The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-10-05
For the Union and journal.
"Thc New Meeting House,"
at WAS day with ioyanos ffaught-
II Was day for deepened thought"


II Was day for deepened thought"
Nh. EptroR ALLOW me. through the medi-
I'm Of your paper, to tender . portion Of your
readers, an oblation Of sympathy, by reprint
Of the Dedicatory Hymn, read and sung for the
closing services at the Dedication Of "The New
Meeting House," Feb. ~, 1906 I; written for
the occasion Of Its birth day-ths great gala
day for all the country round.
"a Land Marx" It Was called,-if mistake
not public sentiment, It's coming and depart
ure. It's birth and death. have impressed LIE
Mark on the hearts ofmany old acquaintance,
and their children's children.
Early In the morning. on the 9Th Of July,
iso0-Sabba,h morning-sscrsmental morning
only four days after Its last ushering In. With
the booming Of cannon, the light Of the bright
morning Orient, and the joyous hilarity Of
Freedoms laugh. the eighty-fourth Nations
"day Of all the rest''-her natal day, this Tenn
pie Of Religious worship Of an Ancient Church
and Society. the faithful Sentinsl-Psthe Of the
Town, with scarcely moments warning to it,
sleeping and uususpecting inhabitants, was
suddenly destroyed by FIRE!
Why was III Who did Il, Was Il the resul,
Of necessary accident that couldn't be help
cdr 1t certainly did not commit suicide with
its own hands.
The steeple did not cant, or fall over but
settled directly down to Its own nadir, faroring
the theory that the fire first caught below, In,
or near the furnace vault. and that the contin-
uous stairway acted a. via duct, . pent up
chimney fue,-hence Its breaking out at the
drst great opening It could find near the bel
fry.
"Eariy," bforc Ave O'Clock, a. the sun
kissed It's hesvenward apex for the last time on
earth, Il looked out on the world around, snuff.
ed In the pure morning oxygen,-the faithful
clock struck one. two. three, four. kl-v-e!-
but why linger this last 1lieu = made gentle
courtesy down into the vault Of the public YES
thule below, and oil was over The weary
men went home to breakfast /; the Puritan wo-
men to weep. and the old men to sigh.-to sigh
over an unwelsoms and sad reality the per.
feet structure Of The New Meeting House,
its beautiful internal and mechanical finish for.
ever obliterated; sttested by the smoulderinE
and blackened funeral ruins, which, reflective
ly dark, stare up into our faces. Nothing lef
but the lonely sacristy, mournfully contemp.
lating the sudden and mysterious departure Of
its long associated friend and cherished cog.
nate.
May We not reasonably hope that, In som'
faint degree at least, its daguerreotype viii
supply its place and its use, before the attri.
tons Of time shall have sbrsded the sharp gri
Of Its ashesi
The Dedication sermon, In the peroration
says, after abiding in very appropriate and
handsome manner to the enterprise Of the peo
pie, generally, and the christian spirit which
prompted 1t, and 10 the highly respected mer
chant citizen. Hon. Col. FoxWell Cults, thu
generous donor Of the Bell:
"It Is laudable desire In man to wish to liv'
(if I may 30 speak) aiter he Is dead and Il
perpetuate his existence In the minds Of pos
terity by noble and generous. SO long then
as this Society shall here assemble-so long a
posterity shall here assemble. at the tone o
that Bell. the name Of CurTs ought to be hslt
in honorable remembrance"
The stanIas alluded to are % follows: