Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-10-30
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0I w OtotOVts
About three score and fosr pears ago, |
tbs rood and rsligiously Inclined people |
Of Buchneld, without especial regard 20 |
creed, jolpsd hands and purses, and par. |
chased sits on High Street where the
old church now stands. AZ that time |
On academy was In existence, nearly OPP |
poslte the l0t, and q 70 said that the
students were that Interested, that they |
would turn out 10 asslst In grading the
same. The church Was built BY . union
Of different denominations, hence it VAS
known 40 union church, each occupy
Ing In proportion TO lie respective
Ownership.
AZ time wore on, the BAptist people,
40 IL usually the case with churches, be-
came deslrous lin church psriancel OF
having ~ home Of their own" This,
by the help Of outsiders, was accom-
plished. Later on of . night this build.
Ing Was burned, and by the generous aid
Of the public another Was built, now
standing, an ornament to the place, and
rejecting great credit upon the people
outside as well 40 those OF the church.
Stlll later, the Methodlsts came TO the
conclusion that they needed church
edlhce, aud again the people subscribed
literally, ~ there were but few OF the
faith, and the house VAS built. And by
the way, as am writing, this very mo-
ment, the bell IL changing about 10 feet
removed from the house Of the wrlter.)
While all this has been going on. the
old church has been standing In solemn
silence, overlooking lts more pretentlous
rivals In the valley, the latter sometimes
apparently hourishing, at others In the
siough Of demand. Occasionally, Tor .
time, some minister Of the Broad church
would hold forth, or Q stump speaker
would hsrangue the people within its
spacious walls, but for = Few years de-
cay has marked Il for its own, vandsis
have piled their trade, aud the splre has
become breeding place for the cooling
dove. :.
The present season John ID. Long and
family pardon me for not using honor
ary titles, never did like them,-'roo
Engll.h, you know we're visiting here.
lie while passing the old church With .
friend, doubtless pAined to see the con-
dltion Of the building, says, "why not
repair the old churcht Will give my
dollars"
This Was the ieAven which. from mild.
ly working ut nrst, became very soon =
Torment of q high order. Other parties
who have gone out from here and bern
successful In worldly goods, were con-
ferred With by letter, aud favorable re-
sponses we're received.
A town meeting Was called 10 see "
the town would vote To buy the old
church aud convert u into . town hall,
by repairing the same, II sufficient aid
from outside could be obtained TO re-
duce the cost 10 q nominal sun.
Til. IL where the opposition rises Ia
the question, and denounces the scheme
az one 10 foist an elephant upon the
shoulders of the towns town which
has no town hall, save an old tumble
down building. which this same element
have been opposed To repairing. With a
hope doubtless Of buildinxa hne build
Ing la the near future; = town now
paying go per year rent to hold It's
town meetings; . town which has no
place % call its own, where plebeian
NAV NEE, plebelan aud discuss matters
OF finance, politics or religion, without
going down Into his pocket where the
bottom has long since dropped out.
The building and lot can bc bought
for one hundred dollars or less, not
more than the value of the lot. Five
hundred dollars IL the highest amount
for repairs, and With the liberal sub
scriptlons from those Who are anxious
10 preserve the old landmark Intact, the
expense to the town may lie brought Ia
q possible $50. Not much % jumbo
for Buckheld.
And this IL why the opposition IL go
shocked, that the people should vote the
towns money for the purchase Of the
'.old harm" for sentiments sake, then In
the next breath go Into ec.tacies over the
fine hall now occupied, "the beat la the
county"-no sentiment there.
Sentiment aside, the old town house
which stands to-day condemned, 10 all
right, for u has been lately .hingled,
whereas for decade while In use IL
leaked badly.
Sentiment aside, = barn IL just the
place to hold meetings, religious, Politi-
cal or otherwise.
The writer has mentioned on various
occasions In correspondence the diiap-
dated condition Of the old church,
coupled with the inquiry, Why not some
OF Buskheld's native born, who have
met With success In other parts, take
hold aud restore the old landmarks
Though not myself native of the town,
I have looked upon Its dilapidAted con-
di,ion With feeling OF sorrow.
A few weeks since, while the writer
was viewing the due school house near
Ing completion at Bethel, at Q cost Of
si;1o, an old gentleman approached, sud
with apparent pride, pointed out the
bounds, and while extollins the house
and surroundings says, ~ am glad TO be
taxed To help build such house for
those who come after" Though =
stranger. he Was pointed out as one OF
Oxford County's honored sons, and \
man whose pen productions l have
perused With pleasure. Sentiment aside,
one thousand dollars would have been
sufficient for that school house.
Nearly thirty years ago, where the
writer lived, there Was need of new
school house. The old men objected.
II MAS good enough for their children.
Il Was good enough still. besides, they
wanted To sell their homes. The answer
Was, iuat u just Wuat WISH Va w snu
I want q school house 10 help me SELL"
A stormy time ensued, the moderator
untieing the vote every time. was
assessed between thirty aud forty dol.
lars. The following fall I advertised
my place In local paper. 4 few weeks
aud the paper failed. The winter follow
Ing an old gentleman appeared, saying,
II saw your place advertised last fall.
I am looking for place for my son. !
see you have . good school house. lie
has three children, AMI I should not buy
unless there were good facilities for
schools" The trade was made. Taxed
for sentiment again.
When people from abroad have
been thus liberal with their means In
responding To former calls for assistance,
Why, In all fairness, should We ignore
their wishes, We don't know how soon
we may have axes TO grind. We know
not how soon we may be In the same oil.
lemma Of the old horse which fell Into
the spring. The old man, the owner,
had another old and dllspidaied equine
specimen, and hitchlng chain around
the bemlred horses neck. he brought the
other TO the rescue, saying to the up
right horse, snow, gracious God these
belng his regular prayer words), old
horse, do the very beat you can, you