The Portland daily press., 1882-04-18
HIGH STREET oHuRoH.
some Very interesting "reminiscences.


count These are very interesting and we re-
greet that the limited space of this journal per-
mts us only to refer to a few.
In referring to those pew-owners for the most
part not mentioned in the semi-eentennial his
tory, he alludes to Lebbaus Bailey, Matthias
Libby, "whose prayers had flavor of Zion, SO
rich in scriptural phrase, well placed" Nathan.
lei Brown, John Oleson, Caleb Chase, Samuel
Emery, Charles Hedman, the Swede; the Sex
tons Weaver and Geo. Fessenden, Ezra Carter
for score Of years the assessors right hand
man; S. N. Beale, the Treasurer, whose unceas-
ing but gracious importuning seemed to the de-
linquent more comfortable than receipts for
cash payments; Eben Steele and Nathaniel
Blanchard, the generous; glorious old Master
jackson, the sweet singer; William Oxnard OF
sound Judgment; also Isaac Smith, the fiery
and driving Jehu of religious man." who
lived in the large brick house on State street,
now opposite the Episcopal Cathedral, and in
the winters of forty years ago or more, when
houses were not so plenty along the streets. if
snow storm came of Saturday. used to clear
the sidewalks of most of the streets that led to
the High street church. How distinctly do
call to mind his we'll known messages, usually
quite late on Saturday evenings, summoning
the boys of his neighbors on State street, the
Warren, Cram, Dana, Desne and other famil-
les to help in the work-and then the rally!
Deacon s. had famous snow plough that was
dragged by the team he drove, all along Spring
street, from Bracket to Oak, UP and down
State, Park and High and round Congress, near
to Dow, and then his "boys'' shovelled and
scraped till a fair clearance was made. Sun
day morning did not show clean and swept
pavements, but there were good, passable
paths to the church (then the only Congrega-
tional church in that part of the city, which
were grand help to all who wished to go up
to worship"
There were many retired or active ship
masters, as Weinberg, Crockett, Leavitt, Mer-
rill, Pomeroy, Libby, Dennson, Rogers, Cor
don, Blake and others. Then there were the
young men who were trying the life on the
ocean wave-Nat and Chas. Bartels, John
Deane, Geo Warren, Dick Crockett, Tunk
Merrill, Harry Smith, Joe Swift, Nat Gordon,
VIM Mitchell, VIM Foss, and many Others OF
the youths of those days. How plainly recall
the marvels of their stories recited on the
church porch, or in Levi Sawyer's store, on
the southeast corner of Danforth and High
streets. How brave and how grand these
young men seemed to us in their sailor toggery,
and wide-fowing, loosely-tied black necker-
chiefs, with bronzed faces and hardened hands
to match. This sailor element, suppose, led,
and very properly, to very large attention
from our church to the peculiar wants of sea-
men, Hence, also, our unfailIng interest, as
church. In the Bethel. Luther Dana was for
many years the Superintendent of its Sabbath
school. y v
For many years there was delightful sys-
tenn of exchange of pulpit on the mornings of
the FIRST Sabbath of every month between the
pastor of this church and those Of the I'd and
Sd Parishes Rev. j. j. Carruthers, d. d.
the fine old Scotch divine was pastor of the I'd,
whose sermons the eccentric, but righteous,
witty and venerable Parson Bradley Of West
brook, used to call "roast beef preaching"
y II
must not forget to record the names of the
tune books our choir used. AS | write there
comes to my mind, pleasant memories of the
"Boston Academy" the ancient Lyre," and
"Carmina Sacra." The tunes in these books
embody, according to my way of thinking,
sweet and holy rythm quite different from the
gush OF the "Combined" and other collections
of later days, which have next to no melody or
praise in them. DIR. Cummings, once in the
Mirror, indicated an opinion on the beginnings
of the new order of hymns and tunes, and
wrote verse something after this sort to en-
phasize, in humorous way, his meaning:
ooh may my heart go diddie, diddfc,
Like ancient Jacobs sacred fiddle;
And then my voice join fol-de-rol
With old King David's base viol'
He was happily SCARED, however, hearing
from our singing gallery the perfection of these
80 called harmonies or hymns to which now
object. He would have had but small sympa-
thy, am sure, with the minstrel" style OF
tunes, which have SO largely displaced the
hearty, praiseful Duke Street, Hamburg
"Balerma," 'Dundee' "Mear" "Brattle
Street, and the like of the olden times. AS
write, can almost hear the fine, clear voice OF
Judge Clifford, who, for some years, sat just
before me in church, join the choir in render
ing some of these good old tunes The organ
list said he always knew when Judge G. was
in church, so plainly could he catch his notes
The Judge once remarked that he thought
tMendonn the best church tune of the day.
And will any High street young
man of 1850 and whereabouts. forget our or
ganist, Harry Edwards, young man like
ourselves for whose good playing we all felt
sort Of personal responsibility; and Alice Wat
erhouse, the sweetest possible alto singer and
Mrs. Qllsley) Branscomb, the fne-toned So
prano; and Sam Thurston. who as fresh boy
from Winthrop stirred our souls with his
clear and rich tenor. I am sorry that other
names of the choir have escaped me, because
the music was almost always exceptionally
good, as used to think.
am sure shall not forget the
theatrical display one Sunday, when the Rev.
Henry D. Moore of Union Church (now
Plymouth) abruptly stopped in the midst of his
sermon, and remarking that he saw SO many
people asleep that it was evident his audience
were. intent on ease rather than on things
divine, closed his manuscript and very sum-
marily dismissed the congregation. The oc-
casion was SO grotesqae that it was never al
luded to afterwards other than in laugh or sur
prise that minister of Mr.. Ms ability and
experience sboald have allowed himself to act
in SO unusual and indiscreet manner