USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > South Boston > History of South Boston : formerly Dorchester Neck, now ward XII of the city of Boston > Part 11
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The few dissenters felt bound, however, to con- tinue on the ground which they thought had been
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committed to them. They also felt the personal loss of religious privileges, and after some discussion it was thought best to appoint a prayer-meeting at a private house. In this prayer-meeting, the Ortho- dox, Methodists and Baptists were united, although at first but few attended. The number, however, increased, until one room was insufficient to contain them, and 30 or 40 persons would sometimes be present. These prayer-meetings were seasons of sweet communion, and an aged lady, in describing them, said, "We enjoyed ourselves together; we didn't know any better then."
From this prayer-meeting sprung not only the Orthodox, but the Methodist Church in South Bos- ton; and in the history of the latter Church, some other interesting particulars will be given in regard to it, which have a more special bearing on that Society.
South Boston, at that time, presented a far dif- ferent appearance from its present aspect. It con- tained about fifteen hundred inhabitants, with no such street as Broadway, save as it had been traced out by the furrow of the plough. It was in a manner destitute of religious privileges, and was the resort of multitudes of Sabbath-breakers from the other side, to whom the green fields and beautiful hills of Mattapannock offered a tempting place for recrea- tion. It would seem to have been an almost hope- less task to attempt to organize a new church; and yet, with the aid of a few benevolent gentlemen of the town of Boston, among whom may be mentioned Mr. Henry Homes and Mr. George J. Homer, names never to be forgotten, Rev. Prince Hawes was en- gaged to preach half the time on the Sabbath.
Harris Hall, now converted into a dwelling-house,
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and situated in the next building east of the stable of Benjamin Lucas, on Fourth street, between D and E streets, was the building first occupied by the little band as a place of worship. It was small, and contained, when full, about forty or fifty persons. This was in February, 1823, and about the same time a Sabbath School was gathered, and a single brother and sister were at first the only teachers. A female prayer-meeting was also commenced, and a Ladies' Benevolent Society was formed. Both of these still continuc.
Harris Hall became in a short time too small for the numbers that attended, and in the summer of 1823, a benevolent gentleman, still a member of the society, at his own expense erected what was called Union Hall. It stands on Fourth street, between B and C streets, opposite the residence of Capt. Jacob Herrick, and is now used as a dwelling-house. Here one hundred and fifty persons could be comfortably seated, and, without any assistance from abroad, all the furniture usually found in. a small meeting-house was provided.
A very respectable audience was now gathered every Sabbath, and it was thought advisable to have a church organized, which as yet had not been done. Accordingly a council was called for the purpose, of which Rev. Sereno E. Dwight, of Park Street Church, was Moderator, and Rev B. B. Wisner, of the Old South Church, was Scribe. Thirteen persons pre- sented themselves, and desired to become members -viz. : Rufus Ball, Isaac Thom, Sophia Thom, Thos. Hammond, Abigail Fenno, and Hannah Dewire, with letters from the Hawes Place Church; Joseph John- son, from the church in Woburn; Mary B. Simonds, from the church in Fitchburg; Anna Hewins, from
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the Park Street Church; Sumner Fuller, from the Old South Church; and Abel Hewins, Phebe Hollis and Charlotte Howard, on profession.
The Council voted unanimously to comply with their request, and on the 10th day of December, 1823, " The Evangelical Congregational Church in South Boston " was duly organized, and the public exercises were held in the Hall.
In due time the Church increased in numbers, and gained strength sufficient to build a brick meeting- house on the corner of A street and Broadway. This * edifice was somewhat smaller than the present meeting-house, and had no galleries. On the base- ment was a vestry. It was dedicated, with appro- priate ceremonies, on the 19th day of March, 1825. The sermon on the occasion was preached by Rev. Prince Hawes.
In the month of March, 1834, the Society was incorporated by the Legislature under the title of the "PHILLIPS CHURCH SOCIETY IN BOSTON." At the time when the name Phillips was given to the Society, it was proposed to designate the cross streets in South Boston by the names of the Mayors, and not by the letters of the alphabet. A Street was to be called Phillips street, after John Phillips, the first Mayor of Boston; and hence, as the meet- ing-house was erected on that street, it received the name by which it is now designated.
Rev. Prince Hawes was installed pastor of the Church on the 28th of April, 1824, and was dis- missed on the 18th of April, 1827. He died a few years since, at Long Island. On the 22d of No- vember 1827, Rev. Joy H. Fairchild was installed as pastor, and was dismissed on the 2d of June, 1842.
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Rev. William W. Patton was ordained as pastor of the church and society on the 16th of January, 1843. The sermon on the occasion was preached by his father, the Rev. Dr. Patton, of New York ·city. Mr. Patton was but twenty-one years of age when ordained, and remained pastor till the 23d of December, 1845, when he acceded to the call of the Fourth Congregational Church at Hartford, Conn., to become their pastor.
Rev. John W. Alvord, of Stamford, Conn., was then invited to become pastor, and on the 4th of November, 1846, he was duly installed. He resigned, on account of ill health, in March, 1852, and Rev. Charles S. Porter, of Plymouth, was installed his successor in February, 1854, and still remains pastor of the Church.
In 1835, the brick church was taken down, and its place supplied by the present edifice, a wooden build- ing, standing on the corner of Broadway and A street. It is seventy-eight by sixty-five feet, front- ing on A street, and has one hundred and six pews in the body of the house. It is capable of seating about nine hundred persons. In the basement is a large vestry, and three stores. Surmounting the building is a tall steeple, in which hangs a bell weigh- ing about two thousand pounds. There is also a clock, with four dials, placed in the steeple.
The present number of communicants is about two hundred and fifty.
South Baptist Church.
More than a third of a century has elapsed, since the formation of a Baptist Church in South Boston became the object of desire among the few of this denomination of Christians who then resided here;
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but their presence and aid were much needed in the churches with which they were connected, in other parts of the city.
Impressed, however, with the importance of pre- paring for the spiritual wants and religious preferen- ' ces of an anticipated increase of population, an effort was made to establish a Baptist Meeting. The Phil- lips Church kindly offered the use of their house of worship, which was accepted, and Mr. Ensign Lin- coln, a good man, and well known as first in many a good enterprise, assisted by several of the city pas- tors, sustained a weekly lecture for a short time. But the attendance was deemed insufficient to justify a continuance of the effort in that form.
Though this seemed a failure to some, it only served to confirm and strengthen the hope and pur- pose of others. And though this plan was relin- quished, it was only that a more successful one might be commenced on a firmer basis. A worthy member of the Baldwin Place Church, whose name and noble deeds are well known in this part of the city, even as they form a prominent part of its history, had al- ready thrown his sympathies into the new interest. He purchased a small building which had been occu- pied as a place of religious meeting by the Metho- dists, and gave the use of it to his brethren, for the same object. This building, now used as a bath- house, occupies its original locality, on the corner of Broadway and C street, directly opposite the present South Baptist Meeting-house ; and the con- trast between the two, presents to the observer a fair index of the progress which has been accom- plished during 23 years.
For more than three years this was their place of meeting. The pulpit was during this time supplied
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chiefly by Rev. Messrs. Harvey Ball, Otis Wing, and Thomas Driver.
In 1827 the Federal street (now Rowe street) Baptist Church was formed. But their enterprising pastor, now the Rev. Howard Malcom, D. D., of Philadelphia, encouraged his members residing in South Boston to proceed in their hopeful undertak- ing. And the more efficiently to accomplish their object, nineteen members of different churches in the city united together, in August, 1829, and were re- cognized as a branch of the Federal street Church. For nearly two years this relation was continued, and the Branch Church experienced considerable prosperity. Their house of worship became too small, as well for their accommodation as for their anticipated wants. The purpose was formed, and a plan adopted, to obtain a more commodious one. The rapid increase of the First Baptist Church and congregation in Boston made it necessary for them, at that time, to enlarge their place of meeting. They had resolved to take down their house, which was then a good one, and to replace it with a larger brick edifice. That house was purchased by the Baptists in South Boston, taken down, removed and re-erected on the site which it now occupies. It was newly covered and finished. It is 72 feet long and. 57 wide, and contains 104 pews, besides the orches- tra, which contains a large organ. In its tower is a
large and finc-toned bell. This edifice was dedicat -- ed to the worship of God, by appropriate religious services, July 22, 1830. In the vestry yet remains the same " sacred desk," from which the eloquent and now sainted Stillman, of the First Church, was long accustomed to pour forth, in silver tones, the word of life to listening crowds. 15
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Having accomplished this enterprise, and begin- ning to experience the benefits of it, in a larger con- gregation, the Branch deemed it wise to sever their peculiar connection with the Federal street Church, This was done, and the members formed themselves into a regular Baptist Church, and were publicly recognized, by appropriate religious services, as the South Baptist Church in Boston, March 1, 1831. The Rev. Howard Malcom delivered the sermon on that occasion, and Mr. R. H. Neale, now the Rev. Dr. Neale, Pastor of the First Baptist Church, received the token of fellowship from the Council, in behalf of the new church. Mr. Neale became their first pastor, and labored with them for nearly four years. And though his time was much occupied in his theo- logical studies, his labors were greatly blessed, the Church having increased from 52 members to 132, which it numbered when he was dismissed March 19, 1834. His departure was deeply regretted and proved an unfortunate event for the Church.
In the winter of 1834, the South Baptist Church seemed to have entered upon a season of long pros- perity. Their meeting-house was new, inviting and commodious. The congregation gradually increased. The Church were happily united in their pastor, whose labors seemed abundantly crowned with suc- cess. But fond hopes and fair prospects and ardent enthusiasm were all blighted, in the spring, by the sudden rupture of the pastoral relation; and the in- fluence of that separation was long felt.
Within a few weeks of Mr. Neale's dismissal, the church invited the Rev. T. R. Cressey, now of India- napolis, Ia., to become their pastor, which invitation he accepted. But the deep regret and disappoint- ment, consequent upon the departure of his prede-
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cessor, made his ministry trying, though in some de- gree successful. He remained only one year, and was then dismissed at his own request. For more than two years, from this time, the Church remained without a regular pastor. And those were years of trial, of varying hopes and fears, of lights and shades. Yet even a darker and severer period followed them. The night, though cheered by many a bright star, was sad and long. Yet it broke not till one more dismal hour passed over them. In the winter of 1838, Mr. Wm. Jackson, from Halifax, N. S., was recommended to the Society, and commenced minis- tering to them with much acceptance. The Church invited him, though with some opposition to the vote, to assume the pastoral charge. But before the connection was consummated, his singular and cx- travagant course resulted in a sad division of the Church, and his ejection from the pulpit, and finally in his exclusion from its membership. The details of that mournful period in this history would be nei- ther pleasant nor profitable. But the division was soon healed, and the divided band, newly tried and sifted, again united, and rallied to their work, and began to hope.
On the 1st of December, 1838, Rev. Thomas Dri- ver commenced his pastoral labors with the Church, which continued with much success for four years and three months. Under his ministry the number of members was greatly increased. The pecuniary embarrassments of the Society were much relieved, "and the future presented a more hopeful aspect. Mr. D. was dismissed March 12, 1843.
In November of the same year Rev. Duncan Dun- bar, then of New York city, was invited to the vacant pastorate, which he accepted, and was installed Jan.
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1st, 1844. His ministry covered nearly two years
of trial. He resigned his trust to the Church, Nov. 24, 1845, bearing away with him the respect and kind regard of those who had attended on his minis- trations.
On the 21st of January, 1846, the Rev. George W. Bosworth was called to the place which had been vacated, which call he accepted by entering upon his public labors in February succeeding. He continued the pastor of the Church, which prospered greatly under his care, till March, 1855, when he received and accepted a call to settle in Portland, Me. He was succeeded by Rev. J. A. Goodhuc, the present pastor, October 1, 1855.
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Methodist Episcopal Church.
It will be recollected that on a previous page we mentioned a prayer meeting which was held in South Boston about the year 1810. Among those attending this meeting was a widow named Robin- son, who was a zealous Methodist. She felt that a minister was greatly needed in South Boston, and determined to procure one. Accordingly she went to Boston, and endeavored to secure the services of a clergyman. She did not succeed very well, and at last went to Mr. T. C. Pierce, then a young man, a carpenter by trade, but of a very serious turn of mind. She told him he must come over and preach ; and he did so, much to the satisfaction of the old lady and her friends, although the preacher was not a college learned man.
This same Mr. Pierce is now well known as the good old Father Pierce, a superannuated clergyman residing at Lynn. In August, 1810, as we learn from a letter from old Father Pierce, which we have now
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before us, the services were commenced in the house of the widow. In the course of three months a lar- ger room was obtained in a house a short distance from the former place, and here Mr. Pierce officiated afternoon and evening during the winter and spring. About this time a Mr. Deluce opened a building near the shore, north of the widow's house in which the meetings were first held. This place was occupied some three or four months, but was not well liked, and with his own hands the carpenter minister went to work, and erected a place of worship. This house was the building mentioned in connection with the history of the Hawes Place Church, as the rope-walk. It was built during the summer of 1811, and would hold from seventy-five to one hundred hearers. The cost was divided into shares of five dollars, a portion being taken by the South Bostonians, and a portion by benevolent individuals in Boston. Mr. Pierce, however, did not receive much for his work.
From these statements it will be seen that Father Pierce was the first clergyman who ever officiated in South Boston; and the Methodist denomination was the first that established regular worship here.
The following extract from Mr. Pierce's letter, will be interesting :-
" All the support I had for my labors was a public contribution on the Sabbath, which usually amounted to seventy-five cents or a dollar, with a week's board now and then. We had pretty good singing, a good congregation generally, and some few conversions.
. We formed no separate church, but went to the Brom- field street Church as our home."
Among those who assisted Mr. Pierce during his ministry, were the late Dr. Baldwin, the late Dr. Codman of Dorchester, Rev. T. W. Tucker, and 15*
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" Father Taylor," the world-renowned Seaman preach- er. In 1814, Father Pierce joined the New England Methodist Conference, and was appointed to another field of labor. He was succeeded by Rev. Zephaniah Wood, of whom we have spoken at considerable length elsewhere. About this time theological con-
troversy ran high. A book called "Worcester's Bible Views " was published, and was very exten- sively circulated. Mr. Wood embraced the views advocated in that publication, and became a Congre- gationalist; and the character of the feeble church was changed. Thus ended the first effort to estab- lish a Methodist Episcopal Church in South Boston.
In the year 1825, another attempt was made to organize a Methodist Church. About this time a large number of persons of the Methodist persuasion came to work in the glass-houses ( then four in num- ber), and uniting with those already residing in South Boston, they erected a building on the corner of Broadway and C streets, and for a time all went on prosperously. Suddenly, however, the proprietors of the glass-houses failed, and the men were obliged to remove elsewhere to obtain work. Deprived of these powerful auxiliaries, the feeble Methodist Church became disheartened, and the building passed into the hands of the Baptists. It is now standing, and is occupied as a bath-house. Not long since, it was found necessary to raise it to accord with the new grade of Broadway, and the large timbers used in the construction of the basement floor clearly showed the design for which it was built.
The third and more successful effort to establish a M. E. Church here was made in 1834, and sustained by some who still live to bless with their piety and wisdom the Church they contributed so largely to
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found. A preaching place was opened, and Rev. Abel Stevens, now of New York, preached the first sermon, to a congregation of eight, all told. This place becoming too strait for the increasing congre- gation, they soon moved to Harding's Hall, corner of Fourth and Turnpike streets, and thence to Frank- lin Hall, on the opposite corner. There the Society continued to worship until they succeeded in erect- ing their present house on D street. In this connec- tion it should be mentioned, that among the many ministerial brethren whose labors contributed large- ly to their prosperity at that time, the Rev. Josiah Brackett, of Charlestown, should be held in grateful remembrance ; also, that while worshipping in the latter Hall, the Society was greatly assisted by the proprietors of the place, as well as many other friends, who contributed money to the object, and otherwise gave countenance and encouragement.
The year 1839 was distinguished by the Metho- dists throughout the world as the " Century of Metho- dism." On the 29th of October, it being the day on which, just one hundred years before, Mr. Wesley formed the first Society in London,-in common with their brethren in both Europe and America, the little Society met in their place of worship to bring a thank-offering to God for the religious privileges enjoyed, and then and there was started the project, and the first subscription made, for erecting a church edifice. Eight hundred dollars were subscribed on the spot. The amount was immediately after greatly increased, so that the work was entered upon with- out delay, and the house finally dedicated to the worship of God the 17th day of June following, by a sermon from Father Taylor. The house has since undergone repairs, by which it is made much more commodious and provided with a large vestry.
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It will in future be designated "Centenary Cha- pel," as the project of erecting it was started at the centenary meeting in 1839. The name will serve as a perpetual memorial of the historical associa- tions, and will be graven on a marble slab and placed on the front of the Church.
The following clergymen have been successively appointed to the pulpit since the house was built. The late Rev. James Mudge was the pastor at the time it was built, and rendered efficient service.
Z. B. C. Dunham, 1 year. J. A. Savage, 2 years. J. W. Merrill, 1 year. J. Whitman, 2 years. G. F. Pool, 2 years. H. V. Degen, 2 years. Rev. Edward
Cook, 2 years. Rev. James Porter, 2 years. Rev. David Sherman, 1 year. Rev. J. I. P. Collyer, 2 years.
Universalist Church.
In the spring of the year 1830, a Universalist Church and Society was formed in South Boston. Soon after the Church was gathered, the members secured the services of Rev. Benjamin Whittemore, who was then residing in Troy, N. Y. They occu- pied Harding's Hall, now used only as a club room, and situated over the store of Charles Mead, drug- gist, on the corner of Turnpike and Fourth streets. This hall was small, but accommodated the congre- gation.
In the winter of 1832, the Society decided to erect a place of worship, and selected, as a site, the corner of B street and Broadway. On the 10th of April, 1833, the edifice was dedicated and Mr. Whit- temore was installed. . The Church gradually in- creased in numbers. In April, 1843, Mr. Whitte- more was dismissed to respond to a call from the Church in Lancaster, Mass.
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In May, 1844, Rev. Theodore D. Cook was chosen his successor, but finally removed to Providence, R. I. Rev. Calvin Damon was his successor, and was followed by Rev. W. W. Dean, in 1856, and he is the present pastor.
The Universalist Church is a neat edifice, about seventy feet in length, on B street, with a front of fifty feet on Broadway, surmounted by a cupola. It is a wooden building with a brick basement, which latter is occupied by a large vestry and two com- modious stores. The furniture and interior orna- ments are neat, and well adapted to the comfort and convenience of the speaker and congregation, the Church having been thoroughly repaired and re- modelled just before Mr. Dean's settlement.
Broadway Unitarian Society.
In the year 1844, quite a number of persons con- nected with the Hawes Place Church felt the neces- sity of having a Unitarian Church on " the other side of the hill." The Hawes Church was situated so far from the western part of South Boston, that ma- ny persons of the Unitarian persuasion found it in- convenient or impossible to go over the hill to church. Accordingly they petitioned for an act of incorpora- tion, and the "BROADWAY UNITARIAN CHURCH AND SOCIETY " was duly organized on the 9th of June, 1845. The services were held in Pike Hall, over Briard & Breck's dry goods store on Broadway, between B and C streets.
About this time, Rev. Moses G. Thomas, who had been previously settled in Concord, N. H., began to preach for the Broadway Church, and on the 21st of May, 1846, he was duly installed Pastor of the Church. The sermon on the occasion was preached
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by Rev. E. S. Gannett, D. D. In April, 1846, the Society secured Lyceum Hall for a place of worship, and for some time occupied that spacious hall, which is capable of seating some seven hundred persons.
Among the pleasant incidents which have marked the history of this Church, may be mentioned a gift of the vessels suited to Baptismal and Communion services, and an elegant folio copy of the Holy Scrip- tures, from several gentlemen connected with the Hawes Place Church. Mr. Thomas, during his resi- dence in South Boston, was very active in visiting and assisting the poor, and was much beloved. In August, 1848, he received a call from the Second Unitarian Church in New Bedford, and accepted. The Church and Society very much regretted the loss of Mr. Thomas and his accomplished lady, and several valuable testimonials of affection were pre- sented to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas. Among other things was a beautiful diamond bed-quilt, bearing on each square the name of some one of his Church in South Boston.
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