was now under way. The Sunday School conducted by Alice Wood Magee was transferred to the new location and Daniel Shay became superintendent. At first there was the question of trained altar boys. Fr. Brown brought them out from Reading. Then came the Chisholm family from Malden where Joseph had served the altar. He was immediately put to work and then later Richard Beaumont, a local boy, was trained to serve.
Then in December of 1931 Fr. Brown died, bereaved by all those who knew him. He had indeed endeared himself to both Reading and North Reading. His place, however, was ably filled by Rev. Joseph A. Brandley
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who earned an enviable record for his charity, his kindness and for his work in improving the physical aspects of the Chapel. Fr. Brandley re- mained until his transfer in 1928, when he was succeeded by the present pastor, the Rev. Myles J. McSwiney.
Along with the regular pastors there have been, throughout the years, some able assistants who have served St. Theresa's Chapel well. Their names are as follows: Rev. John A. Donnelly, Rev. Daniel H. Reardon, Rev. James F. McNiff, Rev. Albert Crowley, Rev. William F. Cahill, Rev. William J. Reardon, Rev. William E. Drapeau, Rev. John J. Sweeney, Rev. John J. Harrington, Rev. Walter J. Mitchell, Rev. Harold W. Wren, Rev. Harry P. Harris, Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, Rev. James J. Fallon, Rev. John M. Gibbons, Rev. Edmund A. Moran, Rev. George F. Wiseman, Rev. Joseph B. Corkery, Rev. Gregory M. McGann, Rev. Albert R. Cutress, Rev. Charles B. Kearnes, and Rev. Philip McConville.
The honor of the first wedding in the new Chapel goes to James P. Donnelly and Gertrude Chisholm. This took place on the 14th of June, 1936. Since then there have been others and there have been many other activities in and about the Chapel. In all of this those who have labored and toiled take a great deal of satisfaction. Not only so but some of them are looking forward with faith and hope-hope for the day when St. Theresa's shall be made a separate and distinct parish.
ST. THERESA'S GUILD
No parish is complete without its organization of women. And so St. Theresa has its Guild. It was the outgrowth of some informal sewing bees held by a group of women of the parish. They met for the purpose of making clothing and bedding for needy people and on Wednesday, No- vember 15, 1933, these women formally organized with the idea of con- tinuing their charitable work and rendering what financial aid they could to the newly-formed Chapel.
In carrying out their plans these Guild members were greatly inspired and encouraged by their spiritual leaders, Rev. Joseph A. Brandley, pastor, and Revs. Harold W. Wren and Thomas J. Tobin, assistants in the mother church in Reading. From time to time additional charitable needs were called to the attention of the Guild. In this way the work grew and it became apparent that additional workers were necessary. In this emer- gency Fr. Brandley sent out a general call, particularly among the new families of the Parish, for additional workers. Many responded to this invitation and soon the number met the quota specified in the by-laws, and with the increase in numbers came a corresponding widening of the scope of the Guild.
As an illustration of the way in which the work grew, take for instance, the new needs for the Sunday worship services. Summer residents became
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so numerous that the capacity of the little Chapel was taxed to its utmost. Soon there was a second Mass on Sundays. It was quite inconvenient to bring all the sacred articles from St. Agnes' Church in Reading for the various services, so the Guild set up a program whereby the valuable and sacred vessels might be procured for the exclusive use of St. Theresa's. The gold Communion Plate is one of the long list of articles secured. Other gifts were the replating of the Ciborium and Paten Tabernacle Veil, Cruet Set, Altar Linens, Albs, Vestments, Draperies for the Confessional and Collection Baskets. When the altar needed a new carpet the Guild mem- bers furnished that. For the boys and girls coming up each year for the first communion there were Rosaries. Thus was the program enlarged that started with the gift of a Christmas Crib and an organ to be used in the service of worship.
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