USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Waterville > The centennial history of Waterville, Kennebec County, Maine, including the oration, the historical address and the poem presented at the celebration of the centennial anniversary of the incorporation of the town, June 23d, 1902 > Part 22
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The pastors, since the organization of the society, have been Rev. Calvin Gardner, twenty years, September, 1833-January, 1853; Rev. W. B. Lovejoy, 1853-'54; Rev. Henry C. Leonard, seven years, 1854-'61 ; Rev. A. P. Dillingham, 1862-'64; Rev. Frank Maguire, 1865-'68; Rev. Joseph O. Skinner, 1869 -'73. Since Mr. Skinner's pastorate, the pastoral care of the society has, for most of the time, been in charge of ministers who have divided their labors between this and societies in the neighboring towns. Rev. E. M. Grant of West Waterville, 1875 -'76; Rev. Amos Battles of Bangor, 1880; Rev. G. G. Hamil- ton of Oakland, 1882-84; Rev. R. H. Aldrich of Fairfield, 1884-'88; Rev. S. G. Davis of Fairfield, 1889-91 ; Rev. E. L. Houghton, 1892-'95; Rev. Wm. E. Gaskin, 1895-'98; Rev. J. F. Rhoades of Fairfield, 1898 to 1902.
Under the long and prosperous pastorate of Mr. Gardner the congregations were large and the Sunday school flourishing. Indeed this state of things continued until the organization of the Unitarian society. That event was a severe blow to the Uni- versalist interest, for it drew away not a few valued and influ- ential members. To some, at least, of those that remained, this
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withdrawal seemed almost like treason, and even to have in it a tinge of matricide. But the location of the places of worship respectively, prior religious views and preferences, and perhaps social and other considerations were potent. Probably the old home has been not a whit less dear to the brothers and sisters that remained than it would have been if all had stayed by, and perhaps the influences in the home have been for each heart more strong and helpful-the greater the sacrifice the greater and sweeter the blessing. The interest in the Sunday school and Young People's Christian Union and other religious work is effective and fruitful. A pastorate of twenty years among a people of such intelligence, and financial, business and social standing is itself a high testimony to the worth of Mr. Gardner. The warm regard with which Mr. Leonard is still remembered is due to his signally genial spirit and the purity and elevation of both his life and his preaching. The others have had each his own marked excellencies and wrought faithfully in his own special way and power. The bare mention of some of the famliy names constantly appearing in the records of the society is the most impressive exhibition of its historic position in the town. Among them the Morrill, Mathews, Smith, Moor, Crommett, Hayden, Redington, Philbrick, Getchell, Dorr, Paine, Moor, Arnold, Percival, Esty, Dunn, Phillips, Vose, Tozier-, but one must stop somewhere, though it seems almost an injustice not to go on to the end. One wonders, especially one familiar with the history of the town, where was to be found material for other churches. But Waterville has been and is rich in men and women. There have been enough to go around, and so all the churches and societies come to the end of the century, not only with inspiring memories but also with inspired hope.
Under the history of education in Waterville due recognition will be given to the Waterville Liberal Institute. In this con- nection is to be noted the fact that it was a child of the Univer- salist society and an evidence of the intelligence and enterprise of its members. The Baptist society had the college for its mother; the Universalist society, the Liberal Institute for its child.
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THE CONGREGATIONALISTS.
The Congregational churches of New England are a continua- tion of the Puritan churches, but with important changes. The connection which they held with the state has been severed, and other changes in doctrine and practice have come with the lapse of time, but the Congregationalists and the Puritans of New England are still reckoned as one. In this view it would seem that the religious life provided by the town of Winslow before Waterville's separate incorporation, and by Waterville immedi- ately afterward should gradually and without a break, have developed itself into a Congregational church of the more modern type. This, however, was not to be. Not until August 21, 1828, ten years after the organization of the Baptist church, was the Waterville Congregational church established. Attempts to organize a church of this order, however, were made as early as 1806. Rev. David Thurston of Winthrop, at that time labored here nine weeks. In his journal he writes: "I found no man at the river who was a member of any church. At West Water- ville there were a few members of a Baptist church. The state of religion was low indeed." After eleven years (1817) a Mr. Emerson of Vassalboro was sent here by the Maine Missionary Society to examine the field and, if advisable, to make a second attempt to gather a church. He reported to the society a sad lack of evangelical piety in the place. In consequence of this report, and of the organization of the Baptist church the next year (1818) under the lead of President Chaplin, further effort was for the time suspended. In 1828 the population of the town had so increased (estimated at 2,200-2,500, of whom 800 lived in the village) that there seemed to be room for a second evangelical church. Accordingly the five Congregationalists (one man and four women) then residing here, secured the services of Rev. Eben Carpenter to hold a series of revival meetings for six weeks. These were so successful that steps were taken to organize a Congregational church. A council was called to meet August 21, 1828, composed of Revs. David Thurston, of Winthrop; Benjamin Tappan of Augusta; George Shepherd of Hallowell; Josiah Peck of Norridgewock; and Thomas Adams of Vassalboro, with the lay delegates of their churches. David 16
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Thurston was moderator and Thomas Adams scribe. The coun- cil gave its approval to the steps taken and the church was duly organized and recognized. The constituent members were twelve, three men and nine women, seven bringing letters from churches in other towns and five uniting with these by confes- sion of faith. Their names were Geo. W. Osborn, Sophia Pear- son, Rhoda Stetson, Alvan and Sally Blackwell, Sophia Red- ington, Violinda Piper, Asa Redington, Jr., Susan Hastings, Mary Hayden, Cyrena Withman, and Amy Pullen. Rev. Ezra N. Smith, in his historical discourse preached at the church's semi-centennial, said: "This then (was) the little germ of our present vigorous family tree. The church thus estab- lished was small and weak, utterly unable to sustain the regular preaching of the gospel, yet full of courage and hope for the future. Preachers were sent occasionally by the Maine Mis- sionary Society, Rev. Dr. Gillett, the secretary of the society, coming most frequently. The church remained for seven years following its organization without a permanent minister, small and weak, with very little to strengthen it, and laboring under the additional disadvantage of having its place of meeting shifted hither and thither." In the latter part of 1834 Rev. Thomas Adams, who for sixteen years had been the very successful pastor of the Vassalboro Congregationalist church, came to Waterville, held a protracted meeting, infused new life into the church, welcomed to its fellowship new members, secured the erection of a good meeting-house and on the day of its dedi- cation, September 27, 1836, was installed as pastor. Up to this time, while acting as stated supply, twenty-six new members had been received. Another protracted meeting of eight days' con- tinuance was held immediately after his installation in which Drs. Pond of Bangor and Tappan of Augusta had part. Although his pastorate closed August 31, 1838, one year and eight months after his installation, twenty-one persons had mean- while been added to the church, making in all, during his minis- try, forty-seven additions.
Rev. Calvin E. Park, ordained and installed as pastor, October, 1838, served five years and eight months and the results of his work were seen in a steady growth in the members of the church. The new members received, during that time, were thirty-nine.
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Roswell Dwight Hitchcock, afterward eminent as an educator and president of Union Theological Seminary, supplied the church for one year, 1844-5. He was succeeded by Richard B. Thurston, who was ordained and installed November 10, 1846. Next to the pastorate of Rev. E. N. Smith, Mr. Thurston's is the longest in the history of the church, eight years and four months, closing March, 1855, Under him thirty-seven were added to the church. On the 15th of November of this same year Rev. Wm. B. Greene became pastor, receiving, like his two predecessors, both ordination and installation. During his three years' stay, forty-five were added to the church.
Rev. Edward Hawes was the next pastor. He came directly from the Bangor Theological Seminary and was ordained and installed in 1858, remaining as pastor until 1864.
It is an interesting fact that Rev. Josiah T. Hawes, the father of Edward, was the first young man whom Rev. Thomas Adams, the first pastor of the church, received into the Vassalboro church, and, indeed, into any church, since the Vassalboro pastorate was his first. For a man only twenty-four years of age and without experience in public life to take his place in the line of pastoral succession was a severe test. Mr. Hawes stood this test grandly. He had a clear mind, an appreciation of the best thought, a strong hold on the truths of the Gospel, practical tact and good sense, loyalty and love to his denomination and church, a fine presence, excellent rhetoric and oratory, and sweetness combined with light. He excelled as a platform speaker not less than as a preacher, and at the outbreak of the war, was in demand for rally meetings. His church and society were as one with him in all his efforts. He writes of his ministry here, that he "lived it happily for six years, without friction, and without a single unkind act or word to remember, and that the parting was, he believed, with mutual regret." There are many living who will not doubt that this is a true statement. During his ministry, fifty-five were added to the church, and important changes for the better made in the material and social interests of the society.
After Mr. Hawes had left, the Rev. P. C. Headley, author of several biographical volumes for young people, supplied the pul- pit for some months, and on the 22nd of March, 1866, Benjamin A. Robie, just graduated from Andover Theological Seminary,
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was ordained and installed. His ministry of five years was eminently satisfactory and his resignation in March, 1871, was reluctantly accepted. During his pastorate, thirty-four new members were received. After a supply of the pulpit for nine months by Mr. Calvin G. Hill, just graduated from Bangor, and the short pastorates of Rev. James Cameron and Rev. Mr. Crum- rine the Rev. C. D. Crane became pastor of the church. Although not remaining a full two years, he wrought with such effect as to make these years among the most prosperous in the history of the church. His successor, Mr. Smith, said of him that he introduced into the fold an element of youthful vigor and strength containing great promise of future usefulness and growth. By his ministry to the church and his marriage to a daughter of Waterville, Mr. Crane identified himself with the city in such a way as to make this a home where he is ever wel- comed. Rev. Ezra N. Smith (1877-'88) was a man of spirit- ual wisdom and practical sense, and by his modest integrity and wholesome influence commanded the respect of the entire com- munity and greatly strengthened his church and society. Rev. Leavitt H. Hallock, who succeeded him, (1889-'92) was full of enterprise, the results of which are visible to those who walk our streets. His successor, Rev. George V. Washburn (1893- '96), was in theology conservative. A man of rare conscien- tiousness and downrightness. The present pastor, Rev. Edward L. Marsh, began his ministry here in 1897. Without neglecting other applications of the Gospel, he emphasises especially, its power for civic righteousness and for the salvation of the young. Most of the pastors of the church have been young men. About one-half of them directly from the theological seminaries. Yet the pastorates, though averaging high for ability, have averaged low for length. Dr. Hawes, in a recent letter writes as follows : "I went back to Waterville to attend the fiftieth anniversary of the church. I think it had had thirteen pastors. It was an inter- esting fact that the first pastor, Rev. Thomas Adams, and the last, myself, were present on that occasion, and that no one of the number between had died. A ministry in Waterville was in no case fatal."
The church has given to the Gospel ministry two of its mem- bers, Revs. Charles H. Percival and William F. Jordan. Two
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members of the society gained distinction in the Civil War, Wil- liam S. Heath, who entering the army with the rank of captain, became lieutenant-colonel, and was killed early in the war at Gaines' Mill, and Francis E. Heath, familiarly known as Colonel Heath, although he had reached the rank of brevet general. In the teaching profession it has been repre- sented by Mrs. Mary Hanson, long associated in instruction with her husband in the Coburn Classical Institute; Prof. Wallace S. Elder, Miss H. M. Parmenter and others of like ability.
In addition to the regular preaching services of the church on Sundays, and the weekly social meetings, there are maintained the appropriate activities of Sunday school and Christian Endeavor Societies (young people). The Sunday school has 221 members; the Y. P. S. C. E., 80 members. In this centen- nial year there has been introduced a course of systematic instruc- tion in the work of home and foreign missions, chiefly as carried on by the Congregationalists. A graded course extending through one year has been prepared by a competent committee. The Sunday school gives the fourth Sunday of each month to one lesson of this course, and a teachers' meeting is held in prepara- tion to teach it. The amount given for missions, at present, averages a trifle more than one-tenth of all moneys raised. The average is $3,000 for home expenses, and $330 for missions. The organizations for woman's work were in 1901 united under the name "Federated Church Workers." One day each week is known and observed for "church work." This centralization has been a source of strength. The "Workers" are about to expend $800 in church repairs.
The church at a very early date took an advanced position on the temperance question. At a quarterly fast meeting, March 5, 1836, it was "resolved that in the future the unfermented fruit of the vine be used by the church at its communion." Again, September 3, 1837, after a preamble affirming the current Chris- tian judgment of the sin of the liquor traffic and the urgent need that the church testify against it, it was "resolved, that those who may hereafter unite with this church shall be considered as pledg- ing themselves by that act totally to abstain from the use of intoxicating drinks as a beverage. Resolved, that if any mem- bers of this church shall, after this expression of its views be
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engaged in the traffic of intoxicating drinks except for use in medicine or the arts, they shall be dealt with as for any other immorality." The spirit of the fathers lived in those that fol- lowed. Joshua Nye, still living in Boston, Mass., at an advanced age, was for many years foremost in the activities and support of the church and foremost also in the enforcement of the prohib- itory law. In 1865-'66 he was by the town made "inspector of the police," and on the 12th of March. 1866, the town passed a unanimous vote of thanks to him "for his heroic and successful efforts in shutting up the rum shops."
As soon as the church had a pastor (1834) it set itself to the task of securing a suitable meeting-house. The sum of $1,000 was raised in the town by the sale of shares, the present site was purchased, and a building begun. Its vestry was completed by Thanksgiving Day, 1835, and on that day the first service in it was held. The vestry served the church until the next year (1836) when the whole house was finished and dedicated. Father Adams preached the sermon. "During the pastorate of Rev. Edward Hawes the meeting-house was cut in halves and the two ends moved apart, the space between was then filled and thus the building much enlarged." While Rev. Ezra N. Smith was pastor the present vestry was built and the original vestry under the church converted into a supper room. "In 1889, dur- ing the pastorate of L. H. Hallock, the meeting-house was again extensively repaired at a cost of nearly $3,000. The organ was moved to the front, the pews upholstered, the walls and ceiling frescoed, a porte cochere built over the front door and the whole building lighted by electricity. During this pastorate also the parsonage was built. The so-called Mayo lot at 9 Park street was purchased for $3,000 and the parsonage built at a cost of $5,000. Of this money $2,000 was raised at the time and a sink- ing fund established in the Building and Loan Association by which the balance was to be paid by shares of $1.00 a month each. The church paid two legacies, one of $1,000 from the estate of Mr. Alfred C. Burleigh, and one of $500 from the estate of Mrs. Mehitable Stark toward this fund, and January 1, 1902, at its annual roll-call meeting, it subscribed $280 to pay the bal- ance of the parsonage debt. The parsonage was dedicated Christmas night, December 25, 1890, and the last dollar of indebt-
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
ST. MARK'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
FRENCH BAPTIST CHAPEL.
1
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edness for it paid January 1, 1902. Another bequest of $500 from the estate of Miss Betsy R. Brown remains to the church as a permanent fund. With such material equipment does this church cross the line into the second century of Waterville's history.
THE CATHOLICS.
In colonial davs the conflict between the French and English in this country carried with it somewhat of conflict between Catholicism and Protestantism. In this immediate vicinity was this realized. The tragic story of Father Rale, the French mis- sionary to the Indians, and of his tragic death with the destruc- tion of his Christian Indian village in Norridgewock in 1724 has been briefly recited in the historical address.
The monument which stands on the spot and commemorates that bloody event of rough wild war, commemorates also the first appearance of Roman Catholic work and workers in this neigh- borhood and doubtless on the very ground where now stands our flourishing city with its successful Catholic church. In that old time war the French and their church were expelled; in this new time peace they and their faith are back again. The antagonism has not returned. Politically we are one as Americans : Religiously we grant each to the other that free- dom which we claim each from the other. So do we dwell together in peace and mutual good will.
After the year 1724 the Indians, who had been driven to the Penobscot, were occasionally visited by priests from Quebec. There were a few white Catholics, Acadians, on territory belong- ing to New Brunswick, along the St. John's river. In 1822, nearly a hundred years after Father Rale's death forty-three Catholics in Portland united in a request to the bishop of Boston to send them a priest, at least for a visit. At that time the bishop of Boston, the Rt. Reverend John Cheverus, afterward Cardinal Archbishop of Bordeaux, governed all the Catholics of New England, among whom, however, there were only four priests. One of these, the Rev. Denis Ryan, was at Whitefield, Maine, only a short distance, therefore, from Waterville. There is no evidence that he ever visited Waterville, or that there were Cath- olics here so early to require his services. The French had begun
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to come down from Canada, by the route ever since taken in 1830, and in 1835 there were already in town, mostly if not wholly on the Plains, some thirty families. Among these were the families of James Perry, Gaspar Pooler, and one by the name of Ranco. At that time Father Fortier came now and then to visit and minister to these people, and after him more frequently there came to the growing flock Father Babbst from Bangor. In 1851 the number of Catholics had so increased that they formed the purpose to erect a house of worship and to have stated religious services. Hitherto they had met in a private dwelling, still standing a little to the north of the Protestant mission chapel and known as the Matthieu house. In the Waterville Mail of that year appeared an article with the following heading: "A Catholic Church in Waterville." The article says: "We are glad to learn that efforts are in progress to secure the erection of a small chapel for the worship of the Catholics. Mr. Gaspar Pooler and Mr. James Pooler (Perry?) both of whom are said to be honest and worthy men, are entrusted with the raising of funds. We heartily commend the enterprise to the benevolent and to the liberal minded of all sects and classes. A large num- ber of families among us are deprived, by their honest convic- tions, of the privileges and benefits of public worship. That a church of their own will tend to their moral and mental improve- ment we can hardly suppose there will be a doubt. The under- taking is one that would improve that section of our village and we heartily commend its movers for their efforts. Let those connected with other sects see that 'the Greeks are at their doors' and the charity which is at the basis of their religion will tell them what to do."
This disposition of the Protestants to aid their French Catholic friends was shown in liberality not only at the beginning but subsequently from time to time in their larger and later enter- prises, and was duly appreciated and acknowledged. More than once did the Catholic pastor publish in the Waterville Mail his card of thanks in behalf of his people for generous aid furnished especially in connection with church fairs. This liberal dispo- sition and grateful appreciation at and from the beginning have contributed not a little to the development of that marked good will which has ever characterized the mutual relations of Cath-
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olics and Protestants, French and Americans in this town and its neighborhood. The effort to secure funds for the new chapel was successful. The chapel was erected on Grove street. It was a modest structure, in every respect suited to its purpose. An estimate by one who had something to do with its erection and who worshipped in it regularly until the erection of the new house reckons its seating capacity at not less than 300. This exceeded the immediate needs of the church, but the leaders fore- saw that there would be in the future as there had been in the past a constant increase in the Catholic population by births and immigration if in no other way. They could not forsee, nobody could the rapidity and extent of the increase, especially that which followed the erection of the Lockwood Mills and the initia- tion and development of other industries. In the last part of its twenty years of use as a chapel it was wholly inadequate, and it was obviously necessary to substitute for it another structure or to have two. The former decision was wisely reached and on the erection of the large brick edifice now standing and in use at the corner of Elm and East Winter streets the old chapel was sold and moved up to a lot near the Congregational church where it still renders service in changed form as a private dwell- ing. Until 1857 the little church on the Plains was under the pastoral care of visiting priests. Father Nicolyn was the first resident pastor and was succeeded by Father L'Hiver and he in turn by Father Picard.
The year 1870 begins a new era in the history of the Catholic church in Waterville. In that year came to the pastorate Rev. D. J. Halde. In was evident to him and to all that a large and costly house in a better location was urgently needed, was, indeed, an imperative necessity. He and his brethren set them- selves at once with wisdom and vigor to the formation and execu- tion of plans to secure the needed house. In a December num- ber of the Waterville Mail of 1871, Father Halde has a card of thanks to the American friends for their patronage of a fair for raising funds for the new church and the Mail of July 5, 1872, says : "The Catholics have broken ground for their new house, corner of Elm and Winter streets. The old Sanger house, built by Rev. Sylvanus Cobb, first Universalist minister in Waterville, has been moved to near the south line of the lot and drawn back
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