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 9
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FIRST CHURCH IN VASSALBORO'.
Trials awaited this church, and soon a dark cloud sa- bled its brightest prospects. Their happy seasons of love disappeared, and disagreement severed their long cherished ties of union. An unhappy difficulty arose between the pastor and the church, which terminated in the deposition and exclusion of the pastor, and the church became like an unfruitful vine. The pastor was, however, afterwards re- stored to membership, but not to his sacred office .*
In 1796, the Baptists in Vassalborough erected a house for worship where is now the 'outlet village.' Previous to this, dwelling houses, which were at that time generally constructed of logs, were their sanctuaries and bethel places. Here they worshipped and praised God.
They were made to forget their trials and to sing with gladness in 1801, when a precious and spirit-stirring revi- val was experienced, which enlarged the church by an addi- tion of about fifty members. Among this number were two, whom God called into the work of preaching his gos- pel ; Jesse Martin, who was ordained to the pastoral care of the church June 27, 1804, and Coker Marble, who was set apart as an evangelist, June, 1805. Under the ministry of Elder Martin, the church was comforted and enlarged. The ministry of Elder Martin occupies two periods in the history of this church. The first from his ordination to 1813, the second from 1824 till 1829. The interval of these periods was filled with trials, dis- couragements, and a gradual decrease of members ; disci- pline and the ordinances of the house of God were neg- lected, and the enemies triumphed, believing that the church would rise no more. But God who holds his church in his own gracious hand, had blessings still in reserve for this his afflicted people. By their request, in December, 1824, Elder Martin came again to their help, *Ch. Records.
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SECOND CHURCH IN VASSALBORO.'
and the church was encouraged by the fruits of another revival. From the close of the second period of Elder Martin's labors, in 1829, the church was supplied by Elder H. Kendall and others, and was refreshed by a sea- son of divine mercy in 1830. Fifty more were now added to them by baptism. For a period of five years the church is again destitute, during which but a little prosperity is witnessed. In 1836, Rev. E. R. Warren became pastor, and remained one year and resigned, and from that time the church and Baptist friends were again left, with only occasional preaching till 1840, when an important event occurred affecting the Baptist interest in Vassalborough. This year, the first and second Baptist churches in this town united in one church, and erected a new and conven- ient meeting-house, two and half miles south of the old place of worship, in which the new church now worships. Having arrived to this period in the history of the first church, before we proceed with the description of the church in its present appearance, it will be proper to say something of the
SECOND CHURCH IN VASSALBOROUGH. This church originated with the first church, and was constituted with twenty-two members, August 17, 1808. Rev. C. Marble, who had been previously ordained in the first church, now became a member and pastor of the second. This charge he sustained with fidelity and usefulness, till about 1820. Within this period (1811 and 12) large additions, consid- ering the sparsness of population, were made to this body as the products of a rich revival harvest. At the time of this refreshing, the work having extended into China, twenty-six were dismissed from the church to aid the organ- ization of a third church in that town. From the close of the pastoral care of Eld. Marble, this church received only the occasional preaching of ministers, who were obliged to
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SECOND CHURCH IN VASSALBORO.'
labor with their hands during the week for support, for whose services, the church paying them per week probably not more than a fair compensation for a common day's work. Eld. N. Bowler, was one who rendered them the greatest service. Being destitute, and much enfeebled, and not able to provide for themselves the labors of a pas- tor ; and the first church being in like circumstances, it was agreed, that these churches unite in one body, to be the first church in town. The independency of the second was now lost, and it ceased to be a church in 1840. At this time it was composed of forty members.
From the foregoing remarks, we see that there is now but one church of Christ of the Baptist faith in Vassalboro'. When the union was formed, it was composed of one hun- dred and fifteen members, the number of the first church being seventy-four. In a few months after this union was formed, Rev. E. W. Cressy became their pastor, by whose labors, which were continued till the spring of 1843, the church was increased. Since his resignation, the church has had no pastor.
This church is regarded as the first and old church, the age of which is about fifty-six. The Baptists in Vassal- borough have had five pastors, the first church, four ; the second, one. They have had thirteen deacons ; Timothy Hamlin, Coker Marble, Jesse Martin, Allen Wing, Phine- has Weeks, Coker Marble, Jr., Alpheus Ewer, John Coleman and William Cross, of the first church; and Joseph Coleman, Thomas Hawes, John Coleman and William Cross, in the second church.
God has raised up, and sent forth from them seven preachers of the gospel, several of whom have, as has been already said, served them in the pastoral office. Besides the names already mentioned, as Gould, Martin, Chad- wick, Lewis and Marble; Rev. A. Wing, ordained in
114
FIRST CHURCH IN WHITEFIELD.
Windsor, and Rev. Mr. Blaisdel, in Clinton, originated in this body .*
The whole number of Baptists in Vassalborough from their commencement to 1840, is three hundred and eighty. Two hundred and fifty-seven have belonged to the first church, and one hundred and forty-two to the second. The whole in 1840, was one hundred and thirty-four, a net gain of eighteen being added that year. The whole number up to 1843, is four hundred and twenty-nine. Present number is one hundred and forty-nine.
WHITEFIELD, (formerly called BALLSTOWN.)} The Baptists were the first to commence religious operations in this town. The first settlement made in this place, lay on a convenient route from either Thomaston or Bowdoin- ham to Vassalborough, where were already Baptist churches, and at suitable distance for stopping while pass- ing. Baptist ministers therefore would find it very easy to become acquainted with the people, and a very great ac- commodation and privilege to tarry and preach occasional lectures to them, as they journeyed into the more retired settlements along the Kennebec, and especially for Elder Case of Thomaston, who made frequent missionary excur- sions in that direction.
Says Elder Case,¿ who witnessed the rise of all the churches in this vicinity, 'previous to 1788, the people of Ballstown were not favored with stated preaching of any kind, as there was then no church of any order in the set- tlement.' We learn from the same source, that as the fruits of occasional visits and preaching by Baptist ministers, the attention of the people was slowly drawn to religious sub- jects and inquiry, and their views gradually and generally became favorable to their doctrines. Soon, several became
*Rev. E. W. Cressy's Com. and Min. Bowd., Lin. and Waldo Associa. +Min. of B. A. #Mr. Case's Jour.
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FIRST CHURCH IN WHITEFIELD.
pious, and were baptized. Among the preachers who visited this place, were Elders Case and Potter .*
Jan. 6, 1788, fifteen persons, who had been previously baptized, were, by Elder Case and others, organized into an independent church. Here then was now embodied the amount of Baptist strength and influence in this part of Lincoln County. This church being blessed with only occasional preaching, obtained but a small annual increase for several years. At length they were encouraged and eminently assisted in their spiritual progress, by the stated ministry of Rev. Joseph Bailey, who became its first pastor in 1796. Now was fulfilled unto them the saying of the Prophet, ' I will open springs in the desert, and the parched ground shall become pools of water.' The blessings of heavenly grace were poured forth, and the first eight years of Eld. B's ministry was made instrumental of bringing into the church large numbers, so that in 1804, the church had a numerical strength of one hundred and four members, which was a large church in this new and thinly populated town. Another revival added thirty or forty more to the church in 1808, and in the next year several were dismissed to constitute a second church in town, but its efficiency was by this dismission but little effected.
Nothing of special importance occurred in the history of this church from 1809 till 1820, when its numbers were again diminished by the dismission of ten to unite in the formation of a church in New Castle. During this period, however, it may be said that it made an advancement equal to other churches in the vicinity. And in 1822, the vacan- cy made in its numbers, was more than filled by an addi- tion of twenty-two, the precious fruits of a revival-and by the reception of thirty-five in 1827, in the time of another revival. Rev. Enos Trask, who had previously united with
*Potter's Nar. p. 24.
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FIRST CHURCH IN SIDNEY.
the church from the third church in Jefferson, was ordain- ed this year by this church and assisted their aged pastor, Eld. Bailey, in promoting this gracious work. As the clear light of the sun at its meridian splendour, is darkened by thick tempest clouds, so was the glory and prosperity of this church obscured by the mists of 'Antinomianism,' and severe outward trials. About this time a third church arose in Whitefield, and between this church and that new body, a serious difficulty arose respecting the proper treatment of ' censured and excluded' members .* But the Association seeing no cause of complaint in the doings of this third church, received it into associational connection, on which account this first church withdrew, and was by a vote of the Association dropped from its fellowship in 1830.f It then numbered one hundred and five members, and was under the ministry and counsel of their aged pastor.
FIRST SIDNEY. This church is situated in the western part of the town of Sidney, on the west side of Kennebec river, about ten miles north of Augusta. Baptist ministers began to visit this settlement about the time of the first revival in Vassalborough, 1788. Some of the fruits indeed of that revival were gathered here. In 1791, by the labors of Elder Potter, a revival in Sidney added to the harvest, and as the result a church was organized, and known at first by the name of second Vassalborough, and united with Bowdoinham Association, having sixteen members. A revival was enjoyed in the town in 1792 and '93, which added much strength to the church. This work was pro- moted, if our information be correct, by the efforts of Asa Wilbur and Lemuel Jackson, who were then licensed preachers in the church, and who, says Elder Case, 'were ordained to the work of the ministry in a private house in Sidney, in 1793.'}
*Lin. A. Min. 1829, pp. 5, 6. +L. A. Min. 1830. . ¿ Eld. C's J. & M. A.
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FIRST CHURCH IN LITCHFIELD.
Rev. Asa Wilbur, by request received the pastoral charge of the church in 1796. The church at that time numbered fifty-seven. The ministry of Elder Wilbur was useful, and although the church was not for a period of many years blessed with a revival, yet the annual additions were equal to the diminutions. The church however was diminished in 1806, by a dismission of nineteen, to form the second church in that town. General prosperity still continued in the church for several years, till another special season of mercy refreshed the church, (1811.) Subsequent to that revival the church gradually fell into darkness till its light was nearly obscured. In 1829 they were left without a pastor, and till 1843, had little above a mere name. Their numbers were reduced to eighteen. A beam of hope arises to chase away discouragement, in connection with some assistance rendered them by William Wilbur, a licensed preacher. There is evidence, there- fore, that God has not forgotten them. This church is characterized by a high degree of Antinomianism.
LITCHFIELD, (called 2nd BOWDOIN.) What is now the town of Litchfield, was first called Potterstown, or a part of that section of country subsequently Bowdoin, which accounts for the original name of this church. Soon after the church was organized in what is now Bowdoin, Baptist sentiments began to be known, and their influence felt in the settlement where this church was gathered. Eld. Pot- ter was in all these settlements, and with his travels and by his labors, the Baptist cause made progress. A few persons embraced their doctrines, by means of the occa- sional labors of brethren Potter, Macomber and Case; and in 1791, a church of twenty-one members was organized And in June of the next year, William Stinson, one of its members, was ordained its pastor. The services on the occasion were held in a barn. At the organization of this
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FIRST CHURCH IN LITCHFIELD.
church, and at the ordination of Rev. Wm. Stinson, breth- ren Potter and Case conducted the services .* By means of these labors and these movements, a foundation was laid for permanent influence in Litchfield, by which name the church was known from 1796. Eld. W. Stinson was its pastor for a period of 30 years.t During his ministry it passed through many trials and several changes. Till about the year 1810, it enjoyed a pleasing prosperity ; and in 1799, a most glorious revival, which swelled its mem- bers to a total of one hundred and twenty-one. In 1798, a second church in Litchfield was organized with fourteen members, and received into the Association, and called the second church in Litchfield ; but in 1811, some singular changes occurred, seriously affecting the first church, from which time the second takes place of the first, and the first that of the second .¿ So that the church constituted in 1798, becomes the first church, and the old church the second, with a considerable loss of members, there being but forty- five; and to that time is the date of its origin fixed ; § whereas, 1791|| is the proper date ; and the origin of what is now Litchfield, is fixed on a wrong date also. Instead of 1792, [[ it should be 1798 .** If the old church under- went a new organization in 1811, it has the same pastor and a portion of the same members. And we find the same thing true of the second church, (or now first church). From the records before us, we consider the old church, which we now describe, as existing through all these changes, essentially the same body. From 1811 to the time it was left destitute of a pastor, in 1822, there was a small net increase ; but it soon after began to decline, till its influence and efforts ceased ; it was therefore dropped from the Association in 1838, it having made no report to
*Eld Case's Journal. tMin. B. A. 1822. #Min. 1810 & '11. §Min. 1828. ||Min. 1791. TMinutes 1828. ** Min. 1798.
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CHURCH IN HEBRON.
that body for several years next preceding that time. The last information received by letter, was in 1832, when it reported a total of forty-eight. This church has fallen, leaving the entire field of Litchfield to the spiritual occu- pancy of the church organized in 1798.
We find the names of Samuel Blanchard and Joseph Ring, who were deacons in this church.
HEBRON, (formerly called SHEPHERDSFIELD). This town was originally called Shepherdsfield, and first settled about the year 1780. A few of the first inhabitants being professors of religion, meetings were soon held for the wor- ship of God, which were conducted by two of their number, Reuben Packard and William Barrows; the former of whom subsequently became a deacon of a Congregational church, and the latter of a Baptist church. These move- ments tended to establish religious principles among the people, and to prepare them to appreciate the gospel. Towards the close of 1789, in compliance with an invita- tion extended to him by one of the people in Hebron, Rev. J. Potter visited this place .* He was gladly received, and his preaching was blessed to the good of souls. Mr. Pot- ter having thus a favorable introduction, and the people awakened to an anxiety to hear the gospel, by their earnest request visited them several times during the next two years, preached with similar success, and baptized thos who desired the sacred ordinance. And Aug. 23, 1791, the number baptized being thirteen, they were organized into a gospel church.
The church now formed was without a pastor during several years, receiving only occasional supplies by minis- ters from abroad ; and Rev. S. Flagg, who supplied them at one time for a term of six months. At the close of the first three years, the church numbered thirty-eight mem-
*Potter's Nar. p. 27.
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CHURCH IN HEBRON.
bers. Soon a trial arose, which prevented prosperity. This trial was occasioned by an unhappy dispute among some of the members about what they called ' a preparatory work before the conversion of a sinner.' This unpleasant alter- cation and division resulted in spiritual declension, and the exclusion of five of its members. This exclusion in this church occurred in 1798.
On July 5, 1798, Rev. John Tripp, who was their first and is their present senior pastor, moved from Carver, Mass., with his family and took up his residence among this people, and was inducted into the office by installation, February 14, 1799. He found the church borne down with trials and internal difficulties, but 'the body being sound,' by long, tender and patient labor he saw the diffi- culties remove, and, says Elder Tripp, 'we have had no distressing difficulty since.'
The church under the faithful and judicious labors of their aged and venerable pastor, has enjoyed more than usual prosperity, during the whole period of his pious ministry with them. The following statistical account will give some idea of the rapid growth of this church. When Mr. Tripp was made pastor, their whole number was thirty-one members. In 1801, that number was forty ; in 1812, thirty ; 1817, one hundred and eighteen ; 1839, two hundred and eighteen; making a net increase in a period of forty years, of one hundred and eighty-seven.
In this period the church has experienced many precious revival seasons, the most signal of which, was in 1839. During this work of love and mercy, one hundred and six souls were added by baptism. This revival, so powerful and glorious, deserves a special notice in this history. The ability and strength of the church were increased with the numerical enlargement. It should be said that in this extensive work of grace, the church was cheered with the
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CHURCH IN HEBRON.
presence and labors of Rev. John Butler, who very provi- dentially came to share a portion of the arduous and nu- merous labors then accumulating rapidly at the hands of their aged and very infirm pastor. So rapid and power- ful was this work, that converts multiplied daily. Forty- six happy converts were baptized on one joyful occasion, who, together with others, were added to the church.
We would mention, not only as a matter important to the history of this church, but as a circumstance affording a wise and benevolent example to other churches who have among them aged ministers, whose lives and energies have been devoted in their service, that this church, feeling the expediency of more labor than could reasonably be re- quired of their venerable pastor, wisely provided for the deficiencies of age and infirmity. Two circumstances, in the judgment of the church combined, which were, that the members of the church were scattered over a large ter- ritory, and the age and feebleness of their pastor whom they revered and loved, to render it indispensable that an associate pastor should immediately be secured. The church, therefore, with the consent of Elder Tripp, ob- tained a portion of the labors of Rev. Eliab Coy, to be expended in connection with those of their senior pastor, for their benefit. Elder Coy was engaged for three-fourths of the time, only leaving one-fourth of the usual salary for Elder Tripp. By this arrangement both pastors receive a comfortable support. This arrangement still continues, and the church prospers. Several ministers of Christ originated in this church; Rev. Messrs. Job Cushman, Shubael Tripp, Philip Chamberlain, Benjamin Donham, Walter Marshall, and Harvey Hawes. The present num- ber belonging to the church, is two hundred and fifty- seven .*
*Rev. J. Tripp's Com.
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FIRST CHURCH IN BUCKFIELD.
FIRST BUCKFIELD, (formerly called ' BUCKTOWN.') This town was settled about the same time with Hebron, and similar meetings for the worship of God were held here as in that town, previous to their being favored with the ministry of the gospel from any preacher. This was the first'settlement in this vicinity which Elder Potter visited by invitation. His first arrival among them was in 1789 .* Here, he says, ' I found a number of loving brethren with whom I had fellowship, but had no message to sinners in any of these places,' i. e. the places through which he had journeyed and preached while on his way to B. As in Hebron, so in Buckfield, as the results of subsequent and occasional visits, by Elder Potter and Elder E. Snow, of Thomaston, seventeen persons became Baptists, and were united to church relations and fellowship, in 1791. This church was called Buckfield, in 1794. Being destitute of a pastor, and favored therefore with but little preaching, it made but a small progress for several years. It however received some assistance and a small increase by means of voluntary supplies by ministers of Bowdoinham Associa- tion, and occasional visits by travelling preachers. They had but few outward obstacles to resist their onward course ; and yet, for want of a stated ministry, the church, after a few years of prosperity, began to suffer an annual loss of members and the sad results of a declining pious activity.
In 1801, Rev. Nathaniel Chase became its pastor. With a warm, vigorous and zealous piety, he strove untiringly to strengthen the things that remained. Nor did he toil in vain.t The work of the Lord prospered in his hands, and pleasing additions were soon made to the church, which now appeared like one coming up from the wilderness. But these days of special prosperity were comparatively
*Pot. Nar., p. 25. +Min. B. A. 1803.
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FIRST CHURCH IN PARIS.
few. From 1803, there was a net loss annually until it was reduced in 1841 to twelve members, and was dropped from the Association, with a recommendation to these members to disband and unite with other churches .* Eld. Chase, after a ministry of about thirty-five years, removed his relation to the church in Hebron, where he now sus- tains an honorable connection, being beloved by his brethren in all the vicinity. The brethren who aided both pastor and church, were Job Prince, Stephen Benson, and Job Packard, the former of whom died in prospect of a glorious immortality in 1832. The same year the beloved wife of Eld. Chase, made the happy exchange of ' being absent from the body to be present with the Lord.'t
PARIS, (called No. 4.) This town began to be settled about 1780. Among the original settlers were several members from the third church in Middleborough, Mass., and the people generally were favorable to the Baptists. At an early period they opened and maintained a Baptist meeting. They had no preacher, but these meetings pre- pared the way of the Lord in this new and rising settle- ment. The first revival enjoyed in this town was witnessed in 1790, in connection with the labors of Rev. J. Potter. In this revival the hearts of the pious were rejoiced and sinners converted. Mr. P. made a few visits to this place during '91 and '92. The foundation being laid for a church in Paris, Rev. E. Snow, of Thomaston, while on a mission to the destitute, visited these disciples of Christ and united them in church relation November 18th, 1791. (They were twelve males and sixteen females, according to the statistics Eld. Hooper has given of the church,¿ but the minutes of the Bowdoinham Association for 1792, give a total of twenty-one only.) If the account given by Eld. H. be correct, then there was a net loss of seven that year, *Min. O. A. 1841. +Min. O. A. 1832. #Rev. J. Hooper, per Rev. C. B. Davis's com.
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FIRST CHURCH IN PARIS.
which seems not very probable. (In making our statistics for the church, however, we shall number the seven lost members.)
From the time of its existence till 1795, the church was aided in its work of faith by the frequent labors of visiting ministers, and obtained some numerical strength. On the 25th of June of that year, Rev. James Hooper was ordained its first pastor. He was the acting pastor for a period of forty years. June 27, 1838, Rev. Caleb B. Davis, their present pastor, was ordained to the work of the ministry and junior pastor of the church, the Rev. Mr. Hooper remaining the honored and beloved senior pastor, until he was removed to his heavenly rest by death, Dec. 24th, 1842, at the age of seventy-four years.
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