USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Lowell > History of Pawtucket Church and Society : with reminiscences of pastors and founders, sketches of Congregational churches in Lowell, and a brief outline of Congregationalism > Part 6
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Then follows a description of the church and society substantially as may be found on previous pages in this volume.
* Dr. Spalding died January 30, 1888.
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION.
In 1838 there was a Fourth of July celebration at Pawtucket Falls, under the auspices of the Young Men's Lyceum, and an oration and other exercises given in the Pawtucket meeting-house. The follow- ing is a copy of the order of exercises :
I. Voluntary, by the choir.
2. Prayer, by Rev. Tobias Pinkham, the pastor.
3. Reading the Declaration of Independence, by Charles B. Varnum.
4. Ode, by Mrs. Jane E. Locke, of Lowell.
5. Oration, by Dr. Israel Hildreth, of Dracut.
6. Chorus, "Strike the Cymbal," by the choir.
7. Benediction, by Rev. Tobias Pinkham.
Mrs. Locke, the writer of the ode, was the wife of John G. Locke, long a resident of Lowell and for some years City Auditor. She was the author of a volume of miscellaneous poems, published in 1842, which may be found in our City Library.
CHURCH RE-MODELED.
In 1844 the interior of the church was entirely re-modeled. The old square pews, the pulpit and the windows were all removed, a new floor was put in, seven feet above the old one, and the old floor dropped down, so as to form a vestry under- neath. A new pulpit (which has since been changed), new pews or slips, and new, large-sized windows were constructed-all at an expense of $1,325.21. The carpenter work was let out to Robert Park for $750.00 ; with extra work his bill
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PAWTUCKET CHURCHI AND SOCIETY.
amounted to $807.98. In 1850 the Society built a substantial fence around its church, and set out the fine elm trees which now adorn its grounds. The funds for building the fence were generously con- tributed by Mr. Daniel Varnum. A day for tree- planting was appointed, and among the persons present to assist in setting out the trees, as nearly as we can ascertain, were Asa Clement (who fur- nished a number of trees from his nursery), William McFarlin, Daniel Varnum, Peter S. Coburn, Jere- miah Varnum, Rufus B. Whitney, Abel Coburn, Charles B. Varnum, and A. C. Varnum.
SALE OF PEWS.
The sale of pews with the prices, in West Parish Church, after re-modeling it in 1844, was to the following-named persons :
No. Name. Amount. No
2 .- T. V. and Abel Coburn. . $38 50
3 .- Peter S. Coburn
4 .- Joseph B. V. Coburn. 38 50
6 .- Theo. Hamblet. 45 00
7 .- Wm. and Luke McFarlin, 45 50
8 .- Peter Hamblet. 45 00
9 .- Jeremiah Varnunı 50 00
10 .- Jabesh Coburn 22 50
11 .- Samuel Varnum.
12 .- Daniel Varnum. 50
13 .- Benjamin S. Coburn 38 00
14 .- Rapha W. Sawyer 33 00
15 .-- Peter Hamblet. 28 00
22 .- Leonard Burbank 25 00
23 .- Willard Coburn 30 00
24 .- Joseph Gould. 40 00
25 .- Elbridge Proctor 40 50
26 .- Thomas Varnum. 50 00
Name. Amount.
27 .- Timothy Coburn 56 00
28 .- Jonathan Gould.
29 .- Colburn Blood, Jr 57 00 30 .- Theo. Hamblet. 45 00
32 .- Benjamin F. Blood. 50 00
33 .- Theo. Hamblet. 57 00
34 .-- John P. Cutter. 50 00
35 .- H. and H. N. Marshall 45 75 37 .- John P. Brown. 35 50
38 .- C. and G. Varnum 30 25 52 .-- Theo. Hamblet. 45 00
53 .- Thomas Varnum. 45 00 54 .-- Amos Pearsons. 45 50
57 .- Thomas D. Underwood. 38 50
58 .- Asa Clement, Jr. 38 50 59 .-- Simeon N. Marshall 38 50
60 .- Nathaniel B. Coburn. 38 50
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
A NEW BELL.
In 1859 the old meeting-house at Middlesex Village (built in 1822), which had been out of use for some years, was sold and removed to North Chelmsford; but the bell, a very fine-toned one, was purchased by this Society, and their old bell of smaller size (purchased in 1820) was sold to Horatio G. F. Corliss, for some small society in Maine.
When the old village church bell was transported to its new quarters, quite a sensation was made in Lowell and Dracut, and it happened in this wise : John Brown had seized the national armory buildings at Harper's Ferry, Va., with an army of seventeen white men and five negroes, and so frightened the Old Dominion that he was hung with so little ceremony that a good deal of sympathy was created all over the country for poor old Brown; and it so hap- pened that the day on which the bell was to be removed was the same day on which Brown was executed-the second day of December, 1859. William McFarlin, being chairman of the committee on the part of the Society to take charge of the bell, took some large wheels, hung the bell under- neath, had the name " John Brown " painted upon it, procured a band of music, and marched through the principal streets, followed by a procession of spectators, while the bell slowly and solemnly tolled the knell of the brave but deluded old hero of the Harper's Ferry scare. The procession finally halted at Pawtucket Square, and as was afterward expressed by some apt rhymester,
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
"They delivered the bell to Josiah Sawtell : Who hung it in the steeple- A wonderful sight, which gave great delight To crowds of gazing people."
This bell was cast in 1822, in the foundry estab- lished by Paul Revere, of Revolutionary fame. There is an inscription on it, as follows: "Revere- Boston -- 1822." It will be remembered that Paul Revere, during the Revolutionary war, established a foundry for the casting of cannon and church- bells, and also erected extensive works for rolling copper, at Canton, Mass., which are still maintained by his successors as the Revere Copper Company.
PARSONAGE BUILT.
In 1867 a parsonage was built. In 1868 a brief account of the enterprise appeared in print, under the title of " History of our Parsonage," from which the following extract is made : "Never was a prop- osition more heartily received and more unanimously approved than that of securing a parsonage by our parish. Never could there be more interest mani- fested than has been by both old and young in this undertaking. It is true that all have not given in proportion to their ability, but as a general thing a most commendable liberality has been manifested. At our parish meeting in March, 1867, the idea received its first tangible form. The matter had been previously talked of, but at this meeting a subscription paper was drawn up and about $900 in money was pledged on the spot. A. C. Varnum pre-
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
sented the Society with a lot of land to build upon. A committee was chosen, consisting of Theodore Hamblet, Joseph B. V. Coburn and Alfred Brown, with authority to make all contracts necessary for building. The committee faithfully attended to their duty, and the parsonage was completed during the summer of 1867."
The first list of contributors was as follows :
Daniel Varnum $700 00
William H. Hull $20 00
Asa Clement.
100 00
George S. Coburn 20 00
Samuel Varnum
100 00
Robert Park 20 00
Jeremiah Varnum.
50 00
Mrs. Mary P. Varnum 15 00
T. D. Underwood ..
50 00
Augustus Coburn 15 00
J. B. V. Coburn
50 co
Daniel V. Hamblet 13 00
Rufus B. Whitney
50 00
William P. Varnum 20 00
Peter S. Coburn.
50 00
Rev. William Allen 10 00
Theodore Hamblet
50 00
Rev. Mrs. Allen 5 00
Justus Richardson 50 00
J. S. Bennett 10 00
Thomas Varnum
50 00
Enoch F. Coburn 10 00
H. M. Woodward
46 00
Miss Annie M. Varnum 10 00
Abel Coburn 25 00
William D. Butler 10 00
Alfred Brown 30 00
John F. Tabor 10 00
John M. Coburn
25 00
Rev. Moses Patten 5 00
Ira M. Chase.
25 00
Miss N. S. Wells
5 00
Timothy Coburn
25 00
Rodney Fuller 3 00
W. and L. McFarlin.
27 00
It is only just to say that the above list of contributors only mentions those who gave money at the start of the enterprise. Others gave labor and materials, and later contributions were made. The cellar was put in, and a large amount of grading and teaming done by volunteers, without pay. Some who paid no money were in sympathy with the enterprise and did considerable work; and nearly all who con- tributed money were quite as generous in furnish- ing teams and workinen. The cost of the house, aside from the labor contributed, was about three
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
thousand dollars. A good sized debt, for a small society, was outstanding on its completion, and it required considerable time and effort to pay it off. Money was raised every year, however, until it was all paid. In 1867 a festival paper was published by the Society, in which appeared the following poem which explains itself.
THE HAUNTED HOUSE.
Where the river, coiled and sparkling, Lies the trees and rocks among, Like a necklace which some Goddess Down beneath the hills hath flung ; Where the beauteous sunset shadows Bathe themselves in summer time, And in winter diamond arrows Pierce the Frost King's coat of rime ;
Where the murmur of the waters, Falling on the rocks below, Breathes a varied spirit-language, With its echo, soft and low,
Stands a house of late construction, Large and fair to look upon, Modern doors and modern windows All its outer walls adorn ; Pleasant halls and spacious parlors, Airy chambers, large and high,
Made for beauty and convenience, Please the judgment and the eye. Surely, clouds of ill should never Shadow temple made so fair !
Surely, should no bird of evil Croak one note of discord there ! Built for noble purpose was it, By the friends of truth and right ;
Old men gave both work and counsel, Young men wrought with cheerful might ; For the hope of all our people Was, that on no distant day, Here might dwell our chosen pastor, Pleased among his flock to stay.
But, alas ! a ghost of evil Haunts this dwelling evermore ;
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
Stalks about and lays his cold hand On each window, wall and door. Such dread fear hath he excited In some honest, cautious hearts, That when e'er his name is mentioned, Courage, straightway, all departs From them, and the worst forbodings Fill them with such deep dismay,
That they fail to use the weapons Which would drive this ghost away.
Others, armed with faith and courage, Boldly face this ghastly foe,
And with hand and purse are striving To complete his overthrow.
But, though somewhat driven backward, Still he hovers 'round us yet,
And no feeble force will move him, For his dreaded name is-Debt ! And his long and grasping fingers, With their reaching, greedy clutch,
Fain would sweep from our possession That which now they only touch. Let us, then, our forces rally, And with cheerful zeal unite
In this cause of common honor, And this goblin put to flight. He cannot withstand an army All equipped, with purse in hand ;
We shall see how he will tremble At the sight of such a band. He will fly, and ne'er look backward, While united force we join,
And unsparingly besiege him With our greenbacks, scrip and coin.
DEED OF LAND FOR PARSONAGE.
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That I, Atkinson C. Varnum of Dracut, in the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachu- setts, in consideration of fifty cents to me paid by the West Congregational Society in said Dracut, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, do hereby give, grant, sell, remise, release, and forever quit-claim, unto the said West Congregational Society, a certain piece of land situate in said Dracut, near Pawtucket Bridge, and on the northerly side of the road leading from said Bridge to Tyngsborough, bounded and described as follows, viz: Begin-
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PAWTUCKET CIIURCII AND SOCIETY.
ing at the southwesterly corner of the premises at land formerly of Marian Soule, deceased, thence north 25° east by land of said Soule about eight rods to land of Benjamin Blood ; thence easterly on said Blood's land about five rods more or less to a bound at my own land; thence southerly on my own land to said road about eight rods, thence on said road to the point of beginning, a distance of five rods, being a part of the premises conveyed to me by Joshua B. Morse by deed dated April 3, 1867. This land is conveyed to said Society upon condition that said Society shall build and maintain a house for a parsonage thereon. But said parsonage may be rented or used in such manner that the Society may have the income and profit thereof ; and said Society shall build a good, suitable, and substantial fence on the line between said land and my own land above mentioned and forever maintain the same.
To have and to hold, the above released premises, with all the privileges and appurtenances to the same belonging, to the said Society to its use and behoof forever.
And I, the said Atkinson C. Varnum, for myself and my Heirs, Executors and Administrators, do covenant with the said Society that the premises are free from all incumbrances made or suffered by me and that I will and my Heirs, Executors and Administrators, shall warrant and defend the same to the said West Congregational Society against the lawful claims and demands of all persons claiming by, through or under me, but against none other.
In witness whereof the said Atkinson C. Varnum and Mary J. Varnum, wife of said Atkinson C. Varnum, in token of her release of all right and title of or to both dower and homestead in the granted premises, have here- unto set our hands and seal this 5th day of April, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of J. A. KNOWLES.
ATKINSON C. VARNUM, MARY J. VARNUM.
MIDDLESEX, SS., April 6, 1867. Then personally appeared the above- named Atkinson C. Varnum and acknowledged the above instrument to be his free act and deed; before me,
JOHN A. KNOWLES, Justice of the Peace.
REVIEW OF IMPROVEMENTS.
It may be interesting to some to recall the date and cost of some of the various improvements that have been made in the interest of this Church and Society within a few years past.
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
1874-Rostrum and pulpit chairs, etc., . $100 00 1878-Painting church, roofing bell-deck, and fence . 187 00
1879-Constructing church-parlor and kitchen, and re- pairing vestry 358 60
1879-New church windows and blinds 150 00
1880 -- Putting in city water 28 00
1881-Laying concrete walks
69 50
1881-Piano, stool and cover
213 00
1881-Making over thirteen horse-sheds ($21.89 paid by owners) . 284 57
1882-S. G. Mack & Co., furnace, etc., 137 00
1882-Fiske & Spalding, painting and papering 363 75
1882-New carpet and cushions
220 00
1882-General repairs 73 37
1883-Slating roof, $188.08; staging, bracing, etc., for same $24.38 212 46
1884-Shingling and repairing parsonage
LECTURES AND CONCERTS.
During the winters of 1880 and 1881 a course of lectures, readings and concerts was sustained by the Society, under the charge of Mr. O. R. Blood, and was well patronized. The programmes may be interesting if preserved and are as follows.
ISSO. COURSE OF LECTURES.
A FIRST-CLASS COURSE OF LECTURES, READINGS AND CONCERT, AT PAW- TUCKET CHURCH, COMMENCING TUESDAY EVENING, JAN. 13, 1880, BY THE FOLLOWING EMINENT LECTURERS :
I. January 13. Lecture - " Brainwork." Rev. C. P. H. NASON, of Chelsea.
2. January 20. Lecture - " The Horse." ISAAC W. ANDREW, of Boston.
3. January 27. Lecture (with stereopticon) - "My Trip to California." Rev. JOHN R. CUSHING, of North Brookfield.
4. February 3. Readings.
BY DISTINGUISHED READERS.
5. February 10. Lecture - - " Travels in Spain and Algiers." With Stereopticon by Prof. Lord, of Lowell High School. Dr. G. T. FLANDERS, of Lowell.
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
6. February 17. Lecture - " The Human Hand." Rev. ELIAS NASON, of North Billerica.
7. February 24. Concert - Vocal and Instrumental. BY FIRST-CLASS TALENT.
Good music precedes each lecture.
Tickets for the course, 75 cents; single tickets, 15 cents. For sale at I. M. Chase's Market, Merrimack Street, F. H. Chandler & Co.'s and Joel Banfill's Stores, Pawtucketville ; also at the door.
Doors open at 7. Lectures to commence at 7.30 o'clock.
1881.
PAWTUCKET SOCIETY'S COURSE LECTURES.
A FIRST-CLASS COURSE OF LECTURES, READINGS AND CONCERT, AT PAWTUCKET CHURCH, LOWELL, COMMENCING THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 6, 1881, BY THE FOLLOW- ING EMINENT LECTURERS :
I. January 6. Lecture "Acres of Diamonds." Col. RUSSELL H. CONWELL, of Boston.
The name of the lecturer is a sufficient guaranty to all in this region for the thorough and practical character of the lecture. He is one of the most popular lecturers before the public.
2. January 13. Lecture " Originality." Rev. ELIAS NASON, of North Billerica. [OF DR. TOURJEE'S BUREAU.]
Originality. "A subject of which he is a true example, and which he treated in a most interesting manner - broad, generous, hopeful. He is a very eloquent speaker, and he holds his audience spellbound, when they are not laughing or applauding.
3. January 21. Readings.
Miss EMMA CLIFFORD, of Chelsea.
Tennyson's "Shalott," with Musical Illustrations - Piano and 'Cello. With a choice selection of miscellaneous pieces suitable to the occasion.
Miss Clifford is one of the most popular Readers before the public and none should lose this opportunity to hear her.
4. January 27. Lecture - "Arab Life in the Deserts of Syria." Rev. SELAH MERRILL, D. D., of Andover.
This celebrated lecture is of a high moral tone, and one that can but be beneficial, as well as highly entertaining, to all who may be so fortunate as to hear it.
5. February 3. Lecture - " From Boston to Venice." Rev. C. P. H. NASON.
Rev. Mr. Nason, formerly of Buffalo, N. Y., now of Chelsea, Mass., has risen to superior excellence as an orator, and possessing qualities which make him well adapted to the lecture-field, cannot fail to achieve a marked success. He has a pleasing address, and yet earnest manner of delivery, and holds the attention of the audience, without flagging, from the beginning to the close of his lecture.
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
6. February IC. (To be announced.)
7. February 17. Grand Concert.
BY FIRST-CLASS TALENT.
Tickets for the course, $1.00; single tickets, 25 cents. For sale at I. M. Chase's Market, Merrimack Street, F. H. Chandler & Co.'s and J. Ban- fill's stores in Pawtucketville, by members of the Society, and at the door.
Doors open at 7 o'clock. Lectures to commence at 7.30 o'clock.
ANDOVER CONFERENCE.
The Andover Conference was organized at a meeting called for that purpose by a committee appointed by the Andover Association (of ministers) at the Kirk Street Church in Lowell, June 8, 1859. There were then nineteen churches within the limits of the Association, seventeen of which were repre- sented .* The Pawtucket Church was one of that number. Delegates-Deacon Theodore Hamblet, James U. Gage. There are twenty-six churches in the Conference at the present time. Each church is entitled to a representation by pastor, superinten- dent of the Sunday School and five delegates, male or female. The Conference also invites other mem- bers of the churches. The Sunday School member- ship is at the present time (1887) 6442. The num- ber of families in the Conference is 3058.
ANNUAL MEETING, 1888.
On the occasion of its annual meeting, Monday evening, January 2nd, the Pawtucket Church had a supper and roll-call. Seventy-seven members
* See twenty-fifth anniversary sermon, April 29, 1884, by Rev. Owen Street, D. D.
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
of the church reported during the afternoon and evening, and nearly the entire number sat down to a bountiful supper at 7.30, P. M. Devotional exer- cises followed, after which came the reports of the pastor, clerk, treasurer, secretaries of the Sunday School, the Ladies' Sociable, the Ladies' Missionary Society, the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor and the Golden Rule Society. The various reports showed that the present resident member- ship of the church is now one hundred ; the average attendance at the morning service has been one hundred and forty. The Sunday school numbers 238, the infant class 71. There are 114 families represented in the services and 56 in the member- ship of the church.
The following benevolences were reported : For foreign missions, $96.86, of which the Ladies' Mis- sionary Society gives $50 ; for home mission, $44; for American Seamen's Friend society, $12.74 ; for work among Chinese and Negroes, $23.69; for church building, $27.40 ; for the Sunday school and Publishing society, $17.77 ; for French Protest- ant work, $87, including $62 from the Sunday school for Owen Street Hall; for United Society of Christian Endeavor, $10 ; total, $316.46.
After hearing the various reports, the church elected the following officers for the ensuing year : Clerk and treasurer, Samuel B. Simonds ; superin- tendent of Sunday School, Edward S. Howe ; assist- ant superintendent, George A. H. Richardson ; librarian, John H. Oliver ; secretary and treasurer of the Sunday School, Lizzie C. Coburn ; examining committee, pastor and deacons, Abel Coburn,
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
Edward S. Howe, Mrs. A. C. Varnum and Mrs. C. H. Willcox ; committee on benevolence, pastor, J. J. Colton, Abel Coburn and H. L. Newhall ; visiting committee, Mrs. A. J. Howe, Miss Lizzie C. Russell, Miss Lizzie C. Coburn, Mrs. B. C. Morrison and Mrs. Henry Foster ; assistant librarian; Norman Peavey.
The clerk in his report made touching reference to the death of two pastors of the church who have died during the year, namely : Rev. Brown Emerson and Rev. Elias Nason.
The meeting closed with prayer at ten o'clock.
GREAT EXPECTATIONS.
On the 9th day of July, 1888, a parish meet- ing was holden at the vestry of the Pawtucket meeting-house, to take into consideration a project which had been for sometime agitated-that of en- larging the church edifice in order to render it more convenient and commodious.
A committee had been chosen at the annual meeting in January to investigate the subject, and they were now ready to make their report. The important articles in the warrant were as follows :
I. To choose a moderator.
2. To see if the Society will vote to enlarge and improve the meeting- house, or act in any way relative thereto.
3. To transact any other business that may legally come before said meeting.
Dr. John J. Colton was chosen moderator. A full and free discussion was entered into by mem- bers of the parish, in which it was stated that the
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
pews in the church were all rented and a demand for more room and more seats was constantly made, and some who would be glad to worship here were turned away for the want of accommodations.
A larger audience room ; a larger vestry ; better accommodations for Sunday school purposes; a more commodious parlor for social gatherings; better facilities for domestic operations at the public gath- erings incidental to successful church work, as now carried on, were dwelt upon as a necessity for the growth and prosperity of the Society. The com- mittee had consulted a competent architect and had obtained the estimated expense of such enlarge- ments and improvements as would be desirable, from a first-class carpenter and builder.
The sentiment of the meeting seemed to be that, considering the outlay that would be required to make the present church building what is actually needed, it would not be best to undertake it, and a vote was passed unanimously to dismiss the article in the warrant. It was then voted that an effort be made to start a fund for a new meeting-house, and a committee was chosen for that purpose, consisting of A. C. Varnum, Joseph M. Wilson, Thomas Varnum, E. S. Howe, and George A. H. Richardson. Dr. Colton was afterwards added to the committee. The money that is raised by this committee is to be safely and profitably invested until the anticipated fund shall be large enough to warrant the Society in beginning the enterprise.
By this unanimous action of the meeting, which was attended by many of the substantial men of the parish, great expectations are entertained for the
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
future of this ancient Society. Many feel that it has entered upon a new era. At this writing (July 20, 1888) there is a prospect that the effort to be put forth will be successful. There seems to be no serious opposition. The most formidable difficulty in the way, that we can anticipate, will be the pro- curing the necessary amount of money to satisfy the aspirations of the numerous parties interested.
Thus the matter stands as we go to press with the history of this Society up to the present time (as far as obtainable), and we must leave the subject here. May the future historian be enabled to resume the story by saying: A new and beautiful meeting- house has been erected at Pawtucket Square, in place of the old one of 1794.
EARLY ANTI-SLAVERY MOVEMENTS.
Christianity has carried civilization along with it whithersoever it has gone .- Hare. Civilization consists in the progressive improvement of society, considered as a whole, and of all the individual members of which it is composed .- People's Cyclopedia.
Whether civilization is an artificial or the original condition of mankind, is an interesting but still unsettled question. The idea that it is the result of development from the rudest beginnings, is a favorite one with many popular scientific writers .- Johnson's Encyclopedia.
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