USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Gardiner > Annals of the people called Methodists in the city of Gardiner, Me. > Part 4
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1852. The Maine Conference held its session in Port- land and sent Rev. George Webber, D. D., to Gardiner. Dr. Webber was one of the ablest ministers the Maine Con- ference has ever produced. He was dignified and courte- ous and his sermons were deep and exhaustive, and never sensational. At the General Conference held in Boston in 1852 he was a candidate for the high position of bishop. He died in his home at Kent's Hill in 1875 aged seventy- four years.
Some repairs and alterations were made to the parsonage during this year, and some furniture was added; a commit- tee was appointed to "look after the foundation of the meeting-house." A vote passed at a board meeting shows that the committee attended to their duty. At this meeting it was voted "to raise a committee whose duty it should be
76. John Russell.
77. Michael Woodward.
78. John Russell.
79. Michael Woodward.
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to find twenty or more individuals who will agree to pay their proper share of the debts of the society, that are already contracted."
1853. The twenty-ninth session of the Maine Confer- ence, held at Biddeford, returned Dr. Webber to the Gar- diner charge for a second year.
The debt on the parsonage unprovided for the previous year was assessed on the several classes and was probably collected, as no further mention is made of it.
1854. The Maine Conference held its session at Skow- hegan during the summer of this year and sent Rev. J. C. Aspenwall to this charge.
Mr. Aspenwall was a radical abolitionist and did not wholly "refrain from agitating the subject of slavery" as was directed by the General Conference. He was, however, an earnest and successful preacher, and his two years' stay in Gardiner was productive of much good to the parish.
At the first meeting of the official board held June 12, 1854, the following vote was passed. It is interesting in that, in principle at least, it is now in practice.
Voted, To take up a collection each communion day to defray the expenses of the same and also to contribute to the poor of the church, and that the preacher in charge and Brother John Moore be a committee to receive the monthly collection and distribute the same, as may be thought proper. At this meeting the classes were joined once a month in a general class to hold its session in the Saturday evening before communion Sunday ; a custom made use of at the present day.
The following has its humorous side: At a meeting of the board held May 14, 1855, it was voted "to pay back two dollars to Brother that he put into the con- tribution box through mistake some weeks since."
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1855. Rev. Mr. Aspenwall's return from the Conference at Bath was generally appreciated and he engaged in the duties of his second year with much enthusiasm. A diffi- culty in the preacher's salary was met by a special effort and the finances put on a firmer basis by the appointment of a committee to solicit funds for the ensuing year. Two things engrossed the attention of the parish during this year; the approaching Conference which was to hold its session in Gardiner, and the remodelling of the church edifice. William Day, George Plaisted and John Moore were chosen a committee to make arrangements for enter- taining the Conference.
1856. The Maine Conference met for its thirty-second session in Gardiner, July 2, 1856, Bishop Waugh presid- ing. A strong resolution was adopted denouncing human slavery. Rev. Parker Jaques was returned as preacher in charge.
Mr. Jaques was a diligent and thorough student, careful in his preparation for the pulpit ; a sound preacher, a good minister and especially successful as a Sunday school worker.
During this year a choir was organized under William Day, chorister, and G. M. Johnson, assistant.
The Sunday school was in a flourishing condition and reported twenty-eight officers and teachers, and two hun- dred and fifty-six scholars enrolled with five hundred books in the library.
The following vote passed in quarterly Conference has never been rescinded. Voted "that the Conference have a standing invitation to meet in Gardiner."
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In the summer of this year, Nathaniel Keniston, an old and honored member of the church, dropped dead in front of the drug store now occupied by C. H. Beane.
Some improvements in the church property were made this year. The partition on the west side of the vestry was taken down and a small vestry made by placing folding doors across the vestry cutting off about fifteen feet of the southern end.
The minister's desk was then placed in the northern end. The old brick furnace was removed and two new furnaces burning coal introduced, one at the right of the desk and the other in the small vestry.
The lower part of the building thus remodelled would seat about four hundred and fifty and was usually filled and frequently crowded at every service.
A fine toned bell, weighing nine hundred and eighty- seven pounds and cast by Jones and Hitchcock, Troy, N. Y., was hung in the belfry, which had been built on the church. A yoke of oxen driven by Mr. Amasa Smith, was used to draw the bell up to the belfry.
Pipes were laid from the gas main to the church build- ing and jets were placed in the vestry but the audience room of the church was lighted by oil for some years.
1857. The unanimous desire of the people was gratified by the return of Mr. Jaques from the annual Conference held in Saco in July of this year. At this conference Chas. E. Springer, a native of Gardiner, was admitted as a mem- ber of the Maine Conference. He was the second of the name, who were members of the Gardiner church, to become a minister of the Methodist Church. He was, how- ever, not a relative of the Moses Springer mentioned in the preceding pages.
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In the summer of this year a singing school was opened in the vestry by Miss Eunice W. Whitney, which lived and flourished for some years.
By the death of Catherine Purrington the Sunday school came into possession of a legacy to be used in purchasing books. It is recorded that forty-five dollars were thus used.
A new furnace was added to the church this year and a committee was appointed to purchase coal for the same. Before this time the building had been heated with wood.
A society of young women was organized in this year for the purpose of assisting in the payment of some of the inci- dental expenses of the church. No records are in existence concerning it and it doubtless disbanded in a short time.
1858. The Conference at Farmington sent Rev. D. B. Randall to the Gardiner parish.
Mr. Randall's name and history are too well known to need more than a short reference. His grandfather was the founder of the Free Baptist denomination. He was born in Vermont in 1807 and early in life began the study of law, but feeling a call to preach, he left his legal studies and prepared for the ministry. He was admitted to the pastorate in 1827 and for seventy years was one of our best known ministers. His death in Portland last year was the occasion for numerous commemorative and appreciative sketches of his life and work in the papers of all denomina- tions and also the secular press.
The charge prospered exceedingly under Mr. Randall's care. On October 5, 1858, we find the following action recorded.
Chose Brother Buffum, Brother Day and Brother Preble a committee to take the subject of an organ into considera-
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tion and do the best they can with regard to procuring one, providing it can be done with dignity and good feeling.
The agitation for repairs in the building continued and we find that during this year "J. Moore was chosen a com- mittee to make the necessary repairs on the meeting-house."
Our Sunday evening service has always been the principal evening service in the city, and it is doubtless true that many come to the vestry only to be entertained. It is to the credit of the church that such persons have always been invited and urged to come. The dim lights of former days tended to encourage uneasiness among the restless boys and young men who occupied the back settees and it was doubtless owing to this that the Board voted "To raise a committee to wait on the city authorities and request them to appoint police to keep order in our prayer-meetings." It was the majesty of the law in the person of the officer and not his official acts that kept silence in the vestry.
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1859. From the Conference held at Lewiston Rev. Mr. Randall was returned for a second year.
A tax was assessed by the city upon the church property and was paid under protest. I. W. Woodward was chosen a committee to petition the city government to refund the money thus illegally assessed.
The organ committee having canvassed the ground and concluding the time ripe for obtaining an organ, a commit- tee of five, F. A. Plaisted, H. Lennan, H. Preble, S. E. Johnson, and Freeman Trott were appointed to purchase an instrument.
At this time a movement was made to obtain pure water for the use of the preacher's family. A spring was obtained on top of the hill near the street now called Plaisted street after the Ichabod Plaisted mentioned in preceding pages,
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and a series of logs with holes bored lengthwise through them was laid down. The water thus brought into the cellar was used for many years, until the erection of houses around the site of the spring contaminated the water. The pipes were never taken up nor the connection with the spring broken, so that the water still flows into the cellar cistern.
The arrest and trial of John Brown awakened great inter- est among the church people and the bell was tolled during the entire day upon which he was hanged. J. K. Foy, assisted by Daniel Robinson, tolled the bell, and it is said that no other church in the city commemorated the event in this manner.
1860. According to the Methodist polity, all the minis- ters in the denomination are stationed at their places for one Conference year. Any minister may be returned for a second year to a parish desirous of retaining his services. By a vote of the General Conference this time was length- ened to three years and accordingly Rev. Mr. Randall was returned, by the Conference at Gorham, to Gardiner parish for another year, an appointment very satisfactory to the members of the congregation.
The agitation for the purchase of a pipe organ, which began some years before this time, culminated at last in the purchase of an organ suited to the needs and wishes of the congregations.
The committee who had been appointed by the official board reported in favor of buying an instrument to cost about eight hundred and fifty dollars.
The organ now in use, built by Stevens and Jewett of Boston, was purchased and installed in what is now the middle of the vestibule. It was the fashion of the time for
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the congregation to rise when a hymn was to be sung, and, turning their backs to the minister, remain standing during the singing of the hymns.
Miss Elizabeth Brookings was engaged as organist. After serving in the position for about ten months, she resigned, and the present organist, Miss Anna A. Day, was elected to preside in Miss Brookings place.
The organ is a remarkably sweet-toned instrument, with sixteen stops including a subbass. Five of these stops are, however, mechanical : the number of pipes is nearly five hundred.
The first Sunday after the introduction of the organ, Father Russell, as he was affectionately called, arose in the service, and asked leave to speak. This being granted, he said, "I wish it to be understood that I am opposed to the use of any instrument in church service. This is my church, and here I shall go as long as I live, but I wish to go on record as opposed to the introduction of this organ."
He was an exceedingly pious man and for many long years an efficient and valuable layman in the parish. His great conscientiousness and extreme conservatism do him credit.
1861. The Maine Conference assembled at South Paris, sent Rev. Chas. Munger in Mr. Randall's place, Mr. Ran- dall's two years having expired. Mr. Munger was a strong believer in the doctrine of Holiness, and under his labors, the church had two successful years. The claim of the preacher was met in full when due, not a common occur- rence in those days, and the benevolent enterprises of the church received generous amounts.
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1862. Mr. Munger was returned for a second year by the Conference in session in Chestnut street, Portland.
At the General Conference held in Philadelphia, Penn., in this year, the following resolutions were passed :
Whereas, It is a well known fact that the Methodist Episcopal Church was the first to tender its allegiance to the government, under the constitution, in the days of Wash- ington ; and
Whereas, Our minister and people are truly and deeply in sympathy with the government in its efforts to put down rebellion, and set the captives free ; therefore,
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed whose duty it shall be to proceed to Washington and to present to the President of these United States, the assurance of our church in a suitable address, that we are with him, heart and soul, in the present struggle for human rights and free institutions.
Six days afterwards, the following autograph letter was presented to Bishop Ames, by President Lincoln :
"GENTLEMEN : In response to your address, allow me to attest the accuracy of the historical statements it expresses, and to thank you, in the nation's name, for the sure promise it gives. Nobly sustained as the government has been by all the churches, I would utter nothing which might, in the least, appear invidious against any, yet without this, it may fairly be said that the Methodist Episcopal Church, not less devoted than the best, is, by its great numbers, the most im- portant of all. It is no fault of others that the Methodist Church sends more soldiers to the field, more nurses to the hospitals, and prayers to heaven than any. God bless the Methodist Church! Bless all the churches! And blessed be God, who, in this great trial, giveth us the churches."
We have not a complete list of all the members of the parish that served in the army, but among them are : George M. Atwood, Wm. B. Webber, William E. Jarvis, S. E. Johnson, George Webber, William H. Robinson, Edward
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J. Brookings, John Crowell, A. J. Packard, B. S. Smith, George A. Bowie, O. W. Marson, C. O. Wadsworth, F. Asbury Johnson, S. L. Brann, J. S. Hill, Moses S. Wads- worth.
1863. The Conference at Portland sent Rev. H. B. Abbott to this parish. Mr. Abbott was a graduate of Bow- doin College, and by profession a lawyer. The practice of law being unsuited to his extreme conscientiousness, he left it to enter the ministry and served our principal parishes with great success. He died in Waterville in 1876.
The various affairs of the church were well cared for dur- ing this year.
1864. The Conference in session at Wesley Church, Bath, returned Mr. Abbott a second year.
Heretofore, the Sunday school had been held from 9-30 to 10-30 A. M., previous to the morning preaching service. At this time the hour of the session was changed to the afternoon, immediately before the preaching service from half past one to half past two.
It is worth noting that the missionary collection for the year was two hundred two dollars and fifty cents, and the average attendance at Sunday school was one hundred forty-eight.
The feeling against the Southern Confederacy was greatly deepened by the funeral services of two men; Charles H. Richardson and Charles Adelbert Smith, which took place in the church in the year 1864. These men had been taken prisoners and confined in Libby Prison, from which place they were released in an emaciated and dying condition. Their funeral was largely attended, the crowd endangering the stability of the galleries.
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1865. The Conference holding its session at Hallowell, sent Rev. C. C. Mason to this charge.
Mr. Mason began the study of medicine, but forsook it to enter the ministry. He was a man of intelligence and of genial and cheerful disposition, a fluent writer and an able preacher. He was generally beloved by the church.
Late in the year a committee was appointed at a meeting of the official board to consider the propriety of remodelling the church. The committee later reported that it was advisable to attempt repairs and stated the amount neces- sary to be about three thousand dollars.
An increase of interest was noticeable, particularly in Sunday school work. All the departments of church work were well cared for and a substantial gain was noticed, especially in financial affairs.
A union meeting of all the churches of the city was held at the Methodist Church in April, 1865, in commemoration of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. All the ministers were present, including the Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Rev. Geo. Burgess. Remarks by the ministers and special music by the choir made up the programme.
1866. The Maine Conference met in Lewiston for its forty-second annual session, Bishop Ames presiding, and Mr. Mason was returned for a second year.
Through the active efforts of James M. Robinson, who had moved from the city proper to the Flagstaff District, so- called, on the Marston road, a class of ten or more members was formed in that locality.
The condition of the church at this time was most encour- aging. The congregations were large, the Sabbath school in a flourishing condition and the temporal interests were
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well attended to. Under these circumstances it was deemed advisable to attempt a renovation of the church building. The intention of the official board was not to rebuild; the walls, floor and roof, though old, were still solid, and made of much better lumber than could be bought at this time.
The house was roughly finished on the inside, the early architects having made no attempt at decoration, either by using ornamental wood or by frescoing. The pews and gal- leries were of pine painted white and the ceilings and walls were whitewashed, while the windows were the simplest possible, with panes of clear white glass.
1867. Rev. Charles Munger who had been pastor of the church during the years 1861-2 was returned from the Con- ference at Bath, and entered with great zeal upon the work of altering the church building.
At the first meeting of the official board, it was voted "That Brother Munger be a committee to telegraph to Bos- ton to get a man to take down the organ at once so they can make repairs on the meeting-house."
The organ was taken down and stored in a neighboring building. Robert Clark of Pittston was hired for master builder.
The galleries were removed, the pews taken out, and the building completely cleared, so that practically, everything except the bare walls was rebuilt.
An addition of twenty-five feet in width by eighteen feet in depth was placed on the back of the house for the recep- tion of the organ, choir and pulpit. The new pews were circular in shape and were of ash, trimmed with black wal- nut and, in the body of the house, were provided with cush- ions; the galleries were built with sloping floors in place
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CHRONOLOGICAL.
of the level floors of the old galleries built in 1827. The building thus renovated would seat about six hundred, and, as formerly, was the most capacious building in Gardiner.
The old clear glass windows were replaced by modern ones of stained glass, fifteen feet in height, thus doing away with the two-storied appearance of former years.
The walls were frescoed in appropriate and artistic designs in terra-cotta, amber and brown tints. The vestries were renovated somewhat, and the heating apparatus im- proved.
The rounded dome on the top of the belfry was removed, and a spire sixty feet in height put in its place, and the exterior of the building painted white.
The organ was then placed in its new position and a grand rededication held.
The total cost of the repairs had been above seven thou- sand dollars, more than twice the estimate, and a balance of forty-four hundred dollars was still due at the dedication. This debt was reduced by nearly a thousand dollars during the first year, but a balance of about nineteen hundred dollars remained to trouble the church for some years.
During this confusion, the spiritual interests of the parish were well cared for, and an increase of members resulted from the earnest endeavors of the pastor, assisted by some energetic workers in the church. The meetings were well kept up under the greatest disadvantages.
1868. The Conference held in Brunswick in 1868, appre- ciating the labors of Mr. Munger with the Gardiner parish, returned him to this charge for another year.
At the first Quarterly Conference, Elbridge Berry was appointed collector and treasurer for the ensuing year. Mr.
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Berry was for many years one of the pillars of the church, and as a steward and trustee, rendered active service in the spiritual and temporal affairs of the parish. He was for many years City Marshal, Street Commissioner and Member of both branches of the City Council. He died November 6, 1883.
1869. The Conference held in Saccarappa in May of this year, sent Rev. Charles W. Morse to the Gardiner parish.
Father Morse, as he was affectionately called by all who knew him, was a thoroughly good and pious man, beloved and revered by everyone. His friendship was like a bene- diction and his innate goodness shone from his countenance. He was for many years a prominent member of the Maine Conference, and died a few years ago at the home of his son in Illinois.
The Ladies' Circle, which had been formed long years before this, but of whose existence no records remain, assumed for this year the payment of the organist's
salary, a burden they have faithfully carried in all the suc- ceeding years. Just when this society of lady members was formed, no one knows. It was in existence at the building of the second church and might have been formed at that time. It has been, during these years, a great assistant in the work of the church and though its records are lost, its influence, present and past, can never be.
The interest in church and Sunday school work waned a little during the year, due no doubt, to two reasons; the ill- health of the pastor, and the burden of the debt of more than three thousand dollars incurred in renovating the church.
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1870. The Conference met in May of this year, at Augusta, the presiding elder being Bishop Matthew Simp- son. Bishop Simpson in the prime of his life was the peer- less orator of the American pulpit. On some great occa- sion, his whole audience has been known, almost uncon- sciously, to rise to their feet and crowd close up around, as he opened to their faith, the mysteries of Eternity. It was as if he actually saw the great white throne, and Him that sat upon it, and was just about to part the curtains of the sky, and give the congregation a glimpse of Eternal glory. In him, the church of our time has had a forcible suggestion of the supernatural power that dwells in the word of God, while his forgetful soul, wholly possessed by the truth of the Gospel, and its mission of salvation, was thus prepared for the highest uses God ever makes of men.
Father Morse was returned for the Conference year of 1870, and with an unflagging zeal in spite of his enfeebled state, he carried on the work of the church. His reports tell us of his work and his desire for the betterment of the parish, but it was left for others to gather the harvest of which he so diligently sowed the seed. During the two years he remained in Gardiner, the debt on the church was reduced by over $1,500, all the expenses of the church were met, and the offerings for benevolent objects were larger than the average.
1871. The Conference at Chestnut street, Portland, sent Rev. Paschal E. Brown to this charge.
Mr. Brown was not satisfactory to the people of the par- ish and at a quarterly meeting, called for the purpose, the presiding elder heard the complaints of the church and advised Mr. Brown to resign. His salary was paid in full,
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and a present of one hundred dollars given to his wife. The pulpit was supplied by Caleb Fuller, a local preacher, residing in Hallowell, until Conference met and assigned a preacher for the charge.
It is a testimony to the love the people bore the church, that during this time of trial, the Sunday school and other religious services, not under the immediate supervision of the pastor, were well attended and the usual degree of inter- est maintained.
The Conference had voted to hold its next session at Gar- diner, and a committee consisting of Caleb Fuller, I. W. Woodward, M. S. Wadsworth, S. E. Johnson, F. A. Plais- ted, and H. H. Lennan were appointed to make prepara- tions for receiving it.
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