USA > Maine > A history of the Baptists in Maine; together with brief notices of societies and institutions, and a dictionary of the labors of each minister > Part 4
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*The relation that Dea. Jewett sustained to the welfare of this church, and to the cause of God, forbid in justice that he should be forgotten. Dea. J. was born in Hollis, N. H. Feb. 11, 1758, became a resident in Cornich, Me.
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communion furniture of the church were consumed by fire, and in a few weeks the church was disbanded. There were however many pious souls in Cornish, who soon com- menced holding meetings for the worship of God; but be- ing much divided in opinions as regards gospel discipline, they were considerably perplexed what measures to adopt, in which a general union could be felt, and a harmonious co-operation could be enjoyed. May 15th, 1834, at one of these meetings, five brethren being present, it was agreed, that they dispense with the Articles of Faith and Covenant, as held by the old church, and that they take the New Testament for their rule of faith and practice, allowing each member belonging to the union thus formed to fix his own rule of faith and practice, according to his best under- standing of the sacred scriptures. Measures were immedi-
ately taken to bring all the Baptists in Cornish into fellow- ship upon this plan. The plan did not succeed so well as the projectors of it anticipated. Here they were still divided among themselves, and rejected by the Association as a church, and lost to the denomination, beyond all hope of recovery. A committee composed of Elders Roberts, Seavey, Littlefield, Hubbard and A. Clarke, raised by the Association in 1835, visited them, who, after much prayer- ful investigation and consultation, gave the right hand of fellowship to four males and twelve females, as a church of Christ, which has since been uniformly blessed with union and prosperity. Eld. Remick is still living as a member of this church, and has, during this long day of darkness and trial preached to them, as often as the infirmities of age would allow him the privilege. The church is now blessed with the pastoral efforts of Rev. J. Hubbard, jr., who was
1798, and soon became a member of the Baptist church, and remained a worthy member and pillar in it till his death, Oct. 10, 1839. He had pious parents, and was supposed to have experienced religion at the age of 14 ; but he did not profess his hope in Christ immediately. He at first united with the Congregational church in Durham, N.H. He was baptized by T.Remick.
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WESTERN DISTRICT FROM 1784-1800.
ordained among them in 1843 ; and shows a total of seven- ty members. It is now alive to the various objects of benevolence. Joseph Chadborne and Stephen Pearce were its deacons in 1841 .*
FRYEBURG. It appears from the best accounts we can find, that there was a church in Fryeburg as early as 1787, of which Eld. L. Richardson was pastor ; and that for sev- eral years flourished in common with its neighbors. It continued to maintain its progress and a connection in the Association till about 1805, when it disappeared as a church. It then showed as a total of members eighty-three. By the circumstance that the churches, Cornish, Limerick and Limington, received large additions in 1806, of which no account is reported, we conclude that the church in Fryeburg was disbanded, and most of the members united in those churches, and Eld. Richardson became a member in the church in Cornish. This seems to us most probable, although we have no certain evidence that this was the fact. This we know, that there was a church in Fryeburg, at a very early period, and that it was lost to the York Associa- tion in 1805, and that those churches in the vicinity did receive in 1806, large additions, of which no account as to the manner of reception, is given in their returns to the Association that year.t
PARSONSFIELD. A church was gathered in Parsonsfield about the year 1792, and Levi Chadborne became its pastor. In 1793 the labors of Eld. C. were extended into Limerick and Newfield, and additions to the church in Parsonsfield were made from those settlements. The brethren in Limer- ickį were recognized as a branch church, and the members in Newfield becoming nearly equal in number to those in P., the church was called 'Parsonsfield and Newfield,'§
*Com. Mark Pearce, ch. clk .- Min. Y. A.
· #See his. of Lim. §Min. Y. A. 1807.
+Min. Y. A.
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WESTERN DISTRICT FROM 1784-1800.
and retained this name till 1807, when the church in New- field was organized. Eld. Chadborne was pastor of this church till about the year 1805, which was a period of un- usual prosperity to the church, as the number of members when his labors closed, evince; that number being one hundred and eighty-eight. The Congregationalists began to make exertions in Parsonsfield in 1791, and organized a church 1795, under the pastoral care of Rev. Mr. Rolfe, but their prosperity was much less than the Baptists.
Mr. Chadborne was succeeded by Wentworth Lord, who became an early member in the church ; was ordained an evangelist in 1803, and became pastor 1806, discharged the duties of the office till about 1830, when age and in- firmity required that he should have the assistance of a junior pastor, and remained the senior pastor in the church till 1835.
Mr. Lord was eminently useful as a pastor of this church and to the Baptist cause in its vicinity. While the senior pastor, he was assisted by the ministry of Rev. S. Tyler, Parker L. Fogg, and Wm. N. SIason ; and was succeeded by Charles H. Green, ordained 1838, who was a blessing to the church till 1842, when he resigned his charge. From 1806 to 1828, the church, although encouraged by frequent additions, yet by large dismissions, it sustained a net loss of one hundred and sixty members. The scale of prosper-
ity now turned more favorable; and from 1828 to 1836, it received a net increase of sixty-five members. A brighter day began to dawn upon the church in 1838, than had been experienced since its early prosperity. Although diminished by the dismission of about twenty of its mem- bers to constitute a second church in town, the settlement of Mr. Green as pastor, encouraged their perseverance ; and in 1839 the church received the cheering additions of fifty by baptism. This church is situated in the centre of
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the town, and is accommodated with a neat and convenient house of worship, and is able to support a pastor. . Present number of members, eighty-two .*
LIMERICK. As early as 1793, a few Baptist members resided in Limerick, and constituted a branch church to the church in Parsonsfield, over which Rev. Levi Chad- borne then presided, and by whose occasional labors the Baptists in Limerick originated. The influence of the pa- rent church, and the efforts of their pastor, tended to increase their number. In October 1796, a church was organized in Limerick, composed of twenty-five members, and Ebenezer Kingman was ordained pastor a short time after its organization. Eld. Kingman was pastor eleven years, during which the church saw days of prosperity, and a net increase of thirty-eight. After his resignation, the church was destitute of a pastor eight years; and though favored with preaching most of the time, yet the church sustained a net loss in this period of thirteen members. Since 1815, the church has had several pastors, but not in immediate succession. Rev. Willard Glover, from 1827, two years ; Rev. Joshua Roberts, from 1832, two years ; Rev. Noah Hooper, from 1837, two years; Josiah H. Til- ton, ordained pastor in April 1840.
Thomas Paul, Benjamin Paul, Jotham Day, Ezra Tomb, Atherton Clark, Alvan Felch, and Obed Walker, have gone forth from this church into the gospel field, to preach Christ to their fellow-men .¿
BUXTON. This place was at first called 'Narragansett No. 1,' and was settled between the years 1740 and '50; and when there were but twenty families, Rev. Mr. Coffin, a Congregationalist, began to preach among them, whose
*Min. Y. A. tA Congregationalist church was organized in Limerick in 1795. Like the Baptist church, it remained small and feeble for many year #Com. by Jesse Locke, ch. clk.
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WESTERN DISTRICT FROM 1784-1800.
labors were continued in the town for sometime after the Congregational church was organized, in 1763 .* The re- ligious views and feelings were, as a consequence, by these exertions, very nearly established, which were strictly of an Armenian character. They were therefore disqualified to receive cordially the doctrines of a gracious dispensation. But at length the clear light, shining from a northern point in their moral heavens, when most of the Baptist churches were gathered into a beautiful constellation, illuminated some of the souls in Buxton. John Chadborne, of Par- sonsfield,t and Simon Locke, of Lyman, were among the first Baptist ministers to visit and preach the gospel in this place, and those who became Baptists, at first united with the church in Lyman. The influence against the Baptists, as was common in all the places where the Puritan spirit reigned predominant over the minds of the people, was strong here. And the passion for Pedo-baptism was too unyielding to allow willingly the Baptists even a name or place. But the Lord opened a goodly heritage for them, and a church was organized Dec. 1799. One of their num- ber, Abner Flanders, was called of God to be their teacher and guide, who was ordained pastor about the year 1803, and continued to preach alternately at Buxton Centre, and in the south part of the town, till about the year 1825, during which period the Baptist cause made a pleasing progress. The church lost many by dismissions, &c., but the increase was considerably more than to balance the loss. The original number was fourteen; and in 1825, when the North church was set off, the number was ninety. North Buxton church was constituted of forty-nine members, dis- missed from the South church June 2, 1825. By this di- vision, the old church was diminished not only in numbers but in ability ; and thereby rendered wholly unable to sus-
*Greenleaf Eccl. his. p. 108. +Min. Y. A.
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WESTERN MAINE, 1800-1810.
tain the preaching of the gospel. They therefore declined, being destitute, and in 1833 were dropped from the Asso- ciation as having lost its visibility as a church. Rev. A. Flanders received the pastoral care of the North church till 1829,when this venerable pastor, after a term of 26 years in B., by his request was honorably dismissed. The next ten years this church had no pastor, but was assisted, and by the blessing of God, enlarged, by the ministry of various preachers, but principally by that of Rev. A. Wilson, of Portland, who preached from 1830 to '32, much of the time, when the church was increased to seventy-five mem- bers; by Rev. Samuel Robbins, in 1834, when the church received some additions. In April 1840, William Bailey was ordained, by whose ministry the church increased to one hundred and twenty members.
The Baptists in Buxton have passed through many se- vere trials ; among other evils, they have been afflicted by ' a frequent change of ministers.' The churches in Hollis and Scarboro' have their origin with the Baptists in Buxton .*
[Mr. Bailey left this church and removed to Bowdoinham in 1844.]
CHAPTER V.
Lebanon and North Berwick-Berwick 2d-Berwick 3d-Limington- Kennebunk-port-Kennebunk-Waterborough 2d, a temporary church- Hollis-Newfield 1st and 2d, both temporary-Hiram.
LEBANON AND NORTH BERWICK. . A church was con- stituted in 1801, which was composed of members residing in Lebanon, and in the northerly part of Berwick, and called 'Lebanon and Berwick.' It is not known that any one preacher in particular was instrumental in laying the foundation of this church; but probably was a field
*Com. W. Bailey, Pas. N. Ch. B.
5
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WESTERN MAINE, 1800-1810.
occupied occasionally by all the neighboring ministers Rev. Zebedee Delano is returned as their pastor, 1802,* and is yet the senior pastor in the church. Since 1831, assistance has been rendered by several in the ministry ; Rev. A. Flanders was a member and preached from 1832 to 1835; John Boyd, a licentiate, from 1836, nearly two years; Rev. J. E. Strong, from 1840 to the present, has officiated as the acting pastor, and continues his useful la- bors with them. Rev. Mr. Delano was one of the early resi- dents in the town of Livermore, Me., and one of the first converts in the first revival in that town, 1793.f He soon entered the ministry by ordination, and has ever remained piously devoted to the cause he then embraced.
This church has passed through many seasons of trial, and has experienced much prosperity. In 1835, when the North Berwick church was dropped from the Association, it took the name of 'Lebanon and North Berwick,' and has since become an interesting and flourishing body of seventy-five.
BERWICK 2d, or subsequently NORTH BERWICK. This church originated with the church in Wells. In 1804, seventy-six members were dismissed from that church for the purpose of constituting this second church in Berwick, leaving eighty-two only to maintain the cause in Wells. Rev. Nathaniel Lord was settled as pastor at the time they became a church, leaving Eld. Eaton to guide that flock. Eld. Lord continued pastor of this church till his removal by death, April 28, 1832, when the number of members was 106; when he was succeeded in the pastoral charge by Rev. Philander Hartwell, of the church now called N. Berwick. Eld. Hartwell labored one year, and then the church were left destitute, and owing to its ' hyper-Calvinis-
*Min. Y. A. tSee his. of that Church.
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WESTERN MAINE, 1800-1810.
tic' views, in 1835, was dropped from the Association, with permission to unite as individual members with other churches in the Association. During its existence as a church, it enjoyed but one special revival, which occurred about the year 1815. Previous to this revival, there was a gradual loss of members, but subsequently, the church ex- perienced more general prosperity, receiving a gradual gain of members .*
THIRD CHURCH BERWICK. A small church of fourteen members was constituted in Berwick, in 1808, called the ' 3d in B.,' and Rev. William Chadborne officiated as pastor till 1817, when he retired from their midst, and the body having never obtained much strength or increase, and now being destitute of the ministry, declined, and in 1824, set among the stars which rise no more .*
LIMINGTON. This town is situated in what was at first called the 'Ossipee' county, and settlements were com- menced here about 1775, and a Congregational church was organized in Limington, 1789. Rev. Dr. Adams, a Congregationalist, having preached in this and the adjoin- ing towns nine years, and, being a physician as well as minister," he had great influence over all the early inhabitants ; they were therefore strongly fortified with the faith of Pedo-baptism. With this opposing faith, the Baptists had to contend in this as well as in most other places.
About ten years after the Congregational church was constituted, the Rev. John Chadborne, pastor of the Baptist church in Cornish, began to visit L., and preach the gospel to the people. Now comes a conflict between baptism and sprinkling; but in the contest God gave the victory to the Baptists in a few cases of conversion ; and those who became Baptists, united immediately with the church in *Min. Y. A. +Green. Eccl. his. p. 113.
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WESTERN MAINE, 1800-1810.
C., and under the pastoral care of Elder Chadborne. Their numbers increased, and in 1802, they withdrew from C. and formed the church in L., and Elder Chadborne, by their earnest request left the church in Cornish, and be- came their pastor. With this church he labored success- fully one year, and resigned to occupy another field. Mr. Chadborne was succeeded the same year by the ordination of Stephen Webber, who continued in the office till 1809, when he resigned. The church now numbered thirty-four members. After being destitute of a pastor about four years, John Seavy, an active member in the church, was useful to the church in the capacity of a licentiate, till 1816, when he was ordained their pastor, who has been a shining light in the church. The year previous to the ordination of Rev. Mr. S., the church, after much per- plexity and trial, with a portion of the members who refused aid in assisting the poor of the church, excluded one-third of its number. This greatly diminished the church, but brought peace and prosperity, as the encour- aging result .*
From 1823 to 1840, the church passed through a period of darkness and discouragement ; during which, the faithful pastor almost concluded several times that his usefulness was at an end in that place; but as often some circum- stance occurred to increase his faith that the 'vision' was only tarrying for a season, and ultimately would be disclosed in the building up of Zion. He waited not in vain. The blessing was given in 1840, when a general work of divine mercy was experienced. Probably if Mr. Seavy had been as faithless as some, he would have seen sufficient cause to justify a removal, and left the church to mourn and wait alone, and the blessing of 1840, to a successor. It is
*Ch. Clk., Samuel Hopkinson
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WESTERN MAINE, 1800-1810.
very certain that such a faith in God, is the best support which a pastor can have in a day of adversity, and the best antidote for an uneasy and indeterminate state of mind.
John Andrews, James Lord, Isaac Small, Isaac Small, 2d, Benjamin Small, and Nathaniel C. Small, have officiated as deacons. John Seavy and Samuel Tyler, became ministers of the gospel. This church has existed forty-one years ; its original number was thirteen.
KENNEBUNK-PORT. This is a shore town, about half way from Portland to Portsmouth, and is a large, commercial and wealthy town. It was settled at an early period, and was affected religiously by the influence of the Congrega- tionalist church in Wells, which was organized in 1701. As a result of this influence a Congregationalist church was gathered in Kennebunk, in 1730, with Rev. Daniel Little, pastor,* who was the only minister in the town when the Baptists began to preach Christ in the place, which must have been about the time the Baptist church was gathered in Wells, 1750. A Baptist church was not gathered here, however, till about the year 1803, and in 1804, the church 'Arundel,' now Kennebunk-port, with Rev. Andrew Sherburne, pastor, united with N. H. Association, and numbered twenty-eight members. Mr. Sherburne continued to minister to this church till 1819, and the blessing of God upon the exertions which were made during this period laid the foundation for the Baptist in- terest in Kennebunk. In 1818, its total of members was ninety-two, but it soon experienced a rapid diminution ; in 1820, a second church in Kennebunk-port was set off, and Rev. Jotham Day became its next pastor, but during his stay the church was like ' Lot's wife,' stationary, and in 1829, it was lost to the denomination, having become extinct.t
*Green. Eccl. his. p. 23. +Min. Y. A. 5*
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WESTERN MAINE, 1800-1810.
The tender shoot which sprang from this old stock, 1820, soon became a flourishing plant, and is now a most fruitful vine. This was the second church in Kennebunk- port, now the ' Kennebunk-port' ; the first being lost.
KENNEBUNK. The same year, (1803), that the first church Kennebunk-port was organized, a church was con- stituted in the eastern part of Wells, by the name, 'second Wells,' and was composed of fifteen members, some of whom resided in Wells, some in Kennebunk ; Rev. Joshua Roberts, who at that time became its pastor, was much respected by the church and useful in its service, till about the year 1831, when he resigned his charge, and removed to another part in the vineyard of the Lord. In 1830, it numbered sixty-three members, and was in a pros- perous condition. This church was called 'second Wells' till 1812; from that time till 1820, ' East parish in Wells'; since 1820, ' Kennebunk.' Since the resig- nation of Elder Roberts, the church has not received additions sufficient to meet its losses, although blessed with a succession of faithful pastors-as Samuel Robbins, who labored with the church in 1833, one year ; (1834, desti- tute); 1835 and '36, Shubael Tripp, two years ; (1837, destitute); 1838, Charles Emerson, one year ; 1839 and '40, Elias McGregor, two years ; from 1841 to the present, Rev. John Hubbard, (1842). In 1841, its number of members was twenty, only ; but its prospects have recently brightened, and the church is much encouraged, although small and feeble .*
Rev. S. Tripp was removed from his labors among this people in 1837, by death, in view of which event, we find the following expression of the Association :- ' In his death we feel that the cause of Christ has lost a worthy and faithful minister ; society an ornament, and his *Min. Y. Asso.
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WESTERN MAINE, 1800-1810.
. family, with whom we deeply sympathize, a kind and affectionate head.'*
Dea. John Taylor, who died October 20, 1838, was a member of this church from its commencement, and was deacon most of that period.t He was beloved by the - church in life, and lamented in death.
SECOND WATERBOROUGH. The next church gathered in this Association, was a small church, organized in 1804, by the name of second Waterborough. It appears from its history as traced in the minutes of that body, that its early and principal supports were, deacons John Hill and Paul Chadborne ; and, during the last period of its ex- istence, Rev. Atherton Clarke endeavored, from 1826 to 1834, to promote its life and a more cheering prosperity than it had before enjoyed. But his labor was almost in vain, and he relinquished the hope of seeing the church ever arise to distinction and usefulness. Its number of members never exceeded twenty-five, and its visibility was lost to the Association in 1836.1 This church in 1842, was again resuscitated, and, like a star which had wan- dered from its proper orbit, brought back to its place in the Association, to move forward in harmony with its as- sociate churches.§
HOLLIS. A small Baptist church was organized in Hollis, formerly Philipsburg, Aug. 20, 1805, principally of members previously dismissed from the church in Buxton, and partly of persons who had become Baptists by the ministry of Timothy Hodsdon, who was ordained its first pastor, October 9, of the same year. Rev. Mr. Hodsdon was a faithful laborer in this church till about the year 1822, when it pleased the Great Head of the church to remove him to his home in heaven. During his ministry the church received but a small enlargement, and but few
*Min. 1837, p. 9. tZion's Advocate. ¡ Min. Y. A. §Min. Saco Asso. ,
$6
WESTERN MAINE, 1800-1810.
alterations, there being no extensive revival in that period. From the death of Elder H. till 1832, the church was destitute of a pastor, though not altogether deprived of preaching, and still remained small and inefficient. This church owes much to the piety and faithfulness of deacon S. Bradley and Daniel Haley. Sometime in 1832, John Hubbard began to preach in the capacity of a licentiate, and on the 9th of October was ordained as pastor, and soon, under his ministry the church appeared like one coming up out of the wilderness, clothed in light; and for three years advanced, obtaining a small net increase of members. Rev. Mr. H. left in 1835, since which time the church has been destitute; in a low, tried and dis- couraged state, and at present has thirty-four members only .*
NEWFIELD. The Congregationalists were forward of the Baptists in Newfield. They organized a church there in 1801. But being unfortunate in their first pastor, it was many years before they realized much prosperity.t It is quite probable that Baptist ministers in the vicinity began many years before this time to preach occasionally in Newfield. Rev. Levi Chadborne, of Parsonsfield, was blessed in his efforts to evangelize the people in N., as early as 1793, and soon a part of the church in Parsonsfield belonged in that town .¿ In 1807, thirteen were dismissed from P., and a church was constituted in N. of fourteen members. In 1809, William Goodwin, who had been useful to the church as a licensed preacher, was ordained pastor, the church then numbered thirty-nine. He left the church 1810, with the number of members increased to fifty-one. The church was then destitute of a pastor till 1824, and sustained in that time a loss of more than one
*Com. Wm. Bailey, Buxton. +G. Eccl. his. p. 115. #See his. Par. C. p. 45.
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WESTERN MAINE, 1800-1810.
half of its members. This year, Shubael Tripp, who had held a license in the church two or three years, was ordained to the ministry, and assisted the church. The church had now twenty members, having been diminished by the dismission of several members to aid in forming a second church in the town. Rev. Mr. Tripp retired from this field in 1825, and the church was again destitute, and after a conflict with darkness several years, and no prospect of surviving the trial, by a recommendation of the Asso- ciation in 1836, the church was disbanded to unite with other churches in the vicinity .*
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