USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Lexington > History of the town of Lexington, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, from its first settlement to 1868, Volume I > Part 37
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Rev. Theodore H. Dorr, having received and accepted a call, was publicly installed pastor of the church and society, July 2, 1845. Mr. Dorr continued his pastoral relations with the parish for four years, when he asked dismissal on the
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ground of inadequate support. He closed his labors August 1, 1849.1
On the 7th of November, 1849, Mr. William F. Bridge was ordained pastor of the society. In 1852, Rev. Mr. Bridge ten- dered his resignation, and his connection was dissolved. He was a son of Josiah and Eunice (Morse) Bridge, of Lancaster, and grandson of Rev. Josiah Bridge, who was born in Lexing- ton, 1739, and settled at East Sudbury, now Wayland. William F. Bridge was born February 15, 1821, and gradu- ated at Harvard College in 1846. In settling at Lexington he in a manner came back to the parental hearthstone.2 After leaving Lexington, he was settled at Dublin, New Hampshire.
Mr. Bridge was their last settled minister. After the close of his ministry, Rev. E. P. Crafts, Rev. Caleb Stetson,3 and others, were employed temporarily. About the commence- ment of 1863, the Second Congregational Society and the Universalist made an arrangement by which the two societies were to unite for the support of public worship, the desk to be supplied by the joint action of their respective committees. After acting together about two years, they petitioned the Legislature to be united. Their prayer was granted, and by an act passed March 30, 1865, they were made one corpora- tion, under the name of "THE CHURCH OF THE REDEEMER."
The act of the Legislature uniting the two parishes being accepted by them respectively, they at once organized under their charter, disposed of the house formerly occupied by the Universalist Society, and made thorough repairs and an enlargement of the house formerly occupied by the Second Congregational Society. Before the legal union, they had em- ployed Rev. William T. Stowe as their preacher, and he being highly acceptable to them, was continued as pastor of the new organization. Mr. Stowe came to Lexington from Brat- tleboro, Vermont, where he had been preaching to the Uni- versalist Society. 4
THE BAPTIST SOCIETY. - The origin of this society is thus given by one of its pastors. For more than half a century there have been a greater or less number of Baptist professors
1 See Genealogy. (Vol. II. Ed.)
2 See Bridge family in the Genealogy. (Vol. II. Ed.)
3 See illustrations. Ed.
4 See Genealogy. (Vol. II.) For the later history of this church see Chap. XVI., infra. Ed.
REV. OLIVER A. DODGE
REV. CHARLES M. BOWERS, D.D.
REV. IRA LELAND
REV. JOHN PRYOR, D.D.
REV. LEONARD B. HATCH
Past Pastors of the Baptist Church
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in Lexington; in 1781, most of them became connected with a Baptist church formed in West Cambridge. But little inter- est was manifested till 1817, when several united with churches in other towns. In 1824, the ordinance of baptism by immersion was first administered in Lexington. In 1830, meetings were commenced in town. In 1833, Rev. T. P. Ropes removed to the place and performed the duties of pastor. During the same year their meeting-house was erected and a church constituted, consisting of twenty-one members. In January, 1835, Rev. O.A. Dodge,1 having previously received and accepted a call, was publicly ordained and set over the society. Under his ministry the society was prosperous and a considerable accession was made to the church. Mr. Dodge died May 18, 1840. The church records contain this tribute to his memory: "To a mind naturally shrewd, penetrating, and highly cultivated, he added a warm-hearted piety and an unwavering activity. Beloved by the church and respected by all, he died universally lamented."
After the death of Mr. Dodge, Mr. C. M. Bowers 1 ac- cepted a call, and was ordained, September 9, 1841. Some dissension arising in the society, in February, 1846, Rev. Mr. Bowers resigned his pastoral care, and was succeeded by Rev. Ira Leland,1 who commenced his labors for the parish in the autumn of 1847. Mr. Leland's connection with the soci- ety continued ten years, when it closed at his own request. He was a faithful pastor and a valuable citizen, having for several years the principal charge of the schools in the town. Before the settlement of Mr. Dodge and at several intervals between their settled ministers, Rev. T. P. Ropes had sup- plied their pulpit. Since the close of Mr. Leland's ministry they have had no permanent pastor, Rev. Mr. Clark and Rev. Mr. Savage laboring with the parish, each for a short time only.2
THE FIRST UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY. - It appears from their records that the constitution or by-laws of this society were adopted, April 20, 1845. But it is obvious that they had a partial organization at an earlier period and had for years supported public worship, at least a portion of the time.
1 See illustrations. Ed.
2 See Proc. Lex. Hist. Soc., Vol. IV, pp. 158 and 164. Two papers read at the seventy-fifth anniversary of the founding of the church October 4, 1909. For the later history of this church see Chap. XVI, infra. Ed.
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Their meeting-house was erected as early as 1840. Rev. James M. Usher commenced preaching for them before their meeting-house was erected and continued their pastor about five years. After leaving Lexington he became engaged in business in Boston as a bookseller and publisher. His resi- dence was in Medford. He was considerably in public life, and occupied a seat in the State Senate several years.
After Mr. Usher closed his labors with the society, Rev. C. H. Webster became their pastor and remained with them about two years. He was succeeded by Rev. W. B. Randolph, whose ministry lasted about three years. In 1849, Rev. J. A. Cooledge was settled over the society and remained with them about four years.1 The parish being feeble, their house was closed the greater part of the time from 1859 to 1865. In 1865 this society united with the Unitarian Society in the East Village, and employed preachers of each sect, till they agreed upon Rev. Mr. Stowe. Being united upon him and finding themselves more nearly allied in doctrinal views than they had formerly imagined, these societies took the wise step of giving up their former organizations, became one body, and secured the labors of Rev. Mr. Stowe, as we have already seen.
1 See Genealogy. (Vol. II. Ed.)
CHAPTER XVI
ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS (continued)
First Congregational Society - Pastorate of Rev. Henry Westcott - Rev. C. A. Staples's Ministry of Twenty-three Years - Installation of Rev. J. M. Wilson - Changes in the Church Building - Church Organizations - First Baptist Church - Ministry of Rev. John Pryor - Colonel Conwell's Pastorate - His Successors - New Edifice - Church Organizations - Second Congregational (Follen) Church - Ministry of Rev. W. C. Gannett - Succeeding Ministers - The Roman Catholic (Saint Bridget's) Church - Early Days - Pastorate of Rev. P. J. Canny - Succeeding Priests - Church Building - Father Harkins and his Successors - Hancock Congregational Church - The Founding - Ministry of Rev. E. G. Porter - Erection of a New Church - Pastorate of Rev. Irving Meredith - Installation and Ministry of Rev. C. F. Carter - Church Organizations - Installation of Rev. G. E. Martin - Church of Our Redeemer (Protestant Episcopal) - Founding - Building of the Church - Rectors and Church Officers - Christian Science Society - Organization.
THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY.1 - The Rev. Henry Westcott 2 was installed minister of the First Congre- gational Society in 1867. He was born at Warwick, Rhode Island, October 30, 1831, and began his education in the schools of Warwick, from which he entered Greenwich Acad- emy, and thence passed to Brown University, and was grad- uated in 1853. Mr. Westcott was a good student, especially in mathematics and the sciences, and was highly esteemed among his college mates. He was an enthusiastic lover of. music and played both the flute and the organ. These accom- plishments, with his genial nature, made him a welcome and useful member of every social group with which he became familiar.
His early religious training had been received in the Bap- tist Church at Warwick, but while he was in college he lived with an uncle who was a Unitarian and a member of the First Church of Providence, whose minister was the eminent Dr. F. H. Hedge. Under these influences young Westcott gradually gave up his first theological beliefs and became a Unitarian before he left college. Directly after graduation he
1 For the preparation of this material the Committee is under obligation to the Rev. John Mills Wilson. Ed.
2 See illustrations. Ed.
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HISTORY OF LEXINGTON
worked for two years as a civil engineer in the building of railroads, and for two years more he taught mathematics in a private school at Cincinnati. Then he decided upon the ministry as his lifework and went to Harvard Divinity School for four years. Thereafter he served successfully as pastor of Unitarian churches at Barre, West Dedham, Lexington, Melrose, and Malden.
Mr. Westcott's ministry in Lexington was eminently useful and important during all its term of fourteen years. During most of this period, besides maintaining the regular Sunday service, he served as Superintendent of the Sunday School, besides having an active share in the management of the choir and in the oversight of the church music. In 1871, he induced the Society to build a vestry and social room adjoin- ing the church building in the rear. This was undertaken and accomplished along with considerable repairs upon the main building itself. These improvements cost six thousand dol- lars, and not only was this sum soon collected, but in addition a church debt of two thousand dollars that had accumulated in the years preceding Mr. Westcott's settlement was paid.
Upon the approach of the centennial of the Battle of Lex- ington, April 19, 1875, Mr. Westcott preached several his- torical sermons which were afterwards printed because of their striking interest and importance. He was chaplain for the exercises on the morning of the centennial observances. He was greatly interested in the project of establishing a public library in Lexington and was chief among those who gathered the first collection of books for public distribution. This small collection was the basis of the Cary Library. Mr. Westcott was the first Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Cary Library and held this position until he left Lexington. It was largely due to his interest in books and his sound, edu- cated judgment through those earlier years of the library that a well-balanced and intelligently chosen collection was satis- factorily begun.
As a preacher he was apt and timely in his themes, and his sermons show a wise understanding of life and a genuine con- cern for contemporary affairs. They are characterized by simplicity and clearness of thought and expression; and his style is pervaded by a quiet elevation of feeling, not rising into eloquence, but giving the impression of sincerity. His influence was genuinely quickening to the better life of the
FIRST PARISH CHURCH (Unitarian)
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people, and his work in the pulpit was efficiently supple- mented by his services as pastor which disclosed his broad, tender, and sympathetic nature. He resigned his pastorate July 1, 1881, to assume the care of two parishes, Malden and Melrose, and died in Melrose, July 14, 1883.
The Rev. Carlton A. Staples 1 followed Mr. Westcott and was installed October 31, 1881. Mr. Staples was born at Mendon, Massachusetts, March 30, 1827, and was educated in the public schools of Mendon, at Worcester and Uxbridge Academies, and at the Bridgewater Normal School. He was a teacher for three years in the grammar school of Water- town. He prepared for the ministry at Meadville Theological School, where he was graduated in 1854. He was ordained and installed as minister of the Meadville Unitarian Church, where he remained until 1857. From 1857 to 1861 he was the colleague of Rev. W. G. Eliot at St. Louis; during 1861-62 he was chaplain in the Union Army. Thereafter followed pas- torates at Milwaukee, 1862-68; over the Third Unitarian Society, Chicago, 1868-72; over the First Church, Provi- dence, Rhode Island, 1872-81.
Mr. Staples's ministry of twenty-three years, ending with his death in 1904, was the third longest term of service in the history of the First Congregational Society, standing next to that of the Rev. Jonas Clarke, 1755-1805. This long pastor- ate of Mr. Staples had the advantage of coming at the period of his life when his whole nature had been enriched and ma- tured by twenty-seven years of varied experience in five churches and one year as an army chaplain. So that from the start almost to the end he was able to give the best of himself, in the wisdom of counsel and of religious faith well tried by the uses and demands of actual human needs. His influence in the church was deeply and widely felt and gratefully and affectionately recognized.2
The years of his ministry were coincident with marked social changes in the town life, which was passing gradually from the condition of an old-fashioned rural New England village to that of the more self-conscious and ambitious style of a metropolitan suburb. Through this inevitable alteration of outward life his presence and influence were steadily en-
1 See illustrations. Ed.
2 See The Voice of the Parish, a pamphlet published by the Society after Mr. Staples's death. Ed.
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HISTORY OF LEXINGTON
gaged in teaching and enforcing simplicity. He was sturdy and outspoken in all his preaching and in his criticism of the needless artificialities and luxury of modern life, and urgent in his appeals for benevolent enterprises. He was especially concerned for practical church unity, for as much fellow- ship between the churches of the town as could be happily realized; and because of his cordial recognition of the work of other religious bodies, he won general regard and affection.
In the town life aside from church activities, Mr. Staples also left enduring traces of himself, as, for example, through his exceptional interest in the history of Lexington. This is amply shown on the records of the town and in the printed proceedings of the local Historical Society, where the gather- ing and preservation of many significant facts of early local history are seen to have been a foremost activity of his life. The Hancock-Clarke House has been rightly called his monu- ment, so largely was it due to him that it stands near its original site, restored and filled with things closely associated with the American Revolution. As preacher, townsman, local historian, warm-hearted supporter of all charities, and friend of all good causes, the Rev. Carlton A. Staples surely made a most notable success of his life; and a rich share of all that he was and did is inwrought with the welfare of the First Congregational Society.
After an interval of eight months from the death of Mr. Staples, his successor, the Rev. John M. Wilson, was installed May 10, 1905. Mr. Wilson was called from the First Unita- rian Society of Fall River, Massachusetts. The seven years of his Lexington pastorate, by the generous and hearty support and appreciation of his people, have been happy and fruitful. The chief event in this ministry has been the enlargement and complete renovation of the vestry and supper room to make the many social activities of the church life easier and pleasanter. The greatly increased social uses of the church in recent years may be measured by observing that the society has five active auxiliary organizations, the Sunday School, the Women's Alliance, the Fraternity of Young People, and two Lend-a-Hand Societies, each with its own meetings, luncheons, and general social gatherings.
To meet satisfactorily this growing social resort to the church, the need of better conveniences and accommodations
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was recognized. At the annual parish meeting of April, 1908, plans were presented for increasing the size of the vestry and supper room some twenty feet by extending the building. This was to secure greater floor space in vestry and supper room, and a new and larger platform in the vestry with two anterooms leading from it. The plans included also a new kitchen and pantry, with the best conveniences, enlarged staircases and vestibule, a heating apparatus to serve both the church and vestry, and an entrance protected by a porte- cochère. It is surely a noteworthy sign of the vigor of the society that this work was determined upon, all the plans made, accepted, and carried out more extensively than at first was considered necessary, all in less than a year. Best of all, although the total cost exceeded twelve thousand dollars, the greater part of this was raised before the annual meeting of April, 1909, and at this date, April, 1912, the balance of debt incurred for these improvements has been fully paid.
The new vestry and supper room were formally opened and dedicated Thursday evening, October 29, 1908, with exercises conducted by the minister; and addresses were made by Mr. George O. Whiting, for the Building Committee, and Mr. Alonzo E. Locke, for the Parish Committee. The Sunday School met for the first time in the new vestry on Sunday, November 1, 1908.
These alterations and enlargements were the third con- siderable improvements in the meeting-house of the First Congregational Society. The building was erected in 1847 and was finished and dedicated February, 1848. In the early part of Rev. Henry Westcott's ministry, 1871, a vestry was added to the main structure. Again in 1897-98, during Mr. Staples's pastorate, a new three-manual organ was installed, no longer in the gallery in the rear of the auditorium, where the organ had hitherto been, but at the opposite end of the church behind the pulpit. This organ gave beauty to the interior of the church, and has been a delight by its sweetness and impressiveness of tone. This change compelled the re- moval of some front pews, since the pulpit had to be moved forward into the audience room to provide a place for the choir. Finally, in 1908, the enlargements and renovations already described have so fitted the meeting-house for worship and social service and so completed its outward attractiveness that it is commonly spoken of as a fine example
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of New England church architecture, charming in its sim- plicity and modest beauty.
Nine ministers of this church were graduated at Harvard in the years given, as follows: Benjamin Estabrook, 1690; John Hancock, 1689; Ebenezer Hancock, 1728; Jonas Clarke, 1752; Charles Briggs, 1815; William G. Swett, 1828; Jason Whitman, 1825; Leonard J. Livermore, 1842; John M. Wil- son, 1890, exactly two hundred years after the first minister. Avery Williams was graduated at Dartmouth in 1804, and afterwards studied Theology at Princeton Theological Semi- nary. Henry Westcott was graduated from Brown in 1853, and from Harvard Divinity School, 1860. Nahor A. Staples and Carlton A. Staples were both graduates of Meadville Theological School. This record clearly shows that this soci- ety has always strongly favored a well-trained and broadly educated ministry.
The first Sunday School in Lexington was established in connection with this parish by Rev. Charles Briggs in 1829. It has had a continuous and vigorous existence since that time and has been always an important reënforcement to the church life. Its work has been for twenty years past supple- mented and extended into the years of young manhood and womanhood by the Guild, or Young People's Society. This society has done excellent service, in spite of unavoidable fluctuations of interest, and has actively aided in maintaining loyalty to the church among the young people and inspiring attachment to the principles and practice of the good life. The present successor to the Guild is known as the First Parish Fraternity, and is affording a welcome means for the expression of social and idealistic interests among the young people.
Another active auxiliary society which steadily gains in strength and usefulness every year is the Lexington Branch of the Women's Alliance. It is the successor of a former or- ganization called the Sewing Circle. Its activities are both local and denominational in their scope. It endeavors to serve the interests of the local church in whatever way may offer, to help in raising funds for special needs, as well as to further the liberal movement in religion by contributions of money to struggling churches and by other effective cooperation.
A quite remarkable story of benevolent service is to be found in the secretary's report at the twenty-fifth anniver-
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sary of the Lexington Lend-a-Hand Society. In a wide va- riety of ways this useful society of women has devoted itself for a quarter of a century to gathering many thousands of dollars and distributing them in private, unrecognized bene- ficences, as well as to numerous institutions, educational and benevolent, and also to meet the special exigencies of great disasters, like the earthquakes at Charleston and San Fran- cisco. Associated with this, a second group of younger women called the Unity Lend-a-Hand Society has for some years done a similar work, increasing the charitable and practical influences centred in the church, and giving youthful energy and womanly interest to remedy and lessen personal and social misfortune. Indeed, it has long been a chief trait of the First Congregational Society to concern itself with active benevolence in the town and beyond its limits.1 The con- stancy of its high religious influence for the two hundred and twenty years of its history, with its successive forms of practical effort to diminish suffering, poverty, and disease, make a noble record of serviceableness to the community highly honorable to its many faithful adherents of the past and present and to the spiritual and moral leadership of its ministers. Especially notable among much devoted service
1 The church possesses a valuable collection of Communion Silver presented by or in memory of the following persons on the dates affixed: -
One cup by Deacon Samuel Stone, 1715.
One cup by Mr. William Reed, Jun., 1716.
One cup by Mr. Samuel Haugh, 1727.
One cup by Messrs. David Fiske and Philip Russell, 1732.
One cup in memory of Rev. Ebenezer Hancock.
One cup by Messrs. Matthew Bridge and Thomas Meriam, 1745.
One cup by Capt. Samuel Stone, 1752.
One cup in memory of Joseph Bowman, Esq., 1755.
One cup by Deacon Joseph Brown, 1759.
One cup by Mr. Richard Arms, 1763.
Two cups by Thomas Hancock, Esq., 1764.
One cup by Mr. Isaac Stone, 1765.
One cup by Francis Bowman, Esq.
One tankard in memory of Mrs. Rachel Butterfield.
On the 10th of May, 1846, the silver having been brought before the parish, it was voted to give to Follen Church of E. Lexington five cups, including those pre- sented by Joseph Brown, Samuel Haugh, and Samuel Stone, and two cups marked "L. C."
March 3, 1859, some new silver was purchased and three unused cups were made into a tankard.
September 19, 1719, two cups were purchased.
This silver was exhibited in the great display of old New England Church Silver at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 1911-12.
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from members of the parish is that of Mr. George O. Davis, with a record of thirty-seven years as Parish Clerk.
THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. - As already noted, the pulpit for a number of years after the resignation of Rev. Mr. Leland was supplied by ministers temporarily engaged. In the early '70's, however, the Rev. John Pryor, D.D.,1 was settled over the society and remained with them for a period of about ten years, when he resigned. During his pastorate a notable fair was held, in June, 1875, by means of which an onerous debt was discharged and necessary repairs to the church building made.
In 1880, a committee appointed to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Dr. Pryor invited Colonel Russell H. Conwell, noted as a lawyer and lecturer, to preach for a single Sunday. So successful was he that he determined to give up the law and to embrace the ministry, to which he had been ordained in 1879. In the following year he was regularly installed over the society. Not only did Colonel Conwell fill the pews every Sunday with his unusual eloquence, but he brought many into the church, by letter and by baptism. Moreover, he began at once to urge important and extensive repairs and improvements, he himself taking active personal part in the digging and the joinery. During eighteen months over $8000 was raised. In 1882, Colonel Conwell received a call to the Grace Baptist Church, Philadelphia, and six years after going there he established Temple College, of which he has been president, as well as pastor of the Baptist Temple, ever since.2 Following Colonel Conwell, the successive pas- tors have been: Revs. C. L. Rhoades (1883), M. Bartlett (1884-85), L. B. Hatch, D.D.3 (1886-91), A. E. Woodsum (1892-95), J. H. Cox (1895-1901), F. A. Macdonald (1902- 07), and Samuel Knowles (1907-). May 15, 1901, the old edifice was burned and in the following year the present building was erected. Beginning in 1897, afternoon services have been held - with occasional cessations - in various halls in East Lexington.
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