The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-02-14
Fiffieih Anniversary of the Stone Meeting
House.

l And gives us heavenly liberty.
Long may these walls with praise resound,
Our children's children meet Thee here,
And Jesus gospel here proclaimed,
Bear richer fruits from year to year.
This was followed after the prayer by por-
ton of the hymn written by the Rev. DR..
Nichols. ard sung at the dedication:
o Thou, our fathers God,
We humbly seek thy face,
To own thy guardian hand
| Where they invoked thy grace;
| And where we now Awake the song,
Which lips unborn Shall still proleng.
| We hail thine Affairs, Lord,
| In every age thy care,
Those Zion courts more blessed
Than Israel's dwellings are;
Where praise with praise More deeply flows,
And heart with heart More warmly CLOVIS.
| God of the Bethel Stone,
Be this Bethel too;
Here fill our souls with awe,
Here Jacobs dream renew.
Here ope thy gate, And here arise
| Those visioned steps, That reached the skies.
thou whose temples stood
The wonder of mankind,
/ Here all its types fulfill
For Jesus Church designed.
Here oracle, And mercy seat,
And sacrifice, In Jesus meet.
Here fit our souls to rise
Where all thy love inspires,
Where angels cast their crowns
And strike their golden Tyres
Thus bless. o thou, Most good, most great,
The house of prayer We dedicate.
The first reading was from EccIesiasticus,
''Let us now praise famous men,"-and DR..
Hill announced that his discourse for the oc-
casion would be in conformity with that advice
IF the wise preacher although he should so far
conform to custom as to choose text from
Ezra iii, II. "But many who were an
cient men, that had seen the first house, when
the foundation of this house was laid before
their eyes, wept with loud voice, and
many shouted aloud for joy"
He said the scripture was literally fulfilled
upon this spot fifty years ago, when the old
edifice was removed and the foundations of this
house were laid For more than eighty years
the people had gathered in that old church to
hear the gospel preached by those revered pas
tors, Smith and Deane; the best recollection
could not have run back more than fourscore
years, and the old meeting house was linked
Will Uuc uOdICoG HcuOIlcS Vi Iuelr lives. Iu6To
were marks in it of the many shots which had
struck it when it so narrowly escaped destruc-
ton. Man yof the older members could re-
member when, thirty years before, the church
was thoroughly repaired, excepting abe cannon
shot holes through the backs of the pews;
those were kept as mementoes of the provi-
dence which had spared it. 1t was not so mag
nifcent as the temple of Solomon, but it was
endeared to them as the house where they had
worshiped in their childhood. But the younger
men wished to build finer edfce. 1t is not
without significance that we are gifted with
these attachments to old things and old places,
and the marvellous Swedish seer has wonder
fully expressed it when he says that our spirits
shall build in the heavens spiritual homes fit
ted for their habitations
1t was in the eleventh year of DR.. Nichols
ministratons that are to be found the first ex.
pressions of dissatisfaction with the old meet
ing house. At that meeting the parish com.
mittee and George Bradbury were appointed
committee to repair the steeple. At like
meeting it was voted to purchase an organ, for
procuring which and setting it up, the Hon.
Judge Mellen received vote of thanks, Pre-
vious to this the singing had been led by
clarionet and bassoon. After being newly
painted, thoroughly repaired and provided with
new organ, it might be supposed that the
question would have taken several years rest,
but soon another committee was appointed to
see what repairs were needed, and they report.
ed that the steeple was in imminent danger of
falling through. One hundred dollars was
voted to make the steeple safe, and on that
same day, Aug %, 1924, committee was APP
apinted to ascertain the cost of brick or stone
meeting house.
On Monday, Nov. g. two months later, the
parish heard report of the plans and voted to
erect new house. Albert Newhal Joshua
Richardson and John Mussey-the committee
were ordered to build granite meeting house,
if its cost could be kept within fifteen thousand
dollars; otherwise they were to build of brick.
Three months later the committee presented the
plans of the present house, with the proposed
contract, and requested to be discharged, which
request was granted with an earnest vote of
thanks for their diligence and efficiency. In
fortnight they were reappointed, clothed with
full powers. and were also directed to lease land
in the rear and move the old house there, to be
occupied while the new one was building
Then followed nine months of earnest labor, of
which we have no record save the building
before us. OF that efficient committee only
one remains, and he is unhappily prevented by
an accident from being present to-day.
On the 29th of November a committee was
appointed to arrange the dedication, and on
the 18th OF January vote of thanks was given
to ten gentlemen who presented the elegant
cut glass chandelier, which hangs to-day as it
hung then, from cannon ball sent red-hot into
the house by Mowatt's fleet when trying to set
the town on fire.
On the 9Th of February 1926, the house was
dedicated, and the Argus and Advertiser of
that week spoke of the igreat expedition with
which the work had been completed. The
Governor of the State the Council and the
Senate were present. The Beethoven Society
assisted in the musical services, which were
conducted by Nolcini, the distinguished COM
poser, who was the organist. DR.. Nichols, the
pastor, preached, and wrote hymn for the
occasion. part of which latter has been sung
to-day.
MIR. Mussey, the only survivor of the commit.
tee of three who constructed the building, had
furnished him many interesting "reminiscences
of the work. The explanation of the commit
tee having been discharged and then re-
appointed was, that they having put everything
at the lowest possible estimate, had omitted to
put in side galleries. The parish wished to
have them. Messrs Newhall and Mussey, who
were pTeSeuU, Sdlu IHaG IL WOulu De I'm possible
with the sum voted; that, indeed, they had
been obliged to raise two thousand dollars by
subscription to enable them to build in stone.
Galleries would cost several thousands more
and SO resigned. The parish then learned that
no adequate provision had been made for funds
Arrangements wers made to furnish the needed
amount, and the committee consented to pro-
coed. Some jealous deriders advised the
workmen that they would never get their pay,
and one day workman was very impudent
Mr.. Mussey ordered him to be discharged, and
obtained the dressed stone for one window
from the Charlestown prison. That window
may now be recognized ION the east side) by
the Chelmsford stone, which differs from the
rest which came from Newburyport quarry.
That brought the refractory stone cutter to
terms. When the work was completed, it was
SO satisfactory that the contractors were voted
| $500 extra.
OF the original pewholders only four survive:
John Dow, John Mussey, Oliver Gerrish, who
| Joined in the organization of the New Jeru-
| salem Society, and Anthony Davenport, who
now resides in Newburyport
He described the manner in which the chan
| delier (Which, after lying packed away in the
cellar for over twenty years, has just been
fitted for gas and again hung in its place, and
| is a rich and admirable piece of workmanship
was purchased at price Of $780, though worth
| $1,000. and then gave an appreciative sketch of
| DIR Nichols dedication sermon which wos