USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Gardiner > Annals of the people called Methodists in the city of Gardiner, Me. > Part 6
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In June of this year, the graduating class of the High School invited Mr. Haddock to preach a Baccalaureate ser- mon to them on the Sunday preceding the day of the gradu- ation. This custom, though followed by the colleges from time immemorial, had never been adopted by this school, but the precedent has been followed by all the succeeding classes. The members of the class marched into the build- ing in a body, and all the exercises were in harmony with the occasion.
It had become apparent to all the members that the church building ought to be either extensively repaired or torn down and built anew. At first, it was decided to repair at an expense of five thousand dollars. The architect, Mr. E. E. Lewis, after examining the building, gave it as his opinion, that the church should rebuild. Plans were then drawn for a new building, and a committee was appointed to raise the necessary funds. Lively opposition to rebuild- ing was manifested by many of the members of the church and congregation who had become attached to the old build- ing and were very unwilling to see it completely torn down. Under these circumstances, the matter was laid aside for the time being.
1893. The Conference held this year in Westbrook reap- pointed Rev. Mr. Haddock to this charge.
In accordance with the conditions of the will of Miss Philena Whitmore, the sum of two hundred dollars was
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CHRONOLOGICAL.
given "to the Methodist Episcopal Church of Gardiner, the interest of which is to be used by said church for the sup- port of preaching." The official board accepted the gift and voted to express its appreciation of the generous gift of the donor.
A short time after this, the church came into possession of a legacy of three hundred dollars from the estate of Miss Sophronia A. White. This money was given toward the rebuilding of the church edifice. In a vote, spread upon the records and sent to the family of the donor, the board "expressed its appreciation of the generous gift." The mixed quartet which had supplied the singing for a num- ber of years was now dispensed with, and a cornetist hired to lead the congregation in singing.
During the pastorate of Mr. Haddock, there was no special interest in spiritual affairs outside the members of the church and there was a shrinkage in membership, the losses occasioned by death and removals not being offset by the numbers admitted to full connection.
1894. The annual session of the Maine Conference was held at Skowhegan and Rev. E. O. Thayer was appointed to Gardiner.
Mr. Thayer was ex-president of an institution for the higher education of the colored people in the South, Clark University in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a firm friend of the negro and intensely interested in all the movements looking to the advancement of that race. After serving as presi- dent of that university for some years, he reentered the ministry and was sent to Gardiner for his third pastorate within the State, having previously served in Biddeford and Park Street, Lewiston.
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GARDINER M. E. CHURCH.
All intentions of rebuilding had been given up by this time, and the energies of the parish were bent towards repairing the church building. As a preliminary step, the pew owners were approached by a committee to ascertain if the pews would be deeded to the trustees in order to have a free church. Nearly four hundred dollars were raised to pay off a floating indebtedness which had gradually grown during the preceding years.
Since the mixed quartet was broken up, the singing had been done mostly by the congregation. Mr. Thayer was strongly in favor of a chorus choir and Mr. Frank Stanley was invited to form one from the young people of the church. The choir thus formed lasted nearly two years and was generally satisfactory to the congregation.
1895. The annual Conference met this year with the church in Saco and Dr. Thayer was reappointed to Gardiner.
Immediately after Dr. Thayer's return from Conference it was voted to begin repairing the church. Two of the older families of the church, the Plaisted family and the Bal- lard family, offered to place memorial windows in the church. The Y. M. L. G., a club composed of young ladies, offered to give a central chandelier, while a society of girls in the grammar school gave the chandeliers beside the pulpit. With these encouraging prospects, the church entered on its work of renovation. The walls and ceiling were sheathed with pressed steel, the pews were taken up and the floor repaired, the steeple righted, and the whole interior painted, varnished and frescoed in very pretty style.
New carpets and cushions were added to the beauty and comfort of the house, and the organ was raised and repaired.
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CHRONOLOGICAL.
New windows of cathedral glass took the place of the old stained glass, the roof was shingled and the whole exterior repainted. Electricity was introduced to light the church, and some smaller repairs were made in the vestry.
The total cost was not far from three thousand dollars, only a small balance being unprovided for at the rededica- tion which took place March 22d. A large number of the old pastors were present at this service, the sermon being preached by Rev. Mr. Haddock.
1896. The Conference met this year at Auburn and Dr. Thayer was returned for his third year.
This year was productive of nothing of special interest ; it was hardly to be expected after the stirring times of the year before.
1897. The Conference met this year in Portland and Rev. Albert A. Lewis was appointed to the charge, Mr. Thayer becoming Presiding Elder of Portland district.
I leave it to some future historian to give an estimate of Mr. Lewis' character, ability, and work while in this parish. No minister was ever more successful, or more thoroughly beloved by his parish.
Mrs. Freeman Trott died January 1, 1898, and the secret, of who the kind friend was that donated the $500 during the pastorate of Mr. Luce, was revealed. "Her deeds do follow her."
The church was this year made a free church, depending for its support wholly on the contributions of the members and not upon taxes placed upon the valuation of the pews.
Special emphasis is placed by the pastor upon the spiritual interests of the church, he believing that if the spiritual part
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GARDINER M. E. CHURCH.
of the work of the church is well cared for, the financial will take care of itself, a theory abundantly proved by the pros- perous state of the church at present.
A unanimous request was sent the Bishop for Mr. Lewis' return to the pastorate of the church.
1898. The Conference in session at Norway acceded to the wish of the parish and Mr. Lewis was returned for a second year.
During this year, death removed one of the older mem- bers of the church, Mr. Baxter Marr. In his will, Mr. Marr left to the church the sum of one thousand dollars to be used in paying off the debt on the church commonly known as the "Woodward Legacy." The money thus refunded became the property of the city in whose posses- sion it now is.
A series of resolutions in memory of Mr. Marr and in appreciation of his bequest were adopted at a special ses- sion of the official board and were spread on the records.
The treasurer's report for the year showed the parish out of debt, except a note of five hundred dollars, all the cur- rent expenses met in full and all floating indebtedness fully paid.
As testimony of the appreciation of the parish, Mr. Lewis was granted a vacation of three weeks and the official board agreed to fill the pulpit in his absence.
Mr. E. C. H. Smith, the superintendent of the Sunday school, resigned his position during the year, much to the regret of the school, and Mr. Jas. M. Rogers was elected to the position.
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CHRONOLOGICAL.
1899. The Conference met this year in Farmington and Mr. Lewis was reappointed to this charge for his third year.
About two hundred dollars has been paid on the indebt- edness, reducing it to about three hundred dollars.
A chandelier for the use of the choir has been placed above and in front of the organ and a large incandescent light placed at the end of the walk leading to the vestry.
The financial condition of the parish is satisfactory and the spiritual condition of the church is encouraging. The church is always well filled and all the departments of the work are in careful hands. The parish numbers more than eight hundred. The active membership being two- hundred eighty, one-fourth of whom have been added during the present pastorate.
1900. The Conference meets this year with the Gardiner church, Bishop Joyce presiding. Mr. Lewis has been invited to remain a fourth year and if the reappointment is made he will be the first pastor to serve the Gardiner church for more than three years.
One hundred years ago this summer, the first Meth- odist preacher preached to a few people on Bowman's Point, when the population of the town did not reach five hundred. In the century since then thousands of people have been identified with the Methodist parish. In the face of many deaths and large emigrations to the West, the parish has maintained a foremost standing and is stronger to-day than ever before.
The church enters the new century facing new problems, but with a courage based upon a century of experience. It
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GARDINER M. E. CHURCH.
is resolutely opposed to the prevailing vices of the day and proposes with unflinching purpose to battle with them until right shall triumph and "the earth shall be filled with the Glory of God as the waters cover the sea."
CHAPTER III.
LIST OF PASTORS AND MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH FROM 1800 TO 1900.
Year. Names of Pastors. Members.
1800
E. Kibby and C. C. Smith 384
1801
A. Heath and O. Beal 327
1802
J. Snelling and S. Hillman 364
1802
C. C. Smith and A. Humphrey .
107
1803
A. Humphrey and S. Hillman
150
1804
A. Humphrey and Dan. Perry.
161
1805 Thomas Perry 187
1806 1807
Caleb Fogg
117
1808
Henry Martin 162
1809
E. F. Newell 153
1810
Zach. Gilson 150
150
1812
Samuel Hillman 139
1813 Josh. Randall
203 130
1814 John Atwell
240
1816 Henry True
344
1817 Daniel Wentworth 405
1818
Benjamin Jones
425
1819 Oliver Beal 314
1820 Henry True 352
1821
Charles Virgin 372
1822
D. Hutchinson 252
1823 D. Hutchinson and Otis Williams 272
1824 H. Nickerson and J. Stone 372
David Carr 115
1811
Samuel Hillman
1815
John Atwell
92
GARDINER M. E. CHURCH.
Year. Names of Pastors.
Members.
1825
S. Lovell and C. D. Rogers
336
1826 W. B. Mack and M. Hill 391
1827 Phineas Crandall
159
1828 John Atwell
172
1829
John Atwell
223
1830
S. Waterhouse
397
1831
S. Waterhouse
380
1832 J. Spalding
240
1833 R. E. Schemerhorn
245
1834
Aaron Sanderson
225
1835
Aaron Sanderson
228
1836
J. B. Heusted
277
1837 J. W. Atkins
282 262 320
1838
Moses Hill
1839
Moses Hill
390
1842 John Hobart
360
1843
George Webber
312 320
1845 T. Greenhalgh
256
1846
Moses Hill
283
1847
Moses Hill
284
1848
Eaton Shaw
266
1849 Eaton Shaw
252 442
1851
Joseph Colby .
404
1852
George Webber
305
1853
George Webber
247 279
1854
J. C. Aspenwall
260
1856
Parker Jaques
304
1857
Parker Jaques
246
1858
D. B. Randall.
272
1859
D. B. Randall
274
1860 D. B. Randall
295
1861 C. Munger
240
1862
C. Munger
293
1 1 1 1
1 1
1
1
1840
W. F. Farrington
1841 W. F. Farrington
470
1844
N. D. George
1850
Joseph Colby
1855
J. C. Aspenwall
PASTORS AND MEMBERS.
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Year. Names of Pastors.
Members.
1863 H. B. Abbott
265
1864 H. B. Abbott
248
1865 C. C. Mason
232
1866 C. C. Mason
235
1867
C. Munger
245
1868
C. Munger
268
1869
C. W. Morse
236 225
1870
C. W. Morse
1871
P. E. Brown
231
1872 W. S. Jones
1873 W. S. Jones
1874 W. S. Jones
1875
John F. Hutchins
1876
John F. Hutchins
262 275 271
1878
George D. Lindsay
269
1880
George D. Lindsay
1881 John F. Hutchins .
1882
John F. Hutchins
1883
Israel Luce
1884
Israel Luce
1885
Israel Luce
1886 E. C. Bass
1887
E. C. Bass
1888 E. C. Bass
1889
George H. Hunt
1890
A. S. Ladd
1891
A. S. Ladd
1892 F. C. Haddock
274
1894 E. O. Thayer
262
1895 E. O. Thayer
255
1896 E. O. Thayer
265
1897 A. A. Lewis
270
1898
A. A. Lewis
261
1899 A. A. Lewis . 265
1900
280
241 267 257 284
1877 John F. Hutchins
1879
George D. Lindsay.
266 256 220 200 237 316
290 278 278 276 274 284 274
1893
F. C. Haddock
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