USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Gardiner > Annals of the people called Methodists in the city of Gardiner, Me. > Part 2
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GARDINER M. E. CHURCH.
close of the year. Having formed a matrimonial engage- ment with Dorothy Bennett, a member of the first class formed in Hallowell village, he married her in spite of the remonstrances of some of the society who thought that Paul's example of celibacy ought to be followed by every Methodist preacher, so that the Church might not be bur- dened with the support of a family. This narrow-minded and niggardly policy drove many of the best preachers of those days from the ranks of the itinerancy. Some of them took refuge in other communions, while others engaged in secular pursuits. Ralph Williston, the first presiding elder of the District and Aaron Humphrey, the first preacher on the circuit, joined the Episcopal Church in Gardiner. Mr. Humphrey was rector of the Episcopal church from this year until the summer of 1814. In the midst of such illiber- ality and fault-finding there was quite a diminution in the numbers of the society, only one hundred and fifty-three being reported at the end of the year.
18II. In 18II Samuel Hillman was the preacher sent from the Conference held in Barnard, Vt. He came not as a stranger for he had previously travelled the circuit with Aaron Humphrey.
1812. From the Conference held in Lynn in 1812, Mr. Hillman was reappointed to the circuit under Chas. Virgin, Presiding Elder.
This was a time of high political excitement and much uneasiness was manifested by a portion of the society on account of the active part taken by the preacher in favor of the war against Great Britain. The majority of the com- munity were Federalists and were warmly opposed to the policy of the General Government, especially the several
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CHRONOLOGICAL.
embargo acts and the declaration of war. But there were some whose sons or brothers had been most unrighteously impressed from American vessels to serve in the British Navy. These heartily approved of the war. The Congre- gational clergyman of Augusta had given great offence to the Republicans by preaching on a special occasion before a company of volunteers from these words: "This year thou shalt die because thou hast taught rebellion against the Lord." The indignant volunteers immediately sent for the Methodist preacher who came and cheered on the band of soldiers, arousing to the highest pitch their military enthu- siasm while he delivered to them a spirited discourse from the encouraging words "Go, in this, thy might and thou shalt save Israel from the hands of the Midianites; have not I sent thee?" The Federalists were not pleased with this manifestation of political zeal.
1813. In 1813 the New England Conference met at Salem, Conn. Joshua Soule was again appointed Presiding Elder of the Kennebec District and Joshua Randall preacher in Hallowell circuit. He was generally esteemed an able preacher though too fond of metaphysical discussions. He was perhaps already tainted with some of those peculiar views of theology that subsequently developed themselves into a system so different from our Articles of Faith and the writings of our standard authors that it led to his expulsion from the Church in 1824. Amidst the strifes of political excitement that prevailed in the community, the great con- cerns of religion were neglected and there was a sad declen- sion in piety. The number in the society was reduced to one hundred and thirty-nine.
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GARDINER M. E. CHURCH.
1814. The Conference met at Durham, Maine, in 1814 and John Atwell was appointed to Hallowell circuit. He was a faithfui, pious preacher, wholly devoted to his work. Under his able ministry the membership was largely increased, over one hundred being received on probation in Gardiner alone.
1815. So successful had been the labors of Mr. Atwell that from the Conference which met at Unity, N. H., he was returned to Hallowell circuit a second time. In a quar- terly conference held in Augusta, April 22, 1815, the follow- ing votes were passed :
Voted, That a method be adopted for the support of the itinerant ministry by raising a fund to consist of sheep or other property.
Voted, That a committee of three be appointed to form a constitution for the government of said fund.
Voted, That Brothers Elihu Robinson, James Williams and Sullivan Kendall be a committee for that purpose.
At a subsequent quarterly meeting held October 14, 1815, the following vote was passed.
Voted, That an agent be chosen to take the charge of the business relative to a fund.
Voted, To choose Brother Japheth Beale as agent.
At the close of Mr. Atwell's term of service, the society numbered two hundred and thirty and a general impulse was given to the work in this part of the State.
1816. The New England Conference held its annual ses- sion at Bristol, Conn. Oliver Beale was again appointed Presiding Elder and Henry True preacher in the circuit. He was then a young man ardent and devoted and every- where esteemed as an able and talented preacher. The society flourished under his administration.
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CHRONOLOGICAL.
The peculiar means adopted during the previous year to assist in the payment of the preacher's salary appears to have been entirely successful. The following vote seems to hint that advice was as freely given in those days as is some- times done in later years.
Voted, That the agent chosen to superintend the business relative to the fund shall be at liberty to manage and con- duct the business relative to the fund according to his own skill and judgment.
Voted, That the profits already arisen by the fund be appropriated to pay the preacher's quarterage.
1817. In 1817 the Conference held its session at Con- cord, N. H. Daniel Wentworth was sent to Hallowell cir- cuit and a large increase was made to the membership of the society.
The following vote passed in quarterly meeting May 3, 1817, shows that the antipathy to a married minister had passed away.
Voted, To choose a committee to furnish a house for the accommodation of our preacher and his family, if he has any, the present year.
Voted, To choose Brother Samuel Dinsmore and Brother Isaac Stedman a committee for that purpose.
By the following resolve a custom which had been long in force among the Wesleyan Methodists in England was transplanted into American soil, where it flourished for many years.
Resolved, That the class-leaders use their influence to make weekly collections of two cents per week, of each member in their respective classes for the purpose of sup- plying the preacher's quarterage.
1818. In 1818 the New England Conference held its annual session at Bowman's Point.
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GARDINER M. E. CHURCH.
Bishop Enoch George was present and presided over the deliberations. The Sabbath was a day long to be remem- bered. The meeting-house was so fully crowded that "it was feared lest the galleries should give way." Bishop George preached a most thrilling discourse on Eternity.
Benjamin Jones was returned at this Conference as preacher to Hallowell circuit under David Hutchinson as Presiding Elder. During this year the "sheep fund" appears to have made substantial progress, several votes being passed relative to the care of the sheep and requests for reports concerning their condition. At a quarterly meeting held August 22, 1818, it was
Voted, That the income of the fund now on hand be dis- posed of by the committee, after the agent is paid for his services, to the use of the circuit preacher.
A very peculiar custom of the early days, the necessity for which has long passed away, was the "Estimating Com- mittee." The following is a sample of the vote usually passed at the beginning of every Conference year and serves to illustrate the economy the people in those times were compelled to practice.
Voted, That Brother Moses Springer, Brother Moses Springer, Jr., and Brother Ebenezer Freeman be a commit- tee to estimate the house rent, table and fuel expenses of the circuit preacher the present year.
Where they obtained their data on which to base an esti- mate is not known. The estimating committee as in use to-day estimates the amount of money needed to run the parish during the Conference year and apportions it among the members.
1819. In 1819 Oliver Beale was sent from the Confer- ence held at Lynn, Mass., to this circuit. The little labor which he in his enfeebled state was enabled to perform was
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CHRONOLOGICAL.
mostly confined to Augusta and the vicinity of his residence. Ebenezer F. Newell, who, ten years before, had travelled this circuit, was now located at Hallowell and supplied the pulpits. Under his faithful and protracted labors the churches on the circuit were greatly strengthened. During his occupancy of the circuit the need of a parsonage was greatly felt and means were taken to procure one. The record of July 3, 1819, contain the following vote.
Voted, To choose a committee of five members on the circuit to examine and see where they can purchase a par- sonage house for the circuit preacher and report at our next quarterly meeting Conference.
Voted, To choose Brother Moses Springer, Japheth Beale, Jr., Elihu Robinson, Ebenezer Moore and John Gif- ford a committee for said purpose.
At the next quarterly meeting the committee being unable to make a full report were given more time. At the close of the Conference year the number of members was four hundred and five ; a large increase over the preceding years.
1820. The New England Conference held its session in 1820 at Nantucket and Henry True was appointed to this circuit as preacher in charge. The charge had now become so large in numbers that it was deemed expedient to divide the circuit; accordingly the three towns of Gardiner, Hal- lowell and Augusta were set off from the rest of the district and continued to be called Hallowell circuit.
At the quarterly Conference May 20, 1820, it was "agreed with Brother Japheth Beale, Jr., to keep the sheep belong- ing to the fund, forty-two in number, and keep them at his own risk and return them to the society when called for. Said sheep to be a tolerable good lot of sheep and pay to the said society annually two-thirds of a pound of wool for
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GARDINER M. E. CHURCH.
each sheep." A little later in the year it was voted "that the wool received from Japheth Beale (twenty-eight pounds being the net proceeds of the sheep fund for the year past) shall be appropriated to make up in part the deficiency in the quarterage of the preacher for the present year."
1821. From the Conference held in Barre, Vt., Chas. Virgin was sent to the three churches comprised in Hal- lowell circuit. The larger part of the congregation of the church worshipping at Bowman's Point lived within the present limits of Gardiner and a mile or more from the church building. Services had occasionally been held in a schoolhouse on High street situated near where the "yellow meeting-house" now stands.
During the year 1821 the Methodists occupied the build- ing vacated by the Episcopal Society after their present elegant edifice was completed and dedicated.
Mr. Virgin's services seem to have been very acceptable and satisfactory, the number of the members being three hundred and fourteen at the beginning of the year and three hundred and fifty-two at the close.
1822. From the Conference held in Bath, Maine, the Rev. David Hutchinson was returned as preacher in charge. The services continued to be held in the building vacated by the Episcopalians until late in the summer of 1822.
Mr. Richard Clay having completed the yellow meeting- house on the Plaisted hill, which he had built at his own expense, informed the minister that he "had given the house to the Lord, and the key to Father Plaisted." This was considered an intimation that the Church might occupy it, which they did immediately, and continued there until November, 1828, when the new Church was dedicated.
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CHRONOLOGICAL.
1823. From the Conference which held its session in 1823 at Providence, R. I., Rev. David Hutchinson was returned a second time. He had for his colleague, Rev. Otis Williams. Eleazor Wells was the Presiding Elder. As a result of the religious interest manifested during the last part of the preceding Conference year more than fifty united with the Church and the total membership was returned as three hundred and seventy-two.
1824. In 1824, the New England Conference held its session at Barnard, Vt. Herman Nickerson and Jesse Stone were appointed to this circuit. There was no increase of members during the year.
At the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America held in Baltimore this year, the three districts of the New England Conference within the Prov- ience of Maine were detached from that body and united together to form the Maine Conference which held its first session in Gardiner in 1825.
1825. Bishops Enoch George and Elijah Hedding pre- sided over the first session of the Conference and Stephen Lowell and Caleb D. Rogers were appointed as preachers in charge of the circuit. That part of the circuit lying east of the Kennebec river was this year set off from Hallowell circuit under the name of Pittston circuit.
1826. In 1826 the Maine Conference held its session at Bucksport. Wilder B. Mack and Moses Hill were ap- pointed preachers in charge. During the preceding year the parish in Hallowell had erected the church, that enlarged and adorned, they are now using. There were then three strong charges in the circuit and but two ministers, so it was necessary that each of the pulpits should in turn be
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GARDINER M. E. CHURCH.
occupied by a local preacher. For this reason it was deemed expedient to again divide the circuit. This was done, Augusta and Hallowell still remaining as Hallowell circuit, while Gardiner was erected into an independent parish.
1827. From this time on the Gardiner M. E. Church appears as a separate station. In twenty-seven years it had grown from nothing to an organization of one hundred and fifty-nine members and worshipping in its own building which, however, it was rapidly outgrowing. Phineas Cran- dall was returned by the conference as preacher and entered upon his work under very favorable conditions.
The first Sunday school in America was organized in 1790, pusuant to a vote passed by the General Conference. This was but nine years after the inception in England. In 1827 a small Sunday school was organized in connec- tion with our Church but no records are left and it prob- ably languished or lived at a dying rate until its revival in 1841, since which time it has proved a vigorous ally of the work of the Church.
1828. From the session of the Maine Conference held August 14th of this year at Vienna, Rev. John Atwell was returned to this charge. It was understood by the church- members that the abandoment and sale of the church build- ing on Bowman's Point was the first move towards a home within the limits of the city of Gardiner. The society was too large for the little chapel erected by Mr. Clay and were of such proportions as to warrant them in starting upon a building enterprise. The lot on Highland avenue was pre- sented to them by Hon. R. H. Gardiner and the pews were sold at auction to obtain money to erect the building. From
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CHRONOLOGICAL.
the valuation placed upon the pews for taxation we find the amount of money; thus raised was eight hundred and ninety- four dollars. Michael Woodward was the master builder.
The deed of Mr. Gardiner dated November 1, 1827, names Ebenezer Moore, Ichabod Plaisted, Maltiah Law- rence, Michael Woodward, Moses Springer, Jr., John Moore, John Russell, Marvel Springer and Thomas Atkins
THE CHURCH IN 1828.
as trustees. The lot was a large one measuring seven rods by twelve, the location being north of the stream on the Litchfield road. The conditions were "that they erect a house for the worship of Almighty God and forever here- after permit ministers belonging to the Methodist Episcopal Church to preach and expound God's Holy Word therein."
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GARDINER M. E. CHURCH.
The erection of the building was in the manner in vogue at that time and was termed a "raising." After the lot had been graded by cutting into the bank on the west or upper side and placing the dirt in a depression near the road, the foundations and underpinning of the church were placed in position. Considerable difficulty was encountered in laying the underpinning under the front of the church, the ground being blue clay and very much the consistency of lard. This was finally overcome by laying large pine logs, two or three feet in diameter and flattened on two sides, as far down in the clay as possible and placing the brick wall upon the upper one. The sills and cross-timbers were then placed in position and a layer of boards for a floor securely nailed on.
While the masons had been attending to this, other work- men were busy framing the timbers of the building; and when the underpinning was done the timbers were prepared for raising.
It was the custom for the builder of a building to furnish a barrel of rum and place it on tap the day of the raising. This would attract a large number of men whose labors would be useful in raising the building. Michael Wood- ward said he would raise the church without rum or other liquor ; but it was the general opinion that such a thing was impossible. He brewed a large amount of spruce beer, an exceedingly mild substitute for the rum usually used, and relied on this to bring the men together. It is altogether possible that the novelty of a raising without liquor would suffice to draw a crowd.
The frame work of the northern end where the pulpit now stands was raised first, then the sides, and, lastly, the front end.
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CHRONOLOGICAL.
The first cost of the edifice was about thirty-five hundred dollars. The music at the dedication of the church and for many years afterwards was under the direction of General Aaron Capen, and consisted of a chorus of singers in the gallery in the rear of the church, and the congregation, in the manner of the times, turned their backs upon the minister when the hymns were sung. The tunes were mostly in a minor key, though the fugue tunes found in the back part of the Methodist Hymnal were used to someextent. The hymns used were Chas. Wesley's with the addition of a number composed by Isaac Watts. Some of the small leather- covered hymn books are still in existence. The building was quickly finished and, on December 4, 1828, was dedi- cated to the worship of God in the presence of an enormous congregation. The dedicatory sermon was preached by Rev. John Newlands Maffitt, a talented preacher.
The building was forty-five feet in width by sixty feet in length, with a slight projection of the roof in front sup- ported by Doric pillars. A gallery extended completely around the building and the minister's pulpit was in the part over the entrances. The pulpit, very high up, was reached by a flight of winding stairs, and was placed in the front part of the building ; so that every belated person was compelled to enter in sight of the whole congregation.
The edifice thus constructed would seat, probably six hundred.
Beneath the building was a small vestry in the back part of the church not over fifteen or twenty feet in width. It contained the heating apparatus of the church, a potash kettle inverted over a brick oven. The heat passed up through a hole about two feet wide by six long, cut in the
3
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GARDINER M. E. CHURCH.
floor of the church, the smoke, or a part of it, was carried by a long funnel across the vestry and into a chimney in the northwest corner of the church. Uncle John Lawrence was the first sexton.
Michael Woodward is well remembered by the older members of the parish as one of the sturdy yoemen of his time; one of that great body of men upon whom our coun- try relied to bring it through the "times that tried men's souls." He was possessed of great physical endurance, and was a man well calculated to govern other men. He occu- pied a prominent position in the parish for a great many years. His death in 1878 at the age of ninety-six years was lamented by the whole parish.
Tradition tells us the names of some of the singers in that old choir. They were General Capen, leader; Mrs. Allen Crowell, Mrs. Deborah Johnson, Newell Day, Wil- liam Day, Amasa Fitch and John Lawrence. This is only a partial list but extensive inquiry has failed to obtain the names of the remainder of the choir. The dedicatory hymn sung was as follows. The tune to which it was sung was Duke St.
HYMN COMPOSED FOR THE DEDICATION OF THE METHO- DIST MEETING-HOUSE IN GARDINER, DEC. 4, 1828.
I Great God! we come to seek thy face, Whose smile the wide creation cheers ; Whose presence fills Eternal space ; Eternal Ages are thy years.
II Angels and saints before thy throne With humble adoration bow, We, too, confess thee God alone, And in thy Courts would worship now.
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CHRONOLOGICAL.
III 1918825
To thee we dedicate this house; Oh may it be a house of prayer, Where saints shall pay their early vows, And thy rich grace and fulness share.
IV Accept the tribute of our hands, The feeble tribute which we give: Here listening to thy high commands, O may we hear thy word and live.
V
Here may the heralds of thy cross The message of thy grace proclaim, Unawed by frowns or pains or loss, Declare a risen Saviour's name.
VI Here may the word of truth be given, And listening multitudes believe; Here may they learn the way to Heaven, And light and life and joy receive.
VII.
Here may thy grace and love distill Like evening showers and early dew, The broken heart with Peace to fill, The contrite spirit to renew.
VIII. And when on Earth our course is run, And we shall worship here no more, May we around thy spotless throne Our God, our Saviour still adore.
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GARDINER M. E. CHURCH.
Moses Springer, Jr., the writer of the dedicatory hymn was the son of the Moses Springer mentioned in the fore- going pages of this book. His father had intended that he should pursue the same line of life work as he himself had done, but an unfortunate accident by which he lost the use of one knee, prevented the execution of these plans. The son was much more interested in books than the father had been and by diligent application became a scholar of no mean pretensions. After studying for the ministry, he became a member of the Maine Conference and officiated at several charges until his election to the position of editor of the Maine Wesleyan Journal, the organ of the Methodists in Maine. He gave several lectures on astronomy, in which science he was interested from childhood. The weather predictions in the Maine Farmers' Almanac were from his calculations. He was intimately acquainted with Hon. R. H. Gardiner, their tastes running in similar lines and the sun-dial now in use at the Oaklands was erected under his supervision. Mr. Springer was one of the founders of Kent's Hill Seminary and also of Hermon Lodge, F. & A. M.
After his resignation from the editorship of the Wesleyan Journal he was appointed an assistant in the United States Naval Observatory at Washington, D. C., which position he occupied during his active life. He died in December, 1866, in Winchenden, Mass., at the home of his daughter, the late Mrs. Louisa Boardman.
It is probable that Gardiner has never produced his equal as a scholar.
1829. The Maine Conference held its session in the new Methodist Church in Gardiner, Bishop Hedding presiding, and John Atwell was returned for the second year.
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CHRONOLOGICAL.
On the 19th day of December of this year a meeting of the pewholders of the church was called in the manner pre- scribed by law for the purpose of incorporating the pew- owners into a legal body.
At this meeting held December 21, 1829, Thomas Gil- patrick was chosen moderator and Cyrus Kendrick, clerk. It was voted to become an incorporate body and Moses Springer, Jr., Thomas Gilpatrick and Cyrus Kendrick were appointed a committee to draft the necessary by-laws. It was also voted to call a meeting at the beginning of the year "to see if the pewholders will get the said meeting- house insured against fire."
The following statement in the records of 1821 indicates beyond a doubt the rising of the storm that was destined within a few years to break with tremendous force over the heads of the people, not in this city only, but all over the United States. "Some uneasiness was manifested by a por- tion of the church because the preachers were often Free Masons and, as was alleged, were interested in attending the Masonic meetings to the neglect of the social meetings of the church."
The following resolutions were adopted by the Confer- ence at its meeting in April.
I. Resolved, That we considered ourselves bound, as ministers of the Gospel of Christ, to avoid all such questions and measures for or against Masonry, as produce excite- ment and stir up strife amongst our people.
2. Resolved, That we will not encourage nor attend either Masonic or Anti-Masonic meetings of any kind; and we affectionately advise all our brethren in the ministry and membership, to do the same.
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