The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-01-10

80 SsCPACA'b
Yesterday morning the Rev. DR.. Pratt con-
tfnued his "reminiscences of the last thirty
years in the history of the Parish. ne CON-
menced by giving brief recapltuiation Oh Tue
points of his last Sabbath's discourse, which
opeped the "reminiscences, and stated that dur
ing the year 1910 the condition of things in the
church was most unpromisng, that is until
the parish moved into their remodeled church.
The Doctor continued by saying that before
leaving the year 1910 he desired to state two
important facts which had great influence in
building up the society aud making st Ste
phen's fourishing parish The first was that
cottage lectures were established. 1t became
the custom to meet once week at the houses
Of the members, holding prayers and hearing
simple cottage lecture. 1t seemed necessary to
bring all the Episcopalians in the city togeth-
er, tointerest them in the church, and in each
other, and by so doing there would be no doubt
that all would 20 well with the parish. The
second fact was that during all the early
months after the formation of the society, it
was. customary to hold vestry meetings as often
as once and sometimes twice week. By SO
doing the affairs Of the Parish were kept con-
stsntly tn the mind of every one, and to do all
in their power to make the society powerful
one, as well as to be mutually acquainted and
interested in each other. The members en-
tered upon their work with a stern determine
ton to know nothing but Jesus Christ. One
great reason of their success as a church was
that they drew in the great PRINCIPLES OF love
for all who loved Jesus Christ; they cultivated
the kindest relations With all Christian people,
and up to the present time they have never
lost that principle. Again, the relations exist
ing between the Doctor and the other clergy
men In the city had always been most friendly,
especially his intercourse with DR.. Chickeripg
OF tue High st. and Rev. Mr. Condit of the I'd
Parish. Hand in hand they had undertaken
different good works, and all their relations
were exempt from tinge of bitterness; but
throughout their acquaintance he never COM
promised any of the principles of the Protest.
ant Episcopal Church. He respected their
principles and they his.
From 1840 to 1847 nothing occurred in the
history of the church that called for especial
mention. Everything went well with the
Parish; it increased in numbers, in influence,
and in wealth. But in 18H it was thought
necessary that the different Episcopal churches
should form diocese and Bishop should be
appointed. At the time when DR.. Pratt came
70 Portland there were but two other Episco-
pallan ministers in the State-one at Bath and
the other at Bangor. Until it was decided to
have Bishop of their own, the Episcopalian
churches here had been served by Bishop Girls
void and afterwards by Bishop Henshaw of
Rhode Island. But in 1S47 there were six
rectors in the State, and it was decided to elect
Bishop who should be supported by a parish
Of his own together with sum contributed by
each Of the other parishes. These rectors held
convention in old st. Stephens Church on
Pearl street, on the 4th of October, 1847, and
there voted for the Rev. Geo. Burgess, who
was then settled over Christ Church in Hart
ford, Conn. 1t had been known by DR.. Pratt
for years how good man Bishop Burgess was,
and no difficulty was experienced in getting a
unanimous vote. When we say unanimous
vote, we should preface tho ronlaIh by-sl.e-
statement that there was one of the six votes
cast blank and on inquiry it as ascertained
that 1t was thrown by missionary who, not
knowing DR.. Burgess, felt he could not con-
scientiously vote for man he did not know
anything about; but when he was enlightened
blythe others as to the Bishops excellencies
Of character and fitness, he willingly voted for
him and the call was unanimous one. In his
letter of acceptance Bishop Burgess stated
that If he acted from personal feeling he should
decline the call, for he had been settled thir-
teen years over a parish which was in entire
harmony with himself and he had hoped to
stay with them till his death, but for the good
of the church he would accept. He was con-
secrated at Christ Church, Hartford, on the
s1st of October, 1s47, and preached his first
sermon on the 7lh of November in Gardiner.
phen's Church, Portland, Under the Bishop,
on the 25th of November, 1s47.
The firm friendship that had commenced
between Bishop Burgess and Dr. Pratt at the
time when they were deacons together, lasted
until the Bishops death. During the session
at which the Bishop was consecrated society
was formed In New York called the Protestant
Episcopal Society, for the Circulation of Evan
gelical Knowledge. Tho society was formed
for this reason: The Puseyite doctrine which
had come over from England and got foot
hold some years previously in the island of
Manhattan, had gone on spreading until al
AAaOSt CNCkJ APioOopoA PotiSh ooutdiuCo UOohS
filled with the Puseyite doctrines, which had
crept in in some way or another. 1t was there
fore felt necessary to form this society which
should weed out all these volumes and replace
them With books containing only what had
always been considered pure and sound. They
meant to shut ont all books that would under
mine the Professionalism of the church. Many
of the brightest minds were among the earlier
members of the society, and Bishop Burgess
was urged to become Vice President. He
was however so conservative that he would not
accept the Office until he was convinced that
the church was sending out these books, and
then he became Vice President and firm
friend OF the society till the day OF his death
throughout all his letters written on church
matters is plainly set forth the desire that there
should be no innovations upon the established
practices of the P. E. Church.
In 1850 there was disposition manifested in
st. Stephens to form second parish. Long
before this time DR.. Pratt had felt that it
would be a good thing to have another parish
formed, as st. Stephens was large and -four
ishing; but the difficulty had been to get some
of the members to start 10 the matter. In or
der to induce them to do so DR.. Pratt offered
to give up large portion of his own salary to
the minister they might select, feeling that the
new minister and himself would work togsth.
or. But in 1851, several of the members moved
to organize new parish, and feeling that a
different feeling animated the members who
sought to form new church, he (Dr. Pratt)
would not offer to contribute from his salary
to the new rector's support until he could feel
satisfied that the new parish would be in
sympathy with the old one. This he made a
point OF, and the Bishop agreed with him, fol
the Bishop felt it would be doing an enormous
injury to the church if it was established upon
grounds different from what the rector of the
the OLD church, its mother, might think best
II contrary course was pursued he 1.-THE
Bishop felt it would prove the seed of pro
tracted evils. In his letters. land the Docto,
read quite number.) the Bishop dist uctly
states that if he thought the new churcI
would be otherwise than decidedly protestan
he should not countenance it. All these limo
vations, be considered, were disloyal to tn
church; and he claimed to be loyal to tn
church, that is, loyal to its tenets as they hav
beea laid down for all time. In letter from
England the Bishop states. there is much il
the English Church to be admired; some thing
that are to be deplored; and 'others that shout
never be transplanted'' Puseyism.
In 1852 it was deemed important for the We
fare Of St. Stephens Parish that new churc