The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-07-05

lived (Which proved to be about seven years.
while the First Parish paid three-quarters ana
It was a little out Of the line of grave history,
but there were some votes on tr1f1lng matters
which threw light on the state of society and OF
manners; for thirteen years it was the custom TO
take up contribution every Sunday, ana 70 u
vide the proceeds between the two MINISTER'S.
When this was given up, DR.. Deane had peen
asked how much it was worth to him; ne nad re-
piled Is or II dollars year. and a, grant Oh
Of his life In 1902 it was voted to set out eight
Lombardy poplars on Congress street; that tree
having at that time a wonderful popularity IN
sh refused even to consider the question of warm
ing the house in the winter; and 1t was nog 'lnIll
1912 that they consented so TO do. In ISe5 one
space was set apart for negro men, and ano f
for "negro women and strangers In 1901 Iate
and Bradys HYMN book was dispaee ort by Bel
made to improve the music.
In 1905, DR.. Deane, having been preaching Tor
over forty years. began to show signs OF failing
power and after three or four years OF alternate
sickness and health, consented to accept a col
league Mr.. Ichabod Nichols was ordained June
and the parish seemed med to nave 9een y unit
preacher from the very beginning, three times the
salary which they had been giving his predeceS-
sor THE embargo and the war OF 1872 soon io,-
lowed and somewhat embarrassed the parish
finances; but to nothing like the extent OF the
Revolution. c.,-....,..,
than DR.. Deane had been; and in 1919, ten years
after his ordination, had gone to Baltimore, wlth
u. II,
Sparks This was the famous ordination at which
DR.. Claiming first formulated Unltarianism; SET
ting out its FIVE points as it were in contrast to
been in such complete sympathy with Dr.. Chan.
ming, that he had been consulted in reference TO
that very sermon.
Dr. Nichols continued the sole pastor until JAN
uary 1855, when Mr.. Horatio Stebbins was in
stalled PASTOR and remained here nine years,
when he accepted a call to San Francisco ana by
his removal thither in April, 1S64-where he was
still holding an honored position-had created the
FIRST break or vacancy IN me pastoral ocS id i as
the Rev. Benz. III. Bailey. He was Installed IN
December, 1867, and resigned his position IN the
autumn of 1872. In March 1878, Rev. Thomas
Hill was called, installed i'll May 1873, and still
retains the Office.
1t was wonderful to see how peaceful the parish
records appear during the last 90 years, since the
formation of the second Congregational Church
There had been great events in the political
world, and fearful commercial and financial disas-
ters,-the war of 1912. the reYulsiOn of 1887, the
great civil war; the great fire. the destruction of
the old house of 1910, and building OF this solid
granite house,-but the parish records showed no
serious shaking of the foundations, such as appear
in the earlier times The church had been organ
lied 159 years; the parish had been the First
Parish 1872 years. Great changes had taken place
within the parish which it would be interesting
and profitable to study were there time to do SO.
The parish was at first territorial taxing all polls
and estates within its limits, and backed by the
whole power of Great Britain to collect its taxes
Then it abdicated, by permission Of the General
first of EpiScopalans and QuakerS, then OF Seced-
ing Congregationalists. Next, by similar permits
sion, gave up the right to tax polls and estates,
having previously obtained power to tax pews.
All this while the call for the. meetings was adj
dressed to the freeholders and other inhabitants;
Finally the parish became, so far as its legal and
corporate power is concerned, the owners of the
pews.
Similar changes have taken place in the church.
At the very beginning, in 1927, this church had
taken step not quite in accordance with the
strictest standards. According to the straightest
views, the candidate for admission to Congre-
Batl0Qal church should be carefully examined III
relation to his theological views and in relation to
his evidence that the grace of God had selected
him and sealed him as one of the elect. But in
July, 1927 this church stated that such examina-
ton should be dispensed with, unless peculiar oe-
casions seemed to require 1t. The church was in
the 18th century the more important organization; ;
the parish was auxiliary to it. The church select
ed and called the minister; the parish concurred.
But in the 18th century this was first reversed;