The Portland daily press., 1875-07-05
ERECTION OF THE CHURCH,

| some time past Mr.. Larrabee aud others have
| given their whole time to the enterprise. The
pastor, DR.. Carruthers, as is well known, has
| been untirng in his efforts to complete the ed
| ifice. The following gleanings from the report
of Mr.. Larrabee, the chairman of the building
| committee, gives good idea of the inception
| and completion of the structure:
| Probably most of us present are aware that
on the 4th day of July, 1866, nine years ago to-
| day, the meeting house of the Second Parish,
| situated on Middle and Deer streets, together
with the vestry, separate building, was des-
troyedby the great fire which then occurred.
Our holy and our beautiful house, where our
| fathers praised Thee, is burned up with fire
| and all our pleasant things are laid waste"
On the 18th day of the same month, nine
| days after the sad event. special meeting of
| the male members of the church and society
| was held in the chapel of State Street Church.
| when it was resolved to retain the organization
of the Second Parish and erect another place
| of worship on more eligible site as soon as
| practicable.
The Parish Committee with the Pastor were
| authorized to adopt in the name of the church
and society al. suitable measures for carrying
| the same into effect. A very large number of
| the families belonging to the society had lost
heavily by the fire, consequently were unable
| to do but little toward the erection of new
church edifice.
| 1t was therefore found necessary to resort to
extraordinary means to secure funds, and it
was determined to appeal to the friends of the
| Gospel for aid, our Pastor undertaking the
work, confidently believing that he would not
be permitted to apply and plead in vain. Al
| though successful in obtaining considerable
| amount, it was not sufficient to give that en-
enlargement we had anticipated. About ten
| thousand dollars were received from this source
| during the earlier stages of the work, and
| more recently other donations by the hand of
DIR. Carruthers amounting to about fifteen
hundred dollars.
| Considerable time had elapsed before it could
| be definitely settled as to the best and most
eligible site. At length it was decided to locate
upon this spot, where in the early days of this
church and before they had a meeting house to
| worship in they were accustomed to meet in a
| dwelling house that stood here, for social meet
| ings. In view of this fact, and in remem-
| brance of their labors of love and devotion to
the cause of Christ, this place on which this
| church is located, and we are now assembled,
| should be regarded as most appropriate by the
present members of the church and society.
| After obtaining the site to build upon, the
| next thing to be done was to determine what
| kind OF a house to build.
| In order to meet the circumstances of our
| people in their reduced condition, and the SEEM
| ing demands of the citizens of our growing
| and prosperous city it required not little for
| titude on the part of those on whom fell the
care and responsibility to decide upon plan for
| the church edifce the architecture and mate
| rial of which should comport somewhat with
| the condition of our people, and at the same
time not disappoint the expectations of our
citizens by placing upon this beautiful lot a
building not designed to add to the beauty of
| the city.
| They therefore resolved to erect building
more costly than at first contemplated although
| it might require much more time and toll to
! complete the work. 1t was hoped that this
4 decision wonld appear to all concerned TO be
| correct in due time. OF this we shall leave
| the people to judge. The plan adopted was
| executed by Messrs. f. H. Fassett & Son of this
city. The building itself is sufficient testmo-
NAL of their skill as architects The archi-
lecture is of Romanesque order, the entire
| length is 103 feet, breadth II feet; tower and
| spire 100 feet nine inches.
The resources of our society were BY no
means adequate alone to justify an expendi-
ture such as would be required to carry forward
to completion the plans already adopted; but
| having considerable faith in the ultimate sue
cess of our hopes, and a little money we COM
| menced the work The foundation was begun
| in the autumn of 1867, and on the 4th day of
| July, 1868, the corner stone was laid, with APP
| prOpriate ceremonies
| The following winter the veStry below was
completed costing abont thirty-seven hundred
dollars, the work having been begun mainly
| through the kindness of our pastors wife, she
Offering two thensand dollars for the old vestry
lot On Deer street, on conditions that the mon.
| cy should be expended towards the completion
of the vestry. This proposition was accepted
by the church who owned the property-and
the conditions complied with Aud the 18th
day of April 1869 it was dedicated aud has been
our place of worship since that time.
would here say that Immediately after the
fire, offers Of church accommodations
were made to us by State Street, High Street,
Casco Street, and Wilston Societies, and SUBJ
sequently by the First Parish Society.
Accepting the kind offer of the State
Street Society our meetings were held in this
church for some months, when, owing to the
Inprr htcfn to In OH For
people, we accepted the invitation of the First
Parish Society. and enjoyed the free use of their
meeting house for two years. and until our own
vestry completed.
For this act of generous Christian courtesy
and liberaty on the part of our friends of the
First Parish Society, the Society of the Second
Parish do gratefully acknowledge their obliga-
tons, and would most gladly reciprocate their
kindness. Many tokens of their fraternal feel
| ingS, have been manifested not only in express
| sions of good wishes for the success of our en-
terprise but by liberal donations to aid us in its
accomplishment.
After completing the vestry it was deemed
| prudent to suspend work as we had not only
exhausted all our available resources, but had
incurred debt of about $1,000; in this condi-
ton Of things the house remained until the fall
OF 1872, when this room was plastered and work
| again suspended
| the first thing being to procure the means for
! puttiug in the windows. This was accomplished
chiefly through the kind offerings of friends
who, themselves, or theirs have been united
with the church. With some Interruptions
since the commencement by putting in the
windows the work has progressed Before begin
ming the work of completion last fall ,our debt
had been reduced ST., 900. This debt has been
funded by the ISSUE. of bonds of the Parish to
that amount, bearing interest at per cent.
payable in twenty yearf, and redeemable after
five years. These bonds were all sold at par,
and the outstanding debts of the Parish were
all cancelled.
The whole cost of the church including the
site will probably not much exceed seventy
five thousand dollars, exclusive of organ and
furnishing, on which there is, as before stated,
bonded of debt $l2,000.00 1t has been
decided to fix the valuation on the pews of the
church at 500, 600. 90 this being about one quar-
ter part of the cost This is done inlorder to give
an opportunity to all, and especially to those of
limited means to obtain pew at a very low
rate, and induce them also to become mem
bers of the Parish. The Society thereby reiin-
gushing about three quarters of the property
for the benefit OF those who may come in and
avail themselves of the benefits either as pew
owners, or occupants. There are on this floor
1913 pews and AZ in the gallery; which will seat
comfortably one thousand persons.
would be glad to mention by name all who
have contributed towards the building of this
church but they are SO numerous, time will not
permit it on this occasion.
Alluson must be made however to the ladies
of cur own society who have been unceasing in
!; their endeavors and efforts for the accom-
plshment of this work. Were to undertake
the task l should fail to do justice to their
selfdenying labors. They have not only afforded
material aid, but have given courage in times
of despondency and doubt, when mems hearts
were well nigh failing them from fear, they did
: not falter, but with cheerfuness, and patience,
; and faith. toiled on believing in the ultimate
success of the enterprise they had devoted
themselves as c0-wOIkers to accomplish, all the
) while realizing that Except the Lord build the
house they labor in vain who build it,
To these good ladies therefore, the building
Committee, well as all interested are G. eat.
ly indebted. The receipts from them alone tc
the building amount, to nearly ten thousand
dollars.
One thousand dollars has been paid by the
Sabbath School who furnished the windows fo1
the yestry. and one window in this room.
In SO brief statement as muet be made al
: this time it is impossible to do more than men
ton some of the prominent contributors to
our aid. Amongst these are State Street and
High Street Societies, and individual member;
: of those societies, besides many individual
Q | members of other Societies.
The exhortation of the preacher to works o
charity, Cast thy bread upon the waters: fol
: thou shalt find it after many days." is striking
ingy verified in one instance which 1 mus
| 10Th in an1x bx