USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Gorham > History of Gorham, Me. > Part 20
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HISTORY OF GORHAM.
across the room to directly in front of the esquire; extending his long arm and pointing to the ruffle, he exclaimed in a loud, stentorian, and sing-song tone, " There is a ruffle, I hate ruffles, I know I hate ruffles, and God knows I hate ruffles ; " then folding his arms, he marched back to his seat. This brought the young lawyer into notice rather unexpectedly. Ribbons, ruffles, jewelry and ornaments of all kinds were in their estimation especial articles of temptation used by the devil to work evil, and ruin the soul of the wearer: and the opportunity was never neglected of ranting and railing at the unfor- tunate sinner who was found offending. Such was often the effect of this on the females that many would rise up, strip off ruffs, ribbons, and jewelry, trample them under foot, or go to the door, and cast them to the devil, their owner, and in a loud voice tell Satan to take his temptations to himself, as he could not come it over them with such sinful baubles. Men have been known to take off their silver shoe-buckles, and throw them away as wicked temptations used by the devil to create vanity and sin.
This high-pressure state of affairs could not last forever. About 1780, or 1781, a Free Will Baptist preacher made his appearance ; also at about the same time, a man and woman of the Shaker per- suasion came along, who stopped, and held meetings at West Gorham. Some little differences of opinion having sprung up amongst the faithful, the way was somewhat prepared for the new-comers. Some followed the Baptist, and some became Shakers.
About the year 1781, agreeable to the vote of the town, a regular poll-off was made, from the old Congregational society, of some sixty persons claiming to be Baptists, and these joining with the balance of the Come-Outers a respectable Free Will Baptist society was formed, including some of our best citizens, which for many years. worshipped in the church on Fort Hill. It was many years before these Come-Outers could get rid of their old prejudices, and allow that peace and heaven, as a part of the final inheritance, belonged to the old Congregationalist and Standing Order.
Sometime in the year 1780, toward the close of the New Light excitement in Gorham, some of the more sober-minded and reasonable among the Come-Outers hearing of the Free church in New Durham sent Dea. William Cotton, to request admission to their fellowship. Benjamin Randall and Robert Boody were sent back to them, " to inquire into their principles and order. " Stewart says, " A few New Light Christians were there found, serving God (under great trials." Randall preached to them a few times, and by his labors, John Cotton
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and William Thomes were converted, and began to hold meetings. There was great opposition to them among the old " standing order :" at a town-meeting, held March 25, 1780, there was an article in the warrant, "To see if the Town will admit the Baptists to preach in the Meeting-house, until the Congregationalists shall get a minister." Dea. Austin Alden, who was town clerk, in making his minutes of the vote on the question on the back of the warrant, says " Voted Not to admit the Baptists into the Meeting-house," and adds, " Praise be to God, the Devil is defeated this time."
The next year, 1781, Randall again visited Gorham, and after laboring here for a few days, a Church was organized at Fort Hill.
In 1786, at the December Quarterly Meeting, Samuel Thombs was ordained as Ruling Elder, and Andrew Cobb, and George Hamblin were ordained as Deacons. James McCorson, at a Quarterly Meet- ing held in Gorham Dec. 4, 1788, was set apart to the work of the ministry. Daniel Hibbard preached from the text, " Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine, etc." Samuel Weeks gave the charge, and Benjamin Randall, the hand of fellowship.
Gorham has furnished the Free Baptist denomination with quite a number of ministers, among whom, perhaps, James McCorson, who was born in the fort during the Indian war of 1745, and Clement Phinney were the most prominent. Clement Phinney was the great- grandson of Capt. John Phinney, and was born in 1780.
The Society evidently believed in the doctrine of Peace on earth, for at a monthly meeting, held on March 28, 1799, there was a dis- cussion as to whether they were all agreed to come out from War, and not to go into the field to " training." They found that all pres- ent were agreed, let them suffer what they might. And on April 17, 1799, we find the following, "Voted, that we take under consideration the vote that was passed in yearly meeting at Parsonsfield in February for to send a petition to General Court to be set off from ' trainings. ' Accordingly agreed to and concurred with to send to General Court."
They were, apparently, the first secret society in town, for we find the following on record under date of April 17, 1799, "Voted, that all our members keep our labors to ourselves, that are done amongst us and if any tells any matters out, shall be counted transgressors. "
As the inhabitants of the town were compelled by law to pay a tax to support a learned, orthodox minister, those who were not of that way of thinking did not enjoy having to pay that tax, and at the same time support a minister of their own choice. The Baptists repeatedly petitioned the town to abate the obnoxious tax. Finally, at a town-
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HISTORY OF GORHAM.
meeting, held on the 14th day of June, 1781, it was voted, "That all the inhabitants of Gorham, who are of a different denomination to the Congregational, are to be excluded paying any future charges to the Congregational minister, or charges towards supplying the Desk in Gorham Meeting house, only upon bringing a certificate from the heads of either of the opposite societies, in Gorham, called Baptists, in two months from this date." And we find on record this, "The following is a list of those persons in Gorham, who call themselves Baptists, according to their own return given in to ye Selectmen, agreeable to a vote passed the 14th of June 1781." .
"To the Selectmen of Gorham - Gent" - These may certify, that the persons whose names are in the following List, are in our opin- ion, cleared from paying to the support of ye Congregational Ministry in this Town, both by Law, and agreeable to a vote of ye Town passed sometime in June last, they attending our meeting, and desiring their names to be entered in the Certificate to yourselves.
Daniel Hebard, Pastor.
Capt. Briant Morton. Andrew Crockit, ¿ Elders of the Easterly Elisha Strout, § Baptist Church in Gorham.
Andrew Cobb.
Jonathan Freeman.
Nicholas Cobb.
Jedediah Cobb.
Cary Mclellan. Caleb Lombard.
Andrew Cobb, Jr.
Daniel Cobb.
Nathaniel Edwards.
Capt. Hart Williams.
Ephraim Hunt.
Daniel Gamman.
Pelatiah Crockit. Moses Hanscom. James Bangs. John Foy.
William Lakeman.
Jonathan Crockit.
Jabez Morton.
" Gorham, July 4, 1781. At a Church meeting at the House of Nathan Freeman, part of ye Society that meet with us to Worship God according to their Conscience, met with us and gave in their names as a Society belonging to the first Baptist Church in Gorham, or that differ in Religious matters from the Congregationals in Gorham.
the Names of the Church.
Names of ye Society.
Nathan Freeman.
Ezekiel Rich.
Nathaniel Stevens.
Joseph Whitney.
Jeremiah Hodsdon.
Isaac Elder.
Ebenezer Morton. Samuel Thomes. Samuel Brown.
John Carsley.
Decker Phinney.
Stephen Swett.
Joshua Harding. Ebenezer Hamblen. Barnabas Rich. Lemuel Rich.
Joseph Stone. Joel Sawyer. Calvin Lombard.
Josiah Whitney. Samuel Harding, Jr.
Barnabas Bangs. Thomas Bangs. Lemuel Hicks.
James McCorson. William Cotton. George Hamblin. Nathaniel Freeman.
James Gilkey.
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OTHER RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
Gershom Hamblen. Samuel Crockit, Jr. Nathaniel Muckford. Aaron Whitney. William Monson.
John Sella.
Joseph Brackit. Benjamin Stevens.
Joel Rich.
Barnabas Bangs, Jr.
William File. Samuel Elder.
William Marks. Ely Webb.
We do entreat that you the Selectmen of Gorham will set us free from paying minister's rates, or any supply that way to the Desk in Gorham meeting house, agreeable to a vote passed in Town meeting, held at Gorham meeting house, June 14, 1781."
Bearing upon the foregoing we find this in the records of the Church, " Monthly meeting at the meeting house, April 11, 1798, on Wednesday the meeting opened as usual, Some Brethren from Buxton were desirous to have an order on their town treasury, that they may receive the money they paid for ministers' rates. The request was agreed to. Samuel Leavitte wanted a certificate. Likewise granted." This certificate was of his being a member of the Free Will Baptist Church, and a regular attendant at their meetings, to clear him from paying the Parish taxes, for the support of the Orthodox minister, as required by the law at that time, as has been already said.
Matters, however, did not seem to go on very smoothly in spite of the foregoing settlement, for in the warrant for a meeting in 1787, this article was inserted; To see what method the town will take with sundry persons that think themselves greatly aggrieved in pay- ing Ministerial Taxes, whether they will excuse the whole or a part of them, or whether they will make any agreement with them about the poor of the Town that belong to their Societies, or to do what- ever the Town see fit respecting the matter." At the meeting, it was " Voted, To choose a committee of five persons, to take the complaint of those persons mentioned in the third article, into consideration, and report to the town, at the adjournment of this meeting, which of, or how many of those persons, shall be excused from paying Minis- terial Taxes." "Voted, That Edmund Phinney, Esq., Austin Alden, Dea. George Lewis, James Phinney and Capt. Nathaniel Frost be the committee for the above purpose."
Later, it was voted to accept the report of the committee, which was, "We the subscribers, beg leave to report to the Town as follows, vizt; We have met a Committee from those called the Ana- baptist Society in Gorham, and heard all they had to offer, patiently and candidly, and are of opinion that if any person in Gorham, of
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HISTORY OF GORHAM.
that Society, or of any different denomination from the Congrega- tionals, who is a Public Protestant teacher of Piety, Religion and Morality, agreeable to the Constitution, should produce a Certificate or List to the Town, of any number of persons (inhabitants of said Gorham) who are in his opinion, conscientiously of his Society, and do constantly attend upon his instructions, that in this case, we would recommend to the Town to exempt all those persons from paying to any Congregational minister in said Gorham."
Thereafter only those escaped the payment of the tax who were of a decided religious opinion, and attended regularly upon the Baptist meetings, in short, were such as the Baptist minister or teacher could conscientiously vouch for.
At a town meeting held in November, 1788, the sixth and seventh articles in the warrant were " To see if the town will vote to exempt any person or number of persons in Gorham (being of the Baptist denom- ination) from paying taxes to a Congregational minister in said Gor- ham." And " To see if the town will vote that Mr. James McCollister shall be discharged from paying any State, County or Town Taxes in Gorham, on account of his being a Baptist Minister." Both of these articles were dismissed by the town. In the warrant for a town meeting, about a year later, is this article, "To see if the Town will vote, that the Baptist Society be set off, by themselves, in order that they may be incorporated into a parish separate from the Congregationals - Agreeable to an Application." This article was dismissed by the meeting.
Feb. 12, 1790, the Baptists of Gorham, presented to the Legisla- ture a petition for an act of incorporation, in which they say that they have maintained a society in Gorham for the seven years past.
" Be it enacted, etc. That George Thomes, Enoch Waite, Ebenezer Hamblen, Nathaniel Stevens, Daniel Mann, Samuel Crockett, Jr., Charles Thomes, Lemuel Hicks, Barnabas Bangs, Jr., Thomas Bangs, William Burton, Gershom Hamblen, Isaac Elder, Nathaniel Freeman, Samuel Thomes, Andrew Cobb, Barnabas Bangs, William Files, Elisha Strout, George Hamblen, Jonathan Freeman, James McCorson, Amos Rich, James Ross, Ebenezer Bangs, Lemuel McCorson, John Ward, Ebenezer Cotton, Joel Sawyer, David Elvil Morton, Ebenezer Morton, James Morton, Nathan Hanscom, Christopher Plummer, Isaac Irish, Isaac Plummer, John Haskell, Jr., Reuben Libbee, Edward Webb, Joseph Hodgdon, John Lombard, John Carsley, John Carsley, Jr., Thomas Bolton, Jeremiah Clement, William Bolton, Daniel Gammon, William Lakeman, Ephraim Crockett, Peletiah Crockett, Thomas Paine, Benjamin Cates, James McIntosh, Reuben Elder, Benjamin Chamberlain, Ebenezer Cobb, Samuel Elder, Samuel
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OTHER RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
Warren, Micah Whitney, James Gilkey, Hart Williams and Jonathan Crockett, together with their families, and estates, be incorporated by the name of
"The Baptist Religious Society of Gorham."
March 7, A. D. 1791.
Lemuel Rich, Lemuel Rich, Jr., Boaz Rich, Amos Thomes, Seth L. Hamblen, Jacob York, Moses Richardson, James Rich, Israel Rich and William Harmon, all of Standish, were set off from Standish and annexed to the Antipedobaptist Society in Gorham, by Act of June 10, 1796.
A meeting house was built on Fort Hill before the year 1798, for we find that on June 4, 1798, the town voted that all the town meet- ings should be held in the Baptist meeting house until the school- house, to be erected at the Corner, should be made convenient to meet in.
There seems always to have been considerable trouble with church music in Gorham as well as in other places, as these votes by the Fort Hill Society will show, as well as the way out of it. "June 10, 1801, Opened meeting by prayer, then entered into labor concerning spiritual gifts, and how improvements ought to be made (both in speaking and in singing). Concluded to speak and sing as we are moved by the spirit of Truth." "July 14, 1802, Concerning singing, concluded, for those who are singers (when a hymn is read) to sing, and as many as can for to join, and so carry on the worship of God." We judge that all the congregation were not equally endowed with the gift of song.
In the year 1839, the meeting house was enlarged and finished in good style with forty-four pews, and dedicated Jan. 1, 1840. Regu- lar meetings were held for a few years after this, up to about 1846, when, the members having either died or become scattered, the Church was dropped from the Conference. There was no preaching after that time, and the house falling into a state of decay, permission was granted by the Legislature to Frederic Gilkey to sell it, which was accordingly done; it being sold at public auction on Feb. 21, 1877, for fifty dollars, to Capt. Gerry Rounds, and by him taken down, carried to the Village and used in building his house on Preble St.
A Free Baptist Church was organized at Mallison's Falls in 1827, and a meeting house erected on the Windham side of the river. This Church was formed as the result of revival work done in this locality by Elder Clement Phinney. In 1839, after a period of lack
210
HISTORY OF GORHAM.
of interest, there was a strong revival of religion here, under the work and preaching of Elder James Buzzell, M. D., and having received large additions to their numbers, it was decided to build a new church. This building was erected, in 1841, in Little Falls village, on the Gorham side of the Presumpscot. Until this time the church had had no. settled pastor, but was supplied, as was the custom of the denomination, by itinerant preachers, amongst others : Elders Joseph White, Joseph Phinney, Andrew Rollins, Samuel Hathorn, Sargent Shaw, Charles Bean, David Swett and Jeremiah Bullock. Dr. Buzzell was the first settled pastor, and remained here until about 1844. He has been followed by Revs. Amos Redlon, B. S. Manson, O. P. Smith, Mr. Fairfield, David Newell, William F. Eaton, William J. Twort, Elder Maddox, J. R. Franklin, E. C. Harmon (now at So. Gorham, 1899), Leroy S. Bean, A. F. Cox, E. C. Cook, W. A. Tucker, George Gray, William Fultz, and others.
During the pastorate here of Mr. Redlon, there arose some trouble in the denomination in regard to an educated ministry, instrumental music, and choir singing. This difference of opinion resulted, under the leadership of Dr. Buzzell, in the formation of what was known as the "Association Baptist Church," afterwards incorporated as the "General Baptist Church and Society." Some thirty members of the old church here were dismissed to join the new.
In January, 1864, the society at Little Falls was so unfortunate as to suffer the loss of its church edifice by fire. Two years later, in 1866, the present meeting house was built, which occupies the spot on which the former, one was located.
The Baptist meeting house at White Rock was built in 1839, and dedicated in June, 1840. It has since been twice remodelled. This society in 1854 took the name of General Baptist. Among other preachers, they have had Mr. Twort, Elder Maddox, Milton Pratt, and Mr. Fultz.
There is also a Society at South Gorham, the outgrowth of a Sunday School started many years since in that region.
Williamson says, (Hist. of Maine, Vol. I, p. 569), the Baptists first made their appearance in Maine, A. D. 1681, when several persons in Kittery embraced their doctrine. William Screven, who was an Englishman, was one of the first and most prominent. He became a leader. He was fined ten pounds for the first offence, and ordered to cease teaching and preaching. He refused compliance. Finally a church of eight members was embodied, Sept. 25, 1682. The next year Mr. Screven, with the members of the church with their families,
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OTHER RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
removed to Cooper River, So. Carolina. This is said to have been the only instance of religious persecution within the State. The old Colonial laws of Massachusetts were rather severe on the Baptists and Quakers. Fines, whippings and imprisonments were used, but these laws were never enforced with anything like stringency in the District of Maine.
A Baptist church was organized at North Berwick June 28, 1768, and one at Sanford, York County, in 1772, which was Congregational in 1788. Dr. Deane of Falmouth, says, (Diary, p. 322,) " Rev. H. Smith and Burnham here. Burnham urged me to invite Smith to preach, which I refused to do." This was in June, 1767. In a note is added, " Rev. Hezekiah Smith was a respectable Baptist preacher, settled in Haverhill, Mass. He made the earliest movement in behalf of the Baptists in this State. He was a man of fine personal appearance, a full and sonorous voice, and captivating address."
It is said that the Rev. Hezekiah Smith preached, and gathered a church in Gorham, which was organized June 20, 1768. Of this I can find no local record. Dea. Alden, who kept a daily record of things passing in town, makes no reference to this whatever. And as the Deacon was rigid in his religious notions, and sensitive for the honor of the old church, it is wonderful how such a wicked thing could have escaped his notice.
IMr. Backus, who was agent for the Baptist Churches in Massa- chusetts, drew up an appeal to the honorable Congress of the Massachusetts province, convened at Cambridge, Nov. 22, 1774, designed to show by the instances of oppression adduced, that others than the "enemies of America" had good and sufficient reasons to memorialize the Continental Congress. In this petition he says, "A Baptist church was regularly formed at Gorham, Me., in 1768, and Mr. Joseph Moody of Scarborough, a member of it, yearly had the same certified to the Assessors of his town, yet still he has been taxed and strained upon ; and when he petitioned our Legislature last winter for help, we are credibly informed that his petition was thrown out, because Mr. March, the representative from Scarborough, had said There was no Baptist church in Gorham.''
I have heard, many years gone by, that there was a person by the name of Hezekiah Smith who preached in Gorham, and that he was called a Baptist; but as to his gathering a church, I think that that was not the case. From 1765 to 1768 was a time of some disaffection in the old church. Rev. Mr. Lombard had gone into secular busi-
IFrom Dr. Hovey's life of Backus.
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HISTORY OF GORHAM.
ness, and paid but little attention to his ministerial work. He preached but little, and many said his preaching was not worth half he got, and contended stoutly against paying him his minis- terial tax. Many thought themselves persecuted for being compelled to pay what, as by law and their own agreement, they were obliged to do. But this war was not so much against the doctrine as against the minister, for when Mr. Thacher was settled, who, for a time, was remarkably popular, all quieted down, and the old church went on harmoniously, and we can find of the old settlers, none who appear to have seceded. If Mr. Smith preached, it was probably at some time during this turmoil, and probably he had hearers, but if he got up a church it certainly was small, or some account or tradition of it would have come down to us, as has been the case with the Free Will and Quaker Societies. It is certain that it never had a pastor, or belonged to any association. There is no church of the denomination now in town.
In June, 1803, those professing to be of the Methodist persuasion in Gorham, joined in a petition to the General Court, to be incorpor- ated into a separate Society; and at a town meeting held at the schoolhouse at Gorham Corner, Jan. 12, 1804, it was "Voted, that this town has no objection to the petition exhibited to the General Court by a number of the Methodists, praying to be incorporated into a distinct Society. The petitioners were: Hugh Moore, Jonathan Moore, James Waterhouse, James Cochran, Josiah Paine, Thomas Irish, James Davis, Daniel Hill, Ebenezer Lombard, Isaac York, Amos Thomes, Samuel Files, Moses Fogg, Josiah Berry, James Lewis, Richard Lombard, Nathaniel Brackett, Elkanah Harding, Abraham Webb, John Whitmore, Lot Nason, Uriah Nason, Simeon Libby, Samuel Dennett, Philip Ayer, Richard Lamb, Thomas Thomes, Daniel Kimball, Sylvanus Bangs, Daniel Lowell, Richard Willis, Joseph Bryant, Thomas Ayer, Stephen Hopkinson, John Whitney, John McGill, Joshua Moody, Asa Whitney and Colman Phinney. These, by an Act of the General Court, were incorporated with their families into. a religious society by the name of
"The Methodist Society in Gorham, Buxton and Standish."
March I, A. D. 1804.
In the early days of the Society, preaching meetings were held at the dwelling-houses of its members. Amongst these, where we learn that meetings were held, were the houses of Elkanah Harding, Simeon Libby, Thomas Irish, Samuel Files, and probably there were
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others. The first Quarterly Meeting of which we have tradition, was held at the house of Elkanah Harding, Feb. 22, 1807, on the same day that Mrs. Nathaniel Knight of Windham and her child were drowned at Little Falls. The husband, wife and child were on their way to the meeting. On Little Falls bridge their horse became frightened, and backed off the bridge, drowning the mother and child. We have tradition also of these meetings being held at the houses of Mr. Irish, Mr. Files and Mr. Libby, but we have no means of fixing dates. The first class-meeting held in Gorham was at the house of Ebenezer Lombard, which stood near where J. N. Libby lately lived. The first class-leader in Gorham, or in the County of Cum- berland, was Ebenezer Lombard, who was appointed class-leader by Rev. Timothy Merritt, about 1797. It was the custom with all the brethren to have open houses for meetings, or religious purposes, and it is said that provisions and fodder were free to all comers from a distance.
The Methodists had no meeting house of their own previous to 1812. They often used the houses of other denominations, by consent. But it is a notorious fact that denominations in those days were not over hospitable to each other, more particularly the Old to the New. The Baptists were no more tolerant than the Congrega- tionalists. They admitted, and even invited some of the early Methodist ministers to preach in their house, thinking as they were anti-Congregationalists, and opposed to the old standing order, all would be right, but finding that their preaching was likely to make a schism in their own church, they were forbidden the use of the Baptist house. This was the case with Rev. Samuel Thomes, and with Rev. Mr. Lee who was one of the first Methodist ministers that came to Gorham. Nevertheless, the Methodists did occupy the Baptist house for their Yearly and Quarterly meetings. But these were oftener, in early times, held at dwelling-houses and schoolhouses, where, if there was not room enough inside, there was plenty outside.
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