USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Gardiner > Annals of the people called Methodists in the city of Gardiner, Me. > Part 3
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GARDINER M. E. CHURCH.
Moses Springer, Jr., and Cyrus Kendrick were the fore- most among the founders of Hermon Lodge, F. and A. M. of this city, and Cyrus Kendrick was its first master.
1830. The Maine Conference met at Portland, June 9, 1830. Stephen Waterhouse was stationed at Gardiner as preacher in charge.
At the parish meeting held January II, 1830, a code of by-laws, drawn up by the committee chosen at the meeting the year before, were read and adopted. Following the rules laid down, Messrs. Thos. Gilpatrick, John Moore and Marvel Sprague were chosen a superintending committee for the ensuing year. As the by-laws called for a parish meeting in September of each year, the assembly then adjourned to meet on that time.
At this meeting Thomas Gilpatrick was chosen modera- tor ; D. L. Milliken, treasurer and clerk and Thomas Gil- patrick, John Moore and Marvel Sprague, superintending committee. Stephen Webber was chosen collector and given five per cent of all money he should collect. The superintending committee were granted one dollar per day "and no more" for their services.
One pew in the church was set aside for the minister's family and it was voted "to exempt the same from taxa- tion."
It is evident that temporal affairs well attended to, will assist in promoting the spiritual interests of the church, for at the close of the Conference year the number of members was three hundred and ninety-seven.
During this year the church purchased of Ichabod Plais- ted the house on Highland avenue, now owned and occupied by William Houston for the use of the preacher's family.
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CHRONOLOGICAL.
This house was used for this purpose until 1873 when the present parsonage was built.
1831. The Rev. Stephen Waterhouse was returned for a second year by the Conference in session at Hallowell. At the annual parish meeting D. L. Milliken was re-elected clerk; Stephen Webber, collector and Thomas Gilpatrick, M. Woodward and John Plaisted were chosen as the super- intending committee.
1832. Rev. Justin Spaulding was the preacher in charge during this year. A petition signed by Sam'l Springer, Rich- ard Stuart, Benjamin Johnson, M. Woodward, Andrew John- son, Jr., D. L. Milliken and Samuel Amee, was presented to George W. Bachelder, a local justice of the peace, which stated that the parish was without officers empowered to call a meeting and requesting him to issue his warrant call- ing a parish meeting.
The meeting was duly called; Ebenezer Moore was chosen moderator, and Moses Springer, clerk and treasurer. Fifty dollars were raised for the purpose of "procuring insurance, securing the outside of the house, procuring fuel, and for paying someone to take care of the house." Evi- dently money was less plentiful in those days than it is now.
1833. The Maine Conference held its session at Bath in this year and Rev. R. E. Schermerhorn was sent to Gar- diner. Mr. Schermerhorn was from New York, by descent a Dutchman, and was well liked and generally acceptable to the parish. The membershiphad declined from three hun- dred and eighty in 1831 to two hundred and forty-five.
At the parish meeting held November 18, 1833, Ebenezer Moore was chosen moderator and Michael Woodward,
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GARDINER M. E. CHURCH.
clerk and treasurer. The superintending committee were Ebenezer Moore, Daniel Clay and William Robinson, and Samuel Amee was chosen collector.
It appears that the collector had as difficult time to collect the assessments in those days as he sometimes does now. for it was voted "that the old bills be put into the present collector's hands for collection."
1834. During this year the Conference held its session at Gardiner, Bishop Hedding presiding, and Rev. Aaron Sanderson was returned as preacher in charge.
Mr. Sanderson was a very popular preacher. His buoy- ant and cheerful disposition, aptness in illustration, com- bined with an animated pulpit demeanor, made him one of the most successful ministers of his day.
Under his pastorate the church maintained its position but no extensive revival took place.
A relative of Mr. Sanderson, I think his granddaughter, taught the High Street Grammar School during the school year 1881-2. The library and mineral cabinet now in the school are the result of the interest she aroused in the scholars.
At the Conference an agent, Gresham F. Cox, was appointed to travel among the Conferences and solicit funds to aid the Conference Seminary at Kent's Hill. No reports appear but he undoubtedly came to Gardiner and received the response Gardiner always gives to any cause having for its object the education of the young.
1835. From the session of the Maine Conference held in Bangor, Rev. Aaron Sanderson was sent to Gardiner for a second year. He appears to have been as successful this year as before, but no definite records beyond the number of members are left.
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Rev. R. E. Schermerhorn, pastor of the church in 1831, died April 3, 1836.
The question of slavery was agitating the minds of many of the ministers, the majority of whom were greatly opposed to its existence and the extension of which was a great horror to them. The Conference passed resolutions denouncing the system, but cautioning the ministers against inflammatory utterances. So early did the Methodist Church, as a body, put itself on the side of abolition.
1836. The Maine Conference met in Portland, Bishop Hedding presiding, and Rev. John B. Husted was sent to minister to the Gardiner church. Under his faithful minis- tration the membership was largely increased.
A unique lecture on temperance was given in the church sometime during this year, by Dr. Silas Holman, one of the first physicians to practice his profession in Gardiner. The lecture was in the form of a trial in which King Alcohol appeared as the criminal. Arguments were advanced on both sides, the charge was given, and King Alcohol was declared "guilty" and sentenced to perpetual banishment on an uninhabited island.
1837. The Maine Conference met at Hallowell, Bishop Waugh presiding. Rev. John W. Atkins was appointed to Gardiner.
In spite of the financial stringency of the times the church made a gain in membership and seems to have been in a flourishing and prosperous condition.
The heating apparatus which had always been unsatis- factory was taken out during this year and two stoves were bought to replace it. These were long cast-iron stoves and were capable of receiving a stick of wood four feet in
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length. The old chimney in the corner was taken down and one erected in the middle of the rear of the church. The funnels extended nearly the length of the building, then united and passed into the chimney under the singers' gallery. This was an improvement in several respects, since they gave out more heat and less smoke, but the long fun- nels dripped creosote upon the heads of the people to the injury of their clothes and perhaps their dispositions. To remedy this a chimney was built in the middle of the west side of the building, but this smoked and was replaced by a stack of drain-pipe. Finally the tall chimney was built in the northwest corner that remains there to-day.
1838. From the session of the Maine Conference held at Wiscasset in June of this year, Rev. Moses Hill was sta- tioned at Gardiner. He was a talented preacher, though of such a retiring disposition as almost to warrant the term diffident.
At the parish meeting, Ebenezer Moore, Ezekiel Water- house and Samuel Amee were chosen assessors. It was voted "to raise two hundred and fifty dollars for repairing the meeting-house."
The repairs consisted in taking down the singers' gallery in the rear of the building and putting a new pulpit in its place. This pulpit was lower than the old one and was not boxed in nor placed on stilts as the old one had been. The removal of the pulpit to near its present place necessitated changing all the pews. They were constructed in the man- ner common to those days, with high, straight backs and doors opening into the aisles. Whether new pews were bought or the old ones made over, it is impossible to say definitely. The singers were placed in the front of the
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church facing the preacher but not in a gallery, and a small organ built by Jesse Reed was hired and used for a short time in connection with the singing. After using it a short time the society decided that it was not large enough and in accordance with their agreement with Mr. Reed, returned it to him.
1839. From the session of the Conference at Hampden, Rev. Moses Hill was returned for his second year. The year was exceedingly successful and the interest and mem- bership were largely increased.
This year marks the close of the first century of the existence of the Methodist Church as a separate and distinct organization.
At the annual parish meeting the assessors chosen for the preceding year were re-elected for another year. It was voted "to raise three hundred dollars to repair, paint or whitewash good, the wall and to do any other work or repairs to said building as may be thought necessary. Ebenezer Moore, Nathaniel Webber and William Springer were chosen a committee to attend to this work.
1840. The Maine Conference met at Kent's Hill with Bishop Soule presiding. As the rule then existed, no preacher could remain at any one charge longer than two years ; Rev. William F. Farrington was sent in place of Mr. Hill. His services were very acceptable to the society and - a large ingathering of members resulted from his labors. His daughter, Hannah F., assisted General Capen in lead- ing the choir and is well remembered by the older members of the church as a beautiful musician. She afterwards married Eben Plaisted, who lived opposite the grammar school building on High street.
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It must have been about this time that an innovation was attempted that very much displeased some of the members of the congregation. The music used during church ser- vices had been heretofore, vocal, but some of the more pro- gressive members of the church or choir invited Mr. (after- wards Colonel) G. M. Atwood, who was an active member of the church, to assist with his bass-viol in the rendering of the hymns. He continued to play two or three years, though against the wishes of some of the more conservative members of the congregation. After his departure from the choir no instrumental music was attempted until the introduction of the organ some years later.
During this year the Methodists along the River road and in South Gardiner erected a church building in the village at South Gardiner containing forty-two pews, at an expense of $1,200. The building was located at South Gardiner and was united with Gardiner under the name of Gardiner circuit.
1841. Mr. Farrington was returned by the Maine Con- ference which held its session at Skowhegan. His success is evidenced by the number reported at the close of his pastorate, being four hundred and seventy.
The "worldly minded" members of the congregation, in this case the women, were evidently not satisfied with the introduction of instrumental music into the church services but commenced agitation for the purchase of a carpet in order to make the house attractive, as well as to deaden the sounds of the heels of some belated worshipper. In spite of the protests against this intention it was carried out and the carpet purchased and put down. The presence of the
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CHRONOLOGICAL.
carpet seems to have been sufficient argument in its favor for nothing has been recorded since in opposition to such a move.
Mr. Farrington was a strong advocate of the Sunday school and during his stay the work of the school was put on a sound basis and measures were taken to bring this department of church work up to the position it ought to occupy. The pastor was ably assisted by Asa Woodward, who was for more than forty years secretary of the Sunday school, and teacher of one of the classes. He was peculiar in some respects but was a man of great piety, very con- scientious and an ardent worker for his beloved church.
At the annual meeting of the Sunday School Board in this year, fifty-four teachers were elected, twenty-seven men and twenty-seven women; this shows that the school must have been large.
The following vote passed at this meeting was rescinded by a meeting hastily called together for that purpose the following month.
Voted, "That a present of a book be made the last Sabbath in August to those scholars who wish it in preference to the loan of one every Sabbath."
Subsequently a constitution and by-laws was adopted organizing them into a body with the euphonious name of the "Gardiner Sabbath School Society Auxiliary to the Sabbath School Union of the Methodist Episcopal Church." These articles are in force at the present day.
1842. Mr. Farrington having remained the full time allowed by the laws of the church, Rev. John Hobart was returned for the ensuing year by the Conference in session with the parish at Gardiner. The church at South Gardi- ner had been prosperous during its two years of existence
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and was now large enough to become a separate parish and Rev. David Higgins was appointed preacher in charge. The membership numbered 141.
At this time the highest salary within the bounds of the State was paid by the parish in Gardiner, the amount being six hundred dollars.
The religious excitement called Millerism commenced during this year to approach a climax and the parish was somewhat affected by it.
1843. Rev. George Webber was sent to the charge from the Conference holding its session at Bath while Rev. B. B. Byrne was appointed to South Gardiner. The membership shows a sharp decrease from four hundred and seventy to three hundred and twelve, during this year. The cause of this decrease is found in the belief held by some of the church that the end of the world was to occur April 23, 1843. A large number of the members, among whom were John Russell and Marvel Sprague, two of the most prom- inent and influential members of the church, seceded from the church and held meetings in the yellow meeting-house on High street and also at the New Mills. So great was the excitement that many of the converts to this strange infat- uation sold or gave away all their property and even pro- vided themselves with robes in anticipation of the return of Christ. As the day set for the dawn of the millenium passed without anything happening beyond the usual occur- ences, many returned to the church, but some set the date further into the future and continued in their mad delusion. The greater part of the church refused to accept these ideas and remained faithfully at their posts, welcoming the wanderers as they returned, rather shamefacedly we may
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suppose. No permanent injury was done the church by this display of religious excitement.
During this year some quite extensive alterations in the buiding were entered upon: the high bank east of the church was taken away, the present driveway made, and the vestry was enlarged to the full size of the house. The blue clay under the front of the building which had been so troublesome to the original builder of the church was met with on the back side and the same means were used to overcome it. Along the west side of the vestry were placed partitions, forming small vestries, and in the new part of the vestry, beneath what is now the vestibule, was placed an immense brick furnace capable of holding large logs of wood
It is but just to say that there is a good deal of doubt as to what year these alterations were made, but from the combined judgment of some of the older members of the church there seems to be a strong probability that the sum- mer of 1843 is the correct date.
1844. The Conference met this year in Bangor and sent to the parish Rev. N. D. George and to South Gardiner Rev. John Cummer. Mr. George was a man of studious habits, and though his early school privileges were limited he was a fluent speaker and an able preacher, always speak- ing without manuscript ; he was a prolific writer and was the author of several books.
Temperance sentiment had been strong in Gardiner for many years and while not confined to the members of the church and congregation, yet the larger part of the temper- ance people and the men most prominent in the movement, were in the Methodist parish. During this year John B.
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Gough lectured in the church, a noteworthy occurrence, and stirred the immense congregation to an intense state of feeling on this burning question.
During this year A. K. P. Buffum and Miss Harriet Law- rence, a daughter of "Uncle" John Lawrence, were united in marriage by Mr. George. After the lapse of fifty-six years this venerable couple still live in their home on School street perfect examples of a vigorous and ideal old age.
The estimating committee made its report for the year and decided the claim of the preacher to be as follows :
For travelling expenses
$20 00
House rent
80 00
Quarterage
304 00
Fuel
25 00
Table expenses
120 00
Whole claim
$549 00
The average attendance at the Sunday school was one hundred and seventeen which the superintendent stated was less than previously.
1845. From the Conference which held its session in Portland, Rev. T. Greenhalgh was appointed to Gardiner while N. D. George became Presiding Elder of the district.
The financial condition of the church was in rather a bad condition during this year and the Quarterly Conference took means to improve it. The Sunday school was reported to be in a very flourishing condition. The membership showed a sharp decrease in numbers at the close of the year.
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1846. The Conference met at Hallowell for its annual session and sent Moses Hill to this parish for a second time. He had been placed in charge during the years 1838-9 and had more than met the wishes of the congregation. It was much to the pleasure of the people that the presiding Bishop, Waugh, sent him to Gardiner again.
The financial condition of the church was much improved during the year and the Sunday school was reported to be in its usual condition.
1847. From the Conference in Saco Rev. Mr. Hill was returned for his second and last consecutive year at Gar- diner. At this Conference the following vote was passed, voted "to ask the next General Conference to divide this Conference."
A general improvement was noted in the affairs of the society, the finances were put in better condition; the Sun- day school was classified by a better arrangement of teachers and scholars ; and a slight increase in membership noted.
1848. The General Conference of the Methodist Church in the United States, which met early in the year, acceded to the request of the Maine Conference by a vote passed the previous year, and divided the Conference into two. The dividing line was the Kennebec river; all the territory east of the river becoming the East Maine Conference.
The Maine Annual Conference held its session at Port- land and Rev. Eaton Shaw was sent to Gardiner as preacher in charge.
Mr. Shaw had been a merchant but feeling a call to go into the ministry he left his work and for fourteen years was a successful minister in the leading parishes in the
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State; then his health giving out he returned to the mer- cantile business and settled in Portland, where he died in 1884.
Considerable accessions were made to the Sunday school during the year in consequence of a vote by the Sunday school board "to invite all children not attending elsewhere to come to the Methodist Sunday school." The library which was begun in 1827 at the opening of the school in the yellow meeting-house, numbered at this time about four hundred volumes, and a fund of forty-three dollars was raised to purchase some new books.
A vacancy having arisen in the official board, Hiram Preble was elected to fill it. He was a granite and marble worker by trade and was of a quiet and retiring disposition. He filled several of the offices in the parish, particularly that of collector, in an able manner and was for many years one of the pillars of the church. He died in 1881.
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1849. The Conference held this year in Augusta, re- turned Rev. Eaton Shaw to this parish for a second year. Under his ministration the membership showed a slight decrease but the various departments of church work were well cared for. Mr. Shaw was declining very rapidly in health and during the last of the year the religious services suffered in consequence; the members assisted as far as possible in the work of the church and the pastor was enabled by these means to finish the Conference year.
1850. Mr. Shaw having finished his legal stay in Gardi- ner, the Conference sent Rev. Joseph Colby to this parish.
Mr. Colby's success in the ministry was largely due to his talented and energetic wife, whose efficient aid, in some of
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the departments of the society's work, was a means of great good to the parish.
The omnipresent difficulty concerning heating the church came up this year. It was voted at one board meeting, not to move the furnace; and one of the members of the com- mittee appointed to "attend to the moving of the furnace," immediately resigned. At the next meeting it was voted "to move the furnace;" and the rest of the committee then resigned. How the difficulty was settled the records do not say.
At the annual meeting of the Sunday school I. W. Wood- ward was elected superintendent.
Wheeler Woodward was a son of Michael Woodward, one of the original Methodists in Gardiner, and was a worthy son of his father. He was greatly interested in the work of the church and a great deal of his time and means were used in furthering God's work in the parish. He was a strong temperance man when total abstinence was a laugh- ing stock to the greater part of the community. He died in 1881. His wife Rebecca died in the fall of 1899, aged 85 years. At her death she was the oldest member of the church.
It was in the winter of 1850-I that a sweeping revival took place in Gardiner. Meetings were held all day long in the church and crowds thronged the edifice from the early morning meeting until late at night. The addition of nearly two hundred members to the church shows the thor- oughness of the work. Many of the older members of the church trace their interest in religious affairs to this great awakening.
1851. Rev. Joseph Colby was returned for a second time by the Conference in session at Winthrop. Mr. Colby's
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second year was largely devoted to the ingathering and care of the fruits of the religious awakening of the preceding year.
At the parish meeting, Allen Crowell was chosen collec- tor, and the following copy of assessment gives us our first complete knowledge of the ownership of the pews.
Pew. Owner.
1. Michael Woodward.
2. R. Clay, Estate.
3. Ebenezer Moore.
4. Michael Woodward.
5. Samuel Clay, Estate.
6. George Evans and Wm. Wiles.
7. R. H. Gardiner.
8. R. Thompson and John Plaisted.
9. John Plaisted.
10. Nathaniel Godding.
11. Mrs. Mary Jackins.
12. Marvel Sprague.
13. Maltiah Lawrence.
14. Richard Stuart, Estate.
15. James Steward.
16. John Russell.
17. James G. Donnell.
18. John Moore.
19. William Bradstreet.
21. Ebenezer Moore.
22. Jeremiah Wakefield, Est.
23. Mrs. Matilda Collins.
24. Joshua Lord, Estate.
25. David Hinkley.
26. Stephen Webber.
27. Daniel Brookings.
28. Cyrus Kendrick.
29. John McCausland.
Pew. Owner.
30. J. D. Blake.
31. John L. Foy.
32. George W. Snow.
33. Michael Woodward.
34. Dr. Jas. Parker, Estate. 35. David Neal.
36. George Plaisted.
37. E. Waterhouse.
38. John Lawrence.
39. Mrs. Hannah Hayes, Wm. Amee.
40. Daniel Clay, Freeman Trott.
41. John Stone, Estate.
42. A.Plummer, F.A. Plaisted.
43. D. L. Milliken, John Plaisted.
44. William Day.
45. H. Bowman, Estate.
46. Riverius Hooker.
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47. Jas. Sherburn, Estate.
48. James Collins.
49. Ebenezer Moore.
50. Thomas N. Atkins.
51. R. Clay, Estate.
52. R. Clay, Estate.
53. Samuel Davis.
54. John Moore.
55. Michael Woodward.
56. James Lowell, Estate.
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CHRONOLOGICAL.
Pew. Owner.
Pew. Owner.
57. Thomas N. Atkins.
70. John Moore.
58. Mrs. Julia Gay.
71. Marvel Sprague.
59. Benjamin Johnson.
72. Marvel Sprague.
60. Ebenezer Moore, F. Trott.
73. Marvel Sprague.
61. Hannah Springer.
74. John Moore.
75. Michael Woodward.
62. Ichabod Plaisted, Estate, and D. Farrer.
63. George Rogers.
64. Samuel Amee.
65. Michael Woodward.
66. Nutting and Cook.
80. Samuel Springer.
67. Marvel Sprague.
81. Marvel Sprague.
The total tax was two hundred and nine dollars and thirty-one and three-fourths cents. All the pews numbered beyond sixty-six were in the gallery and the average tax for gallery pews was forty cents, making the cost of one seat less than seven cents per year.
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