The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-10-18
Vs. LLIsToN CHURCH.
Raying Corner Stone-EEistOYieal and
Descriptive Sketches of The New Church.

| LhO COiSIiiuDJ VI tu6 COEuSE btOIO v!
the Williston church, now in process of erection
at the corner of Thomas and Carroll streets, &C
| CURED yesterday afternoon in the presence OF {
| goudly assemhlage of people. The exercises
| opened with the singing of an anthem by The
| Williston choir, music by G. NJ. Wilson, aftel
| which Rev. I. P. Warren, d. D., read the
| 10th, 10th and 18th Psalms. PRAYER wa,
| then offered by the Rev. Mr. McWhinuie Of
Free street Baptist church. The hymn "Chris
is made the sure foundation was then suns
| by the choir, the audience joining. Mr., G, A.
Lord then read the following
HISTORICAL STATEMENT.
More than twentg-fve years have elapsed
since Rev. Thomas B. Ripley persuaded some
of his brethren OF the Free street church tC
open Mission Sunday school in a small school
room on the corner of ryng and Danfor ID
streets. Father Ripley, as he was familiary
called, personally superintended this enterprise
and regularly attended the weekly meetings OF
its teachers.
In few years these premises were sold and
the school was removed to another Primary
school room on Walnut street. The national
excitement from the war, added to local Cath
olic opposition, so affected the attendance that
it was determined in the fall of 1861 to adj
journ the school for the winter. The return
of spring, however, brought no improvement
in the state of public feeling, and the fathers
of this movement did not return to their first
love.
During the summer following, however, other
Christian workers took up the work and re.
opened the school. An association ia State
street church adopted this Mission enterprise,
provided for it superintendent, teachers,
library and childreD's newspapers. These
teachers, who were mostly ladies, were among
the most capable, energetic and devoted of that
society. The Walnut street Sabbath School be-
came very popular. Its limited accommoda-
tons, however, were too crowded for the COM
fort of the teachers well as for the proper
discipline of the school. AS early as April,
1863, two gentlemen were appointed to provide
better quarters, but SO sad was the state of the
country this movement was suspended
In June, 1865, on a formal application TO the
State street church from the teachers of the
Walnut street school, eight gentlemen were ap-
pointed to canvass the parish. The subscrip-
tions were very general-varying from one dol
lar to five hundred dollars-and one gentleman
gave thousand. In October the committee
reported the purchase of the corner lot Of May
and Danforth streets, and contract for
chapel, both costing about $1,000. July 1, 1866,
this chapel was dedicated with Apr opriate SER
vices The death of Mrs. Walker, the wife of
the pastor of State street church, occurring
about this time, it was decided to call the new
building Williston Chapel in memcriam.
Attendance at the new house was increased.
With enlarged accommodations came addition
al interest and more lab0rers. That some cor
rect idea may be had of this misslon-feld, it
should be remembered that the broad area south
and west of State street. com prisng nearly two
wards, had no house of worship or public means
of grace; no religious society of any name had
planted the cross therein. AT not remote
Bible canvass of our city, $50 families were re-
ported within these precincts as without any
regular place of worship, and several scores
without copy OF the Scriptures ia their fami-
lies! Was it strange then that our early relg
ious meetings sometimes required policeman?
The Record Book of the first Sabbath School
Superintendent contains the following and like
entries, "Gate lock broken" "Key hole of door
filled with gravel stones,' "R4oelon in class
of Mr.. C" Boys locked out.-jumped out
of windows "One scholar could not return
his library book because his mother tore it up;
another boy reported that his mother burned
up hls!" But these are exceptional cases, the
school grew in numbers and in moral virtue
The second year of the occupancy OF the Chapel
its school contained the names of 300 children.
The total number Of library books given out
was 2400-and the same number of children's
papers of three different kinds.
An important adjanct of mission work was
an Industrial School, which a score or more of
ladies from State street parish organized in the
Chapel September, 1866. aud continued for sew
en- years, till the organization of the church.
The entire roll of this school contained the names
of 220 girls. The number of garments yearly
made was between two and three hundred;
these were given to the children making them.
The amount of money expended for material
thus to work up was several hundred dollars
but appropriation of time, skill and patience is
beyond money computatlOa.
In addition to this Industrial School and the
Sunday School, persons of both sexes were en-
poyed for months together in outdoor work,
looking after the temporal and spiritual inter-
ests of the nee hborhood
February, 1873 church was organized of
about twenty members from State street church,
and pastor Immediately settled, who labored
most indefatigably in season and out of season
with his little Zion, frightening its cords and
strengthening its stakes. After an experience
of several years of unremitting service Rev.
Mr.. Leavitt, pastor, gave it as his mature judg-
ment that Willlston church should remove to
more westerly SITE having exhausted this field.
Mr.. Leavitt's successor, the presen Mt pastor with
the same far-sgGted and practical good sense
comprebeneded the situation and made 1T one of
the conditions of his settlement, that Wiston
church should remove to a more westerly SITE
Therefore, it is friends, old and new, you who
have long watched this nursing of your pray
ers and aims. and you to whom all these words
of ours are new, that you are invited here TO-
day TO witness the fufllment of this pledge to
the pastor, thus keeping faith with God as well
as man.
We have chosen this az central spot in the
broad area into which the WALNUT Street Mis-
sion Sabbath School introduced the cross 20
years ago; and where we have held uDdisputed
possession for as many long years. We nave
come here to meet local want. The site is
three-eightbs of a mile from the parent church.
and just one mile from City Hall, around
which clusters one-fouIth of our Protestant
churches. While the two wards, which this
point commands, embrace one third of the
population, wealth, and area of this peninsula.
They contain not few families that are pre-
cluded by distance from all evening meetings;
others. for the same reason, cannot get to- the
sanctuary on stormy Sabbaths or during il
clement weather.
But some may ask, why build now? First,
because we can build the present season for
about half the cost Of the cheapest of our
churches.
Again, ecclesiastical history suggests the
need of such a moment. Since the organiza-
ton of DR.. Payson's church, 80 years ago. there
has arisen new congregational church for
years to our history.
Another and still stronger reason, is necessi-
ty which knows no law the audience at our
chapel has doubled within % months and the
building is now insufficient.
Indulge me with closing word in justice to
the gospels reflex influence, and in memory OF
those who have wrought in this N ssionary
field. Some of these are now amoug the most
Jealous, efficient abettors of our city charities,
and others are equally active in educational
work abroad.
The Walnut Mission has on, representative
at least in the ministry of Maine there is an
other jealous servant of the church among the
Boston clergy, and third among the most
prominent of New York city; the mantle of
Father Ripley, who first coo ceived this mission
work which las brought US here, was not buried
with him. A letter from Dr.. Elder of the New
York Madison Avenue church, who labored in
this early effort both as Secretary ond Superin-
tendent, speaks of these early Christian asso-
Citations, and Bible studies, and Sabbath teach
ings as unconscously moulding his religious
life ard determining his lifa- work
In concluson-This mission was Graded for
many years in primary scbool-ro0ms; for the
last decade it has been nufsed in temporary
structure; We rejoice that this occasion brings
promise of a more enduring resting place. Let
us give thanks that our eyes behold this day
whereof we are glad-that this ark Of the COW
enant is to rest no longer under curtains-but
that we can now say with Nehemiah the
Prophet, "The God of Heaven, He will prosper
us; therefore we His servants will arise and
build"
The financial statement was read by Mr. j.
Ell. True and is as follows:
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
The first subscription made towards cur pes
ent enterprise was on March q, 1877. The lot
on which this church will be erected was bond
ed July %, 1877, and will cost $4,725 The
chapel and lot on the corner of May and an
forth streets, we estimate will nearly pay for
| the Indebtedness on this church lot. The con-