USA > Maine > Androscoggin County > Wales > History of Monmouth and Wales, V. 1 > Part 16
USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Monmouth > History of Monmouth and Wales, V. 1 > Part 16
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Thursday, the 25th, Lee returned to Monmouth. A large congregation gathered at Capt. Peter Hopkins's to meet him; as many, perhaps, led by a desire to see and hear the wonderful preacher as by a desire to learn more of the way to God. It was the day commemo-
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rating the birth of Christ; a day when the most slug- gish heart could but feel a touch of the joyous solemn- ity that pervaded the atmosphere; a day of inspiration and quickening; a day when there came, rippling up from the great evangelist's soul, a melody more stirring than the peal of Christmas bells, or the song of a thousand trained voices. He selected his text from Isaiah 9: 6-"For unto us a child is born ; unto us a son is given." The beauty of the lines, blending with the sweet solemnity of the hour, caught and bound the at- tention of every listener; and, as the orator impressed upon them the grand interpretation of the prophet's words, hearts melted down like wax in the hottest flame. There were few dry eyes in the house. Deep- ly impressed himself with the truth he was uttering, he wept over his audience like a child, and was compelled to stop in the middle of his discourse. Philip Wager followed with a spirited exhortation.
For the first time, the sacrament of the Lord's Supper was administered. After the service was concluded. Mr. Lee conversed with the class members about building a church, and gave them, on this subject, some strong advice. He remained in the town,and the adjoining settlements, until the next Thursday, when he turned towards the Androscoggin, and departed for a tour through New Hampshire and the West.
Mr. Lee's advice, in relation to building a church, will be better understood after reading the records of the town for the year 1794.
The annual meeting for this year was held at John Welch's house, on Monday, the 7th day of April. Simon Dearborn was chosen moderator and John
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Chandler, clerk. The men elected to serve as select- men and assessors were Major James Norris. Matthias Blossom, and Dudley B. Hobart. Ichabod Baker was elected treasurer and Simon Dearborn constable, "to collect for five pence on the pound." John Blake was his bondsman.
One hundred and fifty pounds were voted to be raised "to lay out on the roads." The sum of nine pounds. the equivalent of a little more than forty-three and a half dollars, to be paid in produce, was appropriated for the support of gospel preaching. This measure indicated either the weight of the religious interest of our forefathers, or the attenuated state of the minister's digestive organ. If the good man had no other means of support, he could have realized only a portion of Paul's experience, "I know both how to hunger and to abound." Forty-five pounds were appropriated for the support of schools, and fifteen pounds to defray town charges. Five roads, which had been previously sur- veyed and constructed, were accepted. The first of these was a short road leading from Benjamin Dear- born's to Timothy Wight's-the now abandoned road at the head of Cochnewagan pond. Another was a road from John Arnoe's house (where Miss Maria Marston now lives) down to the road leading from Monmouth Center to North Monmouth. This road was identical with the Clifford, or Blue, road to a point about half way between Mr. Clifford's and the Fish place. It then bore to the left, and took an almost direct course to the B. F. Marston place. The discon- tinued portion of the road is still plainly marked in the pasture of the Marston estate. The third was that por-
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tion of the road now called High St., lying between the junction with the Center road and the Gen. Chandler place. This road had been used sometime as a high- way, but had not been accepted as a town road. The next was one "beginning about twelve rods northerly of the school house in the north school district and running to Stockin's Millyard". This was the road leading from Ellis Corner to Samuel Robinson's via Rev. J. B. Fogg's. The school-house stood on the ledge in the lower part of the Ellis orchard next to the pasture. The naked ledge, upon which the building stood, may be seen as the traveller comes up the hill from Gordon's mills. This schoolhouse-the first one in town-was burned. The distance from Ellis's cor- ner to the company's mills, as given in the report of the surveyor, was 312 rods. The hill having been cut down, the distance must be a trifle less now. The last was the road leading from Geo. Clough's to George Rowell's. All of these roads, as well as all other high- ways within the lines of Wales Plantation, were sur- veyed by Jedediah Prescott of Mt. Vernon. He was an old and experienced surveyor. After accepting the roads, the long pending account of Joseph Allen ap- peared for the last time. It was voted to exempt Mr. Allen "from collecting the bills committed to him to collect for 1786." The next act was "to exempt John Morgan and John Johnson from taxation at present."
Mr. Johnson has been mentioned, in a previous chap- ter, as being drowned, a few years later, at the outlet of Cobbosee-contee pond. That he was a man of re- ligious tendencies is implied by the next clause in the record-"John Johnson, Simon Dearborn, James Blos-
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som, Joseph Allen, Capt. Levi Dearborn, Phineas Blake and Gilman Moody were chosen a minister committee." The school committee was filled by Daniel Allen, Ben- jamin Clough, Matthias Blossom, Levi Dearborn and Joseph Allen.
The assessors' books for this year show that there were eighteen houses. eighteen barns and seven shops. John Blake plied the vocation of shoe-maker and tanner in one of these. John Chandler had two shops: he traded in one, the other he used for black-smithing. His smithy stood near the spot where Mrs. O. W. Cumston's house now stands. It is not known just when Chandler abandoned black-smithing, but proba- bly it was not far from 1798. His brother, Jeremiah, had then moved in, and it is thought that the General gave the business up to him. Jeremiah Chandler lived on the place now owned by Dr. C. M. Cumston. In 1800 he had a shop of his own, which stood on the site now covered by C. M. Cumston's stable. Unlike his illustrious brother and esteemed nephew, this member of the Chandler family did not contribute to the town's development, and little is known concerning him. Benj. Dearborn's shoe-making shop was fourth on the list. Dearborn was the first shoe-maker among the pioneers. He was soon followed by Josiah Brown. Peter Hopkins had a shop. Probably this was the potash which has already been mentioned. Sewall Prescott built a blacksmith shop this year, which was recorded in the enumeration. This shop, which stood a little south of his house, was burned seven years later. Rob- ert Withington had a shop where he made reeds for looms. The number of taxable polls for this year was
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eighty-three the number of voters seventy-four, repre- senting sixty-one families.
The second meeting for 1794 was held at John Welch's house, on the 29th of September, to act in re- lation to the address of the convention which set at Portland, the previous June, to make arrangements for the separation of Maine from Massachusetts, and to appoint a delegate to meet the convention at their ad- journed meeting the October following. Simon Dear- born acted as moderator, and John Chandler was chosen the delegate in question. Other business in relation to roads and building a meeting-house, was passed over.
Almost twenty years had passed since the first set- tlement of the plantation, and. as yet. no house of wor- ship had been erected, nor had much been done to support gospel preaching. Social services were held at the houses of those most religiously inclined, and services of a more public character were held at Ichabod Baker's barn and in the chamber of John Welch's house. The rapidly increasing population and the growing interest in religious matters made it nec- essary to provide a more commodious place of worship. A meeting was called December Ist to consider the expediency of building a meeting-house, building school- houses in the several districts, to see if the town would make any alteration in the school districts, accept a road running from Phineas Blake's to the county road leading to the Center and abate "all, or any part, of Tim- othy Wight's taxes." Capt. James Blossom was chosen moderator. The religious element of the plantation, earnest in their appeals for a suitable audience room, were doomed to disappointment. Their appeals were
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ignored, as was the petition of those who desired better educational advantages. It was voted to give Mr. Wight his poll tax, and all the other articles were sim- ply passed over. But so important a matter was not to be extinguished without a greater effort. Another meeting was called, twenty days later. to consider the propriety of building "a meeting-house in the center of the town, or as near the center as the land would admit, also to determine the location of the center and to see how much money the town would appropriate for the purpose of building a meeting house." The question of a division of the two southern school districts was also to be considered, as was the acceptance of the road mentioned in the report of the last meeting. Another article in the warrant called for a vote in re- lation to building school-houses in the several districts. After choosing Capt. Levi Dearborn moderator, the question relating to school-houses was discussed, re- sulting in a vote not to raise any money for such purposes.
The other, and more important, matter received more favorable consideration. It was voted to build a meeting-house, and to place it "on the west side of lot No. 27, joining William Allen's, on the north side of said lot." It was furthermore "voted to raise the meet- ing house by the last of June, or the first of July, next." The dimensions decided upon were sixty feet in length by forty-five in width, the posts to be twenty feet high. The sum of two hundred pounds was voted to be raised to defray the expense of building the house, to be paid in as early as the 25th day of December. 1775, in corn at three shillings, rye at four shillings and wheat at five
ERECTED IN'1795: TAKEN DOWN IN 1844.
Old Yellow Meeting House.
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shillings per bushel. Simon Dearborn, John Welch, Gilman Moody, Joseph Allen, Ichabod Baker, Caleb Fogg and Daniel Smith were appointed to serve as building committee. The vote to raise two hundred pounds was reconsidered, and amended by a decision to raise thirty pounds in cash, to be paid as early as the first of the following June; thirty pounds in produce, at the rates named in the original vote, and the balance to be paid as at first stipulated.
After thoroughly discussing the meeting-house pro- ject. it was "voted to accept the road as laid out from Phineas Blake's to strike the county road leading from N. Monmouth to the Center, coming out in the center of lot No. 28" This is the road commonly known as the Blaketown, or East Monmouth, road.
Coming as it did, almost on the verge of a new year. the decision to build a house for the public worship of God was, undoubtedly, engendered by the spirit that prompts the many good resolutions during the holidays. The result is proof that it emanated from the same source, for on the 12th of the following month, just twenty-three days from the date when the plans were formulated, at a meeting held at John Welch's for the purpose of seting if the town would "reconsider the proceedings of the last meeting in regard to building a meeting-house," it was "voted to reconsider those pro- ceedings in every respect." Ensign Benj. Dearborn acted as moderator at this meeting. Among other matters to be considered, was one concerning a survey and plan of the town, which had been ordered by the General Court at its last session.
In the spring of 1795 the meeting-house question was
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resuscitated. This time it was desired to "see if the town would agree to build a meeting-house in the cen- ter of the town, or as near ,the center as the land and other circumstances world admit." It was "voted not to act on this article." The action of the town on this matter seems strange and bewildering. It must be remembered that a large portion of the religious ele- ment of the town, at this time, was Methodistic in per- suasion. From the time that Wager formed here the first Methodist class in the state, conversions and ad- ditions to the membership of the church were almost incessant. The religious element, although not wholly, was largely represented by this denomination. At the first proposition to build a church, a unity of purpose existed among the religious people. Indeed, this sentiment extended in wider circles, and embraced many who had no denominational preferences. but who recognized in the overt worship of God, not only a principle of justice, but a social and political safeguard. Thus united, it became an easy matter to secure an appropriation for building a house of worship. All preliminaries concluded, it is possible that the question of ownership arose.
It has been claimed, even in recent years, that the rules of the Methodist Episcopal church require that all houses of worship erected by members of the de- nomination and all church property shall be deeded to the bishop, and that this was the "bone of contention" that delayed the building of the church.
Those who really believe this to be true, are referred to the challenge published by the Rev. Peter Cart- wright, in his autobiography, some thirty-five years
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ago. Such a requirement does not, and never did, exist. Two union churches have been erected in town in which the denomination in question was largely in- terested. Were either of them deeded to the bishop? It is, perhaps, unnecessary to say more on the subject, but to show the absurdity of this excuse for the strange conduct of our grandfathers. I will state that a copy of the deed conveying to the Methodist society the land on which its first house of worship was erected, only one year later, is in my possession, and that it is entire- ly free from any reference to the bishop, or any other officials, except the local board of trustees.
It is highly probable that the question of ownership may have been discussed. The proposition was for the town to build the church, which it finally did. This did not imply that it was to be a union church. It was to be a town institution, controlled by the annual- ly elected officials. Outside of the recently organized Methodist society, there was no religious organization in town, nor, for that matter, in any of the surrounding towns. and Methodists, in those days, were, if possible, less highly esteemed by the general public than the Salvation Army is now. If the boisterous Methodists were to occupy the house, the conservative and the irreligious element did not favor its erection, and if they could not occupy it at least half of the time. the Methodists were not inclined to put much money into it.
The third meeting for 1765 was held on Monday, the 14th of September, Maj. James Norris in the chair. The first act of the voters was to raise four pounds to defray town charges. The first article to be consid-
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ered, as given in the warr int, was in relation to a sur- vey of the town. which had been recommended, if not demanded, by the officers of the Commonwealth several months before. It was voted to "omit taking a survey." The inevitable "meeting-house" question presented itself, and this time received the attention it deserved. By a series of votes, it was decided that a building fifty by forty feet on the ground plan, should be erected at a cost of two hundred pounds. This amount was to be paid in as early as the middle of the following March. The spot chosen for the site of the building was "on the north side of lot No. 27, by Wm. Allen's."
The exact location was left to the option of the build- ing committee. This committee consisted of Joseph Allen, Dudley B. Hobart. John Chandler, Ichabod Baker and James Harvey. It was noteworthy that the Methodist society was not represented. The money appropriated for this purpose was to be paid to the committee. "the committee to be accountable to the town." The three following articles, viz., "to see if the town would vote any money to purchase their quota of ammunition," "to see what the town would do about building a bridge over Stockin's mill stream." and "to see whether the town would vote any money to lay out on the roads in the winter season," received
no consideration. The assessment for the meeting- house fund amounted to $692.18. Of this amount $183.15 was assessed to non-residents. Raising the balance made an addition of $2.25 per capita to the poll tax. A few citations will give an idea of the extra financial burden that it placed upon the property holders. Gen. Dearborn's tax for this one object was
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$16.01; Peter Hopkins's, $15.29; Philip Jenkins's, $14.44; Nathaniel Norris's, $12.23; James Harvey's, $12.61; Ichabod Baker's, $11.90; John Chandler's, $11.79: Caleb Fogg's, $10 04; Capt. Prescott's, $8.82 ; Thomas Stockin's, $9.19; Robert Hill's, $6.10; Eben Thurston's, $3.21. This enlargement of the taxes was felt greviously by some of the poorer inhabitants, and all the more so when it was reported that the sum ap- propriated was insufficient to complete the building, and that the pews, which were to be free, must be sold to raise the necessary amount.
Five years passed before the house was finished on the inside. In the meantime, the doors were left open to the elements and to stragglers. Sheep found it an excellent protection from the burning heat of the sum- mer sun, and a refuge from the pestering flies. The attie was inhabited by a colony of bats. It may be advsiable to remind the reader that bats were very numerous in newly settled districts one hundred years ago, before venturing to record, as a historic fact, the statement of a veracious citizen, to the effect that he sometimes visited the place in company with other boys, each of whom would go away with a hat full of the curious trophies, leaving many untouched.
CHAPTER X.
A RELIGIOUS REFORMATION, (CONTINUED).
The year 1795 opened auspiciously for Methodism in the Kennebec Valley. Philip Wager's labor had been abundantly rewarded. Returns exhibited a total mem- bership of three hundred and eighteen in Maine, and of this aggregate two hundred and thirty-two lived within the limits of the circuit of which Monmouth was a part. The work in this field had now become too great for one man, and with Enoch Mudge, the new circuit rider, came Elias Hull as a colleague. Far better would it have been for Methodism in Mon- mouth if Mr. Wager had been returned; but such a thing could not be in those days of perpetual itineracy. Enoch Mudge was the first native Methodist preacher in New England. True as steel, and devoted to his mission, his ministry here must have been eminently successful, had he not been flanked at every turn by the bad influence of his associate. Although only nineteen years old when placed in charge of this cir- cuit, he had already gained considerable experience in
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other fields, and was possessed of that clearness of judgment which, a few years later, won him, twice, a seat in the Legislature of Massachusetts, and member- ship in the convention which revised the constitution of the Commonwealth. Of his colleague, Elias Hull, but little need be said. He apparently cared nothing for his work, and left the field before the close of the year, the vacancy being supplied by Aaron Humphrey, who afterward joined the Episcopalians, and became the rector of Christ church, Gardiner Me.
In 1796 Cyrus Stebbins, whose name is still borne by children of Methodist families of that period, took charge of the circuit, with John Broadhead as an assist- ant. Mr. Stebbins was a man of only twenty-four years, but even at that early age was a preacher of great ability. His sermons, it is claimed by his biog- rapher, were often remembered for years, and quoted by able ministers of the next generation. Speaking of one founded on the text, "These mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither and slay them before me." one of those eminent preach- ers says: "The whole assembly stood appalled at the declarations of divine wrath against all ungodliness; trembling spread throughout their midst, and many went home to call on God, and prepare for his coming retribution." Under Mr. Stebbins pastorate, the advice given by Mr. Lee at his last visit was carried into effect. Stimulated by the precedent of their Readfield brethren, who, the year before, had dedicated the first Methodist church erected in Maine, the Monmouth Methodists began to cast about for a starting point.
The apparent hostility of a certain faction of the
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH.
townspeople toward them, while it shut them out from their scheme of uniting with those of other denomina- tional preferences in building a meeting-house, and. for a time, bent their spirits earthward, was, viewed in the retrospect, a providential dispensation. Like every other society that proposes to join in erecting a union church, theirs was suffering from an attack of delirium. A union church, in a complete sense, never did, and probably never will, exist. While true Christians of any and all names may clasp hands above sectarian barriers. and trample them in the dust until they are all but ground to powder, there is usually, in every church. some individual, or clique, robed in the garments of Christ's followers, and armed with the weapons of the devil, who will scrape up with zealous care the disap- pearing particles, heat them at the forge of some petty controversy, weld them into bars, and rear them so high that no friendly hand can over-reach them.
Baffled in their attempts to unite, the Methodists be- gan to plan a house of their own. The thought of building a house alone was stupendous and stag- gering, but impelled by nece-sity that was strong- ly tinctured with faith in God, or by faith flavored with necessity-it matters not which-they grappled grappled with the task. If the burden the town assumed in erecting the meeting-house on the common was considerable. the one these people stooped to lift was far greater. They were few in number, not abun- dantly blessed with means, and were already bearing a proportionate share of the expense of building the town church, for which, it would appear, no appropri- ation could be secured until they had decided to build
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for themselves. On the twenty-eighth day of Oct. 1795, a building lot on the west side of the road near Ellis's Corner, was donated by Major David Marston, with the proviso that it should always be used as the site of a church edifice. Hammers were beating a lively tattoo on the town church, one mile south of them, when the workmen began to lay the sills for the Methodist meeting-house. And all through the autumn the frosty morning air carried the sound of ringing steel back and forth like a continuous echo, as work on the competitive buildings progressed.
For twenty long years the founders of our towns had lived without a meeting-house, and now they must build two at once!
On the last day of May, 1796, the building, closed in and shingled, but unfinished inside, was dedicated by Jesse Lee, who returned to his favorite field about the tenth of that month, it is supposed, and remained until the middle of June. As has already been stated, up to that date, only one Methodist church had been built in Maine, and that but one year earlier. Thus, in addition to the honor of furnishing the state its first organized Methodist society, Monmouth can claim almost as great distinction in regard to church edifices.
The following year a change was made in the Maine district. Jesse Lee, who had so ably discharged the duties of presiding elder since the introduction of Meth- odism in this State, was to be the colleague of Bishop Asbury, in a general supervision of the American branch of the church. He presided at the conference, and appointed Joshua Taylor presiding elder of Maine, with this circuit as his distinctive field of labor, and
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH.
Robert Yallalee, a native of England, who had seen service in a foreign mission field, co-worker.
Under the ministry of these young men, the church was greatly prospered. In addition to what came in the form of an enlargement of membership, this con- ference year was to be a "season of refreshing" to the Monmouth church. Jesse Lee was coming again to visit them in his new and loftier capacity, and with him was coming that greatest of all Methodists in America, Francis Asbury, the "Pioneer Bishop." No child could look forward to an audience with the President, or one of the crowned heads of Europe, with greater expectancy than these fathers and mothers of the church looked forward to this meeting with their bishop. In all respects a great man, Bishop Asbury had, by extensive travel on this and the other conti- nent, as well as by his precedence in the church and oratorical gifts, gained a reputation that was not con- fined to narrow limits. Wherever the new church had found followers, his name was written with those of Whitefield and the Wesleys. Born near Birmingham, England, and converted when but little more than a child, he entered immediately into ministerial work.and by his rapturous eloquence magnetized the vast audi- ences that crowded to hear him. After serving the church ten years on his native soil, he came to this country; and now, in the twenty-sixth year of his min- istry in the American colonies, he is about to visit, for the first time, his church in Maine, and to conduct the proceedings of the third New England conference at Readfield.
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