USA > Rhode Island > Bristol County > Bristol > Historical sketches of the First Congregational Church, Bristol, R.I., 1689-1872 > Part 8
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ERECTION OF THE MEMORIAL CHAPEL.
The year following the payment of the Society's debt, the subject of erecting a Chapel was agitated, " the Hall " being thought by many to be too small for the present and prospective need of the Church. The Sabbath School began to make weekly offerings. as the nucleus of a fund for this purpose, and plans were discussed of securing a general contribution throughout the congregation, but before arrange- ments were completed, two sisters who had often made the Church their debtor by their unstinted benefactions, desiring to honor their sainted parents and at the same time make provision for the wants of the Church, whose spiritual welfare was dear to them, assumed the entire responsibility of building and fur- nishing a " Memorial Chapel." Arrangements were soon completed, and the work was begun under the supervision of Messadore T. Bennett, William B. Spooner, William H. Church, Stephen T. Church, Mar- tin Bennett, and James E. French, as a building committee. The architect was Seth Ingalls, Esq., of New Bedford, Mass. The corner stone was laid with appropriate services at eleven o'clock, Tues- day, July 6th, 1869, and in the following February the Chapel stood complete and furnished for oc- cupancy.
The Chapel adjoins the Church edifice, with which it harmonizes in material and style. The walls are of rubble stone ; the door, windows and buttresses of dressed granite. The side walls are thirteen feet, and the main gable thirty-four feet high. The ceil-
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ing is finished to the height of twenty-nine feet. A vestibule ten feet by eleven feet joins the Chapel to the Church. A north wing extends across the end of the vestibule and in the rear of the Church twenty- six feet by twenty-two feet two inches. A south wing projects from the opposite side fifteen feet by twenty-one feet eight inches. The main audience room, with which the wings are connected by sliding doors with ground glass panels, is thirty-three feet by fifty feet. These are all inside measurements. The floors are of southern pine laid in mortar. The walls are ceiled up thirty inches from the floor with south- ern pine. having a base and chair moulding of black walnut. The ceiling overhead is finished with trans- verse arches and pendants or corbels for springing the arches to which are attached the gas fixtures. The walls above the chair moulding and the ceiling overhead are neatly tinted with a light color that harmonizes well with the general style of the interior. The western or front gable has a large gothic win- dow of stained glass, and a similar window of ground glass is in the north gable. The other windows are all of ground glass.
The main audience room is furnished with black walnut seats in cast iron frames with reversible backs, a neat black walnut desk made by William O. and Charles Manchester, and gothic chairs of the same material for the platform, a small black walnut table front of the desk, and a Mason & Hamlin organ, valued at three hundred dollars, presented by the Sabbath School. The aisles and the space front
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of the seats and around the platform are covered with neat and durable matting, and the platform with a tasteful carpet. The north room is furnished with settees with reversible backs, and a movable desk and chairs, and the entire floor is neatly carpeted. The south room is carpeted similar to the north room, and is furnished with an extension table and movable chairs. By opening the sliding doors the three rooms are thrown into one, every part of which is in range with the desk of the large room.
Upon the inner wall of the large room is a plain marble tablet, inscribed as follows :
THIS CHAPEL
DEDICATED TO THE SERVICE OF GOD, THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY GHOST, WAS ERECTED IN 1869, IN MEMORY OF WILLIAM AND CHARLOTTE DEWOLF, DECEASED 1829. BY THEIR DAUGHTERS CHARLOTTE DEWOLF AND MARIA DEWOLF ROGERS. " We have thought of thy loving kindness O God in the midst of thy temple."
The Chapel was dedicated 1870, February 24th, with impressive services, including a dedicatory ad- dress by the pastor, Mr. Osborne, and dedicatory prayer by Dr. Shepard.
The address closed as follows :
" Thus, my hearers, does this occasion suggest to us im- portant duties, too apt to be neglected. Does it not also 1
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call for grateful acknowledgments; first to God, whose providence has furnished us this gift; next to the human instruments of His benefaction.
" It is pleasant to commend. To praise the patience and wise council of the building committee, the skill of the architect and builder, the fidelity of the workmen in their several parts, the zeal of one who has shown the deepest interest in the diff.cult work of furnishing the several apartments were a grateful office and not embar- rassing. But worthily to praise the bountiful devotion which has built these walls and given this edifice, with all its comely furnishings, a free-will offering to the Lord,- for this I have no fitting words. I cannot give voice to the grateful sentiments that pervade this assembly. Nor would I if I could. For this would only wound the ten- der sensibilities of natures as modest as they are munifi- cent.
" We will only rejoice that their eyes have been per- mitted to behold their completed offering, and to be witnesses of our joy in its completion ; and pray they may be spared to see it become according to their fervent wish, ' the birthplace of souls,' and resolve never to forget their frequently expressed desire, that this sanctuary may be hallowed to the service of the Master.
" There is an element in this offering too sacred for our touch. 'In Memoriam' is graved upon its walls, point- ing our thoughts heavenward.
' Oh, it is sweet to think of those that are departed, While numbered prayers sink to silence tender-hearted ; While tears that leave no pain, are tranquilly distilling, And the dead live again, in hearts that love is filling.'
"Some will make the dead live again in flowers upon their grave, watered with tears that have their fountains in the heart. Some will keep their name alive by tons of rock heaped over them,-marble from Italy or granite from the hills, carved into elegant but idle forms. But far
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more beautiful is that affection which turns the memory of the dead into a benediction of the living. It was a loving thought of the sainted dead that reared this little temple. It was a happy thought that combined in a single act such honor to the memory of parents long departed, and such devotion to a Redeemer's cause. If the redeemed in heaven can witness earthly scenes, those revered parents must rejoice, as piety and filial love now lay this offering at Immanuel's feet."
JAMES P. LANE .- TWELFTH PASTOR.
On the first Sabbath in November, 1870, the present Pastor began to preach as a candidate for settlement. Receiving a unanimous call from the Church and Society, he accepted the same, and on the 11th of January, 1871, was duly installed in office. The sermon on this occasion was by the Rev. Jacob M. Manning, D. D., of Boston, Mass. The installing prayer was by the Rev. John L. Taylor, D. D., of Andover, Mass.
Mr. Lane was a native of Candia, N. H .; son of the late Isaiah Lane, M. D., who deceased at Meri- den, N. H., in 1855. He graduated at Amherst College, 1857, pursued Theological studies at And- over, and was ordained pastor of the Congregational Church in East Weymouth, Mass., 1861, January 10th. After a ministry of nearly five years, during which about one hundred were admitted to the Church, he was called to the pastorate of the Free Church in Andover, and was installed 1866, April 4th. From Andover he removed to Bristol.
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CHARITABLE FUNDS AND CONTRIBUTIONS.
A bequest of five hundred dollars, made by MRS. ANN COGGESHALL, widow of William Coggeshall, and deposited in " the Bristol Institution for Savings," is held in trust by the treasurer for the benefit " of needy widows who are communicants and members of the Church," and the annual interest is distribu- ted to those who are entitled to receive it on or about the first of January in each year. This fund became first available in 1855.
In 1867, November 6th, MRS. MARY T. B. GLAD- DING, (the founder of the Sabbath School in 1816,) deceased, aged eighty-two years. After other be- quests, she gave to the Church the rest of her property, amounting to about five hundred dollars, to be forever held in trust for " the use and benefit of aged and indigent females, communicants of the Church." This fund is deposited in " the Bristol Institution for Savings," and the annual interest is distributed according to the terms of the bequest by the pastor at his discretion.
The late B. W. GREENE, EsQ., of Hartford, Conn., made a bequest of property, valued at about two thousand dollars, " to the poor of the Church congre- gation in Bristol, R. I., the proceeds or income to be distributed annually by the Deacons of the Church." The Will containing this bequest was set aside by the Probate Court, but the heirs generously under- took to carry out the intentions of the testator in an agreement to pay over the amount " to the Congre-
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gational Church in Bristol, R. I., in trust that the income shall be annually spent for the poor of said Church at their discretion." This fund, amounting to about two thousand two hundred dollars, is de- posited in "the Mechanic's Savings Bank, Provi- dence," and in " the Providence Institution for Sav- ings," the bank books being in the hands of the Church Treasurer.
Collections for the poor are taken at each commun- ion season, and distributed by the Deacons at their discretion ; also, an annual collection for the same object at the time of the State and National Thanks- giving.
With these liberal provisions for the poor-sup- plemented by other private benefactions,-the Church is also mindful of the calls for religious and charita- ble work abroad. The causes of Home and Foreign Missions, Christian Education, Bible dissemination, etc., receive annual attention, and contributions amounting in the aggregate to several hundreds of dollars are made. A "Ladies Missionary Society," connected with the Church, contribute, besides do- nations in money, articles of clothing, etc., auxiliary to both the Home Missionary and Foreign Mission- ary Boards of our denomination.
A " Sewing School " has been sustained by several of the ladies of our congregation, and much good accomplished in teaching poor children this useful art, and providing needed garments which are given them.
There are other local charities in the support of
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which this Church unites, with the other religious societies in town, as follows :
A " Home for destitute Children," under the care of a matron and the supervision of a board of lady managers, selected from the various religious socie- ties in town. The current expenses of this noble charity are met chiefly by the voluntary contributions of the citizens annually. The house and garden for the Home were the gift of the late Robert Rogers, Esq., of.our congregation. A thousand dollars, also, from the same estate, has been placed at interest for the benefit of this institution.
A "Ladies Charitable Society," embracing mem- bers from all the Churches, has existed for many years, and through this agency great good is accom- plished in ministering to the wants of the worthy poor.
A "Young Men's Christian Association " main- tain a public reading room and library, accessible to all under certain regulations. The current expenses are met by the dues of members and voluntary contributions.
A " Bible Committee," auxiliary to the American Bible Society, keep a depository of Bibles and Tes- taments which are sold at cost, or given to the desti- tute who are unable to buy.
SACRAMENTAL FURNITURE.
A massive Baptismal Font of white sand stone, beautifully wrought, was presented to the Church by
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Rev. Prof. J. Lewis Diman, of Providence, and stands near the pulpit in the House of Worship.
The Communion service is of solid silver, and includes two cups inscribed " as the gift of Nathaniel Byfield, 1693;" one cup "the gift of Rev. John Sparhawk, 1718 ;" three cups "to the Bristol Non- Conformist Church, March 29, 1723," the donor of which is not known ; two cups " the gift of Hon. Nathaniel Blagrove, 1745;" and two flagons, pre- sented August, 1855, by Miss Charlotte DeWolf, and Mrs. Maria DeWolf Rogers.
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