USA > Maine > Sagadahoc County > Bath > History of Bath and environs, Sagadahoc County, Maine. 1607-1894 > Part 41
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About 1890 a new and powerful organ was purchased by dona- tions and placed on the lower floor in the rear of the preacher's platform.
THE PARSONAGE. - This church and parish had no parsonage until in 1882, when Capt. John Patten purchased the William P.
Parkeer 16 boll Reed
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Larrabee homestead, on Middle street, for thirty-five hundred dollars and donated it to the parish for a parsonage.
The Baptist .- After having held their meetings in halls and school-houses for some years, revivals connected with this denomi- nation increased their congregation so rapidly that in 1816, with the aid of men of influence and wealth outside of the society, they were able to erect a church building of their own. James McLellan, Joseph F. Wingate, David Stinson, and Samuel Noble on the part of the citizens and Oakman Sprague, Elijah P. Lowe, and T. Lemont in behalf of the church were appointed a committee to take the matter in hand, and liberal subscriptions were received from William King and others, in and out of town, who did not belong to that denomination. A fortunate selection of location was made, at the corner of Elm and Washington streets. It was built of brick, of two stories, with a basement vestry. It was dedicated in December, 1816, Elder Stearns preaching the dedicatory sermon. This house was occupied by the society for thirty-six years, when it became necessary to have a larger and more improved house. The old house was taken down and the present edifice erected on the same site. The city clock was placed on the belfry. This building has a large vestry in the basement and a baptismal vault. It was dedi- cated in February, 1853.
The Swedenborgian .- Until 1843 the Swedenborgian Society worshiped in a room on the lower floor of the building on the north- east corner of Washington and Centre streets. During that year, by liberal contributions of the wealthier members, they were enabled to build a church on the very beautiful lot that borders on Winter street, including all the space between High and Middle streets, adorned now with beautiful trees. The church is of the Greek style of architecture, of one story, and has an attractive and refined appearance. In 1870 the interior of the church was remodeled and improved.
The Wesley .- A two-story building with pews was dedicated in the summer of 1820, which, with additions and improvements, served
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the society till 1869, when it was removed to make room for the erection of the present edifice. The old building was moved to Commercial street and converted into a store. In 1841 a large addition was made to the chapel, including remodeling of pulpit and singing gallery. In 1847 a tower and spire were erected, in which was placed a fine bell, a present to the church by Gen. James Mclellan and Mr. William D. Crooker. The present edifice was erected in 1869 at a cost of $29,000. The organ was put in in 1873 at a cost of $4,000.
The Beacon Street. - The subject of building a Methodist Church in the northern part of the city had been agitated for some years before the Beacon Street Church was built. Fears were enter- tained that the cause of Methodism would be injured by the erection of another house of worship; but the friends of the cause finally prevailed. Isaac Hatch and J. W. Shaw had previously purchased a site. Charles Davenport, Isaac Hatch, and Isaac W. Lynch were elected a building committee, and ground was broken for the foun- dation of the new church July 22, 1852. In eleven months the house was completed, at a cost of $9,425. The edifice was dedi- cated, by Bishop Janes, June 15, 1853. The Missionary Board aided the new society with $100. In June, 1854, thirty-one pews were unsold and there was a debt against the trustees of $3,047. Mr. Charles Davenport generously relieved the society of this financial burden. In 1875 and 1878 there were improvements and altera- tions made in the church, and a parsonage built in the rear of the church at a cost of $2,000. In 1882 the vane of the church was blown off in a gale of wind, and in 1883 the old spire was taken down and a new one, twelve feet shorter, put in its place and other improvements added, costing $2, 189.
The Universalist .- Having for some length of time held services in a room in the Town Hall, in the summer of 1839 the Universalist Society became of sufficient strength to undertake the erection of a church edifice, which was done. The building was located opposite the present Custom House, west side of Front street. It was of one story, had a high steeple in which was a bell. It was dedicated
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in the fall of 1839. The society desiring a different location, the church and site were sold, and Corinthian Hall, on Washington street, opposite the Park, was purchased and converted into a church building, which it now occupies. In 1892 many improve- ments were made upon the building and memorial windows put in dedicated to the memories of Rev. Mr. Brooks, B. W. Morse, and Oliver Moses. The old house was sold, in 1860, to Oliver Moses.
The North Street Free Baptist .- The Free Baptist Society organized April 16, 1842, and worshiped awhile in the Town Hall and Music Hall. In the spring of 1852 a site was purchased, corner of North and Willow streets, and the house of worship was completed and dedicated the following December. September 8, 1868, this church edifice was blown down, and a new edifice was completed and the house dedicated in less than a year. The vestry is in the basement. The church has an organ.
The Corliss Street .- The date of the construction of the Corliss Street Church has not been obtainable. It is of two stories, has a steeple and bell; in 1891 a two-story vestry was added, and there is a parsonage contiguous.
The Catholic. - There is a large Catholic Church building on High street, the site of which is on the historic homestead ground of Isaiah Crooker, Sr., and its erection was commenced about 1855.
The Unitarian .- When the Unitarian Society and Church was in existence, they built a church on the south side of Summer street, about half a block east of Washington street, in about 1854, which has since been demolished.
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CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.
The prominent settlers at Bath were of the Puritan stock, coming chiefly from Massachusetts and New Hampshire, bringing with them Calvinistic predilections. The Philbrooks came from Greenland, N. H., the Swantons, Lemonts, Crookers, Trufants, Robinsons, and the Springers from the south shore and the bay, and the Sewalls from oid York. These were stalwart men. They believed in stalwart, sectarian doctrines, and lived up to their faith, supplemented by their works.
In 1754 Bath, including West Bath, was incorporated into the Second Parish of ancient Georgetown. At that date there were living in the parish twenty families, and it has been said that among them was but one public professor of religion. This Christian man was John Shaw, yet there were four others who were considered pious men. They were Benjamin Thomson, John Bridges, Abner Lunt, and Jonathan Philbrook .- Groton.
The North .- From 1752 to 1767 various preachers had been temporarily employed: Merriman, Isaac Livermore, Parker, Solomon Page, Zebadiah Adams, John Wyth, Ebenezer Champney, Fuller, Bigelow, Aaron Kinney. In 1765 the Rev. Mr. Miller of Brunswick came to Bath, formed a church and administered the communion. Finally a young preacher came from Boston in the person of Francis Winter, who was settled and became distinguished.
REV. FRANCIS WINTER .- Mr. Winter was a native of Boston and a graduate of Harvard College. He came to Bath early in 1767, and after preaching on probation for the orthodox church was invited to settle, which invitation he accepted, and was ordained in the autumn of the same year. He came to Bath on horseback in company with Lemuel Standish, a relative of Miles Standish, bring- ing the name to Bath, which remains here. Mr. Winter came from Boston, where he had associated with such eminent men as Adams,
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Otis, and Warren, himself becoming an ardent patriot, taking the lead in Revolutionary measures adopted in Bath during that memo- rable period.
Two years before the ordination of Mr. Winter a church had been organized, consisting of seven members. Owing to some irregu- larities in its formation it was dissolved, and a new church organized in 1767, at the time Mr. Winter was ordained in the new meeting- house. The salary of the minister was fixed by the vote of the parish at about three hundred dollars, which was increased later to about four hundred dollars by vote of the parish.
Mr. Winter married Miss Abigail Alden in 1768. Three years later the couple, in order to visit the sister of Mrs. Winter, rode on horseback from Boston to Connecticut and back. From Boston they proceeded to Bath. Mrs. Winter had become so greatly fatigued, riding on horseback, that Mr. Winter traded one of his horses for a carriage, to which the other horse was harnessed. It was the first carriage that came into Maine and was called a chaise. The travel- ing was so difficult that two negroes were employed to accompany them. To get the carriage along, some portions of the road had to be cleared, and on several occasions the vehicle had to be taken apart in order to get over fallen trees that lay in the path. They finally reached Bath. The minister's parishioners thought it was putting on too much style for their pastor to ride in a carriage, and in consequence Mr. Winter sold it. This was in 1771. It was a two-wheeled chaise, the body resting on leather thorough-braces, which were attached behind to wooden springs. It was easy in its motion. . He made his residence on High street.
Mr. Winter, when ordained, was a strict Calvinist. During his pastorate the Arminian doctrine was introduced into this orthodox region, and several neighboring Congregational ministers became imbued with its more liberal principles, which were almost, if not quite, Unitarianism. Mr. Winter's people felt that he was becoming interested in these new doctrines, though he rather implied than expressed it. He was not a man to deny a change of religious sentiment, and this, no doubt, led to the differences between himself and his church and parishioners, to the cutting off his salary by
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vote of a parish meeting, and finally the relinquishment of his charge, in 1787, after a pastorate of twenty years. He made no formal resignation, and when a new pastor was installed, in 1795, and a new church formed, he did not become a member and his name was omitted in its organization.
He possessed talent and great learning; was a little above medium height, of a strong constitution, a large frame, broad shoulders, a plethoric habit of body of about two hundred pounds in weight; had a quick, penetrating eye and a stentorian though musical voice. He always rode on horseback, and wore an enormously heavy cocked hat and a wig that flowed down over his shoulders. Thus equipped he always attracted attention and was accorded respect.
In 1791 Mr. Winter purchased a farm of Samuel Berry, at Berrys Mills in West Bath, and resided upon it. Although retired from the ministry, he did not retire from the world. In the prime of life still, he entered with zest into the affairs of the town and occupied some of its highest offices. He informed himself in matters of law, and was the only legal adviser in town for some years.
That he possessed eminent tact and decision can be shown in a little transaction that took place during his pastorate. "The parish had fallen behind in payment of his salary. Continental money was legal tender, but the fixed day was near when it would cease to be such and would be well nigh worthless. A deacon of the church was treasurer of the parish. The idea was entertained to tender to Mr. Winter the amount due him on the Saturday preceding the Monday on which continental paper money could not forcibly be made to pay debts. It legally belonged to the treasurer to pay out the public money, but the collector was dispatched with the worth- less bills to pay off Mr. Winter Saturday afternoon. Finding the parson at his house he proceeded to say: 'I think, Father Winter, you have a bill against the parish.' He said he had. 'I thought,' said the collector, 'that you might be in need of money, and so came up to settle with you.' The parson took in the situation at once and proved equal to the occasion. He knew that the refusal of a legal tender would forfeit the debt. 'Are you not the collector ?' asked the creditor minister. The collector replied that he was. 'I
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receive my money from the treasurer,' quickly said Mr. Winter. At once the collector saw the mistake and hurried back to send the treasurer to the rescue. As soon as the defeated collector had dis- appeared, the triumphant parson donned his Sunday clothes, said to Mrs. Winter, 'Wife, I shall exchange to-morrow,' and without further explanation mounted his horse and rode quickly away. The treas- urer very soon appeared at the parson's domicile with his pocket full of continental money. 'Where is Mr. Winter?' he excitedly inquired. 'Gone off to exchange,' was the reply. Further pressed, the lady persisted that she ' really did not know whether he had gone to Georgetown to exchange with Parson Emerson, or to Harps- well Neck to exchange with Mr. Eaton.' The eleventh-hour-paying treasurer saw his defeat and returned from whence he came to deposit the money in the treasury of the parish, and on Monday it was money no longer. On the intervening Sunday an 'exchange' minister occupied the Bath pulpit."
As illustrative of the old parson's undaunted will, it has been told of him that his eldest son owned and sailed a schooner that had been in the West India trade, but when the embargo was declared he had to haul her up. Subsequently business called him to the West Indies, and he came to the conclusion to go in one of his own vessels of small size, taking along a cargo. Accordingly he brought her around from the Kennebec to the New Meadows. He bought flour at Bath with which to load her; took it in the night to his father's house in West Bath and stored it in the front entry. Learn- ing of this movement, custom-house officials secured a warrant of search and seizure and proceeded to the house of the old gentleman, where a general search was made, invading every part of the house before coming to the front entry door. Here they would come upon the flour. But they found the old gentleman there also to defy them. Seizing from the fire-place a heavy pair of tongs, he bran- dished them right before their faces and declared that, if they advanced another step, he would break their heads open, his flashing eyes and attitude showing that he meant it. The officials made a retreat, leaving the ex-divine master of the situation.
Mr. Winter was representative to the General Court from 1784 to
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1799; was town clerk from 1793 to 1802; and was chosen one of the selectmen in 1804.
When Mr. Winter had retired from the ministry and was settling with the church authorities, he insisted upon having his pay in gold, and it was weighed out to him as he demanded. At that time, doubtless, sovereigns and other coins were in general use which might be of doubtful weight. The identical scales used in this trans- action are now in existence, latterly in possession of John Hayden.
The last public performance of Mr. Winter was the delivery of a Fourth of July oration in the South Meeting-house, by invitation, on a notable celebration of that anniversary day in 1825. He was more than eighty years of age at the time, and yet his address gave so much satisfaction that a copy was requested for publication, which was done in pamphlet form for general circulation. His death occurred the next year, 1826. A grandson at West Bath is now his only lineal descendant.
OTHER CLERGYMEN. - From the retirement of Mr. Winter, in 1787, the desk was supplied by transient preachers until the settle- ment and ordination of Mr. Hugh Wallis, December 5, 1795. The exercises were held in the old meeting-house, on a cold day, without a fire, the want of heat being, it has been stated, amply compensated by the glow of enthusiasm incited by the happy event of having a settled pastor. Contemporaneous with this auspicious event the church was re-organized, December 8, 1795, and denominated " The Congregational Calvinistic Church of Christ," with fifteen members. Mr. Wallis' ministrations did not prove popular, through his lack of pulpit eloquence, his rigid Calvinism, and not readily affiliating with the people as a citizen. Some prominent members of the church and society adopting the more liberal Arminian doctrine, among whom were such influential men as William King, John Peterson, and Francis Winter, the parish refused to continue his salary, and he resigned July 15, 1800.
In 1805 the Rev. Asa Lyman preached temporarily, and having given satisfaction to the church and parish he was given a call; was ordained January 1, 1806, and continued until February 4, 1808, when he resigned, but held his pastorate to March 9, 1808.
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The North Church remained without a settled minister the next four years. A man of future mark then came on the scene, and proved to be a minister " after their own hearts." He came to stay. This was John Wallace Ellingwood. He was born in Beverly, Mass. When young his father, who had been a sea-captain, died. By his death Mr. Ellingwood came under the care and protection of his uncle, who was also a sea-captain, and when his nephew was thir- teen years old he took him to sea. On his return he informed his uncle that he should go to sea no more. At this early period of his life he was a good English scholar. At the age of fourteen he apprenticed himself to a silversmith and watch-maker in Beverly, where he worked six years and became master of the trade, as he was a natural mechanic. He entered into business for himself in the same town, employing two or three journeymen, and continued in trade three years.
All of this time he had a higher object in view and pursued his studies during the intervals of business. Closing his business at Beverly he went to Leicester, where he applied himself closely to the study of the dead languages, and advanced so far in learning that in the latter part of 1809 he entered the Andover Theological Seminary, where he remained three years and completed his theo- logical course. The North Church sent Dea. Nicholas L. Mitchell to Dover, N. H., to meet Dr. Leonard Woods, president of the seminary, who recommended that the committee write to Mr. Elling- wood to preach for them on probation, which was done. Mr. Ellingwood brought a letter of introduction to a deacon of the church, Mr. Dummer Sewall. The news of Mr. Ellingwood's arrival soon spread through the Reach and excited feelings of joy and grat- ification in the hearts of the members of the church.
Mr. Ellingwood's first sermon was from the text, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." He preached on probation until the first of July, and gave such general satisfaction that he received a call. After gradu- ating at Andover he returned to Bath for his ordination, on Novem- ber 4, 1812, in the North Meeting-house. Unusual preparations were made and the house was filled to overflowing. It was a dis-
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tinguishing event and an era in the history of the North Church. It was said of the ministers taking part in the services: " Taken together, New England, and it might truly be said the world, has not nor ever will produce their superiors, if it has or ever will pro- duce their equals."
Mr. Ellingwood was most faithful, laborious, and successful in his ministry. He preached for twenty-five years; a lecture on Tuesday evening as well as two sermons on the Sabbath. He long and happily maintained his Bible class every other Thursday evening. He was diligent and eminently wise as a pastor, a man of great prudence, zeal, and soundness of judgment, dignified in deportment, remarkably generous, and widely influential throughout the state. In common sense he excelled. Three hundred and eighty-two mem- bers in all were added to the church during his pastorate, and at the time of his resignation the church numbered two hundred and seventy-seven members and was strong in high character and good works. The successor to Dr. Ellingwood was John O. Fiske, and the subjoined sketch of his career comprises a complete history of his pastorate.
REV. JOHN ORR FISKE .- The Fiske family has been traced back to the reign of Henry VI in England. Many of that name endured severe persecutions, in the time of Queen Mary, on account of their staunch adherence to evangelical principles. It was the lack of religious toleration in England which led John Fiske, with his wife and four children, to embark for America in 1637, settling in Wen- ham, Mass. Nearly fifty of their descendants have been clergymen or deacons in the various evangelical churches of the land. Perhaps no other family in New England has contributed so many members as this to the ministerial office. They have always proclaimed the doctrines and teachings of Christ as held by the evangelical churches, but the subject of this sketch, while following closely in their footsteps, has added more of the sweetness of Christ's gentle and loving precepts in all his ministrations to his people.
John O. Fiske, third son of James Ballou Fiske and his wife, Rebecca McGaw, of Merrimac, N. H., was born in Bangor, July 13, 1819. He was graduated at Bowdoin College in the same class
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with Governor Andrew of Massachusetts, Dr. Fordyce Barker of New York, and Rev. Dr. Field of Bangor, in 1837, and at Bangor Theological Seminary in 1842.
Destiny seemed to turn Mr. Fiske's footsteps toward the lower Kennebec. In 1842, while still a member of the Theological Seminary in Bangor, he took a steamer for Boston to attend the graduating exercises at Harvard College. The vessel ran aground, springing a leak, so that the passengers were obliged to disembark at Rockland and to continue their journey by land. On reaching Bath a friend invited Mr. Fiske to call upon Dr. Ellingwood, who for many years had held a pastorate over the Old North Church. Dr. Ellingwood was so much pleased with his young visitor that he invited the latter, after his return to Bangor, to occupy his pulpit for three months, which invitation he accepted. He preached his first sermon in Bath November 6, 1842. The parish, in view of Dr. Ellingwood's advanced age and retirement, requested Mr. Fiske, at the close of three months, to become permanent pastor. He consented, on condition that he should be granted six months for further study, and was ordained pastor of what is now Winter Street Church, August 17, 1843.
His pleasing manner, rare thoughtfulness, great tact, and won- derful memory for names and faces made him an exceptionally and deservedly popular man. No man endeared himself to the commu- nity more than Mr. Fiske in his long residence in Bath. In the pulpit his sentences were forcible and terse, his language choice and appropriate. A largely increased membership of the church was the natural result of his pastorate. Dr. Fiske preached two , sermons every Sunday, and even when it seemed imperative for the sake of liis health he declined emphatically to omit the afternoon service, which was retained until after his resignation. A number of Dr. Fiske's sermons have been published, at the request of liis people. His life-long devotion to the cause of Foreign Missions and the large annual contributions from the Winter Street Church made the latter in this respect one of the leading churches in the state. Nor were Home Missions neglected.
Dr. Fiske was always conspicuous in the discussions held at
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the annual sessions of the Congregational denomination in Maine, particularly so in the height of the slavery agitation, differing in regard to some of the methods adopted in the Anti-Slavery Reform. In 1864 he went on the Christian Commission, giving his services for six weeks; joined the army after the battle of the Wilderness, and later was at Fredericksburg, when there were 10,000 men in the hospitals. In consequence of these labors his health was seriously impaired. He visited Europe, for the sake of his health, in the summers of 1851, 1865, and 1882, being generously aided to do this by the parish. For eight years he was a member of the Board of Overseers and for thirty-one years a trustee of Bowdoin College; was trustee of Bangor Theological Seminary fifteen years; was president of the Maine Missionary Society many years. He received the honorary degree of D. D. from his Alma Mater in 1868.
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