USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Portland > Portland city guide > Part 13
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In co-operation with the Federal Government, through its Adult Educa- tion Program established in the early months of work-relief, the Portland School Committee has alleviated unemployment among teachers by utilizing their services in presenting courses in literacy and home economics. The National Youth Administration, through its Student Aid Fund, has as- sisted needy college and high school students, between the ages of 16 and 25, by placing them at work in their respective schools and in local offices of units of the Federal Government.
Although Portland's public and private schools offer many diversified educational mediums, the city has additional facilities for advanced train- ing. Complete business courses are offered at Northeastern, Shaw's, Gray's, and the Maine School of Commerce. The Portland Junior College, estab- lished in 1933 and sponsored by the local Young Men's Christian Asso-
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ciation in affiliation with Boston University, offers extension courses in business administration, practical arts and letters, liberal arts, social work, journalism, education, and law. Portland Junior Technical College, es- tablished in 1937, has aligned its curriculum with several eastern univer- sities and offers fourteen professional programs, leading to the various fields of engineering, science, and industry. Peabody Law School, established in 1927 and incorporated in 1934, is the only accredited law school in Maine, and the local School of Fine and Applied Art is the only institution of its kind in the State. Students interested in aviation receive instruc- tion at the government-approved flying school located at the Portland Airport.
RELIGION
The history of religion in Portland extends over more than two hundred years, from the early days of old Falmouth and its journalistic Reverend Thomas Smith, to the modern city with 27 established beliefs taught in over seventy churches and missions. In the early days Congregationalism was the only faith approved by the Puritan authorities of Massachusetts; today foreign groups have their own houses of worship, in which services are conducted in their native tongues. Greeks, Jews, Italians, and others have large and influential parishes. The early feeling of religious animosity has been tempered by liberalism; religious persecution has given way to friendly co-operation and interdenominational activity for the communal good.
Early Falmouth was not long entirely without spiritual comfort, as only four years elapsed between the settlement of "The Neck' by Cleeve and Tucker and the coming to this region of the first minister. Traveling Jesuits, under the leadership of Father Rale of Norridgewock, visited the settlement on their trips among the Indians, whom they endeavored to con- vert to Catholicism. In spite of these intermittent visits by itinerant preachers, the religious needs of the first settlers were not well cared for, according to William Willis, the historian. For nearly a hundred years after the settlement of the town there was no organized church with its own or- dained minister; and when the young Thomas Smith, later to be the first pastor invested with ministerial functions, visited Falmouth in 1725, he found most of the people poor, and some "that were soldiers, who had wives on the place, and were mean animals."
The Episcopalian religion was the first faith in this region, established under the leadership of Richard Gibson, a graduate of Cambridge, who
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arrived in 1637 to administer spiritually to the settlement on Richmond Island. He was the first permanent pioneer of the church, and was suc- ceeded three years later by Robert Jordan who officiated in the same capa- city for 38 years. The General Court of Massachusetts had no respect for men of this faith, and in 1669 ordered the inhabitants "to get a Congrega- tional minister." George Burroughs, a Harvard College graduate, came the following year and remained until driven away by the Indians ten years later. He returned, however, and remained until Indians destroyed the town in 1690. Once more he escaped death, but in 1692 was executed in Salem for witchcraft on the spurious testimony of a 12-year-old child.
Local opposition to the government of Massachusetts arose from differ- ence of religious opinion and the continued conflict for supremacy between the Episcopalians and the Puritan authorities. This caused a constant fever of agitation and party animosity which created an unfavorable spiritual climate. About 1719 Jonathan Pierpont was sent to 'The Neck' as chaplain of the garrison; remaining about six years, Pierpont preached Congrega- tionalism to the townspeople.
The first church to be erected in the town was the First Parish, Con- gregational, a crude wooden building at King and India streets. Up to this time the poverty of the inhabitants had prevented them from having a house of worship. With the incorporation of Falmouth as a town in June, 1718, it was advised that a meetinghouse should be built "after the most commodious manner, for the benefit of the town in general." However, it was not until two years later that the town voted to erect a church struc- ture; financial conditions prolonged the start of construction until the fol- lowing year. It was a memorable day in the annals of Falmouth when, in 1727, Thomas Smith was ordained here as the first permanent preacher at the head of an established meetinghouse. He was solemnly inducted into office with style and ceremony never before witnessed in this part of the country. A young student fresh from Harvard, he found things in a sad state-a population in poverty, a church half completed, without seats or pulpit. His salary was £70 a year, with board and contributions from parishioners. The settlers built him a home which was considered the most pretentious house in the neighborhood, boasting the only papered room in town, the paper being fastened on with nails instead of paste. Along with his spiritual work Parson Smith practiced the art of medicine, being often called to minister to the needs of the body as well as to those of the soul.
This expanding parish rapidly outgrew such small accommodations, and
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to meet the growth of the town, a new meetinghouse, also of wood, was completed in 1740 on the site of the present stone church, which was then considered as "being far in the country." The history of this early edifice, later dubbed 'The Old Jerusalem,' is inextricably interwoven with Port- land's own story, for certainly no church has played a greater part in its development. It was long the favorite church of the first families, includ- ing the Prebles and the Longfellows. In the British bombardment of the town in 1775 cannon balls struck 'The Old Jerusalem.' When the present church was built in 1825, one of the shot was used in the suspension of the glass chandelier.
Considerable agitation was aroused among the parishioners in 1758 on the acquisition of a church bell from England. Some, living on the out- skirts of the village, complained they could not hear its peal and they were therefore late for meeting; others considered it a form of religious degen- eracy, an adoption of popish ideas, and feared a decline of Congregational- ism. In spite of these conflicting opinions, the First Parish Church was en- larged in 1760, a steeple was built, and the bell, previously hung in a frame in the churchyard, was installed; a year later a spire was added. Throughout these years there was bitter religious dissension among the parishioners. Also, about this time, a tendency toward a more liberal reli- gion in New England was creeping into the Province of Maine. To combat this, the 'Great Whitefield,' a revivalist from England extolling Puritanical doctrines toured New England in the 1740's. Whitefield's preaching in Portland, instead of assisting the Congregational faith, subsequently brought about dissension in the First Parish; some of the congregation, Episcopalians at heart, began openly to proclaim the Church of England. Thus, the installation of a bell, rancorous to ardent Congregationalists, coupled with other conflicting incidents, including the grumblings of the Episcopal-minded in the parish, formed the basis of conflicts which event- ually brought about the cleavage in the original First Parish Church.
Over a period of years disgruntled parishioners had been involved in sev- eral skirmishes over religious activities; eventually the First Parish was split into four divisions, according to localities. The smoldering sparks of Episcopalianism flared forth in November, 1763, when by a written agree- ment of 41 parishioners the first Episcopal Society was tentatively formed. In February, 1764, subscribers of the First Parish met to discuss future pro- ceedings. Differences of opinion over some of the proposed plans, includ- ing those for the new Episcopal Society, were so great that two important
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church members quarreled and fought in the street, causing Parson Smith to record in his diary that "the foundation for a church was laid-the pil- lars tremble!" In July the seceding members of the First Parish Church voted to adopt the forms of the Church of England; in a short time the first Episcopal Society was officially organized. John Wiswall, a Congre- gational preacher with Episcopal leanings, was invited to become the first rector of the new church, although at that time he had not been ordained by the Church of England; in October he sailed for England for Episcopal ordination, returning the following May to find that his supporters had built him a church, dedicated to the sacred memory of St. Paul.
At the commencement of the Revolution there were three religious groups in this vicinity: the scattered Congregationalists of the First Parish Church, the growing number of adherents to the Church of England, and a straggling group of Quakers, who, although they had their own small meetinghouse just outside the limits of 'The Neck,' were forced to con- tribute to the support of the First Parish. The First Parish, Congrega- tional Church, was somewhat affected by the events of the war, but Episco- pal St. Paul's Church suffered greatly; St. Paul's church structure was de- stroyed in the bombardment of the town by the British, and its minister, John Wiswall, a Tory, fled to English soil. This combination of tragic cir- cumstances resulted in the disbanding of the Episcopal society, which lay dormant for over a decade.
Following years of dissension during which occurred the breaking up of the First Parish into several divisions, the formation of an Episcopal so- ciety, and the dark days of the Revolution, religious activity on "The Neck' entered its most momentous decade. Staunch supporters of Parson Smith, who realized their beloved pastor was becoming aged, gave him an assistant, Samuel Deane. For 20 years Deane labored with Parson Smith, aiding him in the transformation of the poor fishing village on "The Neck' into a cultured, enterprising seaport. In 1786 when Parson Smith was 84 years old, the parish asked him to relinquish his salary, as he was not able to perform the whole of his church duties. Smith refused to resign, causing much ex- citement in the town; many of the parishioners, dissatisfied with maintain- ing two ministers, were clamoring for a new church building, others favored repairing the original building. In 1787 a vote was passed to dismantle the old structure and build a new church by subscription. This step precipitated the crisis that completely severed the warring Congregational factions of the First Parish; in September the new Second Parish was set off. Parson
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Smith, rapidly aging, fretfully recorded in his diary: "Poor Portland is plunging into ruinous confusion by the separation. A great flocking to the separate meeting last Sunday and this, in the schoolhouse." In March, 1788, the Second Parish Congregational Church of Portland was incor- porated; by early fall its new preacher, Elijah Kellogg, had arrived in Port- land for his duties. Kellogg's peculiar and ardent style of preaching drew so large a congregation to the new parish that for a time the First Parish suffered considerably.
Immediately an intense rivalry started between the two Congregational parishes. In May, 1795, the First Parish's aged Parson Smith died and his entire duties were turned over to Deane, who was assisted in parish activi- ties by Ichabod Nichols, a liberal; in the Second Parish, Parson Kellogg had in 1807 ordained Edward Payson as a colleague. At Nichol's ordina- tion in 1809 this rivalry was flagrantly exhibited when Payson challenged the right of the neophyte to act as a Christian minister, and refused to al- low him to preach in the Second Parish pulpit. Previously there had been an exchange of ministers. Under Nichol's pastorship, the First Parish Congregational Church soon joined other churches in New England in the growing liberal movement toward Unitarianism.
In 1819 Nichols journeyed to Baltimore to participate in the ordination of Jared Sparks, the famous ceremony at which William Ellery Channing first formulated Unitarianism, outlining its five points in contrast to those of Calvinism; Channing had consulted Nichols previously regarding the sermon. Six years later the First Parish Church, together with other New England Churches, openly declared themselves Unitarian and joined the American Unitarian Association.
During the years the First Parish was drawing away from Congrega- tionalism, the Second Parish was more closely embracing orthodox Calvin- ism. Prior to actual formation of a Unitarian church in the First Parish the two churches, despite rivalry and differences, had worked in unity to the extent of fostering the erection of several new Congregational church buildings in various sections of the town. In 1923 the Second Parish Church abandoned Congregationalism and became Presbyterian. Through the years several branches of the original Congregationalist First Parish have sprung up. Today in Portland there are eight Congregational churches: North Deering Community, Scandinavian Bethlehem, St. Lawrence [Wright Memorial], State Street, Stevens Avenue, West, Williston, and Woodfords.
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To Portland's Williston Congregational Church goes the honor of found- ing, in 1881, the world-wide Young People's Christian Endeavor. This so- ciety, originated by the Reverend Francis E. Clark of the Williston Church, has been called the most valuable religious advance made in a century. Be- ginning with a little band of neighborhood children who gathered in the church vestry for a religious meeting, the nucleus of a movement was formed which became nation-wide, and has spread to foreign lands.
The Presbyterian faith had its start in this area with the arrival in 1718 of 20 emigrant families from the north of Ireland, all devout Presbyterians; these families had previously fled from Scotland to Ireland to avoid the persecutions of Charles I. It was not easy for them to lay aside the reli- gious convictions of their faith when they arrived in America, and abruptly accept the Congregational faith as ordered by Massachusetts' Puritans. It was known that the Purpooduck parish [Cape Elizabeth] was strongly Presbyterian under the pastorship of Benjamin Allen. In May, 1739, when Allen had been replaced by William Macclanghan, Parson Smith paid a visit to the Purpooduck parish; on his return he laconically recorded in his diary: "Mr. McClanathan installed: I had a clash with him." However, it was not until 1885 that the First Presbyterian Church in this city was established, with John R. Crosser as the first pastor. Early services were held in Mechanics Building on Congress Street. In 1923 this first local Presbyterian society, which had grown to a membership of 92, merged with the Second Parish Church, in which Congregationalism had become imbued with Presbyterian principles; the two churches united to form the present Second Parish Presbyterian Church, the only one in Maine still retaining orthodox Presbyterian beliefs.
Although a few Quakers settled on "The Neck' in 1743, their first house of worship in Portland was not erected until 1796. Prior to their arrival the First Parish Church observed a day of "fasting and prayer on account of the spread of Quakerism ... " in New England. The plainness of dress, man- ners, and speech of the town's first Quakers were the source of much ridicule by the townsfolk. Although required to contribute toward the support of the Congregational church, the Quakers soon established their own beliefs and with others of the same faith assembled for communal service in a small meetinghouse near the Presumpscot River, outside the limits of 'The Neck.' One of the first prominent Quakers in this region was 'Aunt' Sarah Horton, who, at the age of 96, has been described as "straight and majestic as a palm tree, and in full possession of her faculties." "Aunt' Horton and her
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husband owned the first four-wheeled carriage in Portland, and in it they accompanied visiting Quaker preachers through the interior of the District of Maine. Today the Society of Friends, commonly called Quakers, has two meetinghouses in the city.
The Quakers were the first to bring to their church services some medium of comfort. Early churchgoers endured much physical distress, for the churches were without heat as late as the early 1800's; it was thought sinful to "mix religion with bodily comfort." Ministers were often obliged to pound the pulpit to get warmth into their chilled fingers, and occasionally some embarrassment was caused officiating ministers when water for bap- tisms froze. Although the Quakers were much ridiculed when they first set up a stove in their local meetinghouse, other congregations soon realized the benefits and adopted them. These early Quaker stoves, described as large boxlike heaters placed in the middle aisle, were covered with loose bricks which-when thoroughly heated-the members of the congregation took to their seats for warmth during the long sermons.
Church attendance in early days was compulsory, and no travel was al- lowed on the Sabbath except to religious service. Ministers wore black robes and flowing wigs, presenting a somber picture that fitted their lengthy and tedious sermons. The tithingman was kept continually busy quieting rest- less children ranged on the stairs, and waking the elders drowsing in the hard pews. The early churches had decided opinions on Sabbath-day dress; it was considered an offense for a 'brother' to wear more buttons on his clothes than needful, or for a 'sister' to wear ruffles, ribbands, or lace on her dress or cloak. Likewise, there was a pronounced sentiment against theatrical productions, and many a show troupe was obliged to close its engagement and leave town.
Doctrines of Shakerism were brought to Falmouth by converts of 'Mother' Ann Lee, founder of the sect who arrived in this country in 1744. Converts instilled several of the families on 'The Neck' with her tenets, and within a few years, a small Shaker colony was formed within the township; in 1793 this local group joined the newly formed colony at New Gloucester. The Shakers, or members of the United Society of Be- lievers in Christ's Second Appearing, organized some of the first religious colonies in Maine. Their settlements at Alfred and New Gloucester, both established in 1793, were active for many years; in 1925 the Alfred village was abandoned, but the New Gloucester settlement, though greatly di- minished, still continued in 1939. The Society's doctrines somewhat re-
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semble those of the Quakers, except that they hold to complete celibacy. New converts are made by the adoption of orphans.
Jesse Lee, a 'circuit rider,' or preacher who traveled through the country on horseback without purse or script, first introduced Methodism to Port- land with his arrival in 1793. Lee preached the first Methodist sermon in Maine at Saco on September 10; two days later in a private home, he delivered his first sermon in Portland. Riding eastward, Lee preached al- most daily at other communities, and on his return to Portland "was per- mitted to preach for a time in Mr. Kellogg's meetinghouse; but as certain difficulties arose he did not long enjoy that privilege, being degraded at length to the humble situation of a private house." Lee again returned to the town in December, "preaching in the Court House to a large and at- tentive throng." Lee is credited with forming Portland's first group of Methodists, for Joshua Taylor, Presiding Elder of Maine in 1797, records in his The Rise of Methodism in Portland that a Portland society was or- ganized in 1794. In December, 1795, the first quarterly meeting in Maine was held at Poland, and Elder Philip Wager was appointed the traveling preacher for the circuit which included Portland. When Bishop Francis Asbury, America's first Methodist Bishop, visited Portland in 1798, he made the entry in his diary that he "preached in the back room of Widow Boynton's house to about twenty-five, chiefly women. In the afternoon preached to about double that number."
Perhaps Joshua Taylor may be called the actual father of the Methodist Church in Portland; it was he, while en route through Portland in March, 1804, for the Fourth General Conference which met in Baltimore, who solicited subscriptions from local Methodists for the purchase of the old Episcopal church building; the purchase made, the structure was removed to another site. Later Taylor was appointed to the pastorate of this first Methodist church in Portland. By 1812 the Methodists had built the Chestnut Street Church, called the mother church of Portland Methodism. Today Portland's Methodist churches include: Chestnut Street, Clark Memorial, Congress Street, Italian, Warren Avenue, Washington Avenue, Peaks Island, Long Island, and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion. This latter church, the only one in Maine for negroes, is the result of the Abys- sinian church founded in 1835 by honorably dismissed negro members of the Second Parish Congregational Church; the society became Methodist in 1891.
Although the first Baptist church in America had been founded by Roger
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Williams in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1639, it was not until the close of the 18th century that any effort was made to organize a Portland society. During the 1790's local communicants of other established churches began to attend services held by the Reverend Ephraim Clark, a Congregation- alist, in Cape Elizabeth. His more spiritual sermons influenced the local dissenters to study the Scriptures intensively with the result they were "surprised on finding that they had received . .. the views of the Baptist denomination." This local group continued to maintain a "Congregational polity," but diverged from the path of strict Congregationalism to include adult immersion in their religious ritual. In July, 1801, ten of the local pioneer Baptists met in council to form the First Baptist Church of Port- land, although it was not until three years later that they were able to build their first meetinghouse. This modest building was erected on Federal Street on ground purchased from and adjoining the house of Benjamin Titcomb where the Baptist-minded local people had met following the death of the Reverend Clark. Titcomb was elected the first pastor of the new church.
In 1810 the city's first Freewill Baptist group was formed under the leadership of the Reverend Elias Smith; during its existence this society bore several names-Christians, Freewill Baptists, and the Union Society. During subsequent years the history of the Baptist denomination in Port- land is one of steady growth-new societies were formed and churches erected. In January, 1836, members of the First Baptist Church who resided in the western part of the city formed the Second Baptist Church, purchas- ing for their church edifice the former Portland Theater and forming the Free Street Baptist Society under the Reverend Thomas O. Lincoln. In 1922-23 the Free Street Baptists merged with the First Free Baptist Church, eventually forming the Greater Immanuel Baptist Church; the new edifice for this combined group was erected on High Street in 1926-27. There are in Portland today five Baptist churches: The First Baptist, Central Square, Glenwood Square Community Church, Immanuel, and the Stroudwater Baptist.
Portland's first Universalist Society was organized in April, 1821, first services being held in the townhouse; there is a vote on record that the "parish committee appoint two persons to carry around the box on Sunday, and that they be authorized to alter the windows of the Town House by per- mission of the selectmen." Though followers of John Murray's principles of universal salvation were not part of the original religious picture of
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