The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-09-27

reading from the Scriptures. After the read
ing the audience sang the Anniversary
Hymn, written for the occasion.by Miss ElleI
Fl. True.
The historical sketch of the first twenty
five years of the schools existence was reaC
by Lewis B. Smith, Esq. 1t was scholarly
and careful review Of the period. Here il
an abstract of it:
MIR. SMITHS HISTORY.
At meeting held by the Free Street Baptis
Society. August %, 1886, 1t was voted to form {
Sabbath school society to be called the Free
Street Sabbath School Society. At that meeting
Byron Greenough Charles Kent and Henry b
Hart were appointed committee to draft a con
stitutiOn and bylaws for the regulation OF the so
ciety. The constitution consisted OF ilve articles
the bylaws eight. Having adopted these .Artl-
cles of law and regulation" they proceeded 10 the
election of officers. teachers and committee. Al
the first session of the school there were present
seventeen teachers and seventy scholars. The
first year closed with twenty-nlne teachers ana
one hundred and sixty pupils-a per cent OF In
crease that justified the exultant declaration ap,,
pearing in Tie secretary's report that the school
was progressing in an onward march, outuone
by no school in the city" During the nrst year
sixteen members of the school were received INTO
the church, In the line of succession the presi
dents of the school have been.
BYRON Greenough from 1886 to 1881
Rev. Thos. o. Lincoln from 1887 to 1912.
Rev Lewis Colby from 1912 to 1874
Rev j. S. Eaton from 1874 to 1904
",
REV. Geo W. Bosworth from 1855 to 1861.
and continuing, for the same period Superln
tendents have occupied the office
Henry B. Hart from 1885 to 1874.
Francis Edmunds from 1874 to 1916.
Jonas w. Clark from 1S46 to 1850.
Hanson M. Hart from 1850 TO 1898.
Mr. Hart was unanimously reelected Tor an.
other term but declined to serve and at the annl-
alimeetng Eben Seayy was elected superlntenu-
ent. He served until March ~, 1904, wnen ne
resigned on account of removing to Boston. His
resignation was not accepted and he held the Of
flee until his term expired. In the meantime ms
place was supplied by creating new once, sa ahat
elected to fill it. and at the annual meeting Aug.
2S 1854 he was elected superintendent and re-
manned in that Office until August 1897. Ihen
follows Joshua Waterhouse from 1857 to 1858
Thomas Lynch from 1858 to 1909; Geo. 4. EN-
cry from 1859 to 1861.
intendents have died, two of the former and nve
of the latter remain and recall IN memory s sWeel
encore, the deeds of those whose mission hlled
borne on the wings of an abiding falth, nave
reached the goal of an eternal rest. Inere IS a
tradition that connects the name Of G. W. Austin,
tin, with the office OF superintendent fSr SNORT i,
heath' and his occupation a physician, ana
fail to find among our people memory active
enough to recall he time or pS miami u Ssoar
ment of the school was established Is not uennlIe-
ly known. The first missionary work entered up
on by the church was inaugurated by It's sunsay
In September 1881, Sunday school wa.
opened under the management OF the ofncers ana
teachers of this school on Brackett street. ltS
sessions were held in ward room OF the city, ana
was known as the Bracket Street Sunday
School" Its scholars were mainly from iainllles
who were not attending any church.
This school was the first rengl0uS organization
in Portland for the people living west OF State
The school continued until 1S43 when the
field was surrendered to the members OF the
Pine Street Methodist Church. The superln
tendents Of the Brackett street school were were
Henry Ilsley Jr., and Jonas w. Clark. The
SUNDAY school concert was meeting OF prayer,
held on the second Monday evening Of each cil
month; once in three months 'unICn sunday
school concert was held by all the schools in the
city, ,..-....-
sible should make reference to the service OF
individuals on whom the burdens of the early
days were laid but might not be just. Their
praise is hymned by loftier harps than mine. Ii
was by the hands OF all the garden was planted
that has supplied the feast OF which we who
abide freely partake."
After singing by the chorus choir, Charles
A. True, Esq, gave a historical sketch OF
the last quarter century's work. 1t was a
carefully prepared and entertaining sketch
of the events of the period; this is an alb
stract:
MIR. TRUE's HISTORY.
The history of the past twenty-five years shows
that it has had eight superlntendentS. Inc
records of the first eight years OF TINS period
enough remains to show it was very active in its
work. In 1864 a banner was offered by the North
Star Mission, Chicago, to the Sunday school III
Portland which should gather in the largest mum
ber of scholars in "a limited time Several schools
competed for the honor, but the prize was won by
the Free street school, its records showing gan
of one hundred and nine names TO
twenty-five for any other school. For over two
years from 1866 to 1863 a mission school mum
berng nearly 100 was conducted by the mem
bers from Free street in the sehoolhOuSe on
Vaughan street. Still later in its history, from
1878 to 1880, a mission was conducted by the
school lust beyond Deerng's Bridge. Over 80
scholars were enrolled at this mission and It's
average attendance was 81. Many destitute
children were clothed and gathered into tht
school There have been also, and exist at pres
ent, organizations within the school when nave
done considerable work; The willing WORK
society composed of the younger children. It's
object is missionary work, and numerous bar
rels and boxes OF clothing and other articles, 70
pether with contributions of money, are yearly
sent to missionary stations, and at times dlneren
pupils in seminaries have been supported by the
| fabors of these children. The Young Ladies
Mission Band is another organization, similar i
| character to the willing Workers.; III TACT 1t
| graduate department OF the latter.
| Eight members of the school have entered IN
| ministry in the last twenty-five years. II mas ma
| five presidents during this time, Rev. Dr; Bo
, worth, DIR. Stockbridge, DR.. small, Dr. NC NC GWnln %
| superintendents in the last twenty-five years, an
| during thirteen years of this time Major H.
| Moves has served as superintendent during TIN
last three years Its collections during this tint
| aggregate nearly $1,000. From records OF th'
| last II years the average attendance Tor Una
| time has been 1873. The banner year was 1879
| 1879 when the number connected with IN
| school was 360, and the average attendanc ~
For the year Just ended the secretary 81 eS 33
/ enrolled and the average attendance has peel
| 1914 The largest attendance at any one Iesslo
| was 245. Tie collections for school p'irpese
| The school though comparatively small in nun
Der has had weighty influence, owing to the mig
character OF many OF It's mem1ers; siS ~ crosgS IL
| force of workers determined and able to malntai
the position it has won in the past.
After singing by the children's chorus
Rev. Henry NJ. King, d. D., of Albany, \
Y, delivered the address of the evening
of which this is an an abstract:
REV. MIR. KINGS ADDRESS,
The speaker in opening referred TO the inscri
tion written by PLATE and placed over the
| viour's head when he was eIueifed. IL was WI
ten in three languages and when requested
| remOye it PLATE had strength OF Will enough
answer .'What have written l have written
As changeless and unalterable as was TINS writl
of Pilates is the record all are making tne Ieco
| of purposes formed and carried out, OF Obedlen
or disobedience to God, and truth and right. 1
| inscription on the cross was manifold, anu 50
the record of our life. Not perhaps a three-t,
fold character, and it is written first ON the tab
of memory. The memory is ever RECEIVING
remember are retained, but we are often co
PEELED to recall past experiences. lt gathers DO
evil and good. and never loses its burden. .
Permanent forgetfulnesS has been denied; o1t
are experiences obscured, but at unexpected N
ments they return, showing they have never be
lest by memory Many 4 man would give his ]
| TO blot some past crime or misdeed from me
oy. - - . ~ ohor,o,
that sum of the aggregate of all that is in us,
| eeiying ever Impressions which cannot be efface
| Our characters are moulded by the Things aDt
| MS by the influences with which we connect o
! | selves they are elastic in Childhood but matl
in life, and every impression made upon theh
fixed like the scars we carry in our bodies.
{ 1t is written also on the character OF others.
q man lives for himself; influences are made
IS good or bad on all with whom we have to
None can live entirely within himself; we can
fence ourselves out from men and WORK ana
own destiny regardless of that OF others. Al
MS in the battle of life are afchers ana tne
| rows we shoot are tipped with the poison OF
influence or purity. This is far more serl
- than the record we make on memory; there
y | no random Sho.S IN lie.
y And the fourth place where we are making
record is in the great book OF account, III
:; eternal world we shall enter IL IS entered u
d from dav TO day and from year to year, and II
:, if we are to be Judged in the future.
% We are to help men to make tnelr Iecoru5,
nv every agency have their attention 10 uuly
'e truth and God and eternal life, remembering
o labor not for time but for eternity
n In closing, the congregation sang an o.
j. nal hym, which was written by Miss h
riet Lynch. Rev. A. I. Dunn pronoun'
- the benediction.
- M, eaIIo,,,;,,,, xyill ha the DrOgrammp