USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Melrose > The history of Melrose, County of Middlesex, Massachusetts > Part 15
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
School services had been held in the Y. M. C. A. Rooms, as had the preaching services of the parish, with the exception of four, which were held in the City Hall, by permission of the Board of Aldermen.
While out of a church home, kind and generous offers of other societies, inviting the Church to hold its services in their meeting-houses, were received. Such was the case with the Universalist, the Baptist and the Methodist Societies. It should be recorded that the same kindly offers were tendered when the church was burned in 1869.
Great credit should be given to the building committee for its successful work; especially to its chairman, Mr. Franklin, for his energetic and unwearied effort in carrying these various improvements to a successful termination, and to the great satisfaction of all the members of the Melrose Orthodox Congregational Parish.
THE MELROSE HIGHLANDS CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. The first attempt to hold religious exercises at the Highlands was made in the spring of 1857, when Deacon Augustus Durant commenced a Sunday School in the Franklin Street School- house. This was discontinued when winter came, although a Bible class was taught by him through the following winter, which met at different houses. Soon after this
one of the most fortunate of things happened to the Highlands in the arrival of a gentleman of religious convictions and enthusiasm, with his bride. It were idle for us to speculate on what would have been done to care for the religious life of the people if they had not made their home in this place under the rocks; for in other hearts the question had been asked, "What shall we do?" But, having once taken up their abode here, a Church was a foregone conclusion. I need not tell you that this man was our venerable but youthful Deacon Joel Snow, and that the bride was his good wife. It was the twelfth day of October, 1859, when they came ; and now, for over twenty-seven years, they have been foremost in every good work.+
The Church here foreshadowed was organized in 1875. For some years previous to this preaching services had been fre- quently held; some were out of doors, generally at the arch- way embankment on Melrose Street, when pastors from the centre of the town officiated; and others in the loft of the
+ From Origin and Growth of
. the Religious Movement, at Melrose
Highlands, a sermon preached Nov. 1, 1886, by Rev. John G. Taylor.
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HISTORY OF MELROSE.
stable building then situated on the corner of Tremont and Franklin Streets, which came to be known as the "Highland Chapel;" the use of which had been given by Deacon George W. Chipman, who, in the fall of 1861, altered and furnished it for that purpose; fitting the lower story for a dwelling. In this chapel, not only these preaching services were held, but
TREMONT STRES
FRANKLIN .STREET.
BIRTHPLACE OF CHURCH.
regular weekly prayer meetings. Later, the Highlands Union Sunday School, formed February 21, 1869, with the names of forty-five persons as "charter members," and with Deacon Calvin N. Chapin, as its superintendent, met regularly in the chapel.
During these preliminary years, preaching services were .
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
continued quite regularly, the pulpit being mostly supplied by pastors from the centre of the town. Among others were Thomas J. Clithero and A. E. Higgins, students from the Boston Theological Seminary, the latter continuing until a few months before the Church was organized, which event took place September 29, 1875, with thirty-nine members; thirty- three by letter, and six on profession of faith; of the original members, twenty-one were Congregationalists, seven Method- ists, four Baptists, and one Lutheran; the entire membership represented fifteen different churches. Rev. D. Allen More- house, who had been supplying the pulpit for a few months, was installed as its first pastor, with a sermon by Rev. William H. Willcox, D. D., of Reading. A silver communion service was presented to the new Church by the Mystic Church of Medford.
In August, 1876, Mr. Morehouse resigned, and on Novem- ber 19, of the same year, Rev. John G. Taylor was installed as his successor. Very soon after this, Mr. Taylor began to agitate the subject of building a church edifice; and by dint of persistent effort and hard struggling, this worthy object was successfully accomplished. A building committee was ap- pointed, land bought on the corner of Franklin and Ashland Streets, ground broken April 25, 1878, the corner-stone laid September 13, 1879, and the church dedicated September 29, ISSO. Five years later a chapel was built, adjoining the church, the cost of the whole being $14,150. In 1883 Mr. Taylor went abroad for fourteen months, and Rev. Henry Bates officiated as pastor.
For nine years this young Church was nourished by the Massachusetts Home Missionary Society, which contributed to its running expenses. In a sermon preached by Mr. Taylor, January 9, 1887, he said:
We talk of ourselves now in the words of ten years ago, without thinking that we have bought a large lot of land, built two houses of worship, or a church and a chapel, relinquished a yearly income of $300 at first and $150 later from the Missionary Society, and received into the church since its organization, exclusive of the 39 original members, 112 persons, and since I began my work with you in Novem- ber, '76, 106 persons. In other departments of church work the growth has been correspondingly encouraging.
And a week later, in his Tenth Anniversary Sermon:
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HISTORY OF MELROSE.
When I first became acquainted with you, you were about fourteen months old, and had a membership of forty-five. Of this world's goods you had but very little, -only a small reed organ, and a few settees, and chairs, and lamps. It was primitive enough for the year 1620 at Plymouth. Underneath this hall in the loft lived a good woman, whose staunch piety was of more worth than any cornerstone of granite could be, and in one corner of the first floor was a room with a large window, in which were tempting bits of merchandise, and afterwards candies, and bread, and sweetmeats. No room in the House of Seven Gables could have been more worthy of the story- teller's pen. The stairway up which we climbed, like Pilgrims going up the hill which overlooks Plymouth Bay, landed us not far from a large stove, and just far enough from the side of the room to save our heads from bumping against the slanting roof. On the other side, the singers poured forth their feelings in good music, guiding a congrega- tion which had not lived long enough to forget how to sing; while in the north end, just under the gable window, the minister stood behind a pulpit which had been made out of an old school desk, draped in scarlet.
In July, 1892, the Church voted to become incorporated under the General Statutes, and by due process became a corporation, following which action the Melrose Highlands Congregational Society voted to transfer its property inter- ests and effects to the incorporated Church, which trust was accepted by vote of the Church, July 21, 1893. Mr. Taylor resigned March 30, 1893; soon after which a call was extended to Rev. Burke F. Leavitt; and after several weeks of con- sideration he accepted. He entered upon his duties October 15, 1893, and was installed November I. He had been pre- viously settled in the ministry in Portland, Chicago, and Oregon.
The Parish now grew so rapidly that it was found to be in straightened circumstances; and very soon after Mr. Leavitt was settled the building of a new church edifice was success- fully agitated. The old church was sold to George J. Bicknell, for the sum of $1,000, and moved across the street to the land where once existed the little Highland Pond, which had then been filled up. Soon after it was bought by the Shepard Manu- facturing Company, and is now used as the factory for its ex- tensive silver-ware business. Ground was broken for the new church edifice April 23, 1895, the corner-stone laid June 29, 1895, and it was dedicated January 2, 1896. It is a large, well
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
arranged building, having all the appointments of the modern church structure, and a seating capacity of 750. Its total cost was $21,689. A number of its stained-glass windows were given by Sabbath School classes; its organ by the ladies of the parish; and a fine toned bell, weighing 2,300 pounds, costing $350 was given by the Sabbath School.
The following figures, given at the fifth anniversary of the settlement of Mr. Leavitt, show not only a successful pastor- ate, but indicate the rapid growth of that portion of our town. During that period the new church was built; $28,259 raised for home expenses-twice as much as during the previous five
HIGHLANDS CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
years-and for benevolent objects $3,206, against $1,349 for the previous period; 237 members were added to the church, 117 on profession. Present number of members, 362.
The affiliated organizations of this Church are as follows: Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, Men's Chris- tian League, Women's Christian League, Young Men's Chris- tian League, Society of King's Daughters, and Junior Christian Endeavor Society.
Deacon Chapin continued as superintendent of the Sunday School for five years, when he resigned, and was succeeded by
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HISTORY OF MELROSE.
Florentine S. Shaw, for three years. Then Deacon William W. Mason was elected, when, having moved away, he was suc- ceeded in 1882, by Paul Hayward. He was succeeded in 1885, by Alfred Blanchard. In 1892, Deacon Mason having again become a resident of the Highlands, was again chosen superin- tendent, and was succeeded by the present superintendent, Walter H. Todd. Present membership of the School, including the home department is 580.
The deacons are: Angus MacDonald, Frederick A. Ellms, W. S. Fawcett, Richard Hicks, W. E. Stanley, Samuel Thurs- ton, Fred A. Houdlette and George W. Bears. Clerk, George W. Basford. Treasurer and collector, James W. Murray.
The Twenty-fifth Anniversary was celebrated by the Church, with services extending from September 28, to October 3, 1900, during which time an anniversary sermon was preached by the pastor, Rev. Burke F. Leavitt, an historical address by Rev. John G. Taylor, an address by Deacon Calvin N. Chapin, the first superintendent, an address by Rev. C. I. Scofield, and a banquet, with vocal and instrumental music freely interspersed throughout the exercises.
THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. In the year 1828, several members of the Methodist Episcopal Church became dissatis- fied with the form of Church government, left it, and formed themselves into a Protestant Methodist Church. They soon after purchased of the North Malden school district, the little, old, unpainted school-house, hereafter to be described, which stood near the corner of the old road, now Lebanon Street, and Upham Lane, now Upham Street. This they en- larged somewhat, and dedicated it as a place of worship in 1830. It then had seventeen members, and the first pastor was Rev. Thomas F. Norris.
More or less ill feeling and controversy had existed, and continued to exist, between this Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church, which was formed several years before this, and, in the process of time, and for some reason, no one knows why, this church building was stigmatized with the name of the " Duck Pen;" and that of the Methodist Episco- pal Church, at the junction of Green and Main Streets, as the "Cider Mill." The after history of the "Cider Mill" has been given in the sketch of the Methodist Episcopal Church; that of the " Duck Pen" in the sketch of the Melrose Ortho- dox Congregational Church.
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
In 1841, the Church having outgrown this little school-house structure, which had accommodated it since 1830, steps were taken, and a new edifice was built and dedicated. The little broadside containing the "Order of Exercises at the Dedi- cation of the First Methodist Protestant Church, Malden, (North), January 27th, 1842," announces the hymns, anthems, dedicatory prayer, sermon, etc., but gives no names of those who took the various parts.
For over a quarter of a century the Protestant Methodist Church maintained its organization, but not without a severe struggle and a considerable loss of membership. Meanwhile a number of Baptists had moved into North Malden; and Janu- ary 1, 1856, the First Baptist Church of Melrose, was organized with thirteen members of Baptist churches, and eight Protes- tant Methodists, that remained. This list of members was as follows:
Rev. Thorndike C. Jameson,
Caroline C. Bickford,
Mrs. Thorndike C. Jameson,
Lucy Randall,
Eliza J. Shelton,
Caroline Jones,
William B. Burgess,
Caleb Howard,
Ransom J. Norton,
Madeline S. Howard,
Mrs. Ransom J. Norton, Elizabeth Wood,
George Howard,
Addison Lane,
William Dix,
Clarissa Jackson,
Mrs. George Upham,
William Pierce,
Betsey Converse,
Cynthia Pierce,
William J. Farnsworth.
The only one of these original members now living is Addi- son Lane, now in his eighty-second year, and who for many years has been one of the deacons; and who was Superintend- ent of the Water Works for several years, and Collector of Taxes for five years.
The following is a copy of the vote passed by the Society previous to the formation of the Baptist Church:
Caleb Howard Addison Lane & W. J. Farnsworth Trustees of the First Methodist Protestant Society in Melrose in consideration of $400 paid by the first Baptist Society in Melrose and in pursuance of a Vote of said Methodist Protestant Society passed Sept. 3 A D. 1855 Quit Claimed to Baptist Society its Successors & assigns a certain piece of land with Meeting house subject to a Mortgage of $1200 to H. Ban- croft. Signed this Sept 8 1855 acknowledged Sept 10 Recd Sept 18 1855 Lib. 722 fol 356, 7.
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HISTORY OF MELROSE.
The Protestant Methodists continued their organization but for a short time, the town allowing them to meet in the old Engine House, recently removed from the northerly side of the Baptist Church, Rev. George Peirson acting as pastor.
At the time of the formation of the Baptist Church. the property consisted of the small church building erected in 1842, and the large lot of land on which it stood, at the corner of Main and Upham Streets; the Baptist Church assumed the
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
indebtedness then resting upon the property, a mortgage of $1,200, and, in addition, paid the Methodist Protestant Church, as per above vote, the sum of $400.
This building was used by the Baptist Church until 1873, when it was sold to the St. Mary's Catholic Church, removed to Dell Avenue, used by that Society until the new church was built on Herbert Street, since which time it has been known as Lyceum Hall.
The present brick church was erected in 1874, being dedi- cated with appropriate ceremonies November 17, of that year. It cost $20,000.
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
The list of pastors, and length of pastorates, is as follows:
Rev. Thorndike C. Jameson, from 1856 to 1858.
Rev. James Cooper, from 1858 to 1862.
Rev. Lewis Colby, from 1862 to 1864.
Rev. William S. Barnes, from 1864 to 1868.
Rev. James J. Peck, from 1869 to 1871.
Rev. Almond Barrelle, from 1871 to 1875. .
Rev. Napoleon B. Thompson, from 1875 to 1876.
Rev. Robert F. Tolman, from 1878 to 1886.
Rev. George A. Cleveland, from 1886 to 1893.
Rev. Joseph K. Wilson, from 1894 to 1898.
Rev. Augustus E. Scoville, from 1899.
The recognition services of the present pastor, Mr. Scoville, were held Tuesday evening, February 6, 1900, when addresses were made by Rev. John R. Gow, Prof. Charles R. Brown, Rev. Everett D. Burr, and our local pastors, Rev. William W. Hackett, Rev. David M. Lockrow, Rev. Thomas Sims, D. D. and Rev. Edwin C. Bolles, D. D.
The present membership of the Church is 450. Since its organization there have been 961 persons connected with the Church. The present deacons are Charles C. Barry, John E. Marshall, William H. Flanders, William S. Allen and Addison Lane; clerk, William A. Jepson; treasurer, Thomas D. Lock- wood; collectors, J. Walter Newhall and Roy D. Stafford.
The affiliated societies are the Social Circle, Baptist Young People's Union, Junior Baptist Young People's Union and the Woman's Missionary Society. The Sunday School was organ- ized forty-six years ago, in 1856. Its list of superintendents follows:
Caleb Howard, 1856. Rev. James J. Peck, 1869. Guy Lamkin, 1856-62. Moses Briggs, 1870-73.
F. W. A. Rankin, Jr., 1862-64. George M. M'Coy, 1873-78.
S. M. Tourtellot, 1864-66. Charles C. Barry, 1878-99;
William F. Paul, 1867. ( twenty-one years.) William N. Tyler, 1868. Carl B. Smith, 1899.
The present membership of the School is 480. In the near future this Church intends building a new church building, and it now has a fund on hand for that purpose amounting to $10,000.
THE FELLS BAPTIST CHURCH. Soon after the Boston Rub- ber Shoe Company's works were established, at the Fells
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HISTORY OF MELROSE.
Village, in 1882, where there then existed quite a population, members of the First Baptist Church began mission work in that district. A Sunday School was organized, and weekly religious services were held in a hall at the corner of Main Street and Goodyear Avenue, the property of the Boston Rubber Shoe Company, and which was built soon after the works were established, and has always been placed at the disposal of this religious movement, free of all charge. In this hall, also, the Converse School was kept, before the building of the Fells District school-house-the Converse School - on Washington Street.
The Fells Baptist Church was organized January 25, 1889, with twenty-six members. The first pastor was Rev. William WV. Hackett, who had officiated at the religious services for some time previous to the organization of the Church, and was installed February 1, 1889. He resigned November 30, 1890, and was succeeded February 1, 1891, by Rev. C. D. Swett, who remained until August 31, 1893. Rev. George A. Cleve- land was the pastor from November 5, 1893, until April 30, 1894; Rev. Wesley L. Smith, May 1, 1894, to May 31, 1897; and June 1, 1897, Rev. Mr. Hackett again became the pastor, and remained until April 30, 1900, when he was succeeded by Rev. D. C. Easton, who was installed June 2, following. He remained until May, 1901, and was succeeded by Rev. L. A. Cooney, who was installed October 6, 1901. The present membership of the Church numbers 83; and that of the Sunday School, which was formed soon after the Rubber Works were built, now numbers forty, with Norman B. Brown, as superin- tendent. The officers of the Church are: deacons, Norman B. Brown, Edwin White and Edwin B. Marshall; church clerk, Walter W. Wortman; treasurer, Lewis S. Munroe.
THE MELROSE HIGHLANDS BAPTIST CHURCH. For a num- ber of years, the Melrose Highlands has been increasing rapidly in population; and in the fall of 1893, it was found that quite a number of members of Baptist Churches were liv- ing there. A series of prayer-meetings were first held at the different residences, and soon a society was formed, and regu- lar services held in Rogers' Hall, on Franklin Street. The first sermon was preached October 22, by Rev. George A. Cleveland, of the First Baptist Church. Different pastors supplied the pulpit until March, 1894, when Rev. Bowley
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
Green was invited to become their pastor, and the Church was organized April 12, with thirteen members. Mr. Green was ordained November 21, 1894, but in the following April ten- dered his resignation, and accepted a call to the Worthen Street Baptist Church, Lowell. After two months a call was extended to Rev. Byron U. Hatfield of Georgetown, which was accepted; and he was installed August 2, 1895. During his pastorate the church edifice, on the corner of Day and Franklin Streets, was built and dedicated December 29, of that same year. It cost $9,000. In January, 1896, Mr. Hat-
MELROSE HIGHLANDS BAPTIST CHURCH.
field resigned, and in March a call was extended to Rev. C. E. Tullar, of Watertown, who accepted. He continued his work until April, 1898, when he resigned. The present pastor, Rev. David M. Lockrow, was installed November 3, 1898. The membership of the Church now numbers seventy-five; of the Sunday School 183, and Abner M. Saunders is its superintend- ent. The young people's society connected with the Church, is called the Baptist Young People's Union.
Several memorial windows were placed in this church when it was built. Through the efforts of D. Evans Caswell, of the "Humanitarian Chapel," situated nearly opposite the church,
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HISTORY OF MELROSE.
on Franklin Street, a handsome American Flag Window, orna- ments its eastern or chancel end. This is in memory of those soldiers who gave their lives for their country.5 A Grand Patriotic Concert was given in the hall of the Highland Club House, Wednesday evening, December 4, 1895, by which the necessary funds were raised, not only for this window, but for two others; one called the Queen Esther Window, in honor of the mothers, wives and daughters who gave their sons, hus- bands and brothers to their country; the other a Peace Window, placed in the vestibule, in honor of the sons and daughters of veterans of the service. Still another handsome window, containing a representation of Ruth, was presented by Dexter Pratt, as a memorial of his daughter, who died a few years ago.
Present officers: treasurer, John N. Underwood; clerk, Mrs. S. A. Pierce; collector, C. M. Huxford; deacons, Henry A. Jones, John A. McLean, Abner M. Saunders and Edwin T. Cone.
THE FIRST FREE BAPTIST CHURCH. During the year 1893, when there was but one church building in the Melrose High- lands, "a few earnest Christian people decided, after much prayer, to undertake a new work for God, and in the interest of the many unchurched and unsaved in the town." For nearly a year services were held in the old school-house on Franklin Street, as a mission. On January 1, 1894, Rev. George N. Howard became pastor, but the Church was not fully organized until February 5, of that year, when it was duly incorporated with thirty-five charter members.
Not long after this steps were taken toward the building of a church edifice. Land was purchased on the corner of Green and Farwell Streets, and the corner-stone of a building, of which Mr. Howard was the architect, was laid October 16, 1894, with appropriate ceremonies. Its plan is a unique one
5 Until the present year, 1902, Melrose had neither soldiers' mon- ument, tablet, or memorial hall. The only recognition the services of the "Boys in Blue," other than this memorial window, had received was the volume published in 1868, entitled: The Melrose Memorial: The Annals of Melrose in the Great
Rebellion of 1861-65. On August 2, 1902, a soldiers' monument which had been erected on the soldiers' lot in Wyoming Cemetery was dedicated. Further details are given in the chapter, "Military Or- ganizations," and in the account of "Old Home Week."
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
On the same floor with the auditorium, which with the two galleries accommodates an audience of over four hundred, is a lecture room seating one hundred persons, a fully equipped kindergarten room and a parlor.
The building was sufficiently advanced to allow of its occu- pancy by the parish April 7, 1895. During a portion of the previous time, from December to April, services were held in Eastman's Hall, on Main Street. The edifice was not wholly completed until January 8, 1899, at which time dedication ex- ercises took place, with an historical address by the pastor,
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MELROSE HIGHLANDS FIRST FREE BAPTIST CHURCH.
Rev. George N. Howard; a sermon by Rev. A. W. Anthony. of Lewiston, Maine, and other addresses.
Rev. Mr. Howard resigned February 14, 1902.
The present officers are: Levi W. Gilman, deacon; George C. Mower, clerk; Levi W. Gilman, treasurer.
The church contains several handsome memorial windows: One, "The Baptism of Christ, by John in the Jordan," in memory of Charles Dana and George Henry Lincoln; another, "The Sower," in memory of the fathers of Mr. and Mrs. Levi WV. Gilman. In the gallery, one from "The Stammerer's Friend;" and back of the altar, "Christ in Gethsemane."
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HISTORY OF MELROSE.
The total cost of land and edifice was $20,000. The Church has now a membership of one hundred and twenty-five. The Sunday School has one hundred members and the superin- tendent is John T. Hill. It has a library of four hundred vol- umes. The affiliated societies are The Young Men's League, Ladies' Aid Society, Faithful Workers, A. C. F. Society Senior, and the A. C. F. Society Junior.
THE FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH. The first preaching of the doctrine of Universalism on the territory now Melrose, was introduced in the manner described by the late Artemas Barrett, in an article written for the Melrose Fournal, as follows:
At the commencement of the war with England in 1812, a very bitter feeling existed between the two political parties known as the "Federalists " and " Republicans." While this feeling was at a high pitch, the Rev. Mr. Osgood, of one of the neighboring towns, made an exchange with the pastor of the Church at Malden, Rev. Aaron Green. Mr. Osgood preached a sermon strongly tinctured with Federalism, denouncing the Republicans as "war-hawkers," and calling them other hard names. After the service the Federalists were in high glee over the sermon. But this part of the town was Republican, almost to a man, and the sermon therefore caused offense. This rupture caused the Universalists (also the Methodists) to hold occasional ser- vices of their own here in a small. unpainted school-house on Lebanon Street. and the ministers they had were the Revs. Joshua Flagg, Edward Turner and Hosea Ballou.
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