USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Andover > History of the town of Andover, New Hampshire, 1751-1906, Part I > Part 10
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"This splendid edifice is 46 feet N. & S., 42 feet E. & W., 22 feet posts and there is to be a steeple with a 25 foot spire instead of a cupola."
This account fixes the date of "raising" as June 20, 1822. The following item, in the same letter, will be of interest in eon- nection with the history of the schoolhouses. "There is nothing done to the schoolhouse frame yet but it will be finished before the winter school begins."
The Universalists, Methodists, Christians, and several persons not members of any church, united in a spirit of harmony to build the long-desired edifice, which cost $2,200, and was fin- ished in 1824. It was located on the northeastern section of the "Common" or "parade ground," fronting south towards the turnpike. The dimensions were given in Mr. Proctor's letter. The entrance and the usual interior entrance hall were at the south end. A gallery was built on the east, north and west sides and reached by staircases in the southeast and southwest corners of the entrance hall. The pulpit was at the middle of the south end of the auditorium and was originally furnished with a "sounding-board," which was finally discarded. In each of the southeast and southwest corners of the lower floor was a box pew ten or twelve feet square. There were two ranges of pews in the central part of the house and one range on the east and west sides respectively. The side ranges were separated from those in the central part of the house by aisles running the whole
113
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES AND CHURCHES.
length of the room. The floor of the side pews was six or eight inches higher than that of the central pews. The floor of two or three pews at the north end of the central rows of pews was raised like that of the side pews and the church choir occupied such of these pews as they needed. The backs of all the pews were high and perpendicular, with a molding on top and projecting about three eighths of an inch on each side of the top. This moulding was a source of acute discomfort to all occupants above the ordi- nary stature.
The original construction of the interior continued until 1849, when the space over the central pews and pulpit, and between the galleries, was floored over to construct a hall in the upper story for the Andover Academy. (See Academy.)
No alcoholic liquors were provided on the day of dedication in 1824 and all the exercises were conducted in perfect harmony by the several representatives of the different denominations.
As indicating the liberal and Christian spirit of the people, it may be said that so far as now known, no church quarrels ever arose from the joint occupation of the building by different denominations.
Of the dedication services. the Rev. Frederick Lyman Batchel- der, born in Andover in 1815, wrote in 1906 as follows:
When the Andover Meeting house (at Mousam) was dedicated they got up a select choir. Dr. Tilton Elkins was the leader and the leading tenor singer; Mr. Odlin Batchelder was the leading bass and Mrs. Hul- dah Batchelder led the soprano singers. They scoured the country round for instruments and players and were quite successful. Of course they had no pipe organ, piano or melodeon nor had they a double bass viol :- but they had a violincello, violins and clarionettes. Also they had an instrument called an ancient Jewish Cymbal :- It might have been that,-but whatever it was it appears to have been the last of its race. I have never seen the like of it since. The choir met for rehear- sal in Esquire Daniel Huntoon's hall, whose house stood east of the meeting house on the same side of the way, twenty rods, perhaps, dis- tant. They marched to the Meeting house singing and all of the in- struments, including the violincello, playing. That was the first choir I ever saw. It was born for that occasion and, true to its nature, had a little incipient quarrel. Mrs. Huldah was appointed to lead the treble singers; her place of course was at the head of the seat. Nabby the pretty young daughter of the "Squire" was chosen next. Nabby was much disgruntled at being superseded by a woman of 47 while she was
S
114
HISTORY OF ANDOVER.
18 or 20. Nabby crowded and Mrs. Huldah had only a small portion of the seat and had to crowd pretty hard to hold even that. Of the dedicatory services I remember but little; there was a great crowd and ministers of all denominations were present and took part in the exer- cises as it was a Union Meeting house. But the anthem sung on that occasion was deeply impressed on my mind. The first line was :-
"Strike the Cymbal, roll the tymbal, let the trump of triumph sound;" and that was the spirit of the whole anthem. This was the only meet- ing of that choir that I ever heard of.
The anthem mentioned by Rev. Mr. Batchelder is found in the "Bridgewater Collection of Sacred Music." 12th edition, 1823. The words were as below :
Strike the cymbal, roll the tymbal, let the trump of triumph sound. Powerful slinging, headlong bringing proud Goliah to the ground. From the river, rejecting quiver, Judah's hero takes the stone.
Spread your banners, shout hosannas, Battle is the Lord's alone.
See advances, with songs and dances,
All the bands of Israel's daughters. Catch the sound ye hills and waters.
God of thunder, rend asunder all the power Philistia boasts.
What are nations? What their stations? Israel's God is Lord of hosts.
What are haughty monarchs now? Low before Jehovah bow.
Pride of princes strength of kings. To the dust Jehovah brings.
Praise him, Praise him, exulting nations praise;
Praise him, Praise him, exulting nations praise.
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna.
The following bills throw interesting light on prices at that time :
PETER FIFIELD'S ACCOUNT TO THE MEETING HOUSE.
Dec. 1 1821 To a journey to the village to examine the meeting house and expenses. $0.80
3
66 To cash paid Mr. Rowe for plan of frame. 0.75
S To one day's work looking out timber 0.50
12 To one days work chopping timber 0.50
66 To cash paid for chalk and paper 0.33
66 13
66 To one day's work. 0.50
14 To 0.50
17 To .6 0.50
18 To 0.50 66
.€
19 To one day's work self and oxen. 1.00
20 To one day's work self and oxen 1.00
115
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES AND CHURCHES.
Dec. 21 1821 To one day's work self, oxen and mare. $1.25
66 22 To work myself and oxen. 0.75
25 To a journey to the village and from there to New Chester to see Mr. Clark 0.50
66 66 To horse, sleigh and expense
Mar. 27 1822 To three day's work chopping.
May 31 To one day's hewing.
0.75
June 23
To ten day's work framing. 5.00
Sept. 17 66 To one day's work self and oxen 1.00
Oct. 1
66 To 1/2 day's work self and oxen. 0.50
Oct. 24 To one " 1.00 66
To 1% on the Bell deck. 0.25
To self and oxen one day to haul stone from Wilmot 1.50
Jan. 14 1823 To time in collecting taxes. $1.00
May 17 66 To surveying 1000 boards and sticking them up for Esq. Proctor 0.34
Aug. 24 66 To a journey to Andrew Langley's 0.50
Sept. 3 To hauling a load of clapboards. 1.00
12 66 To surveying 1000 boards for Joseph Whitcher and sticking them up. 0.34
Dec. 27
To surveying 3000 clapboards 0.90
66
To 3000 boards. 0.90
66
To cash paid Mr. Clark and Mr. Wood. 6.00
2.40
Mar. 10 1824 To cash paid for paper and rum.
0.25
To one qt. of Rum and 1% 1b. of sugar. 0.20
To a job of slaking lime & 1 qt. of Rum.
1.00
66 To one pair of 4 inch Butts. 0.50
29 To one day's work putting in sleepers, making a pen and moving lime. 0.50
66
66
66
To one qt. of Rum.
0.13
Ap. 1 & 2
66
66
To self and oxen hauling timber 0.67
66
To Langdon one day going to Jona. Browns and sur- veying 2114 feet of boards 0.50
..
To surveying 1416 feet on the parade and sticking them up 0.50
May 10
To self, horse and Waggon to Salisbury 0.50
66
To sending to Beech hill to Mr. Brown. 0.10
66
14
To a journey to the village, self, horse, wagon and expenses 1.50
66
15 To surveying 1083 feet of boards for Capt. Thomp-
son
To surveying 1351 feet of boards for E. H. Cilley ... 0.25
66
To 339
66 Daniel Mitchell 0.10
To 1597 66 Aaron Cilley .. 0.25
66
To Cash paid to Mr. Kent. 6.72
0.17
66
To cash paid for the 20 per cent.
66
To putting in gallery timbers 1.00
66
0.98
1.50
116
HISTORY OF ANDOVER.
May 15 1824 To
573
..
..
" Capt. Tucker .. $0.12
66
66
To
402 .6
66
66
66
. 6
To
.. 1605 66
66 Daniel Hun-
toon
0.25
66
24 To hauling sand, and putting in sleepers and tim- ber in the gallery. 3.34
66
66
To money paid Mr. Dunlap.
0.34
66
66 To going to Mr. Greenleafs 3 times.
1.00
To surveying boards for Philbrick, Elkins, Mitchell Bachelder and E. H. Cilley 6000 and 94 feet. 1.12
66 To going to Dr. Merrill's for boards.
0.25
To going to A. Cilley's for boards and surveying them
0.34
66 66
66 To going to Capt. Tucker's and to the mill for boards
0.25
66 To going to Robert's mill and surveying 1200 feet. .
0.35
To making a settlement, one day
1.00
46
66
66 To cash paid Mr. Kimball for crown window
6.84
66
66 To services as committee. 10.00
To Expense on dedication day, and cash. 14.50
$90.00
Amount for services rendered in the capacity of a committee in su- perintending the building of the meeting house at Andover Centre N. H .; 1824,
Jonathan Brown's charges for his services.
$6.00
Capt. Joseph Brown's "
10.00
E. H. Cilley's
66
2.00
Aaron Cilley's .6
66
5.00
Jere. Tirrill's
6.00
Peter Fifield's
10.00
$44.00
A BILL FOR MATERIALS.
The Committee on the Andover Meeting house to John Taylor
Dr.
July 7 To 1 Mb nails " 1 qt. Rum. 0.12
$0.09
Aug. 20 " 25 Ib Nails
2.25
25 4 Ibs
0.36
66
28 30 2.70
66
" 3 glasses Rum. 0.09
Sept. 1 " 2 lbs Nails. 0.18
To
532 66
" Moses Bachelder 0.12
.. Capt. Tucker. . 0.10
5.00
Daniel Huntoon's
117
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES AND CHURCHES.
Sept. 1 To 1 qt. N. E. Rum
$0.13
4 paid Mr. Bean 1.00
66
5 " 1 qt. Rum. .0.13
66
66 13 lbs Nails 1.17
.. 9 1 pt. Rum
0.08
66
paid Mr. Philbrick 0.31
14 " 25 lbs Nails 2.25
. .
18 1 qt. Rum. 0.13
19 1 pt. Rum. 0.08
66 29
" 28 Mbs. Nails.
2.52
66
" 2 gts. N. E. Rum 0.25
66
" 3 Ibs. Nails
0.27
Nov. 8 " 1 qt. Rum.
0.13
Dec. 6 1 th Nails 0.09
Rec'v'd payment by note $14.33
To 1% quire paper. 0.13
66 2 qts. N. E. Rum 0.25
" 1 glass N. E. Rum 0.03
$14.74
By credit 121% bushels corn
7.25
7.49
Sept. 2 To 500 Lights Glass.
$65.00
66 66 66 1 cwt. White Lead.
14.00
66 66 66 2 cwt. Spanish Brown 6.00
66 ' 2 Casks 0.45
..
4 cwt. Glass; 3 do. Paints. 5.25
66
66 2 dollars for bringing 2.00
$92.70
Rec'd payment by Note Payable in one year from date at Bank interest (Signed) John Taylor
SUBSCRIPTION FOR PEWS.
The following is the only record of any choice of pews before the meeting-house was finished :
Know all men by these presents that we the Subscribers of Andover in the County of Merrimack and State of New Hampshire, hereby agree and bind ourselves our administrators, executors and assigns to pay to Joseph Brown Jr .. one of the committee for building and finishing the meeting house, lately raised on the turnpike road in said Andover, the sum set against our names for the number of pew on the floor of said
118
HISTORY OF ANDOVER.
meeting house, whenever said house shall be handsomely finished in consideration of said Brown, or the committee of said meeting house, giving us a deed of the pew or pews set against our names, as aforesaid.
ANDOVER Feb. 10, 1824. Name
No. of pew 7
Price $50.00
Jonathan Weare
Joseph Philbrick Jr. 1
26
50.00
James Philbrick
Josiah Babcock
6
49.00
Silas Merrill
32
On October 16, 1824, the committee acknowledged the receipt of $45 from Jonathan Keniston and Jonathan Keniston, Jr., for pew No. 37.
It appears that the remaining pews were advertised for sale at a "vendue." A portion of a notice has been found indicating a postponement of the "vendue" to a later date, adding a provi- sion that purchasers of pews may pay all, or a portion of the price, with a note payable at the end of one year.
The following is the only list found of the purchasers at the "vendue":
Col. Huntoon's note
$14.22
Mr. Seavey's
18.66
Mr. Mitchell's
34.82
Nathan Woodbury's .6
4.00
Mr. Tirrill's
..
59.00
Capt. Cilley's
52.65
Mr. Severance's
..
45.63
Dea. Samuel Kimball's
39.20
Josiah Elkins'
5.94
Capt. Proctor's
5.18
I. Langley's
60
39.58
David Bachelder
5.50
The Rev. Thomas Worcester, then preaching in Salisbury, was the first minister employed at this church on a fixed salary. He was engaged to preach one sermon per month for $80 per year. Soon after, and for many years, the meeting-house was used by- the Universalists, Congregationalists, Methodists and the Chris- tian or Freewill Baptists, each occupying the pulpit, in turn, for one Sunday, in the order named. In 1856 the full control of the house was transferred to the Christian denomination, who con- tinued in charge until the entire building came under the con- trol of Proctor Academy.
119
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES AND CHURCHES.
On January 14, 1833, a religious society ealled "The Andover Religious Union Society" was formed at Andover Centre. The names of the original members are given in the following list :
Baehelder, Moses
Elkins, Josiah
Bailey, Jacob E.
Fowler, Joseph
Bartlett, Nathan, Jr.
Frazier, Moses
Brown, John, 3d
Graves, Jesse
Brown, Jonathan
Huntington, Joshua
Brown, Jonathan, Jr.
Huntoon, Nathaniel
Brown, Joseph, 2d
Huntoon, William
Cass, Benjamin
Langley, John
Cilley, Aaron
Morey, Joseph
Cilley, Edmond H.
Morrill. Samuel
Cilley, Stephen
Ordway, Daniel O.
Cilley, T. J.
Philbrick, Samuel
Clark, Thomas
Philbriek, Samuel S.
Cole, Miles
Proetor, William
Converse, Luke
Swett, Samuel
Currier, Ebenezer, Jr.
Swett, Timothy
Dearborn, Dudley
Thompson, Herod
Jonathan Brown, Jr., was chosen elerk.
No further record has been found.
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH AT ANDOVER CENTRE.
This church was organized August 19, 1843, at the Centre meeting-house, under the supervision of Elder Elijah Shaw, adopting "the New Testament as their rule of Faith and Prac- tiee. "
Natlian Woodbury was chosen elerk and Stephen Cilley and Jonathan Keniston, deaeons.
The church was admitted to the Merrimack County Conference of Christians on September 5, 1843.
Rev. John Burden was the first minister.
W. S. Morrill became pastor on July 18, 1846, but left for an- other field of labor in October, 1847. In August, 1848, he re- turned to take charge of the church. At that time there were eighteen members of the church.
W. H. Nason was chosen pastor in 1854.
Two members were added in 1854 and ten in 1858.
Elder Nason left the parish in February, 1858.
120
HISTORY OF ANDOVER.
S. W. Whitney was chosen pastor in March, 1859.
H. C. Dugan and Thomas Bartlett were pastors after Mr. Whitney.
Two members were added in 1864.
The records elose on November 7, 1875, with an account of a "communion season" at which " Elder A. H. Martin presided."
MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH IN 1843.
Atwood, Sylvanus
Roberts, William
Cilley, Stephen
Rowe, John
Davis, David
Rowe. Rebecca
Farnum, James
Tucker, Ebenezer
Keniston, Hannah
Tueker, Sarah
Keniston, Jonathan
Woodbury, Apphia
MeGwinn, Dorothy
Woodbury, Eliza
Philbriek, Martha L.
Woodbury. Nathan
Roberts, Cynthia
THE UNITARIAN SOCIETY.
The Congregational Unitarian Society was organized in 1879. Its brief creed. "The object of this society shall be united effort in the study and practice of Christianity," is in harmony with the constitution of the National Conference of Unitarian Churches, which declares: "These churches accept the religion of Jesus, holding, in accordance with His teaching, that practical religion is summed up in love to God and love to man."
At the time of the first annual meeting, in 1880, the following persons had signed the constitution :
John P. Carr.
Mary A. Brown.
Amos H. Proctor,
Frank W. Proetor.
Joseph Baker,
Lewis P. Carr.
Emmeline Proctor. Martha E. H. Carr.
Alma E. Campbell.
Carrie E. Carr.
Robert C. Carr. Clarence E. Carr.
Emily A. Carr,
Sarah E. Proctor.
Hannah R. Fellows.
Dorothy L. French.
Rev. Calvin Stebbins was the first pastor, and under his zealous care and ministrations the society was firmly established as a re- ligious organization and centre of active influence.
121
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES AND CHURCHES.
From the first the society has cooperated with the Unitarian Educational Society in the maintenance of Proctor Academy, both church and academy receiving its loyal support.
The constitution was adopted in 1879, and amended January 8, 1892.
Since June 11, 1880, the following persons have complied with the provisions of the constitution and become members of the society :
June 11, 1880 :
Thomas W. French,
G. Frances French.
C. C. Moulton,
January 2, 1881 :
Emma S. Moulton.
Herbert B. Dow.
Hervey Elkins,
Walter C. Morey.
July 1, 1883 :
Calvin Stebbins,
Thomas Thompson. January 7, 1891 :
William II. Plummer,
Jennie L. Bridgman,
E. W. French.
Lyman Clark, James F. Morton.
Those who signed the amended constitution and became mem- bers of the society were :
January 9, 1892 :
Lyman Clark,
Warren S. Quimby,
Ellen E. Quimby,
Hannah R. Fellows,
Mary Ann Dennison.
Mary A. Brown,
John C. Dennison,
Nathan Woodbury,
D. E. Carr,
Lydia A. Baldwin,
Robert C. Carr,
Emily A. Carr.
W. S. Carr.
January 15, 1892: John F. Emerson
Maria E. Carr,
Narcissa Y. Thompson, A. Lillian Thompson, Clarence E. Carr,
Carrie E. Carr, Emmeline M. Proctor.
January 14, 1892:
Lois D. Carr,
John E. Baldwin,
Charles H. Morrill,
Mary M. Morrill,
Isabel Clark.
June 23, 1880: Charles H. Morrill, Edmund Yatter.
Susie E. Emerson, Addie J. Emerson.
122
HISTORY OF ANDOVER.
January 16, 1892: Hervey Elkins,
Eleanor L. Elkins.
Henry A. Weymouth, James F. Morton,
Rhoda Proetor Dane, Luella H. Seales,
Mary E. Baker,
Abel W. Baker,
Andrew J. Buswell,
Emogene E. Buswell, Lorette M. White,
January 19, 1892 : Lewis P. Carr,
Martha E. H. Carr.
January 20, 1892 :
Lydia P. Carr,
Mary E. Woodbury, Ella J. Smith,
C. C. Moulton,
Emma S. Moulton,
Mary A. Cochran, C. A. Cochran.
January 21, 1892 :
Walter C. Morey,
Etta L. Morey,
Joseph Baker,
Lydia E. Mann,
Eva L. Fuller,
Florenee H. Scales,
Lillian I. Fellows,
Ida F. Davis,
Cynthia Davis, Fred E. Emerson,
Emma A. Emerson,
Edmund Yatter,
Nellie Yatter, Hattiebel Smith,
E. C. Perkins, Hortense E. Perkins, Almond H. Smith, Carrie L. Hinds.
January 7, 1893 :
Sarah E. Proctor.
February 13, 1893 :
Sylvia W. Fifield.
May 16, 1893: Ella Carr.
September 8, 1894: Wendell Phillips Elkins,
Mattie E. Elkins.
January 10, 1895 :
Fred O. Bartlett.
Marie M. Clark,
Blanche M. Seales.
January 2, 1896 : Frank D. Wetherbee.
January 5, 1897 : Mary W. Morton, Ruth Madge Clark.
January 9, 1897 : Mary Ellen Smith.
September 12, 1897 : Albert Willard Clark.
September 14, 1897 : Marion V. Churchill Dudley. January 8, 1900: Mary N. Chase :
February 15. 1900 : Alma' Louise Walker.
February 5, 1905 : Henry Gordon Ives.
123
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES AND CHURCHES.
The pastors of the society have been :
Rev. Calvin Stebbins, from October, 1879, to September, 1881.
Rev. Crawford Nightingale, from September, 1881, to July, 1882.
Rev. Thomas Thompson, from July, 1882, to autumn of 1886.
Rev. W. A. Buxton, from November 18, 1887, to January 13, 1889.
Rev. Lyman Clark, from January, 1890, to February 11. 1900.
Rev. Angelo Hall, from September 15, 1900, to 1903.
Rev. Henry G. Ives, from May 14, 1904.
CHURCH AT WEST ANDOVER.
The fifth church in town was built at West Andover by the "Union Enterprise Society." It was located on the triangular lot at the junction of the Fourth New Hampshire and Grafton turnpikes, and was completed in March, 1882.
The society was formed as a non-sectarian organization and its members were disposed to waive the discussion of their various sectarian affiliations and unite cordially in the simple worship of God. In this spirit the building was dedicated August 31, 1882. The dedication sermon was preached by Rev. William Morrill. The pastors have been: William Morrill, Christian ; William Love and James D. Legro, Methodist; with the follow- ing incomplete list of those who have oceupied the pulpit at va- rious times. This list is not from records, but from the recol- leetion of members of the congregation, and they are not ar- ranged in chronological order: Charles Trussell, Guy Richard- son, D. E. Burns, George B. Goodrich, Dana Colton, C. W. Mar- tin, H. J. Foote, Mark Roberts, Anthony Roberts, J. W. Bean, E. N. Larnour, T. A. Tuttle and W. Bacon.
REVIVALS.
The development of great excitement among the people of all ages by the fervid preaching of ministers and "exhorters" was called, in the early part of the nineteenth century, a "Revival," or "Reformation."
The success of many of these enthusiastic preachers in rousing the most careless or hardened sinners from their dangerous leth-
1:24
HISTORY OF ANDOVER.
argy, was so great. that they went from town to town in this sec- tion of the state exhibiting remarkable power in exciting, per- suading and controlling the more impressionable natures in their audiences. In many cases the excitement produced many of the phenomena of hysteria, several people, mostly young women, falling to the floor aimlessly struggling and often averring their inability to rise again until certain religious experiences were avowed by some friend in the congregation.
In many cases the newly-awakened interest in religious thought and action became a permanent and controlling factor in the life of the individual, but it should be as frankly stated that when the excitement ceased a large percentage of the "con- verts" suffered a relapse, were reckoned as "backsliders," but were often re-converted at each succeeding wave of religious en- thusiasm.
1801 .- The first "revival" in town occurred in 1801-'02, un- der the preaching of Freewill Baptist ministers, and resulted in the formation of the so-called "Monthly Meeting."
1810 .- A revival occurred under the preaching of Elder Ebe- nezer Chase and many converts joined the Monthly Meeting.
1814-'15 .- A revival occurred, but it was of short duration.
1816 .- During the preaching of Elder John Crocket of San- bornton, at East Andover, during a portion of 1816. a marked revival occurred, which continued several weeks.
1819 .- The great revival or "Reformation" occurred in the winter of 1819-'20, under the preaching of Elder Peter Young. assisted by the local minister, Elder Nehemiah D. Sleeper. The "awakening" was widespread and converts were made in every section of the town. Nathan Woodbury was the first person bap- tized and seven others were immersed the same day by Elder Ne- hemiah D. Sleeper. As a result of this "reformation" a church was organized with 107 members. This was the first of the or- ganizations that finally became the Christian Church.
1824 .- Another revival occurred in 1824. but no definite record has been found.
1826 .- In July Elder Asa C. Morrison, assisted by Jonathan Prescott, a noted "exhorter," held a series of meetings at va- rious houses in the eastern part of the town, resulting in a revi- val of considerable magnitude. Several persons in the central sec-
1:25
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES AND CHURCHES.
tion of the town experienced religion and many persons joined the "church," which, at that time, was "Freewill Baptist," "Chris- tian Baptist" or "Christian," as the tentative theological opin- ions of each group of individuals found opportunity for expres- sion.
1831 .- There was a great inerease of religious interest awak- ened and stimulated by a series of neighborhood meetings in pri- vate houses and in the district schoolhouses. In 1832 these meet- ings were held under the direction of Elder Elijah Watson and Elder Alvah Buzzell of the Freewill Baptist Church. During the months of July, August and September Elder Watson bap- tized thirty persons at the "white sands" at Loon Pond.
1839 .- A noted revival, in 1839, in the western part of Ando- ver and in Wilmot, was an incident of the preaching of Elder Watson, who, himself, "baptized 41 happy souls."
Referring to the above rite, he wrote: "ten times have I been down into the frozen stream to attend to this solemn and delight- ful command,-day and night have I travelled to attend meet- ings and never did I enjoy better health than at present." He was then sixty-two years old.
1839 .- The Merrimack Christian Conference was held at the house of Renel Long on the first Tuesday in September, 1839. Elders John Harriman, Benjamin Calley, Richard Davis, Nehe- miah D. Sleeper, Robert Allen, Jacob B. Burnham, Joseph Emery Fellows, John Gillingham, Joseph Elliott, J. C. Blodgett, Timo- thy Cole and T. F. Barry were present. From the zealous preaching of these noted "Christian" orators there followed a great religions revival resulting in many conversions.
1840 .- A revival was the result of the preaching of Elder Ben- jamin Calley.
1841 .- In the winter of 1841-'42 an extensive revival followed the enthusiastic preaching of Elder J. C. Blodgett and Elder Benjamin Calley. Elder Blodgett wrote: "Great displays of Divine power are seen among the people. I think it exceeds all I ever witnessed before." Eighteen converts were baptized. Thirteen were baptized through the ice at the old fulling mill at East Andover, January 23, 1842.
1842 .- In 1840 William Miller began to preach and to proph- ecy the second advent of Christ, and he and his followers claimed
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