USA > Maine > History of Methodism in Maine, 1793-1886 > Part 68
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Should place the date about 1800, for the following reasons : Henry Martin labored, died, and was buried here, A. D., 1808, and Fogg and others were known to have labored here previous to that date.
Martin's obituary. written by Rev. T. Merritt, was as follows : "'Died, after a short illness, Rev. Henry Martin, in the twenty-sixth year of his age. He rode from Hallowell to Parker's Island (George- town.) a distance of about forty miles, and preached in the evening. The next day he was taken down. Towards the latter part of his sickness he had temporary derangement, but ever his wanderings testified how truly his heart was devoted to God. A few hours before he died he revived, and with a loud voice repeated : Glory ! Glory ! ! Glory to God ! ! ! and then sung with a distinct voice,
"I'm happy ! I'm happy ! O, wondrous account! My joys are immortal, I stand on the mount. I gaze on my treasure and long to be there."
Here his voice failed, and he soon fell asleep in the arms of his Redeemer.
"But few of his years and opportunities, excelled him in ministerial ability. He drank deeply into the spirit of his Master. He taught publicly, and from house to house. He was employed about four years as a traveling preacher, one and a half of which he spent in the District of Maine. He was appointed to Readfield Circuit, from a Conference held in Boston, June, 1807 ; and to Hallowell Circuit from a Conference held in New London, April, 1808. He left the former with the view of forming a circuit on the shore between Kennebec river and Boothbay. His interment was from the dwelling house of Mr. William Heal, November 9th, 1808."
Seventy-four years later, in 1882, in the same house, and same room where Martin died, and from which he was buried, Rev. E. B. Fletcher passed away from earth. These two ministers, as also Rev. James Hartford, are buried side by side, upon the farm where the first two died.
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GEORGETOWN AND ARROWSIC.
The exact date of the formation of the first class is lost. Brother Jacob Powers, now living, came here from Phippsburg, May 4th, 1815, and found a class, which he joined in 1817, composed of the following members, given from memory :
William Heal and wife, Allen Clary and wife, Allen Clary, Jr., and wife, William Larry and wife, Samuel Stinson and wife, Benjamin Swett and wife, David Lennan and wife, Phebe Tarr, Ruth Riggs, Sarah Riggs, and Molly Welch, all of whom were godly men and women.
Mary Welch, a member of the Congregational church, asked for a letter from that body, and was refused. She united, however, with the Methodist Episcopal church, and continued a devoted and much loved member till her death ; when she left a small legacy of $125, to the church, the interest only to be used. Others dying, Sarah Riggs, Brothers William Heal and John Nichols, have followed her example in leaving legacies for the benefit of the church.
Brother Allen Clary was the first class leader in Georgetown, and Brother Benjamin Swett in Arrowsic, both of whom were devoted to the church, and walking with God ; they lived well and died well.
In 1821, Gorham Greely was appointed to the circuit, and received $43.94. In 1822, Otis Williams received $48.86. This year the first house of worship, in which Methodists were interested, was built at North Georgetown. It was dedicated November 22d, 1822, as a free church, and was occupied by the Congregationalists and Methodists of both islands ; but the Methodists became sole owners.
The present house of worship was built in 1855, with a good vestry and class room. The church was small and weak till 1830, when Daniel Cox was appointed, remaining two years and having a gracious and very extensive revival. Brother David Stinson, of Arrowsic, and Sister Smith of Boothbay, are perhaps the only living subjects of this work. The largest salary paid did not exceed $85, till, in 1834, Arad P. Mayhew received $318, and reported one hundred and forty-one members.
In 1837 and 1838, Eaton Shaw gathered in many of the present members, both on Arrowsic and Georgetown.
(For other appointees, see Appendix.)
In 1851, Georgetown became a separate charge, and so remained, practically, till 1882, when Georgetown and Arrowsic again became a charge. Arrowsic has a neat house of worship.
Deaths and removals have greatly reduced the society and congre- gations on botlı islands.
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PITTSTON.
Brothers Moses Riggs, aged ninety, Jacob Powers, eighty-seven, and sister Lucretia Swett, eighty-seven, are the oldest liviug members in Georgetown. Brother David Stinson, walking nearly a mile, attends two services on the Sabbath, and meets the class of which he is leader, nearly every week. He is the oldest member in Arrowsic.
June 24th, 1854, Horace L. Bray was liceused as a local preacher and afterward recommended to Conference from this Quarterly Conference. (He was superannuated in 1862; in 1863 Chaplain in the army ; in 1864, superannuated ; 1865 and 1866, at Newcastle ; 1867, superannuated and died at Thomaston, Februay 21st, 1868 .- Editor).
Alfred Fisher of Arrowsic, was licensed a local preacher ; supplied one year at Cross Hill, Vassalboro, and soon after died. Rev. G. B. Chadwick now, 1885, in charge.
(The editor caunot, and would not if he could, forget that two of the most pleasant years, 1839 and 1840, to himself and family, of his early itinerancy, were passed in this quiet, social island home, where by the leading membership, devotion to the church, as a rule, was habitually developed in appropriate acts.)
PITTSTON. BY REV. B. B. BYRNE.
(17.) It was a long time before I could find anything in relation to the early history of Methodism in this town (Pittston). By chance I found an old history of the town, including churches.
In 1794, Jesse Lee visited Pittstou and stayed several days, preaching to the people. He was soon followed by Phillip Wager, Roger Searls, Elias Hull and Enoch Mudge. These preached here part of the time, till 1797, when the first Methodist church was organized by Aaron Humphrey. It was composed of members residing in Pittston and Whitefield. David Young, Burnam Clark, James Norris and Benjamin Flitner were among the first members. The church was first associated with a circuit called Lincoln, Union and Bath.
In 1799, John Finnegan and Comfort Smith were in charge. In 1800, Timothy Merritt and Reuben Hubbard; in 1801, Timothy Merritt and C. Smith ; 1802, Joseph Baker and Daniel Ricker.
In 1803, the circuit was divided, and that part including this church was called Bristol, C. Smith in charge. In 1804, Samuel Hillman ; in
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SHEEPSCOT BRIDGE.
1805, Daniel Ricker; 1806, Allen II. Cobb ; 1807, James Young ; 1808, Jocl Stecl; 1809, William Frost; 1819, William McGray and Benjamin Ayer.
(NOTE : Appointees to 1809 and for 1819 are here inserted for the reason that none of the names, except .Samuel Hillman and A. H. Cobb, appear in the list of " names of all the preachers," etc., in the Maine Conference minutes of 1881).
In 1813, the circuit was again divided, this part called Pittston. In 1818, Pittston was set back again.
Among the first Presiding Elders were Ralph Williston, Joshua Taylor, Joshua Soule, Oliver Beale, Phillip Munger, Eleazer Wells and Elisha Streeter.
The first Sabbath school was organized in 1832. The first church was built in 1809, a free house. David Young became a local preacher in 1810, and long served in several towns, earnestly, faith- fully, and with much acceptance and success. E. Scammon became a local preacher in 1816. John Young commenced preaching in 1825.
About 1800, a strong effort was made to bring this part of the town into the Episcopal fold, but it did not succeed. The church here has not gained the position occupied prior to a serious quarrel between the minister incumbent and the physician resident.
(18.) The following is from the Home Gazette, a village journal, issued at Sheepscot Bridge :
" Historical sketch of the Methodist Episcopal church, Sheepscot Bridge :
"In the year 1832, by action of the Annual Conference, at Bucksport (north), a circuit was formed, consisting of Newcastle, Alna, Jefferson and Nobleboro, which, in the minutes, was named Newcastle Circuit. Rev. Moses Donnell was appointed preacher in charge. Previous to this time the churches at Newcastle, Jefferson, and Nobleboro, formed part of Bristol Circuit. Alna was included in Pittston charge. 'Newcastle' appears in the minutes until 1869, when it was given the name Sheepscot Bridge, Rev. W. L. Brown, preacher in charge. Methodism was planted here many years before Newcastle Circuit was formed.
"As early as 1800, a great revival is reported, when classes were formed in Nobleboro and Jefferson. Some who were converted at this time, were members of the church when the circuit was formed.
83.
ROCKLAND. HAMPDEN.
"Rev. John Briggs organized a class of eight members, in Alna, in 1818. A revival, under the labors of Brother Young, in Alna is reported in 1828, also at Newcastle in 1829. Forty-five mem- bers were added in the two years. Rev. David Young reports a revival in Alna, in 1831, and a gain of twenty members, also revival at Neweastle in 1835, with a gain of ten. When the Newcastle Circuit was formed, there were seventy-seven members, and thirty- five probationers.
"Sheepscot Bridge charge, embracing Newcastle and Alna, has now,. 1884, a membership of one hundred and nine, and sixty-seven on proba- tion.
It has a beautiful church edifice, estimated to be worth at least $5,000, and a parsonage valued at $1,500.
ROCKLAND. BY REV. L. L. HANSCOM.
(19.) The first Methodist organization in Rockland, formerly called East Thomaston, and part of Thomaston, was in 1796, and at what was called the shore village of Thomaston, or East Thomaston. It was embraced in the fourth circuit, called Bath, organized in the District of Maine, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The first preaching in Thomaston, was June 11, 1795. Jesse Lee says, the prospect of religion in that part of the country was very small when we first went among them ; and the people who enjoyed religion were pretty generally opposed to us. A church was organized in 1831, with thirty-one members, and shortly after a house of worship was erected. The church passed through various and threatening vicissitudes, till 1869, when under the labors of the Rev. George Pratt, a large and beautiful church edifice was erected. At that time the best house of worship in the Conference.
The church is, in 1885, in a prosperous condition, with a class. membership of two hundred and forty-three.
HAMPDEN. FURNISHED BY REV. W. T. JEWELL.
(20.) The first Methodist sermou was in 1793, by Jesse Lee.
The first class was formed, probably, by Joshua Hall, as he was on this circuit in 1795 and 1796, with Benjamin Murch, leader, who led two classes, one at the Corner, and another at Arey's Corner. Howes and Mary Mayo were among the first members.
The first house of worship was a union house, built partly by the town and in part by individual members of different denominations,
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HAMPDEN.
and occupied in turn. It was two-story, with gallery on three sides, and was built in 1800.
Jesse Lee swam his horse (horses), and crossed thie Penobscot river himself, in a boat, and preached in the Hampden meeting-house at three o'clock, August 18, 1800. on Luke, chapter seven, verse fiftiethi. He says, "I had a comfortable time in preaching to the people."
(Relative to Jesse Lee's river crossing, and date of preaching in Hampden, see extracts from Jesse Lee's "Short History" in Chap. I., this book .- Editor.)
He further says, " As the meeting-house was not finished below stairs, I took the congregation into the gallery, and preached to them there. Then I took leave of my Penobscot friends, but not without painful emotions, as I thought it probable that I should never see them again."
The first meeting-house built by the Methodist Episcopal church, owned and to be used exclusively by them, was in 1833, and dedicated, January, 1834. The Presiding Elder, Rev. Ezekiel Robinson, preached the sermon ; Joseph H. Jenne being preacher in charge.
In 1873, the meeting-house was entirely renovated, and almost or quite a new house was made of it. The gallery was lowered, the house raised some ten feet, and convenient rooms were finished in the basement, being one large vestry for social meetings, and two smaller, a ladies' parlor and a kitchen. The cost was some $3,500.
The re-opening sermon was by Rev. A. Prince, on Sunday, P. M., from 1st Timothy, third chapter, fifteenth verse. W. T Jewell preached in the evening from John 1st chapter, eleventh and twelfth verses. Rev. W. B. Eldridge was preacher in charge. It is every way an appropriate house of worship for the place.
Elijah R. Sabin was a local preacher in Hampden for some twelve or fifteen years, and was resident here at the time of his death. Simeon Mayo, now, 1885, some ninety years of age, his mental faculties still vigorous, who has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church fifty years, told me, a few days ago, that Mr. Sabine was sent for to supply this charge, and used for his first text: Acts tenth chapter, twenty-ninth verse. His widow married the late Colonel Daniel Emery.
Numerous anecdotes are related of him. On one occasion, when he had proceeded with his sermon a few minutes, a good woman, claiming to be moved by the Spirit, arose, and, after a few remarks, shouted,
1
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HAMPDEN.
and sat down ; whereupon Mr. Sabin resumed his discourse. But almost immediately, a brother, in whom few had any confidence, jumped up to " exercise his liberty." Mr. Sabin, knowing him to be "long winded," and that all would be disgusted, immediately closed with the benediction, to the relief of nearly all the people.
L. Asbury Gould commenced preaching in 1875, who has considera- ble preaching ability. He has been employed by the Presiding Elder to supply several charges, and revival has attended his labors. He is a supervisor of public schools in the town.
B. B. Thomas, now Treasurer of Penobscot county, is, in all respects, a christian gentleman. He moved to Hampden some fifteen years ago, from Newburgh, where he had long been a member of the board of Selectmen. He soon joined the church in this town, and was licensed to preach.
In 1874 and 1875 he supplied the Hampden and Nealy's Corner charge. Most of the time hs has preached only as occasion offered, and attended funerals.
Of prominent members may be named John L. Smith, who has filled important positions in church and town, as Trustee, Steward, Class-leader and Selectman.
David Brown had occupied positions of importance in church and State ; having been many years Steward, Class Leader, Trustee and a member of the State Legislature.
After the dedication of the meeting-house, in 1834, J. H. Jenne, then preacher in charge, commenced a protracted meeting, which was continued fifteen days, resulting in many conversions and many additions to the church, of whom were the wife and daughter of General Herrick, the daughter afterward becoming the wife of Mr. Jenne.
There had been revival during the incumbency of Timothy Merritt, John Finnegan, Benjamin Jones, David Hutchinson and others. The next extensive revival was during the pastorate of Thomas Green- halgh, in 1841 and 1842. I am told there was some interest while H. V. Degen was here. George Pratt, M. R. Hopkins, Hezekiah Tilton, and Phineas Higgins also had some revival. In fact, during the. pastorate of nearly all the appointees, there were some additions.
During 1843, 1844, and 1845 the church was seriously distracted and divided by the Abolition excitement, concerning which you are. quite conversant.
The most extensive and permanent revival, since 1842, was during
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ABOLITIONISM.
the pastorate of C. A. Sonthard, in 1879 and 1880, during which some fifty members were added to the church.
The remark, " concerning which you are quite conversant" near the close of the article by Rev. W. T. Jewell, summons the Editor to the front, in vindication, as well as in justification of disciplinary action, taken in maintenance of the rights of one of the strongest and mnost intelligent churches in the Conference, against an unprovoked and insurrectionary warfare, plotted and conducted by a shrewd leader, having more cunning than piety, with a following of several officials, and with much acting, but little reasoning.
The editor has no objection to the summons, for sufficient reasons : 1st. He was responsible. 2d. The responsibilities of the situation were imposed without consultation or intimation as to the intent, the appointment being made only as per disciplinary order, to which order having accepted it in good faith, and well understanding its provisions, he was ever ready, with all possible cheerfulness, to submit, and by which to abide, until the contract should be annulled. 3d. Having had so much to do with the matter, in its detail, he has a more perfect knowledge and recollection than any other person now living ; and, 4th. Because history demands, at his hand, this late vindication of good men and women, who stood by each other, and by the church, in trial, such as none can estimate, but those who were there; and burdened with responsibility, of whom but few remain to tell the story.
Abolitionism was the distracter referred to, whose platform, as formulated, was "Slavery is sin per se, and should be immediately, and unconditionally, abolished," and, as the rabid leaders would put it, in spite and in despite of the Constitution, without which, just as it was there could not have been any United States of North America. Theoretically, abolitionism could neither help nor harm, and it was simply because of its helplessness, and absolute impracticability, that Abolitionists put on airs, and became violent and demonstrative, even to the dissolution of the Union and destruction of the Constitution, because in their way ; at the same time assuming that none could be anywhere that he should be, unless just where they were, mouthing their Shibboleth, and riding their style of hobby. The effect of the attempt to inspirit the absolutely inert, not only disgusted a reasoning and patriotic North, but aggravated the South to closer watch, and severer measures, to protect themselves against Northern kidnapping on the one side, and bloody insurrection on the
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other, while in possession of "human chattels," that men of New England, the "land of the free and the home of the brave," with the "cradle of liberty" for its capital, had furnished. Which "chattels" New Englanders had, with rum and tobacco, bought on the African coast. to which mart they had been brought, and penned as cattle, till the New England "' Pirate" (in law the slave trade was piracy) should, via the "middle passage," take them to our coast, to be sold South, instead of North, only because the North had not, but the South had, the adapted soil and climate ; which was the occasion, and not any superior virtue, of the closing out of slavery in the North, where, in all the States it had existed, and its concentration in the more sunny South.
Perhaps it may be claimed, in justification of the Abolition platform, that as the North was the first sinner, laying the foundation, and furnishing material for the superstructure, it was becoming that the North should come to the front to undo the iniquity perpetrated. Very well, but virtue should not prevail at the sacrifice of justice. It would have been, not virtue, but duplicating vice. to steal a second time, because of chance power, to emancipate the human chattels that had been piratically stolen from their homes, and sold into slavery in a country foreign to their own. It would have been but just and honorable that the North compensate for emancipation, by contributing a liberal percentage of what had been pocketed, as the proceeds of the steal and sale, but nothing was more abhorrent and repulsive to the single-minded Abolitionist than the suggestion of compensation for emancipation.
American slavery was verily " the sum of all villainies ;" but how to untangle the skein of long and intricate tangling, was a problem beyond human ingenuity to solve. No wisdom, planning, or power short of Divine, could effectively reach the case; leaving the free North in its utter helplessness, to wait, to watch and to pray, depending upon an overruling and ever ruling Providence, the final solvent of all knotty problems, to adjust the scale, as it did, by using, not the Abolition element but the deeply rooted and wide-spread free soil element, to meet face to face, and with arms if need be, Southern intent to break down the compromise barrier between slavery and free soil ; thereby making the villainous sin its own punisher, by compelling the proclamation of emancipation, as a war necessity.
Thus, at last, was reached the long hoped for result ; by a process, never at a standstill, though working out of sight, by which justice and judgment came upon both sections of the guilty nation, with
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ABOLITIONISM.
blood and tears, though in the third and fourth generation of them that do evil.
In 1843, while in Orrington, the editor and the true to the church, were contending with Millerisin at its flood, in Hampden, Abolitionism, at its flood, with its disturbing rank and file, was contending for the lead, against the pastor and the truc to the creed and platform. Good Brother Shaw fully appreciated the situation, and felt his responsibility but his amiability disqualified him to grapple with the rough and tumble of the situation ; of which, taking advantage, the disturbers got the mastery so far that the pastor would, and did, admit his inability to contend, and claimed that he could not endure the trial another year ; and here it will not be out of place to say, that his amiableness was extreme, to the extent of non-resistance. Years prior to his appointment to Hampden, to test his non-resistant theory, the editor put the question of what he would do if savages should enter his dwelling with intent to destroy his family, (a lovely family) to which his ready reply was, I would catch and tie them, of course meaning the savages.
In 1844, the editor was appointed to Hampden, who, aided by knowledge previously acquired, soon reached the conclusion that nothing short of the last resort, to disciplinary measures, could reach the case, or do justice to the church. And that the pastor, after having taken in the entire situation, might act as prosecutor, the Presiding Elder, Joseph H. Jenne, put Rev. Charles Baker, then pastor in Orrington, temporarily in charge in Hampden.
The court consisted of the entire male membership, which was large, and, after a long and minute trial of the leader, the charges were sustained by a small majority, whereupon the active agitators, who were submissively at the disposal of their leader, followed him out of the church, leaving it strong in union and integrity.
Here, again, is the ship illustration apropos, the difference being that in Orrington, the danger was from over-loading, and here from mutiny. There the saving expedient was to oust the superfluous cargo, and here to oust the leader. Here, as there, the action taken covered the case satisfactorily, consolidating and renewing the strength of suffering churches.
And now if it be asked, why not let by-gones be by-gones, echo answers, why not? To be sure of the last word, and of the final gun of triumph over those who were not of them, on every occasion of death of one of the most vociferous and abusive leaders, the bedraggled banner must be flaunted, and the old sore opened, in
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BROWNVILLE.
glorification of Abolitionism, and the belittling of all who could not march to their music ; insolently claiming for Abolitionism the glory of starting the ball that rolled on to final triumph ; whereas the planning that led to success was Divine, and the result was perforce of the ever existing, though dormant, for lack of opportunity, free soil element. Leaving the nation consolidated, because rid of the worm that was ever gnawing at the core, instead of two nations, one free and the other slave, with only an imaginable barrier between, ever warring against each other, until reaching the "Kilkenny cat" condition. Which general result is probably what a critical, but fair, reviewer of the recently published memoir of the Abolition father had in mind, when he said, had Abolitionism prevailed, slavery would still exist.
The following are names of appointees to charges embracing Hampden, which do not appear in the list of " names of preachers" and appointments in Maine Conference minutes of 1881 :
Joshua Hall, (Penobscot) 1795. Phillip Wager, three months, Elias Hull. 1796.
Timothy Merritt, 1797.
Enoch Mudge and John Finnegan, 1798. John Merrick, 1799. John Gove, 1800. Joseph Baker, 1801. Asa Pattie, 1802.
Phillip Munger and Samuel Thompson, 1803.
William Goodhue, 1804.
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