USA > Maine > Oxford County > Norway > The history of Norway: > Part 7
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And may the aged quickly break Off from their vicious ways, The young their vanity forsake Now in their youthful days.
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And if he with some maiden fair In wedlock's bonds shall join, May joy attend the happy pair- May they much comfort find.
In peace and plenty may they live While they on earth shall dwell ; In virtuous actions may they strive Each other to excel.
Easy and calmly may they sail O'er life's tempestuous sea, And wafted by each gentle gale In peace and harmony.
Through life may he act well his part, With honor quit the stage, Possessed of a virtuous heart, And crowned with good old age.
And since this stately frame we've raised, We'll gay and cheerful be ; With civil mirth we 'll end the day In peace and harmony.
The good West-India round this frame In plenty shall appear, With cheerful hearts we'll drink the same, Our spirits for to cheer.
I hope in peace we all shall part When we have spent the day : Here 's health to all with all my heart -- So I no more will say.
So much for raising. Now for ordination.
At a legal meeting of the Congregational society, holden on Wednesday, Aug. 30th, voted to choose a Committee to agree with some person to entertain the Council appointed to ordain Mr. Noah Cresey to the Pastoral care of the Congregational church and people of Norway. Chose Messrs. Joseph Ste- vens, Nathan Noble, and Amos Hobbs.
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Voted that Mr. Benjamin Eastman be President of the singing on the ordination day, and that Joseph Martin, Amos Cummings, and William Hobbs be a Committee to assist and advise with the President for the good regulation of singing on said day. " Voted that the foregoing Committee advise with Mr. Cresey and agree upon such measures as shall be thought proper, and requisite with respect to waiting upon the Council to the Meeting-house &c. Also voted that Mr. Ephraim Twombly be Marshal of the day, and Jeremiah Hobbs 3d and Ebenezer Watson be assistant Marshals to prevent disorderly conduct at the Meeting-house by thronging the doors, crowd- ing, or any indecent or irregular behaviour.
A true record.
Attest JOB EASTMAN, Clerk.
Thus the reader can plainly perceive that the ordination was viewed as a great and important affair. And truly it was at that day. It was a day of solemn, serious considera- tion to the religious portion of the community, and a day of hilarity to the younger portion.
The long-anticipated day arrived; the large meeting-house was filled to overflowing; the services were solemn and de- vout ; the singing first-rate ; the conduct of the crowded audience was very orderly and still; and finally, everything went off in grand style, and every face beamed with the expression of delight.
After the religious services of the day were over, many of the young people repaired to the new hall of Mr. William Hobbs, a few rods from the meeting-house, and " tripped the light, fantastic toe " to the music of Thomas Wood's fiddle- who, by the way, was a first-rate violin-player, both for sacred and convivial music.
The society then numbered about seventy, and additions continued to be made for several years following ; although there was once in a while a loss by withdrawal or by death.
On the 23d day of October, 1809, the committee appointed by said society for the purpose of regulating singing on days
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of divine worship, made choice of Benjamin Eastman, first chorister, Joseph Martin, second, Thomas Wood, third, and Amos Cummings, fourth.
From 1809 to 1813, and after, the affairs of the society moved along in a broad and smooth channel, with scarce an obstacle to cause the smallest ripple. It was in the zenith of its glory, and it is a pity it could not have sustained its ele- vated position ; but the love of some began to wax cold, and things did not seem so flattering as at first. Nov. 1, 1819, agreeable to an adjournment, the society met, and heard the report of the committee chosen to consult the Rev. Noah Cresey with respect to his preaching for the future-a part of the time with the society in Norway, and the other part in Paris. as should be agreed upon by the two societies ; the report was as follows : That the Rev. Noah Cresey did not see cause to give a direct answer. They then tried the vote to see if the society would raise money to pay the Rev. Noah Cresey's salary the ensuing year, which vote was in the neg- ative. The society then voted that their former committee, viz., Joseph Bradbury, Jonathan Cummings, and Deacon John Hor, should inform Mr. Cresey the result of said meeting .- Extract from the record.
It fully appears by the records that no serious cause for any misunderstanding existed between Mr. Cresey and the church and society ; but as the society, from various causes, had greatly diminished, the remaining members thought the burden rather heavy, and possibly some few were willing to have a change.
Soon after the ordination of Mr. Cresey, as early as May 18, 1810, the church chose John Hor a deacon, in conjunc- tion with Timothy Stone, who was chosen at the organization ยท of the church. On the 20th of May, the following additions were made to the church, viz., Daniel Watson, and Polly, his wife, Abiathar Eastman, and Susan, his wife, Polly Watson, wife of Ebenezer Watson, and Sophia Cresey, wife of Noah
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Cresey. May 19, 1811, the following were added : Luther Farrar, and Mercy A. Farrar, his wife, Tabathy Bradbury, wife of Joseph Bradbury, Betsey Flint, wife of James Flint, and Joel Frost. Job Eastman, and Sarah, his wife, were at the same time received into full fellowship, on a letter of recommendation from the church in Fryeburg. Twenty-one members were added to the church, from the settlement of Mr. Cresey, up to May 24, 1816; and at that date, Jona- than Gurney and Benjamin Herring, Jr., were chosen deacons in the church. Sixteen members more were added 'previous to Dec. 7, 1819, on which day, according to a previous ar- rangement made between Mr. Cresey and the church and society, an ecelesiastieal council met at the house of Mr. Cre- sey, for the purpose of sundering the relation between him and the church and society over which he had long been settled.
On the 29th of Nov., the church and society chose Joseph Bradbury, Jonathan Cummings, and Deacon John Hor, a committee to appear before the council, which was to convene on the 7th of December. The Council met as arranged, and was composed of the following members : From Bridgton, Rev. Nathaniel Church, Brother Ezra Gould, delegate; Wa- terford, Rev. Lincoln Ripley, Deacon Ephraim Chamberlain, delegate ; Bethel, Rev. Henry Sewal, Deacon Samuel Barker, delegate ; Otisfield, Rev. I. G. Merrill, Deacon Elias Han- cock. delegate. Council chose Rev. Nathaniel Church, Moderator, and Rev. I. G. Merrill, Scribe; and after due deliberation and hearing a full statement of both sides of the question, closed a long report as follows :
" Happy in finding nothing alleged against the character of the Rev. Noah Cresey, as a reason for his dismission, and as we know nothing of the kind ourselves, We cordially recommend him to the Christian charity and fellowship of God's people wherever in Divine Providence he may be called. We now humbly, and with fervency commend our Rev.
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Brother, and this church and society to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified."
Voted unanimously to accept this report.
Signed in behalf of the Council, NATHANIEL CHURCHI, Moderator. ISAIAH G. MERRILL, Scribe.
Thus we see very strong, if not the strongest, religious ties sundered without the imputation of a single fault ; so we must conclude that the occurrence happened from no other cause than that the "love of many waxed cold." And while writing, the message which St. John was commanded to write to the church of Ephesus bears so strongly upon my mind that I must quote the latter part of it: "Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thec, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first work; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."
I have thus touched on the most important events up to the time of Mr. Cresey's dismissal; but I must, in justice to him, and my own feelings, say a few words about him in an- other sphere, than as a preacher. Previous to his coming into the town, our schools, and all educational affairs, were at a low ebb. Our school teachers were picked up wherever they could be found, and many of them were very limited in their literary acquirements. The first settlers had found hard work to get along with their families, and erect comfortable build- ings, and in most cases were unable to incur much expense in educating their children; although they felt anxious to do all in their power, still there seemed to be something wanting to produce the desired effect. But Mr. Cresey seemed to be instrumental, under Providence, in greatly improving our affairs in regard to education. He went into our town schools as a teacher, winter after winter; he taught five days and a
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half in a week, and wrote his two sermons in the evenings, ' and on Saturday afternoon. As soon as he got into his house, he took many scholars there, and instructed them in all the different branches of education usually taught in our first academies, and particularly such branches as were necessary to fit them for teachers. In fact, he seemed to infuse a real thirst after knowledge into the minds of all who were within reach of the influence of his exertions. It was but a few years after he came amongst us before we had good teachers of our own to instruct all our own schools, and as many more to send into the neighboring towns. He thus gave a strong and lasting impulse to education, the effects of which were felt for many years, and, in some degree, to the present day. Our school laws were not very definite at that day, but not- withstanding, he visited all our schools with a fatherly care, and his influence was as great and as useful as though the town had paid him fifteen or twenty dollars per year. The writer received much of his education under the instruction of Mr. Cresey, and will ever retain a lively sense of his kindness, and of his assiduity in imparting instruction in every desired branch of study. The following persons studied more or less under his tuition-about the same time and subse- . quently : Dr. John Grover, Bethel, Rev. Asa Cummings, Portland, Jacob French, deceased, Rev. Josiah Haugton, IIon. T. J. Carter, Levi Stowell, Esq., Rev. Sylvanus Cobb, Samuel Cobb, Esq., Samuel Hilbourn, and S. B. Hilbourn, of Minot, and many others belonging to Norway, and from other towns.
Immediately after the dismissal of Mr. Crescy, the church and society began to concert measures to supply preaching. August 4, 1820, I find Robert Page, Jr., (a candidate for settlement in the ministry,) was chosen as Moderator, in a church-meeting; he continued to preach with them a few months-the time not exactly known.
August 10, 1821, I find, at a regular meeting of the Con-
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gregational Church, the Rev. Joseph Walker was chosen Moderator. This shows about the time Mr. Walker began his ministerial labors in Norway ; and it appears on the 10th of Nov., 1821, the church and society voted to give him a call to settle with them, in connection with the Congregational Society in Paris, and to preach one-half of the time, alter- nately, in each place. The call was formally given on the 12th of Nov., and an answer in the affirmative returned Nov. 27th. But the records do not say when the ordination took place, nor where.
The members of the society at this time numbered about seventy ; and the number admitted into the church from the dismissal of Mr. Cresey up to the close of Mr. Walker's labors, appears to be sixteen ; and it seems that his labors closed about the beginning of the year 1826, as I find that on July 6, 1826, "at a regular meeting of the church, voted that II. A. Merrill be requested to take the records, and act as Scribe of the church."
"Sept. 6, 1826. After preparatory lecture, 13 active members present, Voted, unanimously, to adopt as their Creed and Covenant, the printed copy adopted by many of the Congregational Churches in this County.
Attest II. A. MERRILL."
I find in the Society records of Sept. 19, 1826-" Met agreeable to ad ournment. Voted, 1st, to give the Rev. Henry A. Merrill an invitation to settle over the Congrega- tional Church and Society in Norway for five years from the second of April last past."
Chose, by the church, Joseph Bradbury, Deacon Benjamin Herring, and Joel Frost, a committee to extend a Call to Mr. Merrill to settle.
It appears the said committee performed the duty devolving on them, and received an answer in the affirmative ; and the same Committee were appointed to wait on the Council to be convened at the dwelling-house of William Hobbs, on Tuesday
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the first day of November, for the installation of the Rev. Henry A. Merrill over the Congregational church and society in Norway.
I find no definite record of the time when Mr. Merrill closed his ministerial labors, but it was, probably, about the end of the year 1834. Near the commencement of Mr. Mer- rill's ministration, or soon after, there seemed to be a great awakening, and nineteen (all females but three) were added to the church ; and during the remainder of his labors, up- wards of thirty more-some of them by recommendation, but mostly by profession. Some severe cases of discipline oc- currel, as is almost always the case in all churches and families. On the 15th of Nov., 1834, I find a committee was chosen to settle with Mr. Merrill, and confer with him in calling a council for his dismission.
The next thing, above common-place affairs, is a "meeting of the Church at the dwelling-house of William Hobbs, Sept. 15. 1836. Voted to raise a standing Committee to examine Candidates for admission into the Church. Chose Rev. Charles Soule, Dea. John Hor, Dea. Benj. Herring, and Joel Frost."
Thus it appears that Rev. Charles Soule had commenced his labors as a preacher previous to this time; and was in- stalled June 7th, 1837, under a contract for five years. The records are rather meagre during this time, but from personal knowledge, I am convinced that affairs moved along about in their ordinary channel; nothing very remarkable occurring either in the church or society, excepting the taking down of the old meeting-house, built by Maj. Jonathan Cummings, in 1808-09, and building a new house on the same site. The new house is much smaller than was the old one, and is very handsomely finished; it would accommodate the society as well as any other house, if they chose to be so accommodated.
At a legal meeting of the Congregational society, held on the 2d day of July, 1845, they proceeded as follows :
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1st, Chose Dudley Woodbridge, Moderator.
2d, Chose Simon Stevens, Clerk, James Flint, Jacob Bradbury, and Amos T. Holt, Assessors, and Simon Noble, Treasurer.
3d, Voted that the arrearage of interest on the ministerial fund up to May, or June, last, be paid to Rev. Mr. Soule. Voted that the assessors get up a subscription to hire the Rev. Charles Packard to preach six weeks, alternately, at the Congregational meeting-house at the center of the town, and in the Village. Voted that the Clerk write in behalf of the Society to the Rev. Mr. Packard, when the money shall have been raised to pay him.
At this meeting it appears that twenty members were add- ed to the society.
On the 17th of Feb., 1846, I find it "voted that the Congregational Church and Society in Norway give the Rev. Charles Packard a call to become their Pastor for the term of five years."
It appears by a subsequent record, under date of April 7, 1846, that the committee extended an invitation to Mr. Pack- ard to settle over the church and society for five years, and received an answer in the affirmative ; the first Wednesday in May, following, was fixed on as the day of ordination.
Mr. Packard continued to labor with the church and society till the spring of 1850, and was succeeded by the Rev. H. W. Strong, who is the present pastor and teacher. During Mr. Packard's ministry, fourteen members were added to the church, and four more since Mr. Strong commenced preaching in the place. The whole number of members of the church, of both sexes, at this time, is one hundred and five.
The much-lamented Luther Farrar, Esq., previous to his death in 1812, bequeathed $20 to the Congregational church, for the express purpose of purchasing suitable vessels for their Communion Service ; which sum was promptly paid over, and appropriated for the purpose intended by the donor.
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It appears that a Sabbath School Society, in the Congre- gational church, was organized May 11, 1822, and continued in operation, during the summer season, until the 12th of May, 1832, when it underwent a new organization, and be- came an auxiliary to the Sabbath School Union. A Tract Society was also organized Nov. 29th, 1827, for the gratuitous distribution of religious tracts among the families of the town.
There is a small " ministerial fund " belonging to the Con- gregational society, which accrued from the sale of land granted for that purpose by the State, when a part of Massa- chusetts. It produces only $11 per annum at this time.
BAPTIST DENOMINATION.
The Baptist church and society claim the next notice in point of time; and though their number is not so large as those already noticed, yet in this town they have always maintained a very steady and consistent course. Not being in possession of the records of the society, I shall avail my- self of the Minutes of the Oxford Baptist Association, so far as relates to the Baptist church in Norway; they were fur- nished me by Elder Reuben Milner.
" A small church was constituted, consisting of ten mem- bers, in 1806. The original members were dismissed from the church in Paris in order to form a church in Norway. For several years Baptist Ministers visited the place with little success, as this was one of the strong-holds of errour, and the pure gospel was disregarded by a majority of the people ; yet the gospel has proved the power of God to the salvation of many souls. .
PASTORS .- The first pastor was John Wagg, who was ordained October, 1806. and officiated until 1809, with small success. Elder John Haynes was chosen Pastor in 1827, and resigned in 1836. During this period a considerable number were added to the Church. Reuben Milner was received as Pastor the same year, and continued till March,
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1845, when Joseph B. Mitchell, a licentiate from Boston, preached for the church one year, and then was dismissed. Since that time R. Milner has supplied the church most of the time till the present.
PLACES OF WORSHIP .- Previous to 1829 the church had no regular place of worship. They now began to feel that it was time to open a public sanctuary. Towards accomplishing this object Mr. John Rust (a son of the old proprietor of Rustfield) a worthy member of the church, made the first sacrifice by the gift of a lot of land, on which to build a meeting-house. The church encouraged by this act of pions interest, purchased the meeting-house owned by the Univer- salists, and moved it to the spot given by Brother Rust, and it now remains their place of worship.
OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH-Clerks .- The first was Rufus Bartlett, who continued to serve the church till increasing infirmities disabled him from further service, and Brother Asa Thayer was chosen in his place. Deacons .- Brother William Parsons was the first Deacon, and fulfilled his office to the satisfaction of the church ; he was succeeded by Martin Stetson, their present Deacon.
REVIVALS .- In June, 1840, we had a powerful revival of religion in the town. Eight were baptized and added to the church. Since that time we have had no additions, and the greater number of our aged members are dead, so the church at present is very small; yet the church still hopes and prays, ' Lord revive thy work.' "
In behalf of the church, REUBEN MILNER.
The present number of members in the church is thirty- eight ; and there probably are more who consider themselves as belonging to that society, and render pecuniary assistance in supporting their preachers.
The writer was personally acquainted with John Wagg, their first settled minister, and has heard him preach many times, both in houses and barns. He told the writer that in his
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younger days he was very illiterate, and awfully profane ; and that when he was married he could not read, or write a word. But about that time his heart being touched with a lively sense of his wickedness, and believing that a gracious God had given him a new heart, and blotted out his sins from the book of remembrance, he felt a strong desire to read the word of God, in which he believed was contained the words of eter- nal life ; and by turning his attention to reading, by the help of his wife, he soon became quite a proficient in reading the Bible and hymn-book. In process of time he devoted him- self to the ministry ; and among other places which he visited was Norway. Preaching of any kind, at that time, was rather a scarce article, and his meetings were well attended, not by the Baptist order only, but by very many of other denomina- tions, as well as by those professing no particular creed. As a preacher, his voice and manner were grave and solemn, and his deportment and discourses seemed to produce a religious impression on his audience ; and had he possessed such liter- ary attainments as many ministers of the present day, the preachers would have been scarce who could so firmly rivet the attention of an assembly as he. Under his ministration, quite a number of members were added to the church; but, alas ! very many of the old members now sleep in the silent grave. Towards the latter part of his ministry, there seemed to be a certain indefinable something that caused a coldness between him and the church, which resulted in his dismission.
METHODIST DENOMINATION.
I now proceed to say something about the religious denom- ination called Methodists. But my heart and courage almost fail me, lest I should not be able to do them justice, as I have not a scrap of any record to refer to; but should I fail, they will have this consolation, that "the Lord seeth not as man sceth ; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart."
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About the first preacher of this order, in the town, was a Mr. Parker, who preached occasionally in the Village, and in some other parts of the town, about 1812-13; and sometimes other ministers came along and preached, without having any stated times or places for their labors. Thus things pro- gressed for several years. Benjamin Stevens, the oldest son of Jonas Stevens, (one of the first settlers in Rustfield) used sometimes to come from Otisfield, where he then lived, and preach and exhort among the brethren of this order. As early as 1815, and for some time after, Edward Whittle and William Yates, of Greenwood, often, afterwards, known as Father Whittle, and Father Yates, used to come and preach and exhort among the brethren; and many converts to their faith were made under their humble teachings. In a few years, such a field was opened that the Methodist Conference appointed regular circuit preachers to preach at stated times and places in Norway, which helped to make up a regular circuit, in which they were to confine their ministerial labors. The religious affairs of this denomination went along in such manner for many years, but gathering strength and numbers yearly.
The writer can well remember the by-gone days, when the few preachers and exhorters who occasionally came amongst us were looked upon with coldness, if not with disrespect, by some other denominations of professed Christians ; but it seems that, like the children of Israel when in the land of Egypt, the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied ; and they soon became so numerous as to have their regular preach- ers, who were located in a circuit embracing one or more towns, according to the numbers of their order; and it seems that it is a regulation of their order to appoint, at their yearly conference, each circuit preacher to his particular field of labor, where they often remain two years, if the preacher and people desire such continuance.
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Previous to 1837, the Methodists had no house, other than school-houses or dwelling-houses, in which to hold their meet- ings; and sometimes, in warm weather, in some barn, or grove. But many were the anxious desires to have a meeting- house (like other denominations) in which they could meet for the public worship of God. Pride, convenience, and piety, are all powerful stimulants to action, especially if the object to be obtained be a laudable one; and surely no one can doubt the laudableness of their exertions to provide a house for public worship. Accordingly, in 1837, they erected an elegant and convenient house of worship about midway be- tween the Village proper, and the Steep Falls. The next year, the Methodists in the upper part of Norway, and some in the southwesterly part of Greenwood, erected another house of worship about three-fourths of a mile west of Swift's Cor- ner, where they have preaching nearly all the time, that is, on the Sabbath. They have likewise built a small, snug house and barn near Noble's Corner, for the accommodation of their minister, who is appointed for that circuit, from time to time, by the officers of their yearly conference. The meeting-house in the upper part of the town was dedicated June 19, 1839. In consequence of a Methodist meeting- house being built at South Paris, they do not have constant preaching in their house in the Village, as their number is small there in comparison with the upper part of the town. According to the best information obtained on the subject, the Class in the Village and vicinity numbers about thirty or forty, and in the upper part of the town probably between seventy-five and one hundred. Thus we see that from a small beginning they have grown to a large and respectable religious church and society, in point of numbers and Chris- tian Graces; and may both preachers and hearers always remember, "that Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, but GOD giveth the increase."?
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