Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-11-04
The Oldest Meeting House in
America.

America.
What is said to be the oldest meeting
house in America was the scene CT a
bi-centenrisl celebration on the 9th
inst. It is at bingham, Mass, and the
Boston Traveller thus speaks of the
building and its history:
The "Old Church perpetuates a
style of architecture which has almost
passed from the memory of the "oldest
inhabisant." 1t is nearly an equal
sided parallelogram, about 55 by 20
feet, with an ordinary seating capacity
of seven hundred. The meeting house
has chip" roof with q balustrade
around the apex and a hexagonal bell.
tower surmounted by q spire.shsped
steeple rising from the center of the
roof. The building was first enlarged
in 1923 and again in 1866. The old
frame is intact. There are girders 16
inches square; the king-posts. purlins,
curious, curved sub-rafters all massive
and of oak-together with posts and
beams rrotruding into the audience.
room; the large gallery posts, the
curved gallery and wall braces-every.
thing hewn timber-gives an idea of
solidity, strength and endurance which
promises we'll for two hundred years
more. The ceiling is 20 feet from the
floor. and is pspered in wstered white,
the walls having cresm.tinted cover
ing. A light-grained wainscoting rises
three feet around the walls. The gal.
lery runs about three sides, supported
by large round pillars, hewn. When
the last general repairs we're made, in
in 1869, the old-fashioned square pews,
introduced in 1855, we're replaced by
the present sittings, circular in arrange
ment. In the loft are two of these
antique pews, one formerly occupied
by the minister's family, and the other
by the old hero, General Benjamin
Lincoln. These pews are curious in
construction. the several seats rising on
hinges for convenience of standing in
prayer time, and old residents well
recall the general slamming all over the
church when the "Amen came. These
pews have the plain wooden srm.rests,
adj ustable by a hinge bracket. The
floors formerly rested on the ground,
and the present sexton tells of the toad
stools which he has seen growing up in
the pews. The present pulpit was put
Into the church in 1855, and is fine
piece of work, rising ten feet from the
level Of the pews. Its material is pine,
handsomely veneered; the reading
desk. fanked by two wings with creme
lated and other mouldings, stands
out in circular form. supported by
bracket and tarbel.
Overhead is canopy - miscalled
canopy-orowned with poppy head
which joins to the ceiling. Behind the
pulpit there was . double louver
window, now closed, and crimson
drapery forms the pulpit background.
The windows were put in new in 1869,
diamond shape, and . reproduction Of
the first sashes. Two portico vestibules
form the entrances. In the psdiment
Of the principal one is the date inscrip.
ton, MDCLXXXI." The new sweet
toned organ is decidedly ont of place.
1t does not harmonize with the simple,
massive grandeur of the early times.
It is a blemish on the unique beauty oi
this meeting. house. What q contrast
to the old.time Instrumentation A
bass viol, violoncello, flute, clarinet.
tenor-fiddle these furnished the
sacred music of "ye olden time VI
David A. Hersey played the violencelle
for fifty years consecutively, aid he il
at his old post today. playing as Of
yore. This church was not warmed al
all before 1922. and then great crowd
assembled on the Sunday to witness the
working of the first stoves.