.■ip\'j^s:.' '^^ k"^^^-' .^' ^^\o^ .0^ . •V ,* ■^■^o -f^ ^o .<2v* -'^ o . .* r SKETCHES OF THE mc'SiiiiiAia^icA^ ®ii^©mT OF THE STATE OF MAINE, FROM THE EARLIEST SETTLEMENT TO THE PRESENT TIME. BY JONATHAN GREENLEAF, PASTOR OF A CHURCH IN WELLS. PORTSMOUTH : PUBLISHED BY HARRISON GRAY R. Foster, Printer. 1821. STATE OF MAINE, ss. BE it remembered. That on this eighteenth i!ay of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight liundred and twenty-one, and the forty-sixth year of the Independence of the United states of America, Jonathan Green- leaf, of the District of Maine, lias deposited in this Office, the title of a Book, the right whereof he claiir.s as author in the words following, viz ; '« .^ketches of the Ecclesiastical History of the State of Maine, from the " earliest settlement to the present time— by Jonathan Grcenleaf, Pastor of •' a Church in Wells. * In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled ♦' An act for the encouragement of learning by securing the copies of maps, " charts and books to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the *' times therein mentioned ;" and also, to an act, entitled, "An Act sup- •' plcmentary to an act, entitled 'an act for the er.couragement of learning, «' by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and ♦•proprietors of such copies, during the times therein menrionfd, and ex- '• tending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and " etching historical and other prints.*' JOHN MUSSEY,jun. Clerk of the District Court of Maics. A true copy of record, Attest, JOHN MUSSEY, jun. Clerk D. C. Maine. PREFACE. THE folloivlng work s relating to the different denomina- tions of Christians^ the author has aimed at correctness by applying for information to intelligent persons in the se'vera! SocietieSy and by examining their own official statements. For much nialuable information respecting the Episcopal Church in Maine, the author is unden great obligations to the politeness of Robert H. Gardiner, Esq. of Gardiner, 1)1 any particulars relating to the Roman Catholic Societies at New Cajtle and Whitefield, were communicated by Sam- uel Bishop, Esq. of ly res den* The History of the Cahinistic Baptists was gathered principally from Bachm' and Benedict's Histories, and the printed minutes of the several associations in the State, For the account of the Societies of Friends the author is greatly indebted to Samuel F. Hussey of Portland) and Josh' tia Meader of Berwick, The faBs respecting the German Lutheran Scciety at IValdoborotigh, were kindly furnished by Rev. Mr. Starman ef that place. The History of the Presbyterians is gleaned chiefly from the Records of the ancient " Boston Presbytery,^' the Records of the first " Synod of New England,'^ the Records also of the " Salem Presbytery, '^ and from information communicated by the Rev. Mr, Strickland of East Andover, The principal part of the information respecting the Free* will Baptists, and the Christian Churches, was obtained from Elder John Buzzell's *^ Religiom Magazine,'^ the PREFACE. V. 'memoli-s of some indiv'iduah ivhtch have heen puhllsheJ, and information furnished by Eldtr Mark Fernald of Kittery. Most of the facts relating to the Methodist Church, nvere collected from " Lee's History of the Methodists,'' the minutes of the annual Conferences, *'Hhe Discipline^' and information obligingly furnished ly Rtv. Asa Heath, of Scarborough, the presiding Elder of the Western District in Maine. Many Gentlemen among the Coiigregalionalists both Cler- gymen and Laxtnen, have rendered essential services to the author in his researches, and he iL'oind take this method to ex- press his grateful sense of the kindness of his Brtthren in the Ministry, who have so readily opened their records to his in- spection, and also to those Town and Parish Clerks, who have with so much kindness assisted him in his labors. He wotdd particularly acknowledge the aid he has receiv- ed from Rev. Allen Greely rf Turner, whose pen furnished the sketch of the history of the Church in that place. Es- sential services have also been rendered the author by Rev. Daniei Gould rf Rumford, Rev. Dr. Porter of Conway, Rev. Nathan Church of Bridgton, Rev. Ebene%er Price of Boscawen, in New-Hampshire, formerly of Belfast, Hon. David Sewall of York, Hoiu Mark L. Hill of Phipshurgh, and Hon, Jeremiah O'Brien, and Josiah Harris, Esq, of Mac hi as. Much valuable information has also been obtained from the Journals of Rev. Jotham Sewallj which the author was obligingly permitted to peruse. In sketching the history of the Church in Brunswick much assistance was received from a manuscript on the files of that Church written by Rev. Winthrop Bailey. A2 yu PREFACE. /n addition to the Information obtained oy the as sis tame of individuals i and consulting authentic records, the author hao carefully gleaned all the facts relating to the Ecclesiastical af fairs of Maine which are scattered through Mather^ s Mag" nalia, Winlhrop^s Journal, Hubbard^ s History, Hutchinson^ s History of Massachusetts, Belknap^s History of Neiu-Hamp' shire, Sullivan's History cf Maine, Elliot's NeW'England Biography, and all tJ^e publications of the Massachusetts His" tori'cal Society dfjivn to the year 1819, besides a variety of pamphlets tvhich have been occasionally published relating to particular places and indi'viduals. Reference is made in ths lusrk to the books examined ivherever a fact is directly select'^ Chronological order is observed throughout as far as it was practicable. It will perhaps he observed that llttte notice is taken of some Ecclesiastical ajfairs which have taken place in the State within ten or fifteen years past, and which might he thought by some to deserve a more particular ctccount. But it was judged best to say as little as possible respecting every matter which m'ght he deemed peculiarly censurable or praise worthy ^ while the principal actors were yet living ; having the trans*- actions of the present age, to be mc^re particularly recorded by some future historian. Wells, August, 1821, SKETCHBS OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTOBY OF THE State of Maine, -90000- CHAPTER I. 1673. THE discovery of the sea coast of the State of Maine was as early as that of any part of North America. Se- baftlan Cabot, a Venetian, sailed along the coast under the authority of Henry the seventh of England, in the year 1496, only four years after the discovery of the West India Islands by Columbus. From this time ad- venturers were often on the coast and sometimes landed, and pretended to claim the territory for their respective Sovereigns. Nothing permanent was done, however, for more than one hundred years. In 1604, Monsieur De Motte, who, about one year previous, had been ap- pointed Governor of Canada, by Henry the fourth o? France, received from that King a grant of all the lands in Maine, from the 40th to the 46th degree of North Latitude ; but being interrupted by the English, who afterwards settled New England, the French claim was 8 CONGREGATIONALISTS. considered as extending no farther westward than the river Kennebeck, and the territory so possessed was called New France, or Acadie. Still only a few trad- ing houses were established there, and no permanent set- tlements made. In 1639, Sir Ferdlnando Gorges, obtained from Charles 1st a grant of all the land from Piscataqua har- bour to Kennebeck, and extending 120 miles into the country. This tract of country was by order of the King, called "the province or countie of Maine." Nine years before this, a small settlement had been made on the sea coast, about eight miles eastward of Piscataqua river, and was called Agamenticus, from a noted hill lying a few miles from the sea. This place Vv-as selected for the capital of the new Province ; a city charter was obtained for it ; the name was changed to Gorgiana j and Thomas Gorges, a nephew of the oiig- jnal patentee, was appointed Mayor, and fixed his resi» dence there. In 1652, the government of the whole Province of Maine was assumed by Massachusetts, and the town was called York, which name it has ever since retained. Here was planted the first Church in the State. Sir Ferdlnando Gorges was an Episcopalian, and was di- rected by the King to establish that Chuich in his Pro- vince, as the following extract from the charter will show : — "0«r nvill and pleasure is that the religion noiu professed in the Church of England, and Ecclesiastical gov- ernment noiv used in the same, shall be ever hereafter pro- fessed, and with as much convenient speed as may he set- tied and established'^ in and throughout the said province YORK. 9 suid premises', and e'^er^ of themP Notwithstanding this-, it does not appear, that an Episcopal establishment was attempted in the Province generally, nor even any Church of that communion organized at York, which was considered the seat of government. The settlement was still inconsiderable when the people submitted to the government of Massachusetts, and they became dissen- ters without a struggle. The people of York had pro- bably been supplied with preaching from their earliest settlement. Indeed it cannot be supposed, that a peo- ple who had always been accustomed to religious privi- leges, and many of whom had left their native land for conscience sake, would be long without the stated ad- ministration of the woid of God, and the ordinances of the Gospel. — The first preacher at York of whom any account is preserved was one Burdet, who came hither from Exeter. He was shamefully imm.oral in his con- duct, and after a few years, was expelled the Province. No record can be found at this day of the first gather* ing and regular embodying of the Church in this town, nor of the proceedings of the Church under the two first: Ministers. It is presumed however that it was organi- zed in the year 1673. In that year the Rev. Shubael Dummer v/as ordained at York ; and as the uniform practice had been to gather and organize a Church be- fore settling a minister, it is highly probable, that the Church is to be dated from that year. At this distance of time, and with a very few frag., ments of record, little can be said In relation to Mr. Dummer, or his ministry. He was graduated at Ha:*^ 10 CONGREGATIONALISTS. vard College In 1656. Where and how he spent the 17 years which intervened between this and the time of his settlement at York does not appear ; nor how long he preached in York previous to his ordination. Per- haps he was there the greater part of that time.* He married a Miss Rishworth, the daughter probably of the celebrated Edvv-ard Rishworth, a man well known in the history of those days. It is not known whether he left any children. *' His house was within about thirty rods of the sea shore, near to a place called "the roar- ing rock."-}- Mr. Dummer continued in the ministry in York about 1 9 years. On the 25th of January 1692, the Indians made an attack on the settlement at York, and Mr. Dummer was shot as he was mounting his horse at his own door. His wife was taken captive at the same time, but was soon redeemed.J Tradition reports Mr. Dummer to have been a serious, godly man. He preached his own ordination sermon from Psalm Ixxx. 14, and it is said that the Sabbath immediately preced- ing his death he discoursed very solemnly concerning the carelessness of the people of Laish, prior to the inva- sion of their land by the children of Dan. At the time Mr. Dummer was killed, the town was nearly destroyed by the savages, and for six succeeding years they had little if any preaching. The second minister of York was Rev. Samuel Moo- dy : he came to the town as a candidate in 1698, a^d * Sewel's Hist. Qnakcrs, vol, I, p. 615. t Sullivan, $Somt have said that she died in captivity*. YORK. a was ordained to the pastoral care of the church in Dec. 1700. The praise of Mr. Moody is in all the Churches in this region. As a zealous man of God he was well known ; and his ardent piety as well as his eccentrici- ties will be long remembered, and his memory devoutly cherished by generations yet to come. Mr. Moody re- ceived his education at Haivard College, and was gra- duated in 1697. Remarried Hannah, the only daugh- ter of John Sewall of Newbury, by whom he had two children, viz. Joseph, who was afterwards settled in the Ministry in the second parish in York, and Mary, who was married to Rev. Joseph Emerson of Maiden. — When Mr. Moody was settled in York he refused to ac- cept a stipulated salary, and chose to live on the volun- tary contributions and donations of the people. The Parish built him an house, appropriated a spot for a Parsonage, and hired a man to manage it, while Mr. Moody literally knew not any thing that he possessed. He died Nov. 13th, 174.7. aged 72.* Two years after the death of Mr. Moody, Rev. Isaac Lyman was ordained in his stead. For almost fifty * The remains of Mr, Moody lie buried in the common burying place near the Meeting-Houie, with the following inscription on a stone placed over them : Here lies the body of the Rev'd Samuel Moody, a. m. The realous, faithful, and successful Pastor of the first Church of Christ In York. Was born in Newbury Jannary 4th, i675- Graduated 1697. Ctme hither May i6tb, 1698. Ordained in Dec. 1700, and died here Nov. 13th, 1747. For his farther character read the and Corinthians 3d Chap. and six first verses. 13 CONGUEGATIONALiSTS. years, Mr. Lyman performed all the pastoral duties ^ but becoming infirm toward the close of his life, he received Rev. Rosewell Messenger as a colleague in the year 1798. Mr. Lyman died in 1810, having comple- ted sixty years of ministerial labour. In 1813, Mr. Messenger was dismissed, and after the Church had been destitute for about two years, Rev. Moses Dow for- merly of Beverly was installed, and is the present min* ^ ister. In the year 1730, a second Congregational Parish was incorporated in the northwest part of tlie town This parish was originally settled by Scotch people, and has always been known by the name of Scotland. In 1732, a church was organized in this parish, and Rev. Joseph Moody, son of Rev. Samuel Moody, invited to take the pastoral charge of it. Mr. Moody was born in the year 1700, the year of his father's settlement in York. At the age of eighteen he received the honours of Harvard College, and for fourteen years was a very useful and active man in civil life. For some years, he was clerk of the town of York> and Register of Deeds for the County, in both of which offices he has left ample testimonials of his care, indus- try, and correctness. He was also a Judge of the County Court when he was but about thirty years of age; His Father was very desirous that he should be a preacher of the Gospel, as he was possessed of superior talents, and was considered a man of eminent piety. The importunity of the Father prevailed with the Son ; and being warmly solicited by the second Church and Society in York, he at length consented to take the pas- YORK. 13 toral charge cf thsm, resigned all his civil offices, and was ordained. But the importance of this new trust proved too much for his great sensibility ; and after about six years, falHng into a gloomy and singularly •lisordered state of mind, he relinquished his public la- bours. He died in March 1753.* Mr. Moody had ceased to preach in the year 173S, and for about three years, the people of his charge wait- ed patiently for his recovery ; but seeing no prospect of it, a Council was called in August 17-il, and tlie pastoral relation dissolved. Early In the following year the Rev. Samuel Chandler was ordained In his stead. Mr. Chandler remained at York about ten years, and was then dismissed by mutual consent, and ♦Mr. Moody's disorder was of the nervous kind. He supposed that the guilt of some unforgiven sin lay upon him, and that he was not only unworthy the sacred office he held, but unfit for the company of other people. He chose to eat itione, and kept his f.ice always covered with a handkerchief when in company. His judgment of men and things (except what lelated to him - self) was in no ma.iner impaired. He would vit,it &nd frequently pray with the sick, and in private fami'ies., and did a few times in public, with great fer- vency, pertinency, and devotion ; but always insistt d that he was only the ,voice of others on these occasions. The following Is the iasciiption on his grave stone : flere lies intcred the body of the Rev'd JOSEPH MOODY, Pastor of the jd Church in Vork. An excelling instance of Knowledge, icarning, ingenuity, piety, and usefulness. V/as very serviceable a< a i^chool Master, Clerk, Register, Magistrate, and afterwards as a Minister. Was uncommonly qualified and spirited to do good, and accordingly was highly esteemed and greatly beloved. He deceased March 20th, 1753. Aged 53. Although tills Stone may moulder ,into dust. Vet Joseph Moody's name continue must, B 14 CONGUEGATIONALISTS. installed at Gloucester in Essex County. The third Minister of this people was the Rev. Samuel Lankton. He had previously been preaching in S0me part of Con- necticut, and had received a call to settle. But ^is health v^^as feeble, and being on a journey to regain it, he happened to lodge at the house of the Rev. Mr. Ly- man in the first Parish. Mr. Lyman informed him of the vacancy in the fecond Pariih, and urged his tarry- ing long enough, at least, to visit that people, and .preach a lecture. Mr. Lankton consented. The people urged him to remain with them, and he was ordained Pastor of that Church July 3, 175i>, and continued in that sta- tion with honour to himself and benefit to the people, niore than forty years. He was an accurate scholar, a very close student, and an exemplary and devout Chris- tian. He died suddenly in Dec. 1794 of bleeding at the lungs. After an Interval of about three years, Rev. Isaac Briggs was ordained over the same Church, and re- mained nearly seven years. In 1805, he was dismissed, and installed at Boxfoid in Massachusetts, and the peo- ple have remained to the present time destitute of a stated pastor. The state of religion in York, in former days, was prosperous. The ministry of Mr. Moody, the elder, was singularly blessed to the people. About the year IT^*!, a general revival of religion com.menced, and ma- ny weie hopefully converted, and gathered into the Church ; but the precise number cannot now be ascer- tained. In 1756, the town was again visited In mercy, but not in the same degiee as In the days of Mr, Moody. YORK. 15 The great earthquake in Nov. 1755, alarmed the con- sciences of many people and about forty made public profession of religion. Since that time, no particular season of revival has marked their history. The second Parish does not appear to have been visi- ted with a general effusion of the Holy Spirit. Some attention to religion was excited in the early part of Mr. Lankton's ministry, and it is said that people were so deeply affected, in some instances as to go to his house late in the night, for the benefit of his conversation and prayers. Since that time, vital religion has evidently been declining there, and the Church is now almost extinct. 16 CONGUEGATIOXA LISTS, CHAPTER II. 1701. THE second Church which was organized in Maine was in Wells. This town was called by the aborigines Webhannet, from the river of that name, which runs through the marsh, and forms the harbour. The first permanent settlement was made here in the year 16^3. The Rev. John Wheelwright, brother to the celebrated Ann Hutchinson, had been banished from Boston for Antinomianrsm, and coming eastward assisted in found- ing Exeter in New-Hampshire ; but troubles soon ari- sing there, lie came to Wells among the first inhabitants. The original commission for surveying the town, was issued by Thomas Gorges in July 1643, and directed to '' Mr. John Wheelwright, minister of God's word, Mr. Henry Loads, and Mr. Edward Rishworth." Mr. Wheel- wright appears to have been an aspiring and restless man, but a man of learning, and much energy. He was .1 classmate in College with Oliver Cromwell,* was in- timate with him, and most probably was deeply im- bued with the religious and political opinions of that day. He remained in Wells about four years, and after a visit to England and a partial confession, he was re- stored to favour in Massachusetts through the influence of Cromwell, and was then settled in Hampton in New- Hampshire. He afterwards removed to Salisbury, on Merrimac river where he died suddenly in an apoplectic fit, Nov. 15, 1679, at an advanced age. No monument *Stlkrup's New- Hampshire vol, i, page 3.351. WELLS. 17 can be found to point out the place of his grave.* Some of the children of Mr. Wheelwright settled in Wells, and many of his descendants may be found there at the present day. Mr. Wheelwright undoubtedly preached to the peo- ple while he tarried in Wells, although no record of the fact can now be found at Wells. Neither is there any record of the gathering of a Church in the town at the time of thejirst settlement, although from certain facts it seems somewhat probable that one existed. Hub- bard in his "general histery of New-England,'* says, "Mr. Wheelwright afterwards in the year 1 64-3, had removed from Exeter to Wells, near Cape Porpoise, where he ivas pastor of a Church.\ The late Gov. Sul- livan in his History of Maine states that, in 1653, the Commissioners of Massachusetts for settling the Gov- ernment of Wells, Cape-Porpus4 and Saco, found no small difficulty especially at Wells, from those who called themselves of the Church there. After a full and patient hearing of the case, the commissioners were of opinion that they should desist from any further preten- sions of that kind, and as they said, felt themselves con- strained to bear witness against them for what they (termed " their ungrounded assertion of their Church ♦Salisbury Records. Also Hubbard's liiie. p. 368. Also Setv'cl's hist. Quaker's vol. i,page6ij. -^ Hubbard p. 365. JThis name is sometimes spelt Porpoise, sometimes Porpesce, and some- •tlmes Porpus. This last is here adopted as being most conformable to thease of the age, to have reigned in their own bosoms also, and hence probably we may account for a part, at least, of the unwillingness of the conscientious people of i-hat day to submit to them. Besides, Mr. Wheel- wright, who was a man of influence, and probably enough a favorite with the people, liad been once ban. ished from Massachusetts, and doubtless many of the people had im.bibed both his peculiar sentiments and his prejudices. These consideralioHs will account, in some measure, for the opposition manifested to Massachusetts m her proposed assumption of the govemment, as well as for the introduction of religious matters into the dis- pute. Beilingham, the Deputy Governor, and the other Commissioners, took a summary way to end the dispute, as before stated, by pioncuncing them not a Church. That this was the result at Cape Porpus is ev- jdent, if we may credit the account of Gov. Sullivan. He says, "the matter of religion had a great effect on the minds of the people : hence arose the objection which is mentioned in the proceedings of the commis- sioners, that the inhabitants of Cape Porpus could not submit, consistently -with the tenor and obligation of their Church government. The Commissioners, in the plenitude of their power, dissolved the Chui ch connex- ion, and thus relieved the consciences of those, who WELLS. Ig were labouring under those scruples."* From these facts, It may be fah-ly inferred that Churches of some kind, were gathered very early in some of the ancient towns, perhaps with the first regular settlement, and broken up at this time, and their records, if any were kept, are lost forever. The affairs of the people at Wells, were now in a fluctuating state, and it does not appear that they had a constant supply of preaching for about eleven years. In the year 1661 the following order was issued by the County Court : "At the Court at York, July 1, 1661. *' The town of Weils, at present being destitute of " any fit person to carry on the worship of God amongst " them on the Lord's day : It is therefore ordered by " this Court, that 'till they can better provide for them- " selves, (which we hope they will not neglect any op- "portunity to do) that Mr. Ezekiel Knight and Wil- j " liam Hammond shall duly attend the place of public " meeting on the Lord's day, and that they improve " their best abilities in speaking out of the word of God, " Praying, Singing of Psalms, and reading some good " orthodox Sermons, as may most tend to the edifica- ** tion of them that hear, and the sanctification of the Sab- " bath, as the law of God and this jurisdiction iequire."f This was probably the order of things in Wells for about three years, then the practice of the people, as far as it can be ascertained, by examining the ancient Town Record, w^as to agree with some person as a Minister, ♦Sullivan page 367- t Common Pleas Records for the County of York, pamphlet B page 4; 30 CONGREGATIONALISTS. and make stipulations for bis support so long as he saw fit to remain with them. Six Ministers were succes- sively employed in this way from the year 1664 to about 1690, viz. Joseph Emerson, Jeremiah Hubbard, Robert Payne, John Buss, Percival Greene, and Rich- ard Martin. Little is now known of these men but their names. Mr. Emerson remained in Wells but a short time, and was afterwards settled in the ministry at Mendon in Massachusetts. Mr. Buss was a Physician, and after leaving Wells he preached and practiced Phy- sic at Oyster River, now Durham, in New-Hampshire.* Greene and Martin were graduated from Harvard Col- lege, and were both of the Class of 1 680. They are not marked as Ministers in the Catalogue. Mr. Martin was employed in Wells as a School Master for several years previous to his preaching, and probably had no regular introduction into the ministry. A Meeting House had been built in the town, a Parsonage house also, and re- gular order observed. It is reported that the celebra- ted George Burroughs, who was executed for witchcraft in 1692 preached in Wells at that time, and was appre- hended at the Meeting House on the Sabbath. But nothing of this kind appears ®n any record. It is pro- bable that the people were destitute of preaching for se- veral years toward the close of the century. At that time, almost every settlement in Maine was broken up by the Savages, and that at WeUs very narrowly esca- ped. **'Dr. Johi Bussvfss the Minister and Physician of Durham for many years, had the reputation of a pi«us man, and died there at the advanwd age of io8,'; WELLS. SI In 1701 the religious afiairs of the town assumed a more flourishing aspect. Whether there was any par- ticular attention to religion here at the time, Is unknown. But the Society took a more distinct form ; twelve men subscribed the usual Covenant engagements, and be- came a Church of Christ.* Mr. Samuel Emery had been preaching In the town for some time, and had re- ceived an invitation from the people to settle among them. He was accordingly ordained Pastor of this Church Oct. 29, 1701. The Churches assisting on this occasion were those of Newbury, Dover, Portsmouth, and York. — Mr. Emery lived about twenty four years after his ordination, and was succeeded in the Ministry by llev. Samuel JefTerds. Mr. Jefferds was the son of Simon Jeiferds, and was born in Salem in Massachu- setts. He was educated at Harvard College, and was graduated in 1722. After this he kept a School at Beverly where he studied Divinity, and was ordained at Wells in 1725 at the age of twenty one years. It was in the early part of Mr. JefFerds* ministry that the spot now occupied as a Parsonage became such, and the house now standing was built. Mr. Jefferds died at the age of 48 in February 1752, and after a vacancy of nearly two years, Mr. Samuel Fayrweather was invited to settle v/ith the people. He returned an ansvver in the affirmative, but much opposition being made, the Coun- cil declined ordaining him.f In Feb. 1754, Rev. Gi- ♦ The names of the original rnemhers of the Church were— John Whee). •wrli^ht, William Sayer, Josiah Littleficld, Jonathan Littlefieid, Samuel Hili, Josc't^h Hill, Daniel L^ttlefield, Natlianiel ClarV, Thomas Easton, Nathaniel Clayes, Jame» Adams, Jeremiah Storer. t See Appendix No. i. SS CONGREGATIONALISTS. deon Richardson of Sudbury In Massachusetts, was or- dained at Wells, but lived only four years. Soon after the death of Mr. Richardson, Mr. Moses Hemmenway, a graduate from Harvard College, and a native of Fra* mingham in Massachusetts, v^as employed to preach on probation, and on Aug. 8, 1759 he was ordained to the pastoral care of the Church. At an early period in life Rev. Mr. Hemmenway received a doctorate from Har- vard College, and through the whole course of his life he was distinguished for his patient study, and laborious investigation of some of the most abstruse points In Di- vinity. His ministry in Wells was protracted through more than half a century. It was uncommonly peace- ful and happy* Toward the close of the year 1810, Dr. Hemmenway's health became so much Impaired, that the Church and people began to consider It neces- sary to obtain some assistance for him. Mr. Benjamin White was accordingly employed to preach on proba* tion with a view to settlement, and In Feb. 1811 receiv- ed a call to settle as colleague Pastor with Dr. Hem- menway. Before Mr. White had opportunity to give an answer Dr. Hemmenway died. This took place on the 5th of April. Mr. White returned to Wells in May, and was ordained in June following. Toward the close ©f the same year, Mr. White's health began rapidly to decline, and after repeated relaxations from labour, and journeyings to regain his health, he died at his Father's house in Thetfo-rd, Vt. March 23nd 1814, at the age of thirty three. — In October of the same year the Church Sec Appendix No. 2*. WELLS. 2o invited Mr. David Oliphant to take the pastoral care of them, which he declined. The present Pastor of the Church v^as ordained March 8th, 1815. From the first settlement until the year 1750, the whole town, which then contained about 1000 inhabitants, constitu- ted but one religious Society. Seven years before this time suadry brethren of the Church living at Kenne- bunk landing, had obtained leave of the Church to hold separate meetings in the winter season. This was the beginning of the second Parish. As the population in- creased there it became expedient that they should be- come a separate Society, and in 1750 the Parish and Church were regularly constituted, and Rev. Daniel JLittle was ordained over them. For nearly fifty years Mr. Little continued to perform all the pastoral duties as among that people. When he became infirm several candidates were employed to assist him with a view to the settlement of a colleague. — Mr. jJohn Pipon, who was afterward settled in Taunton, jMass. received a call, but declined. In Aug. 1800 the present minister. Rev. Nathaniel Hill Fletcher, was or- dained as Colleague Pastor. Mr. Little died suddenly in Odober of the following year. The state of the Church in Wells has been generally flourishing. Three times since its organization it has been favored with a gracious outpouring of the Spirit, viz. in the years 1741 and *42, in the year 1756, and in the year 1811; the first being under the ministry of Mr. JefFerds, the fecond under that of Mr. Richardson, and the third un- der that of Mr. White. The beginning of Mr. Jefferds* ministry wa§ prosperous, and a coasidcrable number S45 CONGREGATIONALISTS. were admitted to full communion within a year after ] his ordination. But in the year 174«1 and onward, di- vine influences were bestowed copiously throughout New England, and the Church at Wells appears to have received her full share. Mr. Jefferd's attestation to tlie power of God displayed is found among others in the ** Christian History" published about that time. No written account of this season of refreshing has reached us, and consequently we shall look in vain for particu- lars respecting it. From the appearance of the Church Record however, it seems that the awakening commenc- ed toward the close of 1 740, and continued between one and two years. Within three months from January 174<1, thirty-nine persons were admitted to the church, and during the whole season of awakening, seventy-one persons were admitted to communion ; and from the known character of Mr. Jefferds, it is to be presumed they all gave satisfactory evidence of a change of heart. The revival in 1756, took place soon after the great earthquake. That providence roused the people great- ly, and is said to have had much effect on the mind of Mr. Richardson, their minister. He evidenly became j more engaged from that time, and in the course of one year, forty»one persons made public profession of reli- gion. From that time a gradual decline could be traced, and for fifty-five years divine influences were generally with- , held, and although the people were ftill favored with a I faithful minister, no particular attention to religion ap- peared, Mr. White came to Wells as before stated in the autumn of 1810. Some of his first sermons madf^ VrELLS. 2^ lasting impresslftns on tlie minds of the people. To- ward spring the people became more interested, and In the course of the summer the attention becam.e general through the Parish. The Spirit was evidently poured out from on high. " The Lord gave the word," and many fell before it. The seed sown for years be- fore, now appeared to spring up, and bear fruit. Mr. White,being soon taken from his labours by sickness, did not live to gather into the Church more than one half ■of those who were hopefully converted by his instru- mentality. The others have been added since. c /^U CONGlJEGATIOXALiSTS. CHAPTER IIL THE next religious establishments which were made in Maine, were in the territory anciently called Piscata- qua, comprehending what is now the towns of Kittery, Eliot, Berwick and South Berwick. Scattered settlements were made within these limits very early, and the territory was formally granted by Wal- ter Neal, agent for Gorges and Mason, from 1632 and onward. The settlement which was commenced at Ber- wick landing, called by the Indians, Quampeagan, in- creased most rapidly, and w^as called " The parish of Unity." The whole grant bore the name of Piscataqua, until about the time of the submission to Massachusetts, in 1652, when it was all called Kittery, which name it retained until 1713, when by an act of the Court, the upper Parish was incorporated into a town by the name of Berwick. The divisions between Kittery and Eliot, and between Berwick and South Berwick, are of more recent date. Although it does not appear that any church was gathered in this region until the com- mencement of the ISth century, yet the people were making provision for a regular establishment. In July 1669 it was voted In town meeting to lay out 150 acres of land for the use of the ministry in each division of the town.* Settlements were then making on the point, opposite to Portsmouth, at " Stur" geon Creek," nov/ Eliot, and at Quampeagan landing, * Kittery town Records. BERWICK, KITTEUY. 27 now South Berwick, and it is highly probable that the parsonages at these three places, were located at that t'Tne. For many years, towards the close of that cen- tary, the Indians were exceedingly troublesome ; many of the settlements in Maine were destroyed; the Coun- ty of York was often the seat of war, and the people could do little for religious purposes. The first regular religious establishment, within the limits of ancient Piscataqaa, w-as at Quampeagan land- ing. Mr. John Wade was employed to preach there about the year 1700, and received a regular salary as the Minister of the town. But as yet there was no Church. A meeting house was built near the pbce where the meeting house now stands. Toward the close of 1701 it seems probable that there was some spe- cial attention to religion among the people, and mea- sures W'Cre taken for the regular organization of a Church. After repeated meetings for this purpose, a Church was duly organized by a Council consisting of the Churclies of Somersworth, York, and VVells. I'hc prudent caution and fidelity of Mr. Wade, in the im- portant matter of embodying this Church, are well wor- thy the attention of Ministers, and if his example were followed to this day, in gathering churches and admit- ting members, many strifes and schisms might be pre- vented.* This new Church immediately invited Mr. Wade to take the pastoral oversight of them, which he accepted, and was ordained in Nov. 1702. But his ministry was of short duration, for he was suddenly tak- * See Appendix No. 3. '^ COXGREGATIONALlSrS. en from them by death In about one year from the time- of his settlement. The people were now left destitute of stated preaching for more than three years ; but in November, 1707, Rev. Jeremiah Wise was ordained over them. The minlftry of Mr. Wise was marked r^'iih no special occurrence. It was long and peaceful. He remained Pastor of the Church more than forty eight years, and died Jan. 20, 1756.* After the death of Mr. Wise, the people soon employed Mr. Jacob Fos- ter to preach as a candidate, and in vSept. of the same year he was ordained. Rev. Mr. Foster remained at Berwick twenty one years ; and in 1777, finding it dif- ficult to support his family, he solicited a dismission, I which was granted, and he became a Chaplain in the revolutionary army.-j- During the remainder of the war, the Church at Berwick was destitute of a stated Pastor. In the early part of 1783, they presented "a call to Rev. John Thompson, who had formerly been settled at Standish, and in May of that year, lie was in- stalled He is their present Minister. No general re- i vlval of religion has ever distinguished the annals of this Church. The present number of members is small, but the Society is respectable, and is in possession of * Rev. John Barnard who was sctitled ?t Marblehe^d, and died thf re Jan; a4, 1770, li a letter to Dr. Stiles, dated Oct. i6, 1767, has a •' Vut cf exctl- kiit !v.eii whom he knew." Airong them Are the names of Samuel Moody of York, and Jeremi.ih Wne of Berwick. He adds at the bottom— ' THcnc were all men of learnnig, pious, humble, prudent, faithful, and useful men ip their day." Hist. Coll. Vol. 10, p. 170. tin 17S1 Mr. Fo.ster \vs,« inftalled in P4ckersfield in Cheshire County, N. H. 2ud dismissed from that plicc iri nhout 10 ycar.s afrfr, ?rt Belkn^i.'s IJlst. vol. 3, p. ^?«. property, which, !f propeily managed, will always ena. h\e them with ease to themselves to afford their minis- ter a handsome support. They have a decent Parson- age house and about ten acres of land adjoining the Meeting House. They have also a tract of land at some distance, said to be worth 2000 dolls, which they have recently obtained leave to sell, and trustees are already incorporated to manage the funds. Added to this, the late Gen. John Lord generously gave 1500 dolls, for the use of the Congregational Society in South Ber- wick. The second Church, organized within the ancient lim- its of Piscataqua, was on Kittery point. Some few settle- ments had been made here very early. The place was advantageously situated for pursuing the fishing busi- ness, and families were thus encouraged to sit down there. Sir. William Pepperell lived and died here, and was one of the original members ©f the Church. Pro- vision had been made for a parsonage at this place, as we have before remarked, in 1669 ; but there is no ev- idence that any Minister was ordained at Kittery, or preached statedly here, for thirty years after, until the settlement of the Rev. John Newmarch.* He was graduated at Harvard College in 1690. In 1699 he was living at Kittery Point, was married there, and had land granted him as Minister of the town.-j- He continued at Kittery until 1714', before a Church was ♦ Kittery Town Records. + Mr. Backus in relating the account of an ancient Baptist Church atJiit tcry, mentions a Mr. Woodnridge as " Priest of the place.'' Tliis was ir. i6So. But we have no other account of this man. 30 COXGREGATIONALISTS. gathered, and was hired from year to year as a Preacher. On Nov. 4, 1714, a Church, consisting of 18 males and 25 females, was duly organized, and Mr. Newmarch ordained. The Churches assisting on this occasion, were those of Portsmouth, York, Wells, Berwick and New- Castle. Mr. Newmarch lived on the westerly side of the Creek, near the Ferry. Ke eoniinued to preach cr n^tantly until June 1750, nearly sixty years from his first settlement in the town. At this time he made a statement to the Church concerning his infirmities, de- siring assistance, and the people em})loyed Mr. Benja- min Stevens as a Candidate, who was ordained as Col- league Pastor, May J, 1751. Mr. Newmarch then re- linquished his minrsterial labors, and died at an advan- ced age, Jan. 15th, 1754. The ministry of Dr. Stevens continued forty years. The Society appeared pros per- rons the greater part of the time, but there being no special revival of religion, the Church declined, and at his death but few male members were left. Dr. Ste- vens died suddenly, May 18th, 1791. The people were defiitute of preaching but a few months, and in little m.ore than a year. Rev. Jonas Hartwell was ordained Pastor of the Church. In con- sequence of Mr Hartwell's conduct, his ministry ex- hibited a mournful picture, and was terminated by his dismission in May 1798. In December of the same year, Rev. William Briggs was ordained. He also was dismissed in 1814, and for several years the people made no attempt to settle another. It does not appear that the place was ever visited with a copious " out- ppuring" of the Spirit of God, except this may have been the case In the year 174;!, vvlien it appears that a considerable number were added to the Church. The Church was organized on evangeHcal principles,* and for any thing that appears to the contrary, was as pros- perous as is usual for any Church not visited with spe- cial revivals of religion, for nearly fifty years. Since that time, a visible decline has marked their history. — ■ Few were added to the Church, not enough to fill the vacancies made by death. When Mr. Briggs was dismiss- ed, not a male member was left. The last, besides himself, Richard Cutts, Esq, died m Sept. 1810, and but 3 females then remained. Mr. Briggs did not administer the Lord's supper for nearly five years before his dis* mission, and then females served the Table. But there is some reason to hope that a brighter day is yet to dawn upon this people. In the winter of 1820, the Maine Missionary Society supplied them with preaching for a few weeks. The people became interested, and employed the preacher for a longer term. Divine In- fluences were afforded in a small degree, and in May of that year, several of the neighboring minrsters were call- ed in, to hold with them a day of prayer ; five mem- bers were added to the almoftextinct remains of the an- cient Church, and after eleven years of desolation, the sacrament of the Lord's supper was again adminiftered among them. Their present Minister, Rev. Stephen Merrill was then preaching there. He was ordained in June 182L The Church at^Eliot bears the next date. About the ♦ See Appemtlx No. 4, 'S2> CONGUEGAIiO.NALlSTS. time that the town of Berwick was mcorporated, (1713) what remained of the town of KIttery was divi- ded into two parishes, and in the north parish measures were taken for the employment of a Minister about the same time as at the point below. In the year 1714, a Mr. Fisk was invited to settle there in the ministry but declined. The following year Mr. John Rogers was in- vited to preach on probation. His labours proving ac- ceptable, he was continued among them from year to year until suitable materials were found for constituting a Church. On the 22d of June 1721, a Church was duly organized by a council convened for that purpose,* and on the 25th of October following, Rev. Mr. Rog- ers was ordained. He continued in the Ministry about fifty two years, but being unable to preach toward the close of his life, his Church and people pro- vided a Colleague for him. This was Rev. Alpheus Spring, who was ordained June 29th, 1768, five years before the death of Mr. Rogers. Mr. Spring was much beloved by his people and highly respected by his bre- thren in the ministry. But his life was not long. He died suddenly of a fever June 14th, 1791, after a minis- try of twenty three years. His immediate successor was the present Pastor of that Church Rev. Samuel Chand- ler, who was ordained Oct. 17th, 1792. The state of that Church has been generally flourishing. Twice since its formation an attention to religion has been ge- neral through the parish ; once during the ministry of Mr. Rogers, about the year 1742, and once under * Dover Chmth Rtvord?. BERWICK, KITTERY. 3g ihe ministry of Mr. Chandler, in the year 1815. Since the formation of the Church to the present time there have been added to it 338 persons, 140 were ad- ded by Mr. Rogers, 51 by Mr. Spring, and 147 by Mr. Chandler. The present number of communicants is 125. Until the year 1750, all the people in the lower part of Kittery toward the sea, attended on the minis- try of Mr. Newmarch. But about the time Dr. Ste- vens was settled, sundry brethren of the Church living at what was called "Spruce Creek," petitioned to be dismissed and formed into a new Church, and being joined by others in the same part of the town, a" separa- tion was amicably effected. On the 1 9th of Sept. 1750, a Church was organized by Rev. Ward Cotton of Hampton, New-Hampshire, and the same day. Rev. Josiah Chace was ordained. Mr. Chace lived tv/enty eight years after his ordination, and died suddenly Dec. 10, 1778. A little religious excitement took place in this parish soon after the great earthquake, in 1755, but the Records of the Church are imperfect, and but little distinct inform. ition can be obtained. After the death ef Mr. Chace the people were destitute of preaching nearly four years. In July 1782, Rev. Joseph Litch- field was ordained among them, and is their present Minister. The whole Church originally organized at Quam- peagan landing by Mr. Wade, continued under the pasto- ral care of his successor for nearly fifty years. But the town was large, and the inhabitants had spread them- selves into the northerly, and northv.^esterly parts o{ it, so that the erection of a second parish became expedient 34« CONGREGATIONALISTS. for the convenience of the people. Therefore in 1751, the town was divided into two parishes, and a new meeting house built on what was called "Blackberry- hill." Measures were soon taken to obtain the regular administration of divine ordinances, and application was made to the "Boston Presbytery," for a supply.* But failing in this application, they soon procured Mr. John Morse, a very serious and godly young man, who had recently been pursuing theological studies with Rev. Mr. Jefferds of Wells. The members of the first Church who lived in the second Parish, were now formally dis- missed, and' being joined by some others, they were organized as a Churxh March 13, 1755. They then proceeded to make choice of Mr. Morse as their Pastor, and on the 30th of April following, he was ordained over them. Mr. Morse lived happily and usefully with the people a little short of ten years, when he died, and after a vacancy of about ten months, he was succeeded by Rev. Matthew Merriam, who was ordained at Bei- wlck in Sept. 1765. Mr. Merriam died in Jan. 1797» and was succeeded in October of the same year by Rev. Joseph Hilliard, who is the present minister. The two Congregational parishes in Berwick con- tinued as such until Feb. 1814, when the first Parish obtained a separate act of incorporation as the town of South Berwick. Thus the original plantation of Piscat- aqua is no longer known, and the towns of Kittery, Ehot, Berwick, and South-Berwick are found in it? stead. *PIes^;tcrian F.ecerUs for Auz- 1753. PORTLAND. 35 CHAPTER IV. 17^7. 'J.'HE next Churches which claim our attention, are ihofe which were organized within the limits of ancient Falmouth. The lands around Cafco Bay were occu- pied very early by traders or fishermen who did not ex- pert to reside oa them, but who sold their privileges or rights of occupancy to others, as salted their conve- nience ; and the first settlements here were consequent- ly fluctuating. The earliest permanent settlement in this region, was made on the south easterly side of Cape Elizabeth, and on Richmonds Island * Grants to indi- viduals were made of the lands in what is now Port- land, Falmoutli, Cape Elizabeth, and Westbrook, from the year 1613 and onward ; but the inhabitants were few and scattered, no very regular order was observed, the Indians were troublesome, and in 1692 the town was wholly broken up by the Savages, and for about sixteen years it lay waste. In the beginning of the next Century the inhabitants gradually returned, new settlers came in, the conflicting claims for land were amicably adjusted, and the town of Falmouth was incor- porated under the authority of Massachusetts, in 1718 f «< The records," says Gov. Sullivan, " if there were any before the year 1692 were not preserved, although there was no other town which was then broken up, where the records were not saved ; but there was no other place where the desolation was so complete, as it was ♦ Sec thipter 23, t ?ullivaa page 197. 36 CONGREGATIONALISTS. in the town of Falmouth." It is in vain therefore that we look for any particular information on ecclesiastical subjects relating to Falmouth prior to the establishment of the town in 1718. As soon as they were comforta- bly settled again the people appear to have sought the stated ordinances of religion. Rev. Thomas Smith was the first minister of Falmouth. He was the son of Thomas Smith Esq. of Boston, and was born there March 10, 1702. At the age of fourteen years he en- tered Harvard College, and at the age of twenty two commenced preaching. After officiating with applause in Boston, and in different parts of the adjacent country, and having declined several invitations to settle, he was induced about the beginning of the year 1726, to pro- ceed to Falmouth, to act in the double capacity of Chap- lain to the troops stationed here, and preached to the people, who at that time consisted of not more than for- ty families. After a residence among them of about a year, the people unanimously gave him an invitation to settle, which he accepted. A council was according- ly invited, and on the 8th of March 1727, a Church was organized and Mr. Smith ordained. ♦ The Churches assisting on this occasion were those of York, Wells, Berwick, and Kittery, there being none others in the then District of Maine. Mr. Smith's pastoral charge Was very extensive in territory. For the first seven years of his ministry he preached alternately at what is now Portland, In a block-house on Purpoodoc point, and in a * Di\ Deane's Sctmon on the death of Mr, limuh, pages i8, ip. PORTLAND. S7 c>rirrison at Spurrjjlnd.* The settlement on Cape Eliza- beth soon became considerable, and In 1734 five breth- ren were dismissed fiom the Church in order to the gath- ering of a new Church " on Purpoodoc side of the riv- er." Mr. Smith's labours were now confined to Port- Lind and Falmouth. But a settlemiCnt having been made in the northerly part of the town, called New Casco, :ying principally eastward of Presumscot river, the peO" pie there found it inconvenient to attend meeting in what is now Portland, especially in the winter season. Where- upon in Jan. 1735 they petitioned the Parish for a sep- arate supply of preaching during the winter, which re- quest was granted, and for that and the following win- ter, and probably somewhat longer, they were supplied with preaching at the expense of the Parish. Mr. Smith continued his ministrations at Portland, and for about sixteen years longer the people at New-Casco remained attached to the Parish, with occasional preaching among themselves. In April 1752 they petitioned to be set off as a distinct society, which request was granted in December following. In about six years after this, some movements were made for the erection of a fourth Par- ish In Falmouth, to be taken partly out of v.-hat remain- ed to Mr. Smith, and partly from Cape Elizabeth Parish, and it was finally accomplished In March 17'il' f Mr. Smith was now sixty two years of age, and had been * This is the Indian name of a river running through a part of Cape Elit' abeth, and the settlement near RichmonA'-f Island still retaii^s this name, Purpoodoc is the point uireccly opposite to Portland, f Records of the first Parish in Portland . i) 38 C(JKGl{EGA'l lONALISTS. labouring with that people thirty-seven years since his ordination. He had seen the wilderness around him be- come a fruitful field, and his large range of territory with only here and there a dwelling, changed into three well organized parishes, beside what still remained as his own peculiar charge. But Mr. Smith being now too far advanced in years and too feeble to bear the whole charge alone. Rev. Samuel Deane was invited to settle as colleague pastor in July 1764, and was ordained in October following. Mr. Smith continued, however, to pieach in his turn until the close of the year ITS-i, and after that assisted occasionally in public prayer for eight or nine years longer. He died in May 1795, at the ad- vanced age of 93 years. In April 1786, the territory belonging to the first Parish in Falmouth became a new town by the name of Portland. The place increased rapidly, rose Phoenix-like from its ashes, and several new societies were formed. Dr. Deane continued to labour alone for about fourteen years after the death of Mr. Smith. In 1806 the Parish voted to procure an as- sistant some part of the year. In 1808 Mr. John Cod- man, since settled in Dorchester, was engaged to preach for a short time, and in October of that year, the Church gave him a call to settle with them. The Parish how- ever negatived the call. In the beginning of 1809, Mr. Ichabod Nichols was employed to preach on probation, received a call, and was ordained colleague Pastor in June of that year. Dr. Deane died in the autumn of 1814, and Rev. Mr. Nichols remains sole Pastor of the Church. We now icturn to trace the several Churches which eiiher sprang from this ancient stock, or have CAPE ELIZABETH. 89 grown up beside it. The second Church wiJiin the lim- >t;s of ancient falmouth, was that in Cape Ehzabetli. We have already mentioned the dismission of five breth- ren from the ancient Church to constitute a new one here. They were joined by six others, and the Church ^vas organized in IVS-i. * A Mr. Henry from Scotland ■lad preached on Cape I'.lizabeth, but at what period IS not certainly known. The year in which the Church ; was organized, Rev, Benjamin Allen had preached there, and was gathered into the Church at its organiza- tion. Mr. Alien was the first Minister in the South Pa- rish in Bridgwater and was ordained therein July 1718, i and after about ten years was dismissed and came to Falmouth, f It was probably with a view. to his set- tlement that the Church was organized, as he was in- stalled its Pastor in November of that year. Mr. Allen j lived after his settlement at Cape Elizabeth about twen- *ty years, and died May 6, 1754-, aged 65. In about two years after the decease of Mr. Allen Rev. Ephraim Clark was installed to the Pastoral care of the Church. He had been for a few years Pastor of a Church in Boston, and had recently been dismissed. His Ministry at Cape Elizabeth continued forty one years. He died suddenly Dec. 11th, 1797 at the age of 75 years. *The names of those dismissed from the 1st Church were as follow :— John Armstrong, William Jennison, Robert Means, Robert Thorndike, and Jonathan Cob. There art no records of the Church to be found for the first twenty years of its existence, and but a few fragments for 43 years suc- ceeding that period, •f His. Coll. New Sejics vol. 7 page 1^4, ^0 CON G REG A I 10 N ALISTS. For nearly four succeeding years the people had no regular preaching, but in 1801 having obtained as a can- didate Mr. William Gregg, measures were taken for his settlement ^But the Church was nearly extinct, and no records being found, it was judged expedient to organ- ize one anew. Accordingly in June of that year a council was convened at Cape Elizabeth, a Church of nine members was organized, and Mr. Gregg ordained. In about six years the connexion between the Church and Rev. Mr. Gregg was dissolved by mutual consent. The next Pastor of the Church was Rev. Benjamin Sawyer. He was ordaiaied in tke year 1S09. Some difficulties soon arose which could not be controlled and in about three years Mr. Sawyer was dismissed. He is since set- tled in Amesbury in Massachusetts. After the dismission of Mr. Sawyer, the Church and people remained in a scattered and broken state for three or foiir years. Rev. Mr. Gregg was siill residing in the neighbourhood, and still unsettled, and the people of his former charge began to turn their eyes toward him a. gain. In Oct. 1815 the Church and Parish voted to recall Mr. Gregg to the Pastoral office among them, he was accordingly installed in January following, and he is the present Minister of that people. The third Parish in Falmouth, that at New Casco, as- we have already stated, was incorporated in Dec. IT 53a A Church was imn^ediately organized there, and pre- parations made for the settlement of a Minister. Mr. David Mitchell was the first candidate for settlement in this place. After him Mr. Isaac Nolcs preached on pro- !»ation. The attempts to settle both these gentlemen. FALMOUTH, ^VESTBROOK. 41 proved unsuccessful, and the year 1755 found die peo- ple still destitute of stated preaching. But in Decem- ber of that year Mr. John Wiswall was invited to settle and was ordained Pastor of the Church early in 1756. Mr. Wiswall continued to preach in Falmouth but a short season. In 1764< in a very abrupt manner, and without any ecclesiastical formalities, he left his Pastoral charge. Toward the close of the same year Mr. Timo- thy Fuller received a call to settle, but declined. In August following Mr. Ebenezer Williams was Invited to take the Pastoral charge of this Church, which invi- tation he accepted, and was ordained in November 1765. Rev. Mr. Williams continued to labour with this people about thirty-four years, and in 1799, he was taken sud- denly away by a paralytic shock. For a few years the people were again destitute of stated preaching. Sev- eral candidates were employed, and in June 1803 Rev. William Miltemore, their present Minister, was ordained. The Parish in Strowdwater, now the town of West- brook, was incorporated as a fourth Parish in Falmouth in 1764'. In April of the following year a Church of thirteen members was organized there, eleven of whom were dismissed at that time from the ancient first Church, and at the same time Rev. Thomas Browne who had recently been dismissed from Marshfield in Massachusetts, was invited to take the Pastoral care of them. In August of that year Mr. Browne was install- ed, and continued in the Ministry there a little more than thirty two years. After a vacancy of about two years, in Oct. 1799, Rev. Caleb Bradley was ordained Pastor of that Church, and is the present Minister. D2 4:6 CONGIIEGATIONALISTS, In tl:ie year 1787, about one year after the incorpora- lion of Portland as a distinct town, a new Congrega- tional Parish was organized there. Mr. Elijah KelUgg waii engaged as a preacher, and in October 1788, a Council was convened, who organized a Chuich, and ordained Mr. Kellogg to the Pastoral office over the same. In December 1807 Rev. Edward Payson was ordained as Colleague Pastor wath Rev. Mr. Kellogg, and for about four years they jointly occupied this field of labour. In Dec. 1811, Mr Kellogg was dismissed from his relation to the Church, and Mr. Payson re- mains its sole Pastor. Mr. Kellogg with a part of his original charge who chose to remain with him, were soon after organized as a distinct body, by the name of the ** Chapel Congregational Church," and at the same time he was installed their Pastor. This event took place on the 18th of March 1812. In Oct. 1819 Rev. Thomas Jewe tt Murdock, was ordained Colleague Pas- tor of the Chapel Church with Rev. Mr. Kellogg, in ■which office he remained till his connection with that society was dissolved in March 1821. Ii> the spring of 1807, Rev. Jotham Sewall was engaged by some indi- viduals to preach in Portland for a few months. A Hall was procured for a place of Meeting, and the foun- dation of a new Congregational Society was laid. In the autumn of the same year Mr. Sewall organized a Church. A meeting-house was built, a Society col- lected, and in the spring of 1808, Rev. Nathan Sydney Smith Beeman was ordained as Pastor of that Church, and Minister of that people. His ministry however was but of short duration. In the year 1811 he was dis- FORTLAJ^D. 48 ;ised on account of ill health, and removed to Geor- ;.;Ui. The Society being small did not employ another candidate for settlement, but soon mingled with other Societies. The Church kept together for several years, but at length, in the spring of 1820, they united with the second Church in the towh under the care of Rev. Mr. Paysoii. Thus in the space of ninety three years, six Congre- gational Churches have arisen where a feeble one of only ten male members then existed ; and in the place where less than fifty families could then be numbered, there are now four towns, containing in all more than 12,000 inhabitants, who worship in no less than thirteen Socle- ties of the different denominations of Christians.. 4^' C0NGREGATI0NALISTv9* CHAPTER V. The Church in Scarborough next claims our attention; Two small settlements were made in the town soon af- ter the settlement of Cape Elizabeth in 1640, one on the point east of the great marsh, and the other on the western side ; the former known by the name of "Black Point," and the latter « Blue Point," and afterwards bet- ter known by the name of " Dunstan." Like most of their Brethren in New-England, while their settlement was yet inconsiderable, their numbers small, and the people frequently harrassed by the Indians, they took measures for the support of the Gospel among them. The settlement advanced but slowly, and in 1681 there were but fifty six male inhabitants in the town ; yet in December of that year the Selectmen were empowered by a vote in town meeting to agree with a Mr. Black- man to preach in Scarborough for one year. In July following arrangements were made to settle the sam.e man in the ministry there, by disposing of land to provide for his maintainance. How this matter ended is uncertain,but we find them soon destitute again, for on May 30th, 1684 the people assembled in town meeting, chose William Burrage* for their Minister. Mr. Barrage filled the offices of Town Clerk and Selectman, as well as Minister, and in several other respects was an important man in the town. ♦ Burrage, or Burdg, or Burridg, or Burrcah, '"or the name is thus va- riously spelt in the ancient town record. SCAUBOKOUGH. 4i> He appears to have been the only Minister they had for toLir years. The year after Mr. Barrage was employed^ a meeting-house was built by a tax on the inhabitants. Such was the situation of the town that the people were not at first agreed concerning the spot where the meet- ing-house should stand, but the dispute was happily set- tled, and the house erected in the easterly part of the town, " on the plains near the fort," which was near to the spot where the meeting-house afterwards stood which Mr. Thompson occupied. A parsonage house was built, and ten acres of land adjoining it were also appropriat- ed. It was voted at the same time that the Minister's salary should be 50 pounds a year, and the parsonage. * In 1688 the Indians became so troublesome that the town was broken up, and abandoned or nearly so for thirty years. The reccords were carried to Boston for safety, and not returned until the year 1719. Probably the inhabitants had been returning for several years, yet it does not appear that any regular order was observed in the tov;n until 1720. Thirty one inhabitants had then returned. One of their first cares was to obtain a Min- ister, and although they were so few in num.ber, and had suffered such hardships, yet they made an immediate agreement with Rev. Hugh Campbell to preach to them a year, voting him 50/. salary, together with " meat, drink, washing, and lodging." Mr. Campbell remain- ed at Scarborough a little more than a year, w^hen some difficulty arising about his salary he left them. The former meeting-house was destroyed, probably by the- * Soarberough town records. 46 COXGUEGATIONALISTS. Indians, and none as yet built, and the meetings on the Sabbath were held at the house of Roger Deering. In June 1722 Rev. Hugh Henry was employed to preach for three months. He continued to supply the people until March following and was employed for six months, and at the same meeting the town expressed a desire that he should engage with them by the year. This proposal he declined unless they would allow him an annual salary of 70/. which they refused. Mr. Hen- ry remained however at Scarborough, and probably preached there for more than two years longer, and In June 1 725 sued the town for his " wages." In Septem- ber a town meeting was called to deliberate upon the subject, and it was voted that Mr. Henry was not to be considered the Minister of Scarborough, and the Select- men were instructed to inform the General Court, and the neighbouring Ministers of these proceedings. * — Their object probably was to prevent Mr. Henry from obtaining the judgment of the Court against them, or any advantage by means of a Council. It Is not known at this day how the matter terminat- ed but we hear nothing further of Mr. Henry, f In Feb. 1726 the town appointed a Committee to seek for a Minister, and voted that he should preach alter- nately at Black Point and Dunstan. By this It appears that the settlements in the two sections of the town were equal or nearly so. This Committee were unsuccessful ♦ Scarborough town Records. t Mr. Heory was probably the same man th.it preached at Cape Elizabeth, as has been reUted. But whetJier it was before or after his residence at •carborough )SunknGv.'n. Sov, Snilivan calls him a " very excentric man.' SCARBOROUGH. 4^ ill their applications, and the next year found tliem still destitute. Previous to this time, there is no evidence that a Church had been regularly organized in the town, or any formalities observed in the induction of Ministers to office. In the course of the summer of 1727, Mr. Wil- liam Thompson was employed as a preacher, and the Society began to assume a more regular form. A Church was organized on Congiegational principles, and on Sept II th of that year a call was presented to Mr. Thompson to take the pastoral oversight of the Church and become the Minister of the people. The salary of- fered him was 100/. the first year, 110/. the second year, 120/. the third year, and so to continue. Mr. Thomp- son accepted the call, and was ordained. For the first thirteen years of his ministry he resided at Dunstan, and preached alterately tliere and at Black Point. As yet there was ro parsonage house but in 1732 the town voted to build one at Black Point, where the principal settlement wa> made, and at least half of the meetings held. At the same meeting, supposing the time was not far distant when a division of the town into Parishes would take place, it was voted that when the town should be able to support two Ministers, another should be set- tled at Dunstan at the expense of the whole town. This took place a few years after. Mr. Thompson continued his labours at Scarborough until his death which took place in Feb. 1759. The first regular supply for the pulpit which the people obtained after the death of Mr. Thompson was a Mr. Hill, who was employed for three laonths in June of the same year. At the commence- 48 CONGREGATIONALISTS. ment of the next year, a Mr. Ward was supplying them, and In May 1760, the Church and Parish concurred in an invitation to Mr. Nathaniel Noyes to become their Minister, which he declined, and was afterwards settled at South-Hampton in New-Hampshire. In February following the Church voted a call to Mr. John Fairfield* afterward the Minister of Saco ; but the Parish did not concur and they were again left destitute. During the summer another candidate was obtained, Mr. Phinehas Whitney, and in August, he also was invi ed to settle, but declined. He was afterwards the Minister of Shir- ly in Massachusetts. In March 1762, the Church and Parish again united in calling Mr. Samuel Foxcroft to the work of the ministry among them. He also declined, and was settled at New-Gloucester. Notwithstanding their frequent disappointments, the people were not dis- couraged from making another attempt. In the sum.- mer of that year Mr. Thomas Pierce was engaged to preach on probation, and in Sept. 1762 was invited to settle. Mr, Pierce was in favour of Presbyterian forms, and the Church and Parish consenting to receive them, he was ordained. As there were no Presbyterian Church- es in the vicinity, the ceremonies of ordination "were performed in the Presbyterian, meeting-house in New- buryport. The ministry of Rev. Mr. Pierce continued a little more than twelve years. He died Jan. 26, 1775. After the death of Mr. Pierce, the Church and people renounced Presbyter ianism, and becanne Congregational again, and in the autumn of the same year Rev. Thomas Lancaster was ordained over them, and is their present ^linister. -t^CA 11 BOROUGH. 49 The second Parish in Scarborough originated about the year 1734'. The settlement atDunstanhad increas- ed considerably, and the people became anxious to have preaching constantly. To save expense the Selectmen of the town were empowered to hire a School Master for that part of the town, who should be a Preacher also. But it does not appear that a supply was even obtained in this way. Rev. Richard Eivins Vv-as the first Minister of this second Parish. He came to Scarborough early in the year 174-4, received a call in August, and was ordained in November following. * About a month previous to the ordination fifteen brethren of the first Church in- cluding one Deacon, were dssmissed at their request in order to be embodyed Into a new Church at the expected settlement of Mr. Eivins, and in April following fifteen females were also dismissed, and received to the second Church. Thus a separation was amicably obtained, and until the death of Mr. Thompson both him and Mr. Eivins were supported by the town at large w^ithout any legal division of Parishes.f Mr. Eivins had been by trade a Baker in the towm of Salem in Massachusetts. He professed to be converted through the instrumentality of Mr. Whitefield during h\s first visit to America. He had not the advantage *0ii this occasion Mr. Wise of Berwick preached from i Tim. 4, i5, and gave the charge. Rev. Jedeiss'oncrs recowl rectted bv Sul'irHn page i^^. BIDDEFOHD. 58 The first Minister of Saco, of \vhom there is any ac- count, was Rev. Seth Fietcher. He was employed by the town in 1666, and most probably continued there, hired from year to year, until 1675, when the town w-as nearly destroyed by the Savages. Still there is no evi- dence that any Church had been gathered. A house for worship was erected in 1674-, which being furnished with seats or benche* only, and not separate pews, the people were seated in order by the Selectmen, according to their rank, in December of that year.* For about forty years after this time, no records of the town can be found. Such were tlie troubles of the country at this period, that it is doubtful whether any records were kept, and it is quite probable also that the town was nearly abandoned by the white people. In 1717, the inhabitants had returned, and regular order was again observed. A certain Mi . Short was employed to preach at Saco that year. The following year the name of the ^,own was chan- ged to Biddeford. Both sides of the river w^as called by this name. It seems the State had assisted this in- fant colony in the support of a Minister, for in 1722, the town petitioned the General Court for a donation of 40/. a year — "to pay a Minister, as they had done."\ About this time Rev. John Eveleth was pleaching at Cape Porpus, and at the annual meeting in March 1723, Humphrey Scamman and Ebenezer Hill were appoin- ted a committee to "discourse with Rev. Mr. Eveleth concerning preaching with them for a year.'* The re- *Bid'Jeford Pecord?; tibid. dd& C0NGREGATI0NAL1S-'F&. 8ult of this conference was, that Mr. Eveleth preaciieci- »t Biddeford a part of the time for two or three years> But the people were anxious ta obtain- a candidate for settlement, and in March 1728 they voted to invite Mr « Maston Cabbot to settle with them, and o^ered him as a salary 80/. a year, exclusive of his board while he re- mained single. This offer he declined. In June of the next year, Mr, John Moody received a similar offer, but with great modesty he declined this invitation on ac- count of his youth, and as he supposed, his need of more^study. Soon after the departure of Mr. Moody, Mr. Samuel Willraid was employed to preach at Bid- deford on probation, and measures were sooa taken for h-is permanent establishment there. On Sept. 30th, 1730, a council was convened, a Church organized on Congregational principles, and Rev. Mr. VVilliard or- dained. The sermon on that occasion was by Rev. Thomas Pain« of Weymouth, Mass. from Acts xxvi. 17, 18. The ministry of Mr. Williard was of short duration, b^ut important in its consequences. A few years after his ordination a considerable attention to religion took place among the people of his peculiar charge, which had no smalj effect on his own mind. His biographer, Rev. Thomas Prentice formerly of Arundel, thus relates the change in his views at that time. " There evidently appeared a great change in his conversation, as also in his sentiments with regard to some points in religion, and in his preaching. He was then, as he often told me in conversation, brought to an inward sense of the im- lilDDElOlvD. 55 poLeitt and miserable condiiion mankind are naturally in by their apostacy in our iirst parents ; of the sover- eignty arid glorious efficacy of divine grace in our Lord Jesus Christ ; and so he became fixed in the blessed Doc - trines of Grace, of which he was ever after a zealous Preacher and promoter. And O ! what admiring thoughts did he discover, of the wonderful method of our redemption by Jesus Christ. And especially with what meltings of aifection, w^ith what humihty and gra- titude have 1 heard him speak of the riches of God*s grace to him, in particular, and of the great alteration he found in himself. He would discourse with much openness on those points, and seemed always to have a most profound sense of the astonishing mercy of God therein displayed. He would frequently when talking of these things, break out in the language of the man, in the Gospel that was born blind, whom our Lord cu- red, "one thing I know, that whereas I was blind, nov/ I see." And after this, he evidently grew much in di- vine knowledge and grace, became moie and more serious, and circumspect, devout and heavenly, zealous and active, both as a Christian, and a Minister. But this excellent servant of Christ lived for several years much unobserved. His excessive modesty, with some difficulty in his worldly circumstances, concealed him much from public view. 'Till towards the close of his life, when it pleased God to favour him with such plen- tiful communications of divine Grace, and to inspire him wnth such a mighty love to Christ, and to the souls of men, as enabled him to overcome his difficulties, do COKGREGATIONALISTS. made him so freqiient and fervent in his labours, so lively and flaming in his ministry, that he was with ad- miration observed, and followed, as a bright Star in the east, appearing on purpose tb guide men to Christ. He broke out suddenly, as an heavenly Luminary from an interposing cloud, and shined forth with great lustre and influence, when he was going from us. But this excel- lent man soon finished his course, and withdrev/ frora our world." — Such is the account given us by Mr. Prentice, of this truly devoted servant of the Lord. But his days were soon numbered. Mr. Williard lived about eleven years after his ordination. In the year 174 only six months 70 CONGREGATIOXALISTS. after his Father's death. Two years after this, the town was favoured with a remarkable shower of divine grace, and sixty-seven persons were added to the Church in the space of eight months. Rev. Mr. Eaton stUl re- mains Pastor of the Church and alUiough at the advanc- ed age of eighty-four years is able to discharge most of his parochial duties with as much fidelity and perhaps more, than many of his juniors. FREIPORT. The northeasterly part*«f North- Yarmouth, and a *iract of land called " Prouts Gore," were incorporated *B February 1789, by the name of Freeport. In De- cember of that year ten members were dismissed from the first Church in North-Yarmouth who uniting with others, were on the 21st day of that month, organized as a new Church. Seven days after this, Rev. Alfred Johnson was ordained its Pastor. Mr. Johnson's min- istry at Freeport continued about sixteen years. In September 1805, he was dismissed at his own request, and installed at Belfast the same month. The next Minister at Freeport was Rev. Samuel Veazie. He was ordained December 10th 1806. In less than two years Mr. Veazie's health began to decline, and he W5S soon found to be in a settled consumption. " The circumstances of his death were peculiarly dis- tressing. On the night of Feb. 5, 1 809, while confined to his chamber, in the house of Mrs. Veazie's mother* and supposed to be near his dissolution, the lower part ©f the house was discovered to be in flames. He was with difficulty removed to the house of Mr. Bartol, hi? CUMBERLAND. yi brother in law, In one of the most severe snow storms known for many years. The exposure was thought to have accelerated his exit, which took place the next day." ♦ In June following, the Church and people presented a call to Mr, Jaazaniah Crosby to settle with them, which he declined, and is since settled in Charlestown in New- Hampshire. In February 1810, Rev. Reuben Nason was ordained at Freeport, and remained Pastor of the Church for a little more than five years. Difficulties then arose, and Mr. Nason requested a dismission, which was granted on the advice of a Council in June 1815. For more than a year the Church was destitute of a stated Pas- tor. Several preachers were employed, and in Nov. 1816, Rev. Enos Merrill was ordained, and is their present Minister. CUMBERLAND. The fourth Church organized within the ancient lim- its of North- Yarmouth was In that part of the town which has recently been incorporated by the name of Cumberland. In the month of September 1793, twenty-six members of the first Church who lived In the westerly and norths westerly parts of the town requested a dismission In or- der to be organized as a new Church. Their request was granted, and they became a distinct body. ThQ next spring and summer, more members of both sex^ ♦ Hijtoric»l C^ll^ctionj Vol- 4, page l8l New ? clccd by Sullivan page i^p. «/« 8S CONGREGATIONALISTS. feag Bay.* But the town had not a rapid growth, and. was not incorporated until 1759. In May 1764 Mr. Josiah Winship came to Woolwich as a candidate for fettlement. At that time there were only twenty famf. lies in the town, and no more than two framed houfes. In June of the following year, a fmall Church was or- ganized, and Rev. Mr. Winfliip was ordained. For about fifty years Mr. Winlhip continued to perform all the ufual parochial duties in Woolwich, but having be- come enfeebled by age, it was thought advisable, by him and the people, that another Minister should be procur- ed. Accordingly, in the autumn of 1816, Mr. Jona^ than Adams was engaged, and in Febrr ary succeeding, he was ordained as Colleague Paftor. Both Minifters still remain. The northerly part of Georgetown, now Bath, was es- tablished as a second parish prior to the year 1762, and incorporated as a town in 1781. In 1762 there was living in that parish but one public professor of religion, viz. John Shaw, yet there were four others, viz. Benja- min Thompson, John Bridges, Abner Lunt, and Joshua Philbrook, who were considered pious men. In that year, Mr. Solomon Page was employed to preach ia this parish, and died here during the summer. The next year Mr. Zabdiel Adams, afterward the Minister ©f Lunenburg in Massachusetts, was employed in this parish, and received from the people an invitation to settle, but declined. In 1764*, Mr. John Whitli was preaching at this place. An unsuccessful attempt was *2u'iliran page i$. BATH. 83 aiade to settle him. During the two foUowipg years tke people had with them four candidates, viz. Ebene- zer Champney, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Bigelow, and Mr. Aaron Kenny. Neither of these was invited to settle. A little previous to this Mr. Emerson had been ordained in the first Parish in Georgetown, and, as has been al- ready related, a considerable revival of religion had ta- ken place there. The influence of the shower extended also to tlie second Parish. The people were excited to a considerable degree, and became very anxious to ob^- tain a Minister. In the beginning of the year 1767, Mr. Francis Winter was engaged to preach on proba- tion, and was ordained there toward autumn of the same year. It is probable that a small Church was or- ganized at the time of Mr. Winter^s settlement, but no record of that transaction is now to be found. Rev. Mr. Winter remained the Minister of Bath about nine- teen years. Some dissatisfaction having arisen in Jan. 1787, he made a proposal to the town for dissolution of the relation between them, which they accepted, and he was dismissed witliout a Counctl. For six years following this event the people were in a broken state. Rev. Abraham Cummings, Mr. Otis Crosby, and Mr. John Webber were their principal preachers. In 1791, a considerable attention to reli- gion was manifest in the town, and about fifteen per- sons were supposed to have become pious at that time. The pious men formed themselves into a Society for religious purposes, supposing that no Church existed in the town. It had been twenty four years since the or- tf nation of Mr. Winter when it is probable a Church B^ CONGREGATIONALISTS. was gathered, but being very small at the beginning, j and never much enlarged at aay subsequent period, was, perhaps, at this time nearly extinct. In the spring of 1794-, while the people felt very anx- ious to obtain a Minister, an impostor presented him- self, who had well nigh done them great injury. His real name was Frost. He belonged to Connecticut, aiK^. had been a pettifogging lawyer in that State, and in the State of New- York. After this, he went into Berkshire County in Massachusetts, with the professed design of studying Divinity ; but being discovered in some very base conduct he absconded, and going to Londonderry in New-Hampshire, resided for a short time with Rev. Mr. Morrison. From that place he came to Bath. H«i here called his name Benjamin Fredlngburg, said he was^ a German by birth, and pretended to be on his way t. i7tH> 94! CONGREGATIONALISTS. Mr. Dunlap was born in Ireland, in the County of Antrim, and province of Ulster, in August 1715. He was educated at the University of Edinburgh, and after having completed his Collegiate course, he commenced the study of Divinity. At the age of nineteen years he received the degree of A. M. and was licensed to preach. In the spring of 1736, he embarked for America. The vessel in which be sailed was wrecked on the Isle of Sable, and Mr. Dunlap with some others of the crew were landed on the Isle of Canso. By direction of Governour Shelby he was taken from this place in a small fishing vessel ta Cape Ann in Massachusetts, and thence went to Boston. He soon left Boston and engaged m a School in Dracut. In a short time he left Dracut, and removed to Noble- borough in Maine. After this he resided awhile at Boothbay, and then at Sheepscutt Bridge in New-Cas- lile, from which place he came to Brunswick. * After some time spent on probation, the town agreed to settle him as their M+nister, offering him an annual salary of 200/. old tenor and to hire him a house during the war. It was agreed between Mr. Dunlap and the people that he should be ordained in Boston, and Deacon Samuel Hinkley and Mr. Ebenezer Stanwood were appointed as commissioners to repair to Boston on behalf of the town, and receive Mr. Dunlap as their Minister. According- ly, during the summer of 1747, Rev, Mr. Dunlap was ovdained in Boston in themeeting-house of Rev. Andrew ♦ Manuscript in possession of the Dunlap fAmU^ BRUNSWICK. 9f Le Mercier» Minister of the Protestant Freach Church,* by a Presbytery composed of Rev. Mr. Le Mercier, Rev. Mr. Morton ©f Colrain, Rev. Mr. Davidson, of Londonderry, Rev. Mr. Wilson, and Rev Mr. McLoth- lin. Mr. Dunlap continued the Minister of Brunswick^- bout thirteen years. Some difficulties had arisen be- tween him and the people respecting the payment of his salary, and a Council was proposed to advise in the case. Rev. Mr. Smith of Falmouth, Rev. Mr. MorriM of Biddeford, and Rev. Mr. Lorrain were invited. The result of this Council is not now known, but it led to the speedy dismission of Mr. Dunlap, which appears to have taken place in October 1760. f Another candi- date was immediately sought. The committee of the town were directed to apply to Mr. Fairfield or Mr, Whitwell to preach on probation, but neither of them were obtained. In August of the year following Mr. John Miller was engaged, and in December the Church *and town concurred in giving him a call. In Novem* » " A smail brick Churck was built in School street, by some French Prot- estants, who camehitkcr after Louis 14th had revoked the edict of Nantes Tl !685, and soppressed Prote«taatism in France, when many thousands Hu- aonots were obliged to lc«ve it. The descendants of the founders of this liouse, as they formed new connexioos gradually dropped off. Tfaose who re- j.TiAUied were few in number, and the support of a Minister was an expense .hey could aot vkW continue. The Rev. Andrew Le Merc;cr» a worthy I'haracteri disisted from, officiating. The house was afterwards purchased py a new society and Rev, Andrew Croswell installed in it. It is now (I794T sed a* a Romau Catholic Chapel." Mass. Hist.. Coll. Vol. 3, page Z64. t Mr. Dunlap was never settled again in the miaistry'. He li Dunlap eighty pounds, old tenor, that year, f The * Massachusetts Hist. C6l. f Brunswick town Reeoids. TOPSHAM. 99 towns were both small at that time, and very probably Mr. Dunlap performed pastoral duties in both places as occasion called. After this, the people at Topsham began to have preaching among themselves, and in the year 1771, a Piesbyterian Church was organized there by Rev. Mr, Murry then of Booth-Bay, and Rev. Joseph Prince, It consisted of twenty-seven members. The Church and town were occasionally supplied with preaching, but no Minister was settled with them for eighteen years. At length in September 1 789, Rev. Jonathan EUis was ordained at Topsham. The old Church had dwindled away, and at the ordination of Mr. Ellis it was reor- ganized on Congregational principles, and continues so to the present time. In the year 1810 Mr. Ellis was dismissed without any ecclesiastical formalities, having ceased preaching several years before, and the Church is now reduced to less than twenty members, and is desti- tute of a settled Minister. i09 COXGUEGATIOKTALISTS, CHAPTER XL I 1754. The next religious establishment in the State was made in the town of New-Castle. This town was for- merly under tliC government of the Duke of York, and was known by the name of Dartmouth, in the County of Cornwall. A settlement was made in the town as early as in any part of the Peraaquid country. A fort was built on a neck of land on Cheepscutt River, which with all the buildings were destroyed by the Savages in the year 1680, and the inhabitants dispersed.* At what time the town was resettled is uncertain. Their records commence with the year 1 754?. The in- habitants then in the town had, probably been educated as Presbyterians, for they chose that form of Church gov- ernment, and had put themselves under the care of the ^ Boston Presbytery.'* It seems that Mr. Alexander 1 Boyd had been preaching in the town, previous to its! incorporation, for in the same year (1754) the town voted to appropriate 40/. toward suppoiting the Gos- pel among them, and appointed James Clark and Rob- ert Hodge a committee to attend the meeting of the- Presbytery at Boston, to present a call to Mr. Boyd to become their Minister, By advice of the Presbytery Mr. Boyd returned an affirmative answer, and with the tonsent of the town the Presbytery appointed the Tues- day after the third Sabbath in Augut 1754- for his or- dination. As a matter of convenience the ordination ■*S¥HJvi:n page ifi^. NEW-CASTLE. 101 wasf appointed to take place in the Presbyterian meet- ing-house In Newburyport, and the following trial was appointed for the candidate on that occasion : " A pop- ular Sermon upon John xiv. 1 9, and an Exegesis upon that question — An peccatum originale sit in sua natura damnabile?'** But the vessel in which Mr. Boyd and the committee were embarked being detained by con- trary winds, he did not reach Newburyport at the time appointed for the ordination. It was therefore post- poned until Sept. 19th of the same year, when it was duly performed. On this occasion Mr. McGregore, of Londonderry, preached from 2 Tim. ii. 3. Mr. Moor- head of Boston, gave the charge, and Mr. Parsons of Newburyport, presented the right hand. The inhabi- tants of the tovs^n of New-Castle were not unanimously in favor of Mr. Boyd. At the time of his ordination 2 remonstance was presented to the Presbytery from Nathaniel Win slow and others who called themselves Congregationalists, and who objected to having Mr. Boyrf w^ over them, f But their objections did not jre^'if t% After the ordination the difficulties increased •atiier thaii diminished, and tlie town was divided into ,)0^'erful parties. In June 1 756, a vote was obtained |n town meeting not to receive Mr. Boyil as their Min- kter ; but it was immediately objected that he had been Received. The town then agreed, to submit the ques- |Ion to the Presbytery, but voted that he should not [>reach at Damariscotta side of the town. At the an= I * Presbyteria] records for May 15, 1754, i + Ibid. i Is lOa >€ON©RE€iATlONALISTS. ?5ual meeting in the ensuing spring, it was proposed hf the towH to enquire into the leasons why the Sacra- ment of the Lord's supper had not been administered by Mr. Boyd since his ordination. It does not appear that any particular inquiry was made concerning this matter, but the town voted that Mr. Boyd's conduct was a grievance to them, and at the same time they iHjnt a man to the Presbytery with an account of this matter. The next year found Mr. Boyd still at New-Castle, and the town still greatly dissatisfied insomueh that at a town meeting in July 1 758, the town Clerk was di- rected to write to the Presbytery desiring the speedy removal of Mr. Boyd, which was finally effected before the close of the year. Within two years after this, the people in the westep ly part of Bristol, and the southerly part cf what is now Nobleborough, called then the plantation of Wal- pole, had employed Rev. Natlian Ward, formerly set^ tied at Watertown in Massachusetts, to preacl; i^on^ them. In January 1761, the town of New-^pv^-f-^ot ed to become one Congregation with the -^ ^'^ oi Walpole, and unite with them in the settleme*. At! Ward, on condition that he preached at New-Castle one half of the time. At the same time they voted to pre sent a formal invitation to Mr. Ward to settle with them but in view probably of the difficulties they had witi Mr. Boyd, they appointed a committee to inquire int( the reasons why he had been dismissed from his formei charge. In May following the town of New-Castle re- NEW-CASTLE 103 aewed their call to Mr. Ward, and offered to support him wholly among themselves. This invitation he ac- cepted, and matters vveie put in train for his installa- tion. A Council was chosen by the town, but *he time and place for performing the ceremonies were left to that Council. But before the Council had assembled a difficulty arose. Doubts were entertained whether Mr, Ward had been properly dismissed from Watertown, and application was made to the Ministers in and about Boston respecting this matter. The result of this in- quiry is unknown as it respected the matter in questionj but a stop was put to all further proceedings, and Mr. Ward left New-Castle. The people were now destitute of stated preaching for four or five years. In the beginning of the year 1763, the town voted to send to Newburyport desiring Rev. Mr. Parsons to make them a visit, for the purpose of preaching a Sabbath or two with them, and advis- ing them in their present difficulties j and also that he would procure them a candidate for settlement. But their affairs \vith Mr. Ward were still in an unsettled state, and in October of that year, at his request the town voted to withdraw the invitation they had extend- ed to him, and he was soon after settled at Plymouth in New-Hampshire. In February 1766, the town chose a committee to confer witli Mr. Job Lain, who had been preaching in that vicinity and to invite him to tarry with them a- while on probation. In July of that year he was in- vited 10 settle at New-Castle, but declined; and the p«o« 104f CONGREGATIONALISTS. pie were again left destitue for the space of another year. About this time Mr. Murry settled at Booth- bay, and an uncommon attention to religion was mani« fest in all that region. New-Castle shared in the bles- sing, and it is supposed that a considerable number were hopefully converted. * In June 1767, the town invited Rev. Samuel Perley, who had been once settled at Seabrook in New-Hamp- shire, to become their Minister. He also declined their invitation. ,After two years more a call was given by the town to Mr. William Southmayd to settle there, and in 1770, an invitation was also presented to Mr. Joel Benedict, but in both cases they failed of success. In May 1770, some months after the town had vot- ed the call to Mr. Benedict, the people began to think it important to have a Church organized among them. It was now about twelve years since the dismission of Mr. Boyd, who received regular ordination as their Minister. But it may be questioned whether there was a Church properly organized at New-Castle in his day. At the time the call of the people was presented to Mr. Boyd at the meeting of the Presbytery in Boston in May 1754, William Hodge was accused before that body for some offence, and by them " remanded back to the Church at New-Castle where he belongs, to give satisfaction there as soon as that Church shall be duly or" ganized." f It is hence evident that no QJburch had then been gathered. By the facts already stated re- * See on account of tWs revival ki th« sketch of Boothbay, Chap, I4tto, J Presbyterial Rwords. NEW-CASTLE. 105 specting the ministry of Mr. Boyd, it is certain that he did not administer the Sacrament of the Lord's supper there at least for three years after his ordination. It is equally certain that at the proposed settlement of Mr. Ward in about two years after Mr. Boyd left the town, the Council was chosen and all the other arrangements made by the people at large, assembled in town meet- ing, and no reference whatever was made to a Church. Had there been a Church existing in New-Castle at that time undoubtedly there would have been some men- tion made of it ; and if one Minister had been consider- ed as settled in the town without a Church, it is not strange that the people should think of settling another in the same way. But several years had now transpired. The people were becoming more nume- ftim aria^'JDt^bafely more enlightened. Several candi- dates had been among them, and it is highly probable that they now became satisfied of the impropriety of ordaining a Minister M-ithout a Cliurch. Or if a Church had been organized by Mr. Boyd; it was perhaps small, and no additions being made to it, it had now become extinct. Be these things as they may, arrangements were now made to have a Church. But such were the imperfect ideas of the people on these subjects, that they, adopted a singular method to obtain this desirable end. It was voted in town meeting to send to Rev. Mr. Em^ erson of Georgetown, and to Rev. Mr. Eaton of Harps- well, and desire them to choose another "sound oitho- dox minister," and repair to New-Castle for ihe pur* pose of gathering aChyrch, preparative tq tlie settlement 106 GONGREGATIONALISTS. of Mr, Benedict, who was still with them, for although he had not answered their call, yet he appears to have manifested a disposition to tarry.* Whether the people expected those Minisiers to make a selection from the inhabitants for a Church, is not now known. But for some reason they did not see fit to comply with the in« vitation.f Mr. Benedict answered the call of the peo- ple in the negative, and they were left destitute of stated preaching for three years. During this interval the town appointed a committee with ample powers to obtain a supply, and Capt. James Carglll from the committee was authorized to go until he could obtain a candidate for settlement. Mr. Jesse Reed was soon employed, and in October 1773, he received a call, but declined settling at New-Castle. The succeeding spring Mr. Samuel Wheelock was employed on probatloni.and in the ypring following Mr. John Urguhart was there also, but neither of them were invited to settle. In March 1 776, the town presented a call to Mr. Thurston Whiting, which he accepted, and was ordained in July of that year. The town had hitherto been accustomed to Presbyte- lian forms, but previous to the ordination of Mr. Whit- ing the inhabitants voted to adopt any form that should be most agreeable to him. He was a Congregational- ist, and at the time of the ordination a small Church of that name was gathered. The ministry of Mr. Whiting continued five years and an half at New-Castle. He was dismissed In January 1782, and has never since been settled in the ministry* ♦New-Castle Town Records, -f Rev. Mr. Eaton's letter f the author. NEW-CASTLE. 107 For about fifteen succeeding years the people at this alace were destitute of stated preaching. In 1794, a Mr. Williams was invited to preach on trial, but receiv- ed no call. In October 1797, their present Minister, Rev. Kiah Bayley, was ordained. At that time a Church 3f three persons only, beside the Pastor, was organized, [he old Church having become extinct. God has not jince suffered this spot to become desolate, as it had pre- viously been. The little vine has not been wasted. There was a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, at this place, in the autumn of 1816, and the winter following, so that in May 1817 the Church con- sisted of fifty.four members. 108 CONGREGATIONALISTS. CHAPTER XII. 1763. The first settlements in the second range of towa* ships from the sea in the County of York, were made between the years 174'0 and 1750, although for se- veral years after this last date, there were but a few habitations made in the whole range of territory. The first Church regularly gathered in this region was at Buxton. The place was called at first "Naragansett No. 1.'* When there were only twenty families in the town Mr. Paul Coffin was employed to preach there. Stipulations having been made by the inhabitants for his permanent support, a church was organized, and he was ordained in March 1763. Dr. Coffin continued to preach constantly, and perform all the pastoral labour in his parish until the summer of 1817. Age and infirmity HOW made it necessary that he should have assistance, and Mr. Levi Loring was engaged for this purpose. Toward autumn of the same year measures were taken for a more permanent settlement, and in November of I that year Mr. Loring was ordained as Colleague Pastor with Dr. Coffin. The aged Pastor of this Church clo- i sed his life in June 1821 and Rev, Mr. Loring remains alone. The next Church organized was at Lebanon. This place was first settled in the year 1747 and was then called by the Indian name, Towwoh. Rev. Isaac Hasey was the first Minister of the town. He removed his family there among the first inhabitants, and was INTERIOR OF THE COUNTY OF YORK. 109 supported for seventeen years by the original proprie- tors of the land. The Church was organized, and Mr. Hasey ordained June 25, 1765. Relived happily with the people for more than forty years, and died in Octo- .ber 1812, after a short sickness. Within a few weeks alter Mr. Hasey's dea.h Mr. Paul Jewett was engaged to preach at Lebanon, and after preaching there more tlian a year was ordained to the pastoral care of the Church in April 1814?. A considerable attention to re- ligion soon took place, and the Church was consrderably enlarged ; but after a few years difficulties arose. Mr. Jewett at length requested a dismission, and after ta- king the advice of a Council, the pastoral relation was dissolved in October 1819. The Church is now vacant. About fifty families are attached to the Congregational Society, and about sixty members in the Church. SANFORD. This town was settCed about the same time with Le- banon, and was then called Philipstown. ACalvinistic ! Baptist Church being the first Church gathered here, I the settlement of a Congregational Mmister did not I take place for a considerable tim.e. A Mr. Hall was ! the first person employed by the Congregational Socie- j ty. He received an invitation to settle, but declined. i Rev. Moses Sweat, the present Pastor of the Church, was 1 the first Minister in this Society. The Church was or- f ganized, and Mr. Swett ordained in the month of July ; 1786. ALFRED. This town was originally a part of Sanford. Tke K J If) CONGREGATION ALISTS. first permanent settlement of this part of the town, and what is now Water borough and Lyman was made about the year 1766. The settlement was Called Massabesec, from the Indian name of a large Pond in the town. Some of the first inhabitants were serious men, who knew too well the value of the public ordinances of reli* gion to be long without them. While the settlement was very inconsiderable, and those few scattered to the idistance of many miles around, meetings were held on the Sabbath, and sermons read. These feeble means were graciously noticed by tlie great Head of the Church, and in the year HSO, a considerable awakening took place, and a number were hopefully converted. At that time there was no Congregational Church nearer than Berwick on the one side^ and Buxton on the other, and in order to give the people opportunity occasionally to enjoy the Sacraments of the New Testament, a Church of between twelve and twenty members was or* ganized there by Rev. Mr. Little of Kennebunk, and Rev. Mr. Merriam of Berwick. In 1782, the northern part of Sanford was incorporated as a distinct Parish> and became a common centre !br the newly formed Church. The attention to religion, which led to the for* Tftation of this Church, continued. The awakening in some cases was very powerful. Some of the subjects of it, were strangely affected. For a time they attended the Congregational i;neetings regularly, but at length became disorderly, separated, and ultimately formed the Society of the Shaking Quakers in that place. It does not appear that the Church thus formed at Alfred ever received any accessions. Neither is it nov^ INTEUIOU OF YORK COUNTY. Ill known whether they kept any records, or performed any Church act. It is most probable they did neither, for at the subsequent settlement of Ministers, both in Alfred and Lyman, no Church could be found, and the ordaining Council proceeded to organize one ;n each place. The scattered population in the north part of Sanford, Wa*. terborough and Lyman continued to act as one people in religious matters for six or seven years after the forma- tion of their Church. At length the north Parish in Sanford, as it was then called, began to act independent^ ly, and to take measures for the settlement of a Minister. In July 1787, Mr. David Porter was invited to settle there, but declined. Another candidate was soon ob- tained. This was Mr. Isaac Babbet. In December of the year 17S8, the Parish gave him a call, v/hich he also declined. In a little more than a year from this a third candidate, a Mr. Wight, was called by the Parish, and declined. Still resolved to enjoy the stated ministry of the v/ord, the people sought another candidate, this was Mr. John Turner. In February 1791, the people gave him a call, v/hich being accepted, he was ordained in September following. In the winter of 1793, the par- ish was incorporated into a town by the name of Alfred. Mr. Turner remained the Minister of Alfred nearly [twelve years. He was then dismissed and afterward in- 1 stalled at Biddeford. The Church and people of Alfred 'were destitute of preaching but a short season, for in August 1804, only three months after the dismission of !Mr. Turner, the people invited Rev. Jabez Pond Fisher : who had been recently dismissed from Nottingham West m New-Hampshire, to settle with them, but Mr. Fishei\ 11^ eONGKEGATIOKALISTS. declining their invitation, Rev. Joseph Brown, who had once been settled at Shapleigh, was employed to preach on probation. After hearing him until April 1 805, the people gave him a call, and he was installed in autumn of the same year. After about four years the connex- ion between Rev. Mr, Brown and the Church and peo- ple at Alfred was dissolved by mutual consent. The people were now dispirited, and made no more exertion for the settlement of a minister among them for several years. They received some aid from the occasional visits of Missionaries and made some small subscriptions among themselves. |n the beginning of the year 1816, the spirit of the people revived. But the Church had dwi'ndled a- way toasmall number, and the Parish was without officers* having held no legal meeting for nearly six years. In April 1816, the Parish was reorganized, and matters put in train for employing a candidate for settlement. Mr. Nathan Douglas was employed, and in November of that year was ordained pastor of the Church, and re- mains with them to the present time. It does not ap" pear that the town of Alfred was ever visited with a ge- neral effusion of the Holy Spirit. The attention to reli- gion in the first settlement of the town has been noticed. In the spring of 1817, a considerable awakening took place, and about twenty five persons made public pra- fession of religion. Two years after eight persons more were added to the Church. LIMlNGrON, PARSONSFIELD, LIMERICK, NEWFIELD. Settlements weie commenced in the "Ossipee coun- try," duri-ng the revolutionary war, and a few families had moved into each of the towns of Limington^ Parsoas-' INTERIOR OF YORK COUNT V. IIS field, Limerick, and New field. The proprietors of New* field, or the plantation of Washington as it was then called, sensible of the importance of a preached Gospel in the new settlements, made a grant ofl'OO acres of land to Rev. John Adams, who had been previously settled at Durham in New-Hampshire, and he removed his fa- mily to that town in February 1781.* There were ^hen only five families in Nevvfield, and twelve in Lim- erick. Mr. Adams was a Physician as well as a Minis- ter, and rendered himself very useful in both professions. He preached constantly and practiced physic in those four towns for ten years, until his death, which took place at Newfield June 4, 1792. No very considerable attention to religion was excited by the labours of Mr. Adams in this region. The only religious establishment that he lived to witness there was the gathering of a small Church of six members at Limlngton, which was organized by him in October 1789. In 1793, the Church at Limington in connexion with the town invited Mr. Jonathan Atkinson to settle with them in the work of the Ministry. He accepted their invitation, and was ordained in October 1794<. It was a feeble society, but in 1802, a special attention to reli» [■ gion appeared, and a number were added to theChurch. I But from several causes about the year 1814, the civil I' contract between Mr. Atkinson and the people was dis- j ^A writer in the Massachusetts Historical Collections thus notices Mr. Ad- j; ams : «»a son of this Matthew Adams was Minister of Durham in New- i; Hampshire, the Rev. John Adams ; a man of superior natural talents, but |i rather ecccntiick in his genius. A specimen of fine writing was exhibited in. :: a letter sent to this town (Boston; with a donation 1774 signed John Ad- ams, and John Sullivan, the committee. The allusion to the land 0/ pro- ' *iitt was ihgught to be a? elegant as it was pious.'> Hist. Coll, vol. 5, page 21 1 nttfi* K2 ill! CONGIIEGATIONALISTS. solved and he ceased preaching, but has still the past<> ral care of the Church. In the year 1793, the people at Parsonsfield made cx)nsiderable exertion for the settlement of a Minister. Mr. Rufus Anderson, a graduate of Dartmouth College, of the class of 1791, was then preaching in the town. Some attention to religion appeared, and the people were exceedingly anxious that be should settle among them. He however declined their invitation and wass afterward settled in the West Parish in North- Yarmouth* now Cumberland. In a little more than a year the peo- ple obtained as a candidate Mr, Benjamin Rolfe, and in January 1795, a Church was organized, and he was or- dained. — Mr. Rolfe continned to preach at Parsonsfield twenty years. He was dismissed in. May 1815, and is since dead. The Church in that place which was never large, is reduced to less than twenty members, and the Congregational Society to about that number of fami- lies. They are destitute of stated preaching. The Church at Limerick was organized in July 1795. Mr. Edmund Eastman was. then preaching at that place. He soon received a call, and was ordained in October ©f that vear. Rev. Mr. Eastman was an active man, and while he remained in health things were as prospe- rous at Limerick as is usual in places not visited by special revivals of religion. But in about fifteen years after his settlement the health of Mr. Fastman declined, and he died in Dec. 1812. The Church was small at this time, the town much divided in sentiment, and the society consequently quite feeble. For six years they were occasionally supplied with preaching from YolyiP^ INTERIOR OF, &C. 115 I larf subscription, and from aid afforded them by Mis- sionary Societies. In the year 1818, Mr. Charles Free- man was directed by the Trustees of the Maine Mis- sionary Society to labour for a term of time at Limer- ick. The people were pleased with his ministration s and employed him for a longer period, and at length for a year, and in January 1 820, he was regularly or- dained as Pastor of the Church and Minister of the peo- ple. The people at Newfield, though perhaps favored with more of the labours of Mr. Adams than either of the other towns in that region, were nevertheless longer than the others in obtaining a settled minister among them. In July 1801, a small Church was organized there. Mr. John Stoddard was then preaching at New- field, whom the people had invited to settle, but he was not ordained there. In February 1803, Rev. John Dane was ordained at Newfield. The ministry of Mr. Dane was short, but ruinous to the Church and Society. He came into possession of all their parsonage pro- perty, and in about eleven months was dismissed for gross immoralities, and they have since been destitute. SHAPLEIGH. In Shapleigh provision was early made for the sup- port of a Minister by a reserve of lands in the town. The town lying on both sides of a considerable pond seemed naturally divided, and it was legally so into two Parishes in February 1795. The west parish being first settled and increasing in population made arrangements for the settlement of a mifiister. Accordingly a Church. il^ COKGREGATlONAtlSTS. having been organized previously, in January 1796,Rer. Joseph Brown was ordained. Mr. Brown's ministry it Shapleigh was soon terminated. In May 1 804, he was dismissed by mutual consent, and soon after installed ^t Alfred. The Church and Society have never since thought themselves able to support a Minister, and haye consequently been destitute. In the eastern parish im Congregational Church iias ever been gathered. LYMAN. The first settlement at Lyman, called originally Cox- hall, has been mentioned in connexion v/ith Alfred. A- bout the year 1787, the people began to act as a sepa- rate religious society, and took measures to procure a JMinister. Rev. Daniel Maret, now the minister of Stan- dish, Rev. Thomas Roby afterward settled at Otisfield, and Mr, Nymphas Hatch, were among the candidates whose settlement at Lyman seemed more or less proba- ble. At length Rev. Jonathan Calef, who had been pnce settled at Canaan on Kennebeck River, was eTO-> ployed. The people gave him a call, a Church was gathered, and he was installed in November 1801. He. remains the present Minister of the place. IKtERIOR of CUMBERLAND COUNTY. 117 CHAPTER XIII. 1765. Following the order of time our attention will next be directed to the Churches in the interior of Cumber^ land County, where we shall find the nine following, viz. New-Gloucester, Standish, Gray, Bridgton, two in Minot, Durham, Otisfield, and Raymond. We begin with NEW-GLOUCESTER. The town of New^-Gloucester was granted by the Ge- neral Court of die then Province of Massachusetts Bay to sixty inhabitants of Gloucester in Essex County, March 27, 1 736, and confirmed to them in July ot the following year. The settlement of the town was imme- diately commenced, and a saw mill and twelve log hou- ses built. The first opening in the town was made by Jonas Mason, Esq. who afterwards settled at North- Yarmouth. It was on the northeast side of the hill now called "Harris* hill," on the farm afterwards occupied by Mr. Washburn. Some trees were also felled the same summer by a Mr. Russell, on the opposite side o£ the road, nearer the bottom of the hill. But the Indians were so troublesome, there being no settlements to the north of them, that the town was abandoned for seven-* teen years. In 175t it began to be inhabited, many of the original proprietors settled there, a garrison was built for security against the Savages, and the town was soon regularly organized. It was the laudable practice ef that day for the pre- 118 CONXSREGATIONALISTS* prietors of new towns whether actual settlers or not, t» iead the way in the settlenient of Ministers. Accord* ingly, the proprietors of New-Gloucester gave a tract of land in the town for the support of the Ministry, and a lot near the centre of the town for the firft settled minister ; they also immediately took measures for ob« taining a candidate. Mr. Russel, who afterwards set- tled as a Physician in North-Yarmouth, and Rev Sam-, uel Eaton since settled in Harpswell, each received a call to settle at New-Gloucester but declined. In the autumn of 1761-, Mr. Samuel Foxcroft son of Rev. Thomas Foxcroft of Boston, was employed to preach on probation. He was soon invited by the people to settle •with them, and on the 16th of January 1765 a Church was organized, and Mr. Foxcroft ordained. The ori- ginal members of the Church were eight in number, ©f ■whom none now remain.* There being no Meeting, house in the Town, at first public worship was attended in the Garrison.f For a number of years Mr. Fox^ croft's salary was paid by the proprietors, and all things were conducted with harmony both in Church and Par- ish. After sixteen years, from some catise or other, dif- ficulties arose, so that in 1783, a Fad was held by the Church on account of their troubles, and to seek of God a right way for themselves and their children. In March of the succeeding year the town appeared to be * Their names were Samuel Foxcroft, John Tufts, Jabcz True, Daniel Merrill, Moses Woodbury, Williani Stevens, Ebenezer M;\son and Peleg Chandler. fThe Garrison stood about lOO rods south-we»t from t]i« Meeting hot:?'?, OR the lower side of the load. KEW- GLOUCESTER. ifS tiudi disaffected and proposed to the Church to obtain another preacher for two months, but to this proposal the Church would not accede. Things now seemed to be coming to a crisis, and in May following Mr. Fox^ croft requefted a dismission. A Council being called advised against such a procedure, and proposed con- ciliatory measures on both sides. These were accord* ingly adopted, and arrangements were amicably ma^e for the settlement of a Colleague with Mr. Foxcroft. In January 1786, the Church and Parish concurred in i^n invitation to Mr. John Wilder to settle with them, ^ut he declined, and is since settled in Attleborough in Massachusetts. Mr. Foxcroft ceased preaching, and telinquished hi« salai-y, in order to open the way clearly for the settlement of another Minister, although he was not dismissed. The people soon employed Mr. Nathan Church, now the Minister of* Bridgton, to preach on pro- bation, and In March 1787i united in giving him a call, h\it he also declined their invitation. A dark cloud now appeared to hang over the Church and they had but little encouragement to seek another •eandidate. At this state of their affairs Mr. Foxcroft again commenced preaching, and we hear of no more difficulties for nearly three years. The year 1791 will be long remembered by the people who then lived in New-Gloucester. In that year a young man named Wait Cornwall, a native of Connecticut, who had late- ly been licensed to preach, journeying for his health came to New-G oucester and spent several months with Rev. Mr. Foxcroft. He was very much devoted to the cause of Christ, and appeared to feel deeply the worth i:gO CONGREGATIONALISTS. of souls. His preaching and private addresses were aolemn and pungent, and the people soon became un- commonly attentive to the subject of religion. The public assemblies became crowded and solemn, and pri- vate meetings for conference and prayer were frequent- ly held. The awakening while it lasted was exceed- ingly powerful, great emotions were sometimes discov- ered during public worship, and in most cases very strong impressions of the importance of religion were made. It is difficult to ascertain the precise nurhber of those converted during this season of awakening, but the excitement was very considerable, and there is rea- son to believe that much good was effected. This sea- son of leligious attention, after what had taken placSat New-Gloucester, was like the clear shining after the rain, and was doubtless refreshing in no small degree to those who like pious Simeon and Anna of old were waiting for the consolation of Israel. But this pleasant pros- pect wa? soon obscured. The uneasiness between the Pastor and the people soon shewed itself again, and in January 1792 Mr. Foxcroft again requested a dismission, to which the Church consented without the advice of a Council. Mr. Nathan Bradstreet was soon engaged to supply the pulpit, and in 0«5lober of that year received an unanimous call of both Church and parish to settle with them. He however declined their invitation, and was settled afterward at Chester in New-Hampshire, To- ward winter it became a question with the Church whether Mr. Foxcroft was really dismissed, and to make NEW-GLOUCESTER. 4§1 it certain, in January 1793, they passed a vote to that effe^ as they had done the year before. During the ensuing summer Mr. Otis Crosby was employed by the people to preach with them. Divine influences appeared to be afforded in a considerable de- gree, and some whose attention had been excited by the preaching of Mr. Cornwall, now gave evidence of a change of heart. In November of this year a call was presented to Mr. Crosby to take the pastoral charge of the Church, to which he returned ao af- firmative anfwer, and June 19, 1794, was appointed f6r his ordination. But God had appointed a different result to the affairs of the Church and people at New- Gloucester ; and they had still to contend with many troubles. As the spring opened Mr. Crosby*s health, naturally feeble, began rapidly to decline. He lingered through the summer, and all hope of his recovery being taken away, in October his affirmative answer was re- turned to him at his request, that the way might be open to the employment of another candidate, and he closed his life, May 29, 1795. About the time Mr. Crosby recalled his affirmative answer, the people em- ployed Mr. Hugh Wailis, who was afrerward settled at Bath, to preach, and in December of that year gave him a call, but he refused to settle with them. The pulpit was supplied with preaching during the summer of 1795, but no person was employed as a can- didate for settlement. Indeed after such a series of dif^ ficulties as the people had encountered for twelve years ttwainot strange that tliey should feel almoft dispirit- L 12^ CONGREGATIONALlSra. I ed. At this time it was suggested by some ef ttie Church that the improper manner of Mr. Foxcroft's dismission might be one cause of the frowns of Provi- dence which they then felt ; and after consultation they agreed to call a council to advise them what course they had best pursue. The i esult of that council Is now un- known. For more than two years longer the people employed no candidate for settlement. They had ma- ny preachers for short terms of time, and were ©ften deS' titute. In the summer of 1798, Mr. James Boyd, who had once been a Preacher in the Methodist connexion, was engaged to preach on probation. In October of that year he received a call to settle, and having answer- ed it in the affirmative, a Council was summoned for his ordination. But a strong opposition was made and the Council declined proceeding. Another Council was invited, and then a third, but the opposition ratherj increased than diminished, and new and more serious! difficulties presented themselves to the minds of eachj Council Z3 they proceeded, and the idea of an ordIna«| tion in this case was abandoned. Mr. Boyd soon left the town, and was afterward settled for a time in Ban«t gor. Again the Church and people at New-Gloucester were left in a divided stat^, and peace and harmony seemed forever exiled from them. After the unplea^| sant excitement occasioned by these proceedings, hadi subsided in some measure, the people still anxious for a; Minister, sought another Candidate. They employed! Mr. John Dane. After a term of probation he received! a callia May 1801, and returned an affirmative answer* KEW-GLOUCESTER, STANDISH* 1^3 But the Council when assembled found so many objec- tions to the Candidate, some presented to them by a re- spectable minority of the Parish, and some arising from other circumstances, that they declined proceeding to ordination. Mr Dane was afterward settled at New* field in York County. ^ It was but a few weeks after Mr. Dane left the town ' that Mr. Elisha Mosely was employed as a Candidate. In October of the same year he received a call, which he soon answered in the affirmative, and was ordained February 10th 1802. Thus in an unlooked for moment [harmony was restored to the Church and Parish after a i painful scene of difficulties of nearly twenty years con- tinuance. Rev. Mr. Mosely remains still paftor of the Church, and the ancient troubles remain but as the tules , of former times. Mr. Foxcroft lived to witnefs the settlement of his successor, and see harmony once more restored to the Church in whose welfare he felt deeply interested. He' died much respected, and lamented March 9, 1807, ai, the age of 72 ) ears.* fiTANDISH. The town of Standlsh was granted in the year 1751, to two companies of men who assisted in the reduction of Loulsberg. Inhabitants soon moved in, and the plantation was commenced under the name of Pearson- town. Agreeable to the laudable custom of that day^ the Proprietors soon engaged a Preacher. The gentle- man employed was Mr. Johi^ Thompson, son of Rev. * See Appendix, No. 4. 184? 09NGREGATI0NALISTS. William Thompson of Scarborough. After preaching on probation, proposals were made for his settlement, i which being acceeded to, a Church was oiganized, and I Mr. Thondpson ordained its Pastor. This took place in October 1768. The ceiemonies of ordination were performed in the Rev. Mr. Smith's Meeting-house in Portland. At this time there were about thirty families in Standish. Mr. Thompson's salary was paid by the proprietors for eight years. During the revolutionary war the troubles on the sea coast drove many inhabitants back, and the settlement at Standish was greatly increased. The original proprietors supposing that the inhabitants were now well able to pay their Minister, withheld their usual support in the spring of 1776. Mr. Thomp- son still continued his labours for five years without any compensation. At length in the year 1 781, he suspend- ed his ministrations at Standish, and sought other fields of labour. After two years the pastoral relation was for- mally dissolved, and Rev. Mr. Thompson was installed at Berwick. The Society at Standish remained in a broken and destitute condition for twelve years after Mr. Thompson's dismission. Providence at length o- j)ened the way for the settlement of another Minister at this place, and in the year 179S, Rev. Jonathan Gould was ordained. But they were soon again destitute, for Mr. Gould lived only a year after his ordination. One year elapsed after this event before the present Pastor of the ChuTvh, Rev. Daniel Maret, was ordained. GRAY. . iS5 I e GRAY. The Church in Gray was embodied in the month of ijAugust 1774-, by a Council convened for that purpose, j and then consisted of seven male members. In June ©f the follov^^ing year, Rev. Samuel Nash was ordained to the pastoral care of that Church, and continued his ministrations a little more than seven years, when by I advice of Council his ministerial relation was dissolved, i The people were destitute of stated preaching two years. During the summer of 1784, Rev. Samuel Perley who |had been once settled at Seabrook in New-Hampshire, and then recently dismissed from Moultonborough, was Employed as a candidate. After hearing him the peo- ple gave him a call ; the Church saw fit to adopt the Piesbyterlan form of government, and Mr. Perley was installed its Pastor on the 8th of September in that year. Mr. Perley continued in ofKce until may 1791, when b7 mutual agreement between him and the people he ceas- :ed preaching. After this, the Church being left as ibheep without a shepherd, were scattered. Their num- ber, which had ever been small, was diminished by deaths and removals, until only two male members re- Imained. For twelve years they continued in this brok- jen and scattered state, having only occasional preaching. In 1803, Rev. Daniel Weston, the present Pastor of the iChurch, was employed to preach on probation. In Oc- jtober of that year a council was called to consider the j ;tate of that people. After due examination the Coun- 'cil were of opinion that the Church was extinct, and they proceeded to embody one anew on Congregational ' K2 it6 eO^^©REGATierKAClSTS. prindples. The two male members -who remained, with eight others constituted the new Church. To ihese ten the Council gave the right hand of fellowship, and greeted them as a sister Church. The next day- Mr. Weston was ordairted to the pastoral care of the ■new Church.* BRIDGTON. The first family moved into Bridgton in the autumn of the year 1769. From ihat time the permanent set- tlement may be dated. In the month of August 1784, Rev. William Fessenden of Fryeburg, attended by Hon. Simon Frye as a Delegate from the Church repaired to Bridgton and organized a Church there of ten male members, and seven females. The first candidate ever called to take the pastoral care of this Church was their present Minister, Rev. Nathan Church, who was ordain- ed June 17, 1789. MINOT. The towns now MInot and Poland were originally the plantation called Bakerstown. Religious privileges ■were not regularly enjoyed heie for several years after the first settlements w^ere made. In October of the year 1792, Rev. Jonathan Scott who had been recently dismissed from Yarmouth in Nova Scotia, being on his vay to Boston by water, was detained by contrary winds in North-Yarmouth over the Sabbath, and preached there to great acceptance, f He here became acquaint- * ManuscrTpt History of the Chuich in Gray on the file* of Cumberland Association. i His text en that occasion Tvas Isaiah xxxv. lo. ^' And the ranramed of "Jhe Lord shall return &c.— It was a time of much religious excitement at Nortli- Yarmouth, and both the Sermon and the atten«laiit circymitaaces wdi 4)< U>og cojueiiibered toy many people there. MIXOT. i2T ed with Rev. Mr. Gilman, by whose means the people at Minot obtained some knowledge of him. " A Church the year before had been organized in the plantation ; and it having been the time of some special attention to religion, a strong desire prevailed to enjoy Gospel priv- ileges. Accordingly a committee of the Church in the spring of 1793, repaired to Mr. Gilman, and authoriz- ed him to write to Mr. Scott to come among them and preach the Gospel. Not receiving the letter under six months, he reached this place, for the first time Decem- ber 11, 1793. He spent the winter and a part of the spring in preaching among the people, and in June 1794, again visited his family at Yarmouth. Before leaving Bakerstown, the people by theii committee proposed to him to come among them again. But he gave no as- surance that he should comply with their request. He spent most of that summer in preaching to his former people in Yarmouth. In August he again left Yar- mouth, and reached this place about the middle of Sep- tember. Not long after this, the people become intent that he should remore his family, and take up his abode vrith them. About sixteen families in the northerly part of the plantation, made proposals for his support for one year and an half. In these proposals all the members of the Church in regular standing were a- greed. After duly weighing these proposals, he con- I sented, and turned his thoughts to the subject of bring- ing his family to Bakerstown. This was effected by the ; assistance of a kind providence, and they arrived here j: May 1st 1795. Before the year ^nd an half had expired, the plantaticm 1S8 CONGREGATIONALISTS. became an Incorporated town by the name of Poland, Attempts were therefore made that as a town he should be settled in the ministry among them ; but such at- tempts were not successful. This induced a number of persons, nearly one hundred, and mostly heads of fami- lies, to enter into a covenant and agreement to call Mr. Scott to the work of the ministry among them. In this call there was a concurrence of the Church. After de- liberation, he gave an affirmative answer, and, by an Ecclesiastical Council, he was installed pastor of the Church and covenanted Society in Poland, July 27, 1796."* In the year 1802, the town of Poland was divided, and the northerly part, which included the greater part of Mr. Scott*s Society, was called Minot. In about three years after this, two Meeting-houses were built in Minot, which gave rise to a series of difficulties both in the Church and Parish. At length a division took place. Mr. Scott was dismissed from his original charge, and installed as Minister of the Church and Parish in the eastern part of the town. This happened in August 1S05. Rev. Mr. Scott continued Pastor of the Church m Minot about twenty three years. In the begining of February 1 81 9, his health became so much impaired that he was constrained to suspend his public labours. He lingered through the summer, and died in October following at the age of seventy-five. After the install- ation of Mr. Scott in the eastern Paiish in Minot, mea- suies were adopted for the regular organization of a ♦ Rev. Mr. Greely's Sermon preached at Minot Oct, a4> iSip, soon skfter the fi6ceas€ of Rev, Mr. Scott. DURHAM. 129 Church m the Western part of the Town, which was effected in October, 1806. It then consisted of 17 members. The original members all belonged to Mr. Scott's Church from which they were dismissed at this time. In February 1811, Rev. William Pidgin, for- merly of Hampton in New-Hampshire, was installed Pastor of the second Church in Minot, in which station he remained a little more than eight years, and was then dismissed. This took place August 14-, 1819. — Bodi Churches are now destitute of Paftors. [ DURHAM. This Town, which was originally a part of the Pe- ,gypscot claim, lies immediately above Brunswick on the Androscoggin. Some inhabitants moved into the jtovvn before the revolutionary war. The first settler |in the town was Major Gerrish, who lived in the sou- therly part of the town toward Freeport. Colonel iRoyal of Medford was a considerable proprietor in the itown, and before the act of incorporation the plantation was called Royalston. The first person who preached here for any considera- ole time was Rev. Mr. Chapman, who had been dismissed from a Church in Methuen. He came to Royalston about the year 1790, and tarried nearly a year. Some ;;onversation was had among the people respecting set- |:ling him, but no effective steps were taken. I In March 1796, Rev. Jacob Herrick, the present min» jster, of Durham was ordained there, and a small Church j,was gathered by the ordaining Council. The early ©art of the vear 1815 was a season of considerable at- ISO CONGREGATIONALISTS. tention to religion in that town, and eventually produce ed an accession to the Church of about twenty members. OTISFIELD. The Congregational Church in Otisfield, was gather- ed in the year 1797, and then consisted of eight male members. At that time Rev. Thomas Roby, who had been once settled at Mansfield in Massachusetts, was in- stalled its Pastor. Mr. Roby continued to preach about fourteen years. Toward the close of this term very few people attended meeting, and the society was in a state of declension. In 1811, Mr. Roby was dismissed, and for two years the people had but little preaching among them. In the year 1815, the Cumberland asso- iiatlon agreed that each Minister belonging to it should spend a week in missionary labours in some of the desti- tute places in that County. Several of them went in succession to the town of Otisfield. A considerable attention to religion was the immediate fruit of this labor of love. The Church and people were aroused, and in November 1814, Rev. Josiah Goodhue Merrill was ordained over them. Ten persons were very soon added to the Church. Three years after some religious excitement was again visible, and in tl^e course of two years twenty-four more were gathered into the fold. Thus did a very little extra labour of the settled Min- isters in the vicinity, result in the upbuilding of a de» caying Church, and the reanimating of a Society then prostrate in the dust. Will not others be stimulated by this exa-mple, and generations yet to come rise up and C2l}] tbem blessed ? RAYMOND. 131 RAYMOND. The church in this town is of recent date. In the month of November 1813, a Council was convened there consisting of the Rev. Mr. Herrick of Durham, Rev. Mr. Bradley of Westbrook, and Rev. Mr. Mike- more of Falmouth, who organized a small church in the Town. It has never been greatly enlarged, and hss not yet enjoyed the ministrations of a stated Pastor. 13S CONGREGATIONALISTS. CHAPTER XIV. 1767. BOOTHBAY. This town was originally purchased of the celebrated Indian Sagamore, Robin Hud or Hood, by Henry Cur- tis, in January 1666. Some of the lands were after- wards held by John Ludgate of Boston, and called Win- igance. In September 1737, he made a grant to sun- dry people then dwelling there of lands in the town, ordering it to be laid out in lots of fifty acres near the water side. A generous provision for the support of the ministry was made by the proprietor at this time. Ten acres of land was reserved for a Meeting-house, training field, and burying ground, and he ordered that the first settled minister should have an equal share m the meadows with the first settlers ; That 100 acres of land should be laid out as a free gift to the first Min- ister, and another 100 acres for the use of the ministry forever : That out of the sales of the land, \h. out of the second payment, he would allow the inhabitants to deduct 100/. toward building a Meeting-house, and 30/. per annum toward paying the first settled Minister; and in case there should not be twenty new lots taken \ip in the town within the said three years, then he en- gaged the same 30/. annually for three years more. But the settlement increased slowly, and notwithstanding the provision made by the proprietor, no Minister wafi set- tled for several years. liOOTHBAY. 133 As the settlement became more regular it was called 1'ownsend, and in 1761-, the town was incorporated by the name of Boothbay. About a year before this, Rev. John Murray, a native of Ireland, visited Booth- bay. His ministrations were peculiarly acceptable to the people, and he was invited to tarry wiih them, and five men obligated themselves to pay him an annual salaiy of 90/. sterling. The instrument by which they bound themselves is dated Dec. 22, 176:3. However Mr. Murray did not see fit to tarry with them at that time, but went to Philadelphia and took the pastoral care of a Church in that City ; but in the spring of 1766, he returned to Boothbay. As yet no Church had been organized in the to'ATi, and a general inattention 'to religion prevailed. Mr. Murray was a very power- ijfBl and awakening preacher, and when among the peo- Iple uncommonly active and faithful in the discharge of 'pastoral duties. The inhabitants of Boothbay were ' probably, as is common in new places, a mixture of i men cf all opinions, with some few professors of reli- gion of several denominations. Mr. Murray fpent ! much time in visiting them in order to ascertain their i spiritual state. A few extracts from a private Diary of his, will exhibit somewhat the state of the people, and his own feelings at the time* ' ♦ Mr. Murray's method in visiting aa noted by himself was— " ist. Sahite "the house, 2d. Compare the list* with the family— mark thrm vvho can ' tead--catec!iijabL's--ccven3nters--Chur.h memijers 3!l.Addres.s-i. chi,.iren " to engage in eirly religion.— 2. young ones to reading, .secret prayer, the " sabbath, public worship, ordinances, good company, gootJ houses, good ♦' tongues, love and concoid, fidelity, conversion 4tU. Addre'^s parents— " I. about their spiritual state— 2. secret devotion— 3 family worship, gov- '^Jtrnment, catechising— 4 sabbatJ., public worship, sacraments ; If Church "members sec what profit— if not remove objections— if in error or vice, "convince, reclaim J if in divisions heal ; if poor help. Lastly— exharta-jcm " to all— pray !" M iSh C0NGI1EGATIONAL1ST8. Toward the close cf 1766, after a day spent in visi- t'lnji; he wrote thus — "Alas ! alas ! what shall I say ? 1 now fear the success of my ministry more than ever. O ! my God, enable me to be found faithful. Make thy strength perfect in my great weakness. O ! pour out thy spirit on these poor families that they may not for- get the promises this day made in thy sight, that thy worship shall be daily, morning and evening maintained in their houses, and that they will never rest until they have received thy Chris ci into all their hearts. O '! let the convictions we hope begun on two of them be car- ried deeper and deeper until ended in conversion. Eight unbaptized — all prayer less. Alas ! Alas !'* Again he unites — "a dismal prospect truly : thirteen unbaptized this day, eight yesterday ; all ignorant of God and of themselves, and though they all profess Of therwise, I fear all prayerless ; all determined to cher- ish their hopes, though I have found but two who can rationally profess any experience of the power of reli- gion ! and God knows their hearts ; some of the En^ glish Church, some of Separates, most of them nothing at all. Arise O Lord, or this people perish. O shew thy salvation to them, revive thine own work, or we are an undone people." Under date of Sept. 25, he wrote again — " Now this weeks visits are finished ; what have I done ? Have I been faithful ? O, if so in any measure, praise to my rock, my strength. I trust the great things of religion have, in my poor way, been pressed upon them : Some appear really resolved for God, all were more or less affected. I fear some have professed what they know BOOTIIBAY. 135 not ; all have promised family worship &c. regularly, morning and evening : all have promised to be in ear- nest about salvation. O Lord, I commit the whole to t]iee : breathe on my poor feeble attempts ; grant the success ; tis all of thee : O come among this blind, hardened, perishing people : Shew them thy salvation : Lord arise, arise, and save. Amen. Amen. Oct. 1st he says — " My remarks alas ! admit of no changes yet. Tis true I have met with three female prefessors, one of them I really hope is genuine ; but oh, the midnight slumbers of the rest ! darkness ! to- tal darkness ! darkness ! darkness that might be felt, with no desire of real day ! O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord. Open, great God, the ear and heart of this people. O what triumphs would grace gain if such sinners were brought home ! every house prayerless ; save one ! every heart as adamant. O Lord, for a life giving word." Under the same date, in visiting the Islands he ^ays— ** Some comfort to-day, blessed be God ; here are three prayerful families, four professors, two are communicants, but false hopes have slain their thousands : woeful is I the security of fig leaves : sad ignorance in many : four unbaptized." *♦ Oct. 2d very hard and painful work to bring any to conviction of duty, sin, or danger. Prayerless, and yet self condemned for it, Christless, confessedly and yet easy and secure ! ignorant and pleading that as a righteousness ! What stronger proof of the corrup- toon of the human heart can be imagined than this. 436 CONGREGATIONALISTS. Alas, alas ! O let none defer the one thing needful till old age In hopes of being more at leisure or belter disn posed then. A sad instance of the fatal danger of that, has this day been seen : fourscore years, bowed down with all the decrepit, and yet determined after all warnings to rest satisfied, for no other reason but be- cause not afraid of death. Woe is me ! Ah my heart ! Great God grant strength, and zeal and faithfulness : make these poor souls firm to the resolution this day professed, and O revive thy work that this heart-break- ing blindness may come to an end." Nov. 11. « Hitherto almost all I have met with has been for a lamentation : can I now change my note ? Alas ! alas ! is all I can say yet : here I have had sad view of ignorance, and carelessness in every house, youth wrapt in slumber, and old age by their practice saying sleep on: Yea by every appearance like the Ethio- pians skin they acknowledge every thing, assent to all that is said ; yet conscience in a corner inaccessible. What shall I say ? inveterate habits of vice, and no re- morse. It gives me some comfort that I have found one prayerful family, and a humble professor at the head of it ; and in another, one struck off from fahe hope and under conviction : Lord, fasten it and increase the number ! Amen ! Amen y* Such appears to have been the state of Mr. Murray's mind at the close of the year 1766, and it will not appear strange that God's work was soon revived in Boothbay. In the course of the winter following the attention to religion was con« 5>derable, a Church was Qiganized on Presbyterian pria». BOOTHBAY. 137 ciples, and on the 12th of April 1767, the sacrament of the Lord's supper was administered there for the first time. The Church then consisted of fifty one per- sons, of whom thirteen were that day received. About one hundred communicants appeared, members of oth- er Churches being joined with them, and all sat down together to celebrate the dying love of their Saviour. The awakening continued, and in October of the same year 20 persons more were received to the Church, and the sacrament was again administered to about two hundred and twenty persons. Many of these were probably gathered from the adjoining towns, as there was no Church eastward of Boothbay at that time, and :he revival there together with the administration of the >acrament would naturally draw together the pious pro- cessing people from a considerable distance. During he winter following the word of the Lord continued to lave free course, and was glorified m the conversion of !;ouls, so that in April 1768, eleven persons more made |)ublic confession of their Saviour before men, and livere admitted to communion at his table. In Septem- ber following Mr. Murray stiles It " a glorious day" jvith them, as eighteen persons were received to the jChurch, making sixty-three in all who had been gath- '•red in during that season of revival. * J' Mr. Murray v/as at this time the only Minister settled i^astward cf Woolwich, and his labours were abundant !\all the surrounding region. The shower of grace /hich had so plentifully watered his particular charge * R-ev. Mr. Murray's private paners. M2 13S CONGREGATlOXALlSiS. had extended into the adjoining towns, where a thinly scattered population had recently planted themselves. The following extract from a testimonial left by the ses- sion of the Church on their records concerning this sea- son of refreshing will best exhibit the character of the -.vork, and the extenfion of it in the neighboring towns r It is dated in the year 1767. *' It had been very observable that throngli the whole of the winter a very unusual seriousness and solemnity appeared amongst the generality of the people here, ac- companied with an insatiable desire after the word, and several persons awakened to an anxious concern for their souls ; but nothing very remarkable of a public nature until the sacrament ; then there were such symp- toms of the powerful and special presence of the God of grace, as every one might discern, and we can never enough be thankful for : it was a solemn, sweet and glorious season : many of God's children were filled %vith the joys of the Lord, and many poor souls brought ro see their need of that Saviour they had shamefully neglected, and wickedly crucified. The effects were evident the ensuing week and on the next Sabbath : im- mediately on the back of which the Pastor at the call of several of the neighboring towns, visited Pownalbor- ough, Sheepseutt, the head of the Tide, V/alpoIe, Har- rington, &c. And during the space of two weeks which this tour took up, he preached every day : and the worl of God was glorious : every day it appeared that some were awakened : many souls old and young were pricked to the he^t, many obliged to cry out in their distress, some were clearly brought out into tte light of BOOTHBAV. 139 the Gospel. It seemed in all these places that the AL mighty hand was displayed with such power as if the Lord was resolved to make his word bear down every ihing before it. When our pastor returned and told the wonderful works of God both from the pulpit and at the Society and the Wednesday exercise, the new s was very joyful to all who had ever tasted any thing of religion, very alarming to the secure, and greatly confirmed the convictions of such as had been awaken- ed : religion became the conversation of all companies : the voice of opposition was struck dead : wpon almost every occasion of public worship which was then more frequent than usual, the congregation was drowned in tears, and some new instances of conviction or comfort appeared. The Pastor's lodgings were then daily ciou- ded with poor wounded souls that knew not what to do ; with whom he often found sweet employment day and night, sometimes till three o'clock in the morning, often till after midnight, with one company after another. The intermission seasons on the Sabbath were then ta- ken up entirely in the works of piety ; some would re- pair wherever they saw any person that was deemed an experienced christian (all of whom we found greatly quickened at that time) to lay their cases open to him ; some to the Minister, some to secret prayer, and great companies would retire to the woods to sing hymns of praise ; so that one might almost all the time hear the wilderness singing hosannas. The Societies were then precious seasons ; it seemed sometimes as if heaven was come down to dwell on earth. The Wednesday exerci- ses were also greatly blessed, especially on the young i4iO CONGREGATIONALISTS. people and the chlldrens days, in some of which we could see the dear little babes by forty in a company crying and weeping on account of their state, whilst their ten- der parents with bursting hearts and streaming eyes stood by ; and in some instances and particularly once at the west end of the town, the whole congregation seemed to be taken hold of : after the blessing was pro- nounced, their hearts were so wounded that near thirty persons men and women cried out ; whilst a goodly number of God's children were overcome with joy at the sight, and O what a season the remainder of that day was among them. Thus it continued through all the summer amongst us ; and blessed be God it is not yet goae. What fruits may afterwards appear we know not, what numbers have been brought home we pretend not to guess ; these things we refer to him whose work it is. But for the sake of the following age into whose hands these records m^y fall, we cannot help leaving this our joint public testimony to the glory of God, and not of any mortal, but rather to our own abasement, and the shame both of Minister and people that we did not improve it in another manner, that there has this year thus far been an evident, powerful and glorious work of God's spirit carried on in this and the neigh- bouring towns in the awakening and we believe the con- version of many souls, which may the same grace con- BOOTH BAY. IM ti-nue and increase until the whole earth bow to the ccn» c^ueror Christ."* Signed, John MuRRAYy Pastor. RoBRRT Murray, ") iViLLUM Moor, ( Ruling Elders. JoHff Beath, C Nehemiah Harringden, ^ Samusl .4dams, 1 Israel Datis, > Deacons. Epuraim AI'Farland, j The ministry of Mr. Murray at Boothbay continued for a little more than thirteen years. His talents were of a superior cast, and could not fail to attract the no- tice of polished Societies where he had opportunity to i preach. In the year 1775, he was solicited to take the pastoral charge of one of the societies in Bostop. Against I this the people remonstrated, and in town meeting chose ' John Beath and Paul Reed a committee to meet a Pres- j bytery at Brunswick respecting this matter Mr. Mur- i ray did not remove at this time, but about four years after, he removed to Newbury Port and took the pasto- ral care of tlie Presbyterian church there, then vacant by the death of Rev. Jonathan Parsons. The removal of Mr. Murray from Boothbay was a i grievous thing to many of the people, and for three or j four years they were destitute of stated preaching. In ! March 1783, the town voted an appropriation of 100/ I fot" the support of a minister, and appointed the Session of the Church as a committee to employ a candidate — " It would be wrong to withhold from the peo|)le at ]5ooth^ % B^otbbay Cburch P.eccj'4.s^. 14S CONGREGATIONALISTS. bay, tlie praise which is justly due to them for thi; measure. It has been the practice of some parishes when deprived of a Minister by death or otherwise, tc step forward and take the lead in thebufinefs of settling another to the almost exclusion of the Church. Bui here was a noble example of a Parish, or rather a town referring the choice of a Minister to the Church to whom he would sustain the endearing relation of Pastor. It does not appear that any person was soon employ- ed. In the winter of 1 785, a Mr. Merrill was preach- ing at Boothbay, but the Committee were directed to employ another person. In March of the year follow, ing a Mr. Williams was engaged for six months, and for two or three years after, the people had occafional preaching, but employed no candidate for settlement. In the summer of 1789, Mr. Jonathan Gould was em- ployed a short time, and in September of that year the committee were directed by the town either to engagej Mr. Gould for a longer term, or to send for Mr. John- json who afterwards settled at Freeport. Mr. Gould wasi employed and in Nov. following was hired for a year. In, August 1790, a meeting was holden to see if the tovvnl could agree to give Mr. Gould a call. But althonghi he had been among them more than a year, the people were doubtful how to proceed. Unwilling to come to a decision on this point the town appointed a Commit- tee to confer with Mr. Gould respecting his peculiar sentiments, and to engage him for a farther time. In October following the town again assembled on the .. BOOTHBAY. 143 lame business, but their meeting was dissolved -without oming to any conclusion. Mr. Gould continued to reach at Boothbay during the winter, and at the anun- 1 town Meeting in March 1791, the question was gain proposed whether the town would give him a call, ,'hich was refused ; but a testimonial of his fair moral haracter was immediately voted.* He was soon after sttled at Standish. The people being now destitute again, empowered Lev. Mr. McLean of Bristol who was about making a oyage to Scotland, to procure them a Minister from liat country ; but no success appears to have attended his measure, and for five years they had no steady reaching. In March 1796, a call was voted by the iwn to Mr. Pelatiah Chapin. He continued with them irough the summer succeeding, and November the ivitation was renewed, and the terms stated, but he eclined. During the summer of 1797, Rev. John Sawyer, who lad recently been dismissed from Oxford in the State ■f New-Hampshire, was employed as a candidate for fettlement at Boothbay, and in November of that year pceived an invitation to settle there. The Church was till Presbyterian, but was in a declining state. No re- |ival of religion had marked its history since the mln- |.try of Mr. Murray, thirty years before, and the Lord's lipper had not been administered there for twenty years. f; may well be supposed therefore that the Church was li a scattered state. There was no Presbytery in Maine I ♦Boothbay Town Records. IM CONGREGATION ALISTS^ with which they could unite, and it was proposed thai they should relinquish Presbyterianism, and become a Congregational Church. Accordingly in September 1798, William McCobb and seven others, members of the ancient Presbyterian Church, addressed the Lincoln Association, representing their disordered state, and re* questing their aid in reorganizing them as a Congrega- tional Church. Agreeably to this request, the Associas- tion assembled at Boothbay, and having examined a number of the membeis of the Presbyterian Churchy embodied them as a Congregational Church.* This took place September 20, 1798, and in the following month Rev. Mr. Sawyer was installed. In July 1805, Mr. Sawyer requested a dismission. A Council being convened advised to the measure, but the final dissolu- tion of the connexion did not take place until the close of the year 1808. In April following a call was pre* sented to Rev. Jabez Pond Fisher who had once been settled at Nottingham- West in New-Hampshire, which he accepted, and was installed in June of that year Mr. Fisher continued in the ministry at Boothbay a lit* tie more than seven years. In October 1816, he re- quested a dismission, which was granted upon the ad- vice of Council in the following month. A call was soon given to Mr. Jonathan Adams, since settled at Woolwich, to settle at Boothbay which he de- clined. Early in the year 1818, Mr. Isaac Weston waS sent to Boothbay as a Missionary. «< His going thithef was followed by a considerably extensiv revival of re* » Boothhay Church Record?. BOOTHBAY. 145 ligion in the place, from sixty to seventy being made hopeful converts, wh'ch prepared the way for an Invita- tion for him to settle in the Gospel rrtlnistry there.* — Rev. Mr. Weston was ordained at Boothbay in June of that year and remains the Minister of that people. * R.eport of ihe Trustees of the Maine Missionary Society for the year i8i8. 146 CONGREGATIONALISTS, CHAPTEU XV. 1767. It will best comport with our own design next to consider the Ecclesiastical affairs of several towns ir. Lincoln County which are not particularly connected with any others. They are Bristol, ancient Pownalbor- ^ugh, Edgecomb and Litchfield. BRISTOL. The land now the town of Bristol, was granted to El- bridge and Aldsworch by the council of Plymouth in 1639. Some few settlements had been made within the limits of the town nearly ten years before.* A number of people came from New-York and settled on the river Pemaquid about the year 1 665, and remained about fifteen years. During this time a fort was built there, and if we may credit Governor Sullivan's account, a town of some note also. "There is yet," says he, " under the rubbish, near the remains of the fort, a paved street, and the cellarsofnearly thirty and perhaps forty houses." Another fort was built by Sir William Phips in 1692, and taken by the French and Indians from Mount Desert in about four years after.f During the Indian wars at this time the white settlements in Maine were nearly all broken up, and no settlement was again made at Pemaquid until after the year 1717. The town was incorporated by the name of Bristol in 1765. * Sullivan pape ijp. tibid. page 164. BRISTOL. 14.7 We have no account of any Minister in Bristol, or any religious order being observed there prior to the in- corporation of the town. During the great revival of religion at Boothbay in 1767, Mr. Murray often visited Bristol, and the people there became much Interested In religious things.* A little previous to this, the town voted to build three Meeting-houses, one near Pemaquid fort, called "Harrington Parish" one in the northwest- erly part of the town on Damarlscotta river, called ," Walpole Parish" and one in the easterly part of the town called •* Broad Cove." In the latter part of the;' year 1766, one Meeting-house was built, and the Selects men were empowered to procure a Minister, and in June following the town appointed a committee, " to take measures to have a Church organized in the town on the Westminster confession and Presbyterian rules." During the year a Church was organized by Mr. Mur- ray of Boothbay, but no Minister was as yet found for the people. In May 1770, the town, being still desti- fute of a Minister, voted to send for Rev. Mr. Murray to preach with them one month, and baptize their chil- dren, and to send to Dr. Wilherspoon of New- Jersey for a suitable candidate to settle with them. The present generation would probably look on with astonishment to see the inhabitants of a town assembled In town- meeting, voting to have a Church organized among them, and sending for a Minister to come and baptize their children j nor can we at this day ascertain the mo- I ♦Sec the testimony of the Session of the Church at Boothbay 448 CONGREGATIONALISTa. lives by which the people of Bristol were actuated m these very singular proceedings.* The application of the people to Dr. Witherspoon, was successful, and Mr. Alexander McLean a native of Scotland, came on from New Jersey to supply them After a season of trial he received a call in the year 1772, and was ordained in the following year. Mr. McLean was a Physician both of soul and body, a la- borious man in both professions, a very serious preach- er, and an instrument of much good in the place. But the town was badly situated for performing parochial duties, and Mr. McLean's health soon began to fail. — • Some help was occasionally provided for him by the jpeople, and it was thought that it might soon be neces- sary to dismiss him or settle a Colleague. Mr. McLean had requested a dismission on account of his health, but the people unwilling to part with him voted to procure him an assistant. This was in the year 1788. But nothing definite was accomplished, and in the autumn of 1791, he went to Scotland, anct remained there about a year. After his return the town voted to appropriate 25/ to procure a Preacher for the assistance of Mr. McLean ; but no person was provided, and the next year he again requested a dis- mission, which in September 1795, was granted by the town In a hasty manner without convoking a councIU Rev. Mr. McLean was still highly esteemed in the town, and so much confidence did the people place in him, that at the same meeting that his dismission was * Similar iirocf.edlngs were had in the towns of Noiridgewock and New-Cas-- pc. See sketches of tl\.ose towns» • ir BRISTOL. 14j9 voted, he was put on to a committee to obtain a Minis- ter. Within a few months after this Mr. William Rid- del came as a candidate to Bristol. Mr. McLean bein«- much pleased with his preaching made a communica- tion to the town in June 1796, and in a very ingenuous manner proposed to them to recall his request for dis- mission, and still remain their minister, on condition that they would settle Mr. Riddel as a Colleague ; of- fering to preach in the easterly part of the town where he resided without receiving any compensation. This proposal was cheerfully accepted by the town, and Mr. Riddel was ordained in August of that year. Until this time the Church had been Presbyteiian. — Rev. Mr. McLean was educated in that way, and had belonged to the " Salem Presbytery." For some rea- sons he had taken his dismission from that body about twelve years before,* and previous to the ordination of Mr. Riddel the Church, with Mr. McLean as Modera- :or, voted unanimously to change their form to a Con- gregational Church.f After the ordination of his col^ eague Mr. McLean preached occasionally in Bristol as lie had engaged to do, and laboured considerably as a jVIissionary in the waste places around him. He lived libout ten years after this event, and died while on a vis- t at New Castle, but was brought to Bristol and buri- I'd. Rev Mr. Riddel remained Pastor of the Church at Bristol only eight years. In the summer of 1804-, he ms dismissed by mutual consent. After an interval of * See Presbyterial Records Of a meeting held at Grotoii in June 1^84^ t Bristol Chh. Records. N 2 i^O CONGREGATIONALISTS. Lhree years, Rev. Jonathan Belden, who had been dk missed from Winthrop, was installed Pastor of th' Church. This took place Aug. 12, 1807. Mr. Belden remained in connexion with this Church and people ten years, when the parish being dim'nished, he was dis- missed by m.utual consent, and they have since been des- titute. WISCASSET. The ancient town of Pownalborough was incorpo^. rated in the year 1710. It then included what is now Wiscasset, Alna and Dresden. A settlement was at- tempted at Wiscasset pointf as early as 1661, but thej people were driven off by the Indhms. Settlements were again commenced in 1730, and rendered perma- nent.J In the year 1773, a Congregational Church was or- ganized in Pownalborough, and Rev. Thomas Moore was ordained. Mr. Moore remained the Minister of the town eighteen years and was then dismissed. In two- years after the dismission of Mr. Moore, Rev. Alden Bradford was ordained in his stead. Mr. Bradford's Tnlnistry continued about seven years, when at his own special request, on account of 111 health, he was dismiss- p ed. He afterwards regained his healtli, and is now Sec«| retary of >:he State of Massachusetts. In September 1802, Rev. Hezeklah Packard, who was first settled at' Chelmsford, was installed at Wiscasset, and is the pre- sent Minister. -}^Pron>)unced hy the Indians TVhscasset^ and h said to mean the conflucflc.ftj ef three waters or rivcrj.— Hst. Coll. ■f Massaclnisetta Hist. Coll. Vol 7, page 163, WISCASSET. 191 A little previous to the settlement of Mr. Moore at I Wiscasset point, an Episcopal establishment had been made in the northwesterly part of Pownalborough, now the town of Dresden, and Rev. Mr. Bailey employ- ed to officiate.f About tlie time of the ordination of Mr. Bradford in 1793, the parish in this section of the town was incorporated. In 1801, a Congregational Church was organized there, and Rev. Freeman Parker its pre- sent Pastor, was ordained. A third parish had also been established in the north part of Pownalborough. At the time Dresden was incorporated this also was established as a town by the name of New-Milford. It is now called Alna. In the year 1796, a Church was gathered here and Rev. Jona^ than Ward ordained. Mr. Ward continued to preach at Alna a little more than twenty years. In 1817, he was dismissed at his own request, and removed to Ply- mouth in New-Hampshire. After being destitute about one year the Church and people united in the choice of Mr. Samuel Johnson, and he was ordained over them Novembei 25, 1818. He i^ their present Minister. EDGECOMB. This town lies between Boothbay and New-Castle, and has its name probably from Sii Richard Edgecomb of Great Britain to whom Sir Ferdinando Gorges had made a grant of lands in Maine ; or perhaps from John Edgecomb, a descendant of his who once lived in Maine, and endeavored to obtain the land. The tov/n extends fSee Chap. 13, 153 CONGREGATIONALISTS. across the tract of land lying between Damariscotta and Sheepcutt Rivers. A few early settlements were made In It. In 1774, the town was incorporated, yet little was done for the support of the gospel at that time. The reason probably was that the oldest part of the town was separated from WIscasset, only by Sheep* scut river, which the people could cross at any time, and the other parts of the town lay contiguous either to New-Castle or Boothbay ; and as these three towns were supplied with ministers, the people at Edgecomb felt less need ©f the stated ministry of the word among themselves. They however, had some preaching among them. A Mr. Pickles, and some other Minis- ters resided occasionally with them. In the year 1782, Rev. Mr. Whiting was dismissed from New Castle, as has already deen stated, and was not recommended by the Council. The people at Edgecomb were neverthe- less inclined to hear him, and in June 1 783, a CouncIL ^ was convened at Edgecomb who restored Mr. Whiting to good standing, and organized a small Church In that - town. It seems altogether probable that there was an intention of having Mr. Whiting installed at Edgecomb. But it never took place, and no candidate was Invited to settle here for eighteen years after the gathering of the Church. The first settled Mlnlstei of the town was Rev. Benjamin Chatman. He was ordained March ^ih 1801, and lived but little more than three years. — He died with a consumption July 13, 1804. After be- ing destitute three years Rev. Samuel Sewall was or- dained Pastor of the Church, September 30, 1807. — Mr. Sewall continued his ministrations at Edgecomb LITCHFIELD. 153 eleven years. The Society then became weakened, the civil contract between him and the people was dis- solved, and he removed to Phipsburg, but still retains his pastoral relation to the Church at Edgecomb. LITCHFIELD. This town lies in the westerly part of Lincoln County adjoining Monmouth in Kennebeck County, and was first settled in 1778. A Congregational Church con- sisting of four males and eleven females was organized there on June 6, 181 1. It now consists of twenty-fivo members, and about thirty families are connected with the Society. " Some facts respecting the history of the Church in Litchfield are worthy of preservation. Two brothers by the name of Smkh, about 40 years ago, from Massa- chusetts, commenced the settlement of the town. Hav- ing been accustomed from early life, to attend the pub- lic worship of God, they were unwilling to live even in the wilderness without observing the Sabbath as they hap been taught to do, and especially were they unwil- ling their children should grow up in ignorance of the 'duty and privilege of public worship. Hence soon af- ter their settlement, they set up a meeting on the Sab- bath for prayer, the reading of the Scriptures, and such suitable books as they had. This meeting has been continued to the present time ; and not a Sabbath has ^ occurred when one of these pious brothers was not able to attend this little flock, and to take the lead in these holy services. As the fruit, no doubt, of these pious labcnrs, in 1811 a revival of religion was experienced, 154j CONGREGATIONALISTS. and twenty five sonls became hopefully the subjects of grace ; about one half of whom were the children of these faithful men. One of these excellent men is dead," and the other has reached nearly fourscour years. The ! Church and society are anxious to have a Pastor, and their venerable spiritual guide, like aged Simeon, is waiting for the consolation that he may depart in peace."* ♦ Repsrt of the Mas--acliusetts Mlssinnafy Society for iSit^ ae published i* the Boston Recorder for Jurte Jo- JSiii «OUNTY OP HANCOCK. 155 CHAPTER XVI. 1773. Oor attention will now be directed eastward to the Churches gathered in the County of Hancock. In the whole. County we find fourteen Congregational Church- es, ten on the eastern and four on the western side of Penobscot river. We shall consider first those in the eastern division of the County as being the most an- cient. This territory was early visited by the Europe- ans. " The people of the Colony of New Plymouth erected a trading house within the towa of Penobscot '(atCastine probably) in the year 1626."* After that !;he French had possession. In 1654, Oliver Cromwell sent Major Sedgewick with some forces who took the liort at Castine, and subjugated the country to the east- ward of that place. The town of Sedgewick most pio- bably has its name from this man. At the treaty of Breda, in 1667, this part of the country was ceeded to (he French by Charles the 2d. Soon after this a French ;Bar«n called Castine, or Casteen as the name is some- jimes spelt, took up his residence at Penobscot.f Some )eople supposed him to be a Jesuit, and others consider- ed his personal character as equivocal. All were how- j:ver convinced, of his entire enmity to the people of !>Iew England. Voltaire and the Abbe Raynal, con* liider his character as a very extraordinary one. They I r ' » Sullivan page 158. j -f " Barron Castine settled on the eastern side of the Penobscot near its Uouth if. \i6ii apd died there ia i6p7.— Hist. Coll, vol. 9, page si8. 156 CONGREGATIONALISTS. say that he was Colonel of the Regiment of Carignon ; a man of good connexions, and of good abilities."* — After Castine settled at Penobscot he cultivated thej friendship of the Savages, and married the daughter of| an Indian Chief. But nothing like a civilized settle- ment was made on the Penobscot at this time. Castine was himself but a better sort of a Savage and did no- thing toward civilizing the tribe with which he was! connected ; and there were no considerable white settle- ments made within this territory prior to the year 1770. About this time a few houses were scattered along on the western side of Bigwaduce river, within the town of Penobscot. In May 1774, there were seven houses only on the neck where the village of Castine is now built, and only four of them framed buildings, the oth- ers being of logs. The Church at Bluehill is the most ancient of any ia this region. The settlement in this town was commenc- ed in the year 1763. Mr. Joseph Wood moved into the town in April ®f that year, and was followed in Novem- ber by Mr. John Roundy. From that time the settle- ment advanced with a tolerable degree of rapidity. — The plantation was first called East Andover, and then Newport, but was finally incorporated by the name of Blue hill in October 1788. So earnest were the people to obtain the stated Ministry of the word that in only five years after the first family mov x: into the town the inhabitants by vote appropriated a sum of money to support a Minister. For about twenty five years from this time, and until the permanent settlement of the ♦$al4ivan page 158. tlOUNTY OF HANCOCK. 157 ministry among them, the people at Blue hill were sup- plied with preaching during a part of several years by different persons, some who came as candidates for set- tlement, some who were hired by the people for short terms of time, and some who were Missionaries. Rev. Messrs. Little, Lancaster, Oliver Noble, Seth Noble, Currier, Sawyer, Read, Miller, Lyon, McClintock, Cleaveland, and Huse, were the principal of them. — Rev. Mr. Little of Kennebunk, was at Bluehill as early as the year 1772, and in October of that year he gath- ered a Church there consisting of eight males, and six- females. It was a little vine planted in the midst of a howling wilderness, but through the merciful provi- dence of God it was not suffered to be destroyed. In ; the summer of 1793, Mr. Jonathan Fisher was employ- , ed by the people to preach at Bluehill. On the ap- . proach of winter he returned to the westward, and in j the summer succeeding came again to Bluehill. In the year 1795, he was again there, and in October of I this year received a call to settle, and was ordained Ju- ily 13, 1796. The exercises of the ordination were per- ; formed at the head of the Bay in a field, near where the road now passes the grist-mill.f About three years after the ordination of Rev. Mr. Fisher, the place was visited with a gracious outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and fifty-seven persons were gather- led into the Church in one year. Considering the state [of the settlement at that time this must have been a Ivery considerable revival of religion. In the year 1816, + Church Records, 15B GONGIIEGATIOXALISTS. many were awakened, and forty persons were added t6 the Church. Mr. Fisher is still their Minister. Not long after the organization of the Church at Bluehill a Church was gathered on Deer Isle, which is the outermost land on the eastern shore of Penobscot Bay. A small settlement was made here early, and notwithstanding their insulated situation the people en- joyed the regular ordinances of the Gospel at a period considerably earlier than any other town eastward of the Penobscot. In the year 1785, Rev. Peter Powers, who had been dismissed from Haverhill in New-Hamp- shire the year before, came to Deer Isle, and took the pastoral charge of the Church in that place. In this station he continued to labour with zeal, activity and success for fourteen years, when he was removed from them by death. In the year 1798, a revival of religion commenced at Deer Ifle and continued into the next year. A letter written by Mr. Powers dated March 20, 1799, is presented in Backus' History of the Baptists, in which he states that there were then forty " subjects of the work," and many more " under pressing convic- tions." Mr. Powers was at that time confined to his house, and Mr. Ebenezer Eaton, a licentaie Preacher of Mount Desert, was labouring among his people. He was near the close of life, and was no longer able to go in and out before the people of his charge. He died in the early part of the same year. Mr. Powers was a faithful and discriminating preacher, and was possessed of superior talents. A publication of his entitled "iv,;j humble enquiry into the nature of covenanting with God," was issued about three years before his death. It exhibits much strength of mind, and contains very con* m COUNTY OF HANCOCK i5d elusive reasoning against the practice of what has been termed the " Half way Covenant." For ten years after the death of Mr. Powers the Church was destitute of a stated Pastor. Daring this term the people were supplied with Preachers a part of the time. In 1802, they invited Mr. Phinehas Randal to settle with them. Mr. Randal had been preaching at Norridgewock, and the parts adjacent, and had been the favored instrument of a considerable revival of re- ligion there. He however, declined the invitation of the people at Deer Isle, and they were left still destitute* In 1809, the people succeeded in a resettlement of the Gospel ministry among them. Rev. Joseph Brown, who was first settled in England, and after that at Ex» eter in New-Hampshire, having been dismissed from that place, was Installed at Deer Isle. Mr. Brown con- tinued in the ministry at this place ten years. Toward the close of that peiiod, supposing that he was no long- er useful at Deer Isle, he sGlicited of the people a dismis- sron, to which they consented, but it was never consum- mated by any ecclesiastical act, and Mr. Brown remain- ed Pastor of the Church until his death which took place suddeilly In September 181 9. The Church is now vacant. Rev. Abijah Wines, formerly of Newport in New-Hampshire has been labouring among the people for a considerable time, and much attentfon to religion has appeared. The third Church organized In the eastern part of the County of Hancock, was at Sedgewlck. The set- tlements were made at this place about the same time 160 CONGREGATIONALISTS. with those at Bluehill. It was called by the Indians Naskeeg and was incorporated by its present name in January 1789. In a short time, the people anxious to enjoy the stated ordlnancesof religion took measures for the settlement of a Minister. In September 1793, Rev.. Daniel Merrill was ordained Pastor of the Church. — The Churches assisting on this occasion were those at Deer Isle, Byefield, and the North Church in Newbury- port. Dr. Spring preached on the occasion, Mr. Pow- ers gave the charge, and Dr. Parish presented the right hand. In about five years after the ordination of Mr, Merrill divine infiuences were copioufly afforded at Sedgewick, and a very remarkable revival of religion took place. Indeed a most refreshing shower spread over the whole vicinity. In the year 1804-, Mr. Merrill professed a change in his sentiments in regard to Bap- tism. The greater part of the Church (embraced his new opinions, and on the 15th of May IS6.% Mr. Mer- rill and about eighty others were immersed, a Baptist Church was constituted, and Mr- Merrill v/as re-ordain- cd as its Pastor. The Congregational Church was not however wholly broken up. A few were still attached ^ to the principles of psedobaptism, and some additions have since been made to them. About thirty members are now found in the Church,* but the society has not ^ yet acquired sufficient strength to settle another minister. The next religious establishment in this region was in ihe town of Penobscot. We have already noticed the first settlement at this place. The Indians called the * Report of the Trusteas of the Maine Missionary Pocietj for iS.:3". COUNTY OF HANCOCK. 161 place Majorbigwaduce, and it is still by some called by the corrupted^ name, " Bagaduce." In February 1787, the town was incorporated by the name of Penob- scot, and then comprehended Castine also. The same year the town made provision to employ a Preacher, and soon took measm-es to build a Meeting-house. But concerning the location of this there was no small dissen- tion.* The settlement on the point was then increasing, but the more considerable and older settlements were several miles up Bigwaduce river, it was therefore evi- dent that the people would not all be well accommodat- ed in any one place of worship. Accordingly In June 17 )3, a parish w^as established in the old part of the town, and the settlement of a minister hastened. Mr. Jonathan Powers, the son of Rev. Mi. Powers of Deer- Isle, was employed as a Preacher, and in March 1795^ received from the parish an invitation to settle. But as yet there was no Church in the town, and on June 17th a Council was convened "at the old Meeting-house, near Col. William Webbers" where after a sermon by Rev. Mr. Powers of Deer Isle, fifteen persons, including tihe pastor elect, were formed into a regular Church.f On the 26th of August following a Council was again convened, and Rev. Mr. Powers was ordained. Mr. Powers remained happily and usefully employed at Pe- nobscot until the autmun of the year 1807, when he was removed by death. In a httle more than a year from this, the Maine Missionary Society sent Mr. Philip Spaulding to reside awhile at Penobscot. His labours^ ♦ See Penobscot Tovrn Records. ^CbuTch Records 02 iQ2 CONGREGATIOXALISTS. proving acceptable to the people, the parish addres- sed a letter to the Trustees of the Society who relin- quished their claims upon him, and In November 1809, he was ordained over the Church and people In that place. Mr. Spaulding continued at Penobscot a little more than three years, when he thought it expedient to ask a dismission, to which the people consented, with advice of council in August 1813. He has since been settled at Jamaica in Vermont. The Church at Penob- scot has since been destitute of a stated Pastor. The new town of Brooksville has recently been taken from that of Penobscot, and a considerable proportion of the ehurch members belong to that town. The second parish in Penobscot found it expedient soon to become a separate town, and in the year 1796, it was incorporated by the name of Castine. In about a year after this Mr. William Mason was employed to preach at Castine, and in October 1 793, a Chuxch was organized, and Rev. Mr. Mason was ordained. He is the present Minister of that people. Several years after this, a number of people living at Castine had become members of the Congregational Church in Bluehill. Thinking they might enjoy spe- cial ordinances among themselves with greater conve- nience, they were at length constituted a second Con- gregational Church in Castine. This took place in August 1820. Next in date to the Church at Penobscot we find that at Mount Desert. This is a large mountainous Island COUNTY OF HANCOCK. 103 lying between Frenchman's Bay* on the east, and UnIoy> river on the west, and now comprehending the towns of Mount Desert and Eden. The French erected a Fort here about the year 1603, and called the place Mount Mansell, and the fort they called Sauveur. They were however driven away by Sir Samuel Argal in 1618. f During this time two Jesuits resided at Mount Desert, and after the French were driven oiF a few families remained, and in 1693, one Thurry, a French Missionary, resided there for a time. But no very considerable settlement was made at Mount Desert until after the revolutionary war. Mis- sionaries occasionally visited the place, and after the set- tlement of Mr. Powers at Deer Isle the people some- times enjoyed the benefit of his labours. Previous to the year 1 798, a small Church had been gathered here, ♦ When De Mottc first came to America fabout 1603) there came one Nicholas D'Aubri, a French Ecclesiastic of very good family connexions.— Nicholas went on shore upon the west side of the Bay of Fundy, which at that time had no name appropriated to it, but was considered as belonging to the waters of Acadie. Curiosity, which had brought him from Europe led him into the woods ; and tlie boat from which he had landed left him to his fate. His account of his sufferings was no doubt very pitiful ; for he remain* ed three weeks in the wilderness, wandering from place to place under the most terrible apprehensions, until the boat of the same vessel, by accident found him on the yhore, and restored him to the ship's company. From this accident the waters of the whole bay of Fundy were called "French- man's Bay." The inner part of the waters called Frenchman's Bay finally gained the appellation of the Bay of Fundy, and the ancient appellation be- time appropriated to the western side of the waters, and near to Mount Desert,'* Abbe Raynal, and Carthier's Voyages, cited by SuUir^ page $^, t Purchase and Smith cite^GREGATI©NALISTS. and Mr. Ebenezer Eaton, a member of that Churck was licensed to pieach, a»d thus the enjoyment of con- stant preaching was secured to the people. In June of the year 1798, a very extensive revival of religion com- menced there, and made progress to a considerable de- gree in the subsequent year. The following extract from a letter written by Mr. Powers of Deer Isle, dated March 20, 1799, will best exhibit the state of things at that time. " In the beginning of June last I was called « to Mount Desert to administer sacraments to a Church " who have not a stated Pastor, and tarried with them " about nine days ; when, in preaching my second ser- " mon, the glory of the Lord came down in a wonderful " manner. One convicted and hopefully converted un- ♦* der the sermon was added to the Church about two •'days after, and three others who had befoie obtained " a hope. Three months after this I went again to ad- ♦« minister the Lord's supper, at which time I admitted •* twenty-eight who had been hopefully brought home iet "the interval. The work of conviction was then going ♦« on powerfully in the town, and spreading into those •* adjoining on the same Island. Our association had •* licensed dear Mr. Ebenezer Eaton to preach, who im- « proved his talent, labouring night and day among « them, whom the Lord remarkably owned." * The Church at Mount Desert has ever since continued in a flourishing state. In 1816 an extensive revival of religion again marked its history, and between sixty aad * Backos'hietory cf the Baptists Vol. i. page J37^ COUNTY OF HANCOCK. 165 seventy souls obtained a hope in the Lord. * No person has ever yet been ordained to the pastoral care of this Church. Mr. Eaton, who is mentioned by Mr. Powers still lives at Mount Desert, and preaches constantly there. He has often been solicited to take the pastoral charge of the Church, but declines receiving ordina- tion. SULLIVAN. On September 26, 1801, Rev. Abijah Wines and Rev. Jotham Se-wall organized a small Church in the town of Sullivan, a town lying at the head of Frenchman's Bay. It is still small and destitute of a stated Pastor. BUCKSPORT. A few settlements weie made in the upper part of this town either during the revolutionary war or soon after the peace. But the settlement where the chief village is now built is of recent origin. At the open- ing of the year 1803 there were but seventeen houses at that spot. At that time a Congregational Church was gathered there, and their present Minister, Rev. Mighill Blood, was ordained. ELLSWORTH. A settlement was made at this place about the year 1763. Union river f intersecting the town made it * See Mr. Eaton's journal m tlie Report of the Trustees «f the Maine Mis- sionary Society for 1817. t The name of this rivei is iaid to have originated in the following cir- cumsunce : In 1162, Livermorc Esq- and certain others with Iiim came there to lay out twelve townships of land, six to be west, and six to be cast of Mount De.s«Tt. Finding the townships to meet on this river which extended up into the country, it was proposed to call it " Union river,'* which after the ceremony of breaking a botlle of Rum was agreed to. £f« B'.uehill Church Rtcerdif. 166 CONGREGATIONALISTS. convenient as a place of business. In the autumn of the year 1784, Rev. John Uiquhart * a Presbyterian Clergyman, visited this place, and preached for a term of time. This town was some times called New-Bod- wine, but was not then incorporated, and the inhabitants principally occupied the township No 6, and No. 1. In the summer of 1 785, Mr. Urquhart was preaching at Topsham, and Benjamin Joy, and John Smith, as a com- mittee for the people at Union river, empowered Capt. Matthew Patten to proceed to Topsham and present a call to Mr. Urquhart to become their Minister, and to request the '* Salem Presbytery** about to meet there to install him. This was accordingly done on the 7th of September in that year.f Mr- Urquhart now proceed- ed to Union river, and commenced his stated labours ;; but difficulties soon appeared. The' character of Mr.. Urquhart was suspicious ; the people became dissatisfied with him, and he was dismissed from them in the early part of the year 179(X It does not appear probable,, considering all circumstances, that any Church was regularly organized at Union river during Mr, Urqu. hart's ministry, no record of such- a transaction being found. In September 1812, a Congregational Church was, gathered in Ellsworth, and the present Minister Rev» Peter Nourse was ordained. * This name is pronounced Urcutt, and sometimes OrcutSi ■* See^skttch of the Pieebylcrianr. BOUNTY OF HANCOCK. i&Y BELFAST. This town lies at the head of Penobscot Bay, and Is divided almost centrally by Belfast River, which is navigable nearly three nalles from the Bay.* The settle- ment began before the revolutionary war, which was distressingly felt by the people. Most of the inhabi- tants were constrained to leave their farms and remove westward, and did not return again until after the peace. About ninety families had settled in Belfast at the com- mencement of the year 1796. These were all settled near the sea shore. At that time there were only twelve framed houses in the town, and but one two stories in height. In March of this year Mr. Ebenezer Price was invited to preach at Belfast as a candidate for settlement. Toward autumn he received a regular call, and on the 28th of December, a council being assembled a small church was organized, and the day following Mr. Price was ordained. The persons composing the Church had been professors of religion In Piesbyterian Churches, But being so far removed from any Presbytery they re- linquished that form of government, and were organ- ized on the Cambridge platform as to government, and the Westminster Confession as to doctrine. For about five years Mr. Price remained quietly at Belfast. In that time the population of the town was doubled, and a majority was found to vote against assessing his sala- *-y. In the spring of 1802, his civil contract with the *"This river was called by the natives Pasagasiwakeag, pronounced Pa- S3g-a.sa-wa-keag, and sometimes contracted into Sag.a-sa-wa kee, the name given to the adjoining territory or hunting ground, signifying the land of sights, or ghosts !» Rcv. Mr. Price's letter. i68 GOSREGATIONALISTS, town was dissolved by mutual consent, and in Septem- ber following a council was invited to meet at Belfast, and his pastoral relation to the Church regularly dissol- ved. He continued however to preach to the people gratuitously until the spring of 1803, when he remov- ed from' the town and settled in Boscawen in New- Hampshire. The Church was now vacant for two years. In the summer of 1805, Rev. Alfred Johnson of Freeport visi- ted Belfast, and was invited by the people to settle with them. But he was not yet dismissed from Freeport. In September of that year a council was convened at Cam- den for the ordination of Rev. Mr, Cochran in that place, and by agreement of parties the question respecting the dissolution of the pastoral relation between Mr. Johnson and his former charge was referred to that Council, and decided affirmatively ; at the same time, by request of Mr. Johnson and the Church at Belfast, that council issued letters missive for convoking another Council to sit at Belfast during the next week for his proposed in- stallation. The Council met accordingly, and Rev. Mr.. Johnson was installed Pastor of the Church in Belfast on the 25th of September 1 805. A previous arrangement had been made between him and the Church respecting his dismission should such a measure ever become expe- dient. Agreeably to this arrangement Mr. Johnson was dismissed in October 1813, without summoning a coun- cil specially for that purpose. The Church was thus left destitute of a stated Pastor. Missionary Societies gave them occasional aid, and for several years the peo- COUNTY OF HANCOCK. lOi) ,ple did not view themselves in a situation to settle anoth- er Minister. In the year 1S18 the people had employed, as a can- tfidate for settlement, Rev, William Frothingham, who had been once settled at Saugus in Massachusetts. — After a time spent in probation he received an invitation to settle in the Ministry among them. As the time for his installation approached, the Church declined acting in tlieir associated capacity, but the parish proceeded, a Council was invited, and Mr. Frothingham installed. — This took place in July 1819. On the 9th of Septem- ber following a new Church was formed under the pas- toral care of Mr. Frothingham, consisting principally of members of various other churches who had removed in- to the town. The old Church still continue as a dis- tinct body. The second Church, gathered in ihe westerly part of Hancock County, was in a Congregational Society in the towns of Brooks and Jackson, about fifteen miles north- west from Belfast. Several Congregational families had commenced the sett'eraent in these townships, and Mr. Silas Warren had laboured considerably among them as a Missionary, Tlie people felt desirous that Mr. War* ren should take up his abode among them, which he was disposed to do. But, as it did not seem expedient to organize a Church at that rime, Mr. Warren was or- dained as an Evangelist without any peculiar charge. This took place in September 1812. About a year after this, Mr^ Warren gathered a Church in thai^ place, and became connected with it as a member, and continue? hisministeri^l labour, buthas not been regularly inducted P 170 COXGREGATIONALISTS. as Pastor of the Church. — The other Church in this re- gion is in the town of Prospect. This town was origi- nally a part of Frankfort, and was incorporated with that in 1789, but in five years after, the town was divi- ded, and the south part called Prospect. A small set- tlement was made here early, and a Fort built on what •cvas, from this circumstance, denominated "Fort point," which is at the head Of Penobscot Bay, and commands the entrance of the river. The settlements to the west- ward of Fort point within the limits of Prospect were of t'he same standing with those in Belfast, and it being but a few miles to the old Meeting-house in that town many of the inhabitants of Prospect attended public wor- ship at Belfast. It was not until the year 1815, that a Congregational Church was organized in Prospect.-— Rev. Christopher J. Lawton had been for a considera- ble time employed there as a Missionary, and occasion- ally supported ft>r short terms by the people. They at; iength gave him an invitation to settle, and in Septem- ber of that year he wtfs ordained, a Church of seventeen rriembers being gathered at the same t^me^ WALDO PATENT. i7t CHAPTER XVII. 1775. WALDO" PATENT* iTnder this general name we shall treat of all the Churches in Lincoln County to the eastward of Bristol, the other religious establishments within this territory having been considered in the preceding Chapter. A- bout the year 1629, a grant of lands in Maine was made Vo Beauchamp and Leverett. The land was thus de- scribed. ** Beginning at a place called Muscongu^ and thence running a straight and direct course into the main land or Continent to the utmost limits of ten league^ toward the great Sea commonly called the South Sea, and to the utmost limits of the distance of ten leagues on the north and north east of a river called Penobscot river" Sac. Many years after this, Col. Waldo went tp Englaad on behalf of the heirs of Beauchamp and Lever, ett, and the grant was confirmed to him in a more de- finite form as to its bounds. The first considerable settlement in the whole territory was a German settlement at what is now Waldobo- rough, made about the year 1741. A little after this a Fort was built on St. Georges river in Thomastoi^ Col. Waldo began the settlement at Warren and Cub- ing not far from the tipie the Germans settled at Wal- doborough, and called his settlement " the upper and lower town." The inhabitants in Warren had increase ed to between forty and fifty families in the year 1 763, IT^ uo:<"gr'egationalistsv and about as many had settled at Chusliing. At tij'I^ time the settlement at Thomaston, where the piincipal Iiulldings are now erected, was commenced. Before this time a small settlemet was made around the fort, and Rev. Robert Rutherford had taken iip his abode with the people. It does not appear that Mr. Ruther- ford had a distinct pastoral charge in Thomaston, or tliat any Church was gathered there during his life. He died there in October 1756. * The next Minister who resided in this region was I^ev. John Urquhart, a Presbyterian. He had been licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Allon in North Biittain, and canae first to this couatry In the year 1774,f and was soon employed to preach at Warren. There is some reason to believe that Mr. Urquhart was regu- . xarly settled at Warren, as a regular call was presented- him in the year 1 775, and he was considered the Min- 'ister of the town for nearly eight years ; and was at last regularly removed by the Presbytery, convened at Salem in September 1783. J It is not certainly known whether Mr. Urquhart gathered a Church at Vv^arren. £rom some circumstances it jis most probable that he did, but no record of the transaction [s now to be found, and if such an event took place the Church was scat- tered as soon as he left the town. During the i^esidence » Mr. Rutherford was buried near the stit of tlie late Gen Knox. Tlie. following is the inscription on the t=tone phiced over his grave—" Hers, lies buried the body of the Rev. Mr. Robert Rutherfo.rri, M. A. who died, »n the i8th day of October 17515 3;;ed 6^ yr.r?. f Presbytftjal Recosds. f^ Prvsby'.-ria! Recirda WALDO PATENT. 17^ of Mr. Urquhart m this region he preached occasional- ly at Thomaston and Cashing, but was considered the Minister of Warren. The nature of the difficulties be- tween Mr. Urquhart and the people is unknown at this day. But it seems they were more anxious to get rid of him than he was to go, for when the town had by a committee settled with him for his services, supposing him disn\issed, he did not incline to leave the place and the town wrote to the Presbytery desiring them to take^ him away. * Two years after this, Rev. Thurston Whiting who liad been dismissed from New. Castle, removed to War- ren, and was employed to preach there aud in the ad- joining town for two or three years. In 1794, Mr. Jonathan Huse was employed to pieacli at Warren on probation. The following year the people invited him to settle with them, and in the autumn of 1795, a Church was gathered, and R.ev. Mr. Huse ordained. He is their present Minister. The second Church within the limits of the Waldo Patent was gatliered at Union, a town about seven miles -north of Warren. This town was originally called Sterllngton, but was incorporated by its present name in 1786. There were only seventeen families in the town at that time. Three years after this a committee was appointed to engage a Minister, but it does not ap- pear that any was regularly employed until the year 1796. In April of that y«ar Mr. William Riddel, af- terward the Minister of Bristol, xyas invited to se^e at * Wafrcn tovm Rctords. P2 ly^ CONGIIEGATIONALIST^.* Union, but declined. The people were considerably dtf vided in opinion, and the next year they voted to hire a Methodist preacher as the Minister of the town. Noth- ing more was attempted by the Congregational part of fhe town for several years, toward the close of the year 1802, Mr. Abraham Gushee was engaged by the town to preach on probation, and in February following he received an invitation to settle there. For some reason he thought fit to decline this invitation, and he was set- lied afterward at T)ighton in Massachusetts. During this year a small Church was organized in the town, and the people sought another candidate. In January 1804* a call of the Church and town was presented to Rev. Jabez Pond Fisher, which he also declined. In a little more than a year after this Mr. Henry True was em- ployed in Union as a candidate for settlement. In No • vember 1805 he received a call and was ordained ii> -September of the next year. Mr. True continued to officiate in the ministry at Union nearly ten years after his ordination. In March 1816, the civil contract be- tween Jiim and the people was dissolved by mutual coC"- sent, and he soon ceased preaching. His pastoral re- lation to the Church xrontinued a few years longer. In February 1809, a second Congregational Church was formed in Union, consisting of three males, and 3iine females who had previously been members of the* first Church. Thus things continued in Union until the year 1820s Missionaries occasionally visited the town but the peo- ple saw little prospect of the orderly ^sublishment of ^vALDo PATEN r.^ 173 t?5e Gospel amor.g them. In September 1820, the first Church proposed to the secorid to unite together, which after some negotiation was efFected. Tliis township was surveyed in 1768, by David Fales, Esq. of Thomaston. At that time there was not a tree felled in the town. The settlement soon became considerable, and after hearing several candidates the town became united in the choice of Mr. Thomas Coch- ran as their Minister, and in September 1805 he w^as ordained A Church was organized by the ordaining Council. Rev. Mr. Cochran remained in Camden tea years, and was then dismissed by mutual consent. The Church has since been vacant. The Congregational Church at Waldoborough was gathered in August 1807, and at the same time Rev. John Ruggles Cutting was ordained its Pastor, The settlements at this place as has been before stated were among the first in the Waldo patent, but the original settlers were mostly Germans, and th« Lutheran Church had the precedency. This accounts for the late estab- lishment of a Congregational Church in so ancient a settlement. The people had occasionally been supplied with Congregational preaching before, but Mr. Cutting was their first settled Minister. The ministry of Mr. Cutting was of short duration. In the autumn of 1811, he left the town, and went westward on a journey, and after an absence of several months, sent back a request to be dismissed, siati»g that he had changed his senti- msnts, and w^as now becQiw ^ Episcopalian. A Caun* 176 cil u'as convoked by the Church in March follow! ngj-; and the dismission granted. The Church was now va- cant for a few years, when on June 19, 1816, Rev. Da- vid Meaubec Mitchel was ordained, and is the present Minister, THOMASTON. As we have before stated, an early settlement was made in this town near the Fort. The Indians called the place Georgeehecy and it was incorporated by its pres- 18* CONGREGATIONALTSTS. isted there. This induced the Church to call in an TLc* clesiastical Council to advise them in their difficulties, and determine whether they were a Church. A Coun- cil as requested assembled on the 18th of October 1803, and after attendir^g to a representation of the state of tilings, gave it as their unanimous opinion that the Church was not extinct. The Church then in presence of the Council voted to change their form to that of a Congregational Church, and seven male members sub- scribed a Confession of Faith and Covenant. Previous to these transactions of the Church Mr. A- inasa Smith, a candidate for the Gospel ministry, being on a journey and passing through the town, was em- ployed by the inhabitants to supply them with preach- ing. After having preached a number of weeks, the Church unanimously gave him an invitation to settle with them. The town concurred in the invitation, and Mr. Smith was ordained there May 23, 1804-. The in- , habitants of the town were not fully agreed in the settle- ment of Rev. Mr. Smith, and the immediate conse- quence of it was the establishment of a Society of Uni- versalists in which fifty four persons were incorporated ; thirty others joined with tbem within a year. These measures led the Congregational part of the inhabitants to organize themselves as a distinct Parish, in which ca- pacity they have since acted. The lands reserved for the use ot the Ministry in the town, and those for the use of Schools had been sold a little before this by or- der of the Legislature, and the proceeds vested in s. Board of Trustees, to be applied for the respective pur- poses for which the lands were granted, as soon as th^,. COUNTY OF OXFORD. 185 nitereat of the School Fund amounted to 200 dollars, •and the ministerial when it amounted to 350 dollars. The School Fund became productive in 1808, and' the ministerial in March 1811. As there was no assistance from the ministerial fund for the support of Mr. Smith, and as nearly half the town had become a distinct Society and were not taxed in raising his salary, the burden upon the remaining part was considerably heavy. It had been agreed between Mr. Smith and people al his settlement, that, when two thirds of the people re- quested it, he should be dismissed. In the spring of 1806, a meeting was held to consider this subject, but two thirds were not found to vote the proposed dismis- sion. A committee was appointed however to consult with Mr. Smith on this subject, and he and they agreed that his dismission should eventnally take place. It was finally accomplished October 7th of the same year, and on the 22d of the same month he was installed Pastor of the second Church in North-Yarmouth. The minis- try of Mr. Smith at Turner was short, but it is hoped not wholly without good effect. Much of the seed of divine truth was sown, but the extent of the harvest viewed in all its consequences can be . known only to God. Eight persons while he was in the pastoral office became members of the Church After the dismission of Mr. Smith, four years past a»- way and the Church was destitute of a Pastor, During this period the place was visited by several Missionaries, mostly from the Hampshne County Missionary Society, la the spring of 1810, the present Pastor of the Church, Q2 18^ CONGREGATION ALISTS. •V. Allen Greely, began to preach as a candidate for :i)ement. At this time the Church contained but >^venty one members. In the course of the summer Mr. Greely received the united call of the Church and So- cie:y. md was ordained October SI, IS 10. The next summer after his settlement a few individuals had their attention excited ro the things of the eternal world; but there was no general awakening. Moie than six years past away and gross darkness covered the people. At lene'uh in die suinmer of 1816, God was pleased to Im- press seriousness on the minds of a number. The influ- ences of his Spirit were silent, and the ejffects were so- lemn. The attention continued during two seasons, and In consequence of it the Church was enlarged so as to contain more than sixty members. In the year 1798 the plantation of New Suncook, now the town of Lovell,\vas favored with a signal display of mercy in the hopeful conversion of a considerable num- ber of persons. The consequence of this was the estab- lishment of a Congregational Church there, which took place on the 6th of October in that year. Nine persons were admitted at that time. Subsequently forty seven persons have been received into this Church. Some of these persons lived in the adjoining towns, particularly In Sweden, where a Church has since been gathered* By deaths and removals the Church In Lovell Ig now reduced to twenty eight members. About twenty fam- .ilies belong to the Congregational Society. COUNTY OF OXFORD. l&f BETHEL. The town of Bethel was granted to certain inhabf- tants of Sudbury, in Massachusetts for services perform- ed in Canada in "the old French ivar.*' Hence the plantation took the name of " Sudbury Canada." The first permanent settlement in the town was made by Mr. Samuel Ingals. He first came there in the sum- mer of 1776, and moved his family to the town in No- vember of the following year. The Congregational Church in that place was formed in October 1799, and consisted of seven males and four females. Rev. Dan- iel Gould was then preaching in the town as a candidate for settlement. The people had given him a call, which he had accepted, and he was ordained October 9th, two days after the organization of the Church. In May 1809, Rev. Mr. Gould was dismissed from Bethel, and the Church remained vacant ten years. In January 1819, Rev. Henry Sewall was installed there, but difii^ culties soon arose between him and the people and he was dismissed on the 10th of May 1820. They are' now destitute. WATERFORD. The first settlement In this towm was made by Mr. David McQuain In the autumn of 1775, He is still liv- ing there, a bachelor, at the present day. It was not till 1783, that any considerable settlement was made- The first Inhabitant of Waterford who was in full communion with any Chrisjtian Church, was a Mrs. Hor, the wife of Mr. Philip Hor, originally fromTaun- 188 CONGREGATIONALISTS. ton. No Church was organized in the town until Oc. tober 1799. Then eight males covenanted together, and became a church of Christ. At the same time Rev. Lincoln Ripley of Barre in Massachusetts was or- dained their Pastor. He has continued with them to the present time. Eleven more males and four females were soon admitted to the Church, and the Lord's sup- per was administered foi the first time. Before the close of the year, twenty-five persons more were added to the Church. The attention to religion still continu- ed. Nine members were added the next year, and the same number in 1801.* ANDOVER. Andover, formerly called East Andover, is a pleas» ant town lying in the northerly part of the County of Oxford, about ten miles north of Pennycook falls on the Androscoggin. Ellis' river intersect'^ the town, and settlements are made on both sides of itextendngabout five miles. The first family that moved into the town was that of Ezekiel Merrill Esq. in May 1 789. Two years after, other families came in, and in 1804 the town was incorporated. In November 1800, a Congre* gational Church was organized in the town by Rev. Daniel Gould of Bethel, consisting of seven males and nine females. The Church and Society, though few in number soon made exertions to obtain a Minister, and in the early part of the year 1806, a call was presented to the Rev. Jacob Rice, formerly of Htnniker, (N. H.) to become their Minister. But Mr. Rice declined their invitation, and was afterward settled at Brownfield.*— *M3sa, Hist. Coll. vol. 9, p. I4S', COUNTY OF OXFORD. 189 Shortly after, Rev. John Strickland, formerly of Tur- ner, was engaged as a candidate, and installed Pastor of the Church, March 12, 1806. He is their present Min- i ster. SUMNER. ' This town at its first settlement together with the greater part of what is now Hartford was originally called the plantation of Butterfield.* Both towns were incorporated in 1798. Occasional preaching was en- joyed here and some baptisms administered, but no Church was gathered until the month of September 1802. At that time by the joint labours of Rev. Enoch Hale of West Hampton, and Rev. Jonathan Grout of Hawley Missionai ies from the Hampshire County Mis- sionary Society, and Rev. Jonathan Scott of Minot a Congregational Church was constituted consisting of eighteen members, eight of them being males. Not far from this time through the instrumentality of Missiona- ries and others there was a considerable attention to re- ligion, and the Church was subsequently enlarged. It continued to receive yearly accessions, but had no stated Pastor for ten years after its formation. In October 181 1, the Church together with other individuals in Sum- ner and Hartford united In presenting a call to Mr. Samuel Sewall, who was ordained June 3, 1812. The. whole number of members in the Church at that time was fifty one. The present number (Dec. 1820) is fif= ty-nine, twenty-six of whom live in Hartford. Rev. Mr. Sewall continues to minister among them. * So named for 3 considerable proprietor. 190 C0NGREGATI0NALI9TS. HEBRON. The same Council who organized the Church in Sum- ner held another session at Hebron on October 8th of the same year, where they constituted a Church of eight males, and five or six females. Of these persons two were dismissed from the Church in Minot, and one from the north Church in Bridgwater, for the express purpose of being formed into a Church. Two were members of Churches in Massachusetts with certificates of regular' standing, such as is usually given to a travelling Broth- er, but no dismission. The others had never before been public professors. After the establishment of the Church, Missionaries frequently visited Hebron. Rev. Joseph Blodget and Rev. Joshua Crosby both of Green- wich, Rev. Jotham Sewall, Rev. Mr. Williston, Rev. Mr. Norton, Rev. Gardiner Kellogg and Rev. Dr. Payson of Rindge were among the principal of these. In October 1812, Rev. Henry Sewall was ordained to the Pastoral care of this Church, and laboured there in the Gospel for three years. The contract between him and the people was then dissolved, and he ceased preach- ing. The Pastoral relation continued about two year§ longer, and was then regularly dissolved. The Church is now vacant. It consists of nineteen males and thirty females. NORWAY. The Congregational Church in Norway was organi- zed by Missionaries about the year 1802. The people in that place have enjoyed the ministrations of only one stated Pastor. Rev. Noah Cresey was ordained there September 20, 1809. His ministry continued ten years. COUNTY OF OXFORD. 191 He was dismissed b7 mutual consent in December 181 9-, and the Church is now destitute. RUMFORD. This town, which was originally granted to Timothy Walker of Concord and his associates, lies on both sides of Lie Androscoggin, both above and below the great falls, called "Pennycook falls." The name of these falls gave a name to the plantation until its incorpora- tion. The settlement was commenced here in the year 1777. In the autumn of this year Mr. Jonathan Keyes removed his family here, which was the first family, that settled in the place. It was not until August 1803 that a Congregational Church was formed here. Rev. Josh- ua Crosby and Rev. Jotham Sewall, then Missionaries in that region, gathered a Church of six members only, one half of them being males. The Congregational So- ciety was small and no candidate was employed for set- tlement for several years. Rev. Samuel R. Hall was the first settled Minister of this people, and was ordain- ed Nov. 14, 1811. A considerable revival of religion soon followed this event, and a large number were unit- ed to the Church. Mr. Hall lived only three years af- ter his ordination. He died in Nov. 1814. The Church at his death consisted of seventy members. In a few months after the death of Mr. Hall the Church and people turned their eyes upon Rev. Daniel Gould formerly of Bethel as a succes5or,and he was installed May 31, 1815. He remains with them at the present time. 191S CONGREGATXONALISTS. ALBANYl This town was incorporated by its present name in 1 803. In September of the same year a Congregation- al Church was organized there, consisting of twenty two members. It has not been greatly enlarged since, — twenty-four members of the Church remain in the town, and several others have removed, who have not been regularly dismissed. About thirty families belong to the Congregational Society. DIXFIELB. A Congregational Church was formed in this town in May 1806, by Rev. Alexander McLean, Rev. Jom tham Sewall, and Rev. Jonathan Belden. It then con- sisted of ten persons, and has since increased to more than twenty. The people have not yet enjoyed the min^ istrations of a stated Pastor. BROWNFIELD. This town adjoins the State of New-Hampshire, a little to the westward of Fryeburg. The only Congre* gational Minister ever settled in this town is Rev. Ja- cob Rice who was dismissed from Henniker in New- Hampshire in 1782. He was installed at Brownfield in the year 1806, at which time a small Church was form* ed. Mr. Rice is still the Minister of that people. WELD. This town was formerly called " Webb's Pond Planta- tion," or " No. 5," and was incorporated by its present name in 1 8 1 5. In the month of August 1 809, ^ Church COUNTY OF OXFORD. 19S of eighteen persons was organized by Rev. Gardiner Kellogg and Rev. Jotham Sewall, v^ho were there as Missionaries. The people have never yet had a settled Minister .f PARIS. A Congregational Church was formed In the South- ern part of Paris in the year 1812. Two years after this It consisted of seventeen persons, five males and twelve females. About thirty families are connected with the Congregational Society. SWEDEN. In this town a small Congregational Church was gathered in November 1817. Eight of the original members were at that time dismissed from the Church in Lovell. This too is destitute of a stated Pastor. GILEAD. A Church of twenty one members was organized In this place In the year 1818. About this time the mis- sionary labours of Rev. James Walker and others were greatly blessed to this people, and fifteen more were ad- ded to the Church in the early part of the following year. No Minister has yet been settled. t See report of the Truarees of the MAJne Missionary Society for iSrp. R lS4l OONGiiEGATlONALIStlgf CHAPTEil XIX. i7r6. KENNEBECK COUNTY. The County of Kennebeck belonged originally to the County 6f Lincoln from which it was separated by an act of incorporation in the year 1799. In this County thirteen Congregational Churches have been established. WINTHROP. The town of Winthrop originally comprized the ter- ritory belonging to that town and Readfield. A small settlement was commenced at the place wheie the prin- cipal village is now built, a little previous to the year 1770. In 177 i, the town was incorporated. The peo- ple soon took rheasures td obtain a Minister and in 1772, appointed a committee for that purpose. Arrangements were made the next year for building a Meeting-house, and a candidate was procured to preach with a view to settlement. This was Mr. Thurston Whiting; iBub ho formal invitation was given him to settle, and after re- maining at Winthrop until the winter of 1775, he de- parted, and was ordained at New-Castle. In the sum- mer of 1776, the town employed Mr. Jeremiah Shaw as a preacher, and measures were taken for gathering a Church and giving Mr. Shaw a call to settle. A Coun- cil was convoked in September of that year, and a Church of sixteen males, and eleven females duly or« ffanized. Mr. Shaw however declined the invitation KEXNEBECK COUNTY. 195 given him to settle at VVInthrop,* and the next year found the people still destitute. But being anxious to have the regular administration of divine ordinances amon^ them the people empowered a committee to employ s.6 a candidate " some young man who should come well recommended as to his moral character." f For three years no person was employed.' The local situation of the town, having a large pond in the ceatre, rendered it somewhat difficult for the people to be all accommodat- ed in on0 place of worship. Several expedients were proposed, and It was at length agreed by the inhabl- tants in October 1781, to worship together for ten year?. At the same time the Church and town concurred in presenting a call to Rev. David Jewett who had been re- cently dismissed from Candia in New-Hampshire, and he was installed over them Jan. 2, 1782. The minis- try of Mr. Jewett was of short duration. He was re- moved by death in February of the following year. The people had found it inconvenient to assemble to- getherfor public worship, and about this time the town was divided into two Parishes. These Parishes were regularly incorporated in 1790, and the easterly Parish was constituted as the town of Readfield during the following year. In August 1786, a town-meeting was called to see if the people could agree in the settlement of Mr. Jac#b Cram, who it seems was then preaching at Winthrop. After employing him a term longer the town gave him a call, but he declined their invitation, ♦ Winthrop town Record, t Mr, Shaw was settled at Moultonborough in Ncw-Ha.rp.hirc in njp. 196 CONGREGATIONAUStS. and was soon after settled in Hopkinton in New-Hahip* shire. For several years after this the religious affairs of the town were declining, and but few pieachers were employed there. In the year 1799, the town in their corporate capacity declining to take any measures for the resettlement of the ministry, those who felt favoura- bly disposed to Congregationalism having obtained the consent of the town, formed a poll-parish and obtained an act of incorporation. In connexion with the Church they soon presented a call to Mr. Jonathan Belden, and he was ordained their Minister in August 1800. The number in this new Parish was small at the beginning, and not increasing much afterward it became somewhat difficult for the people to support the worship and or- dinances of God among them. In five years Rev. Mr, "Belden found it expedient to ask a dismission, which was granted agreeably to advice of Council in September 1805. During the winter following the poll-parish was dissolved by an act of the Legislature, and the people again acted as a town in providing a supply for the pulpit. R.ev. David Thurston, the present Pastor of .the Church, was ordained February 18, 1807. HOLLOWELL, AUGUSTA, CHESTERVILLE, AND FARMINGTON, The settlements at Hallowell and Augusta are of lit- \\c more than fifty years standing. * They were origin- * A Mr Richardson now living at Clinton came into that country about Ihc year 1771 He says there were th»n three families at Lewigton, a few- settlers at Winthrop Mills, and three fsmiiies only at Augubta, and no qV??- settlements on that rout- ke:snebeck county. 197 ally one town called Hallowell, and it was Incorporat- ed In 1771. The first Minister settled in the town was Rev. Isaac Foster. He came to Hallowell in May 1786. It was, at this moment a time of some attention to religion among the people, and they gladly received any one who came in the name of the Lord. A Church had been organized sometime before this, and after a short time of probation Mr. Foster was ordained. This took place in October of that year. But his ministry was short and unpleasant. The people very soon be- came dissatisfied with Mr. Foster, and In November 1788, a Council was called to consider the matters of grievance, and after a patient investigation which occu- pied them eight days they dismissed Mr. Foster-without granting him any recommendation, f For several years after this event, the people at Hallowell had but little stated preaching. In the month of May following the dismlsbion of Mr. Foster, a few pious men living at Chester planta- tion, now the town of Chesterville, about thnty miles north f.om HiiUowell, addressed a joint letter to some of their pious friends living at Hallowell who had never united with Mr. Foster^s Church, proposing to unite to- gether and form a Church. This proposal was very cordially received, and a day of Fasting was appointed. The Brethren from both places met at the house of Benjamin PettinglU Esq. in Hallowell, and spent the day in prayer. It was agreed to form a Church, and a t this Council consisted 0/ Rev- MeSMS, Browfte and Wiljiams, of Fa!- mouth, 198 CONGREGATIONALISTS. Council was invited accordingly. The Council conven- ed on February 25, 1790. Rev Mr. Emerson of George- town, and Rev. Mr. Eaton of Harpswell, with their Delegates were ail, who attended, and they proceeded to organize a Church of nine male members, five of them livmg in Hallowell, and four in Chester planta- tion A.S there was already a Congregational Church in Hallowell, it was proposed to call this the " Chester Church." In about a year after this, the name was changed to "Hallowell Church," and it was agreed that the members living at Chester plantation should have liberty to remove their relation from it, and form a new Church in their own town whenever they should judge It expedient. It had been thought very desirable by some, that, if practicable, a union should be formed between the new Church and that with which Mr. Foster had been con- nected, previous to the settlement of another Minister in the town. After some negotiation between the parties a Council was mutually invited in January 1793, and a union was accomplished. But the parties were not hap- py together, and waited for an opportunity to separate again. In about a year after this, the town of Hallo- well was legally divided into three Parishes, the present town of Hallowell being one, a second comprehending the principal settlement at Augusta, which left a north Parish adjoining Vassalborough, This presented a fair opening for a division of the Church which took place at this time, (June 1794) the members of the former Hallowell Church, living principally within that parish, ■now became a Church by themselves. In August of COUNTY OF KEN^EBEGIC. 199 the next year. Rev. EHphalet Gillet was ordained Pas- tor of what was then called the south Church in Hal- lo well, and remains in the ministry there to the present time. In October of the same year Rev. Daniel Stone was ordained to the pastoral care of what was termed " the first Church in the middle Parish in Hallowell." ♦ In February 1797, the middle and north Parishes in Hal- lowell were incorporated as a distinct town and called Harrington. The name was changed to Augusta in June following. Rev. Mr. Stone remained in the min- istry at Augusta a little more than eleven years. He was dismissed by mutual consent in May 1809 After being destitute about two years. Rev. Benjamin Tappan was ordained in October 1811, and is the present PaJ* tor of the Church. Some persons belonging to the town of Farmington had united with the " Chester Church," and it was found expedient for them to act as a separate body from the Church in Hallowell. Accordingly on August 18, 1796, a meeting was held in Farmington, and the mem- bers of the old Church living in Chesterville and Far- mington became a separate body, known by the name of " the Church in Chesterville." As this part of the country had become settled, missionaries had occasional- ly rode through it. Rev. Levi Frisbie of Ipswich was at Chesterville for a short time in the year 1792, and shortly after Mr. Wait Cornwall of Cninecticutt, a young man who had spent some time at New-Glouces- * Wells Church Records, SOO CONGREGATIONALISTS. ter, and being instrumental in a considerable awakening tliere, was at Chesteiville and its vicinity. In the year 1796, Mr. Jotham Sewall, and inhabit- ant of Chester ville, and one of the original members of the Church in that town, was licensed to preach, and two years after was ordained as an Evangelist by the Lincoln Association, Rev. Mr. Sewall did not incline to settle in the ministry though often requested both at Chesterville, and sundry other places ; but he preached considerably at Chesterville, and administered the or- dinances there, and the people had no other stated preaching. In the summer of the year 1820, Mr. Sew- all was again requested to take the pastoral charge of this Chuich, which invitation he now accepted, and was installed on the 9th of August in that year. The members of the Church living in Farmington had been separated from it nearly six years before. In December 1814, a Council was convened at Farming- ton who organized a Chuich there of about twelve members, but they have not yet enjoyed the ministiations of a stated Pastor. The most remarkable revival of r'e- ligion within these limits, was at Chesterville in the ear- ly part of the year 1819. " It began at the commence- ment of the year. It was limited as to territory, ex- tending only about three miles square, but powerful and general, where it prevailed. Almost every house with- in these limits became a Bethel, where God was daily worshipped., and almost every family included seme that were mourning under a sense of guilt, or rejoicing KENNEBECK COUNTT. SOI through hope in Christ. Between sixty and seventy are supposed to have passed from death unto life."* WINSLOW. Fort Halifax was in this town, and a small settlement was made here about as early as the settlement at Hal- lowelL The town then lay on both sides of the Ken- nebeck, and included what is now Waterville as well as the prasent town of Winslow. In the early part of the year 1896, Mr. Joshua Cushman was employed to preach at Winslow, and on the 10th of June in that year he was ordained as the Minister of that people. — But there was no Church in the town, nor was any one gathered there during Mr. Cushman*s ministry. At the time of his settlement a number of persons belonging to the Society subscribed certain articles of belief, and were considered by some as a substitute for a Church, but the sacrament of the Lord's supper was never administered to them, neither were they acknow- ledged as a Church by those in the neighbouihood. f Mr. Cushman continued to preach in the several parts of the town for nearly eighteen years. He then dis- continued his ministrations, and none other has been settled in the place. , * Report of the Trustees of the Maine Missionary Society for 1819, + •' Seven in that place (Winslow; have united with our Church. In No- vember last, ve held our communion there ; this was the first time the Lord's supper was ever administered to a Congregational Church in Wins- low." Report of the Massachusetts Miss. Soc. for 1 Sip, in Recorder ofjuoe*. tO^ CONGREGATIONALISTS. NEW SHARON. * A Congregational Church was organized in this town by a Council convened for that purpose February 9th 1801. In October 1815, Rev. Hezekiah Hall was or- dained its Pastor. Very trying difficulties soon appear- ed. Mr. Hall's conduct was considered very repre- hensible, and in July 1816, he was dismissed without a recommendation. For some time the Church was torn with dissentions, but at length peace was restored, the smiles of divine providence were afforded, the Spirit was poured out from on high, and many were suppos- ed to be converted. ♦ The Church is still destitute of ^ stated Pastor* FAIRFAX, NOW THE TOWN OF FREDONIA. In the year 1790. six families only inhabited this town. Soon after this, one public professor of religion moved here. As the settlement advanced it was visited by Missionaries. Dr. Payson, of Rindge, Mr. MeLean of Bristol, and Mr. Sewall of Chesterville, were among those who occasionally preached in Fairfax. In the ye an- 1802, some special attention to religion was dis- covered under the preaching of Mr. Sewall, and in Sep- tember of the next year a Church of seven persons was organized by Messrs. McLean and Sewall. Mr. Dan- iel Lovejoy, a member of that Church, and a resident in the town Was licensed to preach, and afterwards or- dained as an Evangelist. He often preaches in Fairfax, but has never yet taken a pastoral relation to the Church, The present number of communicants is about ten. * Report of the Maine Mis». Soc. for I Sip. KENNEBECk COtJNTlf. ^DS UNITY. Here Is a small Congregational Church. It was or- ganized by Rev. Jotham Sewall,in December 1804. It has never been much enlarged, containing in 1811, from twelve to twenty members. TEMPLE. This town lies in the northerly part of the County, and began to be settled about the year 1795. It was originally called Abbotstown, and incorporated by its present name in June 1803. A few years after this. Rev. Mr, Stone, being here on a Mission, organized a small Church, and in February 1810, Rev. David Smith was ordained to the pastoral care of it. Mr. Smith's ministry at Temple was very successful. Divine influ- ences attended the preaching of the word, and many were converted. But the town was new, and the sup- port of a Minister was found to be difficult, and in Jan- uary 1819, Mr. Smith was dismissed at his own request. No person occupies his place. The Church now con- tains about fifty members. Rev. Mr. Smith has since been installed at Centre-Harbour in New-Hampshire. PITTSTON.* For many years this place was considered Missionary ground. In the year 1812, Mr. Daniel Hendrick la- boured there a few weeks as a Missionary, and his * The river Kenncbeck was visited by Europeans very early. The Antiquarian might find mairy valuable fragments scattered along on its banks, and in Pittst»n especially. Particulars cannot here be noticed. S04 CONGREGATIONALISTS. preaching being acceptable he was Invited to tarry with the people. In November of that year a small Church was gathered In the town, and Mr. Hendrick was or- dained. He remained the Minister of that people about eight years, and was dismissed by mutual consent in the month of August 1820. The Church is now va- cant. WILTOW. The first family that moved into Wilton came thith*. er In the spring of the year 1 792. Eleven years after this it was incorporated. A few public professors In the Congregational order had removed to the town, and In February 1818, a small Church was gathered there by Rev. Jotham Sewall. It contains at present about fif- teen members. VASSALBOROUGH. This town lies on the eastern shore of the Kennebeck, adjoining Augusta, and was settled about the same time with the other towns on the river. But a great proportion of the Inhabitants belonging to the Society of Friends, the establishment of a Congregational Church is recent. The place was visited by Missionaries for several years, and the people occasionally provided themselves with a supply of preaching. In the begin- ning of the year 1818, Mr. Thomas Adams was ap- pointed by the Trustees of the Maine Missionary Socie- ty to labour at Vassalborough. His labours proving acceptable the people made proposals for his settlement with them, and he was ordained in August of that year. A small Church had been a short time previously formed. Rev. Mr. Adams is still its Pastor. KENNEBECK COUNTY. S05 GERRY; formerly MALTA. In this town is another Congregational Church. Tlie town being new, and the people somewhat divided in sentiment, it was considered Missionary ground, Mr. Clarke Cornish was there in 1818 in the employment of the Maine Missionary Society, and some special atten- tion to religion was manifest at that time. In August of that year a Church of eight members was gathered there. Four more were soon added. " It is still with them a day of small things, but compared with their previous situation not to be despised." * * Report of the Trustees of the Maine Miss. Soc. for 1810, s SOS COXGREGATIOXALISTS. CHAPTER XX. 1/81. COUNTY OF WASHINGTON. The County of Washington was established as such in the year 1789. Most of the settlements in the Coun- ty are of recent date. Within its limits are five Con- gregational Churches viz. in Machlas, Dennysville, Robbinston, Eastport, and Lubec. The Church at Machias is the only one which has enjoyed the minis- tratiois of a stated Pastor for any considerable time. This town was so called from Mechisses, the Indian name of the river which intersects it. A trading wig- wam was set up here by a Mr. Allerton from Plymouth in 1633, consisting of five men, but no permanent set- tlement was then made. * In 1744-, a small settlement was made at the east falls, by a few French families. In May 1763, fifteen persons of both sexes moved from Scarborough in Cumberland County, and settled at the west falls. In 1770, a grant of the land in the town- ship was made by the General Court to Ichabod Jones, and seventy-nine others under certain conditions, which being complied with, the town was incorporated in June 1784. t The first Minister who resided in Machias, or in any of the surrounding region, was Rev. James Lyon. Mr. Lyon was a native of New-Jersey, educated at Prince- ton College, and ordained at large by the Presbytery of * Winthrop's Journal page 57- Hubbaid's Hist, page 163. t Mass. Hist. Coll. Vol. 3. page 1444 COUNTY OF WASHINGTON. 20/ his native State. He came to Machlas in the year 1771, when there were about seventy families in the town, and the year following was employed by the inhabitants as their Minister. In 1781, Mr. Lyon organized a Church at Machias on Congregational principles, but was nev- er regularly installed its Pastor, although he continued to preach in the town until his death which took place In the year 1794. About a year after the death of Mr. Lyon, Rev. Clark Brown was ordained Pastor of the Church and Society in Machias, but after remaining there two years he was dismissed at his own request, and installed after- wards at Brimfield m Massachusetts. The Church was now vacant between two and three years, but in the year 1800, Rev. Marshfield Steele was ordained there, aod is the present Minister, although from bodily infir- mity he has not been able to preach much for two or three years past. * The second Church in this County was gathered in the plantation called by the Indians Penemequan, now the town of Dennysville. This took place October 27, 1805. Rev. Jotham Sewall was then labouring in that region as a Missionary, and performed this work. The Church has never been greatly enlarged, and is not yet in a condition to settle a Minister. The next religious establishment in this region was made at Robbinston, a town lying on the western side of Passamaquoddy Bay, at the mouth of Scoodic river. — * " Since this work was put to press Rev. Abraham Jackson has bf en or- dained at Maehiae-, as colleague Pastor with Rev- Mr. Steele." SOS CONGREGATIONATJSTB. • While the settlement was yet new Missionaries were seri among the people On the '24th oC November 1811, a Church of six members wa4 organized there by Rev. Jojham Sewall and Mr. Ephraim Abbot, since the Min- ister of Greenland in New-Hampshire. In the sum- mcr of 1818, Rev. Daniel Lovejoy, who had been for many years labouring as a Missionary was employed at Robbinston, and received fiom the Church and people an invitation to settle, and was accordingly installed in September of that year. The Church had then increas- ed to about fifteen members, and the Society presented a flourishing aspect. The winter following Mr, Love- joy spent with his family at Fairfax, and when he re- paired to Robbinston in the spring some difficulties ap- pear ed which could not well be removed, and by mutu- al consent the pastoral relation w^as dissolved in May 2819. No other candidate has yet been employed at Robbinston. In the summer of 1818, two more Churches were organized in the County of Washington, one at East- port, and the other at Lubec. Moose Island, which constitutes the town of Eastport, has recently risen Into considerable importance on account of its situation for trade. It was incorporated in the year 1798, and by the sensus of 1810 contained 1511 inhabitants. This population was, however, of a fluctuating nature, and these inhabitants like the settlers in new towns generally, were a mixture of religious denominations, and al- though they had occasional preaching, yet no regular order was observed for several years. In the yq^ir 1818, COUNTY OF WASHINGTON. 209 Pv.ev. Mighlll Blood of Bucksport being on a Missiona- ry tour in Washingion County spent a short time at Eastport and organized a small Congregational Church, la the spring of 1820, the Rev. Andrew Bigelow was ordained as an Evangelist in the University Chapel at Cambridge, and immediately proceeded to Eastport where he still resides as the Minister of that people. The settlement at Lubec is not of more than twenty years standing. 'During the late war, when the British. Troops took possession of Moose Island, many of the inhabitants removed on to the main, and the public of- fices were established at Lubec-Point. In the summer of 1818, the Rev. Elijah Kellogg of Portland la- boured at Lubec as a Missionary. A religious Society was instituted, and Mr. Kellogg organized a Church of eleven members. In the early part of the year 1821, Mr. Jonathan Bigelow was employed to preach at Lubec with a view to settlement, and the Church and Society united in call- ing him to the stated work of the ministry among them. He was ordained there on the Uth of July. ♦ "^ince the work was put to press the connexion between Mr, Bigelow antl. rtiis people has been dissolved. S2. ^10 CONGREGATION vLlSTg, CHAPTER XXL SOMERSET COUNTY. The first settlements made In this County v/ere about the year 1773. In the spring of that year a Mr. Wes- ton with his family settled in the present town of Bloom- field near the Meeting-house. A settlement was made in Norridgewock about the same time. Major Meigs who went up the Kennebeck with a party of troops during the revolutionary war, has this note in his jour- nal : " 1775. Oct. 3d Proceded up the river to Noriide- wock. On my way I called at a house, where I saw a child 1 4- months old. This is the first white child born in Norridgewock/' * This child was Abel Farrington, the son of Capt. Thomas Farringtc^n, formerly of Gro- ton Massachusetts. The settlements soon spread wide- ly in that county, which is now a flourishing region, and the seat of twelve Congregational Churches. The first of these was gathered at Bloomfield, which then composed part of the town of Canaan. About the close of the Revolutionary war the town settled rapidly, and among the early inhabitants was the Rev. Nathaniel W'hiiaker D. D. who had been recently dismissed from Salem in Massachusetts. In September 1784, the peo- ple gave Dr. Vv'hitaker a formal invitation to become their Minister, and at the same time, as there was no •* Hwt. Coll. New Series Yo). ; page 2p, COUNTY OF SUMERSET. Slf Church in the town, the people invited the Presbytery to come and organize one. Whether the inhabitants were mostly Presbyterians before, or whether this course was adopted because Dr. Whitaker was a Presbyterian is ndt now known. The presbytery to whom they ap- plied was the " Salem Presbytery'' then in session at Gray for the installation of Rev. Samuel Perley. This body immediately adjourned to Canaan, and installed Dr. Whitaker September 10, 1784.. But no Church was at that time organized. In January following Dr. Whitaker and twenty-two other males subscribed the usual Covenant engagements and became a Church. Toward the close of the year 1789, Dr. Whitaker was. dismissed, and left the town. The next Pastor of the Church was Rev. Jonathan Calef. He came to the town eaily in the year 1793. In July of that year the Church solemnly renewed their Covenant, and gave Mr. Calef a call. In June of the year followmg he was ordained, at which time the Church formally renounced Presbyterianism and became Congregational. In about five years difficulties began to arise ; and after taking the advice of two Councils, Mr. Calef requested a dismission, which was granted in October 1801. He was afterwards installed at Lyman uTth^ County of York. Soon afte'r this, the Church at Canaan agreed to renew their Covenant, and make cer- tain alterations in their confession of faith, forms of ad- mission &c. A Council of five Ministers with Dele» gates was assembled, the members were examined con- cerning their experience, and the Church reorganized. M'Sr CONGREGATIONALISTS. It then consisted of ten males and five females. But as yel, they had no settled Minister. In the beginning of the yrar 1808, a plan waii devised for connecting Canaan and Norridgewock in the settlement of Rev. Jotham Sewall, and in April of that year the Church and town voted to invite Mr. Sewall, proposing to support him one half of the time. But Mr. Sewall declined this in- vitation. In the same summer Rev. John Cayford was employed to preach at Canaan, and was installed there in September 1809. His ministry continued a little more than three years. He was dismissed agreeably to the advice of a Council in December 1812. In about one year after this Mr Fifield Holt, the present Minis- ter received an invitation to settle in that part of Canaan which had now become the town of Bloomfield, which, having accepted, he was ordained in June 1814. XORRIDGEWOCK. The second Church in the County of Somerset, is at Norridgewock. This town was incorporated in 1788, and then contained about twenty families. The first preacher here of whom any account is preserved was a Mr. Muzzy. He was hired by the inhabitants in the sum- mer of 1790 but had no invitation to settle. In 1793, Mr. Calef, afterwards the Minister of Canaan, was em-, ployed a sh^rt term of time, after >\hich the people were destitute for three years. In June 1796, Mr. Phinehas Randal came and preached at Norridgewock, and con- tinned there through the summer. A great awakening took place at that time in Norridgewock and the jiur^ (JOtTNTY OV SOMERSET. S18 rounding region* It was supposed that about thirty persons were hopefully converted in the town of Nor- ridgewock at thi^ time. Mr. Randal continued In the town through the winter, and early in the year 1797, a town meeting was called to consult on the subject of his settlement, but for some reason not now known the people declined giving him a call. As yet there was no Church in the town. The inhabitants appeared to think it important that there should be one, and in February 1797, the following article was incerted in the warrant for town meeting : — " To see if the town will vote to establish a Church in this town in the Congregational order." But when assembled the town very wisely voted to dismiss that article, probably feeling sensible that this was not the proper course to take to effect so desirable an end. In September of that year, Rev. Mr. Emerson of Georgetown, and Rev. Mr. Calef of Ca» naan, with Delegates from their Churches, met at Norrldgewock and organized a Church of twenty-fnur members, the fruits of the revival which took place un- der the preaching of Mr. Randal. The next year Rev. Jotham Sewall was employed by the people of Norrldgewock for one half the time. In 1803, Mr. Seth Stetson, since settled at Plymouth in Massachusetts, was employed at Norrldgewock, and af- ter continuing there nearly a year received a call to set- tle, but declined. The town was then destitute of stat- ed preaching for several years. In 1809, Rev, Jotham Sewall was Invited to settle there but declined. After this the people had a variety of preachers, some who S14l GONGREGATIONALISTS. •ame as Missionaries, and some who were employed far short terms of time by the people. Their hopes were often raised with the expectation of obtaining the set- tlement of a Minister, and as often blasted. In Feb- ruary 1813, the Church and town united in presenting a call to Mr. Ebenezer P. Sperry to settle with them. The expectations of the people were highly raised, but they were again disappointed as Mr. Sperry declined their invitation. The present Pastor of the Church, Rev. Josiah Peet, came to Norridgewock as a Missiona- ry soon after the departure of Mr. Sperry. He labour- ed there about half the time during the winter of 1813, and was ordained August 4, 181i. The Churches at Bloomfield and Norridgewock are the only two In this County, which have ever enjoyed the ministrations of a stated Pastor. The history of the ten others is as follows : — INDUSTRY. The Congregational Church In this town was gath- ered January 21, 1802, by Rev. Jotham Sewall, and Mr. Samuel Sewall, a licentiate preacher, since settled at Sumner. It contained eleven original members. The present number Is about twenty. ANSON. This town lies on the Kennebeck above Norridge- wock, It was Incorporated in 1798. A Church of six members was organized here In April 1804, which has since received considerable accessions. COtJNTY OF SUMEI?SET. 2i5 STARKS. This town, which lies at the mouth of Sandy River, was first settled about the same time with Norridge- wock. Col. Thomas Waugh, now deceased, was the first child born in the town. A small Congregational Church was organized here in August 1804, BINGHAM AND S0I,0N. A settlement was made at Carritunk falls not long after the settlement of Norridgewock, and before the incorporation of either Bingham or Solon a Church was gathered there embracing members from several of the surrounding settlements. This took place in July 1805. Rev. Alexander McLean, and Rev. Jotham Sewall were present on the occasion. The Church then coHsisted of eight members, who lived principally in the township since Bingham. In September of the next year, a Church of five members was gathered in the planta- tion now Solon, and thus things remained for nearly five years. These Churches were then both in a low state, and that in Solon particularly feeble. In January 1811, a Council was invited to advise them respecting their future proceedings, and by their advice a union was formed between them. Each Church was to retain its own articles of faith and Covenant, and to be ruled and disciplined according to them ; but for mutual assis- tance they were to be considered one Church. In the autumn of 1818, divine influences were very copiously afforded in these new settlements, and both Churches were considerably enlarged, and were consequently so Sl6 CONGREGATIONALISTS. much strengthened as to think it expedient to dissolve their union, ->.d each to stand alone.* This took place in January J? 20. STRONG. This town lies immediately above Farmington on both sides of Sandy River. It was called originally* « Readstown" from one of the first settlers. A Church of eleven members was gathered there in March 1810. It has never been greatly enlarged. FAIRFIELD. This town lies on the western bank of the Kennebeck, between Waterville and Bloomfield. Some settlements were made here about as early as those in Canaan, but tio Congregational Church was gathered here until May 1815. Rev. Jotham Sewall, Rev. Fifield Hoh, and Rev. Josiah Peet then met there in Couitcil, and organ- ized a Church of eight members. FREEMAN. A small Church was gathered m this town in July 1818. KINGSFIELD. Rev. Jotham Sewall organized a small Church here in September 1819. A half township of land in the northeasterly part ©f Sumerset County was granted to Monson Academy in *Thc Church at Bingham has rfccived an addition of twenty one mem- bCTs, andthe adjoining Churches of Solon and Anson, the fcrnier six and tlie latter nine ; makjiig thirty-six ; besides other* vho are hoped to be Sincere converts, that have not yet made a public profession of their faith.'* Report of the Maine Miss. ScfC. for i8ij». COUNTY OF SUMERSET. SI? Massachusetts. The settlement of the town is very re- cent. Several respectable families from Monson mov- ed there, among whom were several public professors of religion, and in the summer of 1821, they were regularly c>rganized as a Congregational Church. T S18 CONGIIECATIONALISTS. CHAPTER XXII. 1788. COUNTY OF PENOBSCOT. l-'here was no permanent settlement made within the iimits of this County until a little previous to the revo- lutionary wax. In the year 1777, a few houses were scattered along on the banks of Penobscot river in the towns of Frankfort, Hampden, and Bangor on the one side, and Orrington and Brewer on the other. A Mr. Wheeler established hims«lf at Hampden, and the place was called WheelersboroUgh j but the Indians called it Sowerdabocoobi The first minister that ever preached statedly in this region was a Mr. Knowles from Cape Cod. How long he tarried among the people on the river is not known. After the peace in 1783, a spirit of enterprise led many respectable men to penetrate the wilderness, and the settlements on the Penobscot began to assume a more interesting appearance. In the sum* mer of 1788, Rev. Seth Noble was employed as a preach- er in the new settlements on the Penobscot. Rev. Mr. Little of Kennebunk being at this time employed by the Legislature of the Com.monwealth as a Missionary at the eastward, visited the Penobscot settlements, and in- stalled Mr. Noble as the minister of that people. It is d oubtful whether a Church was organized in a regular manner at this time. No record of such proceeding can now be found. Mr. Noble remained on the Penobscot sreveral years. He lived about half a mile above the Kenduskeag stream in Bangor, and preacheJ in all the settlements above Bucksport on both sides of the river. PENOBSCOT COUNTY, S19 The connexion between him and the people was dissol- ved without much formality, and they were left dest,?- tute of regular preaching. In the summer of 1800, Mr. James Boyd was employed as a preacher in this region, and in September of that year a Church was organized consisting of members living in the towns of On ington, Hampden, and Bangor, and Mr. Boyd was ordained. His ministry continued but one year. His conduct was soon discovered to be unbecoming the Ministerial or Christian character ; a Council was called in Novem- ber !80l, and after investigating the subject Mr. Boyd was dismissed without a recommendation. During his ministry Mr. Boyd resided at Bangor, and was consid- ered abroad as the Minister of that tov/n. He preached on both sides of the river, and the Church was called the « Bangor Church," and the "Orrington Church," as the numbers on either side of the river preponderated. Af. ter the dismission of Mr. Boyd it was considered the Or- rlngton Church. For several years the people In all these towns were in a broken and divided state, and no attempts to procure stated preaching proved successful. In the summer of 1811, Mr. Harvey Loomis was em.- ployed to preach at Bangor, and in November of thai year a Church was organized In that town composed partly of members dismissed from the Orrington Church, and Rev. Mr. Loomis was ordained. He Is their pre, sent Minister. The year following, Mr. Thomas Williams was sent to the upper part of Orrington, which had then become the town of Brewer, as a Missionary. The people made proposals for his settlement, and he w^as ordained there S20 CONGREGATIftNALISTS. in January 1813, as Pastor of the old Orrington Church which then consisted of seventeen members. He re- mains there to the present time. Rev. Mr. Locmis and Rev. Mr. Williams are the on- ly settled Ministeis in the County. There are four more Congregational Churches, which have never yet enjoyed the ministrations of stated Pastors. The eldest of the four is in the town of Dixmont. It was gathered in November 1807, by Rev. Messrs. Jo- tham Sewall, Samuel Sewall, and Daniel Lovejoy. The second includes members in the towns of Gar- land, Foxcroft, Sangerville, and Dexter. It was organ- ized by Rev. John Sawyer, Rev. Mighill Blood and Rev. Hezekiah May in March 1810, and is generally known by the name of the "Garland Church." The third is at Hampden. It consists of about thir- ty members, and was gathered in March 1816. The other is in the plantation of Brownville, which lies north of the Piscataquis river. In the autumn of 1818, Mr. Moses Welch a student in the "Maine Chari- ty School" who had been licensed to preach, spent a few weeks at this place. Divine influences were afforded-, and an uncommon attention to religion excited among the people in that and the neighbouring towns. The hopeful conversion of a considerable number was the ul- timate consequence, and in the month of August 1819, Rev. M, Sawyer gathered up the fruits, and established them as a Congregational Church. In leviewing the history of the Congregational Church in Maine we shall find some things to lament, yet many to excite our fervent gratitude and praise^^ PEXOBSCOT COUNTY^ 221 The commencement of the eighteenth century found but one Church of any denomination in the State, al- though some parts of it had then been settled at least sixty years. Now there are no less than one hundred and thirty one Congregational Churches, besides a respectable number in the other denominations. These Churches are scattered through all the Counties in the State. York County contains 23, Cumberland 27, Lin* coin 17, Hancock 14, Washington 5, Kennebeck 13, Oxford 16, Somerset ] I, and Penobscot 6. Sixty-two of these are destitute of stated Pastors. It is difficult to ascertain the precise number of menibers, which these Churches contain. But few of them are large ; several of them are in a flourishing state ; some are declining, and some almost extinct. Most, if not all that were gathered previous to the year 1750, recognized the prin. ciples of the Westminster confession, as to doctrine, and the Cambridge platform as to government, admitiing the practice of what has been termed " the half-way Covenant." This practice has been discontinued m nearly all the Churches which formerly admitted it.—- Various expedients have been used to effect the change. Some Churches have adopted anew Confession of faith* and Covenant, In which the practice was not recognize ed ; others have voted to discontinue the practice a: once ; some Ministers have made the total abolition of the practice a condition in their terms of settlement ; some Churches have consented to receive to baptism the children of such parents as already stood in the baptis- mal relation, but would receive no more ; while other'^ T 2 SSS CONGREGATIONALISTS. !vave laid aside the use of a separate baptismal Covenant, and have received to full standing in the Church any persons of moral life who wished for the privilege of baptism for their children. We pretend not in this place to discuss the merits of the question. EPISCOPALIANS. SS^ CHAPTER XXIIL EPISCOPALIANS. The principal part of the original settlers of New- England, especially in the Massachusetts and Plymouth Colonies were zealous dissenters, and, as it might natur- ally be supposed, adopted their cwn peculiar modes of worship wherever they were instrumental in planting Churches. A few Episcopalians however were among the earliest settlers of Maine. Soon after the grant of the town of Falmouth, which took place under the gov- ernment of Sir Alexander Rigby, sometime previous to the year 1646, he sent over Richard Gibson, an Episco- pal Cleigyman to reside among the people. Gibson remained there but a short time, and then wandered from them, and se.tled for a while in Portsmouth He exercised his ministerial functions according to the ri- tual, but is represented as a man exceedingly bigotted. Toward the close of his ministry in America he was summoned before the Court at Boston for scandalizing the government there, and denying their title ; but upon his submission, they discharged him without fine or punishment, being a siranger, and about to depart from the Country. * Another Clergyman of this commu- nion was soon after obtained for the settlement at Cape Elizabeth, through the influence of Robert Trelawny, who at that time possessed Richmond's IsUnd, and had Bstablished John Winter as his Agent there. This Min- * Belknap's New Hampshire, Also, Wihthrop's Journal p.)ge 146, an«J Hubbard page 3S1. ^^^ EPISCOPALIANS. ister was Robert Jordan, who after his settlement mar- ried Winter's daughter, and is the ancester of all of the. tiame in this part of the country. Whether Mr. Jordan i-emained in the ministry until his death, does not appear; tior is there any record to show the state of vital relig- ion under his ministry. The Episcopalians, however were a considerable party, and much attached to their liturgy, and hence made great opposition to the propos- ed submission to Massachusetts in 1652. The cause of Episcopacy in Cape Elizabeth seems after this to have declined j for we find the people of' that territory uniting, in J 727, with the other part of Falmouth, in the settlement of Rev. Thomas Smith. But the principles implanted in the early settlers of this region, though for a while partially controlled and subdued by the force of circumstances, appear aever to have been totally eradicated. About the year 176f, a number of persons who were dissatisfied with the setcle- ment of the Rev Samuel Deane as a colleague Pastor with the Rev. Mr. Smith, withdrew fiom that parish, and invited the Rev. John Wiswall, who was then preaching in the parish of N'ew-Casco, to become their Minister. In July } 764, having completed the organiz- ation of their Society, they agreed to adopt the liturgy of the Episcopal Church ; and soon aft er ward b, agreea- bly to a vote of the Society, Mr. Wiswall proceeded to England and was admitted to Holy OrdcTs in ..he Es- tablished Church. Aft'r his return, which was not long delayed, Mr Wiswaii continued to officiate as their Pas- tor, to a respectable congregation, rill the year 1775; when, in consequence of the troubles between thisCoua- EPISCOPALIANS. SS3^ ttj and Great Britain, he left his parish and removed ta the Province of Nova Scotia. The Society in 1764 in the absence of Mr, Wiswall, erected a neat and com- modious Church ; which was destroyed by the British in the conflagration of the tOTrn in October 1775. Their numbers had become considerable, for we find upwards of 100 persons reclaiming, as members of this Society, the taxes assessed on them by the Rev. Mr. Deane's parish in 1771. Serious disputes on this sub- ject had aiisen betv/een the two Societies, but the con- flagration of the town, involving all the disputants in a greater calamity, seems to have terminated all their dif- ferences on the question of taxation. The mumbers of the Episcopal Church as well as the others, being dis- persed among the neighboring towns, do not appear to have assembled again till the storm of war had subsid- ed. In 1783, a number of th2 members having returned' from their dispersion, the Society was reorganized, and has continued its regular parochial esistance, with great- er or less degrees of prosperity, to the present tinae.— From 17S3 to 1787 divine service was occasionally per- formed, and the oruiuances administered, by the Minis* ters of other Churches in ihe diocese. In the latter year a small Church was erected on the site of the foimer building ; and twenty persons sub- scribed a weekly payment to support a Clergyman, and soon afterwards voted that he might preach three Sab- baths in each year at Windham, where some members of the Church resided. Mr. Thomas Oxnard, who ^va5 !gS5 EPISCOPALIANS* one of the twenty, was this year engaged as a reader, in which capacity he officiated for sometime ; but was at length dismissed, in 1792. About four years after this, the Rev. Joseph Warren, having removed from Gardiner, was engaged by the Society as their stated Minister, and continued as such till he removed to one ©f the Southern States in 1799. Again they were des* titute of the regular ministrations of the Word, for some time, though occasionally visited by several cler- gymen of the Church ; but the Society had become strong in numbers and wealth, and in 1802 erected a handsome brick building for their accommodation, call- ed St. Paul's Church, In 1803 the Rev. Timothy H'lU liard was settled as their Minister, by contiact v/ith the Society, in which capacity he officiated till April 1808. During the early part of this period the Society flour- ished ; but before his depaiture its prospects began to be obscured, and after he left it, the members were scattered among other societies, having no ministry of any kind for more than five years ; and very few v'sits from any Clergymen till the arrival of the Rev. Gideon W. Olney in June 1817. This gentleman officiated during the greater part of that year, and then settled at Gardiner. In September of the following year the Rev. Petous Stuyvesant Ten Broeck was engaged to preach on probation, and in May 1819 was instituted, being the first Minister ever regularly instituted as the rector of this Church. In this office he still continues. The Society was incorporated by statute March 7, 1791. It does not appear ever to have been favored with any EPISCOPALIANS. SS^ gjerieral outpouring of the Spirit of God ; but during the short term of Olney's ministry there was excited a considerable attention to religion, and some additions were made to the number of communicants, which, however, on the arrival of Mr. Ten Broeck did not ex- ceed ten or twelve, but have since been increased to iwenty-seven. Another Episcopal Church is found at Gardiner, on the western side of the Kennebeck, four miles below Hallowell, which originally took the name af St. Ann^s Church. The Plymouth Company had obtained a grant of lands on the Kennebeck river, in the reign of James 1st. This grant was confirmed by Charles 1st In 1629, and extended from Cobbisseconte river to Ne- quamkike, (now Norridgewock) and 15 miles on each side of the river. The original grants within these limits were under their charter. From the year 1754? to 1760 some grants were made by this Company to Doc- tor Sylvester Gardiner, then of Boston, covering the whole township of Gardiner, then called Gardiner- ston. Some speedy attempts were made for a settle- ment, and a mill was built in 1761. But the settlement did not advance much for ten years. Dr. Gardiner Vi^as a man of wealth, and evidently very much dispos- ed to do good with his property ; and being himself an Episcopalian he laid a foundation for an establishment of that kind in this town. In the year 1771, the set- tlement began to flourish, and the building of a Church was commenced. The war, which soon came on, hindered the settlement, and the building of the house ^8 EPISCOPALIANS. of worship was not completed at the decease ef Dr. Gardiner in 1786. But although he was thus prevent- ed from accomplishing all his benevolent purposes to- ward his new settlement during his life, yet he did not forget them in death, as appears from the following ex- tract from his ■ ^ ill : ** I give and bequeath twenty pounds sterling to be «* paid annually forever in four equal quarterly pay. <* ments out of the rents and income of my Cobbisse- " conte or Gardineraton estates to the"Episcopal Minis- *« ter for the time being of St. Anns Church in the said « Gardinerston, who shall be duly presented and induct- " cd into the said Church ; and he shall be rightly <* inducted and instituted who shall be pre- " sented to the same by my Son William Gardiner, or " his heirs the perpetual successive Patrons of the said <'* Church, always supposing that the major part of the " Parishioners of the said Church duly qualified by law ^* to vote, agree to said nomination or presentation. ** But if the major part of the Parishioners duly quali- ** fied shall oppose the person presented by the Patron ** for the time being, he shall then present a second within ** one year after such rejection, and if he also be oppos- '« ed in like manner he shall present a third, who shall «• be inducted any opposition notwithstanding. And if " the Patron for the time being on the vacancy of a " Minister of the said Church by death or removal shall " neglect to present within twelve months another can- " didate for the same, the Parishioners of the said ** Church being convened by the Wardens, shall have ** power by a major vote to present one themselves for EPISCOPALIANS. gS9 <*that time only, the Patron's right returning again up- *' on the next vacancy, and the person so chosen by the ** Parishoners shvall have a good and legal right annual- " ly during his ministry at the said Church to the 20 '* sterling out of the rents and incomes of the said estate " to be paid by the Patron for the time being, as though " he had presented him himself. And furthermore, the <* said 20/ sterling annually or so much of it as shall " become due during any vacancy in the ministry of the *' said Church shall be paid to the next incumbent. And " I order and direct the said Church of St. Ann's to be « decently finished if not done before my death out of ** my personal estate. I give to the Church of St. Ann's " in Gardinerston forever ten acres of land in Gardincrs- ** ton to be laid out by my Son William and my two <* Executors hereafter mentioned, so as to include vi^ith- ** in the bounds of said Church a Parsonage house. I "give and bequeath my whole Library of Books for a « public Library by the name of the Gardinerston Li- " brary, for the use of the settled Episcopal, and dis- <« senting Clergy and the Physicians who shall live fif- <•' teen miles east and west of Kennebeck River, and " twenty miles north and south from the Church on said " River, the Library al^xrays to be kej)t at Gardnerston, " and the Episcopal Minister there for the time being *' to be the Librarian, on his giving security to my son *' William, his heirs and successors in that estate for- *' ever, which if he refuses or neglect^ then some other per- *' son to be the Librarian who shall gfve such security, ^' said Library to be always subject ta the rules and re- U *>30 ElMSCOYALIANS. " gulations hereunto annexed, and signed with my own « hand." Agreeably to the provisions of this Will the Execu- tors of Dr. Gardiner proceeded to finish the Chuich, but soon after, in 1793, it was burnt to the ground. A certain insane man, named Henry McCausland, believ- ed that he was directed by a vision from the Lord to make a burnt offering and a sacrifice. The burnt offer- ing was the Church at Gardiner to which he set fire, the sacilfice was supposed to have been the Minister ; but not finding him, he murdered a woman of the jsame name. He was convicted of the murder, but by reason of his insanity has never received sentence, and is still confined in AQgusta gaol. The Church was soon rebuilt, partly by subscription-, and finished by the Executors of Dr. Gardiner^s Will. In May 1794< Rev. Joseph \Varren, was engaged as the' slated minister to this congregation, and continued at Gardiner a little more than two years, near the close of the year 1796, only a few months after the departure of Mr. Warren, Rev. James Bowers was employed to offi- ciate at St. Ann*s Church, and continued hib ministra- tions until 1S02, when he was dismissed, and settled at Marblehead. In July 1803, Rev. Samuel Haskell suc- ceeded Mr. Bovrers, and remained at Gardiner until 1 S09, when he removed to New-York. The Church was then destitute three years. In 1812, Rev. Aaron Humphreys was employed to preach and continued here two years. In 1817, Rev. Gideon W. Obey, the present Rector,, commenced his ministry at this place. EPISCOPALIANS. 23X and soon after was regularly instituted. The present number of communicants is about fifty. The house of worship which was erected in 1793, was a small wooden building of one story. A new and ele- gant building of stone, exhibiting a perfect model of the Gothic style has since been erected. — In 1779, the plan- tation of Gardnerston was incorporated by the name of Pittston, and in 1793, the persons attending St. Ann's Church were incorporated by the name of the Episcopal Society at Pittston." In 1803, that part of Pittston ying west of the River was incorporated into a town by the name of Gardiner, and the name of the Episcopal Society was changed accordingly. In 1819, it having been suggested that some confusion of names might hereafter arise, and it might be questioned whether <'St. Ann's Church'* and "the Episcopal Society" were the same, the names of both were changed to that of Christ- Church in Gardiner, Maine." A Parsonage house, and ten acres of land, including that on which the Church was built, were both appro- priated agreeably to the will of Dr. Gardiner, and in- cluding the 20/ sterling mentioned above, his heirs pay §124,44 annually for the support of the Episcopal Clergyman in that place. In the early settlement of the country a foundation Avas laid for an Episcopal Society in the town of Dres-. den, about ten miles below Gardiner, on the eastern, side of Kennebeck river. Between the years 1760 and 1770 a building for a Church was erected by subscrip- tion, raised principally by the proprietors of "the Ken- nebeck purchase." Rev. Jacob Bailey was engaged :#8S EPrsGppAiJAXs. and continued for a short time to officiate as the Minis-. ter. When the revolutionary war commenced Mr. Bai- ley left the country, and removed to A nnapolis Royal, in Nova Scotia, and did not return. After the peace in i783, prayers were read for one or two year^, but that house of worship went to ruin, and the Congregation were scattered. The original proprietors of the land made a grant of 1 00 acres to the Episcopal Church un- der certain conditions, which not being complied with it reverted to them ; but in closing their concerns the proprietors vested the same 100 acres of land in three Trustees with liberty to sell it, and apply the proceeds to the use of an Episcopal Minister should one ever be settled there, and in the mean time to the use of a Con- gregational Minister. KOMAN CA llI6LIC^?. ^33 CHAPTER XXIY. r.OMAX CATHOLICS. Tour meeLings oftLIs denomination are held in Maine;- two among the remains of the Passamaquoddy and Pe- nobscot Indians, one at New-Castle, and one at White- field, in Lincoln County. The Indian Tribes were early visited by French Missionaries, and became Catholics. Sometime in the reign of Louis Hth of France, a French Architect came over from that country, and erected- a place for pubic worship in Indian Old Town, an Island in the Pencb- scot above the head of tide waters, which was then, and still Is, considered the head quarters of the Penobscot Tribe. This Church was burnt by the Anglo-Amerir cans in the "old French war," because the Indians ad- hered to the French, to whom they have ever been friendly ; and it is said that the Governor or King of this tribe we^rs to this day, as a badge of honour, a medal with the likeness of Louis 14th. Sebastian Ralle, or Rasles, was a Missionary from th^ Society of the Jesuits to the Indians of North-America. He came into Maine in the year 1689, and was connec- ted with the Eastern Indians, particularly with the Norridgewock Tribe. The principal village belonging to this Tribe was within the limits of the present town of Norridgewock. Here Father Ralle resided for about twenty six years, accompaningthe Tribe however, in ma- ny of their wars, and in many of their wanderings. They locked up to him as a Father, and he v/as greatly U2 S34< ROMAN CATHOLICS. interested for them But the English viewed him wltb a jealous eye. They supposed he was constantly insti- gating the Savages to those depredations which kept the country in a state of alarm. The truth of this cannot now be ascertained. On this ground however, an at- tempt was made in 1721 by Col. Thomas Westbrook and his troops to seize him. They arrived at the vil- lage undiacoveied ; but before they could surround the house, Ralle escaped to the woods. This attempt to seize their spiritual Father provoked the Indians to re- taliate severely, and a war ensued. During this strug- gle, on the 2'id of August 1724, a party of men sur- prized the Indian village at Norridgewock, killed the Priest with about thirty others, burnt the Church, and destroyed the village. The account of this affair is va- riously related by the French and Enghsh historians, and the blame sometimes charged on the Americaa parly, and sometimes on Ralle and the Indians * Let thib be as it may, the fact of his having devoted his sur per ior talents to the instruction of the rude children of the wilaerness ; consenting to spend his days in the depths of the forest, in unrepining c(^nformity to savagQ cust( ms, and modes of life ; enduring such i rivations, hardships, and fatigues as he did by right, and day in the dischaige of his mission, proves him to have beei). a very superior man, and well entitled to the admiration * The reader wili find both sides of this mattei stated at some length is Hutchinson s Hist. Massachusetts Vol. 2, page 309—3 ij* ROMAN CATHOLICS. ^0 of all. * The Indian tribes soon melted away before the English settlements, and we hear but little more of them. The remains of the Penobscot Tribes, are still left in- Maine. About 350 souls are in the first of these, and about 400 in the last. Little is known of their relig- ious affairs until the year 1797, when both Tribes were visited by Right Rev. Bishop Cheverus of Bost^-n — Two years after this Rev. James R. Romagni, a native of France took the pastoral care of both of these Tribes> in which station he continued several years, and at length returned to France, on account of ill health, in 1819. Rev. Sephen Cailleawx succeeded Mr. Romagni, and is the present Minister. He also is a native of France, ot respectable family connexions, and was bprn and educa- ted in the City of Paris. The Catholic Societies in New-Castle and Whitefield are of a little more than twenty years standing. Seven families had removed into this country, mostly Irom Ireland, and in 1798, Bishop Cheverus first visited the place. He preached in a barn belonging to Hon. Mat- thew Cottiill, at Daniari^cotta Bridge, and celebrated mass in his house. The year following a store was fit- ted up and used as a Chapel until the year 1807, when a neat commodious brick Church was built f The # Many interestin particulars respecting Father f'alie may be found ia.a .sketcli of his character in the Mass- Hist. Collections, Vol. S, page 259, of the New Series. t The Church cost 4,000 dollars, of which sum 1,431 dolls, was r.vlst^d by- subscription and the remainder v»as paid by Messrs. Kavajiafh and Cottt?.! of New-Castle. ^6 ROMAN CATHOLICS.. Catholic Society at Whitefield is of more recent date. A few years since a wooden building was erected for a place of public worship there, partly by the voluntary- aids of the brethren, and partly by the private property of Bishop Cheverus, and other Catholic Clergymen. The members of these two Societies are dispersed throughout Lincoln County, but they generally endeav- our on the great festival of the Church to attend public worship either at New-Castk or Whitefield. The pi e- cise number of souls in these two Societies is unknown f About 108 families are connected with them. The preseat Pastor of these Churches is Rev. Dennis Ryan, a native of Ireland, who was ordained a Priest in Boston by Bishop Cheverus in 1818, and since that time has resided in New-Castle. The Catholic Societies in Maine are in the "Eastera Diocese, now under the spiritual jurisdiction of Rt. Rev. John Cheverus of Boston. This Prelate was born at Mayenne in the Province of Maine in France, Jan. 28, 1768, was educated at the Sorbonne in Paris, and was there ordained a Priest Dec. 18, 1790. In the year 1791, having refused, with most of the Clergy of France to take the oath required by the Government, he was obliged to leave his native country, which he did in the following year after an imprisonment of some months in one of the dungeons of Paris. He went over to England where he remained until July 1796, Vvhen he t The accounts received ^ncctning the numbers in tlie Catholic Socie- ties are various. Someplace thsjn at 500 each, and others at 130 in New, Castle and 2C0 at Whitefield, ROMAN CATHOLICS. ^37 ♦mbarked lor America. On his arrival in this country- he assisted Rev. Dr. Matignon for several years in min- istering to the Catholic Chuich in Boston, and on the first of November 1810, he was concecrated Bishop of the Diocese of Massachusetts by the late Most Rev. Archbishop Carroll of Baltimore j which office, he still sustainjs. S38 CALVINISTIC BAPTISTS. CHAPTEIl XXV. CALVINISTIC BAPTISTS. Some Baptists were among the early settlers of New- England. But they were few, their tenets were unpop- ular, it was an age of persecution, and for more than forty yeais after the settlement of Plymouth no Church of this denomination was constituted in Massachusetts. In 1654', President Dunster of Harvard College became a Baptist, and soon after removed to Scituate where he died in 1659. Four years after this a Baptist Church was gathered at Rehcboth, and in May 1665, one was form- ed at Charlestown. At the time of its organization it consisted of nine persons, viz. Thomas Gould and Thomas Osborn, who had previously belonged to the Congregational Church in Charlestown, Richard Good- all, a member of a Baptist Church in London, William Turner and Robert Lambert, members of a Baptist Church in Dartmouth (Eng.) Edward Drinker and John George, who had never before united with any Church, and two females — viz. Mary Goodall, and Mary New- el.* Thomas Gould, one of the members became the Pastor of this new Church. Much difficulty ensued be- tween them and the Congregationalists. ftould and Osborne were excommunicated from the Church to which they had formerly belonged, and finally Gould and Turner were imprisoned for more than a year. On being liberated Mr. Gould removed his family to Nod- dle's Island in Boston harbour, and the meetings of the Church were held at his house for several years. This . •Backus vol'. i.TafcC JS6. CALVINISTIC BAPTISTS. 239 Church had now Increased considerably, insomuch that in February 1677 they agreed to divide into two Church- es, but on farther consideration this idea was abandon- ed, a Meeting-house was built in Boston, and Mr. Gould being dead, Rev. John Russell was ordained Pastor of the Church July 28, 1679. * We have now arrived at the time when a Baptist establishment was first made in then Province of Maine. In 1681, a number of per- sons then living in Kittery, opposite to Portsmouth, em- braced the peculiar sentiments of the Baptists, and were baptized. William Screven, a gifted brother among them was selected by the others as a teacher, and sent to Boston with a hcense in the following terms:*—" To " all whom it may concern : these are to certify, that " our beloved brother Willian Screven is a member in " communion with us, and having had trial of his gifts <* among us, and finding him to be a man whom God " hath qualified and furnished with the gifts of his holy <* spirit and gracfe, enabling him to open and apply the " word of God, which through the blessing of the Lord " Jesus may be useful in his hand, for the begetting and " building up of fouls in the knowledge of God, d© *^ therefore appoint, approve and encourage him, to ei- " ercife his gifts in the place where he l|Ves, or elsewhere " as the providence of God may caft him ; and fo the " Lord help him to eye his glory in all things, and to «•' walk humbly in the fear of his name." Signed by us in behalf of the rest, Isaac Hull, --- — • — John Farnum.- ♦ PackCo vo'., I, page 480. ^46 CALVINISTIC BAPTISTS. ** But," says Mr. Backus, their historian, "no sooner was this design heard of in their town than Mr. Wood- bridge the Minister, and Hucke the magistrate began to bestir thamselves, and the magistrate summoned those people before him who had been to the Baptist meet- ings, and threatened them with a fine of live shillings for every such offence for the future."* During the same summer the General Court for the Province of Maine undertook to crush this meeting, and summoned Mr. Screven before them. Their record of the transac- tion is as follows : — "William Screven appearing before <* this Court, and being convicted of the contempt of his ** Majesty's authority, and refusing to submit himself to *^^ the sentence of the Court, prohibiting his public preach- "ing, and upon examination before the Court, declaring « his resolution still to persist therein, the Court tendered <* him liberty to return home to his family, in case he « would forbear such turbulent practices and amend for "the future ; but he refusing, the Ctourt sentenced him " to give bond for his good behaviour, and to forbear " such contentious behaviour for the future, and the de- <'linquentto stand committed until tlie judgment of « tliis Court be fulfilled" "Verai Copia transcribed, and with the records com- " pared this 17th of August 1682. "Per Edward Rish worth, Recorder.f In addition to this, the Court ordered that Mr. Scre- ven should not, on any pretence whatever, have any pri- vate religious exercise at his own house or elsewhere on ♦ History of ilic Baptists p. 505. f Pravince records cited by Backus page C04. CALVINISTIC BAPTISTS. 24:1 the Sabbath, fineing him at the same time ten pounds for former oiFences. Not discouraged at these oppressive measures, the brethren took measures for their regular estabhshment as a Church, and, with the assistance of Eldar Hull, and some others from Boston, they were embodied as a Baptist Church Sept. 25, 1682. The original Covenant was signed by William Screven, Elder, Humphrey Churchwood, deacon, and Robert Williams, John Mor- gandy, Richard Cutt, Timothy Davis, Leonard Drown, William Adams, Humprey Azell, George Litten, and a number of females. But the oppressive measures of the government against them induced this infant Church to remove their habitation in about one year after their organization. Rev. Mr. Screven, and a considerable part of his Church took shipping, and sailing southward settled on Cooper river in South Carolina, at a planta- tion then called Sumnerton, at no great distance from the place where Charleston now stands. Here the com- pany were formed into a Church by Mr. Screven, who became their Pastor. They were soon joined by several from England, and became a flourishing Society. * Mr. Screven was a native of England born in 1629. He married Bridget Cutts, at Kittery, by whom he had eleven children. He was a good English scholar, and emenent for piety and usefulness. After his removal to South Carolina he was solicited to take the pastoral care of the Baptist Church in Boston which he declined.-c * Bea^ct>s Hist.of tlic Biptists Tol. », page izcr. ^'1% CALVINISTIC BAPTISTS, In the latter part of his life he removed to Georgetown, about 60 miles north of Charleston, where he died in peace, in 1713, at the advanced age of 84" years. Pie is said to have been the original proprietor of the land on which Georgetov^^n is built. * After this ancient Church at KIttery was scattered we hear no more of the Baptist denomination in Maine for nearly ninety years. About the year 1767, there was some special attention to religion in that part of Ber- wick in the County of York called "Great Hill." Rev. Mr. Smith of Haverhill visited the converts, who became Baptists, and were in the year following constituted as a Baptist Church, and soon had Rev. William Hooper set over them as a Pastor. In the same year a Church was gathered at Madbury in New»Hampshire, and a* bout four years after Baptist Churches were also consti- tuted in Gilmantown in New-Hampshire, and Sanford in Maine. In 1776, the two Churches of Berwick and Sanford with some Churches in New-Hampshire com- menced a meeting which they called a conference. This was the beginning of what has since been called the "New-Hampshire Association." which included the County of York in Maine. In 1780, a Baptist Church was gathered in the north- westerly part of Wells, and Rev. Nathaniel Lord was ordained its Pastor. He was afterwards settled at Ber- wick, and the present Pastor of the Chtirch, Rev, Joseph Eaton, was ordained in his stead. The year following ♦ Benedict's Hist, of the Biiiists Vol. 4, page 1*3* CALViNISTlC BAPTIST^. 248 a Church of this denomination was organized at Shap- leigh, and another at Lyman in 1782. Three years af- ter this these Churches, with some in New-Hampshire, were established as an Association, being the first in the State. In the year 178(2, a man who lived in the new coun- try near Kennebeck liver was converted to the truth as it is in Jesus, and became a Baptist. This was the com- mencement of a considerable revival of religion in that region through the following year, and in May 17S'H Churches were formed in Bowdoinham and Thomaston, A Church was gathered also at Harpswell in January of the following year. * These three Churches began an Association in 1787, which in three years increased to six Churches, and 317 members. This was the be- ginning of the Bowdoinham Association. In 1804, the Bowdoinham Associaton had increased to forty-eight Churches ; but these being scattered over a great extent of territory, a division was thought ad- visable, and was amicably eifected. The new body took the name of the Lincoln Association, which then consisted of seventeen Churches, and extended its bounds beyond the Penobscot river, f By the year 18 1 0, the Bowdoinham Association had again become too large to meet with convenience in one body, and another division was effected j the Churches westward of Androscoggin rivei becommg a new body,, called Cumberland Association § *Backus vol- 3, page ii6. i Benedict Vol. i, page 51 T. \ Ibid page 311. S44 GALVINISTIC BAPTISTS. In the year 1818, the Churches lying eastward of Penobscot river finding it inconventient to attend the meetings of the Lincoln A ssociation, held a meeting at Blue Hill on the 12th of November in that year, and organized themselves as a new body called the Eastern Association, Thus in fifty years since the establishment of the Baptist Church in Berwick, the members of this denom- ination have spread themselves through the State to the Slumber of one hundred and seventy-five Churches ; di- vided among the Counties in the following manner, York 23, Cumberland 11, Lincoln 39, Hancock 20, Washington 4, Kennebeck 25, Oxford 21, Somerset 15, Penobscot 7 ; which according to their annual minutes of 1820, contained 9373 members. These Churches were supplied in the same year by 109 ordained minis- ters, and 13 Licentiates. A more particular account of the several Baptist Churches in Maine cannot well be inserted in these sketches. The greater part of them have been gather- ed with'U thirty years past, and their ministers often re- moving from one Church to another without many ecclesiastical formalities it is attended with considerable difficulty to trace them. * « S«c Appendix No. Si FRIENDS, OR QUAKERS. §4.7 CHAPTER XXVI. FRIENDS, OR QUAKERS. Before entering distinctly on the history of this de; nomination of Christians it will be necessary for the in- formation of the common readers to explain some ©f their peculiar customs, particularly as it regards the sev- eral meetings held among them.. Meetings for worship are held as other Christians hold meetings, on the first day of the week, and at other times as opportunities offer, and circumstances permit. These meetings are attended by all the Friends living in the vicinity. They are sometimes kept in families, agreea- bly to the advice of the yearly meeting in London 1696 — « Agreed, that friends that live distant from " meetings, be reminded to keep meetings in their fam- " ilies, to wait upon God, that their children and families " may come to be seasoned in their spirits by the truth *' and the Lord's power, and that they may have his " blessing upon their families." * Tor the regular ad- ministration of Discipline and other helps, the Friends have established four other kinds of meetings, viz. — Preparative meetings. Monthly meetings, Qarterly meet- ings, and Yearly meetings. In these meetings worship is first attended to and then business. The Preparative meeting consists of Friends belonging to one or more meetings for worship, f This is a meeting before whichu ♦ Rules of Discipline of the Yearly meeting page 73.- % Ibid page 41. V2 S4S FRIExVDS, OR QUAKERS. all matters of business are first brought, and its only authority is to judge of the propriety of carrying the business in question lo a higher tribunal, and to see that It is reduced to proper form J in order to prevent any irregularities that mtght otherwise occur. The author- ity for holding it is granted by some Monthly meeting to which it is accountable. Each Monthly meeting is required to choose two or more sober and judicious males, and two or more females to be overseers in each preparative meeting, who are to render an account to the monthly meeting at least once a quarter. * The monthly meeting is thus described by Clarkson. " The '* Quakers usually divide a county into a number of ** parts according to the Quaker population of it. In ** each of these divisions there are usually several Meet- '* in^-houses, and those have their several Congregations '^ attached to them. One Meeting-house, however, in ** each division, is usually fixed upon for transacting the ** business of all the Congregations that are within it ; '^ or, for holding these monthly Courts. The different ** Congregations, each of them, appoint a set of depa» ^^ ties once a month, which deputies are of both sexes, ^* to repair to the Meeting-house, which has been assign- " ed them- These deputies are all of them previously »'< instructed in the matters belonging to the Congrega- ** tions which they respectively represent. When they ^* are collected at the Meeting-house, a meeting for wor- *• ship takes place. AU persons both men and wome^a « Rttks of Discipline of the Yearly meeting page 4^. FRIENDS, OR QUAKERS. S4<7 '* attend together. But when this meeting Is over, they ** separate into different apartments for the purposes of " discipline ; the men to transact by themselves the busi» " ness of the men, and of their own district, the women " to transact that which is more limited, namely such " as belongs to their own sex." § The Friend's Quar- terly meeting is thus described by the same author ** The Quarterly meeting of the Quakers, which comes *« next in order, is much more nimierously attended than ** the monthly. The monthly, as we have just seen, su- " perintend the concerns of a few Congregations or ** particular meetings which were contained in a small " division of th« county. The Quarterly meeting, on " the other hand, superintends the concerns of all the " monthly meetings '*in the county at large. Two or "more persons of each sex are generally deputed from « each monthly meeting, having previously understood ** at the monthly meeting where they were chosen all the " matters which the discipline required them to know " relative to the atate and condition of their constituents. " When all of them are assembled, nearly the same cus<% " tom obtains at the quarterly, as has been described at " the monthly meeting *' f At the quarterly meeting* a number of important queiies are proposed by the Clerk, and answered by the deputies in order, relative to the state of the several Societies and the conduct of the members. The Yearly meeting is possessed of a higher § •' P ertraiture of Quakerism'* Vol. I, pag« i07 and atS. •} Ibid p.ge ai3 and iis» gl8 FRIENDS, OR QUAKERS. and wider jurisdiction than either of the others. "Thi?- meeting," says Clarkson, <' does not take cognizance of ** the conduct of particular or of monthly meetings, ** but, at one general view, of the state and conduct of ** the members of each quarterly meeting, in order to " form a judgment of the general state of the whole."* '* The quarterly meetings are careful annually to depute " such Friends to attend the service of the Yearly meet- " ing, as are men fearing God, of good conversation,. " weighty spirits, prudent and sincere, well acquainted " with the affairs of truth, and diligent attenders of "meetings for discipline at home; whose practice and " conversation is answerable to the testamony they pro- " fess to bear ; men known to be faithful and conscl- " entious." f The state of the^^ociety at large is here ascertained: written evidences are sent to different branches, if needful : whole days are devoted to busi- ness, with occasional intervals for public worship. 1 hus the meetings of the Friends rise in rank from one to another, and viewed as a whole present perhaps as per- fect a system of discipline as can be found in any de- nomination; Having made these preliminary remarks, we proceed to the History of this people. It will perhaps be in- teresting to many readers if we take a summary view of the origin, and early History of the Friends, with ♦ " Portraiture of Qt^iakerism" Vol. i.pige izi. i Rules of discipline 01 the Yearly nictiiiig Fped twenty stripes, and afterwards kept to hard labour until transporta- tion. They also laid a penalty of five pounds for importing, and the like for dispersing Quaker books, and ^severe penalties for defending their opin- ions. And the next year an additional law was made by which all persons were subjected to the penalty of 40 shillings for every hours entertainment given to any known Quaker, and any Quaker after the first conviction if a nian, was to lose an ear, and the second time the other, a woman each time to be severely whipped, and the third time man or woman to have «Ueir tongues bored through with a red hot iron, and every (J^akci wko FRIENDS, OR QUAKERS. ^6i and returning thither were executed. $ After this some others were executed, and some imprisoned in Boston until September 1661, when by order of Charles second they were all set at liberty. As yet no regular meetings of friends had been es- tablished in New-England. The prosecution had been sharp against them, and they had not congregated In any one place. The lenient act of Charles did not allow the Friends much respite. The oppressive spirit of the times soon made its appearance again, and the Friends 'were again the victims. In 1662, three females had tiavelled eastward as far as Dover in New-Hampshire, disseminating their opinions. Here they were seized by order of Col. Waldron, and after being most cruelly whipped were sent westward with the following order : "To the Constables of Dover, Hampton, Salisbury, «* Newbury, Rowley, Ipswich, Winham, Linn, Boston, ** Roxbury, Dedham, and until these vagabond Qua- <^ kers are out of this jurisdiction : "You, and every of you, are required in the « king's majesty's name, to take these vagabond Qua« should become such in the c olony, was subjected to the like punishmentsy In May 1658, a penalty xif ten shillings was laid on every person present at a Quaker's meeting, and 5/ upon every one speaking at such meeting. Hutchinson vol, i.page 197. It is not strange that the QjJakcrs increased and multiplied greatly under such treatment. Exodus i, iz. {*.. The Court," says Hutchinson, " thought it advisable to publish a vin- dication of their proceedings ; they urge the example of England in the pro- vision made against the Jesuits, which might have some weight against a charge brouijht from thence, but in every other part of their vindication, as may well be supposed from the nature of the thing, there is but the bar* %adow of reaaon." Hist. Mass. Vol. i, page iOo, 35S FRIENDS, OR QUAKERS, *' kers, Anne Coleman, MaryTomkins, and Alice Am- «« brose, and make them fast to the cart's tail, and dri- ** ving the cart through your several towns to whip " them upon their naked backs, not exceeding ten stripes '^^ apiece on each of them, in each town ; and so to con- *« vey them from Constable to Constable, till they are "out of tkis jurisdiction, as you will answer it at your " peril ; and this shall be your warrant. Per me Richard Walden/'J «» At Dover dated Dec. 22, 1662" This cruel order was executed in the three first na- med towns, but at Salisbury they were set at liberty by Walter Barefoot, who took them from the Constable under pretence of delivering them to the Constable of Newbury. The Friends, as a people, suffered many more hardships both in Europe and America. But the day of their deliverance drew nigh. Daring the reigns of James 2nd and of William and Mary in Great Britain several acts of a tolerant nature were passed respecting the Quakers, the influence of which was felt in America. Men began to see that the rights of conscience were to be respected, and that open persecution was no way to propagate the religion of the Prince of Peace. These few hints respecting the first entrance of the Quakers into New-England seemed necessary to pre- pare the way for an account of their establishment in Maine, The first meeting of Friend^ ever held within the limits of this State, was in the upper part of York toward the last of December 1662, by Anne Coleman, ^ SewcU Vol, X, page 613, I'llIENDS, OR QUAKERS. S58 Mary Tompkins, and Alice Ambrose, whose cruel suf- ferings have just been stated, as also the manner of their being liberated at Salisbury. Sevvel thus relates the fact : " These three women being thus unexpected- •* ly released, went to New-Ouechawanah, where they " had a meeting, and Shubal Drummer, the Priest of " the place, came also thither, and sate quiet. And the " meeting being ended, he stood up, and said, Good '' women, ye have spoken well and prayed well ; pray " what is your rule ? They answering — The Spirit of " God is our rule, and it ought to be thine, and all men's " to walk by ; he replied it is not my rule, nor I hope " ever shall be. A clear evidence," adds this author, " how prejudice may bias even discreet people." * The place where this meeting was held, the above cited au- thor calls NeW'Qjtiechawanah. He probably meant Newichawanick, w^hich Is the Indian name of the river running through Berwick over Doughty's falls. This river runs near to York, and it is quite probable that all the near settlements were called by the name of the river. Rev. Shubael Dummer was the Minister of Yoi k at that time, a.^'.d was undoubtedly the person re- ferred to in the above extract. No other account can be found of any other meeting of Friends in Maine for more than sixty years. The first meeting for worship established here v/as in October 1730. At that tjme a few families of Friends were found in Kittery, now Eliot, and a regular meeting for worship established. It was connected witli Dover *Hist, Quakers voi, r— page 615. w .^54 PRIENDS, OR QUAKERS. monthly meeting, and stood alone in this State for more than ten yeais. In the spring of 174-2, this little meet- ing was visited by John Churchman, a celebrated Min- ister of the Society belonging to Pennsylvania. While he remained at Kittery a circumstance occurred which he thus relates in his journal : — " On third day morn- <* ing as I lay in my bed, I felt my mind drawn towards " the northwest, which was an exercise to me, for I had ** before thought myself at liberty to return toward Bos- <* ton. I arose about sunrise, and asked the friend « where I lodged whether ahy friends lived at a dis- " tance on that quartet, for that I had a draft that way» /* He answered no, and asked how far I thought to go. " I told him it did not seem to me to be ihore than teil ** miles. He said there was a people aboHt eight miles " distant, which he supposed was the place to which I ** felt the draft. I desired him to send a lad with a '^ few lines to some person that he knew to inform them ** that a stranger would be glad to have a meeting a- " mong them at the eleventh hour of that day if they ** were free to grant it ; which he did, and with his wife " went with me, so that we got to the place near the «« time proposed, and found a considerable gathering of *? people, that I wondered how it could be in so short a " time, not more than three hours warning : they were ^ preparing seats by laying boards on blocks in a pretty « large new house, and soon sat down in an orderly « manner," * This meeting must have been held at South Berwick, and the " large new house"-/-was prob- *Life atid trave'Is of John ChurAman page 5'/ FRIENDS, 0R QOAKSUS. ^55 ably the hoHse of the late Hon. Humphrey Chadbourn, which is still standing. In the next year, 1743, a meet- ing for worship was set up in Falmouth, where a few families of Friends had settled ; and in seven years after a meeting was regularly established in Berwick, a Meeting-house built, and a preparative granted there. Dover monthly meeting, to which the Friends in Maine had hitherto belonged, now extended its limits, and for the convenience of the members in Maine, held thiee meetings in a year at Berwick, and so continued for sev- eral years. This arrangeraent took place in 1151. A little previous to this time a few families of Friends had settled in that part of North- Yarmouth now Harpswellj and a meeting for v^orship was statedly holden there. To accommodate these, in 1751, a monthly meeting- was established at Falmouth composed of members from Harpswell and Falmouth, and held alternately at each place. This arrangement continued for twenty years, when the Friends principally Harpswell to the plantation of Royalstown, now Durham, and the meet ing was discontinued at Harpswell, and holden at Dur- ham. The connexion in the monthly meeting between Falmouth and Durham continued until the year 1790 when a division was agreed on, and a monthly meeting established at Durham. The meeting at Berwick continued its particular con> nexion with Dover monthly meeting until the year 1802, when a separate monthly meeting was establish- ed there, the members of Eliot and Berwick meetings constituting the »ame. A monthly meeting has never ^50 FRIENDS, OR QUAKERS. been granted at Eliot, although that was the first meet- ing established In the State. They have a preparative meeting, granted in 1764, and a Meetlng-hotise built live years after that time. The next meeting of Friends for worship was established in Windham in the year 1779. In 1793, ^ preparative meeting was granted at the same place, and the Society continuing to increase in 1802, a monthly meeting was settled there. In 1780, a meeting for worship commenced in Va^- salborough, on the eastern side of Kennebeck river. — The country was settling rapidly, many embraced the peculiar tenets of the Society, and the meeting at Vas- salborough was soen enlarged. In four years from their first assembling for worship a preparative meeting was held there, and in 1787, a monthly meeting was es- ablished in that place. This eaeeting then included all the Friends in the Kennebeck country, there being no other meeting nearer than Durham in Cumberland County. The chief settlem.ent of the Friends in Vas* salborough was on the eaetern bank of the river ; but in a few years a considerable settlement was made in the easterly part of the town, around " twelve mile pond," and toward the close of the year 1 797, it was found ex- pedient to establish a meeting for worsh'p there. In tjie summer following a Meeting-house was built. It is called the " East Pond meeting,'* to distinguish it from what is termed the ** River meetirg." In two ^ ears after a preparative meeting was granted at that p ace, and the Vassalbrvough monthly meeting is now lield there half the time. OR QUAKERS. S57 In six years after the establishment of the Friends meeting at Vass*lbor ough it was found expedient to accom- modace some families living in Fairfield on the western side of the Kennebeck with a meeting for worship a- moag themselves. In five years after this a prepara- tive meeting was held there, and in 1794-, a Meeting- house built. The year following, similar measures were commenced in the town of Sidney, which lies op- posite to VassalbouroKgh on the western banK of the river, and in 1800, a preparative meeting was granted to them also. In 1 802, a monthly meeting was estab- lished for the accommodation of the Friends in Sidney and Fairfield to be called " Sidney monthly meeting," and holden alternately at each place. With this meet- ing was connected also a meeting which had been es- tablished for worship in Green and Leeds in the year 1794, and where a preparative meeting had been grant- ed two years after. This connexion continued until the second month of the year 1813, when a monthly meet- ing was established at Leeds. , But it is time for us to notice the doings of Falmouth monthly meeting. In 1790, they established a meeting for worship at Portland, and in six years granted a preparative meeting at the same place. In 1792, a meeting for worship was granted at L^nington, and In 1801, a preparative meeting was established there also.. At Gorham a meeting for worship was established in 1797, another at Scarborough in 1799, and a third at Gape-Elizabeth in 1810. But they are still small. A small meeting for worship was also commenced jo. W2 &58 FRIENDS, OR QUAKERS. Pownal in 1817. Similar meetings have at late peiiods been established in the towns of Parsonsfield, Raymoncfy. Poland, and also at Athens in Somerset County. These meetings are all small, and no farther particulars are. known respecting them. In the eastern part of the State, particalarly in the Kennebeck country, the Society has been more flourish- ing. In some instances ''hey have broken forth on the right hand and on the left, they have lengthened their cords., and strengthened their stakes. In 1793, a meeting for worship was established in Winthrop, connected with Sidney- monthly meeting, and a preparative meeting granted there in nine years after ; but this declining, a new pre- parative meeting was granted in tiiat place in 18I&. In 1795, a meeting for worship was established at Broad Cove in the cown of Bristol ; a Meeting-house was built there the ensuing summer, and a preparative- ineeting grated them in 1801. In the year 1798, a meeting for worship was estab- lished in Dresden, but has never increased much. Toward the close of 1801, a similar establishment was made in Belgrade, and the year following another in Harlem. The meeting at Harlem increased considera-. bly, so that they built a Meeting-house in 1807, and had a [reparative meeting granted them two years after. About the same time a meeting for worship was estab- lished in Sunnebeck, now the town of Kope. In 1303, a meeting was commenced in. Litchfield, at •which vlace a prep?!ative meeting was granted in 18i2. JDuring the year 1804, a meeting was commenced'3{>j FRIENDS, OR QUAKERS. S5^ Camden in the County of Hancock, but was discontin- ued toward the close of the year 1813, the Friends who composed it having principally removed to other meet- ings. In 1809, a meeting was regularly held on Long Island in Penobscot Bay, now the town of Islesborough, but in about three years it was discontinued', the mem- bers having removed to Fairfax and other places on the main. Some years previous to this, Amos Davis, a worthy Minister in the Friends Society, now deceased, had set- tled at Lewistown on Androscoggin river, and was in- strumental in establishing a small meetiiig for worship in that place In 1811, a Meeting-house was built there, and in 1816, a preparative meeting granted- To ward the close of 1810, a meeting for worship was established at Fairfax, and two years after a preparative meeting was holden at the same place. In a little more than one year after this, Vassalborough monthy meet- ing, to which the Friends in Fairfax had hitherto belong- ed, was divided, and a new one established denominat- ed " Harlem monthly meeting," which was to be held one third part of the time hi Fairfax. In 1815, a prepara- tive meeting was established in Wilton, where a small meeting for worship had been attended several' years. In the same year a meeting w^s established in the town of Unity. A small meeting for worship was also com- menced in what is called *' the branch" in Harlem, iii 1817. Until 'he year 1781, no Quarterly meeting of Friends bad ever been holden in Maine, and " Salem Quarterly S60 FRIENDS, OR QUAKERS. meeting" so called, included all of this denomination to the eastward of Boston. The members of the Society bad now increased in Maine, and, for their accommoda- tion, it was thought expedient to hold Salem Quarterly meeting at Falmouth once in a year. This took place for the first time in the 9th month 1781, and so contin- ued to be held annually at Falmouth until the year 1795, when it was divided, and " Falmouth Quarterly meet- ing" established by the Yearly meeting. This was to be holden circular, viz. at Falmouth, Vassalborough, Durham and Windham ; including in its particular ju- lisdiction all the Meetings of Friends in Maine, except those at Berwick and Eliot, who found it more conve-- nient to remain attached to Salem Quarterly meeting. Such was the ordei of things until the year 18-3. — The Society had then become so much enlarged that a jiew regulation was found needful. Accordingly Fal-- mouth Quarterly meeting was divided, and a new Quarterly meeting was established at Vassalborough.— Falmouth Quarterly meeting now includes the month- ly, meetings of Falmouth, Durham, and Windham, with the preparative meetings, and meetings for wor- ship within their bounds, and is held at Falmouth in the 5th and 9th month, at Durham in the t^nd month, .and at Windham in the 1 1 th month annually. Vassak- borough Quariei includes Vassalborouojh, Sidney, Leeds, ,and Harlem monthly meetings, wiih die smaller meet- ings within their bounds, and is lield at Vassalbi.iough ** River Meeting-house'' fou- times iu a year, viz. in the Sjid, 5tb, 9tb, and ilth months. FRIENDS, OR QUAKERS. S6l Thus in the space of ninety years the Society of Friends has increased from one small meeting to thirty three meetings for worship ; more than twenty of them being preparative meetings ; eight of them being monthly meetings, and two Quarterly meetings. The total amount of their population cannot be precisely ascertained. It probably is not much short of one thousand families. An annexed Table will exhibit at one view the date^ ©f the several meetings. * The most general awakening, or in the language of the Society, the most general ccnvincetnent, thzt has ever taken place among the Friends in Maine, happened dur- ing the Revolutionary war, principally through the in- strumentality of David Sands, late of Cornwall in the State of New-York, an eminent Minister of this Socie- ty, who whh great devotedness to the cause he had es poused travelled into Maine at that time. The minis- try of others, some from Europe, some from other States on the Continentj and some raised up from a- mong themselves nave from time to time been blessed to the convincement of many, and the consequent en- largement of the Society. * See Appcniix No, 9, 1^.^ GERMAN LUTHERANS.. CHAPTER XXYIL GERMAN LUTHERANS. The only Church of this denomination in Maine- is at Waldoborough in the County of Lincoln. A small colony of Germans established themselves here about the year 1741. They were Lutherans in senti- ment, and appear to have had among them many dew Yout people ; for though deftitute of a Minister for twenty years after their first establishment at Waldo- borough, yet they met constantly for public worship on the Sabbath,. The first stated Minister of this Church was the Rev. Mr. Schaefier. He came into Maine in the year 1762, and was the only Minister of Wal- doborough for nearly twenty years. At the time of his coming the German Society consisted of about 80 families. In 1785, Mr. SchaefFer was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Croner, who tarried four years, and then left the place. For the succeeding five years the Society v/as destitute of a Minister. In 1794, the Rev. Mr Ritz, a very worthy Clergyman of this communion, from the State of Pennsylvania, was procured for the German Society at Waldoborough, and continued his labors at that place until he was, removed by death in February 1812. The present Minister, Rev. John W. Starman, succeeded Mr. Ritz. in July 1813. The Church consists of a little more than one hund- red regular communicants. About eighty of them are Qerman Lutherans, and the others of the Reformed GERMAN LUTHERANS. 2^3 Dutch Church. Until the settlement of the present Minister, public worship was performed invariably in the German language, but within a few years past Rev. Mr. Starman has been in the practice of preaching every third Sabbath in English. §64) PRKSBYTEUIANS. CHAPTER XXVIII. PRESBYTERIANS. It has already been stated that Presbyterian Churches were originally gathered in the towns of Georgetown, New-Castle, Brunswick, Boothbay, Bristol, Topsham, Warren, Gray, Ca»aan and Turner. The history of those Churches could not conveniently be separated from the history of the Congregational Churches in the same towns. To those sketches the reader is therefore refer- red. Some of them by a formal vote relinquished their Presbyterian forms and became Congregationalists, while others dwindled away, and finally became ex- tinct ; and at the present time no Church of the name IS found in the State. A Presbytery was once established here, the doings of which it wiii be proper for Us to notice. The first Presbytery in New-England was constituted ki Londonderry April 16, 1745, by Rev. John Moor- head of Boston, Rev. David McGregore of Londondef* ry, and Rev. Robert Abercrombie of Pelham, with James McKean, Alexander Conky, and James Heoghs, elders. It was called the "Boston Presbytery.'* In three years they were joined by Rev Jonathan Parsons of Newbu- ryport, and after that by one or two others, and so con- tinued for nearly ten years. There v. ei e a considerable number of Presbyterian Churches lying on both sides of the Merrimac in Massachusetts and New-Hampshire, and a few in Maine. The Presbyterial Records appear to have been regularly kept until the close of the year PKESBYTERIAKS. 2f65 -1754% A chasm then appears, and nothing is recorded in the original book until October 2^, 1770. The Pies- bytery at this time consisted of twelve congregations under the following Ministers ; viz. Jolin Mooihead, Boston, David McGregore, Londonderry, Jonathan Parsons, Newburyport, Daniel Mitchel, Pembroke, John Hustor, Bedford, Moses Baldwin, Kingston, Richard Graham, Pelham, Samuel Perley, Seabrook, Thomas Pierce, Scarborough, John Morrison, Petersburgh, Si- mon WiUiams, Windham, and John Strickland, Oak- liam. The Presbytery appears now to have been revr- "ved, and measures weie taken for dividing it into three, and forming a Synod. After more than four years, du- ring which time some others were added to the num- ber, at a meeting held at Seabrcok May 31, 1775, a di- vision was amicably agieed on, as follows : that Messrs. Jonathan Parsons of Newbury port, Nathaniel Whitaker D. D. of Salem, Samuel Perley, of Seabrook, Alexan- der McLean, of Bristol, (Me.) and the Congregation at Boston then vacant by the death of Mr. Mooihead, to- gether with Rev. Benjamin Balch, and the vacancies within their bounds, be "the eastern Presbytery,'"' called «^the Presbytery of Salem." That Messrs. David McGregore of Londonderry, Daniel Mitchel, of Pem- broke, Simon Williams of Windham, and John Strick- land of Oakham, with tlie Congregation at Petersburgh, and tbe other vacancies within their bounds, be "the middle Presbytery," called "the Presbytery of London. d^rry." That Messrs John Houston and Moses Bald- \lpn with their Congregations at Bedford and Ivmgston, S66 TRESBYTEKIANS. the vacant CoHgregations of Blandford, Pelham, and Colrain, with Aaron Hutchinson, Nathan Merrill, George Gilmore, and Joseph Patrick, candidates, be the ^'western Presbytery," called " the Presbytery of Pal. mer," Rev. Mr. Perley was appointed Moderator ©f the Salem Presbytery, Rev. Mr. McGregore of that of Lon- donderry, and Rev. Mr. Huston of that of Palmer. The three Presbyteries, being thus organized, were then formed into one body called " the Synod of New- En- gland," and held theii first meeting at Londonderry- September 4, 1776. A few years previous to this the Rev. John Murray- had removed from Philadelphia and settled at Booth- bay, and with Rev. Mr. Prince, of Barrington, and Rev. Mr. McEuins, of New-Market, formed another Presby- tery. But no connexion was ever formed between this body and the Synod of New-England. The Synod con- tinued to hold regular meetings annually, usually at Londonderry^ for five years. ^At length in September 1782, some difficulties hav- ing arisen, and their nutnber being considerably redu* ced, the Synod agreed to dissolve, and form themselves into one Presbytery, by the name of the Presbytery of Salem." For two succeeding years this Presbytery held meetings regularly In various parts of Massachusetts Proper. The principal active members were Doctor Whitaker, Mr. Perley, Mr. Strickland, Mr. Merrill, and Mr. Urquhart, who were all at that time dismissed, and except Mr. Merrill had all been preaching as candidates, in the then District of Maine. The last meeting of this Presbytery ever held in Massachusetts was he.d at Gro- i^RESnY-TElilANS. SB/^ ton in June 1784-, at the house of Capt. Shiple, from which they adjourned to meet at Gray in Maine. Four members attended this meeting, viz. Dr. Whitaker, Mr. Perley, Mr. Strickland, and Mr. Urquhart. None of the former memb'ers ever attended again, and ahhough the Presbytery retained its original name, all the subset, quent meetings were held in Maine. The meeting at Gray was attended on the 8th of Sep* tember 1784. It was there ascertained that Mr. Perley had received an invitation from the Church and people in that place to become their Minister, tliat Dr. Whita- ker had been invited to settle at Canaan on Kennebeck river, and that Mr. Strickland had received a similar in- vitation from the people in the plantation of Sylvester, now the town of Turner, where he had been preaching for some time previous, and had recently gathered a Church. The Presbytery, having considered the whole subject, proceeded to install Mr. Perley at Gray. Mr. Strickland preached on this occasion from Acts 14-. 15,. Dr. Whitaker gave the charge, and Mr. Urquhart pray- ed. Having attended to some other business, the Pres- bytery adjourned to meet at Canaan on the 15th of the same month, where they installed Dr. Whitaker. On this occasion Mr. Urquhart preached, Mr. Perley gave the charge, and Mr. Strickland made the prayer. From Canaan, the Presbytery proceeded to Sylvester, and on the 20th of September they installed Mr. Strickland. Here Dr. Whitaker preached from ii Kings, ii. 1 9-22, Mr. Perley gave the charge, and Mr. Urquhart made the prayer. The former members of this body who lived in Mas,. 268 PRESBYTERIANS. sachusetts and New-Hampshire, and some of the vacant congregations occasionally withdrew their connexion from the Presbytery, and no new members were added* In September 1785, the Presbytery met at Topsham. Mr. Urquhart was preaching there at tliat time. Capt« Matthew Patten of the plantation at Union River, now the town of Ellsworth, appeared at this meeting as a Commissionerfor the people living in the townships No. 6 westward and No. 1 eastward of Union River, desir- ing to be taken under the patronage of the Presbytery, and to have Mr. Urquhart iivstalled as their Minister. This business was accordingly performed. Mr. Urqu- hart himself made the first prayer, Mr. Stiickland prea- ched from Romans x. 15, and Mr. Perley gave the •charge, and made the concluding prayer. For six following years this Presbytery held regulaij jneetings, viz. twice at Turner, once at Winthrop, and three times at Gray. A meeting was appointed to be held at Canaan, but no record appears. The meeting at Winthrop was holden in October 1789. It was proba- bly a matter of convenience, as the Church in that town was never Presbyterian, and was at that time destitute of a Minister. A special meeting of the Presbytery was called at Turner July 22, 1790. Troubles had arisen in the Con- gregatlon at Union River, and Mr. Urquhart, and Capt. Patten as Agenf for the people, had both been cit-ed by the Presbytery to appear before them. Capt. Patten had sent forward charges against Mr. Urquhart, and he in turn accused the people. After considering the case the Presbytery determined that Mr. Urquhart was not PRESBYTEr.IANS. S69 guilty of the charges made against him, and as the peo- ple had made no request for his dismission the Presby- tery would not dissolve the connexion between them and their Minister, but left it optional with Mr. Urquhart to take his dismission when he pleased. The last meeting of the Salem Presbytery was held at Gray September 14, 1791. Dr. Whitaker, Mr. Perley, and Mr. Strickland attended, but no elders from their Churches. Some difficulties had arisen in the society in that town, and it became a question whether it was not expedient that Mr. Perley should be dismissed. The Presbytery considered this measure as unnecessary at that time, and after recommending Mr. Perley, they referred the final question to the decision of the parties concern- ed and adjourned without day. The members of this Ecclesiastical body were soon dismissed. Mr. Perley still lives in Gray, but has not entered the ministry again, Dr. Whitaker and Mr. Urquhart left the State, and Mr. Strickland settled at East Andover in Oxford County as a Congregationalist ; while the Churches with which they were connected either dwindled away and sunk into non existence, or assumed the Congrega- tional form under the next Minister. There is not now a Presbvterian Church in the State. X % ^7^ FftEETVlLL BAPTISIS. CHAP TEll XXIX, FREEWILL BAPTISTS. This name Is used to distinguish a religious denom'*^ ination well known in Maine. They choose to call themselves " The Church of Christ.'* The term " Freewill Baptist," is used here merely for the sake of' distinction.* From nearly the beginning of the Baptists in America there had been some who opposed many articles of the Calvmistrc creed. These were chiefly to- t>e found in Rhode-Island and Virginia.f But no regu- lar establishment of the kind was made in New-Eng- land, and probably not in America, until the year 1780, Elder Benjamin Randel of New-Durham in New-Hamp- shire, is supposed to have been the first that openly es* poused and preached the doctrines now generally held by the Freewill Baptists. In that year a small Church of this name was gathered at New-Durham by Elder Randal. The first regular Minister who united him- self with Elder Randel was Elder Pelatiah Tingley^ He was a graduate from Yale College, and was at first VI Congregational preacher, then became a Calvinistic^ Baptist, and was at this time in the pastoral ofHce at Sanford. After this, sereral other Ministers did from time to time unite with this new Society. Elder Ran- •it «• It appear* that at that time fMarth 1784] they made no use of the ^Crms Frcewillcr, Freewill Baptist, ice. They considered their tevcni i»i»nches as so many Churches of Christ, and yet tollectiTely they consider- ed themselves but one Church of Christ, and owned the name Baptist onljr as a term of distinction." Religious Magazine, No. I,p3ge i^% T Bents, to gather a company of them within certain limits under the general name of a Monthly meeting. A number of these monthly meetings assembled once in three months and held 2 Quarterly meeting. And after these branches became more numerous, a meeting was holdeu of all the Quar- terly meetings, called a Yearly meeting. The whole body was considered as one Church, and no business o£ importance was transacted in the Monthly meetings without the voice of the whole body. This general regulation still continues, excepting that the name " Church" was, in 1809> substituted for that of <* months iy meeting.'* In December of the year 1783, regular Quarterly meetings were first appointed ; one was to be held at New-Durham, one at New-Gloucester, one at Wool- wich, and one at Philipsburg. These appointments served to enlarge the society greatly, and its permanent establishment may be dated from this time.f Many of the society, both Ministers and private members, had originally belonged to Calvlnistic Baptist Churches, and consequently, were close communionists, but ia Decem- ber, \ 785, at a Quarterly meeting held at Gorham, the i Rcligiotrt Maga^in?^, '^^% FREEWILL BAPTISTS. Society voted to open their communion to other de- nominations. Their numbers were still inconsiderable. In 1786, they had only eight Preachers in Maine and HOt over ten Monthly meetings, or Churches. In the course of the four succeeding years the society increas- ed a little. At an enumeration taken in the year 1790, they had eight ordained Ministers, ten licensed preachers, and in all their societies 400 members. These were all in Maine, excepting the original Church at New-Durham. In 1791, the establishment at New-Durham experienc- ed -a surprising revolution. Some intestine struggles threatened its very existence as a Church, and the mem- bers to save difficulty declared themselves no Church, and formed anew.f A new Quarterly meeting was soon established in that region, and the society began to spread itself into New-Hampshire, and very soon into Vermont. From this time the Societies of Freewill Baptists advanced about as rapidly as other societies around them, and in the year 1804, they petitioned to become incorporated as one great Society, scattered throughout the District ©f Maine. There were at that time, in all their Churches about 2000 members. Their petition being refused, the greater part of them subse- quently became incorporated as distinct societies in the towns where they belonged. The present state of the Churches in this communion has been bu^ imperfectly ascertained, and it is difficult ■>t Religious Magazine. FREEWILL BAPTIST*. SySv oh manj accounts, to ascertain the precise number of monthly meetings or local Churches in the whole con- nexion, or the whole number of members. * There are at present eleven Quarterly meetings in the whole con. nexion. Of these, four are in Maine, viz. Gorham, Edgecomb, Farmington, and Montville ; three aie ia New-Hampshire, xit* New-Durham, Sandwich, and Andover ; three are in Vermont, viz. Strafford, Whee* lock, and Huntington ; and one is in New- York, called Bethany Quarterly meeting* The Yearly meetings are* four, viz. otie in New-Hampshire, Called New-Durham yearly meeting, and is commenced on the second Satur- day of June annually ; two in Maine, one called Edg^* eomb Yearly meeting, and holden annually on the first Saturday in September, one year within the towns of Edgecomb or Woolwich, and the next year at Farming* ton, or in some other town within the limits of that Quarterly meeting ; The other is called Gorham Year- ly meeting, and is to be holden on the first Saturday in November alternately at Gorham and Parsonsfield.— The fourth Yearly meeting is held in Vermont, and call- ed Strafford Yearly meeting. It is commenced on the first Saturday in October in the town of Straffoid, or some other town within the limits of that Quarterly * Elder Buzzel!, in the Ute numbers of his Mfgazine, has ai'proprfated a f lace for a succinct history of local Churches. Should this publication b^ continued, in process of time the materials fer a folljilstory of thia ^tso^if Tiation will be ^ffordecf-. ^74 FREEWILL BAPTISTS. meeting. An annexed Table will exhibit the date of tht gathering of such Churches as could be obtained, f-^ The names of the Ministers in this connexion cannot be stated with any degree of accuracy, t 5ce Appendix Ke. iq. METHODISTS. ^^^ CHAPTER XXX. METHODISTS. 1793. This denomination of Christians claim as th.eir fovu> der the Rev. John Wesley, who was born July 17,1703. After a regular collegiate course he was ordained » Priest of the English Episcopal Church by Dr. Potter, Bishop of Oxford, September 22, 1728. Mr. Wesley with his brother Charles Wesley, became deeply serious while they were members of College, and were then joined by a few others. They met together at stated times for religious exercises, and their regularity pro- cured for them the distinguishing epithet of Methodist. Thus the society began in tlie year 1 729. It then con sisted of but four persons, viz. John Wesley, Charles Wesley, Richard Morgan, and Mr. ICirkmaa. They- were occasionally joined by others, and in 1735, the society consisted of fifteen persons. Toward the latter end of that year the two Wesley s came to America as Missionaries, and landed in Georgia in February 1736. Charles Wesley returned to England within a few months. John remained but little more than a year, and consequently not much was done toward the e3«» tablishment of the society in America at that time. Mr. Wesley formed a society which met at his house in Savannah while he tarried, but when he left them it was broken up. In 1739, regular Methodist societies were formed in England by Mr. Wesley for the first time, and the next year the first itinerant Preachers be- gan to travel under his direction. The society now be- %*}% METHODISTS. came more regular, and in 174?2, it was divided into classes of about twelve persons in each, who were com- mitted to the care of one of the number, styled the "Class-leader.** The first regular annual conference of the whole society was held in London, June 25, 1744. There were then present six Clergymen, and four travelling Preachers. From that time meetings of this kind were holden annually, although the minutes were not published until the year 1763. Methodist Societies were now fully established in Great Britaifi^ from whence they passed to America. In the beginning of the year 1766, the first Methodist society was formed in the city of New-York. Mr. Philip Embury, a Preacher of this denomination, mov* ed from Ireland and settled there. He soon commenc* ed preaching in his own house, and gathered a little society of his own countrymen who had emigrated t(? this country. After a few months spent in this way, a room was rented adjoining the barracks, and meetings held there. Before the close of tlie year they were joined by Capt, Thomas Webb, barrack-master at Alba-*- ny, who preached to the society in his regimentals. The novelty of this brought numliers to the meeting, and the society was eventually much enlarged. A room formerly used as a rigging loft was procured for their use, and continued to be the place of public wor- ship for about two years, when a Meeting-house was built. Not long after this society was formed in New- York, Robert Strawbridge, a local preacher from Ire- land, settled in Frederick County in the state of Mary- la^id, and a society was formed there. The first regu- METHODISTS. 277 3ar travelling preachers in this connexion who came to America, weie Richard Boardman and Joseph Pillmore. They arrived here October 24, 1769, and immediately began their labours with most encouraging appearance*?. The regular establishment of the Methodist societies in America may be dated from this time. Almost every year after this preachers came ov^r to America, an. METHODISTS. SBl of November iTQi, and another at Readfield. These were the first ever formed in Mahie. On the 1 4th of December following the Lord's supper was administer- ed by the Methodists for the first time in Maine. This took place at Readfield. It was administered again at Monmouth on the 25th of the same month. After this, classes were frequently formed in different towns on this circuit. The next circuit established in Maine w,as called Port- land circuit. It extended as far north as Paris and Norway. Elder Wager was appointed to travel this circuit, and Enoch Mudge* and Eiias Hull were ap- pointed to Readfield. In October 1795, a class was formed in Portland, and the first Quarterly meeting in the State was held in Poland in December following. — . In the same year Joshua Hall was sent to Penobscot by the New London Conference, and a circuit was formed called Penobscot circuit, including a large territory on both bides of that river from its mouth upward. In 1796, it was found expedient to form a circuit near the mouth of the Kennebeck, called Bath circuit, Methodist ministers had preached in this vicinity for nearly three years, but the number of their adherents had hitherto been small. This new circuit comprehend- ed all the towns near the mouth of Kennebeck river on both sides of it ; extending as far east as Union, but the preacher appointed to the care of the circuit was to ♦ Mr. Mudgc was one of the fiu'.ts of Mr. Let's labors at Lynn, and was the first Methodist preacher raised up in New Eng1an sing, pray, and read one of Mr. Wesley's Sermons. 4?. But if that cannot be done, let there be prayer meetings." All societies have their general meetings which it is_ highly important Ministers should attend, in oider to consult together for the welfare of the Church at large. In a country like ours it must necessarily occupy some time to attend them, and this regulation of the Methof dists is therefore much to be applauded, as it provides for this emergency, and effectually prevents any blame from attaching itself to a Minister, when for a little space he leaves his particular charge to attend the more general concerns of the Church. ."^9^ CHRISTIAN SOClIiTY. CHAPTEU XX \ I. CHRISTIAN SOCIETY. In the year 1 800, Elder Abner Jones, then living in Vermont, becoming dissatisfied with some things in the Freewill i^'aptist Churches, in which connexion hp hen stood, withdrew from tliem. Elder Jones soon found others in different sections of the country of the same mind with himself. These travelled in various directions through the country, preached, baptized, gathered Churches, and ordained Elders. About the same time. Elder Elias Smith, then the Pastor of a Baptist Church in Portsmouth N. H. embraced and preached the senti- ments held by Elder Jones and his associates. Thus- began the <' Christian Societies." In 1803, a Church of this kind was gathered at Portsmouth, one at Bos* ton, one at Salem, and some others in the same year. Several Elders were ordained, and many members ad- ded, some from the v^rorld, and some from other socie- ties. The first Church in this connexion in Maine was gath- ered in Kittery November 20, 1806, and Moses SafFord was ordained to the pastoral care of it. He afterwards withdrew, and their present Minister, Elder Mark Fer- nald, was ordained in September 1809. In 1808, a Church was gathered in the westerly part of York, and Elder Peter Young ordained as its pastor. He soon re- luoved from them and the pastoral care was transferred to Elder Fernald of Kittery. CKRISTIAX SOCiliTY, £9^ About the same time, a Church was gathered in the western part of Wells, and after a few years Elder Richard Littlefield was ordained there. In 1809, a Church of twenty eight members was gathered m Seuth-Berwick, and In 1812, a Church was also gathered in Portland, with which Elder Samuel Rand is at present connected. Churches in this con- nexion have also been gathered in the towns of Vienna, Canaan, Cornville, Harmony, Monmouth, Exeter, Far- fax, Clinton, Palmyra, Northhill, Warsaw, Athens, Madison, Newport, Joy, Wilton, Knox, Leeds, Mount- Vernon, and Eastport, all since the year 1814. The Churches of this denomination in Maine are in all twenty six, connected with which a/re fifteen ordained Eldeis. * * See AppendlS No. 1.3. Z^ No. 1. FROM PAGE 21. The Council assembled for the ordination of Mr. Fayrweather, consisted of the Church in Berwick, the first Church in Danvery, the Church in New-Castle, the first and third Churches in Kittery, the first Church in Portsmouth, and the first Church in York. Three Churches in Boston were invited, but did not attend. Their result exhibits the regard shown to the objections of a respectable minority, and affords a valuable pre- cedent in similar cases at the present day. RESULT. " We the Elders and Delegates of the Church m ^Berwick, the first Church in Danvers, the Church in Newcastle, the first and third Churches in Kittery, the first Church in Portsmouth, and the first Church in York, convened in Council, May 23, J 753, at Wells, upon Letters missive from the first Church in said town, in order to ordain Mr. Samuel Fayrweather to the work of the Gospel Ministry among them. Having S APPENDIX, made our earnest supplications to God for direction^, and the Church being called before the Council that we might enquire concerning the call which they had given Mr. Fayrweather, and whether the way was clear for their proceeding to his Ordination, upon their vote being taken before the Council there appeared about thirty-six for hira and twelve against him, which twelve, with others not present, exhibited their objec- tioHS in writing. After mature and serious considera- tion of the objections offered by, the dissatisfied Breth- ren against Mr. Fayrweather, the Council came to the Allowing Resolve : viz. That as to Mr. Fayrweather being frequently absent ftom them and delaying his answer, and other objections of the same nature, they are. of little or no weight, and IAt Fayrweather has fully answered them to the satis- faction of the Council, and as to the insinuations with which they conclude their written objections, " that there are many more imprudencies which they might have mentioned^ and by his conduct they think that it will appear that he seeks theirs more than them,** since they declared before the Council they had nothing in partic- ular against him which they could prove, we look upon them as trifling, and uncharitable. But notwithstanding the clearness of Mr. Fayr- weather's character, and the great majority both of Church and Parish, which voted for, and continue to desire his settlement in the ministry, yet consid- ering a number have manifested a great discon- tent and uneasiness relating to the votes passed, and particularly the largeness of the sums voted &r his settlement and yearly support, though we think APPENDIX. S them no more than Mr. Far weather would find neces- sary — considering also the very strenuous opposition made by some to his settlement, the danger of increas» mg difficulties, together with other circumstances of this settlement, as they appear to us, which gives us reason to fear Mr. Fayrweather will not be so servicea- ble and comfortable in this place as in some other ; we cannot be fully satisfied that it will be best for us to proceed to his Ordination, but rather think it advisable that Mr. Fayrweather lovingly and peaceably part. Hcwever, we think it our duty to bear testimony against the heat and uncharitableness of this opposition which this minor part have made to Mr. Fayrweather^ which we look upon as an infringement upon the rights of Society, and as having a tendency to obstruct the- success of the Gospel, and alienate the minds of Chris- tian Brethren, and we think it necessary to declare that we are not influenced in our determination merely by- the present opposition of so small a party, but by sev- eral prudential considerations, and we also give our se-i rious and faithful advxe to the dissatisfied Brethren^ that they heartily unite with the Church and Congre* gation in taking all proper measures to obtain some other suitable person to be settled among them in the gospel ministry ; and we freely and heartily recom- mend Mr. Fayrweather, whose character appears to us clear and unblemished, to the service of the Churches wherever divine Providence opens a door for his useful- ness. We can cmly add our earnest and affectionate prayers for the Church and people in this place, that 4 APPENDIX. God would overrule all things for therr good and his own glory ; give them peace, and direct and succeed them in all suitable measures which may hereafter be Mken for their settlement. Jeremiah Wise, Moderator. Stiphen Chace, Scrihi. tROM PAGE 22, The following character of Dr. Hemmenway is exr tracted from the Sermon preached at his funeral by- Rev. Dr. Buckminster of Portsmouth. The Reverend Moses Hemmemway D. D. was born in Framingham, in the vicinity of Boston, the place of my forefathers sepulchres, and of the nativity of my honored father, from whom I heard the fame of your pastor, before I had opportunity to see his face. He entered and graduated at Harvard College. He was there distinguished for his close application, his patience^- of study, his eminent proficiency in the Greek and Ro- man classicks, and his acquaintance with theological writers of distinction in the learned languages. The common degrees of the University he received in their order ; and, for his singular merits, he was honored with a doctorate, at an earlier period of life than had been common for that seminary to i \v'd to its sons. To the profession of divinity, and tlic vv: ri of the ministry, he ly^s probably devoted in early life, and he sought a liberal education, as a desirable and reputable prerC* quisite to it. It is certain the great Head of the Church had designed him for this service, and furnished hirr^ with a rare assemblage of talents, to defend the Gospel, and vindicate its truths, against the errors in principle and practice, which He foresaw would harrass the Church, in the season in which he was to perform his ministry. He had a great degree of metaphysical acu- men, and accuracy in logical investigation, a kind of instinctive perception of the force of an argument, and an uncommon patience at disentangling the snarle of sophistry, and making plain their perplexing appear- ance. While the talents and acquirements of your departed pastor, would have entitled him to a ministry, in a most eminent situation, or to a high office in a seminary of science, it was more congenial to his modesty and meek- ness, to his habits and manners, to his taste and disposi- tion, to be far from the interruptions and snares of wealth and grandeur, and from the frivolous etiquettes and fashions of the world. Providence opened for him a ^eld of service in this highly favored village. For you my brethren, God designed him, and you must an- swer for such a gift. Here he pursued his favorite studies with an ardor and perseverance that were un- common under the pressure of difficulties, and in the view of obstacles, that would have discouraged almost any other man. I presume I do not mistake, when I say, that he read and studied the ponderous volumes^ csAlod the Father's, when most of his fellow mortals 6 APPENDIX. were lost in sleep, or indulging in indolence. Anxious to derive his knowledge from the sacred sources, and confirm, or correct his sentiments by their agreement or disagreement with that unerring standard, he studied the scriptures with great care, and accurate attention. With controversial divinity, the Doctor was so fa- miliarly acquainted, as not to be confused in his system of doctrines, by any objections or arguments that pre- tended to novelty, they had been anticipated by him, and their review, if it increased his candor, increased his conviction of the truth of his own system. The sys- tem of doctrines which our departed friend embraced, which he preached, and loved, was that which is con- tained in the Westminster's assemblies catechism, and confession of faith, the doctrines that are stiled the doc- trines of the reformation, the doctrines that our fore- fathers brought to this country, the doctrines with which the constellation of divines, of the former part of the last century, enlightened, edified, and comforted the Church. The Doctor was a sincere and firm calvinist of the oM school, though candid and chnritable to such as had their doubts and scruples upon some of its doc- trines. He was alarmed at some of the strange cions which modern Calvinism has attempted to graft upon this stock, and, by the subtleties of metap.'iysics, to prove that they were legitimate sprouts from its venera- ble roots. Once and again his pen was employed to vindicate truth and duty ; such was the estimation in ■'Which he was held, by his fathers and brethren, that their eyes were turned to him when young, to root out AITENDIX. 7 the weeHs that were sown in the field of truth, and to* move inapediments cast into the path of duty. As a disputant and controversial writer, the Doctor was fair, candid, and dispassionate. He contended not for mas- tery, but for the support of truth and refutation of error, and though he possessed a vein of humour, and could dexterously wield the shafts of satire, he never employ- ed them to confound his antagonist, or to render ridic- ulous what he could not fairly ansvs-er. He wrote, either In labored essays, or ephemeral publications, upon many of the questions that have been subjects of dispute or inquiry in our day ; and if he did not remove all difficulties, and satisfy all scruples, it will be conceded that he threw light upon all the subjects that he at- tempted. The revival of the arlan and soci»Ian heresy much a larmed and affected the mind and heart of our departed friend, principally on account of the loose system of doctrines and morals, with which it is connected, and in which it invariably Issues : several communications of his, under fictitious signatures, have enriched the pages of respectable periodical works, and it Is presum- ed, he has left with his manuscripts, a more labored dis- cussion of the subjects, which it Is hoped will one day see the light. As a sermonizer, the Doctor was eminent ; h\r, style was pare and nervous, his subjects were solemn and im- portant ; and however doctrinal or speculative, they al- ways ran In an evangelical channel, and issued In prac- tical effect. He never offered to the Lord « tliat which 1 » APPENDIX. cost him nothing." His habit of thoroughly investiga* ting a subject, of saying all that was pertinent upon it, rendered him often prolix, and sometimes tedious, to those who weie soon tired of religious discussions, and not sufficiently interested in the all important subject, to be engaged by the purity, piety, and soundness of his remarks ; but to those " whose spiritual senses were pxercised to discern the things of the spirit of God" — and who knew how to estimate an address from the sacred desk, he was always interesting and edifying. His em- inence in this part of his office called him to officiate on those public occasions which seek the service of those whose praise is in the churches. His Election sermon, his Convention sermon, and his Dudlean lecture sermon, are second to few, if any, that have been exhibited on those occasions. As a preacher, the eloquence of our departed friend was that of nature and not of art. He felt his subject, and with native sim.plicity gave it an impressive influence on the hearer. As the Doctor resembled the Apostle Paul in some eminent traits that distinguished that in- spired character, so he partook in the illiberal remark that was made upon that great Apostle of the Gentiles. '* His letters, say they are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence weak and his speech contemptible ! " But how often did he make the hearer lose sight of all other considerations by the merit of his address and the impressive manner with which he delivered it. In devotional exercises, the Doctor was always pious •and devout. He was a man of prayer. Upon special APPENDIX. 9 occasions, he ordinarily excelled, accomm6dating him- self with a peculiar pertinency, that inteiested and af- fected all who joined with him. He was equally re- moved from the rhapsodies of enthusiasts, the wildness of fanatics, and the coldness and indifference of philo- sophic christians, who think the passions have nothing to do with religion. But with these eminent qualities and talents there were combined, as the most prominent traits In the Doctor's chaiacter mildness and meekness, an unobtrusiveness of temper and deportment, a dispo- sition to esteem others better than himself. In this he resembled the leader of God's people, inheriting his spirit, as he bore his name. But that which was the crown upon all his facultie?, and was the excellency of his excellencies, they were sanctified by divine grace and devoted to the service and honor of God. At w^hat period of life, the power of divine grace took possession of the heart of our pious friend, I believe he did not pretend to decide. He fully believed the necessity of a spiritual change, by the su- pernatural agency and influence of the Holy Ghost, and he gave more and more evidence to all that knew him, that he was a subject of this change ; and he obtained more and more, the assurance of hope that he had re- ceived that " living water," which as a " well of water was springing up to everlasting life," conforming him to the spirit and temper of Christ, and transforming him into the divine image. 10 APPENDIX. No. 3. FROM PAGE 27. The manner in which Mr. Wade proceeded in gathx ering the Church at Berwick, is thus ftated in his own hand writing in the ancient record of that Church : "(A D. 1701. Dec. 21. After a meeting on the Lord's day.) At a meeting notified a fortnight before, in order to the gathering of a church, divers persons appearing, I began with prayer. After which I plainly discoursed before them about the nature of a church, and the necessity, advantage,and signification of Christ's ordinances. After which I asked every person there by name whether they were desirous to join together in Church order ? Then taking notice of the persons con- senting, I charged them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ not for any vain end whatever to desire an ap- proach to Christ's ordinances, but to draw near to Christ therein. 1. With a right understanding of them. 2. With a sense of duty. 3. With a sense of their need of them as helps for *he increase of grace and mortifying of sin. Then I counselled them, if any were offended at, or- unsatisfied about joining with any person or persons who had now oflPered themselves, that they should by no means expose their names by openly objecting against them, but in due time privately inform me about the fame, that satisfaction might be either given or a stop put to the offending pei sons proceeding, without an^ APPENDIX. 41 blast of his reputation, or discouragement to his future oflFering himself when better prepared. Finally, I ap- pointed a private meeting to be on the first Monday of March 1702 signifying that before that meeting they must be examined by me and publicly propounded for satisfaction about their conversation, and so they were difmiffed with prayer. Before the second meeting the several persons were privately examined as to their creed, by such questions as these — By whom were you made ? How many per- sons are there in the Deity ? In what condition were we first created ? Did we so continue ? What are we by nature ? What are the wages of sin ? How do you hope to be saved ? Who is Jesus Christ ? Is he God, or man, or both ? Why was It necessary that he should be man ? Why that he should be God as well as man ? What must we do to be Interested in Christ ? Is no faith true without repentance and obedience ; Must those that would be saved through Christ observe Gospel ordlnan- ces as well as the moral law ? How many sacraments are there, and which ? What Is signified In Baptism > What is signified by the Lord's supper ; Do you believe there will be a resurrection of the dead ? and a general judgment ? What will then be the portion of true believ- ers ? And what will become of unbelievers ? To which questions after they had given a satisfactory answer I drew forth their profession by questions to this purpose — Were you ever convicted of your own sinfulnefs and clanger thereby ? Do you (so far as you know your own heart) repent of and desire to forsake all your sins ? do you not only see the necessity and sufficiency of Christ, 1* IS APPENDIX. but do you trust to him alone to save you ? Are yois desirous to walk in his ordinances as it is your duty and spiritual privilege ? Do you (or will you) endeavour to obey him in every thing, not satisfying yourselves in complying only with some particular precepts ? Do you willingly subject yourself to the government of Christ's house, ys well as aim at the privileges of it ? — Having leceived also an answer of consent to these questions I publicly propounded them a fortnight before the second meeting, none objecting against their conversation. March 2nd, 1702. Was our second meeting, where after thanksgiving to God for such a prospect of his favor as was before us, and imploring his assisting and succeeding grace in our enterprize, I gave an account of the satisfaction I had received of them severally ; re- peating over the above said questions to them and the 5ura of their answers, amounting to an entire confession of faith in the fundamentals of Christianity, telling them that they ivere severally conscious of my dealing with them as above said, and as each had expressed his an- swer so all had to the substance thereof, so that they \vere all professedly of one faith. I then propounded whether they were satisfied to the conversation of or^e another ? They signified that they were. Upon which I read to them a confession of faith, and Church cove- nant, to which they jointly assented. Then after renew- ing a word of warning and exhortation to them we agreed to keep a day of public fasting and prayer on June 4th, and so dismissed them with prayer. June 4, 1702, — Being fast day, the Rev. Mr. Johi> APPENDIX. iS Pike Pastor of the Church of Christ at Dover,* Mr> Samuel Emery, Pastor of the Church at Wells, and Mr* Samuel Moody, Pastor of the Church at York, coming to our assistance : after prayer and a Sermon by Mr, Pike for our direction, Mr. Pike, &c. taking cognizance of our proceedings, and seeing all their assent to the arti* cles of faith and form of Covenant then publicly read, and their satisfaction one with another, pronounced them a Church of Jesus Christ. Upon which they sig- nified their choice of J. Wade as their Pastor." NO. 4<. FROM PAGE SI. Confession oi: faith of the 1st Church in Kittery sub> scribed Nov. 4, 171 4. "This confession of faith made Nov. 4, 1714 in the presence of the Rev. Elders and Messengers of the Churches, viz. of Portsmouth, York, Wells, Berwick, and New-Castle j at which time the Church was gath- ered, in Kittery. 1. We believe that there is one only living and true God, eternal and infinite in Being and all perfections ; subsisting in three persons. Father, Son and Holy Ghost, being one in substance, equal in power and glory. 2. That this glorious God is the maker, preserver, ^nd disposer of all things for his own glory. S. That God in the beginning made man upright, 14} APPENDIX. after his own image, having the law of God written on. his heart, with power to fulfil, and endowed with natu. ral abilities to serve and glorify his Maker : and sa made capable hj doing his will to secure his favour in a state of immortality ; yet under a possibility of trans- gressing being left to the liberty of his own will which was subject to change. 4. That all mankind sinned in their first Parents, and brake God*s command, and so, forfeited and lost God's favour and all happiness : and thereby exposed themselves to a state of sinfuhiess and misery, the curse of the law, the wrath of God unto death spiritual, tem- poral, and eternal. 5. That raan having lost his original righteousness, and become a sinner is utterly disabled of himself to perform that obedience which is required to salvation. 6. That God from his great love to mankind (as one special motive) sent his only begotten Son Jesus Christ into the world, in the likeness of sinful flesh, to be a Mediator between God and man, to redeem us, and perform this obedience for us. 7. That the Lord Jesus Christ according to an eternal covenant transacted between the Father and Himself assumed the human nature to the divine ; and became God-man, having two distinct natures in one person. 8. That Christ in respect of his Divine nature Is truly God, coequal with the Father from eternity, and in re- spect of his human nature, he is truly a man, having (or taking to himself) a r«al body, and a reasonable APPENDIX. *^ scul, and made like unto his brethren in all points ex* eept sin. 9. That this hypostatical or real union of two dis^ tiflct natures in the same person, did completely fit him for the office of a Mediator between God and man. 10. That by virtue of his human nature he was made capable of feeling our infirmities and offering up of himself to God for an atonement for sin, whereby he hath suffered, and satisfied for sin, in the same nature in which it was committed. 11. That by virtue of his divine nature he hath sane- tified this great sacrifice, and made it of sufficient value for that ****** (MS wanting.) 12. That Christ our Immanuel hath fulfilled all righteousness for us by his active and passive obedience, whereby he hath obtained eternal redemption for all that believe and obey him. That the Lord Jesus Christ as: Mediator, is the Prophet, Priest, and King, the Head and Saviour of his Church, the Heir of all things, and Judge of the world. 14. That all Christianity is comprehended in faith and obedience. 15. That Jesus Christ as Mediator is the proper ob- ject of faith and prayer. 16. That the faith whereby we are interested in Je^ sus Christ is the gift of God, ordinarily wrought in us by the preaching of the word, whereby we are per- suaded to accept, receive and rest upon Christ alonej 16 APPEKDIX. for justification, sanctlfication, and eternal life ; the In- separable adjuncts, and consequents, and fruits of which are faith, repentance, and new obedience. J 7. That unfeigned subjection to the laws and insti- tutions of Christ is the sum of gospel obedience. 18. That whosoever believes in Jesus Christ, re- ceives him, and submits to him, in all his offices, and lives according to his Gospel commands, shall be justi- fied and saved. 19. That religious worship is to be given to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to him alone. 20. That prayer with thanksgiving being one spe- cial part of religious worship, is required of all men, and that it may be accepted, it is to be made in the name of the Son, by the help of the Spirit, according to the will of God. 21. That Christ is personally present in heaven, pow- erfully present «very where, and spiritually present in his saints. 22. That as the Father hath loved us, and the Son redeemed us, so the Holy Ghost doth quicken and sanctify us to every good work here, and to his heaven- ly kingdom hereafter. 23. That Christ hath his Church in all ages of the world, which he will redeem, govern, and preserve, and in time, by his word and spirit, effectually call and make partakers of the benefits of redemption, viz. jus- tification, adoption, sanctification, and eternal glory. 24-. That a true Church of Christ is a company of holy and believing persons joined together by a special APPENDIX. if bond or covenant to walk and worship God according to gospel rules and ordinances. 25. That believers are made a particular Church by mutually professing the same faith, submitting them- selves to one another, and all to and under Christ the head in the way of his ordinances. 26. That gospel sacraments are holy ordinances in- stituted by Christ himself, to be perpetually observed in his Church, wherein by sensible signs, Christ and the benefits of the covenant ©f grace are represented, seal- ed, and applied. 27. That the Sacraments of the New Testament are only two, viz. Baptism and the Lord's Supper. 28. That Baptism is a Sacrament wherein is signi- fied and sealed our ingrafting into Christ and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our en- gagement to be the Lord's. 29. That Baptism is a privilege belonging to be- lievers and their children. 30. That the Lord's supper is a Sacrament wheieia by giving and receiving bread and wine according ta Christ's appointment his death is represented to us, his merits and benefits offered to us, and received by us, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith and holy affections, for our spiritual nourishment and growth in grace to eternal life. i^ 31. That there shall be a resurrection of the body for substance, (though much altered as to the qualities and circumstances thereof) and a reuniting of it to the same soul when it shall appear before Christ in tlie i^ APPENDIX. great and last day of judgment to receive an eternal sentence of happiness or misery* 32. That God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus Christ, and that every one shall then receive a reward according to his works. 3S. That the Holy Scriptures contained in the Old and New Testament is the perfect and only rule of faith and manners. 34?. That the Holy Spirit is our guide, director, and helper, both to understand and walk by this rule. 35. That as many as walk according to this rule with an upright heart shall enjoy communion with Goi. here, and .everlasting happiaess and glory hereafter." (Signed) John Newmarck, Samuel Skillin, William Pepperrell» Samuel Hutchins, Elihu Gunnison, John Adams, John Dennet, James Fernald, Henry Barter, Dodavah Curtise,, John Fernald, Thomas Rice, Ebenezer Emones, George Jackson, Joseph Mitchell, John Ford, John Ingersoll, Samuel Ford. These, with twenty-five females, constituted th6 Church, of which Henry Barter and John Fernal4 ^ere appointed Deacons. No. 5. FROM PAGE 83. I'^he following extract from a Sermon delivered at the funeral of Rev. Mr. Foxcroft by Rev. Jonathan Scott of Minot, well exhibits some parts of his private character, and shews the estimation in which he was held. " Mr. Foxcroft evidently appeared to possess andex- |)ress the true fear of God, both in word and deed. He well knew, and appeared to reahze, that God could net be deceived, and would not be mocked ; under which sense he often had sore exercise of spirit about his state, whether he was a subject of godly sincerity ; which occasioned his opening his mind with evident concern, and stating many difficulties and cases of con- science, for solution, that he might not mistake, or be deceived in the great concernment of his salvation. The stating his difficulties, in many instances, mani- fested what a deep sense, and high relish of divine things was impressed on his soul ; and what an exten- sive knowledge he had of the human heart, its deep depravity and deceivings. He could not be quiet with mere externals in religion, nor with those flights oi af- fection, arising from excited passions, or even from com- mon illuminations of the spirit : nothing seemed to sat- isfy him, short of the faith, which overcomes the heart, purifies it, mortifies its pride and worldliness, and acts out its divine nature, in persevering obedience to all God's commands and ordinances. And when he sus- ^0 APPENDIX. pected he was wanting of true faith, and love to God iind men, with their proper fruits, he was uncomfortable, and cast down. He appeared hke one carrying a rich treasure of gold and precious stones, among thieves and robbers, fearful of being plundered. I often thought strange of his frequent application to pne so far inferior to himself, with respect to his extensive reading, his great and long acquaintance with the system of divinity, his age and long experience in a religious life. But the truth is, Rev. Mr. Foxcroft was clothed fwith humility* and minded not high things, but con- descended to men of low estate ;f and had learned, in lowliness of mind to esteem others better than himself. \ He loved retirement, and was but little abroad, in the last years of his life. He did not seek his felicity and chief satisfaction in passing much of his time in crowds of company, whether rich or poor : and yet he enter, tained his friends with much sociability, openness, ci- vility, kindness and friendship. He was to appearance, much abstracted from the world. He appeared no way fearful of coming to want, nor was he in the habit of contriving to advance his worldly interest, or that of his ckildren ; but his conversation and behaviour appeared like that of a stranger and pilgrim on the earth. § Mr. Foxcroft appeared affectionately concerned for the spiritual ajid eternal welfare of his children. In a solemn, understanding manner would he set before # I Pet. V. $. +Rom. xii, l6. ♦Phil.ii. 5. § Heb, Ki. I*. APPENDIX. ^i them the necessity and importance of their being recon- ciled to God, and devoted to his service ; and often re- quested assistance on their behalf, that their minds and hearts might be sfiitablj impressed with a sense of di- vine things. And the day before he kft the world, being as well, to appearance, in bodily health as he had been for days before, he was observed to be earnestly engaged in prayer to God for his cbildrent and grand children, that the blessings of God might descend and rest upon them. Mr. Foxcroft was a man of prayer. His approaches to the Divine Majesty, were accompanied with the deepest humility of speech and gesture, and awful sense of the infinite distance between the glorious and holy God, and sinful man. The wants and necessities of sinful men he well understood j and his expressions in prayer were suitable, solemn, and easy to be understood. As to fervour in prayer, he appeared to be a true son of Jacob, possessing a spirit of prayer and faith. Fre- quently, in prayer, he seemed as if his very heart and soul went forth with his petitions to God. We have reason to hope, that his departed spirit is now with that God and Saviour whom he sought and served with tears. He has got through death, and, as we may hope, has left his weakness, his fears and sighs behind ; rest- ing from his labours and sorrows, in assured expecta- tion of the refinement and recovery of his body from the grave, when he shall be a joylul witness of the truth of our text, and see death swallowed up in victory," Wi AFPENDIX. No. 6. A Table exhibiting at one view the names of all the Congregational and Presbyterian Ministers who have ever been settled in Maine, with the number of the years of their ministry. ARIIANGED IN GOUNTIES. C&VNTY OF YORK. Name of Names of the Ministers. When Years the Town. or dallied. served [. How reaovii^. York, 1st Shubael Dummey 1673 19 Killed by Church. the Indians. Samuel Moody, 1700 47 Died. Isaac Lyman, 1749 61 Died. Rosewell Messenger, 1798 15 Dismissed. Moses Dow, 1815 2nd Joseph Moody, 1732 6 Dismissed. Church. Samuel Chandler, 1742 10 Dismissed. Samuel Lankton, 1754 40 Died. Isaac Briggs, 1798 7 Dismissed. Wells. Samuel Emery, 1701 24 Died. Samuel JefFerds, 1725 27 Died. Gideon Richardson, 1754 4 Died. Moses Hemmenway, 1759 51 Died. Benjamin White, 1811 2 Died Jonathan Greenleaf, 1815 APPENDIX. 2S Name of KamC of the Ministers, the Towns, South John Wade, Berwick. Jeremiah WioC, Jacob Foster, John Thompson, Kittery John Newmarch, IstChh. Benjamin Stevens j Jonas Hartwell, William Briggs, Stephen Merrill, 2nd Chh. Josiah Chace, Joseph Litchfield, Eliot. John Rogers, Alpheus Spiing, Samuel Chandler, Biddeford,Samuel Williard, 1st Chh. Moses Morrill, Nathaniel Webster, 2nd Chh. John Turner, Arundel, Thomas Prentice, now Ken- John Hovey, nebunk Silas Moody, port. George Pay son, Joseph P. Fessenden, Wlien Years ordained. served. How removed 1702 1 Died. 1707 49 Died. 1757 21 Dismissed. 1778 1714 40 Died. 1750 40 Died. 1791 6 Dismissed, 1798 16 Dismissed. 1821 1750 28 Died. 1782 1721 52 Died> 1768 23 Died 1792 1730 11 Died. 1742 35 Died. 1779 1805 1730 8 1741 27 1771 45 1816 4 1820 12 Dismissed. Dismissed. Dismissed. Died. Dismissed. Kenne- Daniel Little, bunk. Nathaaiel H. Fletcher, 1 8Q0 1750 51 Died. ;« APPENDIX. of Name of the Min-.-ters. When Vea/8 • IS. ordained. served. How rcmoveu. iA^i WiCk. John Mofie, 1755 10 Died. Matchew Merriam, 1765 32 Died. Joseph HiUiard, 1797 Saco. John Fairfield, 1762 34 Dismissed. Elihu Whitcomb, 1799 11 Dismissec^ Jonathan Cogswell, 1810 Buxton. Paul Coffin, Levi Loring, 1763 1817 58 Died. Lebanon . Isaac Hasey, 1765 47 Died. Paul Jewett, 1814. 5 Dismissed* Sanford. Moses Sweat, 1786 Alfred. John Turner, Joseph Brown, Nathan Douglas, 1791 1805 1816 13 4 Dismissed, Dismissed Liming- ton. Jonathan Atkinson, 1794 20 Dismissed. Parsons- field. Benjamin Rolfe, 1795 20 Dismissed. Limerick. Edmuod Eastman, Charles Freeman, 1795 1820 17 Died. Shapleigh. .Joseph Brown, 1796 S Dismissed. New field. John Dane. ISOS 1 Lisri^isse^d. Lyman. Jonathan Calef, 1801 APPENDIX, ^ COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND. When Years ordained served. 68 50 Name of the Town. Names of the. Ministers. Portland Thomas Smith, 1727 IstChh. Samuel Deane, 1764- Ichabod Nichols, 1809 2d Chh. Elijah Kellogg, 1788 Edward Pay son, 1807 3d Chh. Nathan S. S. Beeman, 1808 Chapel Elijah Kellogg, 1812 Chh. Thomas J. Murdock, 1819 2a How removed. Died. Died. Dismissed;, Dismissed* Dismissed^ Scarbor- William Thompson, 17^7 32 Died. ough, Thomas Pierce, 1762 IstChh. Thomas Lancaster 1775 12 Died. 2d Chh. Richard Elvins, 1744. 31 Died. Benjamin Chadwick, 1776 19 Dismissed. Nathan Tilton, 1800 North- Ammi R. Cutter, 1730 s Dismissed. Yar- Nicholas Loring, 1736 27 Died. mouth, Edward Brooks, 1764 5 Dismissed. 1st Chh. Tristram Gilman, 1769 40 Died. Francis Brown, 1810 5 Dismfssedo Joseph W. Curtis, 1816 1 Dismissed* Samuel Woodbury, 1817 2 Died. Asa Cummings, 1821 2d Chh. John Dutton, Otis Crosby Whiton, 1806 1817 8 Dismissed Chapel Chh. Noah Cresey, I82a S6 APPENDIX. Name of When Years the Town. Names of the Ministers. ordained, served. How removed. Cape Benjamin Allen, 17^4 20 Died. Eliza- Ephiaim Clark, 1756 41 Died. beth. William Gregg, 1801 6 Dismissed. Benjamin Sawyer, 1809 3 Dismissed* William Gregg, 1815 Wind- John Wight, 1743 10 Diecf. ham. Peter T. Smith, 1762 30 Dismissed. Nathaniel Stone, 1798 6 Dismissed. Asa Lyman, 1809 € 1 mo. Dismissed. Gardiner Kellogg, 1811 Gorham. Solomon Lombard, 1750 14 Dismissed. Harps- well. znouih. Josiah Thatcher, 1767 12 Dismissed, Caleb Jewett, 178S 17 Died. Jeremiah Noyes, 1803 3 Died. Asa Rand, 1809 Bruns- Robert Dunlap, wick. John Miller, Ebenezer Coffin, Winthrop Bailey, Eli^h;i Eat^n, San '^! Eaton, 1747 13 Dismissed. 1762 26 Died. 1794 8 Dismissed,; 1811 3 Dismissed. 1753 1764 11 Died. J-hn Wis"7:i11. 1756 8 Dismissed. Hbenrzer \'*^5r; .ns, 1765 34 Died. W iiiiam Mikimoi e, 1 803 APPENDIX, '^ Name- of the Town. Ntmei 6f the Ministers, When ordained. Years served . How removed. West- Thomas Browne, 1765 32 Died. brook. Caleb Bradley, 1799 New. Samuel Foxcroft, 1765- 28 Dismissed* Glouces. Elisha Moseley, 1802 ter. Standisfe . John Thompson, 1768 15 Dismissed. Jonathan Gould, 1793 1 Died. Daniel Maret, 1795 aray. Samuel Nash, 1775 7 Dismissed, Samuel Perley, 1784 7 Dismissed. Daniel Weston, 1803 Bridgeton. Nathan Church, 1789 Cumber- Rufus Andersott> land. Amasa Smith, Samuel Stone, Durham. Jacob Herrick, 1794 10 Dismissed. 1806 lit Dismissed. 1821 1796 Minot 1st Chh. Jonathan Scott, 2dChh. William Pidgin, 1796 23 Died. 1811 8 Dismissed SS APPENBIX* >Jame of Nam«» of tite Ministers. When Years •he Towns. OTdaiued served. How retnoveil. Freeport. Alfred Johnson, 1789 16 Dismissed*. Samuel Veazie, 1806 2 Died. Reuben Nason, 1810 5 Dismissed. Enos Merrill, 1816 Otisfield. Thomas Roby, 1797 14 Dismissed. '' Josiah G. Merrill, 1814 JPownal. Perez Chapin, 1811 COUNTY OF LINCOLN. New- Alexander Boyd, Castle. Thurston Whiting, Kiah Bayley, George- town. Ezekiel Emerson, Wool- Josiah Winship, wich. Jonathan Adams Booth- John Murray, bay. John Sawyer, Jabez T'ond Fisher, Isaac Weston, 1754 4 Dismissed. 1776 5 Dismissecl. 1797 1765 50 Died. 1764 1817 1766 13 Dismissed. 1796 10 Dismissed. 1809 7 Dismissfiid. 1818 Name of the Town. Name of the Miuisters. When ordained. Years served How remove*. Bath 1st Chh. 2d Chh. Francis Winter, Hugh Wallis, Asa Lyman, John W. Ellingwoodj William Jenks, 1767 1795 1806 1812 1805 19 5 2 12 Dismissed. Dismissed. Dismissed. Dismissed. Bristol. Alexander McLean, William Riddel Jonathan Belden, 1773 1796 1807 32 8 10 Died. Dismissed. Dismissed. Wiscas- §6t. Thomas Moore, Alden Bradford, Hezekiah Packard, 1773 1793 1802 18 7 Dismissed. Dismissed. Warren. John Urquhart, Jonathan Huse, 1775 1795 8 Dismissed. Topsham. Jonathan Ellis, 1789 20 Dismissed. Alna. Jonathan Ward Samuel Johnson, 1796 1818 20 Dismissed, Edge- comb. Benjamin Chatman, Samuel Sewall, 1801 1807 4 11 Died. Dismissed.. Dresden . Freeman Parker, 1801 Union. Henry True, 1806 10 Dismissed. Camden. Thomas Cochran, 1805 10 Dismissed. so APPENDIX^ THzme ef the Towns. Nam e of the Ministers. When Years ordained, served. How rcwioved . Waldo- John R. Cutting, 1807 4 Dismissed borough. David M. Mitchell, 1816 Thomas. JtDhn Lord, 1809 2 Dismissed* ton. John H. lograham, 1817 COUNTY OF HANCOCKi Deer Isle. Peter Powers, 1785 14 Died. Joseph Brown, 1809 10 Died. Sedge- wick. Daniel Merrill, 1793 10 Dismissed. Penobscot. Jonathan Powers, 1795 12 Died. Philip Spaulding, 1809 3 Dismissed. Biuehill. Jonathan Fisher, 1796 Belfast. Ebenezer Price, 1796 6 Dismissed. Alfred Johnson, 1805 8 Dismissed. Wm. Frothingham, 1819 Castine. William Mason, 1798 Bucksport. Mighill Blood, 1803 Ellsworth. Peter Nourse, 1812 Prospect. Christ'r J. Lawton, 1815 COUNTY OF WASHINGTOV. Machias. James Lyon, 1781 13 Clark Browne, 1795 2 Marshfield Steele, 1800 Abraham Jackson, 1821 Died. Dismissed.. APPENDIX. Si ^arae of the Towns. Naiv.t of the Ministers. When Years oxdainecL served. How reraovtd. Robbin- ston. Daniel Lovej 07, 1818 6m. Dismissed. I^ubec. Jonathan Bigelow, 1821 COUNTY OF KENNEBECK. Winthrop, David Jewett, Jonathan Belden, 1782 1800 1 5 Died. Dismissed. David Thurston, 1807 Augusta. Isaac Foster, 1786 2 DismI sed. Daniel Stone, 1795 11 Dismissed. Benjamin Tappan, Hallowell. Eliphalet Glllet, 1811 1795 Winslow. Joshua Cushman, 1796 18 Dismissed. Temple. David Smith, 1810 9 Dismissed. Bittston. Daniel Kendrick, 1812 8 DIsmissecfc New-Sha- ron. Hezeklah Hall, 1815 9 m . Dismisse licentiates are in italics. COUNTY OF YORK. Name of ' the Town. Arundeli 2dChk Date of the Chh. 1803 Names of the Ministers. Jotham Day, No. of member^ ^ 21 21 Berwick, 2d Chh. 1768 180^ Joshua Chace, Nathaniel Lord, Alexander Hatchy 130 87 3d Chh. 1808 U Buxton, 1798 Abner Flandersj SO Cornish, 1792 Timothy Remick, 6^ Hollis, 1807 43 licbanon, 1801 Zebedee Delano> Samuel Knox, S7 l^erjcl?, 1796 Atherton Clark- 3* 5ff 3t> APPENDIX. Name of Date of the Town. the Church. Limington, 1802 Names of the Ministrra. John Seavey, Ebenezer P. Kinsman, No. <^ members. 53 Lyman, 1782 Simon Lock, Nathaniel Litthjid^ 83^ Newfield, 1807 2d Chh. 19 14 ParsORsfield, 1796 Wentworth Lord, 140 Sandford, 1772 Gideon Cook, 130 Shapleigh, 1781 2d Chh. 1785 William Godding, John Chadbourne, 103 46 South-Berwick, Ebenezer L. Boyd, Waterborough 1791 2d Chh. 1804* Henry Smith, 102 rs Wells, 1780 2d Chh. 1803 Joseph Eaton, Oliver Barron, Joshua Roberts, 65 COUNTY or CUMBERLAND. Bridgton, 1807 Reuben Ball Nichelat Bray^ 60 Brunswick, 1789 Benjamin Titcomb, Shimuel Owen, 215 Cape EJizabeth, Noah Hooper, 3^ APPE^^DIX, w Name of Date of No. of the Tov»-n. the Church. Name of the Mjni8te>s. member^ Danville, 1808 Joseph Roberts, e5 Freeport, 1807 Benjamin Titcomb, jr. 4^ Harps\Tell, 1786 Samuel Marriner, 90 Minct 1807 George Ricker, SO- NewGloucester 1 794* Robert Low, 36 North. Yar mouth, 179T Stephen Chapm, 125 Portland, 180i Thomas B. Ripley, 175. Scarboroug.b, 1^-^ COUNTY OF LINCOLN. Appleton, jibithar Richardson, 47- Bath, 1810 Silas Stearns, 197 Bowdoin 1788 Joseph Denslow, 122 2nd. Chh. 1805 95 Bowdoinham, 1784._ Daniel Pier son, Elihu Purrlngton 59 Bristol iff Mis " congus Islanc . 1792 Samuel A. Flaggy 31 Camden, 1808 42 2d. Chh. 1808 4* Friendship & Cashing, 1800 72 Hope 69 Je£ferson, 1808 William Allen,. 12* 2d. Chh. 1808 William Burbankt 47 Lewiston, 1792 Benjamin Cole, James Garcelon, 66. lisbcft Daniel Pierce, 60^ Name of Date of APPENDIX* No. of' J&he Town the Church. Name of the Ministers. jnembci%. '^d. Chh. . 19 Litchfield, 142 2d. Chh. William Stinson, 54> Martinicus, 1808 2S Montville, 1807 ^ob Cushmanv 35 2d Chh. 1812 35 MountEphraim 1801 34/ Nobleborough,! 7 93 Phinehas Pilsbury, 144 2d Chh. Adoniram Judson, . 24 Palermo, 1805 Stephen Dexter, 43 2d Chh. 1809 56 Stetson, 1807 28 St. George, 1789 Benjamin Eames, • 93 2d Chh. 87 Thomaston, 1784. Elisha Snow, 167^ 2d Chh. John Wakefield, 36 Top sham, 1816 Henry Kendall, Winslow Staples, 56 New-Castle, 12 Union 1801 Lemuel Rich, 85 Wales, James Pierce, . 44 Warren, 1800 Daniel Ricker, 120 Whitefield, 1789 Joseph Bailey, 76 2d Chh. 1809 31 Woolwich^^ 1800 Robert C. Starr, Samuel Stiafon 4^ APPENDIX, ^ COUNTY OF HANCOCK. y^me*! Pate of Ne. of t^e Town. the Chh. Names of the Minintcf^. n»«mber.?k Belfast, 1809 John Wagg, 2^ Jelmont, . 38 Bluehill, 1806 John Round y, William Johnson, 178 Buckfport and Orland. 1809 21 Eden, Enoch Hunting, $2 Goldsborough , Joseph Chadwick. U Islesborongh, 1791 49 Knox, Isaac H4U 5a Mount Desert »9 Monioe 17 Northport, 1807 18 Prospedt, Thomas Merrill, 14 Sedgewick, 1805 Ebenezer Pinkhara, 226 Sullivan, 18ia Daniel McMaster, 42 Surry and < Ellsworth, 1807 Benjamin Lord, 64 Three mile square, 13 Trenton, 1810 74^ Vii^alhaven, 1804* Samuel Macomber, i2I 40 APPENDIX. COUNTY OF WASHINGTON.* Kamc of Date of N». of the Town. the Church, Names of the Ministers. members. Eastport> Benjamin Buck, 30 Machias, 4IS Steuben, 1805 Nathaniel Robinson, 82 2dChh. 1806 49 COUNTY OF KENNEBECK. Belgrade, 1806 Elias Taylor^ 6& Chesterville, 2a China, Isaac S. Smith, 70 Clinton, Mephibosheth Cain, 92 Farmington, 50 Fayette, Jesse Martin, Oliver Billings, Mi Freedom, Thaddtus Bailey^ 55 Gardiner, Levi Young, 32 2d Chh. 15 Greene, 1809 John Daggett,^, Reuben Curtis, 12 Hallowell, 1805 64 Harlem, af6 2d Chh. Jabez Lewis, 31 I-eeds, Thomas Francis, Martin Leonard, 79 Malta, 19 2d Chh. - 26 Monmouth, 1810 if the Chtirchei east ofth€ Penobst^t are ^ ♦ The accounts i for the 7 eat ^«i<>. APPENDIX* M »ame«f Bate of No. Of the Town. the Chh. Name of the Ministers. mtonbers^ Mount-Vernon, 73 New-Sharon, 1802 Sylvanus Boar dm an, 5^ Readfieldj 1792 Josiah Houghton, Isaac Case, Samuel Foggy ^ Sidney, 1791 Asa Wilbur, h\ 2dChh. 1806 51 Vassalboroughl788 43 2d Chh. 1808 Coker Maible, S7 Waterville, Jeremiah Chaplin, Avery Briggs, 46 COUUtT of OXFORD. Bethel, 1795 Daniel Mason, U Buckfield, 1791 Nathaniel Chace^ 36 ^d Chh. 1802 49 Denmark, 180* Tristram Jordan, 23 Dixfield, Nathan Mayhew, 29 Hartford, 1810 Daniel Hutchinson, 90 Hebron, 1791 John Tripp, Shuhael Tripp, 107 Jeffersohj 1790 3d Lancaster, - 18 Livermore, 1793 John Haynes, 136 2d Chh. 1811 Ransom Norton, t2 Bd Chh. Thomas Wyman, Elias Nelson, 93 Norway. 26 Parisr 1791 James Hooper, 137 4S Appendix. Xame of Date of the Town, the Chh. Plantation No. 1. Names of the MioUters. \-o.dI otembelrs. 15 Plantation No. 8. 21 Sumner. 180* Waterford. Jay. 1799 Joseph Palmer, Mighill Jewett, Josepli Macomberj 55 12 102 COUNTY OF SOMEiSEf. Ansoa. IS Athens. U Bloomfieldi Jonathan Steward, Robert Cobur* 61 Canaan. 1795 3S 2d Chh. !8 Cornville. 1801 32 Harmony. 1801 Benjamin Bisbee, 43 Industry. 52 Moscow. 31 Norridgewoci r«. 12 North.hill. 24 Palmyra. Joseph Blasdel, 44 Parkman. Zehas Hall, SO Philhps. 10 Strong. 12 APPENDIX. COUNTY OF P£NOBSCOT. 4f 'Same of Date of No. of the Towns. the Chh. Names of the Ministers, ■aeinbcrsj Bangor. 20 Brooksville.. Amos Allen, Lemuel Norton^ Noah Norton^ Jr, 76 2d Chh. Edward Carter, 37 Carmel. IS Charleston, 1810 Henry Hale, 67 Dixmont. 1810 S4f Frankfort. 1808 40 Guilford. Thomas Macomber, 38 Hampdea. 1809 Otis Briggs, S& N. B. A list of Churches is preserved in Mr. Bene- dicts History of the Baptists. Several are there named wjiich are not reported in the annual minutes at this day. They have probably either changed their name, or unit- ed with some others, or have become extinct. ^ 44 APPENDIX. NO. 9. FROM PAGE 261. ^ A Table shewing the date of the several meetings of Triends in Maine, arranged in Chronological order* (Where there is a blank the certain date was unknown.) Date of the Name of the town. meeting for worship. Kittery, now Elliot, 1 730 Falmouth, 1743 Date of the E preparative mcctinji. 1764 iate of the Date of the monthly quarterly- meeting, mcetinjj. none. ' none. 1751 1795 Berwick, 1749 1750 1802 none* Harps well, 1749 Discontinued Durham, 1776 1790 none. Windliam, 1779 1793 1802 none. Vassalborough, 1780 1784 1787 1813. Fairfield, 1786 1791 none. none. Portland, 1790 1796 none. none. Limington, 1792 1801 none. none. Winthrop, 1793 1802 & 1816 :. none. none- Green and Leeds, 1794< 1796 1813 none. Lewiston, 1816 none. none* Bristol, 1795 1801 none. none. Sidney, 1795 1800 1802 none* Gorham, 1797 none. none. none. 2d in Vassalborough, , 1797 1799 none. none. Dresden, 1798 none. none. none. Scarborough, 1799 none. none. none^ Belgrade, 1801 none. none. none. Harlem, 1802 1809 1813 none. -Litchfield, 1803 1812 none. none. Camden, 1804. Discontinued. Hope, 1807 none. none. none. Islebprough, 1809 Discontinued. APPENDIX. 4§ Cape Elizabeth, 1810 none. none. none. Fairfax, 1819 1812 none. none.. Parsonsfield, none. none. Poland, none. none. Raymond, none. none. Unity, 1815 none. none. Wilton, 1815 none. none, 2d in Harlem (the Branch) 1817 none. none. none, Pownal, 1817 none. none. none. Athens, none. none. The Friends have in America eight yearly meetings, viz. Philadelphia, New-York, New-England, Baltimore* Ohio, Virginia, Carolina, and Indiana yearly meetings. Philadelphia yeai ly meeting is composed of eleven Quar- terly meetings. New-Yoik yearly meeting has nine quarterly mcietings. New-England yearly meetinghas six Quarterly meetings, viz Rhode-Island, Salem, Sand- wich, Falmouth, Smithfield, and Vassalborough. Bal. timore yearly meeting has three Quarterly meetings. Ohio yearly meeting had six Quarterly meetings until the present year, when a part of them were taken off in forming the new yearly meeting for the State of Indiana. Virginia yearly meeting has three Quarterly meetings, and Carolina yearly meeting has six Quarterly meet- ings. In the v^hole of the United States their meetings wiH stand thus : Yearly meeting?, - - 8 Quarterly meetings, - 4-^ Monthly meetings, • 184! Meeting for worship, - 529 4$ APPENDIX No. 10. FROM PAGE 274. It has been asset ted th?t in New-England there are at least six hundred Churches in the Freewill Baptist con- nexion. The truth of this is unknown. The following Table exhibits the date of the gathering of all that could be obtained. The dates are selected from Elder Buzzell's Magazine, Name of the Dal e of the 1 Kame of the Date of the Town. C lurch. ! Town. Church. New-Durham, N. H. 1780 '3d in Giimanton, N.H 1800 Edgcomb, 1781 Hardwick. ^^t. 1800 Georgetown, 1781 Meredith, N. H 1800 JLittle River, 1781 New-Castle, N. H. 1800 New -Gloucester, 1781 New-Hampton, N.H . 1800 Parsonsfidd, 1781 New.Portland, 1800 Philipsburg, • 1781 Thornton, 1800 Woolwich, 2 781 Shapleigh, 1801 Gorham, 1785 Brookfield, N.H. 1-802 Bristol, 17S8 Doer field, N. H. 1802 Barrinq^ton, N. H. 1791 Knox, 1802 Middleton, N. H. 1791 Wa;.hington, Vt. 1802 Pittsfield, N. H. 1791 New-Gloucester,* 1803 Jlaymond, N. H. 1791 Squam Island, 1803 Waterborough, J 791 Wilderness, N. H. 180 J Farmington, 179S,Winthrop, ' isoi. Giimanton, N. H. 17947\shby, Vt. 1806 Strafford, Vt. 1794 Chebacco, Mass. 1806 Canterbury, N. H. 1795 Wear, 1806 Lebanon, 1795 Wise asset, 1806 Limington, 1798 York, 1806 iJdin Gilmanton,N,H.1799 Durand, N. K. 1807 Berwick and Kiitery J 799 Dixmont, 1809 Bridgewater, N. H. 1800 Palermo, 1812 Bradford, Vt. 1800 ♦ The former Chh. in this town was ditsolved in 17^3. APPENDIX. ^ No, 11. FROM PAGE 279. The following is a copy of Mr. Wesley^s letter to the^ American Methodists, on the subject of ordination, and their regular establishment as a Church. Bristol, September 10. 1784. To Dr. Coke, Mr. Asbury, and our brethren in North America. "1. By a very uncommon train of providences, ma- ny of the provinces of North America are totally dis- joined from the British Empire, and erected into Inde*. pendent States, the English government has no autho- rity over them either civil or ecclesiastical, any more ^an over the States of Holland. A civil authority is exercised over them, partly by the Congress, paitly by the State assemblies. But no one either exercises or claims any ecclesiastical authority at all. In this pecu? liar situation some thousands of the inhabitants of these States, desire my advice : and in compliance with their desiie, I have drawn up a little sketch " *' 2. Lord King's account of the primitive Church convinced me many years ago, that bishops and pres* byters are the same order, and consequently have the same right to ordain. For many years I have been im.- portuned from time to time, to exercise this right, by ordaining part of our travelling preachers. But I have ftill refused not only for peace sake, but because I was determined, as little as poffible to violate the eftablished •rder of the national church to which I belonged. 4i* 48 APPENDIX. " 3, Bat the case is widely different between England , and North America. Here there are bishops who have a legal jurisdiction. In America there are none, and but few parish Ministers. So that; for some hundred miles together there are none either to baptize, or ad- minister the Lord's supper. Here therefore my scru- ples are at an end ; and I conceive myself at full liberty, as I violate no order, and invade no man's right, by appointing and sending labourers into the harvest. " 4. 1 have accordingly appointed Dr. Coke and Mr. Francis Asbury, to be joint superintendants, over our brethren in North America. As also Richard What* coat, and Thomas Vasey, to act as elders among them, by baptizing and administering the Lord's Supper. "5. If any one will point out a more rational and Scriptural way of feeding and guiding those poor sheep in the wilderness, I will gladly embrace it. At present I cannot see any better method than thai I have taken. "6. It has indeed been proposed, to desire the English Bishops to ordain part of our preachers for America, But to this I object. L I desired the Bishop of Lon- don to ordain one only ; but could not prevail. 2. If they consented, we know the slowness of their proceed* ings ; but the matter admits of no delay. 3. If they would ordain them no'w, they would likewise expect to govern them. And how grievously would this entan- gle us ? 4-, As our American brethren are now totally disentangled both from the State, and from the English hierarchy, we dare not entangle them again, either with the one or the other. They are now at full liberty, sim- APPENDIX* #9 ply to follow the scriptures and the primitive Church. And we judge it best that they should stand fast in that liberty, wherewith God has so strangely made thena free[." John Wesley* m APPENDIX, m CO s "^ v^ c3 1 M o t -5 "-5 oi o 00 ^ i/j , ^- ^ S *« S Si t ^ O 4-. -Q 8 « £ 4> s ^ I 8 $ 2 5 ^ o S i'§ > i^ IHillm pSOB,P! Smith James lake. a| S ^ £ 15 'o PJ nS ^ ^ «« w -C P < < ir- 1^ s f 0) •"* to fcJB ^ c " s 3 a S^ S 3 U5 1. 3 M a a ^ pa 'to ^ ^ fll ti* 1 o il G^ 1 L< u I S C/3 ■a i f- o ti M •a ^ Q -5 3 § -p ^ a ^ '"^ C C/2 r: — ^ .2 CO o fi CO fee U ^ h go £ -5 c Si O Jf - O e: =5 CO o -3 aj a: P5 o c is ^ « to "U (5 CO ix I c c ^ Z. 2 0, G .s a rt -r; w t^ (-H (U ClJ o ex a* •s ai ■^ tA « rt C 03 rC « OS i2 %%% f u III Ph .S ::? •^ ■w' Q 00 00 — ♦ '"*■ TJ- § ■§■& 5& APPENDIX. fer ^ '^ Jj r"^ HrH H {^ V-, ;^ hM CO ffi ^ * C r: ^ 2!^ S ^ ♦-i >J-1 13 H-t »* o •«<4"a»jr;o? |:^(A^«j 6 I O 3 r« . ^ o r- CM 3 ^ 1 ^S o g £ .^ ^-S § S c ^ O o ^r^ o c OS r-^ "J ^^ h ^ 5 ^^ S .S- ^ .^ -c - 2 rt top 1^ J Q m APPENDIX. • 47 d» • m tf 4J c3 „2 -S rt X *6 ** rt? *^ rr! - Vi 11 « 111 if <3-s fc-S 1,5 5J.Ji PS j s g W3 u bO S a .5 B «\ '5* ^ No. df d. Mcmberi. tr included in the enu .2 0) 4.J {3 CO 0^ Cfl! CO Towns include ham, Gor- rook, • III 3 ^ 1 1-5 rt •» S-^-*J|^ ^; ^^ 1 &s •5 o 2 § s Ui 6m l>^ H-S >> —? «•- i S w^ b© cQ Q .^ "5 C O sB ^ c J g ^^i ^ =3 1^ sj .^8 CD C^ 01 <« O Q a" i i S =i ^- u r? ^^sl K :3 «a APi'ENDl^. 51 >. V -n c* 1/ = u, CO ^ ^1 i s ^ s O P^ S *- P 6 ill '4i'^J sJ ^1o ^ ^tQ BfiM^^ ^ I - ^ -^ -. •^ P*^ rj ^ t-H '^ -rt ^ C '/> -^ C ^^a:d ^t^i^;. g|i^ Sg^tJ si § § § I « • • . -a <« ^ I a S 'c ^a .^ £ o oi 'g 90 APPENDIX. G «- 4-> a ■3 "^ K »4 - ^ 3 S " r=3 « -s S^ ^ J *5 f8 J .^ 1h CT3 •s J3 rt G • >•-< •A fcO l>i tT CJ r.^ > ^ °^ p^ s.r -3 ^ -? 2 a H n "3 g s§ S •■4 r>- ^1 0^ S tSo i & 2r (1^ P-i ^-« £ CO O z 'O G W bo CO -u iJ pq '2- *^ ^ h a, I ° 5 .| H S pq a^ o W I 2 ^& o fee c? G t«0 G Opq 8 pq W bO APPENDIX.. 57 •§ i »-^ c^ p^ ^Xi c« Pxh K a* .§0 w y? •* s s 5.S g^ ^ "^ ^ B |5 H^ H^ ^ t-^ CO *! 00 "* <^ I CSI 0« CO ■ ^ ^ S 1 I ;o •S tj 1 r5 U> (m l-t i • V 1 B S5 J ■5 ■d u c ■» C^ 1-- Ji = 1— 1 CM CM c^^ Fl I— 1 00 00 00 00 V , • 1 s 4J u 1 'i s g > i S SS PU) <^ W > H ^S APPENDIX. Total, In Portland District, Travelling Preachers IS Local Preachers, 40 In Kennebeck District, Travelling Pi-eachers, lO Local Preachers, 27 In Penobscot District, Travelling Preachers, 6 Local Preachers, 6 10^ The following is the total amount of members in^ America as returned at the annual conferences in 1820. Ohio Conference, 35056. Missouri, 5523. Tennessee, 2S164<. Mississippi, 2331. South-Carolina. 32969.. Vireinia, 23756. Baltimore, 33289. Philadelphia, 34851. New-York., 23456. New-England, 17739. Gen- essee, 2394-7. Grand total 256881, of which 38753 are Blacks. Travelling Preachers in the U. S. 904. In the year 1 809, when Elder Jesse Lee published a *^ Short History of the Methodists," there had then been admitted into full connexion as travelling Preachers from the year 1 769 to 1 806, 988 persons. Of these 8 who came from England returned there after a few years, 85 died in the work, 17 had been expelled, 28 had left the connexion in good standing, 533 had locat* ed themselves after a period of travelling, and the re- mainder were then living in the travelling connexion. At the same time 251 persons had been received as probationary preachers, of whom 1 1 had died in the service, 3 had been expelled, one had left the connexion, and the otjiers then remained on tp'al. Hist. Methodists, Chap, l^ APPENDIX 5S No. 13. FROM PAGE 293. Names of the ordained Elders Christian Churches in Maine. in connexion with the Names* Residence. Mark Fernald, Kittery. Samuel Rand, Portland. Joseph Smith South-Berwick, Jedediah Goodwin, do. Josiah Bradley, Vienna. Jonathan Bradley, do. Peter Mores, do. Joseph Merrill, Canaan. Thomas Lewis, Clinton. John Robinson, Cornville. John York, Newport, William Knowles, Harmony. Jedediah B. Prescott, Monmouth, Henry Frost, do. James Crosby, Fairfax, now Fredoni^. Theodore Harding, Joy. Jeremiah Bean, WiltOB. Lbenezer Hamlin, Knox. Leeds. 60 APPENDIX. Under the care of the aforesaid Elders, are the Churches in the Towns where they severally reside, as- also the Churches in' the Towns of Mount-Vernon, Pal- myra, Exeter, North-Hill, Athens, Warsaw, Madison and Eastport ; making in all twenty-three Churches^ and 18 ordained Elders. Churches of this denomination have been gathered m other S.ates. In 1821 their numbers were as follows : states. O.diined Elder*. No. of Churches-. New-Hampshire^ 13 15 Massachusetts, IV 12 Vermont, 29 37 Rhode-Island,. 2 3 Connecticut 9 New-York, 47 unknown. New-Jersey, 1 Pennsylvania, 4 6 Virginia^ & IS Ohio, 2 unknown 122 95 GENERAL INDEX- Acadie, Page ^ Agamenticus, Plantation of 8 Allen Rev. Benjamin, S^ Arundel, 6a Anderson Rev. Rufus, 72- Adams, Rev. Jonathan, 82^ Alfred, 109 Adams, Rev. John, 113 Atkinson, Rev. Jonathan, lis Alna, 151 Andover, 188 Albany, 192 Augusta, 19^ Adams, Rev. Thomas, 204 Anson, 214 Burdet, 9 Briggs, Rev. Isa^c, U Buss, Dr. John, 20 Burroughs, Rev. George^ 20 Berwick, 26 Bi-iggs, Rev. William,. 30 ^^ APPENmX. Browne, Rev. Thomas, 41^ Bradley, Rev. Caleb, 41 Beeman, Rev. N. S. S. 42 Burrage Rev. William, 44 Biddeford, 5I Booth, Robert, 52 Brooks, Rev, Edward, 65 Brown, Rev. Francis, 65 Baxter, Rev. Mr. 74 Boyd, Rev. Alexander, 77, lOL Bath, 82 Brunswick, 92 Bailey, Rev. Winthrop, 97 Bay ley, Rev. Kiah, lOT Buxton, 108 Brown, Rev. Joseph, 112, 116 Boyd, Rev. James,, 122, 219 Bridgeton,- 126 Boothbay, 132 Bristol, 146 Bradford, Rev. Alden> 150 Bluehill, 156 Brown Rev. Joseph, I59 Bucksport, 165 Blood^ Rev. Mighill, 105 APPEN&iX, m Belfast, 16r Bethel, 187" Brownfield, 19^ Belden, Rev. JonathaR, 1 50, 1 96. Brown, Rev. Clark, 207 Bigelow, Rev. Andrew^ 209^ Bigelow, Rev. Jonathan^ 20^ Bloomfield, 210- Binghairi) 215 Bangor, 219^ Brewer, ' 219- Brosvnville, 22Q Bailey, Rev. Jacob, 23t Baptists, Calvinistic, 238 Baptists, Freewill, 270^ Chandler, Rev. Samuel, IS Chandler, Rev. Samuel, S2 Chace, Rev. Josiah, 35' Clark, Rev. Eplr/aim, 39 Cape Elizabeth, 39^ Campbell, Rev. Hugh, 45 Chad wick, Rev Benjamin j. 50 Cogswell, Rev. Jonathan, .59 Cape Porpus, 59 Cutter, Rev. Amml R» 64? M APPENDIX. Curtis, Rev. Joseph W, G6 Cummings, Rev. Asa, m Cumberland, town of, 71 Chapin, Rev. Perez, 73 Cresey, Rev. Noah, 73, 190 Coffin, Rev. Ebenezer, 97 Coffin, Rev, Paul, 108 Calef, Rev. Jonathan, 116,211 Cornwall, Mr< Wait, 119 Crosby, Mr. Otis, 121 Church, Rev. Nathan, 126 Chatman, Rev. Benjamin^ 1.52 Castine, 155, 162 Chesterville, 196 Cushman, Rev. Joshua,. 201 Camden, 175 Cochran, Rev. Thomas', Cutting, Rev. John R. ^ 175 175 Canaan, 210 Cayford, Rev. John, 212 Catholics, 233 Cailleaux, Rev. Stephen, 235 Cheverus, Rt. Rev. John? 236 Churchman John, 254. Christian SocietVi 292 APPENDIX. 65 De Motte, 7 Dummer, Rev. Shubael, 9 Dow, Rev. Moses, 12 Deane, Rev. Samuel, 3.8 Dunstan, 49 Dutton, Rev. John, 72 Dunlap, Rev. Robert, 94* Douglas, Rev. Nathan, 1 1 2 Dane, Rev. John^ 115, 122 Durham, 129 Dresden, 151 Deer-Isle, 158 Dixfield, 192 Dennysville, 207 Dlxmont, 220 Emerson, Rev. Joseph, 20 Emery, Rev. Samuel, 21 Eliot, ~ 32 Elvins, Rev. Richard^ 49 Eveleth, Rev. John^ 53 Eaton, Rev. Elisha, 69 Eaton, Rev. Samuel, 69 Emerson, Rev. Ezekiel, 79 Ellingwood, Rev. J. W". 85 'DO APPENDIX Ellis, Rev. Jonathan, ^ Eastman, Rev. Edmund, lU Edgecomb, 151 Eaton, Mr. Ebenezer, 164 Ellsworths, 165 Eastport, 20d Episcopalians, 223 ^aton, Rev. Joseph, 242 Fayrweather, Rev. Samuel, m J'letcher, Rev. Nathl. H. m Foster, Rev. Jacob, ^ -Fisk, Mr. 32 Falmouth. 35 Fairfield, Rev. John, 58 Fessenden, Rev. J. P. 62 Freeport, 70 Freeman, Rev. Charles> 115 Foxcroft, Rev. Samuel^ 118^ Fisher, Rev. Jabez P. 144 Fisher, Rev. Jonathan, 157 Frothingham, Rev. Wm. 169 Fryeburg. 177 Fesserden, Rev. Wm. 177 Farmingto*ji, 19S APPENDIX. 67 Foster, Rev. Isaac, 196 Fairfax, or Fredorva, 202 Freeman, S16 Fairfield, 216 Friends, 245 Gorges, Sir Ferdinand©,,' S Gorges, Thomas, S Gorgiana, City of. « Creene, Rev, PercivaU SO Greigg, Rev. William, 40 Gilman, Rev. Tristram, 155 Georgjetown, 74 Gorham, ^9 Gould, Rev. Jonathan, 124. Gray, 125 Greely, Rev. Allen, 186 Gould, Rev. Daniel, 187, 191 Gilead, 19$ CiUet, Rev.Eliphalet, 198 Gerry, or Malta, 205 Garland, ^20 Gardiner, town of, 227 Gardiner, Doctor Sylvester, ^27 Hubbard, Rev. Jeremiah, 20 fiemmenway, Rfev. Moses, 6 » J68 APPENDIX. Hartwell, Rev. Jonas, 30 Hilliard, Rev. Joseph, 34 Henry, Rev. Hugh, ' 45 Hovey, Rev. John, 61 Harpswell, 68 Hasey, Rev. Isaac, 108 Herrick, Rev. Jacob, 129 Hancock, county of, 155 Huse, Rev. Jonathan, 173 Hebron, 190 Hall, Rev. Samuel R. 191 Hallowell, 196 Hall, Rev. Hezeklah, 202 Holt, Rev. Fifield, 212 Hampden, 220 Hilliard, Rev. Timothy, 226 Hooper, Rev. William, 242 Interior of York County, 108 do. of Cumberland County, 117 Ingraham, Rev. John H. 176 Industry, 214 JefFerds, Rev. Samuel, 21 Johnson, Rev. Alfred, 70, 168 Jenks, Rev. William, 85 Jewett, Rer. Caleb, 90 APPENDIX, 69 Jiwett, Rer. Paul, 109 Johnson, Rev. Samuel, 151 Jewett, Rev. David, 195 Kennebunk, 2S Kittery, 29 Kellogg, Rev. EHjalb 42 Kennebunk-port, ' 60 Kellogg, Rev. Gardiner^ 88 Kennebeck, County of, 194 Kendrick, Rev. Daniel, 203 Kingsfield, 216 Lyman, Rev. Isaac, n Lankton, Rev. Samue^ 14 Little, Rev. Daniel, 25 Lord, Gen. John, 29 Litchfield, Rev. Joseph^ 33 Lancaster, Rev. Thomas, 48 Loring, Rev. Nicholas, 64 Lyman, Kev. Asa, 85,88 Lombard, Rev. Solomon^ 89 Loring, Rev. Levi, 108 Lebanon, 108 Limington, 113 Limerick,. 114 ^ APPEND!:^. Lyman, 116 Litchfield, 153 Lawton, Rev. C. J. 170 Lord, Rev. John, 176 Lovell, 186 Lovejoy, Rev. Danle^^ 202^208 Lyon, Rev. James, 206 Lubec, 209 Loomis, Rev. Harvey, 219 Lord, Rev. Nathaniel, 242 Lutherans, 262 Lee, Rev. Jessf, 277 Maine, original limits o^ S Moody, Rev. Samuel, 10 Messenger, Rev. Rosewel^ 1% Moody, Rev. Joseph, 1% Martin, Rev. Richard, 20 Merrill, Rev. Stephei^ 31 Morse, Rev. John, 34 Merriam, Rev. Mathew^ ^ Mlkimore, Rev. William, 41 Murdock, Rev. Thomas J*' 42 Morrill, R«v. Moses^ 57 Moody, Rev. Silas, ^y MeriyD, Rev. Enos, n APPENDIX. 9i McCIanethan, Ri?v. William, 75 Morton, Rev. James, 75 Miller, Rev. John, 96 Moseley, Rev. Elisha, i 2S Maret, Rev. Daniel, 12* Minot, * 126 Merrill, Rev. Josiah G. 130 Murray, Rev. John, 133 McLean, Rev. Alexandefj, 148 Moore, Rev. Thomas, 150 Merrill, Rev. Daniel, 160 Mason, Rev. William, 163 Mount Desert, 162' Mitchell, Rev. David M*- 176 Malta, or Gerry, " 205 Machias, 206 Monson Plantatiour ?16 Methodists, 275 Newmarch, Rev. John, 29 Nichols, Rev. Ichabod, 38 New-Casco, 40 North-Yarmouth, 63 Nason, Rev. Reuben, 71 Noyes, Rev. Jeremiahr 90 6* 5% APPSyDlX: New-Castle, iOp Newfield, 115 New-Gloucester, 117 Nash, Rev. Samuel^. 125 Nourse, Rev. Peter,, 166 Norway, 190 New- Sharon, 202 Norridgewock, 212 Noble, Rev. Seth, 218 OHphant, Rev. David;^. 23 Oti'sfield, 130 Oxford, County of, r7T Oxnard, Mr. Thomas, 226 Olney, Rev. Gideon, 2^0 Payne, Rev. Robert, 20 l^pon. Rev. John, 23 Piscataqua, plantation of 26 Peppeiell, Sir William, ■ r..~^.iTf* 29 Portland, . /T ,— r-.»^ S», Pay son, Rev. Edwaid, 42 pierce. Rev. Thomas, 4& Prentice, Rev, Thoma^ ^ms{inS 50 Pay son, Rev. George, ^txm- 61 Pownal, IS Parsonsfield, vo ■•■ 114: !P«rley, Rev. Samuel, ■rU-/-.^,. ns APPENDIX. n i^Id^in, Rev. William,. 129 Pemaquid, 146 Pownalborough, 150 Packard, Rev. Hezekiain. ISO Parker, Rev. Freeman, 151 Powers, Rev. Peter, 158 Penobscot, town of. 160 Powers, Rev. Jotiathan,. 160 Price, Rev. Ebenezer, . 1^7 Prospect, j 170 Paris, 1 93 Pittston, ^3 Peet, Rev. Josiah, 214 Penobscot, County of^. 218 Penobscot Indians, 255. Presbyterians, 264 Quakers, 244 Rishworth, Edward, ia Richardson, Rev. Gideoi^ 22. Rogers, Rev. John, St2. Rand, Rev. Asa, 91 Rolfe, Rev. Benjamiup. m Rpby, Rev. Thomas^ 129 Raymond, i31. Riddel, Rev. Williamjt i^a Rijpdey, Rjcv. lincolnj^ ^^^ ^tim^'^-^^^ Rumford, ^m^mM^^i ^^^ Rice> Rev. Jacob, 192 Rutherford, Rev. Robert;, 172 Robbinston, 2q«* Roman Catholics, ^^^" 2S3 Ralle, Father Sebastian, 233 Romagni, Rev. James R.. 235 Ryan, Rev. Dennis, : 23g Randel, Rev. Benjamin,, 270 Scotland, parish of, 12 Stevens, Rev. Benjamin^, 3q. Spring, Rev. Alpheus, ^ Smith, Rev. Thomas, 3g Sawyer, Rev. Benjamin*. 40 Scarborough, 44^ Saco, 5I Smith, Rev. Amasa, 72, 184 Stone, Rev. Samuel, 72 Smith, Rev, P. T. 87' Stone, Rev. Nathaaiei^ S8 Sandford, lOg Sweat, Rev. Moses, 109 Shapleigh, ns Standish, 123 Scott, Rev. Jonathan 125; Sawyer, Rev. Jolin, IM^ APPENiDIX, ?a Sewall, Rev. Samuel, 1^ Sedgewick, 150 Spaulding, Rev. Philip, IGl Sullivan, 166 Strickland, Rev. Johs^ 180,180 Sewall, Rev. Henry, 187, 190 Sumner, 180 Sewall, Rev. Samue^l, 189 Sweden, 193^ Stone, Rev. Daniel, 199 Sewall, Rev. Jotham, 200 Smith, Revo David, 2oa Steele, Rev. Marshfiel^,. w Someriet, County of, tiO Starks, 214 Solon, 215 Strong, 216 Screven, Rev. William,. 2^0 Starman, Rev. John, 262 Thompson, Rev. John, ^8, 123 Thompson, Rev. William, ^:r- Tilton, Rev, Nathan, 50 Turner, Rev. John, 59,111 Townshend, Rev. Mr. 89 Thatcher, Rev. Josiah^ 90 Topsham;i^^ aa; 203 ?26 76 APPENDIX Turner, town o^ lyg Thurston, Rev. David, ig^ Tappan, Rev. Benjamin, I99 True, Rev. Henry, jy^ Thomaston, ji^g Temple, Ten Broeck, Rev. P. Si Unity, parish of, 26 Veazie, Rev. Samoel, 7q Ur^iihart, Rev. John,. 166, 17 k Union, j^g Unity, town of, 203 Vassalborough^ 204 Wells, j5 Wheelwright, Rev. John, J5 White, Rev. Benjamin, 22 Wade, Rev. John, 27 Wise, Rev. Jeremiah, 28 Wiswall, Rev, John, 41, 224* Williams, Rev. Ebenezer, 41 Westbrook, 4j Williard, Rev. Samuel, 54 Webster, Rev. Nathaniel, 57 Whitcomb, Rev. Elihu, 58 Woodbury, Rev. Samuel^ 66 Whiton, Rev. Otis Q 73 APPENDIX. 77 Woolwich, 81 Winship, Rev. Joslah, 82 Winter, Rev. Francis, 83 Wallis, Rev. Hu^h, 84. Windham, 87 Wight, Rev. John, 87 Ward, Rev. Nathan, 102 Whiting, Rev. Thurston, 106 Weston, Rev. Daniel, 125 Weston, Rev. Isaac, 144 Wiscasset, 150 Ward, Rev. Jonathan, 151 Warren, Rev. Silas, 169 Waldo patent, 171 Wairen, 172 Waldoborough, 175 Whiting, Rev. Francis Li 178 Waterford, 187 Weld, 192 Winthrop, 194 Washington, County of. 206 Whitaker, Rev. Nathaniel, 210 Williams, Rev. Thomas, 219 Warren, Rev. Joseph, 226 York, « BRkATA. 1»agc ao, 12th line from top for " graduated" read •• graduate*." p. 25 The notes at the bottom of page should change places, p. 40, ad line from ftdttom for " Holes" read »* Boles,*' P. 49, 7th line from top, for •• even" read ♦• ever." p. 5z, note, for 'recited' read ♦ cited.' p. 74, in running title for " Cumberland" read ♦'Congregationaliits." P. gp^ 7th line from •top/ for " from" sead " of," P. 113, note, for "4,*' read " 5." p. 183, I7th line from top, for" selected'* wad •♦ elected.*"' P* 193, the note attached to Weld should have been attached to Gilead. P. 195, tlic notci on this page should change places. P. 197, add to note " Moore of Pownalborough, Wlnshipof Woolwich, and McLean, of Bristol, with Delegates from their sev-^- eral Churches. p. 201, 8th line from top for " 1896'' read '• 1796," P. zp^, 5th line from bottom, for " Hendtick read " Kendrick." The same alteration on the next page. P 208, 6th line from bottom, for ♦'sensus" read • census.' P 209, Kote should be attacked to the sketch of Eastport. Running title of Chapter, for " Sumersct'» read " Somerset." P 22», 3* line from bottom for" Church" read " Churches." P 125, 13th line from top, for " mumbers" read •» noembers.' H 226, 6th line from bottom, for ' Petous' read 'Petrus.' P227, 2d liae from top, for ' CXney's ministry* read " Rev. Mr. Olney's ministry." P 2^35, i 3th line from top, for " Cail- leawx" read " Cailleaux." P 255, 12th line from bottom, insert ♦removed from' between the words • principally' and •Harp>wcll.' P 265, 7th line from top, for ' Hustor' read • Hnston.' P 274» In the marginal reference, for 9 read 10. ^^ C'5^ of .^'% ^ ^ •"■• ^'?>^ 1*0^