The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-07-05
ST. STEPHENS,
BY THE RECTOR, REV. ASA DALTON, D. D.

BY THE RECTOR, REV ASA DALTON, D. d.
II. Thessalonians, Q: 15-Stand fast and hold the
traditions which We have been taught.
An eminent author remarks that a visit to the
churches of which the Puritan clergy were rec
tors, and whose lvings they resigned in the Laud-
ian persecution, impresses their American de-
scendants with deep sense of the high principle
and devotion to duty which led them to forsake
such pleasant pastures for the wilderness of New
England, as it then was. They were attached to
the church and service of their ancestors, regard
ing them as their birthright; but they renowned
both, rather than yield to the reactionary rule Of
Laud and other high church bishops who came to
the front and controlled the church during the
reign of Charles l. They were devoted to their
duties as members OF the Reformed and Protest
ant Church of England, and were opposed only to
the restoration OF usages, services, ceremonials
and sacerdotal pretensions, which had been de-
nounced and renowned with one voice by the Re
formers of that church. But the tide set too
strongly against them, and they were compelled
to conform, not to the order and principles which
had prevailed for century, but to 1.-THE novelties"
mined to impose on all the clergy of the realm.
He was backed by the King, and exercised his
"brief authority during which twenty thousand
men and women were driven out, who founded the
churches of New England.
Let us now notice the points most pertinent to
this OCCASION on which we are requested by the
City Government to give an account OF the origin
and history of this ancient parish. the second in
order of time, founded within the present city
limits.
First Point. Many who came over, including
many ministers, regretted the alsuse OF the Prayer
Book and the adoption of purely eXtempore forms
of worship. They were glad to be rid of priesty
prerogative and prelatical assumptions from which
they and theirs had suffered much. and by Gods
blessing they meant to guard against their renewal
here. But they could not so easily part with the
Book of Common Prayer. 1t is in evidence that
these predictions were suppressed with much
difficulty, and only for the first generation while
sense of common danger indicated the necessity
of suppresSing these sentiments
The second point is, that with the growth of
towns, the differences which had been kept IN the
background, began to appear IN efforts TO INTRO
duce the lturgic service of the English Church.
Salem, Old Newbury, Portsmouth and Portland,
are ali examples of this kind. Parson Smith had
been pastor of the First Parish twenty-five years,
when he began to record the symptoms of unrest
which resulted in the formation of this parish,
which was then called st Pauls,n. Pars on Wis
ond Church in that part of Falmouth called New
Casco. He went to England to obtain Episcopal
ordination, and, returning. was rector for ten
years. In 1775, he resigned and retired to Nova
Scotia, where a new parish was formed for him,
with which he remained till his death.
The first church edice erected by this parish
was begun in 1854 and set apart for worship in
June 1865 The names of the contributors, with
the amounts they contributed, are all set down in
the Parish Register. So are the names of the fami
lies and individuals who w0rshippedin the church
the first year. The number was f1fty-seyen, in
creased to SXty-Seyen the second year, and In ten
years to about hundred
The church stood at the corner of Middle and
Church streets, was nearly square and built OF
wood. The first wardens We're James Hope and
George Tate. Henry Wallis was the first clerk,
who led the responses his seat being below 10, tne
reading desk. The vestrymen were Mr.. Thomas
Child, Benjamin Waite ESQ.,, Mr.. John Waite, Mr.,
Stephen Waite, Mr.. Weder Riggs, Mr.. Edward
Mountford; Mr. David MyeP MI l PANEL ELL aisleyl
Dr. Edward Watts.
longed to Parson Smiths congregation, and moth
ing was farther from their thoughts or temper
than an entire separation from the old church
with which they had been connected and in which
type of Episcopacy which they espoused, and the
only type which they could have been induced to
the .smoderate" type, which does not un-church
others, or deny the validity of their ministry and
sacrameats me Proof Of t ISIS beyond dispute
continued in fraternal relations with other church
es, and regards this fact as feature OF its history
perpetuate To put the fact beyond present doubt
or future controversy state that several persons
now living, now and then honored COMMITMENTS
Mr. Ten Brock, the rector OF this parish used to
occasionally exchange with the pastors of the 9th
we may be sure Mr.. Hilliard did, for on retiring
to Gorham he had no scruple in serving the Con-
gregationaliStS as minister OF Christ
: So much for the principles on which this parish
was founded, and 50 far, has continued to hold
through good report and evil report
AS to its history in other respects, that has been
marked by vicisStudeS beyond its control. 1t was
prosperous and relatively strong before the Revo-
luton. During the course of that war, it was
greatly weakened by divisions among its mem
bers, who took opposite sides in the war, and by
the desertion of its rector The church building
bardment of the city. 1t was however, rebuilt on
the same site soon after the close Of the war The
list of subscribers to the building is more nu-
merous than could have been anticipated, and if
suitable rector could have been secured, the re-
vival of the parish would have followed in few
piled till Mr.. Timothy billiard, who, like Parson
Wiswell, was a graduate of Harvard was called
to serve as rector by the congregation, which for
some time he had served as a lay reader. Mean
while, new brick CHURCH was erected on Pearl
street, not far from the old Site This church was
to Kings Chapel, Boston, st. Pauls, Newbury-
port st. Johns, Portsmouth, st. PauPs, New
York, and other colonial churches of the Sir
Christopher Wren style. 1t was remodelled, but
not improved, only enlarged on an inferior plan in
1856. Ten years later it was wholly destroyed in
Mr. Hilliard was succeeded by Rev. Petrus S.
Ten Brock, whose ministry was longer by several
Brock was much beloved by his people and high
ly respected in the community. The records of
the parish as kept by him indicate unusual fidell-
ty, and his letter OF resignation is model, COM
bin1ng charity with dignity, and due regard TO the
feelings of his parishioners
Several clergymen off1ciated before Mr. Ten
Brock, and more after him, who can scarcely be
called rectorS of the parish Their stay was
short, and indeed for the most part, they came
only 10 accommodate the parish for few weeks
or months, and in other instances, after surveying
the field, feared to attempt its cultivation. OF
rectOrs proper. however, we must mention Kew.
Mr. French who was here from 1886 to- 1889,
when he resigned to accept the position of chap
lain at West Point, of which post he performed
the duties faithfully and acceptably for many
years Among those here for briefer periods were
Drs. Alex. II. Vinton and Thomas M; Clark.
In January, 1910, Dr., then Mr.. James Pratt
accepted a call to the rectorship, which he held
for nineteen years, the longest up to that time.
DR.. Pratt was man OF fine social qualities and
made many friends who never deserted him. He
was active in the temperance and other good
causes, ever ready to respond to the numerous
calls upon his time and strength. During his min
istry the parish proSpered beyond all former
was formed, which took the name of st. Luke's,"
and became an efficient and prosperous parish
almost from the first. DR.. Pratt resigned in 1857,
and was succeeded by Rev. Roger ). Howard VINO
remained two years and half, and was followed
by Rev. w. s. Perry, now the popular and erudlte
bishop of Iowa.
The present rector, succeeded Bishop Perry In
1868. Ofhm will only say, that he came to you
with an intention to serve the parish to the best
of his ability and to remain as long as the parish
would sustain him, which has been to this day.
long pastorate, as pastorates were in the old
time, but long enough to have seen changes in
the pastoral relation in all the other churches of
the city without single exception, some OF them
having changed not once or twice only, but i've
or six times. There are sometimes good and suf-
fcent reasons for these frequent changes, but as
a rule, believe that they are undesirable, and
frequently injurious to the growth of parishes as
well as OF their pastors who are tempted to use
old sermons in every new parish, and thus arrest
their mental and moral growth. have reason to
believe that the last three years OF my ministry