Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-05-23
OUR ROSTOy LETTER.

OUR BOSTON, LETTER..
The churches Of Boston are feeling the pres
sure of the hard times as we'll as the mercantile
and business houses. As . general thing the
churches of this city are staggering under heavy
debts and some of them literally covered all over
with mortgages. few years ago . mania seized
the people who were accustomed to worship in
the downtown district, to migrate to more pop
ular sites at the South End. and especially to the
Back Bay District. The Old South, with its enor-
nous wealth. built magnificent structure on the
Back Bay, and then threatened to DESTROY the his
toricsl old church edioe which they had deserted
and where the British troops were once chartered
and which historical associations had made dear
to the hearts of the men and women of Ma..s-
chusetts, unless these phsnthropic and generous
hearted people gave 100000 for the building
Fairs have been held ard the Legislature petit
toned for aid in preserving this historic pile of
brick and mortar, and the prospects are tha,
Vandal hands will se kept from the work of de-
struction. SO zealousiy have the Old South Com
mittee entered into the work. that but Sl5S 900 re-
mains to be raised in order to secure the building
one of the ancient, landmarks of Boston; and
this will undoubtedly be forthcoming from private
sources when the public has stood Gil the "bleed-
ing" it will for this patriotic purpose. The Old
South has a store Of National recollections, As
every one knows. 1t is associated with MANY me.
morsble events 10 our Revolutionary HISTORY.
aud has rghfully been called the Sanctuary OF
Freedom" These recollectons and associations
are treasured by every as q noble inheritance.
John Winthrop lived and died within few Yards
of this old church, and his mansion was occupied
BY ministers Of the Old South until destroyed dur
ing the Revolution. From his family these grounds
passed into the possession of John Norton the
celebrated divine, and by him they were given to
the church. The State House and the Old South
have been called the Moses and Aaron of New
England Freemen Here the citizens OF Boston,
after the tragedy Of March 9Th l77O met To de-
nounce standing srnies, and to demand the re.
moval of English troops. Hither Warren came
and climbed through window into the pulpit on
that never-to-be forgotten day when no other cit
iz.n dared address the people, and those who sat
in the pews were like corpses, and the Kings
troops thronged the aisles. No building in this
city, and but few in the country are richer in his
torcal facts than this old structure but Its history
is familiar to every one and there is nothing new
to be said about it, save that it may escape what
is known as the March Of improvement" 50 ev-
ident in all sections of our good city.
The Brattle Square Church is another illustra-
ton Of extravaganza in church building. The
old church stood for many years 10 Brattle Square
and just over the door was good sized cannon
ball, which is said to have been fred BY the
British artillery stationed in Charlesown. Tbi,
church was built 10 1744, and was demolished .
few years since, and the society moved to the Back
Bay, where an elegant church, costing upward,
Of half N illon dollars, was erected. But it is
heavily 10 debt that it cannot stagger under its
load, and is to-day practically bankrupt.
The Beach Street Church is yet another illus
tration of the folly of building expensive churches
Christ preached in the wilderness and on the
plains. He did not require the expenditure Of
half million dollars for the erection of temple
in which to proclaim the truth. From the hill
top and in the valley he gave utterance to the
gospel of salvation; but in these latter days the
people require more than the Master did, and
if now and then . church or society becomes bank
rupt, it matters little. A long chapter might be
written on this topic, and some day hope to give
the readers Of the news some facts and figures
which will be Of interest. Brooklyn is proverbal-
" city OF churches, and next, numerically, comes
Boston, with seventy or more steepes pointing
upward, nine -tenths of which are crippled by
mortgages In view of these great church debts.
it is refreshing to know that there are exceptions
to the rule, and the Park Street Church NAV be
cited illustration. This church is one of the
few remaining downtown landmarks. Many.
many years ago, big debt began and accumulat
ed Oh this church, and year by year it grew until
it reached . startling figure. Then one year il
would decrease and the next SWELL So varied
was Its experience that at one time the society de-
terminsd on selling the valuable property, and
purchasing lot where less pretentious church
could be built in some locality where land was
held at low figures. You may remember that the
eminent DIR. Stone now of California, used to Of
fciate in this pulpit. The congregation was
large, the pastor popular but the church debt
failed to diminish a, the years rolled bv. Then
Rev. w. II. ii. Murray took charge. Crowds of
people 6ocked to hear this eminent divine. He
was popular among all classes, and especially
among young people. He was liberal in his views.
proclaimed An easy salvation, and the church was
crowded to suffocaton every Sunday. But still
the financial affairs Of the church were in an nm
satisfactory condition, and were first up and then
down, so that when Mr.. Murray left the church
it was in about the same financial condition as
when he assumed the pastorate. The Rev. DR..
Withron then took the pulpit and from the time
of his installation to the present the church has
prospered to remarkable degree. and to-day Is
free from debt; and there remains in the hands Of
the committee surplus sufficient to pay for the
painting of the oatside u the edifce and make
ether needed repairs. DR.. withron 10 exceedingly
popasr with tue society, Ind 1t 10 through bis sx