USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Waterville > Centennial history of The First Baptist Church of Waterville, Maine > Part 2
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The charter members of the church were scattered over a large area of country, some in the very south of the town, some in the west part, now Oakland, some at the Ten Lots, now Oakland Heights, some at the Ridge, or the back part of Fairfield. This necessitated the church holding its meetings around in different localities, in school houses or private homes. There- fore soon after its organization it voted to hold the church conference "alternately at the Pastor's home and in the school house in the west part of the town." Evidently this was not altogether satisfactory, for
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afterward it was decided to hold the monthly confer- ences in June and October at the Ten Lots, for August and January at the Ridge. The Communion service was first held "one-third of the time at the West part of the town and the other two-thirds at the Village."
After several years of this (Jan. 15, 1831) twenty- two asked and were given permission to form a church by themselves in the country back of Fairfield. This organization, however, was not able to keep up a sepa- rate existence, and in the course of a few years (seven) became extinct, several of the members in time finding their way back to the Waterville church.
But notice that in less than twelve years and a half, the Waterville church has grown sufficiently in num- bers and strength to send off another church more in numbers than it itself consisted of when formed. A few days after its twenty-sixth anniversary (August 1844) forty-four members were dismissed to form still another church, that of West Waterville. This ven- ture was more successful, and the Mother Church looks with pride and thanksgiving as it sees it still growing and doing the will and work of the Great Head of the Church.
July 15, 1820, nearly two years after the church was formed, the church clerk made the following entry : "Church met in Conference at school house near Deacon Webb's. Brother Holton prayed-members related their exercises. George D. Boardman related his Christian experience and presented himself as a
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candidate for church membership. Voted that he, after having submitted to the ordinance of baptism and after having subscribed to our Articles, be received as a member of the church," and a note entered the next day, mentions his baptism and reception into the church.
Calvin Holton who offered prayer was also a student of the college. He became the second missionary from the church and college, and the first to give his life, dying at Monrovia, Africa, after a very few months of service.
Mr. Boardman was at that time a student in the college and was one of the first two who graduated from it. Little the church knew the tremendous im- portance of that act and that day. Little did they sus- pect that they were taking in at that time, a man who, though his life would be short, would make a wonder- ful impress on heathendom. There is left to remind Waterville of him and his great work, the "Boardman Willows" back of the college buildings. Old and nearly ready to die, they are being replaced by young trees, by the college classes of today, to keep green in college and church the memory of one of their great men.
Boardman soon took a more and more active part in church affairs, was put upon important committees, and before long was chosen Junior Ruling Elder. Later the church gave him license to preach. During his college course and later while for a short time he was tutor at his Alma Mater, a growing conviction was his
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that he must give himself to the Foreign Mission work, and at last it culminated in his resigning his position as Tutor, and as soon as practicable making ready to leave for foreign parts. Early in January of 1825 at the church conference, arrangements were made for his ordination at North Yarmouth. There had been quite a question as to the best place for holding this service and North Yarmouth had finally been chosen with the hope that such a service with such a purpose, would be a strong influence toward a missionary spirit in that community from which his father had resigned the pastorate only nine years before, and where he, himself, had spent quite a part of his boyhood. Feb. 16, 1825, the ordination services were held, Dr. Chap- lin preaching the sermon from the text-"I will go in the strength of the Lord," (Psa. 71: 16), the theme of the discourse being, "The suitableness of a spirit of en- tire dependence on God in a missionary to the heathen."
In the audience that day was the young lady to whom Mr. Boardman was engaged, Miss Sarah B. Hall of Salem, Mass., who afterward was married to him, went with him to Burma, entering into his labors, sharing his privations, nursing him in his last sickness, and who is due time married Dr. Adoniram Judson. In July of the same year 1825, he was given a letter of dismission to a church in Calcutta or to such other church of India as he might wish to join.
This is not the time or place to tell the rest of Board- man's life and work, profitable as it might be and de-
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lightful as it surely would be, but his mission to the Karens, the wild hill tribes of Burma, has become one of the greatest in the entire eastern world. Scores of thousands of natives have been transformed by it, and they and the hundreds of self-supporting churches, the schools and the hospitals of the Karen Mission are memorial to the student of the little college at Water- ville and the church into which he was baptized. The Baptist church of Waterville should be profoundly thankful that such a man, such a missionary, has been baptized into her communion, left the influence of his life to the people of her charge, and gone forth to missions and the world from her fold.
Presents came, encouraging the young church. Three months after its formation, in church meeting they are thanking the Salem, Mass., church for two baptizing robes,-the next January they vote thanks to Mrs. Prudence Farwell of Cambridge, Mass., for the "ele- gant set of Communion furniture we understand she has had the goodness to send us, and that our grateful acknowledgments be presented to her for the same." Again, at another conference they vote thanks to Lin- coln and Edmonds of Boston "for the neat and very valuable copy of the Holy Scriptures which they have pleased to present us." These last, about two years later, presented also "an elegant copy of Winchell's Watts (the hymnbook of those days). Later still, a fine pulpit Bible was presented to the church by Mrs. Susan E. Parker of Boston. This was accepted and
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thanks for it voted Nov. 1, 1834. And then again, still another pulpit Bible was a Christmas gift in 1870. Those earlier gifts must have meant much to the new, struggling church.
While the newly organized church was patiently hold- ing its meetings here and there in different private houses or schoolhouses, called by the irreverent "God's barns," wherever at the time it best served its purpose, now and then it suited its convenience to use the meet- ing house in which the recognition services had been held. Mrs. Chaplin's description of it has already been given. Her son, Dr. Jeremiah Chaplin, Junior, long after, writing of the first College Commencement, says, "The grand festival was to be held in the so-called meet- ing house that belonged to nobody in particular, open to all orthodoxies, and all heterodoxies." Another says, "occasional meetings were held in the townhouse, the place of assembly on all public occasions, on the bare timbers of whose unfinished interior swallows built their nests, affording to the church-going children of those days an object of more interest than often falls to their lot in modern churches."
This moving from place to place and having no church home of its own was, most decidedly, anything but conducive to the best interests of the little church. No wonder, then, that it was deemed necessary and advisable to have a church building of its own. To accomplish this a "legally constituted society," the "Baptist Society in Waterville," was formed in 1824
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and continued until December 1901 when the church was incorporated. This included not only the male members of the church but also those of the congre- gation whom they voted into membership. This Bap- tist Society evidently had charge of all secular business of the church. Its by-laws required legal notice to be posted on the principal outer door of the Baptist Meet- ing House, which should contain a statement of the matters to be acted on. The call for the meeting was to be made on warrant, as by law provided for the calling of town meetings, and return should be made to the magistrate who issued the warrant. This method was faithfully observed, down to the time of the call for the meeting for the incorporation of the church.
The first work of this Baptist Society was making plans, getting monies, etc., for a meeting house. One writes thus of it: "Dr. Chaplin was the moving spirit of reform of every kind. He was inseparably con- nected with all the religious and educational improve- ments of the time. Looking around, he saw we needed a House of Worship, and we must have one. No sooner was that thought conceived than he bent his energies for its accomplishment. He had rare talent for soliciting funds. Perseverance marked all his do- ings. Fidelity to stern principles of what he thought was right was characteristic of the saintly man. He found a few friends who aided him with funds and all the people gave something. Even the children were happy to give him coppers to get a kind look from him."
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Much of the money needed was raised by the sale of pews as was the custom of the time. The foundation of the house cost $100 and a pew, worth $125. The contract for building was closed at $3,375. "The house was built, under Dr. Chaplin's superintending care, large, convenient for the various purposes of the time, for the worship of God and to hold Commencements in," and when done was considered the "finest building in this part of the country." "It had the old-time lofty pulpit and high-backed pews, and a gallery on three sides, which in modified form still remains."
Dr. Wm. Mathews writes concerning his memories of the old church: "Shall I ever forget the day when the last nail was driven, the last touch of paint added to the church in the memorable year 1826? How proud Waterville boys felt of the 'bright consummate flower' of architecture, as we regarded it, and how especially did we admire the steeple, and boast of the weather cock. What an awful sanctity, to my boyish fancy, invested the tall, spectral form of Dr. Chaplin as he preached from the lofty pulpit. How long and wearily I wondered when the big book, from which he seemed to be reading, would, if ever, shut up! What impressive sermons I heard in the old church, when older, from Henry K. Green, Rufus Babcock, S. F. Smith, J. T. Champlin, and others whom I have not space to name."
This new meeting house it was, that was dedicated December 6, 1826, "to the service and worship of Al-
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mighty God by appropriate services, consisting of sing- ing, prayer and sermon by Dr. Chapin," then pastor. "Dedication Day was a great day to Dr. Chaplin. I remember seeing him stretch forth his long arms in a fervent prayer which even Solomon couldn't have im- proved." "As to location, size, plan, adaption to serve public worship and for school and college anniversa- ries, it has proved to be permanently admirable and bears emphatic witness to the sagacity of the leaders of the Baptist society of that day." Even after the church is built the records run, "Church met at the hall in the Wood's House-Church met in conference at the Brick Schoolhouse," or, at Dr. Chapin's or at Brother Scammon's. This occasions surprise until it is discovered that the new Meeting House cannot be heated, for it was not until six years after it was built that stoves were put into it, and then they were placed in the vestibule.
Ten years after the Meeting House was built, a vestry was erected. Dr. S. F. Smith, then the pastor of the church and church clerk, makes this entry be- tween the records for the years 1836 and 1837: "Re- ligious services held for the first time in the vestry of the Baptist Church, built on land at the north side of the Meeting House, on Sabbath evening, December 4th, 1836, consisting of singing, prayers, and extem- pore address by the pastor. The vestry was built by subscription, one brother, Samuel Redington, giving the greatest proportion, $400."
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After Dr. Chapin left college, church and town, the first pastor from out of the community was called and promised the munificent salary of four hundred dollars a year. Mr. Harvey Fittz, while studying at Newton, had been preaching as a candidate several weeks, and on being called and accepting, he went back to finish his studies. The church felt themselves unable to pay all his salary without help and sent by him a letter to the Massachusetts Baptist Missionary Society, asking for a grant of $100. After speaking of the call they had given Mr. Fittz, the letter goes on to say: "Our number is not great and most of us are in very mod- erate circumstances. We have within two or three years built a meeting house at an expense of between three and four thousand dollars without any assistance except what was obtained from this vicinity. Some of us have recently subscribed to an academy intended to be auxiliary to the college established here. With the assistance of certain individuals in this place who are not of our number, we have raised by subscription a little rising of $300. More we cannot raise without subjecting ourselves to embarrassments from which as Christians and as men we ought to be free." They then ask for $100. Again quoting: "This sum added to what we have raised, in this place, would make our intended pastor comfortable, and enable him, without the distraction of worldly cares, to devote himself to the important work to which he is called. Fathers and brethren, will you not assist us? We hope you will.
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You may be sure that Waterville is an important stand -the most important in the state of Maine. To give it up would be highly injurious to the college and to the Baptist interest throughout the state. Indeed, we cannot think of giving it up, and if you will assist us this once, we will do the best we can to maintain it hereafter without your aid.
"By order and in behalf of the church.
"JOHN C. JEWETT, Clerk."
Of course they received the hundred dollars, the first and last aid the Waterville church has asked or re- ceived, and many times that amount have they since paid the various societies for helping other needy churches, passing on to others the help obtained when in need themselves.
Mr. Fittz, in some reminiscences of his Waterville pastorate says: "I was ordained October 7, 1829, Dr. Ripley preaching the sermon. His travelling expenses from Newton to Waterville were an even $20.00. Though my call was reported to me as unanimous, I found a Brother Mendall, the richest and one of the most important members of the church, would not be pleased anyway. I was too starched up and learned for him. But Dr. Chaplin said he must be won, and so while he resolved he would not like me, I resolved he should. I took Mrs. Fittz and Miss Dodge, the sister of the lady with whom we boarded, and went to see Brother Mendall. I found him putting a load of potatoes into the cellar. I talked to him kindly but he
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gave me to understand that it was a very busy time with him and that persons that had to work for a living could not stand around with gloves on and dressed in Sunday clothes. After conducting the women into the house and introducing them, I returned and asked Brother Mendall if I could put my horse into the barn as it was somewhat windy. He replied somewhat gruffly that he should not forbid me, and drove back to the potato field. Soon I followed him and having found a hoe, went to digging potatoes in the row next to him. At first he seemed a little disturbed and dug fast. Soon I learned that he came from Massachusetts and drew from him a portion of his history, in relating which he slacked up a little. Then I drew from him his religious experience and soon the tears started and he seemed to be in no hurry. At length he said, 'It is too bad for you to be here at work, you will get your clothes dirty and blister your hands.' I assured him that I was brought up to work and dirt or blister would do little harm. But said he, 'Go up, I will come soon, there is no need to hurry.' But I kept on digging till he gave some directions to his help and started for the house, taking me with him. We had a delightful time, and from that time he was a great friend to me and my wife."
An odd custom of those days was that a young min- ister should give a present to the first couple he mar- ried. In the case of Mr. Fittz, it happened that his first couple was Dr. and Mrs. Plaisted, the father and
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mother of Miss Florence Plaisted, and she now has in her possession a shell comb, which he gave her mother for a wedding present.
Mr. Fittz stayed with the church only a little over one year, but that was a year of blessing. A revival sprang up, "beginning as has many another at the Ten Lots," from which ten persons united with the church, seven of them members of the Bates families, who formed a strong corps of helpers, and whose relatives and descendants are some of them now in the church and hold still the same high ideals as those of that time. After several other short pastorates, Mr. Fittz became Secretary of the Massachusetts Baptist Convention and did a fine and helpful work for thirty-five years, until his death in 1878.
July 10, 1831, it was voted to invite Rev. Henry K. Greene to become the pastor of the church at six hun- dred dollars salary. He accepted and was installed October 5, 1831. About that time there was a custom among churches of holding meetings, lasting, usually, four days. These were called Protracted Meetings. In the reminiscences written for the Zion's Advocate by Rev. L. C. Stevens, the following is quoted:
"From the first holding of Protracted Meetings by Baptist churches in 1829, there was a wide popular impression that God would certainly bless them. But there was also this wonderful fact, which for several years appeared in most instances; where one of them was appointed, the church in all its members, gave
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attention to it, humbled herself before God, and in agonizing cries, plead for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The pastor where the meeting was to be held, for assistance, usually invited all neighboring pastors. Then a prayer meeting and a sermon were had in the forenoon, afternoon, and evening. Such a meeting was held in Waterville, in the spring of 1832. The pastor, Rev. Henry K. Greene, was assisted by Rev. T. B. Ripley of Bangor and the Faculty and students of the college. 'A glorious harvest of souls was gathered.'" In regard to it, Mr. Stevens goes on to say: "At that time I had never seen anything so wonderful. To my young heart it seemed like Heaven come down to earth to win souls for the Redeemer's crown."
Of this interesting time it is a sad fact, that only this short summary remains in the church records- "The records are wanting from July 16, 1831, to Sep- tember, 1832. During this time the following are the most important events which took place relative to the church :
"Ist. The invitation to the pastorship accepted by Rev. Henry K. Greene.
"2nd. Soon after which six or seven persons were baptized by him and added to the church.
"3rd. The installation on October 5, 1831, followed up by a number of meetings and protracted meetings which resulted through divine good in the awakening of many of the church and conviction of sinners.
"4th. There were frequent instances of baptisms
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through the season until about forty were added to the church."
Mr. Greene resigned August 17, 1833, and it was not until January 1, 1834, that the church had its next pastor. On that day Mr. Samuel Francis Smith as- sumed the cares and responsibilities of the pastoral office. He was a young man, out of the Seminary only a year and a half which he had passed as editor of a Missionary Magazine. February 12, 1834, he was or- dained here in Waterville, President Babcock preach- ing the sermon. From his "Personal Recollections" some extracts are given. "It was the custom of the period for the town clerk, immediately before the be- ginning of the service on Sabbath morning to stand up and announce from his pew the names of persons intending marriage. Mr. Isaac Redington used to ful- fill this duty. Within one year after my settlement, the method of publishing the banns of matrimony was changed, the announcements being nailed upon the church door. There was no church bell till some years after my ordination. I found the congregation pecu- liar, being made up of three elements,-the college, the village people, and the families from the farms in different directions for five miles. My first sermon after my ordination was from the text-'Then said I, Ah, Lord, God, behold I cannot speak for I am a child.' (Jer. I:6.) Those were the days of Protracted,Meet- ings and one was held by the church in 1834. Rev. Dr. Tappan of Augusta, preached several times most ac-
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ceptably. Father Sewall, Home Missionary in Maine, gave us useful help. (Both were Congregationalists.) I remember one season of about sixteen weeks, during which it did not occur to us that we were living in the midst of a revival, but souls, averaging one every week, entered into the Kingdom of God." In 1838 there was also a season of deep religious interest, "which had its origin in the families at the Ten Lots and thence ex- tended to other parts of the town. Personal religion was the general and absorbing topic of thought and conversation. The college shared fully in the work and its results. The singing of familiar hymns had a large place in the social services, especially at the Ten Lots. There was no visible excitement, there were no sensational discourses. The spirit spoke with his still, small voice and human hearts were tender to hear and obey. Attempts were made only to enlist conscience on the side of God and the truth." He speaks of a Sabbath in the early summer when thirty-five received the hand of fellowship. His ministry continued eight years, during which 170 were received into the church, nearly all by baptism. Among them were men and women of high standing and large influence, names still familiar. At one of the church meetings S. F. Smith makes this entry in the church records: "Con- versation was held on the subject of the brethren and sisters sitting together promiscuously at the communion table, instead of sitting separately, as has formerly been the case. The general voice was in favor of promiscu- ous sitting, although no vote was taken on the subject."
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Dr. Smith's daughter, Mrs. Morton, has written a short sketch of his life which is very interesting. Parts of it follow :
"At 17 years of age he entered Harvard College, becoming a member of the famous class of 1829, having for classmates Oliver Wendell Holmes, James Freeman Clarke, Rev. Samuel J. May and others of world-wide reputation. The members of this class were devotedly attached to one another and they kept up their annual class suppers until they became old men. It was for one of these suppers that Dr. Holmes wrote his famous hymn 'The Boys,' the stanza referring to my father being
" "There's a nice fellow of excellent pith, Fate tried to conceal him by naming him Smith; But he shouted a song for the brave and the free- Just read on his medal, My country of thee.'
"Soon after leaving college he decided to be a min- ister and entered Andover Theological Seminary in 1829. Among the letters that I treasure most are a number, written to his mother and sister while he was a student of divinity there. Penned before the inven- tion of envelopes, yellow with age, they look very quaint and queer with their wafer sealing and costing 10 cents from Andover to Boston. In the month of February, 1832, he composed the poem that made him famous, 'My Country, 'tis of thee.'" Here is a description of his writing it in his own words: "I was poring over a German book of patriotic songs, which Dr. Lowell
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Mason had sent me to translate, when I came upon one with a tune of great simplicity. I hummed it over and was struck with the ease with which the accom- panying German words fell to its music. I saw it was a patriotic song; while I was thinking of translating it, I felt an impulse to write an American patriotic hymn. I reached my hand for a bit of waste paper, and taking up my quill pen, wrote the four verses in half an hour. I sent it with some translations of German songs to Lowell Mason, and next I knew of it was when I was told it was sung by the Sunday School children at Park Street Church at the following 4th of July celebration."
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