USA > Maine > Oxford County > Bethel > History of Bethel : formerly Sudbury, Canada, Oxford County, Maine, 1768-1890, with a brief sketch of Hanover and family statistics > Part 21
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HISTORY OF BETHEL.
ond church voted to disband, and its members united with the church at Bethel Hill. The bridge across the Androscoggin had removed all objections to reunion, and the people had come to learn that one strong church organization, other things being equal, is preferable to two weak ones.
THE BAPTISTS.
Among the early settlers were some whose sympathies were with the Calvinist Baptists, and occasionally ministers of this denomina- tion came here to visit them and preach on Sunday. Some of those also, who were not satisfied with the settlement of Rev. Daniel Gould, left the denomination and affiliated with the Baptists. Among those ministers who early visited here were Elder James Hooper from Paris, Elder John Tripp from Hebron and Elder Na- thaniel Chase from Buckfield. In seventeen hundred and ninety- five, September fourteen, a church was organized, and Rev. John Chadbourne preached here, but there was no increase. At the end of seven years the membership was reduced to two. Rev. Benja- min Cole from Pejepscot came and preached here in eighteen hun- dred, and two years later, three were added to the church. May twenty-ninth, eighteen hundred and three, the church consisted of six members, and for the first time, partook of the Lord's supper. The next year the church enjoyed a special revival. Large num- bers were added, and the day of small numbers existed no longer.
In eighteen hundred and five, an act of incorporation was asked for and granted as follows :
"An Act to incorporate a number of the inhabitants of the Town of Bethel Town of Newry and Plantation of Howard's Gore, (so-called) in the county of Oxford into a Religious society, by the Name of the First Baptist Society in Bethel.
SECT. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, in General court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That Asa Kim- ball, John Kilgore, Jr., Stephen Eastes, Ithiel Smith, Jr., John Kilgore, Samuel Ayer, Ephraim Powers, Samuel Gosson, Joseph Ayer, Jonathan Smith, Samuel Kilgore, Daniel Bean, Ebenezer Bean, Moses Mason, Thomas Stearns, Asa Foster, Jonathan Clark, William Russell, Isaac Towne, Napthali Coffin, Jesse Bean, David Coffin, Walter Mason, Paul Morse, Joseph Farrar, Betsy Clark and Enoch Bartlett with their families and estates, be, and they are hereby incorporated into a religious society by the name of The First Baptist Society in Bethel, with all the powers, privileges and immunities to which parishes are entitled by the Constitu-
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HISTORY OF BETHEL.
tion and laws of this Commonwealth; Provided, That all such persons. shall be holden to pay their proportion of all monies assessed in the towns. and plantation aforesaid for parochial purposes, prior to the passing of this Act.
SECT. 2. Be It Further Enacted : That any person belonging to the said towns of Bethel, Newry, or plantation of Howard's Gore aforesaid, being of the Baptist denomination, who may at any time hereafter, actually be- come a member of, and unite in religious worship, with said Society, and give in his or her name to the Clerk of the town, parish or plantation to which he or she belongs, with a certificate signed by the minister or clerk of said Society, that he or she has actually become a member of, and united in religious worship with the aforesaid Baptist Society, fourteen days previous to the town, parish or plantation meeting therein, to be held in the month of March or April, shall, from and after giving in such cer- tificate with his or her polls and estates, be considered as part of said Society.
SECT. 3. Be it further enacted : That if any member of said Baptist So- ciety shall at any time see cause to leave the same, and unite in religious worship with the parish, in which he or she may reside, and shall lodge a certificate of such his or her intention, with the Clerk or Minister of said Baptist Society and also with the clerk of the town, parish or plantation in which he or she may reside, fourteen days at least before the annual town, parish or plantation meeting, to be held therein, in the month of March or April, and shall pay his or her proportion of all money assessed on said Society previous thereto, such person shall, from and after giving such certificate, with his or her polls and estates, be considered as belong- ing to the town or parish in which he or she may reside, in the same man- ner as if he or she had never belonged to said Baptist Society.
SECT. 4. Be it further enacted : That any Justice of the Peace in the said county of Oxford is hereby authorized to issue his warrant directed to some suitable member of said Baptist Society, requiring him to notify and warn the members thereof to meet at such time and place as shall be appointed in said warrant, to choose such officers as parishes in this Com- monwealth are by law authorized to choose in the month of March or April annually."
This Act passed JJune 15, 1805.
REV. EBENEZER BRAY.
Rev. Ebenezer Bray was ordained as pastor in eighteen hundred and seven, and remained five years. Under his ministry, twenty- nine were added to the church. Rev. Arthur Drinkwater was the next pastor, followed by Elder Daniel Mason, who came from Free- port in eighteen hundred and seventeen, and remained until his death, April sixteenth, eighteen hundred and thirty-five, aged fifty- four years. He was a faithful worker in his Master's vineyard, and
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HISTORY OF BETHEL.
literally wore himself out in behalf of the cause. He was a cooper by trade and supported his family by the work of his hands, receiv- ing but a small compensation for his pastoral work.
In eighteen hundred and thirty-six, came from Hebron, Rev. Ben- jamin Donham, a native of that town, and was ordained October fifth. He was well educated, taught school winters, and divided his time in preaching between Middle Interval, where he had his home, and the lower meeting house near Bean's Corner. He was an able preacher and an excellent man. When he left the church, the whole number of members was one hundred and thirty-two, mostly resi- dents of the east parish. The more influential families belonging to this denomination, were the Holts, the Kimballs, the Estes and Kilgores. Among the Deacons have been John Holt, Joseph Holt, John Bird, Eli Foster and Moses S. Kimball. At the time the Bethel church was organized there was only one Baptist Association in the State, the Bowdoinham. It was not until eighteen hundred and four that the Baptist church in Bethel, with five others, was ad- mitted to the Bowdoinham Association. The Bethel church then had only six members. In eighteen hundred and eleven, the church joined the Cumberland Association, and in eighteen hundred and twenty-nine the Oxford. Following is a list of delegates from the Bethel church to the yearly associations for the years named, with the number of members reported each year. The pastors' names appear in small capital letters. The figures show the num- her of members :
1805. Asa Kimball, John Kilgore, John Holt-28.
1806. Stephen Estes, Samuel Kilgore-25.
1807. EBENEZER BRAY, Samuel Kilgore, John Holt, Asa Kimball-28.
1808. EBENEZER BRAY, Asa Kimball, John Swift-35.
1809. EBENEZER BRAY, John Kilgore, Solomon Crosby, Asa Kimball-40.
1810. EBENEZER BRAY, John Holt, John Kilgore-50.
1811. EBENEZER BRAY, John Kilgore, Daniel Bean-44.
1812. Asa Kimball, John Holt, Asa Foster, John Kilgore, Jr .- 49.
1813. Asa Kimball, John Holt, Charles Stearns, Benjamin Estes-44.
1814. Asa Kimball, John Kilgore-45.
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HISTORY OF BETHEL.
1815. John Holt, Isaac Stearns-43.
1816. John Holt, Asa Foster, Ithiel Smith, Jonathan Abbott- 44.
1817.
Asa Kimball, John Kilgore, Jonathan Abbot-46.
1818. DANIEL MASON, Asa Kimball-49.
1819. DANIEL MASON, Asa Kimball, John Holt-47.
1820. DANIEL MASON, Asa Kimball, John Holt, John Kilgore -45.
1821. DANIEL MASON-45.
1822. DANIEL MASON, Asa Kimball, John Holt, Asa Foster- 44.
1823. DANIEL MASON-42.
1824. DANIEL MASON, Charles Stearns, John Cushman, Jona- than Abbot-47.
1825. DANIEL MASON, John Kilgore-48.
1826. DANIEL MASON, Charles Stearns, Jonathan Abbot-40.
1827. DANIEL MASON, Jonathan Abbot -- 41.
1828. DANIEL MASON, Charles Stearns, Jonathan Abbot, James Eames-52.
1829. DANIEL MASON, John Kilgore, Charles Stearns-57.
1830. DANIEL MASON, Charles Stearns, John Kilgore-61.
1831. DANIEL MASON, Dea. Jonathan Abbot, John Kilgore, Charles Stearns-62.
1832. DANIEL MASON, John Kilgore, Charles Stearns, Jonathan Abbot-61.
1833. DANIEL MASON, John Abbot, John Kilgore-57.
1834. DANIEL MASON, Dea. Jonathan Abbot, Dea. John Cush- man, John Kilgore-59.
1835. Dea. Jonathan Abbot, Dea. John Cushman, John Kil- gore -- 54.
1836. Benjamin Donham, Jonathan Abbot, John Cushman-58. 1837. BENJAMIN DONHAM, A. Abbot, James Eames, C. Stearns -64.
1838. BENJAMIN DONHAM, Addison Abbot, James Eames, Jr., Charles Stearns, John Cushman, Jonathan Abbott-84.
1839. BENJAMIN DONHAM, Addison Abbot, J. Eames, Jonathan Abbot, Charles Stearns-109.
1840. BENJAMIN DONHAM, Addison Abbot, Dea. Joseph Holt, Nahum Moulton-113.
1841. BENJAMIN DONHAM, Addison Abbot, Dea. J. Holt, Jede- diah T. Kimball, Charles Stearns-122.
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HISTORY OF BETHEL.
1842. BENJAMIN DONHAM, Addison Abbot, Dea. Joseph Holt, Jedediah T. Kimball, Eli Foster, James Estes, Hiram C. Estes -120.
1843. BENJAMIN DONHAM, James Eames, Dea. Joseph Holt, Dea. Eli Foster "and four others"-132.
1844. BENJAMIN DONHAM, Dea. Joseph Holt, Jonathan A. Rus- sell, Hiram Holt, John Bird, James Eames-131.
1845. BENJAMIN DONHAM, Jedediah T. Kimball, Jonathan Abbot-128.
1846. JOSEPH B. MITCHELL, Dea. Joseph Holt, Dea. Eli Foster, Hiram Holt, Hiram C. Estes-127.
1847. Joseph B. Mithell, Dea. Joseph Holt, Dea. Eli Foster, John Bird, Jedediah T. Kimball-120.
1848. Hiram C. Estes, Dea. John Cushman, Dea. Joseph Holt, Dea. Eli Foster, Jedediah Kimball-119.
1849. Hiram C. Estes, Dea. Joseph Holt, John Bird-115.
1850. LEVI BURNHAM, Dea. John Cushman, Dea. Eli Foster, Jonathan A. Russell-108.
1851. ยบ LEVI BURNHAM, Charles Perkins, Dea. Eli Foster-100.
1852. J. BUTLER, Levi Burnham, Eli Foster, Jedediah T. Kim- ball-99.
1853. Dea. Joseph Holt, Dea. Eli Foster, A. Estes-93.
1854. D. S. HAWLEY, Eli Foster, Jonathan Abbot, Jedediah T. Kimball-95.
1855. R. Donham, Eli Foster, James Estes, Jonathan Abbot, Jedediah T. Kimball-90.
1856. Dea. E. Foster, J. T. Kimball, Jonathan Abbot, Jona- than A. Russell-85.
1857. WM. BEAVINS, Dea. Eli Foster, Dea. Joseph Holt, Jede- diah T. Kimball-85.
1858. WM. BEAVINS, Dea. Eli Foster, Dea. Joseph Holt, Jede- diah T. Kimball-102.
1859. WM. BEAVINS, Dea. Joseph Holt, Hezekiah Moody, Ly- man Bird, James Lapham-96.
1860. WM. BEAVINS, Dea. Joseph Holt, Lyman Bird, Jacob Kimball, Hiram Holt, Hezekiah Moody, Humphrey Bean, Thomas Stearns-99.
1861. WM. BEAVINS, Dea. Joseph Holt, Dea. Eli Foster, Jede- diah T. Kimball, Lyman Bird, Humphrey Bean-94.
1862. WM. BEAVINS, Lyman Bird, Hezekiah Moody, Dea. Joseph Holt-89.
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HISTORY OF BETHEL.
1863. Rev. Ransom Dunham, Dea. Eli Foster, Lyman Bird, Wm. Holt-77.
1864. T. J. Swett, Dea. Eli Foster, Prescott Holt, Hiram H. Bean, Lyman Bird-76.
1865. Dea. Eli Foster, Jacob T. Kimball, Ira Cushman, Luther P. Holt, Jedediah T. Kimball-75.
1866. 75.
1867. E. M. BARTLETT-77.
1868. E. M. BARTLETT-79.
1869. -64.
1870. Dea. Eli Foster, Dea. Luther P. Holt, Jacob T. Kimball, Moses S. Kimball-64.
1871. OTIS B. RAWSON, Jedediah T. Kimball, Moses S. Kim- ball, Dea. Luther P. Holt, Arthur Holt-62.
1872. OTIS B. RAWSON, Dea. Eli Foster, Dea. Luther P. Holt, S. Jewett Howard-59.
1873. OTIS B. RAWSON, Jedediah T. Kimball, Samuel J. How- ard, Moses S. Kimball-46.
1874. OTIS B. RAWSON, Dea. Luther P. Holt, Dea. Moses S. Kimball-51.
1875. Dea. Luther P. Holt, Jedediah T. Kimball, Hiram H. Bean, Christopher C. Bean-50
1876. Moses S. Kimball, Hiram H. Bean, Samuel J. Howard, Jedediah T. Kimball-49.
1877. W. M. HARTHORN, Dea. Moses S. Kimball, Jedediah T. Kimball-49.
1878. W. M. HARTHORN, C. H. Kimball-46.
1879. Dea. Moses S. Kimball, Dea. Luther P. Holt, Jedediah T. Kimball, Samuel J. Howard-39.
1880. O. B. RAWSON, Jonathan Abbot, J. T. Kimball, Samuel J. Howard-44.
1881. --- 44.
1882. Jedediah Kimball, Samuel J. Howard-43.
1883. -- 33.
1884. Jedediah T. Kimall, Samuel J. Howard, Dea. Luther P. Holt-36.
1885. Jedediah T. Kimball, Dea. Moses S. Kimball, Jacob T. Kimball-50.
1886. 54.
1887. 51.
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HISTORY OF BETHEL.
1888.
-50.
1889.
48.
1890. -- -43.
The first minister of this denomination was Rev. John Chad- bourne, who was ordained an Evangelist at Cornish, Me., in seven- teen hundred and ninety-eight. How long he continued to preach in Bethel I do not know. He appears to have been an itinerant, and the church, as stated, did not increase under his ministry.
EBENEZER BRAY.
Rev. Ebenezer Bray was ordained pastor of the Calvinist Baptist church in Bethel in eighteen hundred and seven, and continued as such till eighteen hundred and twelve, when he was dismissed and removed to Canada, where he died.
REV. ARTHUR DRINKWATER,
When a licentiate, preached more or less in Bethel from eighteen hundred and twelve till eighteen hundred and sixteen, when he was ordained pastor of a church in Mt. Vernon. He became one of the most respected ministers of the denomination in the State.
REV. DANIEL MASON.
Elder Daniel Mason was born in Stratham, N. H., in seventeen hundred and eighty-one. His early advantages were exceedingly limited, but possessing a good share of common sense, and having experienced religion, he resolved to enter the ministry. He was ordained in Freeport, Maine, October ninth, eighteen hundred and eleven, and preached for a time in the Calvanist Baptist church in that town. He was settled as pastor over the Calvanist Baptist church in Bethel in eighteen hundred and eighteen, and continued its pastor for seventeen years, till his death, which occurred April sixth, eighteen hundred and thirty-five, aged fifty-four. He had three wives. The first two were sisters by the name of Robinson. His last wife was the widow Mary Merrill, a native of England. He was strongly attached to the Jeffersonian School of Politics, in which he took a deep interest. Being a cooper by trade he earned his living by the labor of his hands, and by preaching on the Sab- bath without any great hope of an earthly reward.
15
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HISTORY OF BETHEL.
ELDER BENJAMIN DONHAM.
Benjamin Donham was born in Hebron and was ordained pastor of the Baptist church in Bethel in eighteen hundred and thirty-six, and continued its pastor for ten years. He removed to some town in Penobscot county, where he suddenly died of cancer in the stomach. Mr. Donham was succeeded by Elders Joseph B. Mitch- ell, Levi Burnham and David Holley, each of whom remained but a short time, till they were succeeded by
REV. WM. BEAVINS,
Who was born in the Parish of Camerton, county of Cumberland, England, November twenty-first, eighteen hundred and nineteen. He lived the most of the time in the adjoining town of Workington. His parents were engaged in a crockery store, in which the son was employed. In eighteen hundred and thirty-seven he united with the church, and at the age of twenty was licensed to preach. He labored as a licentiate for four or five years, when he emigrated to America in eighteen hundred and forty-three. He was first settled in the State in Waterboro, where he remained two years. He came to Bethel in July, eighteen hundred and fifty-seven, where he be- come the successful pastor of the Baptist church. In Septem- ber, eighteen hundred and forty-four, he was married to Miss Caro- line Brown of Lisbon, Ct., who died in Springfield, Mass., October, eighteen hundred and forty-seven. In September, eighteen hun- dred and forty-eight, he was again married to Miss Mary A. Southwick of Dover, New Hampshire.
THE METHODISTS.
From a small beginning, the Methodists have come to be numeri- cally, among the largest denominations in town, sustaining preaching in both the upper and lower parish. A record of the first Methodist church in town contains the following by Rev. Joshua Taylor : "The rise of Methodism in Bethel circuit was as follows : About the beginning of the year seventeen hundred and ninety-eight, Nicholas Snething, who was then stationed on the Portland circuit, came and preached a few times in Rumford and Bethel." This pioneer of Methodism was of Welsh descent. He became converted to this faith in seventeen hundred and ninety-one, was ordained five years later and came to Maine as the associate of Elder Finnegan. John
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HISTORY OF BETHEL.
Martin, a local preacher of Rumford also came and preached in this town, and sent a request to Elder Taylor to visit them. He said : "I came with great satisfaction, as there appeared to be some ten- derness among a few of the congregation. After this they were visited a few times by Brother Martin and myself, and as they re- quested to have a preacher among them, and a prospect appeared of doing good, I strove for it but could not obtain my end till near the close of seventeen hundred and ninety-six. They were then con- nected with the Portland circuit, and during that winter, they were visited about once a fortnight by Brother Merritt, Brother Becker and Brother Merick, who rode on the circuit. The spring follow- ing, brother Joseph Baker came and staid with the people, and at. the conference in Lynn, July, eighteen hundred, Bethel was set off as a separate circuit and Joshua Baker was appointed as their preacher. The following September, a society was formed with only fourteen members. There was no revival of special account till a preacher was stationed among them. Although at times the prospect has been gloomy, yet there has been a glorious work for several months past, and I trust a number have been converted." This letter was written May twenty-second, eighteen hundred and one.
The following is a list of circuit preachers in the town : Eighteen hundred, Joseph Baker ; eighteen hundred and two, Daniel Jones ; eighteen hundred and three, David Stinson ; eighteen hundred and four, Allen H. Cobb; eighteen hundred and five, Dan Perry ; eigh- teen hundred and six, Clement Parker ; eighteen hundred and seven, Allen H. Cobb ; eighteen hundred and eight, Jonathan Chaney ; eighteen hundred and nine, Joshua Randall ; eighteen hundred and ten, Wm. Hinman ; eighteen hundred and eleven, Ebenezer Blake ; eighteen hundred and twelve, Daniel Tilmore; eighteen hundred and thirteen, Benj. Jones ; eighteen hundred and fourteen, John F. Adams ; eighteen hundred and fifteen, Joshua Randall ; eighteen hundred and sixteen, John Pain ; eighteen hundred and twenty, Job Pratt ; eighteen hundred and twenty-one, Elijah Spear; eighteen hundred and twenty-three, John Shaw ; eighteen hundred and twenty-four, True Page ; eighteen hundred and twenty-five, Daniel Wentworth ; eighteen hundred and twenty-six, Ebenezer T. Newell ; eighteen hundred and twenty-nine, Caleb Fuller, Isaac Downing ; eighteen hundred and thirty, W. T. Farrington ; eighteen hundred
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HISTORY OF BETHEL.
and thirty-four, Dan Perry, in charge, Huse Dow, assistant ; eigh- teen hundred and thirty-six, Dan Perry in charge, John Cumner, assistant ; eighteen hundred and thirty-eight and nine, Isaac W. Morse ; eighteen hundred and forty, Geo. Child ; eighteen hundred and forty-one, Aaron Fuller ; eighteen hundred and forty-two, Mar- cus Wight ; eighteen hundred and forty-three, Daniel Whitehouse ; eighteen hundred and forty-five, Jonathan Fairbanks ; eighteen hundred and forty-seven, C. Fairbanks.
This closes the catalogue so far as recorded in the records in our possession. Could the early ministers of this denomination be per- mitted to tell the simple story of their labors, it would unfold a series of events now almost lost to the present generation.
The following facts were furnished by a circuit preacher, Rev. Mr. Davies : "The minutes of last year report that the Bethel cir- cuit has one hundred and seventy members, forty probationers, be- side some twenty or thirty in Bethel on the other side of the river, which belong to Hanover and Newry circuit. The Methodists own the greatest part of Locke meeting house, and a small part of the meeting house at Bean's Corner. Since I came to the circuit I have started a subscription paper for a meeting house at Bethel Hill, and at Walker's Mills. We have seven classes and seven prayer meet- ings in the town, weekly. This includes one of each at Bethel Hill, which we hope will be a good society in that growing place. Some nineteen have been converted and some thirteen reclaimed, twenty- six have joined on trial, eleven have joined the church, twenty-eight have been baptized this conference year, this includes eight baptized at letter B. From the above facts you will see that Methodism in the town is in a somewhat prosperous state, though its society is scattered far and near, and without boasting we may truly and safe- ly say, Methodism is doing as much for the salvation of the town as any other society." This was in eighteen hundred and fifty-nine. A neat and convenient church edifice was erected early in the six- ties, which was nearly ruined by a hurricane, September eighteenth, eighteen hundred and ninety-one.
FREEWILL BAPTISTS.
The Freewill Baptist denomination was the last of the so-called evangelical denominations to obtain a foothold in this town, and its membership are all or nearly all in the west part of the town. A church of this denomination was organized at West Bethel, May
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HISTORY OF BETHEL.
twenty-third, eighteen hundred and eighteen, with fourteen mem- bers. This church soon after it was gathered, united with the Sand- wich Quarterly meeting. The names of those composing the coun- cil, were Rev. Dudley Pettingill, Deacon Edward Green and Samuel Wheeler. In February, eighteen hundred and thirty-five, it became connected with the Otisfield Quarterly meeting, where it yet remains. The first preachers to labor with the church were Rev. Dudley Pet- tingill, Samuel Hutchinson, Zachariah Jordan, Joseph Wight and Geo. F. Smith. Of the pastors, Rev. Samuel Haselton officiated from eighteen hundred and thirty-five to eighteen hundred and forty- four ; Rev. George W. Whitney, from the latter date to eighteen hundred and forty-eight ; E. H. Hart to eighteen hundred and fifty- two ; David Allen to eighteen hundred and sixty-five ; James Potter in eighteen hundred and sixty-seven ; E. G. Eaton to eighteen hun- dred and sixty-nine. For much of the time since the last date there has been no pastor.
There were no marked revivals in the church and vicinity until eighteen hundred and thirty-nine, when forty were added to the roll of members. This was under the pastorate of Rev. Samuel Hasel- ton, who was assisted by Rev. Stephen Hutchinson, J. Hamblen, J. Tracy and George W. Whitney. A church edifice was erected by the Society at West Bethel in eighteen hundred and forty-four, which was dedicated January first, eighteen hundred and forty-five. The occasional sermon was preached by Rev. Stephen Hutchinson. The cost of the church was nine hundred dollars. In eighteen hun- dred and seventy-four, the pulpit was supplied by a student from Bates College, Mr. S. J. Gould. There is no other church edifice in the west part of the town.
REV. SAMUEL HASELTON.
Elder Samuel Haselton was born in Windham, N. H., August eighth, seventeen hundred and eighty-one, and learned the trade of blacksmith. He did not enjoy the early advantages of an educa- tion, but served his time as an apprentice in Methuen, Mass. At the age of twenty, he made a profession of religion and united with the Congregational church in Methuen. A few years after he united with the Freewill Baptist church in Adams, now Jackson, N. H. He commenced preaching in Bartlett, and was ordained there Nov. twenty-third, eighteen hundred and nineteen, by Elders Daniel Elkins and Joshua Quimby. He remained in Jackson and Bartlett
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HISTORY OF BETHEL.
till the year eighteen hundred and thirty-six, when he removed to Bethel. There were several interesting revivals during his residence here and under his preaching in other places. One of the most in- teresting episodes in the life of Elder Haselton occurred at the time of the destruction of the Willey family, by a slide in the White Mountains, August twenty-eighth, eighteen hundred and twenty- six. The following is quoted from Willey's Incidents in White Mountain History. It describes the funeral services on that occa- sion, and to those who are familiar with that event, and who knew Elder Haselton, their imagination can easily shadow forth some- thing of the scene as here quoted :
"All these bodies, after suitable time to make coffins from mate- rials such as could be obtained there, were made ready for burial. It was decided to bury them near the house of their recent habita- tion, and let them remain there till they could be more conveniently moved to Conway the succeeding winter. One common, wide grave was dug for them, and they were placed on its margin. to remain till the befitting and accustomed prayer at burial was performed. That prayer was made by a personal friend of my brother, and one . who often ministered in holy things. The prayer was suited to the occasion, coming from a kind, sympathizing, pious heart. It was impressive as it came from the good man's lips ; and then its im- pressiveness was greatly increased from the circumstances under which it was made. In the echoes that were awakened by his voice, the very mountains around us seemed to join with him in describing the majesty of God, and imploring his mercy on our stricken hearts. When, with slow and distinct utterance, the minister, at the com- mencement of his prayer, referred to the magnificence of the Deity as described by the Prophet Isaiah, saying, "Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with a span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance," the echo gave back every word of this sublime description in a tone equally clear and solemn with that in which they were first uttered. The effect of all this was soul stirring beyond description. I shall never for- get the tears and sorrows that marked the faces of many that stood around that open grave on that solemn occasion. The minister who made that prayer was Elder Samuel Haselton, then of Bartlett, now living in Bethel. After the prayer we buried the bodies,
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