USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Gardner > History of the town of Gardner, Worcester County, Mass., from the incorporation, June 27, 1785, to the present time > Part 44
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During the next three years, there was no stated preaching. But many of the society, remembering their rapid growth and prosperity, in the past, still cherished hopes for the future. Under the inspiration of these hopes, they went forward to carry into effect the idea of building a church. Land was given for the purpose by Mr. William S. Lynde, an aged gentleman and devoted friend of the society. A building committee, con- sisting of Ezra Osgood, Benjamin M. Carruth and Amos W. Goodnow, was chosen. The new edifice was completed, in the spring of 1874, and dedicated on the 26th of May, of the same year, Rev. T. E. St. John of Worcester, preaching the sermon. Dedicatory prayer was offered by Rev. J. V. Wilson of Brigh- ton, and Rev. E. Maguire of Fitchburg gave the address to the church and parish.
Rev. R. T. Sawyer was called, as pastor, shortly after the dedication of the church, and remained with the society for three years. Several members were added to the church while under his charge.
Rev. E. A. Read, the present pastor, commenced his labors with the church, the first of July, 1877.
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HISTORY OF GARDNER.
The society is at present united and prosperous. The names of one hundred families are upon the roll. Many of these are active, earnest workers. Since the formation of the church fifty-eight persons have been received into membership. The society has always recognized the value and influence of woman in its work, and justly so, for she has been its best ally. At an early date after the society's organization, the ladies, anxious to share the burden with their brothers and husbands, organized a social cirele, through which they have always worked with untiring zeal.
The Sabbath School was instituted shortly after the organiza- tion of the society, in 1864. From a small beginning it has grown to take its proper place, and do its share of religious work, for the children of the community. It has a library of over five hundred volumes.
The present valuation of church property, including a hall owned by the society, is about twelve thousand dollars. In 1877, a house costing nearly two thousand dollars, was erected for a parsonage, upon land belonging to the society and in close proximity to the church. This is owned by two members of the parish, who will hold it until the society is able to purchase it, at cost.
The following is a sketch of those who have served this church as pastors :--
Rev. Jacob Baker, who started and organized the society in 1864, was the acting pastor for two years.
Rev. Harrison Closson was the first settled pastor. He com- menced his labors in March, 1866, and continued with the peo- ple until the spring of 1871. He was born in Northampton, July 23d, 1828, was a member of the Edward's Church, from the age of fifteen years, until his conversion to Universalism. He was educated in the High School, in his native town, where he prepared for college. He afterwards took an independent course, in the classics, and gave three years to the study of Theology, with a clergyman. He was ordained over the Uni- versalist Church, in Oxford, in 1855. He is at present settled
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HISTORY OF GARDNER. ~
over the Universalist Church in Marblehead, where he has been pastor for seven years.
Rev. Royal Tyler Sawyer was called, as pastor, in the spring of 1874, and served the society for three years. He was born at Mt. Holly, Vt., April 25th, 1848. He received his early education at the common and High School, and commenced teaching at the age of sixteen. The following season, while act- ing as clerk in Worcester, Mass., and attending the Methodist Church, he became interested in religion. On returning to Vermont, he joined the Baptist Church of his native town. In the winter of '69-'70, by a careful study of the scriptures, he embraced the principles of Universalism and joined the Univer- salist Church in Chester, where he was ordained April 25th, 1871. His first settlement was in Cavendish, Vt., where he remained one year. He then went to Tufts Divinity School and graduated in 1873. The following winter he supplied the pulpit in Marlboro', N. H., and the next spring accepted the call from Gardner. He is settled at present in South New- market, N. H.
Rev. Ephraim A. Read, the present pastor, commenced his labors with the church, the first of July, 1877. He was born in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, in 1846. Received a common and grammar school education at home, and studied the languages in the Iligh School of his native town. He came to the United States in 1868, and entered Dean Academy, Franklin, Mass., where he remained about six months ; after- wards he entered St. Lawrence University, taking a full course in the Divinity School, from which he graduated in 1870. His first settlement was in Alstead, N. H., where he was ordained March 2d, 1871.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHI.
In reviewing the history of the Baptist Church, of this town, we have found it to be, in some sense, an outcome, in the per- son of Sullivan Jackson and others, of the First Congregational Church, then under the care of Rev. Jonathan Osgood. We
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- HISTORY OF GARDNER.
shall also find the same to be true of Methodism, which seems to have had its beginning in Mr. Samuel Stone, who early exhibited a preference for that form of worship. As has been stated, in the former part of this chapter, the law re- lating to religious societies, in the latter part of the last cen- tury, gave to every man the privilege of worshiping, with what- ever Christian denomination he preferred. It only required him to bring a certificate from the minister, or officers of the society where he worshiped, to the Town Clerk, who was then clerk of the First Parish, that he regularly attended the church of his preference, and freely contributed to its support. In accordance with this law, we find this certificate, upon the Town Records, vol. 1, page 290 :-
This may certify that Samuel Stone of Gardner, attends public worship with the Methodists, in Ashburnham, and freely contributes to the support of their ministry.
Signed in behalf of the society,
PHILLIP WAGER, Elder.
Gardner, February 15th, 1797. Attest, REUBEN HAYNES, Town Clerk. We also find upon the same page, the following :-
Gardner, in Massachusetts, March 20th, 1798.
To all whom it may concern: This is to certify that Simon Stone, of this town, attends the public worship of God, among the people called Methodists ; and contributes to the support of their ministry.
Signed in behalf of the society,
SMITH WEEKS, Minister.
Attest, REUBEN HAYNES, Town Clerk.
Whatever may have been the motives, leading Mr. Samuel Stone to withdraw from the First Congregational Church, we are not sufficiently well informed to state with certainty. It has been said, by those still living, who derived their informa- tion from those now dead, who were acquainted with the facts,
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HISTORY OF GARDNER.
that Mr. Stone withdrew from the church and parish through some personal disaffection toward the pastor. It appears, from the records of the First Church, that previous to April 14th, 1797, Mr. Stone and his wife Martha had requested a dismission, from the First Church, upon which, the church took action, which is recorded in the following words, bearing the above date :-
" After much conversation, and many observations being made, the church voted not to dismiss Samuel Stone and Martha Stone." May 4th, 1797, the church " Voted, That a letter be prepared and laid before the church, for its approba- tion, to send to Mr. Samuel Stone and his wife." May 19th, the church met, according to adjournment, to hear the letter prepared by the pastor, to be sent to Mr. Samuel Stone and wife. We quote this letter, of Mr. Osgood to Mr. Stone, in behalf of the church, as indicating the sorrow they experienced and the solicitude and carnest entreaty which they manifested on the departure, of any of their numbers, to other churches of Christ :-
To Mr. Samuel Stone and Mrs. Martha Stone :
We the church of Christ, in Gardner, feel ourselves grieved that you, members of our body by the most solemn covenant obligations, have broken off from us, without any sufficient grounds, and by so doing, our Divine Master is wounded in the house of his friends. We earnestly solicit you, as in the fear of God, duly to consider the motives, on which you act and whether they are such as will justify you, before that God, who searches the heart, or whether your conduct is not such as the apostle speaks of as causing divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned.
We are fully willing that all persons should enjoy the liberty of conscience, and are quite free, to hold communion with all regular churches of other denominations, differing from us, only in the non-essentials of Christianity, but, as you have broken off from us, in an irregular manner, we esteem it our duty to withdraw our watch and communion from you, but have
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HISTORY OF GARDNER.
still hope that you will perceive your error, and return to your duty. If you do this, we shall be fully willing and ready to receive and embrace you, as our brother and sister. In the name and behalf of the church.
JONATHAN OSGOOD, Pastor.
It is probable that about this time, the influence of the eccentric Lorenzo Dow, began to make itself felt, in this region, since we find the following entry in his journal of Oc- tober 22d, 1796 : " I spoke in Hardwick, to about four hundred people, thence to Petersham and Winchendon, to Fitchburg, and likewise to Notown, where God gave me one spiritual child. Thence to Ashburnham, where we had some powerful times." On his way from Winchendon to Ashburnham, he would naturally pass near the residence of Mr. Samuel Stone, who then lived upon what is now the town farm, and at whose house he may possibly have preached. That a Methodist society ex- isted, as early as the year 1800, in this town, is evident from the following record :---*
We, the subscribers, Henry Eames, public teacher of a society of the religious sect or denomination called Methodists, in the town of Gardner, and Ebenezer Richardson and Samuel Stone, committee of said society, do hereby certify that Simon Stone doth belong to the said society, and that he, as the case may be, frequently and usually, when able attends with us, in our stated meetings for religious worship, and doth contribute to the said preacher.
Done at Winchendon, September 5th, 1800.
HENRY EAMES, SAMUEL STONE, Committee.
Attest,
EBENEZER RICHARDSON, REUBEN HAYNES, Toun Clerk.
In 1826, Gardner was included in the Ashburnham circuit, then embracing Ashburnham, Winchendon, Northfield, Orange,
*Town Records, vol. 1, p. 332.
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HISTORY OF GARDNER.
Montague, Wendell, Royalston, Warwick, Athol, Templeton and Gardner. The preacher, then upon this circuit, was Rev. John E. Risley and the Presiding Elder, Rev. John Lind- say.
In 1827, quite an extensive revival occurred, in this town, originating in the southeast district, which, had its good effects, upon all parts of the town. The Baptist Society, which was formed this year, with Mr. Sullivan Jackson at its head, was greatly quickened, while it is said that the impulse of this re- ligious interest was perceptible, in the preaching of the pastor of the First Church and, in those to whom he ministered, causing the lines between Unitarianism and Orthodoxy, to be more closely drawn, and resulting probably, in the secession of the more Evangelical portion of that church in 1830.
The meetings, from which this interest spread, were held at the house of Mr. George Scott, whose name appears as one of the founders of the Baptist Society. It is said, a young Methodist girl, who had come from a neighboring town, to sojourn for a while, attracted considerable attention, by her singing of Methodist hymns, in these meetings, which served to draw the curious, to listen to her, who were thus interested in Spiritual matters.
Although the few Methodist people residing in Gardner, held services infrequently, and occasionally enjoyed preaching by ministers of their own denomination, they took no measures looking to the formation of a church, till the year 1869. In February and March, 1869, Rev. William P. Blackmer, then pastor of the Methodist Church, in East Templeton, preached a few sermons, in the Lower Town Hall. A committee was ap- pointed, and a paper circulated, upon which, money enough was soon subscribed, to make it reasonably certain, that preach- ing could be sustained, and a pastor was asked for. March 24th, 1869, the New England Conference appointed Mr. Black- mer to Gardner, which thus became again an appointment, in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Blackmer was born at Norwich, Conn., January 29th, 1830, and was licensed to
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HISTORY OF GARDNER.
preach at North Brookfield, Mass., December 8th, 1854. He was Captain of the 13th Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteers. The church was formally organized July 3d, 1869, by Rev. Loranus Crowell, the Presiding Elder of Worcester District, with a membership of eighteen and a Sunday School of fifty.
In April, 1870, Rev. W. M. Hubbard was appointed to this church, to which he ministered successfully for three years. Mr. Hubbard was born in Unadilla, N. Y., in 1816. He was licensed to preach at Hatfield, Mass., in 1849. Up to the date of Mr. Hubbard's pastorate, the church was without a place of worship of their own. Such was their growth, however, that a church edifice was demanded, for the procuring of which, the members of the church and their friends, devoted their utmost energies. Mr. Lewis H. Graham donated a site, for a church, on West Street. In the early summer, of the same year, there was erected, upon this spot, a Chapel, which was eighty by fifty feet, which was dedicated September 14th.
In April, 1873, Rev. Daniel Atkins became the pastor of this church, where he continued for three years. Mr. Atkins was born at Truro, Mass., August 16th, 1824, and was licensed to preach at Gloucester, Mass., January 18th, 1851.
In April, 1875, Rev. Seth C. Carey received the appointment to this church, to which he ministered for three years. Mr. Carey was born in Hebron, N. Y., June 1st, 1838 ; and was licensed to preach at Hebron, N. Y., in 1865. He graduated at the School of Theology of Boston University, in 1869. He was, for three years, in the union army, from 1862 to 1865, with the rank of 2d Lieutenant, 1st Lieutenant and Adjutant. He was in ten battles, besides skirmishes. During the ministry of Mr. Carey the need of enlarged accommodations, began to force itself upon the attention of the people, and the building of a new church, became a question of duty. In the summer of 1876, a member of the church presented the society one of the most eligible lots on Chestnut Street. This was accepted, and September 20th, ground was broken for a new church edifice fifty by eighty feet, with a spire one hundred and thirty
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HISTORY OF GARDNER.
feet in height. The church has a seating capacity of six hundred. It is of wood and is a model of neatness, convenience and sin- plicity. It was dedicated August 9th, 1877, Bishop Randolph S. Foster, of Boston, preaching the dedicatory sermon. The organ, bell and tower-clock, were presented by members of the church and friends of the society. The entire cost of the church, including land and furnishings, was a little less than thirteen thousand dollars.
The present pastor, of this church, is Rev. William D. Bridge, who was born in Duxbury, Mass., February 23d, 1840. He grauated at Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn., July 20, 1861. He was licensed to preach at Middletown, Conn., February 15th, 1861. Since its commencement, in 1869, this church has enjoyed a steady growth. Its membership, is actively devoted to the legitimate objects of church work. Its pastors have ever been diligent and faithful, in their calling, and have all had the satisfaction of seeing their work prospering under their hand. With their present church accommodations, the Methodists in this place, have a reasonable prospect of success, in view of which, they have great reason to rejoice and take courage,
We have sought to give, in this chapter, a faithful chrono- logical delineation of each religious church and society, accord- ing to the facts which we have been able to obtain. We take pleasure in recording our gratification, that Gardner is so abun- dantly supplied with church accommodations at the present time. May the zeal and devotion of the fathers, continue to live in their children ; " that our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth ; that our daughters may be as corner stones, pol- ished after the similitude of a palace."
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