The Portland daily press., 1882-02-24
OLD PASTORS.
Reunion at Pine Street M. E. Church

| of their church, on Wednesday evening, winch
| despite the unfavorable weather, was well at
tended and greatly enjoyed by those present.
During the thirty-eight years of its history
| this church has had for pastors the following;
1916 and is47, G. F. Cox; 1s4s and 1s49, H. B:
Abbott; 1850 and 1851, G. w. Morse 1857 and
| 1858, j. c. Aspinwall; 1854 and 1870, w. +.
Farrington: 1856 and 1857, d. B. Randall;
1858 and 1852 S. f. Wetherbee; 1860 and 1901,
P. Jacques; 1862 and 1868, G. Fuller; 1864, q.
M. Blake; 1866, VIM. M. *. Bray; 1850, 1857
and 1868, S. f. Wetherbee 1869 and 1870, Il.
Sanderson; 1871, 1872 and 1878, d. III. Hanna
burgh; 1874, 1875 and 1876, j. w. Johnston /;
| 1877 and 1878, G. j. Clark; 1879 and 1850, j..
f. Hutchins; 1881, d. W. LeLacheur.
All of the above are living but three. FL. M.
Blake G. f. Cox and H. r. Abbott, have gone
to their reward.
A goodly number of the members and friends
of the church assembled at an early hour and
greeted these honored men as they appeared.
Even the older pastors find some among the
present membership who were co-workers with
them when stationed here and connected with
whom are associations of the tenderest charac-
ter. They talked of the changes that have oc-
Cured in the church and community, OF the
many who have finished their earthly course
and of the mingled Joy and sorrow that has
made up their experience in the years that are
past.
At o'clock the company were invited to
the vestry and were welcomed by the ladies OF
the circle, the choir singing very appropriate
selection.
This spacious and pleasant room was very
+acf fr1I N IA of the Init
flags were festooned around shield on which
was represented an open Bible, and the walls
were decorated with bunting. Nine large
tables, beautifully furnished, were loaded with
choice viands of various kinds to allure the
taste and tempt the appetite. The preachers
and their wives were seated in the center of
the room in front of the altar. One large table
on the right was assigned to the attaches of the
establishment OF Eastman Bros. & Bancroft,
who were present to the number Of thirty or
more.
Rev. Mr.. LeLacheur, the present pastor of
the church presided, and called upon Rev. w.
f. Harrington to invoke the divine blessing.
When justice had been done to the elegant
supper furnished, the pastor, in brief and well
chosen terms welcomed the invited guests and
introduced the "feast of reason" Under the
leadership of A. A. Nickerson the company
joined in singing the hymn "Blest be the tie
that binds,'' &c., and Rev. Mr. Harrington was
called upon for remarks.
Mr.. f. is so years of age, but retains, to a re-
markble degree, the vigor and the genial man
ners that have made him SO popular in the pas
torate and the various positions of usefulness
which he has filed through his long and busy
life. He was the pastor of Chestnut street
church forty years ago, when the necessity of
mission church in the upper part of the city
was felt by himself, DR.. E. Clark and few
others, and the enterprise was projected. Con-
siderable opposition to it was manifested at
first, but it soon subsidized, for, said he, "Meth-
odism is Ike camomile, the more you tread
upon it the more it spreads" Five of the
members of Chestnut street church volunteered
their services end the mission was formed
and from it the present church organization
sprang.
The speech of Mr.. F. was full of touching
incidents connected with his nine years of pas
toral service in Portland. He alluded in feel
ing terms to the death of Rev. G. T. Cox,
which occurred few years since, in Salem,
Mass, and sang with spirit and feryor one of
the old time songs, awakening in the minds OF
many of his listeners sweet memories of the
past.
Rev. Stephen Allen. d. D., was next intro
duced. Pine street church was his second APP
pointment, and he was its first pastor. Rev.
Mr.. Blake, who preceded him, was simply
conducting it as mission, and afterwards,
while serving the church as its pastor, fell
while on his way to church on Sunday and
Immediately expired. DIR. Allen inaugurated
the enterprise which eliminated in the build
ing of the first church edifice on Pine street.
He did much of the preliminary work while
pastor of the society. As result of a thorough
canvass of the entire upper part of the city he
secured subscriptions for twelve pews. He
spoke of the many excellent appointments he
has received during his connection with the
Maine Conference, and stated that after long
life experience and many appointments for
observation, he believes there is no position
more enjoyable than that of a faithful minister
in the Methodist Episcopal church.
Letters were read from Rev. .. w. Morse of
Brunswick, and Rev. J. q. Aspinwall of Lodi,
Wis, expressing regret that they were unable
to be present, and congratulatlng the society
upon its past success and present prosperity.
This veteran minister is always warmly well
coined by his old parishioners, who esteem him
for his sterling worth and for the faithful SER
vice he has rendered the church. He referred
to the custom of old soldiers, Ito shoulder the
crutch, and show how battles were fought and
won," and was glad to join with those with
whom he had labered in other days in recount
ing their conflicts and victories. His acquaint-
snce with Methodism in Portland commenced
fifty years ago. He became connected with it
officially, in 1851, when he was presiding elder
of the Portland district. He was stationed at
Pine street in 1856 1t was time of general
revival throughout the State and country, and
souls were converted every week, and many
who were converted then are active and useful
members of the church to-day. He rejoiced in
the prosperity of the church and exhorted all
to faithfulness and large hearted liherahty in
extending the lines of church work in this COM
munity He referred to the late Rev. H. B.
Abbott, one of the deceased pastors, as pre-
eminently man of God. He had but one
work-to labor for-souls-and that he did. He
lived we'll, he died well and is enjoying the re-
ward of faithful service.
Rev. S. F. Wetherbee spoke of the years of
his stay at Pine street church, as years of unin-
terrupted pleasure His coming was surprise
to him, but during his first term the church en-
joyed constant revival, not special or spas
modic, but regular. Six years after the close of
his first term, he was reappointed to this charge
and succeeded in restoring the church records
which had been destroyed by fire. he thinks
he is better Christian and better minister
for the five years he served at Pine street.
Letters were read from Rev. @. Fuller of
Hallowell, Rev, w. M. Bray of East Green
wich, r. l., Rev. d. FL. Hannaburgh Of Wap-
pingers Falls, New York. and dispatch from
Rev. r. Sanderson of Augusta, who were una
BILE to be present.
Reys. j. w. Johnston and j. f. Hutchings,
who purposed to be present, were detained by
the storm which delayed the trains and defeat
ed their purpose.
Revs. P. Jaqaes and A. McKeown, d. D.,
who were present, were obliged to leave at an
early hour to meet other engagements.
Brief remarks were made by Revs. G. j.
Clark and Eaton Shaw. By request Rev. Dr.
Allen read LIST Thes. 5, u and %, and
pleasant social time followed.
The entertainment was in every respect
delightful one and will be long remembered by
those who were privileged to enjoy it.
DR.. Tolford.