History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 180

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co.
Number of Pages: 1100

USA > Maine > Penobscot County > History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 180

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

It is a fact well worth perpetuating that the articles of faith and covenant of this church have been adopted by the church at Constantinople, Turkey, probably through the influence of the Rev. Dr. Hamlin, who was formerly here.

HAMMOND STREET CONGREGATIONAL.

The industry of Deacon E. F. Duren has supplied the following Historical Sketch of this church, in the Manual published some years ago :

The Hammond Street Congregational church in Ban- gor was organized December 5, 1833. The occasion of forming it was the inability of the people to obtain seats in the First church. A committee of ten appointed at a meeting of the First church January 17, 1832, to whom the subject was referred, reported on the 7th of February following, unanimously in favor of organizing a new church. November 28, 1833, was observed as a day of fasting and prayer by the First church, and in the after- noon of the same day seventy-three of its members (twenty-six males and forty-seven females) were dismissed for the purpose of organizing the new church.

The following is a list of the pioneer seventy-three: George W. Brown, Sophia (Hammond) Brown, Sophia H. Brown [Smith], John M. Prince, Eleanor C. (Eaton) Prince, Joseph C. Lovejoy, Sarah (Moody) Lovejoy, Alexander Savage, Priscilla S. (Thomas) Savage, Mary G. Savage, Charles Rice, Miranda (Hammond) Rice, Josiah Deane, Betsey P. (Chandler) Deane, Hannah A. Chandler, Sarah M. (Chandler) Winslow, Francis Roberts, Ruth (Russell) Roberts, John Sargent, Ann (Alexander) Sargent, Abner Taylor, Harriet Hammond, Edmund Dole, Judith (Thurston) Dole, Jonathan Webster, John Webster, Abigail A. Webster, Sarah (Webster) Drum- mond, Moses Patten, Sally (Whittier) Patten, Thomas A. Hill, Elizabeth (Carr) Hill, Elizabeth A. (Hill) Poor, Jane S. Hill, George Starrett, Martha (Burgess) Starrett, Caroline L. (Storer) Morrill, Timothy Crosby, Lucy M. (Heywood) Crosby, Olive Crosby, William D. William- son, William Davenport (Rev.), Elizabeth S. (Poor) Davenport, John Thurston, Zadock Davis, Samuel Wiley, Stephen Holland, Benjamin Wyatt, David Hill, Pascal P. Learned, Mary (Goodale) Nourse, Sarah J. Nourse, Susan (Wilder) Bruce, Jane A. (Gray) Valentine, Clarissa (Call) Osgood, Ruth (Fisher) Ingraham, Betsey H. (Clark) Savary, Elizabeth (Brown) Billings, Sarah (Howard) Smith, Emeline Smith, Marcia (Page) Dutton, Abigail Dutton, Sophia (Dutton) Godfrey, Mary D. God- frey, George W. Pickering, Hannah (Nevers) Crosby, Sabra (Warren) Bailey, Sarah R. (Edes) Rider, Electa (Beaman) Lancey, Mary (Porter) Webster, Mary (Allen) Webster, Sarah Holland.

721

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

At a meeting of these individuals November 29, a Council was called, to meet December 5, in the vestry of the new meeting-house which had already been built; and a committee was appointed to prepare articles of faith and covenant. This Council was composed of the First church in Bangor, First and Second churches in Brewer, the Congregational churches in Bucksport, Hampden, and Orono, and Rev. Messrs. Jotham Sewall, John Sawyer, Enoch Pond, and Alvan Bond. The Council agreed to the organization of the church, and a public meeting was held for that purpose in the meeting- house of the First church. A call was given, March 21, 1834, to Rev. John Maltby, of Sutton, Massachusetts, to become the pastor, and it was accepted, and he was in- stalled July 23, 1834. The meeting-house, built of brick, was dedicated the same day. In 1853 the walls of this first house were raised and lengthened; and a spire took the place of the two towers and the whole interior of the house was refitted, including new pews, organ, pastor's study, and vestries. Services of re-dedication were held February 17, 1854.

During Mr. Maltby's ministry, twenty-six years, 578 were received to the church, 322 by profession, 256 by letter. He died while absent from home, at Worcester, Massachusetts, May 15, 1860, at the age of sixty-five.

The second pastor, Rev. Edwin Johnson, was installed October 16, 1861. Having received a call from the Congregational church in Baltimore, Maryland, which was accepted, he was dismissed by Council November 7, 1865. Fifty-three were added to the church during his ministry, 29 by profession, and 24 by letter.

The third and present pastor, Rev. Solomon P. Fay, was installed November 9, 1866.

This church has enjoyed eight special revival seasons since its formation.

The whole number of members received to this church since its organization, to December, 1870, is 869 ; by letter, 431; by profession, 438; dismissed to other churches, 356; deceased, 168; excluded, 24. The num- ber of baptisms, 410-children, 243; adults, 167.

The total amount of collections for the various benev- olent objects of the church, to December, 1870, is $49,- 170.

In 1847 the Central church in Bangor was organized, to which 23 members of Hammond Street church were dismissed in the first six years of its organization.

The Hammond Street Sabbath-school was organized December 5, 1833. Five hundred and twenty teachers and 4,365 pupils have been connected with the school. It has had 12 superintendents and 12 secretaries.

The church has been represented in 72 Ecclesiastical Councils for the ordination and installation of pastors ; in 16 for the ordination of missionaries and evangelists ; in 40 for the dismission of ministers ; in 15 for the or- ganization of churches; in 9 convened in cases of diffi- culty in churches.

Ten members of this church were ordained ministers when they became connected with it ; 37 have been or- dained since uniting with this church, seven of whom were children of the church, and the others were mem-

bers of the Theological Seminary ; seven of these have been ordained missionaries to foreign lands.

There has been a Maternal Association which has met the first Wednesday afternoon of each month since 1834. Also a female prayer meeting which has been held every Saturday afternoon since the church was organized.

The Rev. Dr. Enoch Pond, President of the Theolog- ical Seminary, in his sermon at the funeral of the Rev. Mr. Maltby, indulged in the following strain of eulogy :

To those who have been under the ministry of Mr. Maltby a quarter of a century, or more, it may seem superfluous that I should say aught as to the character of his preaching; and yet I may be indulged in a few remarks. Mr. Maltby was decidedly popular as a preacher, in the earlier part of his ministerial life, as is evident from his repeated and favorable calls to a settlement. And yet my impression is that he was constantly growing as a preacher, and that he continued to grow, even to the last year of his life. This was the natural result of his habits of study, and of close observation and experience. His sermons have been less wordy and metaphysical than formerly. They have been more condensed, more simple, direct, and practical, and for that reason the more pungent and impressive.

Mr. Maltby's best efforts as a preacher have been at home among his own people. He has been called often to preach abroad upon great public occasions, and has always acquitted himself satisfactorily. And yet, owing to a native modesty and diffidence, or to some other cause, he has never appeared so well abroad as at home. You, my brethren of this church and congregation, who have been accustomed to hear him from Sabbath to Sabbath,-you best know his value as a preacher, and you know that for clear and fervid presentations of Divine truth, for earnest and glowing appeals to the conscience and the heart, and for a thrilling, startling eloquence, enough often almost to take us from our seats, our pastor has rarely, if ever, been excelled. I have heard a great many preachers in my day, and among them some of the most distinguished preachers in the land, but I have never heard a more stirring, effective dispensation of Divine truth anywhere than I have often heard in this house, and from the lips of our late pastor.

But Mr. Maltby's great excellence as a minister, after all, was not in his pulpit performances. He was a most watchful, faithful, devoted pastor. He had those qualitities of mind and heart which best fitted him to be a pastor,-kindness, gentleness, benevolence, sympathy,- and all these associated with intelligence and judgment, and with a solemn sense of responsibility, as a watchman for souls. As a shep- herd he tenderly cared for his flock, and for all of them; the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the honored and the despised. He watched for the spiritual interests of his people, and suffered no inquir- ing, desponding soul, whether saint or sinner, of which he had any knowledge, to be neglected. He sought out the sick and the afflicted, visited them, and remembered them in his prayers. How often have we heard him, in our public meetings and on the Sabbath, praying for the afflicted among his people, with a particularity and an earnestness which showed how deeply he was interested for them. Only a few Sabbaths ago,-the last time that he ever stood in his desk, and when he was too feeble to stand here at all, -he offered up one of these re- markable prayers.

In his visits among the people Mr. Maltby sought, not only a social, but a spiritual acquaintance with them,-with their difficulties, their fears, their conflicts,-that he might the more skilfully dispense to them the word of life, and give to every one his portion of meat in due sea- son. For the youth of his flock he felt a very special interest, and missed no opportunity to enlist them on the side of virtue and religion. How often did we see him in the Sabbath-school, standing up as a father in the midst of his children, encouraging the teachers, and point- ing the pupils in the way to heaven.

Deacon Duren kindly supplies the additional notes:

The successful pastorate of Rev. John Maltby, its first pastor, continuing twenty-six years, closed by his lament- ed death, May 15, 1860. Five hundred and forty-eight had during that time been added to the membership of the church-three hundred and twenty-two on confession of their faith, and two hundred and fifty-six by letter from other churches.

722

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

While without a pastor the pulpit was supplied for several months by Rev. Henry Storer, of Searboro; Rev. H. Q. Butterfield, now President of Olivet College, Michigan; by Professors George Shepard and Samuel Harris, of Bangor Theological Seminary, and for shorter periods by others; while Dr. Pond, who has been the friend and helper of the church since its organization, . was ever ready to supply the pulpit, attend social meet- ings, and perform needed pastoral labor.

The second pastor, Rev. Edwin Johnson, was installed pastor October 16, 1861. Sermon by Rev. George Leon Walker, of Portland; installing prayer, Dr. Pond; charge, Rev. Prof. S. Harris, D. D .; right-hand, Rev. E. W. Gil- man, of the First church, Bangor; address to the people, Prof. George Shepard, D. D. Having received a call to the Congregational church, Baltimore, Maryland, which he accepted, he was dismissed by Council, November 7, 1865. Fifty-three were added to the church during his ministry-twenty-nine on confession of faith and twenty- four by letter. Mr. Johnson graduated at Yale, 1846; Yale Theological Seminary, 1850; was pastor of the First church, Jacksonville, Illinois, 1851-57; of Bowdoin street church, Boston, 1857-61. He has been pastor at Baltimore, Maryland, and Bridgeport, Connecticut, and is now resident at Morrisania, New York, and in charge of a young ladies' high school.

In November, 1865, a call was extended to Rev. John S. Sewall, now Professor in the Theological Seminary, and in April, 1866, to Rev. Samuel H. Lee, now of Oberlin, Ohio, to the pastorate; both of which were de- clined.

The third pastor, Rev. Solomon Payson Fay, was in- stalled November 9, 1866. Sermon by Rev. Alexander Mckenzie, of Augusta; installing prayer, Rev. Dr. Har- ris, of the Theological Seminary, Bangor; charge, Rev. L. S. Rowland, of First church, Bangor; right-hand, Rev. G. W. Field, of the Central church, Bangor; ad- dress to people, Rev. Smith Baker, of Orono. During his ministry three hundred and two were added to the membership of the church-one hundred and eighty on confession of faith and one hundred and twenty-two by letter. Mr. Fay graduated at Marietta College, Ohio, 1844; Andover Seminary, 1847; pastor at Hampton, New Hampshire, 1844-54; Congregational church, Day- ton, Ohio, 1854-59; agent American Tract Society, Bos- ton, 1860-61; pastor Congregational church, Fall River, Massachusetts, 1861-63; supplied Salem Street church, Boston, 1863-65. He was dismissed by Council from this church December 19, 1879. He has supplied for about a year the Village church, Dorchester, Massachu- setts, and was installed its pastor November 2, 1881.

While without a pastor since 1879, the pulpit has been supplied by Rev. Charles L. Mills sixteen Sabbaths; Rev. William Greenwood, eight; Rev. E. C. Winslow, four; Rev. C. Wallace, D. D., nine (each of whom added more or less pastoral work); supplied also by Professors in the Theological Seminary thirty-three Sabbaths, and by others from one to three Sabbaths each.

On the 24th of October, 1881, the church and society by a joint committee appointed by them extended a call

to Rev. Henry L. Griffin, of New Britain, Connecticut, and a graduate of Yale College, to be their pastor. The call was accepted, and Mr. Griffin shortly after entered upon his duties.

The whole number of members received into this church to the present time, November, 1881, is 1,079; by letter, 497 ; by profession, 582 ; dismissed to other churches, 472; deceased, 238; excluded, 23-making the present number 346. Of these are resident mem- bers, 272 ; non-resident, 74. The smallest number in any year was 73 the first year ; 127 the second year; the largest number was 388; average for the forty-eight years, 304. Of the number who constituted the church in 1833 (65 members) only three remain. The native place of 696 members was Maine; New England States (165 of them in Massachusetts), 279; Middle and Western States, 33; foreign lands, 71 ; total, 1,079.

The annual meeting of the church is held on the last Wednesday in December, when the history of the church for the year, the amount of its benevolent contributions, letters and reports from non-resident members, in memo- riam of deceased members, etc., is presented.

The amount of contributions for benevolent purposes for the forty-eight years is $63,112. From 1878 the weekly system of giving in envelopes, has been adopted.

The church has sent delegates to the annual and semi- annual meetings of the Penobscot Conference of Con- gregational churches. It has been represented in 93 councils for the ordination and installation of pastors; in 2 1 for the ordination of missionaries or evangelists; in 54 for the dismission of ministers ; in 16 for the organi- zation of churches ; in II convened in cases of difficulties in churches.

The church edifice was built of .brick in 1833, and dedicated July 23, 1834. Sermon by Rev. John Maltby, pastor-elect, who was installed in the afternoon of the same day. In 1850 a neat chapel was built in the rear of the church edifice, which was occupied instead of the damp vestries in the basement, until the meeting-house was remodeled in 1853. The walls were then raised and lengthened; a spire took the place of the two towers, and the whole interior of the house was refitted, including new pews, organ, pastor's study, and vestries. Services of re-dedication were held February 17, 1854. Sermon by the pastor, Rev. John Maltby; dedicatory prayer, Rev. G. B. Little, of the First Church. In 1875, the interior of the audience-room was re-painted and frescoed, at an expense of $700. During the three months it oc- cupied, services were held in the vestry. On the roth of October the house was re-opened with appropriate ser- vices,

The following is a list of the officers of the society :

Moderators-John Godfrey, at the first meeting 1832-33; also in 1845-47-49 ; T. A. Hill, 1834; W. D. Williamson, 1835-38, 1840.41; James McGaw, 1839; G. Wheelwright, 1842-44; Otis Small, 1846; Walter Brown, 1850-52 ; J. T. K. Haywood, 1853; W. H. Mills, 1854- 57-61-63-66 ; G. W. Pickering, 1858; J. L. Hodgdon, 1859-60; Charles Hayward, 1862-64-79; A. Noyes, 1865-67-70-74-76 ; D. Wheeler, 1871-72; W. Mann,

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

1873-77; William Flowers, 1875; T. W. Vose, 1878-80; E. Neally, 1881.

Clerks .- W. Thurston, 1833-36; Charles H. Ham- mond, 1837; Charles Godfrey, in 1838; Henry Dutton, 1839-44; Joel Hills, 1845-46; R. Potter, 1847-49, '59-62; Z. S. Patten, 1850-52; E. A. Upton, 1853; H. A. Butler, 1854-55; G. H. Starrett, 1856-58; J. H. Perkins, 1865- 67; J. N. Chandler, 1868-69; E. B. Nealley, 1870-76; J. F. Kimball, 1877-78; G. S. Dole from 1879.

Treasurers .- George Starrett, 1833-36; J. A. Poor, 1837; J. McDonald, 1838; E. F. Duren, 1839-45; W. H. Mills, 1846-48; J. Chapman, 1849; J. E. Littlefield, 1850-74; A. L. Bourne, from 1875.

Officers of the Church .- Deacons-George W. Brown, 1833 to his death in 1850; George Starrett, 1833 to his death in 1837; Zebulon Smith, 1837-46; J. E. Littlefield, 1840 to his death in 1876; E. F. Duren, 1840-45, and 1854 to the present time; J. McDonald, 1846-47; J. S. Wheelwright, 1847-53; J. McGaw, 1850-54; E. D. God- frey, 1850-53; S. D. Thurston, from 1863; J. T. Tewks- bury, 1863 to his death in 1872; A. L. Bourne, from 1873; William P. Anderson, 1873-74; George Webster, from 1873.

Scribes-William Davenport, 1833-35; J. E. Little- field, 1835-40; E. F. Duren, 1840-42-43-45; R. Potter, 1842-43-46-47-48-50; E. Valentine, 1845-46, and Decem- ber, 1850-51; J. A. Hatch, 1847-48; E. D. Godfrey, 1851-52; J. S. Johnson, 1852-53; E. F. Duren, from 1853 to this time.

In addition to the Parish Circle and Literary Club, the ladies have special organizations. A Missionary Society was formed by them in 1835; Dorcas Society in 1847- both of which are now merged in the Missionary Circle. A Tract Society was organized in May, 1865; Maternal Association in 1834. Prayer meeting Saturday after- noons. The Bangor Rill is a missionary organization for the children of the Sabbath-school. All arms of the church are quite efficient.

The Sabbath-school was organized December 5, 1833. Six hundred teachers and five thousand pupils have been connected with it.

Superintendents. - George W. Brown and George Starrett, 1833-35; John M. Prince, 1836-37; John Mc- Donald, 1838; Louis Turner, 1839; Frederick Lambert, 1840-41; Charles Godfrey, 1846-54; W. H. Mills, 1855- 58; S. D. Thurston, 1859-62; E. F. Duren, 1863-71; A. L. Bourne, 1872; George Webster, 1873-76; J. M. Dag- gett, from 1877. Mary B. Allen, Assistant Superinten- dent juvenile department, 1872-78; Mrs. J. A. Kimball, from 1878.

Secretaries .- William Davenport, 1833-34; S. P. Dut- ton, 1835; E. F. Duren, 1836-41, and 1843; J. E. Little- field, 1842; John M. Prince, Jr., 1844; Henry S. Brown, 1845-46; John B. Foster, 1847 and 1854; W. H. Mills, 1848-49; J. A. Hatch, 1850; E. F. Duren, 1852-59; J. H. Perkins, 1860-62-63; A. L. Bourne, 1861; W. E. Mann, 1864-66; Charles M. Griffin, 1867-69; George Webster, 1870-72; S. Alden, 1873; John F. Kimball, 1874-79-80; John H. Kerr, 1875-78; John H. Dole, from 1881.

THE CENTRAL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

In the early part of 1847 the subject of the formation of a new Congregational society began to exercise the minds of members of the churches of that faith in Ban- gor, and several informal meetings for discussion were held. On the 23d of January, under the State law, an application was duly made to John E. Godfrey, Esq., a justice of the peace in this city, looking to the incorpo- ration of the Central Congregational Society of Bangor. This was signed by Messrs. Eliashib Adams, John Mc- Donald, William G. Hardy, W. S. Dennett, Charles W. Jenkins, Asa Walker, Romulus Haskins, Bradford Han- low, John Barker, A. H. Roberts, James Allen, Joel Hill, William Hall, and R. Thurston.

In pursuance of the preliminary proceedings, the soci- ety was fully organized at a meeting held February 2, 1847. Deacon E. Adams was elected Moderator, and Mr. Asa Walker Clerk. Messrs. John McDonald, Charles W. Jenkins, and Romulus Haskins, were elected Assessors, and likewise appointed Parish Committee for the year. Deacon James Allen was made Treasurer and Collector. Deacon Adams was chosen Auditor. It was voted that any person might become a member, for the time being, under the approval of the Parish Committee, by entering his name for that purpose in the parish books. The committee was instructed to procure, as soon as may be, a suitable place for holding a separate meeting, and to procure preaching for such a meeting. The hall in the new market-house was accordingly secured, and the ear- lier services of the church were held here. Some inef- fectual attempts were made during the next four or five years to purchase or lease a lot and erect a house of worship; and, at the fifth annual meeting of the society, held March 15, 1852, it was resolved, "that the present prospect of success is not, in our judgment, sufficient to warrant the continuance of our labors, and that, in effect, the further maintenance of public worship in that place must rest with the other Congregational churches of the city." A committee was appointed to present the resolu- tions to the other societies, which in due time reported as the sense of those bodies that "the Central Congrega- tional Church Society ought to be sustained," and "that said church and society ought to have and must have a house of worship, and that we will help them to erect it." Invigorated by this encouragement, a new committee, consisting of Messrs. Joseph S. Wheelwright, Charles W. Jenkins, Romulus Haskins, Carlostin Jewett, and Henry S. Brown, was appointed to make fresh inquiries relative to the purchase of a lot, and it was also authorized to em- ploy an architect to make a plan for a meeting-house. Upon their report a vote was taken in favor of purchas- ing the lot on Exchange street owned by Mrs. Mitchell and others, and the committee was instructed to obtain subscriptions for its purchase. It was soon afterward voted to buy instead one or two lots on French street, owned by Mr. Nathaniel Lord, where the church build- ing now stands; although the committee was presently given the option of purchasing either the southern part of these or the lot first named. The committee on lots was made a building committee, with J. S. Wheelwright as

724

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY MAINE.

chairman, and instructed to procure the requisite plans and advertise for proposals for the erection of the edifice, as soon as the subscriptions should amount to $9,000. They met with good success in the procurement of sub- scriptions; the property on French street was purchased; and the erection of the house now occupied for worship by the society went rapidly forward.

A somewhat unique resolution was passed March 14, 1853, "that the Parish Committee be authorized, if they see fit, to engage some person deemed competent to teach a singing-school in connection, or otherwise, with the other Congregational societies, for the benefit of our singing, and to pay the expense out of the contingent fund." Some years afterwards another vote was passed, "that, when we adopt the new books, the congregation be respectfully requested to unite with the choir in sing- ing all the hymns."

By 1853 the membership of the Parish had increased to forty. Twenty-five were added at one vote March 23, 1863. March 12, 1878, the number who had been or were members to that time was 112.

March 28, 1859, the use of the meeting-house was offered to the First Parish, while the church building be- longing to the latter was in course of repair.

March 23, 1874, a debt incurred by the Sabbath- school, to the amount of $300, was assumed by the Parish.

The first preacher to the church was Professor George Shepard, D. D., of the Theological Seminary, who served the society very acceptably and ably for sixteen years, resigning his acting pastorate at last March 23, 1863. He received at various times from $800 to $1,000 per year for his services. Resolutions of cordial appre- ciation, and a memorial from the ladies of the parish, were presented to him upon his retirement.

The Rev. George W. Field, of Boston, was called to the pastorate April 4, 1863, and accepted, at a salary of $1,500 per year, which was increased to $1,800 at the annual meeting of 1865, in 1867 to $2,500, with the grant of six weeks' vacation every year, and in 1872 to $2,720. It was maintained at the latter rate until 1879, when it was reduced by $250, and has since been kept at $2,500. Mr. Field is still serving the society with great efficiency and success.

INDEPENDENT CONGREGATIONAL (UNITARIAN) CHURCH .*

The origin of our society as a liberal organization dates back to a time prior to the 'birth of Unitarianism in America. As you probably know, although the new leaven of liberal thought had been for a long time per- ceptibly working in the older settlements of New England, notably Boston and vicinty, rending almost every parish and village with fierce theological controversy, it was not until Dr. Channing's famous sermon was preached at the ordination of Mr. Sparks in Baltimore, in 1819, that the real break occurred, and that the Unitarian church of America came into a recognized, and we might say a then abhorred existence. Just one year previous to this

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History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 180

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co. Number of Pages: 1100

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co.
Number of Pages: 1100