The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-09-11
AFTER MANY YEARS,
The Old North Church at Cape
Elizabeth Celebrates it's 15Oth
Anniversary,
SKETCH OF ITS HHsTORY-REM IN-
IsCENCEs AND GREETINGS.

The Old North church, of Cape Elizabeth,
celebrated its one hundred aud fiftieth ami
versary yesterday. Many of the friends of the
church came together to witness the exercises
which proved to be of a very interesting char
actsr. The old graveyard attracted many yis-
itors. The stone at the head of many mounds
is Of slate, and preserves, with much distinct
ness Inscriptions one hundred and fifty years
old. A noteworthy slab of white marble has
just been placed at the head of the grave of
the honored first pastor of the church Rev.
Benjamin Allen. In the churchsthe pulpit
was banked with flowers, and baskets of cut
flowers and plants adorned the platform. Of
especial interest were two objects, one, the old
silver tsnkard first used by the church in its
communion service, and the other the pulpit
chairs which have done service for nearly the
same period
AFTERNOON SERVICES.
The church was well filled when the after
noon exercises began. After singing, Rev. H.
Ell. Osgood read as Scripture selection, the
106th Psalm, and DR.. Warren followed fin
prayer. Rev. E. A. Harlow, the present pas
tor of the church. then read carefully con-
sidered historical sketch of the history of the
church since its foundation. We present the
following abstract:
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
There are no church records prior to the
year 1901. Ii any have been kept they are un-
doubtedly lost. The first thirty years of the
present century finds the records in frag-
mentary state. The parish records up to the
time OF the Incorporation of the town in 1765,
NJ FRI h of ffr,no
OF the town records, and so are very accurate
and full. Since that time they have been kept
separate, and are very complete on the whole
Most of the historical facts to be given TODAY
are CLEANED from these records, and the inval-
liable Journal OF Parson Smith. 1t is said that
Just prior to the establishment of this church,
Rev. Thomas Smith preached one-third of the
time at Portland, another third at Purpoodock
and still another third at Spurwink. An act
of the General Court in 1888. set off the Sec
ond Parish from the First Parish of Falmouth,
and this was the beginning of the old North
church. This church installed the Rev. Ben
lamin Allen as its pastor, Nov. TO- 1874. He
was born in Massachusetts, and grt duated fro n
Yale in l7O8, and when entered upon his pastor
rate here was 40 years of age. He held init
mate relations with the neighborlng churches
and preachers, as is shown by his exchanging
with Rev. Mr. Smith, and once, on such an oc-
casion he drove across Fore river on the ice
In 1743, he was one of the few men who sign.
from the preaching of Whitefeld. When the
famous Methodist divine turned back at Dun
STAINS Corner, on account of the opposition he
anticipated meeting, he was one Of these who
endeayored, and successfully, to bring
him to Falmouth, where no preached in
the First Parish church of Portland,
March 22d and 18th. 1745. Mr.. Allen died
May 6, 1884. Following his pasotrate the
church seems to have been 10 a divided state
as is shown by its calling pastor with but one
majority tho mo- iSh n inv ~
majority of three. The person called howsv-
er, chose not to accept it. Trouble next arose
on the settlement of the Rev. Ephraim Clarke
Two councils were called by the rival factions.
but meeting at the same time they coalesced
and decided not to settle him. Another was
called and again refused to settle him. Finally
the portion of the congregation desiring him
called held what Parson Smith STYLED a
mock council and when the church doors had
been closed against them installed him in Nav
Of 1855 in Smonton's Orchard. Naturally the
pleasant relations formerly existing between
this and tie neighboring churches ceased. Mr.
Clarke was "a years of age when thus settled,
was not college graduate, and on this &C.
count was distasteful to the aristocratic DOR.
ton OF the parish. The trouble his coming
occasioned increased and we find twenty.four
members of his parish arrested and sent to Jail
for refusing to pay parish rates. Owing TO the
trouble which arose part of the church were
set off and made into another parish Though
considerable ability as is evidenced by SER
mon he has left and in other ways. In 1776 he
was for time chaplain in the Re evolutionary
army. He died in 1897 at the age of IS,
we read OF town meetings to secure minister
and in 1901 Rev. William Gregg was ordained
pastor. He taught school along with his
clerical duties, and filed the position six
years, then left, and after nine years was re-
called and again installed There was decided
OnN0SitiOu To his rAtUPn and ha
was polled twenty appeared to be in favor and
thirteen opposed. In 1924 he was again dis
missed and curious incident in the life of
this mans history lies in the fact that subse-
quent to this dismissal he had an Experience"
which he had always disbelieved in when
pastor OF this church-and preached for Uni
versalist church. What he believed when
pastor of the North church can be known from
the maxim the church at that time adopted,
that "a hlameless life shall be the condition of
full communion" From 1906 to 1916 there
seems to have been an interim in the pastoral
office, and once we find an agent appointed BY
the society to defend q suit brought by the
State against them for not supporting preach
ing as the law directs. Rev. Benz. SAWYER
was finally chosen and remained until 1926;
Rev. Mr.. Carruthers filed the pastoral office
for while to be succeeded in 1929 by Rev.
Isaac Estey. This last clergyman created
great excitement among his parishioners by
asserting that "three-fonrths of his psrishion-
ers were habitual drinkers of ardent spirits"
His pastoral cares were soon discharged in
1881, and at the time the council took occasion
to say that the course of the pastor could not
be censured nor his motives impugned. In
1888 Rev. j. G. Merrill was ordained minister
of the church and under him it had fruitful
history. During it the present church edifice
was erected. He was dismissed in 1889 and
succeeded in May, 1910, by Rev. john G.
Heard, and Rev. VIM. Pierce followed. In
1867 We find no record of preaching, but
in 184S Rev. Mr.. Parkinson became pastor.
We can only mention those who followed him;
they have been three in number, Rev. G. D.
Lord, Rev. A. F. Beard and Rev. Mr.. Vail.
The present occupant of the pastoral Office was
ordained in October, 1871. Since the founda-
ton of the church there have been nine pastors
and four acting pastors. The church has
worshipped in several places. First it met in a
block house near where Seaside Hall now
stands. When the first building on the present
site was erected it was made from oak trees
cut on the very spot where it now stands. The
building had two stories and galleries, and the
pulpit in the centre. This building remained
in good repair until 1901, and remained from
that time in very wretched condition until the
present one was erected In 1884. For many
years it served the double purpose of town
house and meeting house. The salaries of the
pastors have varied. The first two received so
pounds a year; Mr.. Gregg received 1888 80,
and the compensation of others has varied.
The sketch of MI. Harlow was replete with in
teresting information and was received with
the closest attention.
Following the historical address of Mr.. Har-
low, remarks were made by Amasa Loring of
Yarmouth and DR.. Warren of this city upon
churches and ministers past and present. A
poem, written by q member of the church,
followed, read by Rev. Mr.. Jordan of
Virginia. We print the opening and closing
staDzas:
The Pilgrims sought these virgin shores
To find for truth fitting shrine
Shut out from proud cathedral doors
They planted here sacred vine.
hundred years had rolled away,
And high priest and weakling king
No longer held that potent sway
From which the church was laDguishing,
When to this height our fathers came,
To worship God with hearts sincere,